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If your insurance is requiring the 6 month weight loss then if you go below their guidelines for BMI then you will not qualify for the Lapband. The 6 month diet is not to prepar for surgery but to prove that you are not able to persistantly maintain a healthy weight. That is why I had to go through 6 months with two appeals with Aetna. During my diet my BMI dropped to 34.8 (1 lbs below) for only 5 days and they tried to disqualify me for that. In the end I prevailed due to it was only .20 that I went below and not a full point. Just be careful and only lose a "few pounds", do not go below their guidelines.

Jennifer how exactly did they put the probes on without you taking out your hair? in between the braids under the sew in cause i really dont wanna take mine down

Oh girl I had to have a sleep study and I have just got a sew in/lacing with some remy hair!!!!!! I didn't have to it down but I was soooo pissed they put that guck in my hair! So I feel you:-)

Welcome twhite! Glad to have you join us! Your weight loss is great! Congrats!! For some good food ideas, check out the Food Forum. There are some great ideas there.

<p>Hi, my name is Gigee and I'm new to lapbandtalk.com. I'm so glad there are so many of us out there. I joined the band on September 14, 2007. Everything went extremely well. I did not have any after surgery pain. My recovery was swift (my husband and boys took great care of me). I went to work a week after the surgery. I could have gone back sooner but I was having so much fun being pampered and spoiled by my hubby and kids. My first post-op doctor visit was on 10/25. I lost a total of 17 1/2 lb. It would have taken me at least 8 weeks to lose that much weight without the band. My first fill is on Tuesday 10/30. I've declared September 14, 2007 my re-birthday. I'm going to Celebrate it every year. I can't wait to watch as the new me emerges.</p> TickerFactory.com <a href="Weight Loss - Diet Ticker"> <img border="0" src="<A href="http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/t/wGBlODJ/weight.png"></a">http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/t/wGBlODJ/weight.png"></a>

Can you lower your points to 20? The last time I did it they would allow you to "fast track" by dropping to 20 but not going lower than that. I've considered doing it again but I don't think I could eat enough to fulfill the 20 points unless I was eating things that were less healthy or stuff that was easy to get through the band - both of which are bad ideas for me Are you getting in your dairy? They used to tell me to trade something for a glass of milk a day to help with weight loss. It helps get the fat out of your body - just saw it on Dr. Oz show they other night too. Good luck Julie!! wombat

I keep gaining and losing but have decided that it is time to stick to my weight loss plan. I'm not very good a losing weight but I'm not doing too bad (could do better tho).

I went clothes shopping today at a store (with the pandemic haven't done much of that). Not sure if it is the pandemic or my weight loss, but my experience today was SO different then in the past. I had a number of sales people approach me right off the bat. Friendly, offering to help. In the past, I would wander the same store on my own without anyone offering to help. I've seen others post about being treated differently after losing weight and while i'm not positive that's what this was, it's certainly something I'll watch for. The NSV --- I took one of the sales people up on their offer to help and mentioned after losing weight I'm not really sure what size I am. She knew immediately what options to pull and I am in a size 28 jeans! That's a size 8, as in single digits!!! I am also wearing a Small in a number of tops. Holy $(@*. 🤯

I'm assuming that you mean POST-op? In that case, don't be worrying about weight loss 2 weeks out. Your body is still healing from surgery. 100 carbs is more than I eat. I don't necessarily track them religiously, but I've cut out all bread, rice, pastas, etc. I don't track anything really, I just kind of ballpark it. I'm around 80g Protein and probably 900-1000 calories. I don't drive myself nuts by counting everything. I just eat when I'm hungry, 2-3ounces of protein and then veggies if I have room. No processed food, artificial sweeteners, or anything like that. Just all natural, wholesome, clean food.

