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This is the first week of my new banded lifestyle. All liquids, it was tough getting 40 grams of protiens and a total of 64 oz of liquids but I did it! I am determined to get this weight off my body. I have a family history of diabetes and strokes. I had 2 cousins die of stroke related complications one just 3 week younger than me. With 2 fused discs and 2 rods and screws in my back losing weight is even more of a necessity. My weight toped out an 294lbs prior to my pre surgery diet and after one week of being banded I now weight 269lbs (170lbs is my goal). I have a long way to go but I am encouraged with my own progress and from the threads I read on this site, you all are very encouraging. I no the Best is Yet to Come. Thanks Dadymon

Hello Forum! I'm so glad I've found this site. We have a support group here, but they meet once a month. I was recently banded on 9/19...so I'm through my first week and starting the second. I had no complications and was back to work on Monday. Since I started the process with a liquid diet 2 weeks before, I've lost 21lbs...only 4 last week, but I'm hoping to get a fill on Thursday for more weight loss. I slowly started adding soft foods this week...an egg, thin slices of ham, and tuna. Lots of soups mixed in along the way. Since I've started soft foods, I feel like I'm still eating too much even though it's literally just ounces that I'm having. We'll see what my Dr suggests at my visit. I look forward to chatting with everyone and reading about your weight loss journey. Tammy

Did you ever see the movie "When Harry Met Sally" In the beginning of the movie he says men and women can't stay friends, because they will always end up in bed. I have this guy friend who wants to be more than friends. I just see nothing but red flags with him as far as relationship material. As far as a friend goes, I value his friendship and hate to lose it. He told me the other night that by us staying friends, I am just teasing him. I asked him if wanted to stop hanging out, and he said no. I've gotten to the point now though that I've realized I can't be alone because he will always start with the touchy-feely stuff and start asking me why I won't at least '"give us a try" Things are fine if we are out with a group of friends. We have friends in common. To complicate things, he is my go to person for problems (which come up often) with my rental or my house. He will fix things on my rental much cheaper than anyone. The other handymen or contractors will charge almost triple what he will charge me. Right now there's a problem with the roof, and I really can't afford anyone else. I don't understand how things changed for him. He's always come to me for dating advice in the past before he talks things over when he's having a problem with the person he's seeing. I want to keep this friendship but it's getting harder all the time.

There are many, many Dr.'s in Mexico---they do not sound like the same Dr. to me. Be sure to research thoroughly not just the Dr. but the facility they use. Get that particular Dr.'s stats for complications. Find out how many bands they have placed---speak to former patients. Find out info about them from places other than their own site! I am not anti Mexico Dr.'s---I used one myself---but I researched for months before reaching a decision! Your health --- even your life is what is at risk---do your homework!!! You may have already done all this, it just worried me that you thought it might be the same Dr. is all! Good Luck! Kat

I have been creeping around LBT since November of 2011 and have never posted because I didn't think I had anything to add. A little back story on me... I never struggled with my weight until my mid 20's. Even when I gained 50 pounds in college I was able to lose it with no problem. After having 3 kids in 3 years in my late 20's I gained 150 pounds and had tried everything to lose the weight with no success. After several years of trying to lose the weight I gave up and told myself that my weight gain was genetic and there was nothing I could do about it. Then in November of last year I lost a very close uncle at the age of 53 due to complications related to Type II diabetes. I made up my mind then that I would not leave my husband and kids at such an early age because of weight related issues. In November I weighed 325 lbs and I am 5'7". I rejoined Weight Watchers and was able to loose only 8 pounds before I finally considered WLS. I went to a surgery seminar with a friend of mine in December and saw the surgeon for my consultation in January. I was banded on March 16th and have not looked back. Today I weigh 273 lbs. I have lost 52lbs since November and I feel great. I am able to eat healthy and I can honestly say that I don't miss the high fat, high-sugar food that I used to eat. I also used to be a caffeine junkie drinking a pot of coffee and 3-20oz Diet Cokes a day. Now I drink 8-10 glasses of Water a day and I may have 1 tea. For those of you considering surgery or those that are worried about how you will do I am here to say that if you believe in your heart that this is the only way you can lose the weight and you are ready to give up your old habits, then you can do it. It will save your life. I know it has mine.

