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Hello TIA. Unfortunately my insurance doesn't cover any weight loss surgery so I am a self pay. I am getting lapband with plication surgery and the total cost for me is $16,500. I am sure the cost will vary based on the doctor you go too. Although part of me was extremely angry that my insurance didn't cover it, I was almost glad in a way because I didn't want to wait 7 - 10 months going through everything insurance requires to get the surgery. I saw my doctor on August 9th, completed all the testing on Aug 11th (including meeting with the nutrisionist), was cleared for surgery on August 12th and am scheduled for surgery on August 29th. Hope that information helped answer some of your questions. Best of luck to you!!!

May 19 was only two weeks ago.... you had MAJOR surgery two weeks ago. You are definitely being impatient. In terms of energy, you will feel better and stronger once you've had time to heal and once you are able to eat more. In terms of weight loss, this is your WHOLE LIFE we are talking about. It will take months or even years to lose all of the weight. It's not going to magically disappear overnight. Right now you should be focused on your recovery. Get your water in and as much protein as you can handle. Walk as much as you can. And take care of yourself!

Awesome! I have similar days out/loss numbers. I'm only OK'd to walk until I'm 4 weeks though, you're lucky!

I started with WW last June as I was in the process of getting approved for the band. For me, I really needed something to kick start me into committing to the journey. I personally needed the accountability of going to meetings and getting on a scale in front of somebody (no matter how geeky - I was even proud of the gold stars) :ohmy: I haven't been going to meetings since the surgery (September 07), but I am still following the plan, keeping a food journal and counting points. Like Julie, I am going with 20 to 25 points per day (although I am still allowed 29), for the most part. What I do like is that I can feel reasonably confident that I can go up some points and not gain weight! Would I go to meetings again if I was struggling - ABSOLUTELY- I want to do everything I can to continue with my success. I have 6 cc's in my 10 cc band, but don't really feel any restriction. I really am doing well with following the WW flex points plan - it helps me feel accountable, helps me keep my portions reasonable, helps me choose healthy foods and best of all I am losing weight (so far I have lost a total of 75 pounds since June). One of the things that I am most proud of (besides the actual weight loss) is that I have been choosing a relatively healthy diet at least 80% of the time (probably closer to 90%) for over 6 months now. I have never done that in my life and I have been obese my entire life (including childhood). My doc is so impressed with my progress that we have decided to not do any more fills until I start to plateau or I find that my hunger is getting too difficult to manage. I won't claim that I don't have head hunger - I do just about every day, but I am able to recognize what it is and cope, for the most part. Even my "slips" are relatively innocuous. I go back and forth on my feelings on not being filled to my sweet spot - then I read about people eating only 1/4 or 1/2 cup of food at a time and think maybe I shouldn't be so anxious to get there . I do think that the band is working for me by keeping me "satisfied" for longer periods of time, but maybe that is just me too. Who knows.

This is a thread I want to follow. I'm new to WLS and going through a painful and acrimonious divorce. I struggle with fear every day. So far my tools in the toolbox have been: Codependents Anonymous Overeaters Anonymous A divorce therapist once a month BariatricPal website I also have made a determined effort to say "yes" to new experiences and social outings with new friends. This is hard for me but so rewarding. I feel emotionally overwhelmed at least a few times a day, and that's not an exaggeration. But I turn it over to God each morning and when the feeling comes over me I remember that I turned it over. It helps. I literally have a "God box" where I write a small note each day of the thing(s) that have me fearful, and that I'm giving them to God. Example for today: my daughter who's traveling from Madrid to Portugal. And divorce paperwork that's overwhelming me right now. And I'm attending the wake of a dear friend's mom. The beauty of going out with new friends is they will give you a fresh perspective. One tells me that as bad as things are now, one day this divorce really will be behind me and life will be good. Meanwhile I'm making huge progress improving my health and self image. Truly, the divorce is so front and center that my WLS and weight loss feels minor now. But it's not!! It's huge. My body is changing. For the better. My attitude is improving and I value myself more. My reply was a bit off topic but it's exactly where I am. I am eager to read other people's paths. Thanks for posting such thoughtful threads.

You can do this! The band is a tool, not magic. It is like weight watchers on steroids. We still have to make the right decisions on what to eat. Unfortunately the band is a tool, it doesn't fix the mind or the emotions or the initial cause of how we came to need WLS. Let the band help, but ultimately it takes a lot of work and self learning, taking a hard look in the mirror and see what's more important junk food or health... It's up to is. I have gained back about 20 lbs of my 85 lb loss, went back to the dietician yesterday and back on track.

