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Welcome... I hope you are recovering well...I guess most of us (this forum) have gone through same failures in life, and struggled to loss weight, I heard about the band since a friend of a friend had it done, when I went to my orientation Dr recommended SVG since has higher success, less risk and higher loss weight. So far he was absolutely right. How are you doing so far? You said your surgery was this past monday? Wish you fast and painless recovery, I am 6 1/2 months post surgery, feel free to ask any questions.

Well, got banded today. First, I want to thank this site. I've been reading for months and felt I was very prepared. I'm not a surgery guy - nothing since tonsils at age 7. Made the decision after many years of contemplating it (what larger person hasn't). Have several people who have been thru it who I trusted and complete faith in my Dr. Result - I was not the least bit apprehensive or had any anxiety except for a minute upon first entering operating room. Dr. said liver looked good, no blood loss, no hernias needing repair. I think I have five bandages across my stomach and one centered above (heart shaped bandage -where they inserted the air?) Checked in at 8:30 this morning. Surgery at 10. Woke up at 11:00. In recovery room at 11:05. Discharged at 1:30 and home at 3:30. No pain so far, no discomfort really. Throat is a bit scruffy from tube and abdomen is sensitive at most. Started with ice chips, Water. Just had some onion Soup broth. Plan on going for short walk. Plan is to go back to work on Tuesday -- we'll see Truly feel this is the first day of the rest of my life! I'm totally prepared and committed (wouldn't have been 5 or even 2 years ago). I thank everyone who allowed me to read their experiences. I've been reading posts just about every night since January. This site has far and away been the most useful. Lucky, too, to have supportive family and just a few others I've confided in. I know there'll be bumps -- but day one far and away better than expected. Oh, even lost 11 pounds last two weeks!

My surgery date is Thursday 3/16. I have stopped my daily aspirin and Coumadin regime. However, I'm slightly confused on taking the medicine "ursodiol" to prevent gallstones. My surgeon instructions said to stop aspirin, herbal medicines, & coumadin but, my weight loss dietician wrote on my notes to start my pre op diet 2 weeks before surgery AND start taking ursodiol 2 weeks prior to surgery I'm going to call in the morning...and get the correct answer but, it's bothering me until then....I don't want my surgery postponed because I took the meds or I shouldn't have taken them....I haven't taken anything but protein shakes....no vitamins either.... What meds have you stopped prior to surgery? Are you taking vitamins during your 2 week pre op?

I geuss we are the same. Loss the weight which not much only 50 lbs because newly banded. And gain the baby. I found out today that I am seven weeks along and not 5 to 6 as I thought. Boy that is a bid difference. Congrats to all.

Carlak- Biotin is another name for Vitamin H. It helps strengthen your hair and nails. Some foods like cauliflower, bananas, carrots, egg yolk and sardines have biotin. My doc recommended I have two supplements daily. I also take 2 shakes a day. My hair thin-out just a bit. Hope this helps.

Starting to see a little more hair when I run my fingers through it come off. No chunks but certainly shedding ...please friends can you share experiences? And remedies I heard this is normal and I just restarted taking Biotin

I'm on day 8 of my pre op diet. Mine is a little different because I'm using meal supplements from my weight loss center and then I am allowed 1 meal which consists of 4-5 ounces of lean meat and 1 cup of non starchy vegetables. This was an easier choice for me because I didn't trust I'd do well with trying to figure out all I could and couldn't have so having pretty much everything planned out for me was a less stressful plan during a stressful 2 weeks. It has definitely been hard and I've wanted all kinds of things. At first I thought this was terrible timing because of the holiday and all of the gatherings revolving around food, but this has ended up being a good trial for what things might look like after surgery. I also started to experience dizziness around day 2 and 3. I worried at first but I had a scheduled visit with my surgeon and she said dizziness is normal. My surgery is in one week and this diet is getting a little easier each day. I think I just miss eating more than actually being hungry.

