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Yes bandster hell is very real. For me this was will power diet for 6 months! My best recommendation to you would be to buy a digital food scale. Measure out your Protein (my doctor says 3 0z). Eat low fat/calories veggies until full. Also everytime you go to eat something ask yourself "Would I eat this in front of my doctor"? If not don't eat it. Am I an all or nothing dieter? Not anymore. I try to live by the 95/5% rule. Live super healthy 95% of the time and the other 5% you can have some fun. The first couple months after surgery however I think you need to be very dedicated and eat healthy all the time. Also, are you exercising? If not find something you can force yourself to do for 30 days. After 30 days you will see weight loss and feel motivated to keep going. I highly recommend lap swimming (preferrably with Water proof MP3 player) or water aerobics. Great for those of us with joint problems.

Just wanted to thank you all for your kind words and advice. I wanted to post my appeal letter... I think it came out well. My goal was to appeal to their sensitivty... we'll see if that works : P Dear Sir or Madam; I recently received a denial of benefits for the proposed Laparascopy, a longitudinal gastrectomy (i.e. sleeve gastrectomy) based on the fact that I have not been at a BMI of 40 or higher for 5 consecutive years. I am appealing this decision and hope that based on the facts that I present in the following letter, that the decision will be overturned and I can be approved for surgery as soon as possible. I have attached a copy of the denial to this letter for your records. I understand that the policy states that I must be at the current BMI or higher for a minimum of 5 years, however I firmly believe that in 5 years, not only will I be much heavier, but I will also have a long list of comorbidities to add to my current morbid obesity. In 2005 I weighed 193 lbs. In 2010 I now weigh over 230 lbs. At the rate at which I am gaining weight I will easily weigh 280 lbs by 2015, which far exceeds the title of morbid obesity. It is this hypothesis that has led me to the option of bariatric surgery, which for someone like me, will literally save a life. I come from a long line of obese individuals. Not one person in my immediate family is not classified as obese, and many of my extended family member s are morbidly obese. I have a cousin who died of morbid obesity in 2005 at a weight of 650 lbs. She was living life in a wheelchair because she had lost mobility and eventually had a heart attack and died at the age of 35. Diabetes also runs rampant on both sides of my family; my father, sister, uncles, aunt, grandmother, and grandfather all have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I tested borderline for gestational diabetes for both of my pregnancies and one of my biggest fears is being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. In addition, hypertension and high cholesterol also permeate my family?s medical history. My mother, father, sister, aunts, uncles, and cousins ALL have hypertension so severe that they are on medication. My grandmother, mother, and father all have high cholesterol, also severe enough for medication. I see myself as next in line. Currently, I have chronic heartburn which I fear will transition into GERD in no time. And I have begun snoring, which has the potential to turn to sleep apnea as time passes and my weight increases. You see, I simply do not have 5 years to wait and see how sick I become. I am attempting to be proactive and save my life. If not for myself, for my 2 young children. My daughter is 2 and a half, and my son is 9 months old. My prayer is that I can have this surgery not only to lose weight, but to bestow upon them proper eating habits and nutrition as well as the love of exercise. As it stands right now, my mobility is affected by my weight and it breaks my heart that I can?t be the mom I want to be simply because of how heavy I am. I am essentially dragging around at least 100 extra pounds with me every single day, which makes it difficult to do simple things like walk up the stairs in my home. I don?t want to write a research paper about the benefits of the sleeve gastrectomy because I do trust that you are an informed medical professional. But I want to explain why I am choosing this surgery over all of the other options out there. The reason why I am not simply accepting gastric bypass (e.g. Roux-n-Y) or gastric banding (Lap-Band? or Realize?) is because both have very high rates of long term failure. And the reason why I have chosen not to apply for the Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch is because I feel as though the surgery is A) extreme for someone with my BMI and also leads to nutritional deficiencies and high rates of osteoporosis as the malabsorptive properties of the surgery are almost ?too effective? and can lead to malnutrition. I do believe that the vertical sleeve portion of the DS surgery (sleeve gastrectomy) is the best option for me because it is a highly successful restrictive procedure and I can still absorb the essential nutrients that my body requires without extreme amounts of Vitamin supplementation. Supporting Literature A systematic review of the literature covering LSG through January 2009[1] was published in June last year. Conclusion: From the current evidence, including 36 studies and 2570 patients, LSG is an effective weight loss procedure that can be performed safely as a first stage or primary procedure. From this large volume of case series data, a matched cohort analysis, and 2 randomized trials, LSG results in excellent weight loss and co-morbidity reduction that exceeds, or is comparable to, that of other accepted bariatric procedures. The postoperative major complication rates and mortality rates have been acceptably low. Long-term data are limited, but the 3- and 5-year follow-up data have demonstrated the durability of the SG procedure. A handful of additional work has been published since that literature review concluded, with additional long term durability data and adding considerable support to the efficacy of LSG in resolving diabetes.[2],[3],[4],[5],[6],[7],[8] Two International Consensus Summits for Sleeve Gastrectomy have been held, the first[9] 10/25-27/2007 and the second[10] 3/19-21/2009. At the second conference, during the consensus part, the audience responded that there was enough evidence published to support the use of SG as a primary procedure to treat morbid obesity and indicated that it is on par with adjustable gastric banding and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, with a yes vote at 77%. In conclusion, I ask that you please approve the Sleeve Gastrectomy surgery for me based on the medical information that I have provided as well as personal consideration and kindess. I truly need this surgery to save my life, and I pray every day that it can happen. I appreciate your time and sincerely hope that you can assist me in changing my life and my children?s lives. Kind Regards, Alexis

