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Oh, I am so sorry! Praying he finds a job soon and your weight loss journey continues as planned. Sometimes its hard to understand why our plans get interrupted, but most of the time we understand the reason once we've passed through the storm. Hopefully this is a short storm for you and your husband! Heck, who knows, maybe there is a better job right around the corner and it will have insurance benefits that will pay for surgery!! Hugs! Slenderella

Our team did not have a specific amount they wanted us to lose. They just wanted to see a loss every month. One month I gained 7 pounds, and lost it the next month. Despite the gain, I was recommended for surgery, and approved by my insurance company. Sent from my SM-N960U using BariatricPal mobile app

My surgeon asked for a 10% loss... 27lbs for me. It wasn't a firm expectation, and when I was struggling, in part due to one of my diabetes meds, they helped me get in to see a specialist to make some changes. Sent from my SM-G960W using BariatricPal mobile app

YAY! That's wonderful! Bet it felt GREAT to see that 10 pound loss, way to go!!!!!

Hi Jason. Congrats on your good news. You can get a ticker at Graphical Tickers and Trackers: Weight Loss, Trying To Conceive, Pregnancy.... Just follow the steps, then copy and paste the code for bulletin boards into your signature.

Hi Jinjin, I just started week 10 post op. I had 2 stalls within 8 weeks. My first 4 weeks were awesome...lost 30 lbs. Then at week 5 I came to a screeching halt...I even gained close to 3 lbs in weeks 5, 6, and 7. Yes, I had a 3 week stall and was freaking out the whole time!!! Reading these boards helped me so much. I stopped weighing myself every day, now just weigh-in every other day. Somewhere between week 8 and 9 I stalled again for a few days...BUT, after all is said and done...Since July 1st (the date my first stall started) I have lost another 7 lbs. And I'm good with that. If you look at some postings of long-time sleevers, you see the number of lbs. lost really go down after the 1st and second month. I've realized it isn't how fast I get it off, but that I KEEP getting it off...and ultimately that it stays off. I was complaining on previous posts that when I stalled at about 30-35 lbs, this was the same amt I've lost on countless other diets, it felt like the same old bad vibe. BUT with my pre-op diet loss, I am at 45 lbs. lost. Now that is a new one for me! I have not seen this weight since I was a teen. And now I know, the weight loss may stall, but it will not stop anytime soon. Stop worrying! You WILL keep losing and you will become happier and healthier! It took me a week or 2, but now I'm not worried, I am just trying to stick to the rules...and rule#1 for me, low carbs...40g or under a day if I can; less than 1000 cal a day if I can, and all my Water. Exercise is my issue right now, but it may not be a coincidence that when it increased, my weight decreased and my stall broke. I am a very "the glass is half full" kind of person, and this is what I now say to myself: "I CAN'T wait for my next stall !!!" Because that means between now and then I will lose some weight, and then once the stall is over, I will lose again!!! Yay for stalls!! (I know, I know...get over myself! ) Take care, I hope some of these words are helpful to you.

I am considering going on the pill and wondering if anybody has experienced any slowing down of their weight loss or any weight gain????

If you haven't talked to your surgeon's office in a while, it might be a good idea to give them a call to let them know you're almost done with your 6-month weight loss and ask what you need to do to schedule the endo and psych eval. A lot of bariatric practices have a "patient navigator" who helps to coordinate that stuff. I had some concerns about my insurance coverage (mainly because I hadn't been to a doctor in almost 10 years, so I didn't have a documented weight history), but the surgeon was very familiar with my insurance requirements and said, "Don't worry, we'll get you covered," and they did! They do this for a living, so most of them are pretty good at dealing with insurance companies.

okay I have no clue what PCOS is. Could someone please explain? I'm 5'2" and I too have had trouble with the lossing weight and am scheduled for surgery on 12/5. I'm curious what you are talking about. Saara In Maine

Ashlee, I also have Humana. (KY) When I orig. submitted my info for approval, info on the lapband was just beginning to surface. I am assuming with the focus on diabeties, besity and childhood obesity in the US, then medical news reports documenting that weight loss surgery such as lapband is working, the insurance companys are finally getting with the program. With that said, I was in the process for a long time. Submit your info, jump through your hoops, and DO NOT GIVE UP. I have read on this forum where some Humana clients were approved withing 6 weeks and some may take longer. I was finally approved in December and now I am waiting for my surgeron to see me and set up a date. Anything worth having.......... PA

So my doc has told me to stay away from bread, but does that mean I can't have pancakes either? Whether they be protein pancakes, whole wheat pancakes, etc? I understand having carbs often aren't beneficial to weight loss but I do need to create a sense of normalcy (sp?) in my eating and routine for the rest of my life. Thanks!