Hello everyone! I have been checking out this site for a few weeks and figured it was time I introduced myself. My name is Melissa (41, 252 lbs, 5'1") and I've been overweight/obese most of my life. You know, it's kind of weird - I remember my 5th grade class picture and I was little and cute. Everything from there on out through middle school I have vague memories of some crap happening then but now I just remember putting on the pounds. I graduated high school at 160 and well, just never really stopped. My mom passes away out of the blue one day of sudden cardiac death and when then happened it really shook me to my core. After that happened I, in no particular order, divorced my first husband (something that should have been done long before I did), quit my long time job of academic advising, moved to TN, married a new wonderful man who treats me like a queen, started culinary school, graduated, started my own personal chef business and will also be teaching culinary arts at a local culinary school this fall. This has all happened in the last four years! I've tried Weight Watchers more times that I can remember - was only really successful once and even then it was going from 229 to 187. I've done other diets, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, went to the gym, saw a nutritionist, tried hypnosis, yeah, I am a diet veteran for sure. But they never worked. And it wore on me because I'd always say to myself "What is your problem - you know what to do - just do it!" But I never could. Heard a lot of negative stuff about WLS - thought smugly to myself that I'd never take the "easy way out." Everyone knows people just gain the weight back - and don't even get me started about all the complications people have. And besides, I'm a chef - I can't do something where it's going to automatically cause dumping anytime I take a bite of anything. Another thing keeping me from pursuing surgery was the fact that for most of my life I had relatively few complications. In 2009 I started meds for high cholesterol. This May I started meds for high blood pressure, depression, and was told I was prediabetic. Hmmm....I guess when they say once you hit 40 everything starts going downhill was true But I still wasn't thinking surgery. But then I saw Graham Elliot had VSG - he's a fab chef from Chicago (you may have seen him on Masterchef). Hmm, here's a fellow chef getting this surgery done - surely he won't do it if it's going to cripple his livelihood. So I did some research. Heck, who am I kidding? I did a ton of research. And I realized it's not the easy way out. Any one who says that just doesn't know what all is involved. But I also realized it may very well be a very viable option for me. The bad news is my insurance has an exclusion and won't cover it and at first my husband was a bit reluctant to get on board. Every time I'd mention it he'd change the subject. Fortunately, we have a pretty awesome relationship and I finally said hey, what gives - why do you keep changing the subject when I bring this up? Turns out on of his ex's family members had WLS 15 years ago and had a boatload of complications. Once I explained to him that #1 I wasn't looking at having gastric bypass and #2 a whole lot has changed in the past 15 years in WLS he was onboard. Realizing my health is very much in a perilous spot, I've decided it's time to do something. My husband loves to be active, and well, right now, I don't. He never complains, but I want to do more things with him. And yeah, not going to lie, I would love to be able to shop in a regular size store for the first time in, ohhhh.....probably over 30 years. While there are a number of surgeons nearby who perform the surgery - the going self-pay rate is about 20K. However, with help from folks here I have found a doc in Texas who has a much more reasonable self pay rate. We will still need to finance some of it, but it seems much more reasonable now and financing under 10K sounds so much better than financing 20K. I look forward to learning more from all of you and hopefully contributing a lot too! Melissa This site has been a huge help to me so thank you all

What if any complications have you experienced? Thank you for answering..I have just joined this site. Thinking of having the surgery. ann

First of all welcome, good luck and congratulations. There are pros and cons with everything, so far I don't really have many cons other than I can't eat the amount of certain things anymore that I'd like to lol, but then again this is also a pro. Many people have complications, many do not, many succeed, many do not. But so far, almost a year out, I have no regrets. Some days it's a struggle, some days I couldn't be happier. It is no magic pill and it does take work, but I never forget why I did it, it's truely been a life changer (and saver) already, and I'm very happy with the results so far. To answer some of your questions... How difficult was the surgery? It wasn't very difficult, I was asleep lol. But seriously it's a low risk surgery, but there is some risk as with any surgery. I woke up and a few hours later I was on my way home, with no problems. How long was recovery? Everyone is different, I was up and moving around the next day. I was full of gas so I had to be, plus moving around quickly after surgery helps you heal faster. It's usually a very fast recovery time for most people. How long were people out of work? Some people are back to work in less than a week, some longer. I was greatful that my employer gave me 3 weeks no questions asked, they were very supportive. Although when I went back I did have some port pain from sitting and rubbing against the desk in my port area, and some pain from my bra rubbing one of my incisions (I don't think you'll have that problem lol). I was fine when I was up and moving around, it was the sitting and desk rubbing that really bothered me. I was also very tired when I came back, this was probably because I was getting used to eating such little bits and from being a slug for a few weeks lol.. Yes I milked my surgery and was lazy for a while. What did you tell people when they asked about the weight loss, and did you tell anyone before the surgery what you were going to do? I told who I felt was important enough to know. I didn't hide it but I also didn't go around volunteering information. It was and still is on a need to know basis, if someone asks I'm honest but if it doesn't come up I don't talk about it. It really is a personal preference, some shout it from the rooftops, alot of people don't tell anyone but close family members and sometimes no one at all, to each his own.