I understand how you feel about being consumed with thinking about this! I originally wasn't going to have surgery until March 22, but I was luckily able to move it up to Jan. 17 and if I hadn't, I probably would have literally gone crazy before then. As it is, I'm hardly sleeping and I'm on this site at all hours. I am so ready to have a new start that I want it yesterday. Now that my date is less than 2 weeks away, I am able to be a little calmer about it. Overall, I'd say it's worse than being a kid waiting for Christmas to come. I wish I had good advice for you about your husband. Do you think it's the fact that he can't go or that he's worried about what else will change when your appearance changes? A lot of husbands/boyfriends seem to get insecure about their partners' weight loss, but maybe there is some way you can reassure him? Find out what his fears are and talk to him about why this is important to you and try to get him to understand that something so life-changing is bound to consume your thoughts? Luckily, my bf is more supportive and as the surgery date approaches, he has been asking more and more questions, so I am able to talk to him about it some, but I haven't told many people either, so this site is kind of my only outlet to talk about these feelings and thoughts I'm having about WLS. I know it seems far away now, but your date will be here before you know it. In the meantime, maybe work on smoothing things over with your husband and do other things to help pass the time, like shop for Protein shakes and other things you'll need post-op. It's also a good idea to start an exercise regimen if you don't already have one. Best of luck to you!

I weighed 17 pounds more when I left the hospital because of the fluids they gave me while I was there for the two days. It took me a week and a day to get rid of the extra weight before my "real" weight loss could begin. Hang in there. It's just Water. It will leave you. Just drink and walk as much as you can.

The depression is probably not caused by feeling hunger, since depression is defined as sadness, lethargy and loss of will that has no discernible cause. If it were as simple as stimuli, the 21 lbs you've lost in the past few weeks should have you elated and ecstatic! I had a sleeve, not a bypass but my hunger didn't disappear overnight. The liquids phases were especially tough as I was missing the satiety and chewing from eating proper foods. If you're feeling depressed, I would recommend talking to a mental health care professional about finding a therapist. No amount of "cheer up!" Is going to help with depression.

So basically my program did not require any weight loss, they just didn't want me to gain weight. Today I have my appointment with my surgeon to schedule the surgery, and I'm so concerned they are going to weigh me. I went on vacation after my last appointment with the nutritionist and have gained about 5 pounds back that I lost. Do you think they will postpone my surgery? I mean technically I did still lose weight over the course of the program, which was more than they asked for anyways. Anyways, do you think I'll be okay to schedule my surgery today? Sent from my SM-G960U using BariatricPal mobile app

Hello everyone. Im a newbie here, just starting my weight-loss journey. I attened my first seminar last week, and heard back from the office today about my benefits. According to my insurance, I must do a 6 month diet( as most of you know), and than we can do the surgery. Luckily for me, I did 2 months of a program this year, so I only need for more months. Im not happy about waiting for 4 months, but It will give me a chance to really think through the surgery, along with getting in the best shape as possible. Looking for others who give any support or tips, or just need to talk. Thanks for Listening JR

