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I don't know what I would do if I was self pay, so I am very lucky that I'm not. I feel for you. Alliemorris gave you some good advice. I find that if I journal everything I have better success. So, start over as if you have just been banded. I don't mean a long liquid diet but a day or two. Journal all your intake, pick up some extra exercise, drink a little more Water. This may jump-start you into weight loss again. You can do it! Just try. Don't be discouraged. Hang in there.

Yeah she shouldn't worry about how much she is losing yet--it is too early in the game for that. The first 6-8 weeks are for healing and the 1-2 lb avg loss a week doesn't start until you are properly restricted which could take up to 3-5 fills. Plus everybody is different--some lose rather fast and others are turtles but what is nice about the band is that there is no window of opportunity. It is perfectly fine to take as long as you need to get to goal. Good luck to your daughter on her band journey. ~Liz~ 03/10/06 241/163/160 5'7''

I am not sure how to do this..First time... I had my Band done Sept 5th 2006, at the Northwest Weight loss Surgery Center in Everett Wa. I am not sure what to eat now, I always seem to be hungry. I am anxious to have the fill.. Any suggestions how what toeat so I feel full? Or what not to eat? Thank you:hungry:

I'm so sorry! I can only imagine how frustrating that is. First, I would try to talk to your doctor about your frustrations. See what he/she says and work out a plan. Then, if it's decided you need to lose a little weight, ask for some help with that. Whether it's meeting with a dietician for meal ideas or something else, losing a little weight will help you get into those good habits before surgery and jump start your weight loss. I wouldn't think 20% is the best idea, but 5% wouldn't be too bad, but I'm not a doctor. The higher your BMI (generally) the faster you lose. I watch the Biggest Loser and the bigger guys can lose 10 lbs a week and the smaller girls are struggling to lose 4. Also, if you're placed on a pre-op diet before the surgery, you will lose weight. Those are designed to make you lose before surgery so your liver will shrink. Good luck; I really hope this works out for you!

Glad to hear you're feeling somewhat better. Silver lining, if the increased restriction remains after you recover, ... it might lead to weight loss being faster, as it was [for most of us] the first month or so after surgery ?

Hi There, I'm new to the forum. I live in Vancouver and can't find a Doctor that will perform the surgery. I have been to a seminar at the Northwest Weight Loss Surgery Clinic and I'm all for the procedure, but its a little pricey, 17,100 (incl one year of fills and aftercare). If I can't find a Doctor in Vancouver I will get it done there, BUT I would rather spend my money in Canada and perhaps a littel closer to home. Any suggestions??

I didn't think anything could possibly give the results that I have, but it did...and it surpassed my expectations.... I am 63 years old, and I'm now the same healthy - fit weight I was 45 years ago in High School. You didn't say what surgery you are considering......I had lap band surgery and can only give experiences from that. I tried everything to loose weight, failed time after time.....Weight loss surgery did it....so what if it was the easy way out (for me)...it worked and that is all that matters.

Hi debra102364, I too have horrible social anxiety, but I've had it since I was a teen. It just so happens that it's worse now after gaining almost 80 lbs. in 2 years. I actually started seeing a therapist for social anxiety just recently. She's using the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy approach. I had to explain to her that a lot of the social anxiety comes from a fear of being judged for gaining so much weight in a short period of time (I gained the first 50 lbs. in 2016, and have been struggling with my weight ever since). I feel terrible about myself. My last Dr.'s visit is August 1st. From there they submit for approval from my insurance company. If all goes well, it looks like we might be having surgery around the same time. I know one thing's for sure though, and that is this. When I weighed a healthy 125-130 lbs. I felt so much better about myself, and my social anxiety wasn't as bad. Weight loss alone will not resolve my social anxiety, but it will definitely help it. I'd like to say that I want to have surgery solely for health reasons, but I'd be lying. I'm tired of feeling bad about myself, I'm tired of avoiding my friends and family because of my weight, and I'm tired of not finding myself to be even remotely attractive. My mood has really shifted though in the last couple of months though now that the last Dr.'s appointment is getting closer. I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Even if I'm being judged now because of my weight (which may or may not be happening), I know that soon I will feel better about myself, and know that this very difficult and long journey of being morbidly obese will be coming to an end. I know I will not lose 80 lbs. over night, and I know that this will take a lot of work, especially mental work. Crossing my fingers that I don't get denied, and that we'll both be on the operating table some time in September. Thank you for writing about this topic. Sorry if I've gone on a bit too long. Just wanted to let you know that I totally get it. Both social anxiety and obesity suck. Just glad there's a solution.

Hi! I'm one week post surgery and down 9 lbs! I'm pretty excited and was curious about others weight loss? Did you continue to drop as the weeks went by? Did you find it harder to lose weight as you began incorporating more food? Any suggestions on how to maximize losing the weight? Pointers? I'm not trying to break any records but definitely want to continue losing from week to week! So far so good though!!

Do the fills hurt? My first is 4 weeks post-surgery and I'm thinking that area is still going to be tender. How is the weight loss going for you 6 weeks out?