Hi I am a new recipient of the band, June 24th. I have had few complications and am looking forward to the next stages of my new life choice. Please plant all your wisdoms upon me, they are welcomed. Thanks

welcome!! I am also a nurse, currently working OR and used to work ICU. Now I'm hoping to switch to Interventional Radiology. Yay nurses!! I felt the same way as you.. working OR in a busy level 1 trauma hospital all I saw were patients who'd had complications (adhesions, strictures, fistulas, severe malnutrition).. so that was my view of WLS. But then I did some training over at our outpatient and WLS surgery centers and realized how many people had the surgery and did NOT have complications so I got interested. I really did not want them rearranging my intestine either, way more complications with that from what I've seen over the years as a nurse. Unfortunately my insurance will not cover anything weight loss related so I ended up going to Mexico.. had a GREAT experience there and can I just say their OR was WAY nicer than the world famous one I work in LOL they also use the same exact equipment we do. Anyway I'm so glad I did this, I am about 3 weeks out and already feel way healthier than I did pre op and I'm down 27 lbs! My only regret is I didn't do it sooner but you're not ready til you're ready ya know? Anyway welcome and hope what you find on this site helps you on your journey!

Yes there are ways to avoid most of the complications. As you have read everyone is different on how the react to the band and some people have more extreme problems than others. I have been banded for two years and in my early days when first banded I did have heart burn and some reflux for several months. My physician had me on reflux medication and I seemed to live on Gas-X in the first 6 months, everything seemed to give me gas. As for the throwing up, slimming, PBing (Puck Back) it should be minimal and really only happens if we; one eat to fast, two eat something we really shouldn't or we fail to chew or try to drink and eat at the same time. I am around your age, actually I am older, I am 57 and have lost 122 lbs and I am at goal. My results are not typical, I have worked hard to lose all my weight. The usually only expect you to lose 40-50% of your weight by the literature. As far as the blogs and the forums, In the early days I took the positive comments and situations and tried to make them work for me and all the negative; I tried to learn from them also, as things I may want to avoid. This is a web site which allows all of us to vent our frustrations, brag about our successes and not feel like we will be judged or ridiculed for anything we say or do. The band does require commitment and honestly it is hard, losing weight is hard, even with the band it is a lot of work. I wish you success in your journey but walk into this with your eyes wide open and realize that it will be work and it is not going to do it on it;s own. You are the only one who has control of what you put in your body: NOT the BAND! PS: one thing I forgot, be ready for honesty, when you ask the opinion of the people on this site they will be honest and sometimes it may hurt but they or we don't pull punches because we all need to be held accountable for our actions. Some of the conversations can get a little heated sometimes but everyone is in a different place and the feel very passionate about this process and their personal journey. Again, Good Luck!

Thanks guys for the congrats. I'm still really nervous. To answer your question connie, I don't actually have any particular pre-op diet, He wants me to try and loose 5kgs though. I know it's a long journey, but I'm ready for it I think. I know it's going to be a tough journey as well. I must admit I'm not looking forward to the 2 weeks clear fluids stage. But it's going to be worth it. Reading the book made me scared though. It was talking about complications with the surgery and my heart started to speed up... making me get some ectopics... *rolls eyes* I have venticular ectopics on a regular basis, like for instance, right now as I'm typing this. But anyway, I'm looking forward to not having this blasted back pain anymore, that's for sure. I have really bad lower back problems, and most of them are related to the weight I think. Anyway... :girl_hug:! I'm excited! Stephie

This is not the 1st surgery I have had with complications so that wasn't anything I couldn't adapt to other than not being told what was going on for 3 days until my surgeon come back at the first of the week after my 2nd surgery. I have had gallbladder surgery and 3 hernia surgeries and my 2nd hernia surgery is where I had all the complications such as infection (packing for 5 weeks 2 times a day, wound vacuum for 6 weeks and out of work for 3 weeks). This is not my first rodeo but it definitely sucks.....

