Search the Community

So many times in the past, I have tried to diet. I have always failed. I do everything I'm supposed to, follow all the rules, and nothing. Maybe I'll lose 5 lbs, I think once I lost 10. But that's it. Well, I got my pre-op bloodwork done, and when I went into my surgeon's office to meet with the nurse practitioner, she said my thyroid levels were off. So now I am wondering if my doctor ever checked them before. Every time I would go in to see him, I would get a lecture about losing weight. If he never checked my thyroid, and I have been suffering and struggling with my weight all this time, I will be pissed. If I could have been taking a pill that could have helped (I know fixing my hypothyroidism won't magically make me lose, but it will make me lose when I am trying). Every time I would go on a diet and nothing would happen, I would get so frustrated and quit. And then feel like a failure. And even my husband made me feel like a failure, because he would always say well you must be doing it wrong because you aren't losing. Even though he would be eating the same things and he would lose weight. All that suffering, and it could have been prevented with one blood test!!!!! :confused::cuss::cuss::cuss::thumbup::cuss::tt2::cuss::cuss:

Hi Lapinmich, I don't know if I would be of much help, but also feel stalled as well, so at least we are in the same boat :thumbup: I am also an Ohioian and live in North Central Ohio. I had my surgery at OSU in April of this year. I have only lost twenty pounds and feel really stalled and would like to jump start my weight loss somehow. What areas have you been struggling with? I don't really go to a support group either. I have traveled to columbus from time to time to meet with a great group, but it gets hard to travel that far. I hope you are healing okay from your gallbladder issues.

Hi everyone, I had my 2-week post op today and it went pretty well. My surgeon, Dr. Brengman was very happy with my progress and promoted me to soft/mushy/pureed foods. I have a lot of personal issues going on since the week before my surgery, and since it's gotten worse he suggested I seek out the help of a counselor that can help me process those and my feelings regarding surgery/body image. His support was more than I could have ever asked for today. Really meant the world to me. So far (including pre-op) I've lost over 30lbs, so I'm pretty happy with that. I hope to continue to do well and need to focus on myself and my health. For anyone else stressed, anxious, or going through other personal issues, please make sure to make sure to make yourself the priority. This is our chance to be good to ourselves. I hope everyone else is doing well where ever you may be in the VSG process. I've not been able to get all my Protein and Water in, but I'm close to 45-50oz. and he said to just keep trying. We can do this ladies and gents! I'm glad to have my weight loss progress as something to look forward to and the opportunities it will bring me in the coming days, months, and years.

I'm a little nervous too but I was also nervous about my breast reduction and everything went great. Everyone described that as excruciating pain and it was definitely uncomfortable but also like I hear about the lapband...WORTH IT! I didn't let the mental part freak me out about the physical pain and changes. Everyone is different and I look at things as either temporary or permanent change. I can handle temporary discomfort for long term gain or in this case loss. :-)

Why not ask them straight up. Get them to put it it writing too. You have the support and records of your general physician. Surely, his or her objection to this six month regime should carry some weight...(pardon the pun). They know the date you started this and they know your start out weight and BMI so surely your start BMI will count. Hope you get the answers and the outcome you want. Xx

Thanks for your suggestion. I had thought of South Beach bars since they are high protien. Congrats on your weight loss.

I have Aetna also. That 2009 weight is NOT going to hurt you. Have you been submitted for approval?

Hi Carrie, I'm not a veteran but will be banded in the next few weeks. Congrats on the great weight loss. Just curious to know if 170 is your ideal weight and how long you took to lose it.

Hey everyone.. i'm due to have my surgery tomorrow and I was also told a new peice of info (not from my surgeon)about port sites and its got me nervous.. some people have said that if they put ur port lower on ur stomache when u lose weight your port starts to show so its better to be further up near your bra line.. what do you all think? I wasn't given an option its going low on my tummy..