If I had lost 40 lbs. EVER in my whole life I would be thrilled! You have done a great job so far, even if it isn't what you imagined. Go to the grocery store and try to pick up 4 10lb. bags of potatoes. You have knocked that much weight off of your frame. And studies have shown that one lb. of weight loss = 4 lbs. of pressure off of your knees. You have reduced the strain on your knees by 160 lbs! That is something to be proud of, and now that yo are back on track, your accomplishments will be even greater.

which ever surgery you get, its not a miracle you will have to learn to eat better foods and have a entire mental attitude change so many people go into this WLS and expect it to drop off...its not easy any WLS has pros and cons.....dont get it if you are just gonna expect to wing it... i see it all the time on here, someone get a band and in 2 months, they are wishing they got the sleeve.....little do they know, if they just tried...the band could work and just because they got the sleeve, it doesnt guarantee weight loss. have the surgery if you really want to lose weight and that means want it bad enough to actually follow how to use it and then do it..hemming and hawing will only keep you big and most likely get bigger.

Okay, I am beginning to freak out! LOL My surgery is 2 weeks away and I keep thinking about everything...all of it. I see the lists of foods I can and cant have just after surgery, I hear about the hair loss and vomiting and such, and it just scares me. I know for long term this is what would be best. I'm trying not to let my fears stop me from doing this because I know it's the right thing to do... Is anyone else going through the same thing?

Sorry for your loss... I am having surgery the same day as you are, I added you as a friend so we can stay in touch and support each other if you want. You are doing great and will have much success because you are focused. Let's keep in touch.... Teresa

Hi Everyone I need a massive butt kick or some advice on how to get moving. I seem to have many constant excuses. I started off doing a bit of a circuit daily at home: 45 mins on treadmill, bike and stepper. This lasted a week and then I ended up back in hospital and bed rest for a week. Since then I haven't done a thing. I was banded 8th Dec and weight loss was steadily dropping off. The last couple of weeks, however, things have come to a standstill. I have had 1 fill but I know I have to exercise. Now I'm using the excuse that its just too hot. Any advice? How did you start your exercise routine? Please help

When I was taking biotin every hair I had grew crazy wild... EXCEPT the hair on my head. It did nothing for me so I quit taking it. The razor industry couldn't keep up.

If you suffer from acid reflux and you are willing to go with the gastric sleeve plication, you may be able to have your surgery covered by insurance. The sleeve plication is a procedure based on the Nissen fundoplication which is used to treat acid reflux. My sister was unsure of having the band but was interested in plication as a stand alone WLS procedure. While plication on it's own isn't usually covered by insurance, the Nissen fundoplication is covered so her doctor will give her both at the same time and it will be covered by her insurance. While plication as a WLS is relatively new it does show some promise, especially since one of the side effects of the fundoplication was weight loss. Plication is also being preformed with lap bands so far the majority of us that have had the band with plication done are happy with the results. If you do decide to consider the plication be aware that not all doctors will bill it as a treatment for acid reflux, the doctor that my sister is using is in Miami so you may need to travel. One important benefit is if you do go this way, you won't have to jump through the usual insurance hoops and can pretty much have the surgery right away. Another option you may have is to see if you have a hernia, if you do you could have the surgery to repair the hernia and then self pay to have the band put in which could save you thousands over paying for the band surgery on its own

Since surgery I have averaged a 1lb loss every day. Today I was up nearly 1lb and now I feel so discouraged. Maybe my expectations are too high, I was so enjoying my progress up till now and not so much today.

On a good note, you are losing! I know that we sometimes get discouraged, because we expect drastic results, but the slower the weight loss the less likely that you will have a lot of excess skin. That's how I justify it anyway. I will be two months out on Tuesday. I weigh myself weekly for my YouTube updates; otherwise, I would do it monthly. So far, I am down 30 lbs. Some people who have had their surgeries around the same time or after me have lost a lot more than I have, but I try & remember that everyone's weight loss journey is different. Anyway, my point minus all of the rambling, things will get better. Good luck & try to weigh yourself weekly...!

