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Hi. Just signed up and e-mail from Alex said to tell my story to get started. So here goes. I had a VSG performed by Dr. Keith Kim at Celebration Florida Hospital on 29 July. Surgery went well and I didn't suffer any nausea other than from the pain meds. But the post surgery recovery time at home was definitely more hard core than I'd anticipated. I think the surgery group downplays the significance of the surgery but there's no denying - it's major abdominal surgery. I've had my gall bladder removed (old school style 20 years ago) and a c-section. And while I was much younger for both of those, the rebound on the VSG was nearly as bad as those prior experiences. The path to surgery took 8 months. Between arranging financing (I was self pay), and pre-clearances - both cardio and pulmonary - it seemed like it was never going to happen. In total, the surgery cost me about 19K but I figure where is my better investment - a new car or a new me. I won. So I'm 10 days out and pretty much back to normal. It's definitely taking time to get the hang of the eating/protein/vitamin/sip routine but I keep reminding myself to be patient. My first birth took 9 months....only makes sense that my rebirth take a while as well. And to be honest, I'm making this post because I want to learn how to put up one of those cool weight loss count down graphics!! Gastric Sleevely Yours

Hi, i am someone who was banded a few years back but had issues. i will say that the weigh tloss was wonderful for me, but after maybe 10 months out, i had a slip. the dr was able to do another surgery and revise it and replace it with yet another band but he did tell me that once the band slips that its common for it to slip again. well, about a year later that band also slipped (prolapsed). at that point, i ended up having the band taken out. i was sad and grieved the loss of my band, as it was the one thing that helped me to get close to my goal weight. my hopes were lost! i thought, as well as my surgeon that id be able to keep the weight off but after a few years it just all came back. at the time he did mention i could do a sleeve but i wanted to wait to see if i could do it on my own since i had 3 surgeries over the past 3 years and i was just tired of my bad luck. my advice to you is to be open minded to the sleeve, dont be so afraid of it because it is more of a permanent tool. for me, i want the sleeve now but im so terrified because of my bad experiences that its holding me back. i also have some staples left in my stomach from the band removal that could be an issues if i were to get sleeved, so that has me more cautious. i have been on these boards for many many years and I read so many stories of people having problems with the band. they claim its a low risk, but im reading more and more problems with it. just educate yourself on both surgeries equally then decide whats best for you!

My surgeon's office suggested Fairlife milk. ITs real milk without the lactose. Its very high in Protein so 8 oz. has 13 g. protein in 80 calories (skim). My full power protein shakes with 1 scoop unjury chocolate splendor powder is 180 cal. 34 g. protein, 10 carbs, and 0 fat. I most of the time only do a half scoop of powder now, but that is still 130 cal. 24 g. protein, 8 carb. and 0 fat. I am no longer lactose intolerant, but I still use Fairlife because of the protein benefits and I like it in my shakes. Good luck, pam

I can finally sleep on my side 10 days in. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I am a single mom with a now 9 year old son. I had a 3 night hospital stay then stayed with my parents for 3 nights. Went home with my 8 year old on day 7. Cooking was not a problem although I certainly didn't do anything fancy!! I had a 10 pound weight restriction for 6 weeks. My son carried the laundry basket for me but otherwise it was life as usual around our house. There was a time or two I dropped something and he would pick it up for me so momma wouldn't have to bend over. I do recommend doing as much as you can (within reason and within your docs restrictions of course!!!) I honestly thing getting up and taking care of my kiddo and our home, etc is a big part of the reason my recovery was so smooth. This would be TOUGH alone with a young child but as others have proven, it's absolutely possible good luck!!!! HW 312, pre-op (RNY) 255, current weight 204.2

