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Sorry sweetie - but the only way to stop the stretch marks is to lose the weight. I have had the same issues. I have stretch marks all over my body, including my upper arms too. I hate them! To help reduce the appearance of the ones that you already have though, cocoa butter is awesome. It will help fade them away to just little silvery lines that are barely noticeable. You'll have to use it for a while to notice a difference, but it's well worth it in the end. I've been overweight for so long now, and have stretch marks in so many places, that I just gave up trying a long time ago.

The last place the weight will come off from is your belly. So look other places than down!! LOL

My insurance does not seem to have a pre-wieght loss requirement. Do the docs have it anyway? I am just finishing with labs and no one has said anything about looking weight. After my blood test I should be good to go, or maybe not ...

A lot of ins. Has a weight loss requirement. Could be months. Did u call ur ins. Before hand to ask that stuff? I was lucky and medical weightloss was not required so my journey to surgery was much quicker. Good luck dear!

Hi there and welcome, we are glad to have you join us. In answer to your question, yes, what you are feeling is normal. In the first week or two immediately following surgery, you are not very hungry because of the swelling. However, once the swelling goes down, you definitely get hungrier. That is because the time right now is for healing, not losing. The band is designed to work with fills. Once you start getting your fills, you will find your hunger will start to dissipate and the weight will start coming off. Prior to getting your fills, it is not unusual to not lose any weight and even gain.

I've noticed that although I'm pretty much holding steady weight wise, things still seem to be shifting. For me this is mostly a good thing because things are redistributing so I look more normal, but I'm already down to a 34C, so I hope that everything stays the same there:-)

Hey Virginia, I am a West Virginia girl who had surgery in Roanoke, Virginia. Welcome and good luck on your weight loss journey.

I met with my nutritionist this week and he gave me my Pre-op diet plan. I thought I would share since I haven’t been able to find a vegan plan on this website. 7-14 days prior to surgery The following diet will provide you with approximately 1000 calories and should meet your daily Protein requirements. The purpose of this diet is to deplete your glycogen (fat) stores, which in turn will help the liver to shrink and make your weight lost operation easier and safer. lean meat substitutes (70 grams protein) 2-3 cups non starchy vegetables Broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, onions, lettuce, carrots, tomato, green Beans, asparagus, radish, pickles, mushrooms May use fat free low calorie dressing or hummus 3 tsp fat Olive oil, canola oil, Grapeseed Oil, Coconut Oil, Flaxseed oil, Walnuts, Hemp Oil or Sesame oil Calorie Free liquids Water, propel, crystal light, fruit2O, plain coffee, plain tea Protein Supplement Protein shake Garden of Life Raw Protein Beyond Organic Protein Formula I’ve already started this diet even though I don’t have a date set. I am having a hard time getting in 1,000 calories.

I was home, mostly in bed, for two weeks. My fatigue lasted even once I was back at work for a month or so. I would come home from work and nap. The taste thing my nutritionist told me about--side effect of ketosis. Rapid weight loss puts you into ketosis... (Google it for all the chemistry) When you burn fat, most of the ketones are excreted through your urine, but others are exhaled when you breathe. It gives you bad breath, and leaves residue in your mouth that can give a bad taste. People often say "things taste different after surgery". Think about it as an incentive not to eat things you shouldn't. I definitely can tell when I'm losing weight--everything tastes yuck to me.

I still wonder if there is any difference between maintaining 5 years post op versus maintaining after losing weight without WLS. My hope is that there is still some significant restriction 5 years post op.

Thanks for the advice. I think your right and I need a little unfill. Its a shame I let it go on for 4 1/2 weeks in order to lose more weight and it backfired and I haven't lost hardly any since the fill! I made an appt but they can't fit me in until Friday afternoon. Thanks again.

Anyone had issues with really low potassium? It makes sense as most of the high potassium foods are way down on my list of acceptable foods to eat. I was feeling lathargic and had no energy. Was attributing it all to surgery and a slow recovery. I am thrilled with weight loss progress, but haven't been able to sustain any consistent exercise program. When I went to Dr. for blood test to see where the numbers were, my potassium was on the floor. Dr. has added potassium supplements and two glasses of V8 daily, so hope it gets stabilized. Been a real issue for the past couple of weeks. The real bummer is I stopped losing weight as well. Hoping getting things leveled out will help on all fronts.