I have to agree with both of you. When your in the medical field a long time (20+ years for me), you see how this all works. I was really impressed that my doctor never tried to talk me into a bypass, even given my high starting BMI. In fact, I was told I would do well and that at 2 years out, most of their band patients had the same weight loss as their bypass patients. Sometimes I wonder if all this negative talk about lapband success has much more to do with the poor lapband aftercare at some practices than it does with the lapband itself. Surgeons like to do surgery. They like to cut something and fix it on the spot. The lapband isn't like that and the aftercare is at least 50% of this process. A successful lapband experience takes much more than a beautiful placement of the band. If you truly want a lapband, understand what you are getting and how the entire treatment plan works, not just the surgery. See which WLS fits into your lifestyle, not which one the surgeon likes to do. Cindy

My PCP told me he doesn't support surgery for weight loss if it's not life threatening.....

i have migraines - what exactly are you asking? i haven't really had any change in mine yet - the weight loss hasn't made any difference in them. I was hoping it would but i guess that it isn't going to be the case with me. i was able to take my meds even when on my liquid diet - even after surgery - while in the hospital - just talk to your doc about them and see what he tells you but i am sure he will ease your mind about it. i hope you are feeling better soon.

I remember (whilst doing another slimming plan) that there was a 'Wendy Plan' or something like that. There was a lady (called Wendy, obviously!!) that had been doing WW for a long time and kept hitting long plateaus. So what she decided to do was to vary her points throughout the week. So what you would do is multiply your daily allowance of points by seven and then do a different amount each day. so for example 27 points X 7 = 189 for the week. So monday you would have 30, tuesday 24, wednesday 28, thursday 25, friday 23, saturday 34 (for weekend treats) sunday 25. If my maths is correct this adds up to 189. The idea is that your body is working harder as it has a different calorific intake each day and therefore does not become complacement which makes you plateau. When I done Slimming World (UK only plan) I was allowed 15 syns a day, whenever I got stuck I just varied my syns each day, sometimes only having 2 or 3 and it always kicked started the loss again. Hope this helps. Wendy used to have a website, but I am not sure if it is still running now, maybe a google search?

Hello! I am Cathryn and I live in Georgia! I am a 'Lightweight' with less than 100 lbs to lose. This post deals with my reasons for VSG. In my opinion my weight problems are genetically predisposed, although lifestyle can and does change that outcome. In my family we ate when celebrating anything family related (birthdays, holidays, promotions, graduations, everything). I think it's on me that I eat when I'm bored or stressed. My mother was overweight and had gestational diabetes while pregnant with me (I'm the youngest and she had me in her early 30's). Later, she was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and began Synthroid pills. In her 40's she was diagnosed with full blown type II diabetes and began taking one insulin shot a day. Then she progressed to taking two insulin shots per day. By the time I was in my first year of college, she had her first TIA stroke. It caused her to slur her speech a bit but that improved with speech therapy. She had a major stroke in 2007 that created stiffness on her right side and short term memory delays. She had another stroke in 2009 and she was diagnosed with Parkinson's with Dementia. She hadn't remembered who I was since sometime in 2012. This entire time, my father was doing everything he could to take care of her. He still worked full-time and used Medicaid/Medicare plus his work insurance to cover things for her. He also smoked since he was 14. He went to the emergency room in March of 2015 with possible pneumonia and was diagnosed with lung cancer that had spread to every bone in his body and also to his liver. He was given weeks to live. My mother and father moved in with me on my birthday at the end of March. My father was on Hospice and my mother came because there was no other options and I wanted to keep them together if my dad only had weeks to live. My father passed away at home at the end of April. I took care of my mother for the next month and a half but she eventually contracted aspiration pneumonia due to the severe swallowing problems she had. She went to the hospital for almost two weeks before going to a nursing home using Medicare. I visited and continued taking care of the paperwork and phone calls. My brothers and I discussed the option of using a feeding tube to support her nutritionally but we decided against the operation. Mom lasted until the beginning of August 2015. I am 29 years old. Earlier this year, my doctor prescribed Synthroid for a sub-clinical case of hypothyroidism (I think that's the one). I have tried calorie reduction, weight watchers, atkins, and general low carb to no avail. My BMI is 34. I am considered pre-diabetic and also have high cholesterol. I also take anti-depressants since the birth of my daughter. But my daughter will not have to go through these horrible situations or make terrible decisions for my wellbeing. Ever. And my number one best option for losing the weight is having a Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy. So I am a self-pay patient as my insurance is Obama-care and doesn't cover weight loss surgery. I am going to use Dr. Ramos Kelly in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. I am currently in the process of scheduling a date but I am hopeful for Thanksgiving or before. My husband is still nervous about my decision but understands that I've done the research and am making an informed decision. So that's it. My reasons. I will not put my daughter through the emotional turmoil that I have had to endure. This includes not only losing weight to be healthy but also setting up legal documents so that she won't have to make decisions without knowing what I or my husband wants. I've recommended to all of my friends that the third best gift they can give their children is not putting them through the agony of making healthcare or financial decisions without any guidance. The first is the gift of being alive and there, the second is the gift of reading, and the third is the gift of confidence in a bad situation.