I just feel like I have to share the events of this week with someone and this seems like a great place to do it. On Wednesday, I had a check-up with my surgeon, Dr. Roslin, and he was really happy with my progress. I am down about 120 lbs since my surgery in July and my blood work looks good except for high triglycerides which I am working on (damn my penchant for cookies!). I am especially thrilled about my blood work because I have struggled with getting my vitamins in and now I feel that I have that situation under control, except for my calcium, but I am working on that too. Dr. Roslin thought I looked "svelte" -- I don't think anyone has every used that word to describe me, so I walked out of the office on clouds. I'd love to lose another five to ten pounds and since I have not really been exercising, I think that is possible with some exercise and some slightly better eating habits. Yesterday, I decided to reward myself with a new suit for work, which I desparately need. I've been trying to avoid buying any until my weight stabilizes, but I really need one. Last summer, just before my surgery, I bought a suit at my highest size ever -- a 54. I hated to buy it and it felt like a tent, but my niece was getting married and I really had no choice. I was shocked and thrilled to find out that my new suit size is a 42 regular and then have the salesman tell me that I should probably have the jacket taken in a little! I honestly thought I would start balling right there in the three way mirror! FInally, after being widowed four and a half years ago, I am dating a really nice woman. I met her in November when I was pretty far along in my weight loss, but I've been honest with her about the surgery since our second date and she has been really supportive and complimentary. I really enjoy being with her We had a wonderful dinner together Tuesday night and I find myself really caring about her and thinking about her a lot and I am pretty sure the feeling is mutual. After being so sad for such a very long time, it is a wonderful feeling! I can't be sure that this relationship wouldn't have happened without the surgery, but I don't think my heart and head would have been in a position to pursue it without the newfound confidence that this surgery has given me. What an amazing difference these last 10 months have made in my life! If there is anyone out there who is on the fence about having this surgery -- my advice is to do tons of research, get comfortable with the procedure and your doctor and then, GO FOR IT! If you are like most people on these boards, you will never regret your decision. Thanks for being out there to listen, guys. I can't imagine where I would be without this board to support and guide me! Brian

VERY Smart! Wish I would have done that; I might not be as discouraged as I am now. lol Your losses have been amazing...keep doing what you're doing and you'll reach your goal in no time!!

Congrats. I was on Metformin myself, but they released me from the hospital the day after surgery off of it, and that was the main reason for me having the surgery. Wasn't expecting such quick results though. The weight loss is just a bonus.

I'm very sorry to hear of your loss. As others mentioned, a food journal would be a great idea. I'm sure your mother is looking down and cheering you on, trying to support you regaining focus and becoming a healthier you. Sent from my mobile productivity killer.

It sounds like you are on the right track in terms of preparing for and dealing with issues regarding the loss of food as a coping mechanism. Honestly, I think you are ahead of the game there. With respect to sagging skin - I have a ton of it, and I'm okay with it. The cold hard truth is that even with sagging skin, I'm a lot more attractive than I was when I was morbidly obese. More importantly, I'm a lot more healthy both physically and emotionally. I don't worry about fitting into airplane seats or restaurant booths. I don't feel like people are staring and judging wherever I go. For me, the emotional toll of being a morbidly obese person in our society was huge, and I am now free from that. I will take all the sagging skin in the world in exchange for my physical and emotional health. All of that said - you can really only see sagging skin if you are both naked (or very skimpily dressed) and standing upright. How often does someone see you like that? I don't like skimpy clothes anyway. The only people who see me naked are lovers and health care professionals, and if they can't deal with it, I don't need them in my life. I love my new body and am proud of it, sagging skin and all!

Thank you for your responses and encouragment. This is such a scary prospect but as you know even more frightening is the future without the weight loss. Health issues, self-esteem issues and all that goes along with it. I'm glad to have found this forum!

I was in the office a day after the party and missed all the fun. Lol.. Im getting sleeved by Dr Kim this morning. Congratulations on ur loss!!!

It's true...the higher the water intake, the greater the weight loss. Good luck with everything!

Hola, If you are down from 245 to 200 right after surgery that is very fast weight loss. Was that with your preop diet?

Congratulations on your terrific loss and welcome! I was banded 2 days after you but can't start on solid foods until week 6. Good luck and continued success.

Hey Mia, gosh, we sound like we are in the same boat. I was tiny before having my first child at 18. i was a cheerleader, still have my old uniforms. the skirts fit around my thighs now...lol. how tall are you??? I have to lose 80 lbs or so also, but I am thinking I will be happy at around 60 lbs of loss. I have big hips, and when i was tiny, I always thought my butt was too big, but when I weighed 135-140, I thought my junk was just right! Besides, my goal here is to be Phat, not fat. well, good luck girl! This place is the BEST support system I have found. I have lots of fun on LBT! Another "by the way", I was just banded on 3/13/06....and I have been married 14 years this october, with three kids!!