Congratulations! It's really, really exciting! If you have a post-op diet from your doctor, make sure you have enough "stuff" to make it through the first few days. I found chicken broth and apple juice were about all I could handle the first couple of days. I moved onto strained cream of mushroom Soup and tomato soup (along with the chicken soup and apple juice) after about 3 days. Protein shakes and then mushies are important for week two. If you have a pain med or blood thinner script, fill it before you. As for what to bring, I brought a toothbrush, hair brush,contact solution and glasses, socks, yoga pants, t-shirt and clean undies! I didn't really need a robe since I had my own room and I used a double surgical gown. If your doctor doesn't give you a "Bari-Bear", you want to bring a pillow for the ride home. You'll want to squeeze it against your belly--it helps. It also helps if you have to cough or sneeze so you don't jar everything. I wouldn't be so worries about doing damage, but when the stitches move, it hurts. The pillow or bear will be wonderful! Good luck to you! 2 months post surgery and I'm feeling great!

Reading your post, it appears you answered your own question...you had some setbacks, resulting in Fluid being removed from the band, and now you can eat more than you should.... Which in my case anyway, is the reason I had the surgery...to control my eating...otherwise.... I am at that "perfect balance" where, for me, I have found just the right amount of restriction, and I have changed my habits..all the bad ones....to where I now live an effortless weight free life...never to diet again, and personally I have no fear of ever gaining any weight back..it is impossible for me to overeat.... I am also convinced, and fear...that if I should encounter some sort of ailment, or medical condition to where I would have to get even the slightest amount of fluid taken out that would disrupt that perfect balance.... I have been reading many posts here over the years, about people "Failing"...gaining weight back, etc...and in many of these posts the person states something happened, by no fault of their own, and had to get fluid taken out of their band.... As a side note, when I read about people "Following the Rules"....which rules are they referring to? There are Rules for dieters...same rules I have been taught for the last 30 years on how to loose weight following certain criteria regarding calories, eating techniques, portion sizes, etc....Jenny Craig has rules, Weight Watchers have rules.... Then there are "Rules" that apply to how you have to behave in order to exist with the band...do not follow these rules, would be unpleasant, and probably result in getting fluid taken out of the band....one would not be able to survive with a functioning band and not adhere to certain rules....people need to change their behavior in order to find that balance with the band...and that is achieved by adhering to certain rules.....eventually these become 2nd nature...the new normal, after time. If I did not follow THESE certain rules, I would not be able to get through a meal...or, I would have stuck episodes frequently....the rules in themselves do not allow me to loose weight...the band does that...the rules are there for me in order to live with the band... My weight loss center had me learning these rules even before being banded...I challenged them on some of them stating they made no sense...their response was learn them now, start to learn new habits.....because as you get your band adjusted in the next few months, they will start to become very important to you in order to be successful....and then they will make perfect sense.....

Yeah, and Jesus wasn't wearing gloves or a hair net either. I guess all that bacteria got to go straight to heaven.

And this is just the beginning of your weight loss! Congratulations!

Congratulations! This is a great milestone. Just an observation and something to think about: if 30 pounds is more than you have been able to lose in the past and the fact that you are now one month post-op, don't be upset when you stall. You will stall, and especially if you weigh every day, you may have an emotional reaction to that stall. I have learned that how I respond to the inevitable stalls is one of the major things that makes my post-op weight loss successful post-op. Pre-op, a stall is when I would give up. Keep up the great work and keep following your program. Embrace the Stall! http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/351046-Embrace-the-Stall

Thank you so much for the information. I really appreciate your advice. If I get the procedure done here in our province everything is covered through our health care system, but if I go outside of our province/country I will have to cover cost. I had contacted my insurance company and they do not cover the lap band but will cover stay in the hospital. Irregardless of the cost I will be still having the lap band done. I have complete one course regarding nutrition, and will be looking for anything that will help me with my goal to become healthy. Congradulations on your success with your weight loss. I am so excited, I cannot wait until the pounds start melting off.

OK well the 200lbs. was inflated due to : PMS I forgot to take my cardio meds (with a Water pill) I ate like a complete monster over the weekend. So the 191 this morning is tooo big of a loss in a short time to be realiastic - but I don't need to know that. So far this week I've walked the dog every day, drank water to the point of being scary in the car, eaten the right foods, kissed and made up with my surgeon, committed to going to the support group on Tuesday 5/8. Started a journal here (be I can't get into the area again) NOOOOO Chocolate! Here we go!!!!

