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Dr. JLo- First of all, I admire your work that I have seen on Big Medicine. I am such a fan! I have carried twins for 38 weeks (6.4 lbs. each), 19 months later had another c-section, all while having a pre pragnancy weight of 245. Needless to say I have quite an "apron". I feel comfortable with the way the rest of my body is shaping up through exercise. Okay so maybe I want some implants too. I have told myself that I wanted to be 170 before seeking out a PS. I am 5"5" and in a 18 (because I have to tuck in my stomach in my pants). The rest of me looks like a normal person now. It is hard to feel good about this much weightloss when I see that apron everytime I look in the mirror. How much weight in skin can be removed during a TT. When should I seek out a PS in your opinion? Can you recommend someone in DFW for a self pay? Thank you so much!

I've been reading a lot of posts on this board, books, and anything I can get my hands on. I have a BMI of 58 (pre 10% weight loss before surgery) and it has been mentioned that doctors won't band someone with my BMI, even if I lose my 10%. I have no health conditions and I want to get this weight off before I develop any issues. I don't want to have bypass surgery because of the risks. :biggrin: Anyone out there who can help?

I'm so glad your breastfeeding has continued! I found by 19 months with my third, I wouldnt have even had to nurse her on my sore stomach - I could have thrown her a boob from across the room, lol. She didnt even have to stop playing with her blocks!

I didn't use the Vitamins recommended by my surgeon. I've always preferred whole food based vitamins rather than chemically synthesized vitamins. Not only do they provide micronutrients and cofactors that you can't duplicate in a lab, mine have digestive enzymes and Probiotics for better absorption and overall GI health. I was using Source of Life Gold chewables before and immediately after surgery. But my tastes changed and I no longer liked the chewables. I switched to Garden of Life because they come in capsules and tablets. I currently take Vitamin Code for Women multi, Vitamin Code Raw D3, MyKind Organic Plant Calcium and Source Naturals methylcobalamin (B12) sublingual. I also used to take Vitamin Code Healthy Blood, but my labs showed high Iron at 6 months out so I stopped taking them. Labs been good ever since. The biggest thing is to make sure you follow through with annual bloodwork forever. Studies show that 40%-90% of gastrectomy patients develop deficiencies within 5, 10 and even 20 years postop. Iron, B12, D3, calcium, folate, zinc and magnesium are the biggest culprits.

Yep. I haven't lost much the last month or two but I am still mostly an XL in women's tops, and anywhere from a 10-14 in bottoms. I do have a couple of dresses that are 14W that I can still wear but most of them (and most of the 16 bottoms I have) are on the giveaway pile all of a sudden. It feels excruciatingly slow, but I have to remind myself all the time that it's a process. And I also am well-endowed, so I am trying to combat this by wearing things that show off my waist whenever possible, even if I can't get down into the next lower size on top.

I️ was sleeved 10/20/17 I️ was able to about 2 and a half weeks but everyone is different u will kno when u feel comfortable I️ was nauseous and could barely get out of bed or get fluids so sex definitely was the last thing on my mind in the beginning lol

My insurance company approved my sleeve surgery yesterday. I'm waiting for the surgeon's office to call me with date of visit with surgeon and visit with the nutritionalist. I was told it would be 1 to 10 days. Things are getting scary. But I'm excited too. I started this process in Nov 2013.

We have a huge selection of Bariatric vitamins in the BariatricPal Store! If you subscribe to any products on a regular basis, you'll receive prices that are less expensive than purchasing directly from the manufacturer or purchasing via Amazon. As an example: PatchMD Multivitamin: $16.87 Bariatric Fusion ADEK: $33.24 All orders over $59 always ship super fast, free of charge. You can use code BPNEWCUST2017 to receive 10% off your first order.

Hello All! I was just recently chosen as 1 of 10 finalists in a free weight loss surgery contest. The winner will be determined by who gets the most votes. If I win, I have decided to go with the vertical sleeve. The surgeon is Dr. David Kim in Colleyville, TX. I'm nervous and excited all at the same time. Has anyone used Dr. Kim and if so how was your experience? I would appreciate your vote! Go to: www.drdkim.net/contest and cast your vote for Jennifer M. Thanks! Jennifer