Hi there I had my surgery at Barix in Ypsilanti, MI (my fills will be done at their Holland, MI office, which is much closer for me) My Dr. is Dr. Shramm, and I am really happy with him and the whole Barix setup. Surgeries are also done in the town where I live, but the doctor doing them has only 1 year experience, and Dr Shramm was my friend's doctor 4 years ago. Also, bariatric/LB surgery is ALL they do at Barix (Ypsi is just outside Detroit) so I felt that any potential complication would be in good hands. My insurance requires an overnight stay, and I was glad they did (although I didn't get much rest with the respiratory therapist and nurses coming in every 2 hours!) I was on full liquids for 3 weeks after, then blended foods for 2 weeks, then go to "soft foods" (what you could chew without teeth :eyebrows: ) then regular food. I am supposed to not lift anything over 5 lbs for 3 - 4 weeks, stay out of the pool for 6 weeks, and walk 30 min a day or more from day 1 (I did my first "walk" at Kohls the day after surgery - probably not the best idea) I did go back to work on day 8 - I'm a massage therapist and saw just 1 client - and have had no pain, but did feel very tired for the first 2 weeks. I really had to look down and see the "ruffles" on my tummy (surgistrips, starting to come off) to remember I had something so major done. I'd love to hear your experience with fills, choices of food, and weight loss. I am down about 18 lbs 3 weeks after surgery, and back working pretty much full time (4 or so clients a day, up to 3 days a week) Also, if you had surgistrips, and they have come off - HOW do you get the adhesive off!?? :help:

It's three weeks till the big RNY. I thought I had it together, perhaps not? I don't have the pre-op liquid prep that most do. I'm doing my lung function test tomorrow which I'm scared of. I had pneumonia in late April, then again in early to mid May. The pneumonia is gone, but the cough still remains, for the most part. I have gurgling in my throat, possibly from all the post-nasal drip I keep swallowing. So I PRAY I pass! Im ending my second bottle of Prednisone. And I have been SO FREAKIN hungry! I have lost little since my second NUT visit and I fear pissing off my surgeon. I WANT to eat like there's no tomorrow. Could be side effect of Prednisone? But definitely a panic response. I was SO set and educated about the lifestyle change, And did it successfully, and will continue to do so. But I'm having these panic responses. I'm a revision from Band to RNY. What can I do to fight these very different urges to eat? Can I get away with a last supper here or there, or small cheats? I'm not going to be able, by necessity and CHOICE to eat some of the cravings I'm having for years. That, too, sets me into panic mode. It's really a tough time for me. A true test of my commitment. I am 48, and am being screened for uterine cancer, tomorrow too. I'm WAY stressed out about that. My Dad, 83, has been in and out of nursing homes and the hospital from complications from Leukemia. A lot more stress to that story. I'm completely broke. But the prize at the end of the tunnel is the RNY on 6/17. IF I pass all the "tests". I will die if it gets postponed. I've been prepping for this moment for years, and now that it's three weeks away, all the stress and panic is brewing in me full force. I am in shock. I am ready. I am obviously not aware of the test of self, post surgery. My therapist told me psychologically, the shits gonna hit the fan when I can't turn to eating, and food to cope. But then, we've been working on that all along. I don't know: Were YOU scared? Did you cheat? Do you pull your crap together eventually? I love you for reading this by the way, thank you! Vent-ology.....