Thank you all for your warm welcomings! I am excited and I will try to post consistently throughout this journey. Kat817- it "sounds" like you are truly enjoying your weight loss, I am really happy for you. It is so funny how the smallest things that many people take for granted like crossing your legs or wearing a certain type of jean/pant can mean the world to someone else.

i did a liquid diet for 8 days prior to surgery...and lost all of 5 pounds...i lost 37 pounds my first six weeks...and took another huge dip in december...i really didnt keep track of my loss...which i totally regret now...i myself didnt expect to lose this fast....

WOW you look amazing! Congrats on your weight loss. Your post hit home for me as I am struggling with my weight. I have had the band for almost three years, one year ago i was 20 LBS. from goal then I guess I told myself I did not care anymore, boy was that a lie. my heaviest 232LBS. my lowest weight since banding 160, my current weight 182LBS. people like you are a lifesaver for people like me, I will get to goal this year. Wishing you continued success, I comend you for not having a fill and still getting to goal! simply amazing!

Hi all, yep only 2 days to go!! i am getting really excited now, bags packed, unpacked, repacked, cleaned the house from top to bottom, did my washing, emptied the freezer, lol, yes you guessed it anything to keep busy, and my mind occupied. i have admit that i never thought this would really happen, you know you start the weight loss surgery process, and have all this wonderful thoughts about how great it will be, but , in my case, i had this doubt that anything like this could happen, especially here in the uk. in Wales last year the NHS only performed 4 procedures for the country!! so to finally be at this stage is fantastic, i am so happy right now:rolleyes:

I'm having the same problem. Lost 18 lbs the first week then it stopped. I asked my doc at my follow up appt. and he said that is completely normal. He said now that I'm starting to a little more regularly, the weight will start coming off. I guess he was right because this morning I woke up to a 1 lb loss! Hang in there, hopefully you'll notice it soon.

I Lost 21 lbs the first month after surgery, 5 lbs the second and so far this month, 5 lbs. I read somewhere that your body remembers a certain weight. If you were 200 for say 6 years or so, then you will likely stall at 200. I wish I could remember where I read this because it was interesting. I stayed at 210 for around 4 years and I have been fluctuating between 212 and 209 for about 3 weeks now. I weighed in this past weekend and I'm at 207. I have my fingers crossed that the stall is broken. It's frustrating but it will pass. As long as you are staying on plan, you should see losses again soon.

your actually doing really well.. i was sleeved a few days before you and im down just under 20 lbs. So don't be discouraged.. if you wanna restart the weight loss get into a regular exercise regimen if your not already.. the cardio will help treamendously. Also by the looks of it.. you are like me and started at a lower BMI than most so your going to see a slower rate of loss than say someone with a BMI around 45-50 because they have more excess weight to lose. So hang in there.. the stall will pass. Heck I actually gained 3 lbs last week... and it all came back off with an additional 2 lbs. so don't worry.