WOW on your weight loss!!! I too am looking into plastic surgery!!! I'm at 165 from 265 and feel that to continue on in my weight loss journey ... I need a plastic surgeon!! Good luck to you in your continued efforts!!! I love my band!!!

I'm not long into this yet -- almost 10 months, and have already hit goal and lost 5 pounds below that now. Maintenance is new to me -- about 1-1/2 months now. For me, the difference seems to be: 1. Less hunger -- the "lot less ghrelin" factor has been a big deal for me. 2. Restriction -- that's still a big deal for me, too. As we all know, the restriction is less than it used to be. But it's quite functional at this point. 3. New habits -- boy, do I have a lot of good, new habits: eating slower, chewing longer, planning my daily menus, recording my food intake, weighing daily. I'm even grooming myself better -- brushing teeth 2X daily, doing better skin care, getting dressed every day, wearing makeup, getting my hair done on schedule, etc. 4. I can move more now -- and, boy, do I move more! Weighing 90 pounds less has made me MUCH more energetic. I simply could not move much at all a year ago. And all that moving is burning calories. I'm cleaning house, walking, exercising, gardening, shopping more, and everything else you can imagine. 5. Elevated mood. I'm not nearly as depressed as I was a year ago when I weighed 90 pounds more, I was in physical pain, I was a functional agoraphobic (I could fly cross-country, but refused to go to the local Wal-Mart). And now I'm simply not pissed, embarrassed, afraid, etc. I am so much happier. Skinnier Me = Happier Me = Skinnier Me. 6. Seeing a shrink has helped. I've never seen a shrink before, but at my PCP's urging started doing so when I started my WLS journey. He's helped me stay quite focused on the right stuff. No big trauma in my past has been uncovered. But I've explored the factors associated with my past failures in caring for myself in the past and ways I can change those patterns. That's all been very helpful. So far, for me, this has all been a dynamic dealio in that everything above seems to feed everything else. Put another way, when everything is working well, everything works well. When everything sucks, everything sucks. And according to my shrink, people who've reached goal risk regaining when they don't keep changing their goals, e.g., we lost weight -- now what? Get fitter? Leverage our new health to start our dreamed-for career? Human beings don't "stand still" very comfortably. ... anyway, those are some thoughts from my point of view. Kindle, I hope you can find some peace in all this chaos thrust upon you. I'd love to "poof" you better, but I can't find my wand right now. ;(

There are some online calculators that will give you a rough estimate, such as: http://www.obesitycoverage.com/weight-loss-surgeries/gastric-sleeve/gastric-sleeves-how-much-weight-will-i-lose They're based on averages of course -- about 60% of excess weight loss (one hopes this comes from clinical studies). Given your age and gender I would think you're a prime candidate to beat that average. If I recall correctly men tend to lose a greater percentage on average (probably because they have more muscle mass). Also if you look at the typical ages on this board (I'm 58) I'll bet the average age is well beyond yours so you should have some metabolic advantage there too. (We grey-haired types don't make progress at the gym as fast as you do!). Just remember that first year is your time to shine, so make the most of it. Enough of my speculation. I'll have my surgery the end of April and will try to keep up with you! Best of luck.

Thanks Mami and congrats on your loss!!!

It was interesting.... It was most definitely a PINCH... A long pinch. I found out that I have a 10cc band, and after surgery I had 4cc in it. They added another 1cc today. I'm nervous because my band is now half full and I have only just beginning my journey..... Well, bed time. Up to swim in the early am. Oh! I got weighed today. I'm 265! Good enough loss for me. Happy losing everyone and the weekend is close on us!