I like that Kathy quoted the one thing that made me literally laugh out loud... the icky shake part. Congratulations on your successes in your weight loss journey! I wish you continued steps down the same road... best always, xx

Kind of a long story - Six years ago I was in a car wreck that totalled my car. I severely damaged the ligaments in my right ankle - all three that attach the foot to the ankle. I am left with an ankle that rolls over on me with the slightest provocation. For the past six years I have slowly been adapting my life to dealing with my ankle. I gave up wearing any shoes except tennis shoes with my custom orthotics. Even flat womens shoes make my ankle ache by the end of the day. I normally wear some kind of ankle brace every day - depending on what I am planning on doing. I have about every kind on the market. Driving any distance makes it ache (I commute two hours each way to work). I have sprained my ankle at least once a year (sometimes more) since the original injury and it takes a month or two to get back to my "normal". I have a low level of pain all the time. Imagine a radio playing static at a low volume in the background 24 hours a day. I can mentally block the pain, but it is always there. Over the years, I have done less and less physical things that might cause me to sprain my ankle. While I was morbidly obese, I had a fear I would sprain my ankle and do major damage (broken bones, etc) to other parts of my body when I did it. So seven months ago I was sleeved. I am approaching my goal and feeling great. Two months ago I sprained my ankle, stepping off of a step while cleaning a closet getting rid of "fat" clothes. No more Zumba (I always wore a brace and was REALLY careful there). One month in a boot cast, one month is a stabilizer and now I am in physical therapy. The good news, I have strong ankle muscles that compensate somewhat for the shot tendons. The bad news? I have NO STABILITY in the muscles. I can not stand on my right foot with the left foot off the ground and stay balanced. Without strength and stability I am doomed to repeating the same situation that I have been. Now that I am a normal weight, I could have a harvest graft tendon surgery to rebuild my tendons in the ankle.(There really was no point in going down this path before.) Have a great surgeon who has been taking care of my foot and ankle for 20+ years that has successful history with the surgery. The downside is, the surgery is not easy. It is three months not putting any weight on the foot. That means crutches or one of those rolling gadgets, no driving, and working remotely after the initial recovery. Then three months in a boot cast, then a long bout of physical therapy. After a year, you are as recovered as you will be. I know at some point, I will likely have to have this surgery. There are insurance reasons that are encouraging me to have it this year or next at the latest. (in 2013, I will have a $10,000 deductible) My questions are, has anyone on this site had their ankle tendons rebuilt? Any good news on functionality afterwards? Also, I want to have a tummy tuck. What about having it while recovering from ankle surgery (or under the same anasthesia - the same day) and doing both recoveries at the same time? I'm looking for opinions here - I welcome comments.

It took quite a while for the swelling to subside. I too gained 20 lbs post-op - it was frightening - I assume you had laparoscopic surgery? If so - even though you only have a few small outside wounds - you have many stitches inside that are dissolving and healing. Your body heals by sending fluid into the area - thats why it is swollen. You should only be concerned if it is red, hot, or "weeping" otherwise time will heal it. Best of healing to you (and your stomach!)

I went on a trip for a week and got a little off track with my eating habits. I tried diet soda for the first time and have had about 4 since then. Of course I didn't each much, but all of the choices weren't the healthiest. When I got back on monday my weight was fine but now about 1 week after I have gained 4lbs. My weight has fluctuated for about 3 days from 245-241 (different everyday). So with that being said, either I'm pregnant or it's the trip catching up with me, either way it's BAD!! I'm really hoping that it's the bad eating though :-/