Hi all. I usually lurk and read a lot of the posts, but today I'm ready to start putting in comments. I got banded on 03/30/2010. I lost 10 lbs in the first 2 weeks (344lbs-334lbs) after being banded then after that my appetite shot up and that lovely feeling of being full and satisfied went down. I maintened my weight loss surprisingly cause I thought for sure I would gain. I know for sure I would have if I did not have the band since I ate a lot. I also walked 1 mile a day too. So I read in the forum this happens to everyone and I felt better, plus my doctor assured me that my stomach went down from the surgery swelling and that soon as I was adjusted I would see a major difference. So I had my first adjustment two days ago on 05/4/2010 and right away I noticed the difference in not being hungry. I have lost 2 lbs in 2 days already. Finally moving ! I get full from a small cup of jello, can you believe it ? Before my adjustment I could have a protein shake and jello. I can only drink half a protein shake now. I'm so excited. My doctor gives adjustments every 4 weeks and I'm glad about that because I have read some people only get every 5 months WOW ! I'm very glad I made this decision for the surgery. The easy part has always been losing the weight, but keeping it off was my biggest trouble. I lose 60 and gain back 65 in a year. Now I no longer have that worry thanks to the lapband. Good luck everyone and I look forward to reading more stories on here. This site is wonderful because I can relate so well. Take care.

Hmm... does anyone know much about low blood pressure and the band? If your BP is already low, is it likely to drop further after being banded? In spite of my weight, my blood pressure is normally quite low and I get that dizziness quite often on standing up. I've always just lived with it, but I'm getting banded in 10 days and if it drops further with losing weight, that sounds like a worry...

I have the same problem...I am only 19 days out...lost 12kg ( 26-27 pounds). I was 2 weeks on Clear liquids and since Tuesday on puree until the 31st. I just feel I need to eat better.

GNC is awesome!!!! I bought alot of my preop stuff there, gettin protien powders, multi vitamins and ready made drinks (spent $150) and I was concerned that I might not like the taste of it. They told me that I could return the opened items after trying them as long as it was within 30 days of the receipt and I provided them with the receipt. I also got their yearly bonus card, which only cost $10 and gave me like $50 off my first order and you can use it on any purchases to get great discounts. I love GNC

This is so refreshing to hear. I'm having surgery on Wednesday and have to stay overnight in the hospital, but I'm fine with that. I had the lap band done, zero pain, had it removed, zero pain but sore and got an abscess, which was worse than the surgery times 10! My surgeon said the sleeve would be a piece of cake compared to my 3 hour lap band removal because my stomach was adhered to my organs via scar tissue. Not fun!