I am about 10 months out, I am very close to my goal weight, and I am so happy with the way that I look, but my health is diminishing, and I'm only 20 years old. I am to blame, I never really took Protein shakes or Vitamins, I couldn't stomach them at all. About 2 months ago, I started feeling very dizzy and it elevated to fainting, a lot, and everywhere, I ignored it at first, then i got a stomach bug, and I was away from my country for a month, and no doctor could help me, so I was very dehydrated, which increased my fainting spells. Came back home, kept fainting, hair started falling, started getting chest pains and insane palpitations, eventually I went to the doctor, turns out I am hypoglycaemic and anaemic, and low potassium, low Vitamin D, it doesn't sound that bad, but I have no energy at all, I can never get myself to work out because of how low my energy is and I feel so angry because I can't do anything about it, doctors told me to eat more potassium rich foods and get some sugar intake, but I CAN'T! I cannot stomach any sweets. I also feel like I can't eat as much as most people can at 10 months out, I really don't know if I'm eating too little or too much, but compared to people 10 months out, i can't eat much at all some days pass by and i completely forget to eat, and I've had to stop in the middle of the road several times because I felt like I was about to pass out behind the wheel. I started taking Iron supplements, multi-vitamins, vitamins for hair, and I'm trying to hard to get some sugar in my system and remember to eat, but I'm scared of adding Vitamin D supplements, scared it'll be too many vitamins, and scared of adding Protein Shakes, because i'm scared the taste would make me throw up, or cause serious constipation, more than I already am, which i hate so much. So please help and give me tips or share your experience with me.

I bought two new pairs of jeans two weeks ago at Kohls and they were size 12 but a tiny bit loose, I wore one and put the others up and now two weeks later I am going to have to take those back and get a size 10, I bought one new pair from Target and they were 10's also! havent been a size ten in a long time. I was wearing 14's but had gained 15 pounds in those and stretched em so I am sure I would have needed 16 if I had bought any jeans right before surgery. I am going to post the pre-op pics and my success thus far when I hit the 40 pound loss mark. I am hoping I can lose that 5 pounds in the next two weeks. It is also really awesome because the tummy tuck I had 3 years ago is finally showing! I am excited and pleased...i am almost giddy.

That is so awesome. Size 10 jeans?!?!? <cheer!>

Hi! Been dreaming for years about how am I to afford WLS. Almost over forty, diabetic, hypertensive, sleep apnea, arthritis, and asthma, incontinent is not my idea of healthy. So now I am insured, I aim to take action!!! I decided on the sleeve after years of research. I can do this! I can loose weight! However loosing 10 lbs a year is not going to reverse my other diseases fast enough to possibly save my life. Maybe post surgery I will feel more confident in keeping it off with the sleeve! Have numbers for the Nutritionist, Cardiologist and Surgeon. Have appointments with the PCP, Pulminary, and Phsych. for this month. Just got insurance effective last week! I am soooooo excited!!! Any tips on how to go forward, PLEASE SHARE!!!

I have the best reason of all: the five year outcomes of diet and exercise alone vs. with weight loss surgery. Check out this page and scroll down to Obesity Treatment Options and Effectiveness: Results of Five-Year Follow-up. Be sure to read the footnotes. Without surgery, you are far more likely to be obese again in five years (after weight loss). With surgery, you are more likely to have maintained a significant amount of your weight loss. http://www.surgery.usc.edu/uppergi-general/bariatric-amiacandidate.html Obesity Treatment Options and Effectiveness Results of Five-Year Follow-up Treatment Weight Loss (% of Patients) Diet and Exercise* 2% to 5% Medication** 0% Bariatric Surgery*** 50% to 70%< * Success measured as a loss of 10 percent of initial body weight. ** Weight loss is not maintained once treatment ends. *** Success measured as a loss of 50 percent of excess body weight (equivalent to loss of approximately 20 to 25 percent of initial body weight).

I totally relate to these posts. I am on day 10 of the pre op liquid diet and having a really hard time today. I only have today which is all most over, tomorrow, Monday and Tuesday goes to all clears and then Wed is the day. I am on day two of my period and so extra emotional today. I went from so strong to extra weak!!! So frustrated.

That is awesome! I'm currently wearing size 12 jeans from kohls, so I'm right behind ya -I too was a 14 or 16 misses depending on style. Yesterday I bought a pair of size 8 Bill Blass jeans at Marshalls for $12.99. They are NOT true 8's at all, maybe 10's, and I can't wait to wear them