Hello, You feel pretty much as I do right now. I have also gone through all the necessary steps for my surgery. I acutallly had a date, it was October 6th then 2 days before my surgery, I called and postponed it. I also think can I do this on my own, I tried Atkins diet & lost 38 lbs then gained it back, I also tried WW but it didn't work. A coworker of mine lost around 100 lbs on weight watchers & everytime I see her I think I can do it to, but in reality I cant I think I need some help I never thought I would turn to weight loss surgery, but I know Lap Band is the less invasive surgery, and if it doesn't go well you know It can be removed, that's why I think I am going to go ahead with Lap Band. I am not mentally ready for gastric bypass and Lap Band good for me. I have another date Nov 27th. I hope you choose the right choice for yourself, I am tired of yoyo dieting also you have to at least give yourself credit for all the efforts and attempts you tried on losing weight. Good luck with your decision.

PB is a productive burp or belch. It happens when you eat too much and you feel like you need to burp but more than just air comes up. A bit of what you ate will come up with it, along with saliva. Also, usually when you get "stuck" you tend to slime. The slime is mucus and saliva. You try to swallow your saliva but because there's an obstruction it can't go down so it comes back up. As far as your girlfriend and mom go, I really don't know how to answer that because I don't know you or them and I don't hear how they talk about getting skinny. Could it possibly be that you're motivating them to do something about their weight because they see you wanting to be proactive about yours? And when it comes to relationships and weight loss there is always going to be some jealousy. People are afraid of being left behind because their significant other is getting "better looking" and may think they're too good for them or that they can do better. I have read about plenty of people having problems in their relationships due to weight loss and jealousy. And it has caused its fair share of break-ups. In that respect all you can do is reassure your partner that she's the one you want and you don't plan on going anywhere. You can control how you act in the situation and how you treat her but unfortunately you can't control how this whole situation will make her feel and how she reacts to it. You may be able to reassure her enough and you may not. It all depends on how insecure she is. Maybe by encouraging her to lose weight also in her own way you will help boost her self esteem while also showing her you care about her health along with yours. As far as your mom goes? I dont know how to handle that. I have a jealous step-mother who has been jealous all the numerous times I've lost a good amount of weight. To this day I still don't know what to do about her. But I'm sure she's a different story all together compared to your mom. Good luck!! :laugh:

Sorry you are going through this! I hope your surgeon gets back to you soon. I started vomiting maybe day five? I had a swallow study to rule out a stricture. I had constant nausea for nearly 2 months (even taking anti-nausea meds), and vomiting several times a day. My surgeon said that some people are just more sensitive and it would go away. It eventually did. I haven’t vomited since, and weight loss is going well. Are you keeping a food journal? Protein shakes and anything with milk were triggers for me. Also, I had to be selective about which pills I took. I could not take them all (even spaced apart and with food) because I would vomit them right back up. Anything you can report to your surgeon about timing, foods, meds, supplements, amounts, etc. might be helpful. You will get through this, hang in there and hopefully it will go away or you will have answers soon!

Hi all I am planning to have my surgery as soon as possible and I am in contact with few doctors trying to make the right decision. I wished that this forum doesnt have members who might be getting money referals and they only talk about their own experiences to help each other . Anyway thanks all for ur help my major question is was anyone here helped by a lady named Rita Coonrod, she sounds like a respectful nice lady and she is trying to help me to get my surgery by dr Mario Almanza, it's a package to go to san diago.....Gastric Bypass Weight Loss Surgery, Mexico - The Bariatric Group s the company she works for I guess th epayment should go to ISA in texas , has anyone done that b4 and is it safe to send the money this way . Rita sounds like a nice proffesional lady but I just want to make sure that I am on the right track and no spam is involved. Another one is Sandy Johnson who is very porffesional and helpful as well , she gave me the same package for a different price . have anyone been helped by this lady or did the surgery through her. she workd for www.MexicoWeightLossSurgery.com Both look good to me and I just want to hear from people who did it NOT WHAT PEOPLE THINK PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE in a lot of threads I notice that members start fighting so please please please dont do it here , if u have anything personal discuss it personally , I would like to get exact info so I can do my surgery very soon thanks

Don't be embarrassed! Stalls are a normal part of this jouney and one about 2-3 weeks out hits most people. Here is a short article that explains it well: http://www.dsfacts.com/weight-loss-stall-or-plateau.html