10 FULL long business days.

American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) calls for safe resumption of bariatric and metabolic surgery before COVID-19 pandemic is declared over Newberry, Fla. — Jun. 23, 2020 — The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), the leading organization of bariatric surgeons and integrated health professionals in the nation, declared metabolic and bariatric surgery "medically necessary and the best treatment for those with the life-threatening and life-limiting disease of severe obesity" and called for the safe and rapid resumption of procedures, which have been largely postponed along with other surgeries deemed elective amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In a new position statement entitled, "Safer Through Surgery," published online in the journal SOARD, the ASMBS strongly rejects classifying metabolic and bariatric surgery as "elective" and prefers the use of the term "Medically Necessary Time-Sensitive Surgery" or "Medically Necessary Non-Emergent Surgery" to better characterize the effectiveness of the intervention and the progressive nature of the many diseases it treats including obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. "COVID-19 may be a factor for quite some time and the longer the treatment of obesity, type 2 diabetes and other related diseases are postponed, the greater the chance they will become worse," said Matthew M. Hutter, MD, MPH, president of the ASMBS and professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School. "Each state, doctor and patient must make a decision as to when conditions for metabolic and bariatric surgery are right, but the sooner it can be safely performed, the more quickly obesity, type 2 diabetes and other diseases can be reduced or resolved." The ASMBS recommends that the precise timing for surgery be carefully considered based on factors including an individual patient’s health status, local prevalence of COVID-19 and the availability of resources including hospital beds, ventilators and personal protective equipment (PPE). The ASMBS statement concludes, "Before COVID-19 began, it was clear that patients with obesity were ‘safer through surgery’. In the era of COVID-19, ‘safer through surgery’ for patients with obesity may prove to be even more important than before." Obesity has been identified as an independent risk factor for adverse outcomes including death among COVID-19 patients. Metabolic/bariatric surgery has been shown to be the most effective and long-lasting treatment for severe obesity. 1 Its safety profile is comparable to some of the safest and most commonly performed surgeries in the U.S. including gallbladder surgery, appendectomy and knee replacement. 2 An estimated 252,000 bariatric surgeries were performed in the United States in 2018, which is approximately less than 1 percent of the population eligible for surgery based on BMI. 3 The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports 42.4 percent of Americans had obesity in 2017-2018. 4 Obesity has been linked to more than 40 diseases including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis and at least 13 different types of cancer. 5,6,7 About the ASMBS The ASMBS is the largest organization for bariatric surgeons in the nation. It is a non-profit organization that works to advance the art and science of bariatric surgery and is committed to educating medical professionals and the lay public about bariatric surgery as an option for the treatment of severe obesity, as well as the associated risks and benefits. It encourages its members to investigate and discover new advances in bariatric surgery, while maintaining a steady exchange of experiences and ideas that may lead to improved surgical outcomes for patients with severe obesity. For more information, visit www.asmbs.org. ### 1 Weiner, R. A., et al. (2010). Indications and principles of metabolic surgery. U.S. National Library of Medicine. 81(4) pp.379-394. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20361370 2 Gastric Bypass is as Safe as Commonly Performed Surgeries. Health Essentials. Cleveland Clinic. Nov. 6, 2014. Accessed October 2017 https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2014/11/gastric-bypass-is-as-safe-as-commonly-performed-surgeries/ 3 https://asmbs.org/resources/estimate-of-bariatric-surgery-numbers 4 https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html 5 The Effectiveness and Risks of Bariatric Surgery: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, 2003-2012. Accessed from: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/fullarticle/1790378 6 Steele CB, Thomas CC, Henley SJ, et al. Vital Signs: Trends in Incidence of Cancers Associated with Overweight and Obesity — United States, 2005-2014. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep2017;66:1052-1058. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6639e1 7 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015) The Health Effects of Overweight and Obesity. Accessed from: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/effects/index.html

I'm 43 (44 in March), 6 months post-op and just learned that I am 4.5 weeks pregnant. This is my 3rd pregnancy (kids are 16 & 11). I'm scared and excited....worried because I was warned to wait a year (I wasn't trying, TBH sex was barely happening so this is a big ass shock!!). I had an IUD in for 10 years prior to the surgery and decided to give my body a break due to my age and minimal sex life with my hubby. Well lo and behold, removing the IUD seems to have revived my libido! I'm sorry if this is TMI, but I am hoping to hear from any other 40 somethings who have been pregnant in their 40's post surgery. Any unique complications specific to our age group? How did or is it going for you?

I am scheduled for October 2nd also! Pre-op is October 1st, I am getting excited also! I keep wishing it would hurry up, but I know it will be here before I realize it. Congrats to you and good luck with this new life we are going to begin! Yay for 10/02/13. ????????????????

I saw the dietician 3 times (once in each March, April, and May). Then I had one visit with her for my nutritional evaluation. I submitted weight history from late 2007 nothing for 08 and the rest came from 09 and 10.

I feel like my appetite is getting bigger and my weight loss is slowing down. I gained 3 pounds I’m scared. After a 100 pound weight loss I’m nervous had this happened to anyone. Can anyone guide me?

Words to live by,,great, thanx for sharing i see DOS was 12/10/12 hope you are doing well

Any advice? I have to lose 10 pounds by Oct 9th.

That's true, it probably will be 2011 so they would look at 09 and 10 then. From what I have been told, you don't have to have a bmi over 40 for the entire 2 years. They just want a history that you have been struggling with your weight. The weight lose and then the gain should help you to get approved. I was worried about losing weight during the 3 month because it would drop me below 40 bmi. So my goal is to maintain during the 3 month thing.

