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I have PCOS too! I started having regular cycles about a year ago. I had lost some weight and Boom, they started coming. I still deal with all the other symptoms and I am actually going to an endocrinologist at the end of the months to see if she can straighten out my hormones. I sing as well and I was able to perform 2 weeks after surgery. Good luck!

I'm really glad to hear that this will help PCOS symptoms. My endo said it would, but if you've been struggling with PCOS for awhile, I'm guessing you know how hard weight loss is with it. I dont' have a surgery date yet, but I'm getting excited--just worried about how effective it will be considering the PCOS and insulin resistance.

Has anyone experienced a plateau in their weight loss? I'm afraid I am right now How to get past it?

Ok experienced Sleevers..... I have a few Questions.. 1) does your back and you feet really stop hurting after losing weight? 2) does exercising get easier because you actually feel lighter or is it mental motivation that gets you moving? 3) does the snoring stop? 4) does spicy foods (jalapenos, hot sauces, etc.) affect our tiny tummies?

Anyone else dealing with weight loss slow down? I am only loosing about 3 lbs a month and that is with strict calorie counting and daily exercise. Anyone have a good way to jump start my weight loss again. Only have a month until my bandiversary

Any guys out there? I am a type 2 and a big guy it seems mostly women are getting this thing done. Is it ok for guys and are the results different. Any chance I will still be able to enjoy a “small” rib eye after the surgery? I have been on insulin for about a year and it has caused me to gain a lot of weight. Plan to start the process in the next month my doctor has agreed that it is a good option for me. Any special advice for a guy about to take the plunge.

Hello everyone!! First time posting on the forums, just wanted to introduce myself. Tell you guys where I'm at and all that jazz! My name is Dayna, coming to you from Minnesnowta! :smile1: I have always been over weight no matter what I did. I've done the dieting (sometimes extreme) diet pills, crazy infomercial products, exercising, joining a gym, the list goes on and on. 14 years worth. Yet nothing seemed to work for me, if I lost a pound or two I'd gain it back plus more! Then a few years ago I heard about the gastric banding, nbut never looked into it, Figured I should be able to do it myself, stubborn lol. Then a couple months back I was weighed... 250, the most I've ever been! I've some how managed to get down to 242, but for my 5'4" frame that's still A LOT! So when my mom brought WLS up again I seriously started to look into it. And through all my research one thing grabbed me, There is hope for me! And ever since I've been comparing, researching, everything. Then last Tuesday I finally went to a seminar, informational. And decided the sleeve is right for me! Then called the insurance, got my list of requirements, and first nurse visit on Friday. It's exciting, taking back my life, but so many questions, and nerves. I'm soo glad I found this forum, because I know I need all the help, advise, & support I can get! Well That's it soo far, hopefully I'll have more soon!

polly2107: hang in there! I can not imagine how hard this is for you. but never give up hope. the weight we are does not define who we are. you are so much more than extra pounds. I have not had any surgery yet. I am still waiting for my initial appointment, which they rescheduled to a later date!! I don't know what your options are but it seems that you might find a doctor that could do a revision. maybe a doctor that is at a teaching hospital close to you. don't lose heart. "for you are fearfully an wonderfully made"

So I had a gastric band in 2004 and lost 11 stone then in 2010 I lost it and regained half the weight so I had a gastric wrap and it was biggest waste of money I didn't loose a lb. the dr was a butcher. ( that's another story) anyway in 2011/12 I got another band in and the dr said it was difficult to get in. I got ill in 2013 and that band was also removed. I went last week to try get any other surgery as all diet and exercise had failed and bypass seamed my only option. Now there saying I might not be able to have it. I have to have a barium meal Please god let this go ahead as I'm very depressed about my weight and I have fully regained every last lb and more. Rant over xxx

Hello everyone, I have recently started my 6 month weight management to qualify for weight loss surgery, but I have been a bit discouraged. I have been turned down by three surgeons because of a previous pancreatic surgery in 2007. I guess my question is if someone out there has gone through something similar and can share there journey and experiences with me. Thanks in advance, Gaby

;)I am starting a liquid diet tomorrow until I get my fill on January 4th and will continue liquid as required... Do you think this is saf with me doing so without my doctor requiring it. I just need to refocus and loose some weight.I feel I am not meeting goal of weight loss expected compared to others.... What do you think?