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in 1995. It went undiagnosed for years. I was miserable. As the years passed my dose slowly went up. After banding I went from .15 mg. to .112 mg. The doc told me that this hormone is stored in the fat cells. Since I'm losing fat, my body requires less. I lost about 50 pounds when my levels started getting to high. Low I'm leveled off, but may have to go down some more as I lose. It doesn't seem to be affecting my weight loss to much.

#3 08-30-2006, 10:37 AM wavydaby vbmenu_register("postmenu_288891", true); Crazy about cavies Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 470 I know exactly how you feel!!!!! I was ready to roll and my lab work came back that I had H pylori. Stupid bacteria. At least iron pills are itty bitty. I had to take 3 horse pill antibiotics and a prilosec in the morning and at night. Trust me, the two months will go by fast. I got my band two weeks ago and Im still wondering where the time went. __________________ Jill Banded on August 15th:clap2: Dr Bauman, NC 297/283/170 Let the loss begin! Christmas Goal 275

If you cannot tell by now, I use this blog as a way to vent, blow off steam, get things off my chest or to just share my story in general. Well today it is to vent. I have spent the past two days getting the run around trying to get the insurance thing settled, and I haven't even went to my consultation yet!!! Geesh! Ok, let me backtrack a bit. Early in the year I started thinking about WLS and I contacted my then insurance provider to get all the information about coverage. At that time I had to do 12 consecutive months of medically supervised diet /exercise before I would be considered. I started that in March. I went to see my GP to document it. I joined the YMCA to use their pool for exercise. ( as water therapy is my best bet at this time with the weight/ arthritis) Then my leg issues flared up and I was unable to continue. During the time I was dealing with my leg my employer switched insurance providers. As of June 1st I have been on Anthem Blue Cross. So when I got past the hospitals and bed rest and returned to life, I started thinking strongly about the surgery again. ( Given a poor prognosis on my leg with few treatment options, weight loss is one of the few positive things I can do for it.) So I contacted my new insurance carrier to find out IF our plan covered WLS and what the requirements were for it. My company actually added bariatric surgery as a benefit. ( the original Blue Cross package plan did not cover ) When I was quoted the qualifications I was sure to find out about any mandatory time frame of supervised diet, which to my surprise there was not. All I have to do is provide a list of things I have tried and the results. ( Seems obvious to me the results but...lol) Once I had this information I proceeded to get a referral to a bariatric doctor from my GP, went to the mandatory seminar and just started to get my ducks in a row in general. Then Friday I get a message there is a problem with my insurance. I found out yesterday that , when Dayton Bariatrics contacted Anthem about my coverage, they were told my policy excluded WLS. What happened was whoever took the call only looked at the basic policy, they did not check out the non standard benefits clause. So I made a call to my insurance to get it squared away, then called back the doctor's office to let them know. Last night I found a message on my VM saying that the claims rep for the practice was extremely back logged and did not have time to call my insurance back. Therefore they asked ME to get a statement from Anthem saying that WLS was covered for me, and a list of their requirements for approval. Really??? I have to say this left me feeling a little bewildered. Seems like that is not my place to do this, that the office should handle it. But maybe I am being over sensitive. Anyway, I called my provider back today to make the request. I had to sit on hold upwards of 10 minutes as she collected the information. Then the customer service rep comes back on the line to say she cannot find the requirements list, but can verify I am covered. What the heck???? When I had called before the girl had no problem finding and listing the requirements for me. So the rep puts me back on hold as she calls the doctor's office to verify to them I am covered. Another 5-10 minutes pass and she gets back on the line to say the office still needs the requirement listing, but she will have to search for it. She didn't want me to have to be on hold any longer, but she assured me she would get that information over to them today. Now being somewhat pessimistic I have a feeling this is NOT the last time I will be hearing about this!!!! I rather expect she will not provide said list and I will have to jump through hoops yet again. It is a good thing I am a strong believer that this is what I need to do, because this run around would be enough to put anyone off!

Hello I am a revision as well. Often as having a revision, we compare restriction with the band as I did. Having our type of surgery as I did in the same surgery (revision) having scar tissue plays a part in that. The Sleeve is a sterner master and I was worried when I could eat more after a month. Liquids do go down quicker and each food type has the ability to have different type of restriction. Liquids= no restriction/ Soft food= moderate restriction/ Solid foods depending on what kind= restriction. I am 2 months out and have been a slow loser with the 3 week stall and for my age and pre-menopause, taking BP pills ALL have played a part in my weight lost. Not to forget your "bougie" size, the measuring device used to measure your new stomach size. ALL of these factors play a part. Drink plenty of Water, Protein a must and watch slider foods that will not support your weight lost. The sleeve works you just have to work with it and not compare yourself with others. Remember this is no the band , thank God and we have a new stomach that we have to get use to. I have restriction and I weight out my food and STOP willfully when I feel the full signal, Over eating with the sleeve is out of bounds as it is nothing like the band, as stated this is sterner master and will not allow you to get away with eating around it. Work the Sleeve it is truly a great tool! I remember being angry as I was 2 months out and only 15lb loss. Well since then I have lost 4lbs and it just came off.