@@jayhawk1965 8 months out Life lines: Local support groups, My doctors and bariatric pal Calories: about 1000 to 1300 Exercise: Five to six days a week an hour of cardio. 3 days a week an hour of strength training Challenges: Trying to settle into the reality that this is my life now. Eating and exercise still are the same for me after goal. Responses to weight loss: Mostly positive and supportive. Opposite sex treat you Very differently. (still strange) Some people are having issues with my weight loss. They are just not comfortable with it. Tips. Stay connected with you're support systems. No secrets do what you're doctors instruct you to do

Hi All, So, since about a month after my early February surgery (and two fills to date) I have not been able to lose a single pound!!! But.... I am losing inches every month. Is this normal??I have another fill booked in September and I am worried that Dr. A will be like - why is your weight not changing..... why is my weight not changing?? I don't quite understand that? My total weight loss in 6 mos is only 25lbs.... In 6 mos I have lost 1" off chest, 4.5" off waist, 7" off hips and 1" off thigh... Is this to be considered normal? I thought the weight would come off more readily.......

Thanks! I basically just cut my portions down by about 25% and began walking a lot. I've even thrown a tiny bit of running in. I don't consider this a diet. I have not gone to bed hungry since I started and don't plan on going back to what I was doing. I am building up my arsenal of tools: Bodybugg Treadmill Lapband Knowledge I attribute a lot of my weight loss to the Bodybugg. It tells me how many calories I am burning. So, I know how many calories I can eat and still lose. The treadmill takes away my excuses for not walking because of weather. The lapband is going to be used to keep me honest with portions. I came into this knowing quite a bit about weight loss but in my research of the lapband and reading the experiences of people here, I am learning quite a bit more. I try to do what the successful people have done and stay away from what the failures are doing.

Thanks guys. Yesterday was not easy - yes, I left the office feeling pretty darned elated. I mean, I not only have a surgery date (12/16), I already have a time (8am). And overall the process of getting to that point was pretty painless But man, when I got home, I was thinking WTH did I just do? Can't I just try to lose weight on my own again? But then I realized, uh, we'll. that hasn't exactly worked out considering I've never lost more than 42 pounds - didn't keep that off either. And what's to say I won't just keep putting on weight? So then I had a good cry snuggled up with my pups, and then had another one when hubby got home. Slept like crap last night. Woke up today feeling still a bit worn out but overall I am feeling a little better about my decision. I imagine the next few months are going to be a crazy roller coaster of emotions. In one way I wish I could schedule the surgery earlier and not obsess about it for months. But in another way I'm kind of glad I have time to process everything and start gearing up for my new lifestyle. Weight loss surgery right before Christmas - what kind of a masochist am I? Lol

mmm i really don?t think so. we put all our effort to lose what we need to lose and reach our ideal weight and then we need to maintain it.

((((HUGS)))) (just cause you sound like you could use one.. ) Have you met with a band surgeon yet? What does he/she say about your case? I think weight loss would help with several of them. Your energy levels would improve too. I've read a lot of inspiring posts about people who have seen their comorbities improve or completely disappear. I sincerely hope that this is the case for you too!! I've had the same thoughts about wishing I had done this 2 years ago (before my back gave out and I had to have surgeries to repair it). The important thing is, you're doing something about it now. Good luck to you.

Nope. I haven't had ketosis symptoms, either pre or post-op, and I did hard-core Atkins for a long time before finding out about the sleeve. I lost 50 lbs in the course of a year, then gained it all back when I got pneumonia. If you have problems with kidney pain on the pre-op liquid diet, you should talk to your surgeon. However, if you're drinking enough Water and following the liquid diet properly, it shouldn't be a problem.

Wow that's great!! To not have enough fat left you must be a lean mean bariatric machine ;0) How was the pain of the surgery compared with the weight loss version and are you happy with the look hon? Ps.. How much did you lose if you don't mind me asking?

Hi guys, I had weight loss surgery about six months ago and have now lost over three stone, I only have 2 to go until I am at my ideal weight. I have heard about the fat transfer breast enhancements and wonder if anybody else has had this? Sounds like a great way to aid in my further weight loss as well as replenish my somewhat saggy boobs. Anyone had this done or had any other breast implants post surgery, and can you tell me if you have this done at your ideal weight or before? Many thanks you beautiful people!!