Hello There, I'm 59 years young and am so happy to have found this group. I hope this group includes folks who are almost out of their 50's too. My name is WeeWers and I weigh 300 pounds. I'm 5-6 and my goal is 140. We are paying for this out of pocket (exclusion with our insurance that I signed). My big concern is how I'm going to look at goal. I have seen lots of before and after photos of older folks who lost *a lot* of weight -- and they look thin -- but they also look terrible! Skin is hanging everywhere! At our age, the skin does not have the elasticity it once did. So the skin just hangs !!! Since we are paying out of pocket, it will take us a long time to save up for plastic surgeries. My breasts already hang down to almost my navel, and my tummy hangs down mid thigh. Man, I'm tearing as I write this. Have any of you thought about this. Especially the ones who can't have plastic surgery right away. I know many (most maybe) plastic surgeons make you wait a year before they will operate. I'm wanting some encouragement so very much -- but facts are facts -- my skin is just gonna hang. I'll bet the answer is just being grateful that the weight is off. Maybe that's the only solution. Thank you for listening, WeeWers

Great way to start the journey. The good news is that if you stay away from dessert, Thanksgiving food is not too bad on the weight. Watch your portion sizes and chew, chew, chew. It is good practice for the rest of your life post surgery. Best wishes to you. Keep us posted on your progress.

Where do I start. I guess to just jump in with a robust HELLO! I'm 57, weigh 341# and have been gaining weight steadily for the last 2 years. Lots of factors: closed business of 30 years, moved for first time in 30 years, a series of 2 HORRIBLE, stressful jobs (have a great one now) and finally a fall in April of 2008 (I actually tripped over a speed bump in the parking lot of costco while trying to walk and get my membership card out at the same time). I landed almost entirely on my right knee cap. Didn't break it, but might as well have for all the pain and damage it caused. Flash forward to November 2008. We've farted around with PT etc. and nothing is helping. I suggest a bilateral MRI, we get it done and WOW, both knees are completely shot with osteoarthritis! I mean I qualify for bi-lateral total knee replacements. I hadn't really had any symptoms before the fall. Now I'm barely ambulatory and just getting washed up, much less showered feels like an Olympic event. So the suggestion of finding the time to get to the pool, undress, walk/dog paddle, play around and then get out of a wet suit that's 2 sizes too small, dry all the parts I have to dry with a hair dryer that aren't hairy, powder all those dry places so they don't start a fungal farm, struggle back into my clothes (it's so much fun pulling clothes on over the damp parts you didn't/couldn't get dry:o), limp out to the car and drive back to work where the only way to get to my office is up 7 steps to the loading dock, take the freight elevator to the kitchen, walk through the kitchen, back down 7 more stairs and then 3 more on the way to my non-handicapped accessible office (or take 3 flights of stairs up from the parking lot). So after another night of sleeplessness, I woke up and decided to have the lap band procedure. Wait:omg_smile: you're thinking now, that I've got my body parts mixed up! It turns out that to get new knees, the docs like to have you loose weight first. Apparently if they give you new knees that are supposed to last 20+ years and you loose weight, the implants get loose. Yikes! There goes the warrenty. So in two weeks I get a series of 5 weekly injections in both knees of artificial lubricant that is supposed to reduce inflammation and pain so that I can become more mobile and perhaps loose weight. Well, I know I can't loose weight with knees that don't hurt. I've tried for years. I need help. So here I am! I have 4 children, two bio-daughters who are almost 28 and 30, and two about to turn 11 and 12 that we adopted when they were 3 and 3 1/3 from China. I'd REALLY like to be around when they adopt their own children from China (which they've both said they'd like to do! My Mom was 72 when we made our second trip the China to get our son, and she got so many compliments from the Chinese people on how wonderful she looked for someone of her years. She's my inspiration. If she can do it with two new knees, I can too. Oh, I forgot. Both little kids want very much to visit China. I told them when I could walk to Margaret's house, we'd go. Margaret lives 3 1/2 miles away. I'm feeling like it's all within reach today, and yesterday I was ready to curl up in bed and order delivery food until I died in my sleep. Everything seemed so hopeless. I'm living in Grand Rapids, MI now. Anyone have any experiences, good or bad with docs, hospitals, surgery and support care in GR? I'm also curious, I'd read a little blib somewhere that there were "life-time" negative consequences to the lap band proceedure. Anyone know what that's about? Hugs to all you wonderful folks. Kathy, AKA WiredSimon (the breed of dog in my avatar is a Standard Wirehaired Dachshund, with his fur untrimmed)

I am worried about that too. I am only six days post op. I lost 28 pounds pre-op, and the weight had to have come from my ears and chest......my 53 inch belly did not budge.