Welcome back and congrats on the great weight loss!

Hello, everyone. I am fairly new here...been lurking and putting my 2 cents worth in here and there. I was banded on October 25 and loving the results thus far. I appreciate all the helpful advice I've seen in this forum. You are all such great inspirations. We all had to get to where we were before we could get out and make that change. That life altering change to get healthy. I, for one, am VERY happy I made the decision to get the LapBand and that I found this great support system here on the net. I really am hoping to see all of us meet our weight loss goals. I know everyone has made this decision after much research and thought and probably a little bit of prayer and a whole lot of talking. YEAH ME! YEAH US! Good luck to all and I'm sure you'll be seeing more of me in the coming months.

Today, I went to a friends job to pick up some cosmetics she ordered me. She works @ St. Vincent's Medical Center, which sits on a hill & had notoriously crappy parking. So after I finally weddgie my big 'ol truck into a teeny tiny space at the bottom of the hill, I headed up to the main hospital...that's when it hit me...the last time I was at this hospital, I was attending the first of many weight loss seminars, and I remember nearly passing out trying to walk up the hill And here I am, 14 weeks post sleeve today, down 70 lbs and I breezed up that hill without a pause! I wasn't even breathing hard when I got to the top! Tiny Sleevie has made the impossible possible & I am sooo blessed to be on this journey. I would do it all over again without a moment's hesitation! I feel wonderful...and yes, I'm looking pretty darn rockin' good these days! Sent from my iPhone using VST

Thanks Crystal! Looking forward to seeing some weight loss!

I have been using Herbalife for the last 3 mobths. It did jumpstart my weightloss. I am amazed. I have been at 34lbs loss in 1 1/2 yrs. the last three months i lost 16lbs. And its healthy. Dr approved. My goal for additional 50lbs loss is by march 2014.

Thanks so much! I read all the posts of amazing losses right after surgery and although my head says something like "it is probably Water retention", that little girl inside says "I'm not even good enough for the sleeve and nothing is ever going to work for me!" Just when you think you have made friends with that little girl, she kicks you in the shin!

Hi Christina, Our stats are similar. I'm 26 and 5'6 with HW being 293. I had surgery 4/1 and my total weight loss has been 50 pounds. Unlike you, I'm more bottom heavy. I have a little bit of a belly but nothing some clothes couldn't hide. My problem areas are mainly my legs and my butt. I've been at a stall for the past week or so so I'm hoping once I break the stall more weight will fall off. My exercise regimen has been okay. Since I'm more bottom heavy, I have pain in my hips which makes walking for long periods of time really painful. I did walk a lot when I first got out of surgery. I was wheeled into recovery at 11am and by noon I was already walking around. I walked at least 10 minutes every hour (even at night - couldn't sleep). Now, I'm comfortable walking for maybe 30 minutes until the pain starts to creep back up. I follow up with a swim or resistance exercises with weights or abs. Let me know if you have anymore questions

here is what I have learned about fills....Even with a great restriction and sweet spot...you will still stop losing every once in awhile. At least I do. I was filled last Monday and BOY HOWDY it was a goodie. And last week I lost 3 pounds. However, the week before the fill...I lost 5 pounds. Now this week...nada. My weight loss seems to be on a cycle. I lose good for 2 weeks after my TOM and then hold almost steady for 2 weeks. I believe in weighing everyday, and have come across a lot of articles lately that say it is actually good bc it helps you stay on top of it. However, you do have to realize that your weight flucuate, and I only record my weight "officially" on Mondays Amy

I had my appointment today with the dietitian and I have one more pound to loss before I can go in front of the doctors. Very mad at myself, so another month but I got this!