Long time member but i haven't posted anywhere in ages, but I used to be on the Lapband board. I was a long time very successful band patient i was orginally banded in Jan 02 (in Canada, pre FDC approval) lost weight at a great rate. My first band (Innamed) slipped a total of 3 times before it came out for six months, I also had surgeries to move my port and another because my tubing disconnect. Next we went to the J&J band and it was great until it slipped badly, I had it for about 6-7 years and it worked like a charm, restriction was great most of the time, lost to my goal size and then it self tightened and i left it there because of travel, personal stress etc and i thought it would release on its own when i went for a defill it completely slipped around my esophagus and it was horrible. With the J&J I had a port revision surgery in there too. Then we tried a 3rd band it never worked right, I couldn't get restriction because if we did more than i had instant reflux etc. I revised to the sleeve last week with a new surgeon in Philadelphia who told me the band was basically around my esophagus and i had no pouch which is why I had no restriction and why I could not be tightened any more. But I lost about 150 lbs in 12-16 months and maintained that loss for 10 years plus, with little to no effort. In the meantime because of the band with no restriction, some prescribed evil steroids that I had to take that put 30lbs on me in a matter of 8 days... (they change your brain chemistry in weird ways) hashimoto's disease (hypo thyroid) fluctuations for the last few years and a few other things I gained about 70-80 lbs that I could not lose weight I tried. I went gluten free and dairy free, nada, I tried the HCG diet lost 20 lbs gained it back and generally I don't eat more than 1500-1700 calories per day including when I am drinking wine, eating out 3 meals a day etc. I hired a trainer, almost went paleo not quite. Now in talking to my surgeon he has said there are new studies showing band patients 9-12 years out who suddenly gain weight they can't lose for love nor money. They try everything and it won't come off more restriction, calories restriction etc. So we made a joint strategic decision to go to the sleeve since I knew the risk, what type of lifestyle change I was in for, portion control etc. wouldn't be a problem since i had it already. In our conversations we talked a lot about Ghrelin which is produced in the stomach and it makes you hungry, when you are feeling that craving to overeat or binge typically it is ghrelin and obese people produce more ghrelin than non obese people typically with some exceptions. We also talked about leptin which makes you feel satiated and is produced in the brain. With the sleeve, about 70-90% of the ghrelin produced is surgically removed with the part of the stomach they remove. i am curious have you noticed a difference in how hungry you get, cravings and the satiation of cravings ie: I can eat two bites of cake vs. I want the whole cake now? Have you also noticed the full feelings getting different than before from the leptin. My surgeon has said in his conversations with his patients they noticed their cravings reduced which helps them with portion control and in making better choices which helps a number of other things. In other words the brain and stomach don't conspire to make cheetos seem like a great dinner choice or ben and jerry your best friend. Overall I eat very healthy without a ton of junk food in my life we cook at home, we make our own stocks and Soups etc. to help get me through the liquids phase. But we do eat well and drink wine, we might be foodies (we are told we are, I just like trying new things). I have never eaten out of control even with the last band and no restriction just trying to lose weight has been terrible, depressing and frustrating. Especially after my first experiences which was I lost well, ate well, exercised and it worked like it was supposed too. I am a consultant and I travel for my job excessively so hence the eat out three meals a day most of the time I don't have a choice in that, but you can make healthy choices even in eating out and I do. I look at fats and calories along with Proteins and make good choices. Any thoughts you have I would appreciate and any advice you have I would love to read. Thanks for reading and good luck

Unless you plan on going out, don't pack too many clothes. I took the clothes I wore down there, a night gown, and clothes for the trip back. Take some reading material, and can we say it enough....Gas-x. Also, if you are going to go with the carry-on bag make sure you take one with rollers or a back pack that spreads the weight on both shoulders. I took a one handle duffle bag and I was regretting in on the way back. Due to gas pain, (which mine was bad because I chose to sleep instead of walk right after surgery) it hurt to carry it on one shoulder. Hey I have an 8month old and figured I would trade the gas pain for several good hours of uninterrupted SLEEP. Hey I don't regret it at all, it was heaven. GOOD LUCK!

Oh no! I'm sorry to hear that. Expect a longer and more painful recovery, but it shouldn't change your weight loss outcome.

You sound just like me. I was thinking why not take this $6000 and put it inot a trainer and a Weight Watchers program. To be honest, ecery day my mind wonders there. But then I think about my experience with Quick Weight Loss. Over $2500 on a program, where yes I was loosing weight, but I was always hungry, hated buying their terrinle powder Soups and Protein bars, and not being able to drink aything besides Water Like Tiff said on an another post, I don't want to have to diet forever! I too started this journey looking at the Lap Band. It was all I really knew. I knew nothing of the sleeve 5 months ago. But after reading the horrible stories, looking at the complications thread on Lapband Talk, and talking to people from OH, I knew I couldn't spend $5000 on something that could would cost me more ($100 self pay fills) and could cause me so much pain. So here I am, gettng sleeved in less than a week. Whenever I hear those nagging thought creeping up, I look over at my beautiful daughter (almost 7 months) and realize I am doing this for her. Good Luck on whatever you choose.