First of all, take a deep breath and calm down. I had my bypass on August 19th and I have suffered from severe clinical depression for 55 years (I will be 61 on Oct 3rd). I have been back to the hospital 2 times for severe UTI and gained weight with all those fluids they pumped into me both times. You WILL lose this weight. It's only been 6 days. Your body is still in shock and will be for some months to come. You WILL lose weight. In 5 weeks i have lost 30 lbs. Are you seeing a therapist to help you through? I've been seeing one for the last 6 months to help me through this process. Plus, I have image problems I need to get through (I have lost 60 lbs pre-op and post-op, yet in my mind i see no difference ... just a very fat woman). But I am getting better. Depression makes this journey so much harder, but we CAN get through it. Stay POSITIVE! Stay COMMITTED! Get your weight taken and take measurements. I may not see any difference in my body, but I know in my mind I have lost 20+ inches, and that keeps me going. I have started fitting into the clothes I have outgrown and that keeps me going. Other people notice a difference and that keeps me going. Give yourself some time, hon. You didn't get where you are all at once and it won't disappear all at once. Be patient. Drinking the shakes you can't help but lose weight. When you get further down the road you can start exercising, which not only helps with weight loss but helps you feel better, too. If there is anything I can do or if you ever want anyone to talk to, give me a shout. We Libra's gotta stick together!! (((BIG HUG)))

There are tons of reasons why this works for 80% of those who do it and why behavior modification alone works for less than 8%...Two big ones Biological reason: Long term obesity changes the body. It creates systems to support the fat that end up killing you. Insulin spikes, extra coritisol, creating less testosterone. All these cascade into a nearly unwinnable war against weight. Behavioral habits: We all have them. food is soothing. It was a way of dealing with stress. It is in our memories of good times. The surgery changes the hormones, allowing weight loss to happen. It is a tool to help us break behavioral habits. It is only a tool. You still have to eat the right stuff and move. But it is a great tool.

My God-sister had the loop on August 24th and is down almost fifty pounds. I just had the standard DS on 23rd I refused to do the loop because its too new. Thats just me. I would say to look at your paper work to see and make sure and call your surgeon and ask why you were not informed of the difference. Also most people do not see tons of weight loss the first two months because the body is adjusting. You got this. [emoji173]️ Good luck [emoji173]️

Well done Soo and Chris. Long may your weight loss and friendship continue. x

Can I ask why on earth you were sleeved to start with? My hubby is also 6'1" and 230#. I know he wouldn't ever consider surgery for weigh loss. Not judging. Just curious. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Gawd. I'm still losing the Water weight I gained from IV fluids and now I'm expecting to stall 2-3 weeks out? That will give me 1 week of losing this month. I feel cheated out of my 1st month of significant loss. So not fair. <petulant foot stomp>

I'm not really a fan of Donald Trumps show on Sunday nights, but I did watch a few clips tonight and was watching Star Jones more than anything really admiring how she has done so well with her weight loss. I haven't really followed the media stuff on her but was pretty sure she had had some sort of WLS- but didn't know which one. So, I googled her to see what I could find. Not with any big surprise, she had the GB. The reason I'm posting about this is that in this article, she talks about all the very same things everyone else speaks of here with their insecurities, the denial we go through before it takes us to hit bottom and do something. But, then, to go further she talks about the way she has felt even after having lost the weight and the struggles she has had as well. I'm glad that she has been able to stay successful regardless of which surgery she had- but I thought it might be nice for anyone who wished to read her comments because I think she puts what we all feel so gracefully.... http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/2007/08/star-jones-weight?currentPage=1

Hey Tracy! I think a lot of people have stalls, and then there are a few of us that just keep on trucking. I am super glad I am in the latter group, except, I'm having skin issues already, and I still have 80 pounds to goal. I started out at 310, and hit 250 on Saturday! I'm thrilled with my weight loss, but not so much about the loose skin. Keep your chin up, you're doing great!!!

I had to complete the six month supervised diet also. I was fortune because intially I wanted to have the LapBand. However, after learning of the gastric sleeve I changed my mind, and other issues I was experiencing with the LapBand program. The insurance allowed me to use those six months towards the sleeve requirements. Either way my insurance, Cigna, did require a six month supervised weight loss program. They were the longest six months. Good luck

I had my surgery in April of '09 and have gotten down to 149 pounds (which according to my doctor, because of my frame and muscle mass, 150 was supposed to be rock bottom). Anyway, my husband and I had no problem conceiving our first child (he was quite a surprise actually!) yet we've been trying since September for our second with no such luck yet. I'm trying to be patient, but don't want our kids too far apart in age either, you know? We've been tracking ovulation and while I have an atypical cycle (25 days with an 11 or 12 day luteal phase) I didn't think we would have any problems. I won't know for certain until Monday, but I have a feeling this month won't be it either. So long story short, how many people have had difficulty conceiving a second child after surgery? Is it the weight loss? Cycle change? I just turned 30 so I doubt it is age. Thanks for your input!