I have Bipolar 11, and take Riperidone which when i first started made me gain 20 lbs in 3 weeks!!! I kid you not! I had had my gastric bypass July 2009 and had lost 60 lbs by Nobember then i had to be put on Risperidone and it basically reversed the whole surgery. So i go in for lapband surgery next Friday now that i am almost weened from it. Abilify is a weight gainer but not as bad a risperidone. Here is a link to a study about Abilify and other of the same kind of bipolar meds. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/28/business/28psych.html?_r=1&

None of us lose at a constant or steady rate. Stalls are a normal, natural, and necessary part of the process of losing weight. Just follow your program. Focus on getting in all of your Protein and fluids, take your Vitamins and supplements as directed, exercise, and stay off the scale. Embrace the Stall! http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/351046-Embrace-the-Stall

I was banded 3/9/09 and something that has surprised me is how different some things are than what I expected. I researched a lot, I read this board for months and months, and I feel that I know my body pretty well. It surprises me now how everything everyone on the boards are saying - make so much more sense. For example, I know everyone says this is a tool - but I thought I understood what that meant! But some thing still are surprising or different than what I expected. What about you? What have you learned that surprised you? 1. I'm surprised still at how much control I have over what I eat but at the same time how much control this band has over me. I thought the weight loss would be easier - but I still have to choose NOT to eat. Choose and plan healthy choices, Choose to get up off my butt and EXERCISE! I'm also still surprised at how the band chooses to be tight at times when I really don't want it to be! I'm realizing now that it is at PRECISELY those moments - that I need to be eating less - and it was in those moments in the past that I overate - and is what made me fat! 2. I'm surprised at how it feels when I have trouble eating or getting something stuck. I never could really undersand that. Its like a lump in your throat and its a real hard and sharp pain in your throat that involves your neck not just your stomach. I never really realized that in all the posts I read about what that felt like. I'm really interested in hearing what you all have to say!:tt2:

Speaking from my own exp with a sleep study...it.changed.my.life and I'm so glad I got one. I, too, thought it was frivolous but I did it. I learned my ahi was ins the 90s. They consider severe starting at 30. With the machine I avg 1.5 now. Normal range is less than 5. I dropped weight like crazy just from getting better sleep. Your neck size, shape of back of your throat and weight can affect your sleep. Before my sleep test, I separately went to an appt to pull wisdom teeth. That dr took a look and said I'd have to go fully under with breathing tube so I don't stop breathing during procedure. Between that and the medical weight loss clinic recommendation I did it and I feel sooooo much better everyday for having treatment for it. I've lost 60 lbs ...pre-op. Sent from my XT1585 using the BariatricPal App

TMF, I'm guessing this is the band with plication. It's called iLap in some situations.... http://drsimpson.net/Gastric-Plication-weight-loss-surgery/iLap-surgery/iLap-surgery-new-hope/iLap-surgery-new-hope.html

NUT told me from beginning to always measure the volume sofw said it well........ ie eating 1/3 cup volume of peanuts can be a lot - whereas 1/3 cup volume of chicken (i will cut up small peices and measure in cup) won't be as many pieces, but will be same correct quantity (hope i said that right) won't be the same weight as peanuts (the chicken) but the volume is correct - that is what your tummy can hold

Are you on a pre op diet now? Do you know how long you will be in the hospital? I am 3 1/2 weeks out and at about 80% normal but everybody is different. I am able to drink a lot more fluids now thsn in the first few weeks. I went back to one or Protein shakes a day to beef up my protein numbers because I was not losing weight and my nurse said that would help. This is major surgery you have to expect sveral weeks to get tot your new normal.

Had my first fill today. I was told I am a very "hard stick" and that my port is deep. On the plus side of her having to dig and dig and dig--she told me that at least when I lose alot of weight my port wont protrude. I only got a little over 1cc because I was so nervous and then swollen after the digging that that ...was all I could tolerate at the time Now I am hungry and have to wait 4 weeks to get another. She intially put 2ccs in but took some out and I was scared to argue since she is very experienced at fills and if I needed an emergency unfill this weekend--she told me the fellows at the ER aren't very good. ARGGGGG I hope I have at least a little restriction. Total I am down now is 21lbs though.

Hello. Being that my BMi is 39 and might or not be getting insurance approval, hopefully my doc will push it for me. My issue is as I'm in my six month phase and hopefully will get sleeved in June, should I be losing weight? I asked my surgeon and he said he wants me to start the good eating habits now , but his nurse told me since I a little under the 40 BMi that for insurance reasons I should drop the weight until I get approved. Very confused.......

I feel as if I'm able to eat more now and afraid I'm eating too much. I'm tracking on my fitness pal as best as I can but I'm at a stall for almost 2 weeks and worry of gaining