Hi Everyone! I am Joelle. I had surgery 9/13/12! I am down 134 pounds!! I would like to maintain my weight now but have no idea how!! Help me!! I am on Myfitnesspal.com and eat between 1k-1300 cals a day with over 100 grams of Protein. I walk 4-5 days a week and burn 6-800 cals when I do so. How do I maintain my weight? How many cals/carbs work for you? Thanks!!

Ironically, I am pretty sure you would have to avoid high intakes of protein. This topic has me curious- my great toe has been hurting terribly for about a month now. It hurts like an ingrown nail but I had my roots cut years ago due to excessive ingrowns- I can bear weight but the toe hurts plenty- maybe I have gout?

I was banded on 5/6 and have been pretty lucky with the pain. Had awful gas chest pain immediately after the surgery...e But I just kept reminding myself how important it is to Walk and it was gone by that night. The last couple days when I have woke up and see the weight has gone down..it's almost shocking. It is still so weird to me that I have gotten this surgery and am on my way to being skinnier and healthier. The skinny truth is starting to set in and is kinda freaking me out... Especially after I received the first .. You can tell you're losing weight ..today (lost 6 from surgery so far but 16 including pre op Liquid) Such a weird feeling that I will Not not be a chubby for forever any more .... That's all I've known for so long !

Yeah I've been without insurance for almost three years,my employer didn't offer insurance and with no SERIOUS health problems, I looked up and three years just flew by. But I just left my last PCP office(from 3 yrs ago) and they faxed my weight history along with my sleep apnea diagnosis. But I'm still worried

Greetings to all!!! My name is Silvia! I am just beginning my journey. I'm not sure how far I will get. Here are my stats......I am 5' 0" and weigh in at 198lbs. I have been fighting with high blood pressure for at least 8 years now. And last year I was diagnosed with severe arthritis in my foot. The arthritis is so bad that the joint is completely worn out and needs to be fused. The pain in my foot leaves me unable to excercise. I also have arthritis in my lower back. I have been battling with a weight problem since childhood. I am the chronic "yo-yo dieter". So I have decided to try to get the Lap Band System. I have an appointment with my primary care physicain on Monday morning. And I have Aetna Select PLan PPO for insurance. I am very, very worried that my doctor is going to tell me that I don't weigh enough for this procedure. My BMI fluctuates between 35 and 40. Right now I'm at about 38. Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas on what to expect at my appointment on Monday? Any and all advice appreciated!!!

I was sleeved in 2012 with dr Feiz. I loved them at the time. But after my 3 month follow up they never called me again. I called recently to see if I should see them since its been 4 years and I've gained back 30 lbs and they said yes. Just kinda bugs me there was no follow up Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Wowsers ! Im not sure what to start with ! Well, for starters, welcome to the other side ! I was banded Dec, 2011 and have had nothing but positive results. The band literaly gave me back my old life of being healthy, happy and close to a normal weight. You might want to see a Nutritionish ASAP ! He/she will help you deal with your emotional eating. As far as liquids, try different flavors, brands etc to see what appeals to you and makes you happy and full. (I admit I cheated once on the liquid phase too, a small spoonful of tuna with mayo. Yum!)

First congratulations on your new journey. Now STOP eating !!!! Your stomach had major surgery , it is swollen and healing. Follow your doctors rules and his rules only. You can do this and you have to. I love my band. Next month is 2 years for me. I never ever did before or after eating that was not on my list. I was afraid of what could or would happen. Just remember you didn't gain over night and you won't lose over night. Be patient. You can do this. Arlene

I am considering the sleeve surgery. I went through the insurance process before and chickened out. I really have to get my weight down in order to get my back fixed and get rid of this dreadful diabetes. I am almost 70 and have almost 100 lbs to lose. I have a defibrillator and other health problems. I'm sure that's why my PC is opposed to this. Does anyone out there have any suggestions, responses, problems, successes? I really need some help making this decision.

If you graze, you gain. This past week, I grazed and I gained. 9 months after this journey began, I've learned that my relationship with food has not changed at all. When I'm around it, I'll eat. So I'm resolving to not be around is as much as possible. I'm embracing the fact that snacking is just not part of my life anymore. At least, that's the plan. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Hmm.. are you sure you weren't overfilled? Sweet spot is when you can go 5 hours without eating. But you said it right there, you can't "eat whatever you want" and lose weight you have to stick to your 900-1200 calorie diet. Stick to your diet and you will lose weight. no matter how filled you are. The lapband isn't some kinda miracle genius, it helps you from being hungry so you can eat less and not be hungry.