Totally normal, don't panic! I lost a quick 13 the first two weeks then was stuck for like 10 days and then started started seeing a few lbs come off. I literally had my 4 week check in with my surgeon today and he said he didn't even start looking for real loss until this point. It boils down to 3 things. 1) hit your hydration and Protein target. 2) stay off the scale 3) trust the process. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Albright, I understand. The permanency of it all bliss my mind, too, BUT I do have the high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea, back pain, irregularities, weird sensations that appear to be like diabetic neuropathy, night sweats and more. Most importantly, I have a 7 year old daughter. I keep thinking of the immediate benefits of the sleeve and how nothing else I've tried-- that resulted in weight loss has lasted.

I had surgery on 3/25/13 but lost 30-25 pounds in the month before that. I've lost a total of 101 pounds as of this morning. I had my gall bladder taken out on Monday but other than that, I've had no problems/complications. I have really got to get some pictures linked in here to show some progress. My weight loss has really slowed down over the past month but seems like it has picked up since my gall bladder came out. Hopefully it will continue on down. I'd love to be below 200 by Christmas. I guess we will just have to wait and see how it goes!

Welcome to LBT...I am in the "north of Denton" area! Great job on your weight loss!

Ive started by getting a prescription for retin a from my derm incase I develop stretch marks and Ive been applying Vitamin e oil after every shower all over as well as taking a hair/skin/nails suppliment and drinking lots of Water. I havent been banded yet but I have been loosing steadily for last 2 months dieting I also just joined a gym. Granted none of it may work but I have to try lol and the girls are in the firmest support bras all the time now. We will see if it paid off in about a year so long as I keep it up. Eva

Yep - I weighed daily, but only officially recorded it weekly, so a week without loss (or a bit of gain) I chalked up to being a "stall". I only had one week without loss until I started ramping up my calories to slow down the loss leading into goal (and my "three/third week stall was maybe a day - it's a big YMMV thing.) There are too many water weight effects to worry about daily fluctuations.

Your calories are the total of the calories in your meals combined with the calories in your Protein shakes or other protein supplements. The three most important elements after RNY gastric bypass surgery are to meet your daily protein, Fluid and Vitamin requirements. food is secondary because your body is converting your stored fat into the energy that drives your body. Thus you lose weight. So generally forget about counting calories but make sure you meet the protein, fluid and vitamin requirements. Weight loss is achieved after surgery through meal volume control. You begin at 2 ounces (1/4 cup) per meal and gradually over the next year and a half increase the volume to 1 cup per meal. With this minuscule amount of food, it is next to impossible to meet your protein daily requirements by food alone, so therefore you need to rely on supplements such as Protein Shakes.

FOLLOW YOUR PROGRAM! 15-17 lbs in month 1 is very normal. I lost 16 lbs the first month, and I started out well over 300 lbs. A 15-25 lb loss in the first month is a pretty normal range. I think the issue is that a lot of people's expectations are shaped by shows like "My 600 lb Life". You have to keep in mind that those people start at well over 600 lbs - so that are not your average WLS patient. Don't go back to all liquids if it's only an attempt to speed up your weight loss. You need to follow your program. The weight WILL come off if you stick to your program. I promise!

I had to take some shots a few years ago that was similar to chemo & my hair got "thinner" Thank God I had thick hair, but I used this shampoo/ cond. called Nioxin & it worked great!! Hope that helps you!!

I've experienced hair loss around the 4 month mark after giving birth to all 3 of my kids. It did suck and it mostly happened around my face but it did eventually grow back. I'm expecting the same type of hair loss after surgery and it's completely normal. The thing that worked for me was getting a shoulder length bob haircut with side swept bangs. No one even noticed that my hair was thinning a little and when I pointed it out most would shrug their shoulders like they couldn't even tell because they couldn't. You will notice the hair loss but most others wont. I have very thick hair and it was weird being able to see my scalp but it really wasn't that big of a deal looking back. You will be fine

There's a big difference between post-pregnancy hair loss and post-sleeve hair loss. During pregnancy the rate at which you lose hair actually slows down. Hormone changes after pregnancy cause you to lose that "extra" hair as you return to your normal rate. We have no "extra" hair when going in for sleeving!! Your fortunate to have thick hair. Me? Not so much...

I don't know what type of Tricare you have but my first appointment with my primary care doctor (addressing weight loss surgery possibilities) was August 19, 2013 and my surgery date is January 16, 2014. I have Tricare Prime. All I had to do was: (in no particular order) 3 dietician appointments, exercise physiologist, 5 documented support groups, information session, sleep study, psychological evaluation and I was approved two weeks after my initial doctor appointment. As far as showing failed attempts of weight loss programs, all I had to do was write them down. I hope all works out for you. I've been on a 20 year diet it seems and my weight loss surgery journey has taken me 4.5 months. Good luck to anyone who reads this!!!