Are you doing any Protein shakes? Some say not to replace food with liquids, however, by doing a Protein shake and adding things to it, like fruits (mixed berried, banana, peaches, etc.), you can be getting lots of protein (unjury Protein powder has 21g protein per scoop) as well as some bulk and calories from the fruit. You can add yogurt too if you are having a hard time meeting the calorie requirement. When you do chicken and veges, try stir fry with a little bit of olive oil. You can get some healthy calories in that way too. As ANewDawn mentioned (above), I was also told to eat up to one cup per meal and that it was okay to have a snack in between if necessary. Sometimes diabetics can't go 5 hours without a snack, so they eat every 3 hours or so, and even non diabetics that have difficulty going such long stretches can have a snack in between but usually it is advised to keep it to 100 calories or so. I think you can get creative with your food choices to meet the caloric intake. Eating too few calories will slow down your metabolism and inhibit weight loss. Some people will post a sample of what they ate for one whole day, and ask for advice. Perhaps you want to do that? I think the Lap band community is very helpful with suggestions and ideas to tweak your daily diet. And don't worry, you'll get this right. It just takes time and sometimes bouncing things off of other people if you don't have a structured support system yet.

Like Momw said it is probably the Co2 expelling. Like she said walking is key, deep breathing, make the most of any toots that come! It will go away. You will feel better. Also stick to baby sips, I can feel a drink of water go all the way down if I have too big a sip. when I eat I use baby spoons and a tiny bowl to hold just the amount I am supposed to eat on my plan which is 1/4 cup right now. It reminds me how much I can handle and then still chew the heck out of it. I think this is a good use of the "tool" part of the sleeve and letting it heal and keeping it small will optimize weight loss.

I recently heard that the timing of hair loss post surgery was relevant. The sooner you started losing, the sooner it would end. For example, if your hair started falling out at month 3, the hair loss would only last 3 months. If hair loss started at month 8, the loss/regrowth process would last 8 months, etc. Has anyone heard this before? The information was reported from a fellow BP friend after attending the 3 month follow up class offered at the hospital where we had our surgeries. I'm attending the same class in a few weeks and will be sure to clarify! Are there any veterans out there that can share their experience? I have been shedding hair like crazy since 6 weeks post op, so I'm selfishly hoping this is true!!!

Good Morning, What is PCOS????? don't be upset I had the lap band put in 2-18-2008 erosioned 11-4-2009 taken out then I saw the scale climbing so I went back to the surgeon Dr.J.Myer at Rush or One Day I asked for a new Band he said no so I got the sleeve so in 2008 I weighed 278 I am 4 11 I looked like I was going to explode as I look on the pictures of myself at that time at the time the band was taken out 199 so nothing for 18 months shot up to 240 had the sleeve done 12-12-11 today I weigh 197. I am 62 years old and can't work out because of my heart and I have a heel problem that I am having ablations to kill nerves the pain stops me from walking as much I want to, but I must be doing something right the weight is coming off slowly but I think my age has a lot to do with that but weighing in at 197 I weighed that when I was 28 Yikkkes!! that was a long time ago. The sleeve is a tool it will help you but it will be up to you what you put in your mouth...... I cheat sometimes not just every day Sat: is my grdson's birthday I will take a piece of cake I remove most of the frosting to treat on special days is ok....I like my scale now at one time I dreaded getting on the dam thing and today I say a quick prayer to God to help me accept the number I see and if it is good ok if its bad ask myself ok what junk have I had....YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! are in charge how you are going to use this tool..... Be good to your self set small goal don't look at the bigger picture cause that will overwhelm you when I reached 75lb weight loss I bought myself a journey neckless pendent yes this a journey for the rest of your life. My husband and I have been married almost 43 years I have been wanting a new bridal set of rings so when I lose 100!!!!!!!!!!!!! what a miracle that God and the Blessed Mother have given me we are going to buy some serious BLING!! lol I told the Dr that at my last visit he laughed and said take it off during weigh in its going to be heavy.... take 10 lbs at a time it worked for me at every 10 lbs I treated myself to a tube of lipstick whatever but NOT some thing to eat. Gee I better get off my soap box.....as they say in 12 step meetings read this take what you want and leave the rest, we as humans don't always agree. Keep the faith, miracles happen I am one of them....... BIG OAK FOREST HUGS, Ann Raggedyann1949