Hi everyone! I was banded on 03/10/08 and im down about 60lbs but the scale hasnt moved in weeks and im at one of my lowest points. I eat PERFECT, exercise 3 times a week (spin 2x week and run) and im GAINING weight. Does anyone know what a typical calorie intake of a 200lb 5'5 women should consume with the amount I exercise? Here is my typical day of eating: B- oatmeal with scoop of Protein or egg beaters with spinach, with that 70 calorie LF yogurt. coffee with creamer (i figured my creamer is about 100 calories) L- salad with chicken, MEASURED 3T dressing, 10 olives, 15 seseme sticks (80 calories) S- small apple with 2T Peanut Butter (on gym days) D- 4oz of either steak, fish, chicken and veggie- normally spinach or aspargas Liquids- 64+ a day I feel that i am eating great and people get on me about my creamer, 10 olives and 15 small seseme sticks with my salad but look at what i eat in a day and to me, that doesnt seem like much. Espicially since when I go spinning, I burn about 600 in an hour (wear heart rate monitor). I go to my nutritionist and alls they say is eat healthy and exercise. Ok I DO and HAVE for a year now and the scale is now going up??? Am i eating to much? not enough? Im so frustrated and not sure what to do. Does anyone incorporate South Beach or Body for Life? Any help or words of encouragment is appreciated :thumbup:

My name is Kerri and I'm a 37 year old wife and mother of 2. I've been battling PCOS since 1999, gaining weight, losing weight, gaining more...blah blah blah, you know the story! I've been on Metformin for more than 10 years, but my a1c keeps creeping up. Doctors have suggested that I look into bariatric surgery, so I went to two seminars. That was two years ago, when I found out that our insurance doesn't cover a dime of bariatric surgery, under any circumstance. In the meantime, I prayed that we could come up with the money. I have all of the support of my husband and family, but the funds just weren't there. To make a really long story short, I got some blood test results recently that gave me an official diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. I'm feeling pretty crappy with headaches and horrible, throbbing leg pain. I decided right then and there that I need to make this happen sooner rather than later. WE HAVE THE FUNDING FOR MY SURGERY! I'm currently scheduling my scope, then I will have a surgery date! I'm hoping for end of June. I am so excited to go on this journey with you all! Now I'm off to explore this fun site!

I cannot wait to get this butt into an 8 (or 12, 10 even). GREAT WORK!!!!

Tomorrow is jean day at my work and I needed to go buy some new britches. It was a very full circle day for me. One of the "ah-ha" moments for me was about a year ago at the Gap. I went in to buy some jeans and the 14's were way too tight, and they were out of 16's. So I left with no pants, and the realization that my weight had gotten to a point where I could not find a size in a "normal" store, only in plus size stores. Today, when I went into that same Gap, I started with the 12's - too big, the 10's - still a little too big. I left with a SIZE 8! (They are snug as a bug, but I am still about 20 pounds from my goal) A size 8 and a SMALL t-shirt. It was exhilarating. I am so thankful to my surgeon and the support from this listserv. It played a critical role in me making the decision to get sleeved 4 months ago. I feel like a new woman!

I'm 15 months out and decided I wanted to go 10 pounds below goal. I hit 150 at 12 months out, and have 1 or 2 more pounds (depending on the day) to go! So it's taken me about 3-4 months to get the last 10 off. I'm a super slow loser anyway

This is tough because, for me, I've lost a lot of weight several times on my own only to gain it all back! With my pattern, I'd still have the surgery. If you have been obese for a long time, statistics say I believe only 10% of people will lose weight and keep it off. Crazy right? Not saying you won't be successful, but something to think about. With every weight gain came depression and absolute loss of control. Right now, I'm smaller than I've ever been as an adult! I had my surgery 5 1/2 months ago. I'm happier than I've ever been and have no fear of gaining the weight back! Good luck with whatever you choose and you are doing an amazing job!

Mike, the two people I know asked me not to post their problems, so I deleted what I wrote in respect of their wishes. Having a LapBand is just as dangerous as any other surgery. Hundreds of things can go wrong, from problems with anesthesia and drugs to band erosions. I've asked why Inamed claims Dr. Lopez has the lowest level of complications. Why do we hear every Lopez problem but we don't hear about other surgeons' complications? If Lopez has the lowest, that means all other surgeons are having a fair share of problems. So far all I am is frustrated with the lack of honesty because I don't know who to trust. Trust in a surgeon is very important to me, and when surgeons aren't reporting complications to Inamed, which they are required to do regardless of how menial they believe the complication to be, that's a huge breach in trust that should make people think twice. Even if the surgeon does everything immaculately, things can and do go wrong. It's not a reflection on the surgeon but the nature of practicing medicine. I would rather have a surgeon tell me he's had 10 complications than a surgeon that claims he's had zero because there's no such number as zero when it comes to practicing medicine.

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Dr. Quebbemann in Newport Beach, CA was the first doctor to perform the vertical sleeve using the spider system. :tongue_smilie: http://inyourface.ocregister.com/2010/07/19/weight-loss-surgery-through-the-belly-button/18999/