Track your calories more closely. Weight-loss happens when you're eating less than you burn on a daily basis. There's no trick or tips to losing really. In any case, plateaus are common and should be expected. Weight-loss isn't linear nor constant, nor should you be comparing your amount of weight loss to anyone else. We're all different and no two bodies are going to lose at the same rate. It just doesn't happen.

This was sent to me in a private message by one of our members who wanted to stay anonymous but thought the information might be useful to other BariatricPal members: "Alex, I realized my drinking was getting excessive. Particularly when I woke up with my hands shaking. It was quickly going from drinking after working out, to wanting to take nips to quiet the nerves during the day. There are two schools of thought out there when it comes to alcohol - the AA/total abstention model and Harm Reduction model. In my typical fashion, I started researching it and realized that sudden withdrawal could be very dangerous. Just stopping drinking if you have been doing for an extended period of time can create bad withdrawal symptoms, the worst being known as Delirium Tremors (DT's), but it also can spike your blood pressure, elevate heart rate, night sweats. If I went into a medically supervised system, my options all involved sudden withdrawal with benzos and other anti-anxiety drugs. And at the same time you risk loss of professional licences, reputation, gun rights etc. Not a great solution to a problem. And it is a problem. Not only is it stalling my weight loss, but if I was in a accident, the hospital is not going to bring you a bourbon as medicine, instead you get to go through DT's. So I didn't want to risk being dependent on alcohol, the dangers are too great. Then I found these articles: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0022994 https://hamsnetwork.wordpress.com/2010/10/09/more-on-tapering-off-alcohol/ One of the benefits of controlled tapering of alcohol is avoiding a syndrome called "kindling." Some people who have repeatedly gone through cold turkey withdrawal without tapering off become more and more likely to have bad withdrawals from even small amounts of alcohol. This phenomenon is referred to as "kindling". People who have undergone kindling can suffer withdrawal seizures from drinking as little as a six pack of beer. Some decades ago some detox facilities forced clients to undergo cold turkey withdrawal to "teach them a lesson". Not only did this fail to stop people from drinking, it resulted in many people suffering from kindling. I used this system over three days and the result was a controlled landing. I've now been able to go through the last week alcohol-free without really bad withdrawals. Can't say it wasn't without discomfort. It did goof with my sleep and I have been agitated and muscles are a little sore, but it was bearable. Used a portable breathalyzer to monitor my BAC and home blood pressure monitor to make sure nothing spiked. My goal is to stay alcohol-free for the next month and re-evaluate. I need to re-learn my relationship with drinking, and make sure I bring my BAC down to 0 between drinks so I don't get back to that level again and make sure it is not an everyday activity. But that is my goal, not a recommendation."

OMG!!!! I'm in the same boat and I am so glad to hear that I am not alone to experience a stall so early in my weight loss journey. I had my surgery on July 14, 2017. I was losing 3-4 pounds per day immediately after surgery and then it tapered off to 1 - 1.5 pounds per day. At the end of week 2 post-op, I stalled. In fact, at some point during week 3 I gained 1 pound. For the past 10 days, I have been at the same weight. I exercise daily (I walk 5km per day on a treadmill) and I make sure I eat enough proteins. I follow the eating plan I was given. My water intake is ok, but not that great. I can only manage about 750 ml per day (+/-). My biggest downfall is weighing myself every single day. I realize now that the scale is my enemy when I do that. I will try to see how I am doing only once a week. In the meantime, I try on clothes that didn't fit me before and pride myself on the inches lost.