I used MFP from day one. Not because I was calorie counting. I make my own Protein shakes and I wanted to make sure I was hitting my protein goals and I also like to monitor my macros. I also think it's a good habit to get into for later when you need to count calories. Having that food diary helped me to see just how much that ¼ cup here or small bite there added up to and kept me accountable. It wasn't about keeping my calorie count low, it was about making the connection with the food and how it effected my body. I can tell by looking at my diary if I will show a loss at the doctor.

Before I had my surgery, I met with a friend who had it done a few years ago. The first thing she told me was that she was really depressed after the surgery. I couldn't understand why. Then she told me that she has lost her best friend: FOOD. Like many of us, she was using food as a comfort in her life. The night before my surgery I had a fleeting moment where I thought my friend and I could stop for donuts on the way home. Funny, right? It was an automatic thought and then I had a mini panic attack because it was all of a sudden very real that I am now changing the way I relate to food. Yes, I still have choices; the band is only a tool for weight loss but I am consciously choosing to change the way I am relating to food. That is a HUGE deal. I swear this journey is about 20% physical and about 80% mental changes. Luckily, my friends are really nice about my emotional swings and support my choice but it's hard when you are hungry, uncomfortable, AND emotional! Hang in there!

Try mixing Protein with soy, or Almond Breeze Light, that is not sweet at all. I just discovered Almond Breeze at the store, about $5 a gallon for it, but this has no lactose, no soy, 40 cal per cup, and really a good milk. Only 1 or 2 grams of sugars overall, but has a host of minerals and Vitamins in it. I promise, this one is not sweet!! Since I am due to go to the hosp soon for my VSG, I am also stocking up on Premier Protein, and one by Muscle Milk that mixes with Water, which comes in a gal jar. The Premier I got in chocolate, which I plan to cut in half with Almond Breeze. Some folks say any sugar free flavorings for coffees are good enhancers to these Protein shakes. I would also invest in some flavored mineral waters, but you have to let them flatten before drinking as they have carbonation in them--I like Cascade Ice, and have also tried the Vitamin Waters, too. Today at costco, I found a liquid vitamin called EcoDrink; it comes in a pack of 30 with orange and berry flavors and has all of the daily Multivitamin requirements in it. I think you might need more vitamin support for your weakness. You have to vary your servings and liquids to try to keep your interest up. Some thoughts, frozen fruits you make yourself to whiz into vanilla shakes. Use low sugar or no sugar juice to freeze into cubes to whiz into your shakes. Make your glass or tumbler pretty by freezing berry into ice cube trays to add to the shake. Think of other ways to make pretty your otherwise bland liquid meal. If you make thicker shakes to spoon, that would seem more like a meal--not quite so boring. Congrats on your surgery! Hope I might have given you some suggestions and encourage your recovery to be more pleasant. I look forward to my surgery and recovery very soon, too. RSR53 I am five days post-op and I don't think I can take the thin liquids much longer. I still have 9 more days of them. I'm doing better with my water, but everything else just tastes disgusting. Everything has some sort of weird underlying taste that I can't really identify. Here goes the whining . . . I'm so freaking tired. I did some laundry today. Just lifting up my arms to fold towels made my muscles weak. I could barely hold them up to curl my hair. I walk a bit and then I have to go lay down. All I want is something that doesn't taste sickly sweet. But other than chicken broth there is NOTHING on my thin liquids list that is not sweet. I know what's done is done and I will be so thankful in about another month, but right now I'm grouchy and tired and never want to have a sugar free fruit jello/popsicle again. Anybody have any suggestions for getting through this period?

With any weight loss surgery u have to eat correctly and exercise. Why don't u do that. Most people on here have to lose 100+ lbs and have struggled for years. I would love to have 30lbs to lose, not 110. No one here can lose without doing the work. Maybe you should do the work. I workout hard 5 days a week, u gotta sweat!!