Hello! I was banded back in June of 2011 and am considering opening up a gym that would cater to weight loss surgery patients. I was hoping to get some feedback about an idea I have for a gym. You can reply here or you can email me at isoneedisagenix@gmail.com. My idea is to create a gym catered to weight loss patients and those individuals who need more assistance than what a typical gym membership may provide. A membership at my gym would give clients access to individual and class (class size of 20 or less) run training sessions, nutrition counseling and access to a licensed counselor to handle the mental component of weight loss and what causes people to gain weight in the first place. My belief is that as we undergo change from the surgery, our mindset isn't often as prepared to make the changes as we hope. This can cause individuals to have a difficult time losing weight, or even more likely, gain the weight back that an individual originally lost. I've talked with and worked with countless people in this same situation over the last three years and have personally experienced this as well. A counselor could provide that missing component and would work closely with the nutritionist and the training specialist on staff to ensure (as much as possible) that a client would experience weight loss with lasting success. If you had something like this available to you, would you be interested in using the service? What would you pay as a monthly membership fee to have access to a service like the one I have described? Any and all feedback is appreciated. I thank you for your time and consideration in advance. Be Well, Erenne Shaffer

I did go through this but have to say I'm eating and drinking pretty normally after less than 3 months. It's portion size and low carb that are my biggest changes. Like any weight loss plan there are some deprivations, but I honestly feel they are less with VSG than many others I've tried - but I was always a pretty healthy eater of large portions. The sleeve controls portions really well in these early days (and pretty well, long term, from vets comments here). I wouldn't sweat it too much. The early weeks are kind of tough but your appetite will probably be near to non-existent, so you won't care as much as you currently think you will. Good luck with it all.

Thank you all for your responses. PdxMan and LindafromFlorida you are right she is not done with me. She texted and called me all day. I ignored her. True to form she even asked me to try again and that was very painful for me. It was a difficult day. I did start the morning by clearing out my refrigerator of all leftovers and sweet drinks. I don't buy snack or junk food and keep it in my house so that part was easy. Fortunately for the first day in awhile I didn't feel like eating and I guess that is the emotional part. I had been on an emotional roller coaster and eating every feeling that I had: happiness, sadness, pain, you name it, I ate it. Fortunately I do have someone to talk to but I spent a lot of time focusing on her and I need to shift the focus back on me and what I need. I had my gastric sleeve on December 2, 2013 and lost a lot of weight because I was afraid to eat anything. I had a lot of problems with keeping food down, especially Protein so the food I was eating were those soft slider foods and by February 14, 2014 I went from 368 lbs to 281 lbs. I was tremendously excited and perhaps overly confident about my success. My surgeon was happy albeit concerned that I really wasn't eating and losing 8-10 lbs per week. We talked about developing an eating disorder because of my food aversion but I didn't care. I thought the sleeve had solved my problem - eating - and I would deal with the fallout later. So when I met my ex and began to eat small amounts of food, I was relieved not to be throwing up any more after about 2 weeks. I was on several nausea meds that made my throat dry and I couldn't seem to quench my thirst. That's when I started drinking sweet drinks like lemonade, it helped. No excuse. Eventually I could eat anything including small amounts of steak. Of course, I have to take Miralax everyday to digest what I eat so that is stupid but technically I could eat. Before I could barely eat chicken breast. We were going to different restaurants 3-4 times per week and each week the pounds started to slowly climb back on. I remember when I first tried alcohol, my stomach couldn't handle it. Then I tried again and it wasn't so bad. I have never been a drinker really 1-2 drinks socially maybe once or twice a month, but I was drinking a couple of times per week which also contributed to the weight. I stopped drinking two weeks ago on my birthday. Things were strained between me and my ex because I decided not to be around her at all when she was drinking and took all alcohol out of my house. I took some time reading other posts yesterday where people talked about the sleeve being a tool in the weight loss journey. I realize I need to find a happy medium with eating and develop a healthy relationship with food. I know I can't go back to not eating at all or eating everything there is so just figuring out where that place is will help. I will try listening to my body and trying to see when I am actually hungry or just filling a need. Also making sure I am not eating too much. I will go back to my small plates and see how that works.

I don't recall seeking medical advice. I recall asking a question about weight loss surgery on a weight loss surgery forum. Thanks to all who answered!

Well if I cant get the procedure done while i'm out of school whats the likely hood of having the surgery done and going back to school in 4 days? I am pretty reslient with the right ammount of drugs in me hah. jk, but c'mon for those who've had c-sections you have your baby, then 2 or 3 days later you are getting up and down all night and holding your baby walking around ect, and the c-section has to be much more painful, right? thats a doozy of an area stapled up. So yes or no, 4 days post op, walking around doing hair at cosmetology school, yay or nay?