Happy Thanksgiving!! Since last posting, I have changed part-time jobs from the clothing store to Kirkland's Homestore in my local mall. It pays more per hour, I can get more hours and the atmosphere is a little better and calmer. Right now, I am only working 2 evenings per week plus either Saturday or Sunday so not too bad. I told them that I wanted no more than 15 hours per week. With this week being a big week with holidays, I am working 19 hours so that's pushing it. I have had enough time to get things around the house & other things done. Overall, I don't regret my decision to pursue a part-time job, my co-workers are nice and the money is definitiely useful at Christmas. I have my good and bad days. Still have to get used to the idea because I had become rather comfortable going home to a quiet house and chilling with most nights & weekends unstructured. Helps to think about fact that three years ago, it would not have been physically possible and it never even crossed my mind. No longer experiencing the Curves withdrawals but I still miss the ladies. I walk when it's not too cold (I get plenty of walking and lifting working my part-time job 4-5 hours when I go). I'm also working out with my Hip Hop Abs & belly dancing DVD's at home. Don't know if I will make 199 by end of year or even by January 19 which is my 2 year Bandiversary, but at least I am closer to it. I try to look at the big picture and reflect on where I came from to keep things in perspective & not get frustrated. I have now taken 6 loads of size 30/32 & 26/28 clothes to Goodwill and gave some to a cousin. For some reason, I cannot part with anything 22 and under. I am buying more clothes from the land of the Misses. I got some straight 16 pants the other day, not even 16W and a size L top. For all of this, I am truely grateful and thankful on this Thanksgiving Day. Looking forward to 199 in 2009. Luv U all, B

20 lbs in your first 10 days is not uncommon depending on your starting weight, try not to over do it until you start getting all your Protein and Water in. You need to make sure you get that in so you can heal, once you start getting all your protein and water in you will start healing and getting more energy. Sent from my Nexus 6 using BariatricPal

Thanks Nancie.....I have decided to go with the LapBand. So how are you feeling now that 10 days have passed?

I was just idly wondering if anyone else had an extreme amount of pain after their sleeve (or any weight loss) surgery? I don't mean to scare anyone away from having their surgery because my situation is pretty unique in this regard. I am a recovering heroin addict so at the time of my surgery (August 2016) I was taking a medicine called Suboxone. Suboxone blocks pretty much all other opioid painkillers from working. I told my surgeon and anesthesiologist that I was on this medication and I was concerned that it would make the post-surgery painkillers not work so I brought my prescription to the hospital with me so I could give it to them so they could administer it to me after the surgery. Well fast forward to me waking up after my surgery in agonizing pain. They had literally just made 6 cuts into my abdomen and cut out the majority of my stomach and I had nothing working to dull that pain at all. They wouldn't let me leave the recovery room (I think that's what it's called) until my pain was under control. I was literally screaming in pain which I had never done in my entire life before that and I have not done since then. The nurse actually kept telling me that I needed to be quiet! If I was capable of that I would have been! The nurse kept giving me Dilaudid (an opioid painkiller) injections on someone's orders -who? I don't know. I kept telling the nurse that it wasn't going to work because I was on Suboxone, which by the way takes a very long time to work out of your system - like at least a few days until other painkillers will work. The nurse must have given me at least 4 injections of Dilaudid with no effect whatsoever before she finally believed that it wasn't going to work. Hours had passed since I woke up after my surgery before they finally listened to me when I told them that my mother was in the waiting room with my Suboxone prescription and that would actually work. 15 minutes later they brought it to me and I put it under my tongue to dissolve. Within 10-15 minutes my pain felt like it disappeared completely. Now it hadn't actually completely gone away but compared to the agony that I was experiencing before, this might as well have been nothing. What relief! To anyone that actually read all of that story thank you for making it this far! I don't have a real reason for sharing this, I just like this forum and have recently gotten back to reading and posting here and wanted to share some of my surgery experience. Feel free to comment about my story, ask any questions you want, or share any similar experiences you had. -Joshua

Just wondering who all has been banded by Dr. Stowers. He banded me on 9/19! I think he was/is great! Just curious of his other patients and maybe their success thus far.