Hello everyone! I am introducing myself to this forum for the very first time as a member; I have been a lurker for over a year, and I have to say that many of you have been so inspiring and helpful in my decision to get my surgery, and have been a helping hand (without knowing it!) through all of my pre-and-post op trials and tribulations. So, for that I am 100% grateful for your honesty about your stories and how supportive you are to one another. I am not much of a social person in my real life, so joining this forum is just another one of the lifestyle changes I am making to continue on a path to success. My name is Amy, a 28 year old student nurse from CT. I am happily married for 9 years to the love of my life Jorge, and we have a beautiful handful of a 2 year old name Jillian. I have struggled with my weight for most of my life, as many of you have. Even when I was younger and weighed my (now) goal weight, I was always teased for my size and thought of myself as the dreaded F-A-T girl. Many people say "wow, I wish I knew back then how thin I actually was" but in reality, a 12 year old at 150 lbs carries herself much differently than a woman of the same weight. So of course, like many, I was barraged with insults and self-esteem issues from a young age--and as anyone who has been there can vouch, food can sometimes be your only friend. Even with my size of 250 lbs at age 26, I was an active and healthy woman. I had recently lost 30 lbs (down from 280) and boom--after 7 years of trying while combating the dreaded PCOS, I finally got pregnant with my miracle baby! However, as little girls tend to "steal their mom's beauty" she definitely changed my body. Unfortunately my health started to deteriorate shortly after giving birth, and I found that my gestational diabetes decided to stick around for the long haul. I delivered at 315 lbs. I never realized until I saw pictures how big I really was. I do believe that body dismorphia is more common than we think and is not just for those who have anorexia...I would look in the mirror and say "wow, I look really nice today, and my clothes fit perfectly" and see pictures of that day and see a person I do not recognize. I decided to look into a surgical option after many failed attempts at low-carb, weight watchers, paleo, portion control--you name it. My sugar, my hormones, and eventually my blood pressure and heart were all out of wack. That's when I met Dr T. and his team at Backus Hospital in Norwich, CT, and they started started me on a track to a brand new life. I am currently 3 weeks post op gastric bypass, down 30 lbs (20 lbs since my surgery date), and I am ready to be part of this wonderful community of brave men and women who are fighting the good fight as I am. I am having minor complications with getting my nutrition, but I hope to rectify this by reading your threads and getting good advice. Thank you all for taking the time to read this novel. I cannot wait to take this journey with you all. Sincerily, Amy

WELCOME!!!! <3 i am currently in my 5th month of my 6 month required supervised diet. im praying to be sleeved on dec 19th or 20th! youre definitely in the right place. as far as pain goes, DONT WORRY!!!! its like having a baby, you know its going to hurt but you want it so bad that pain shouldnt be an issue! i never had kids but i have tattoos that hurt like hell & i have gotten 2 brazilian waxes! i also have had my gall bladder removed which i hear is just as painful. all im saying is, i want this so bad that as long as i wake up & have no complications, BRING ON THE PAIN (with some morphine plz!! lmao). i hope this put you at ease.

Don't go back there!! Try to find follow up care in the states. Dr. Lopez did my surgery as well, and I've had horrible port site complications. Feel free to email me.

Of complications arising at 4 months post op? I have had no issues until yesterday and I started having pain on the left side of my abdomen. Today even when i drink water it is uncomfortable. I called my surgeons office today and the nurse said he wanted to see me tomorrow since he was off today. Just not sure what to expect. My surgeons office is an hour away and scared he will keep me then ill be in a panic to get my son from school.

Hi! I have been thinking about getting the lap band for awhile now. I am only 19yrs old. However, I have been struggling with my weight for as long as I can remember. I now weight 295lbs and I know I must do something about it. I am very nervous to start the process and am not even to sure how to start the process. I am a student and I have little to no money so I would hope that my insurance would cover the surgery. Even if my insurance covered the surgery would I have to pay for hospital care (the stay, anesthesia,... things like this) I have hypothyroidism and i am very nervous that either the doctors will not let me have the surgery because of it or that it will restrict me from losing weight after the surgery. Stories would be great and if anyone has hypothyroidism has it complicated their surgery in any way? Even if my insurance covers the surgery will there be some cost that is in the small print that no one notices until after the surgery? Thank You

I am just starting, too. It is a process to get things done. I know my insurance covers it and all the tests. I know I need an Upper GI series, Cardiology Consult, Pulmonary Consult, Nutritionist, Diet History and Psych Eval. I lucked out in that I don't need a 6 month diet. Each insurance and bariatric doctor is different in the what they ask for. I have heard plenty of success stories and plenty of failures. Failures tend to fall into two categories. Those who cannot or will not adhere to the Lap Band dietary guidelines for various reasons usually associated with food addictions or emotional eating. The other group of failures are usually from complications from the band itself or medical situations. Forums are often full of complaints as those pleased usually go on with life and fall off the forums. Remember, each person's experience with the band is unique with very few generalities across the board. Research is your best tool. Good luck!

Welcome to LBT. I know it can be frustrating when you're not getting good lasting restriction, but your doctor is conservative with fills, and from some studies, that's a good thing as far as having less likelihood of band complications. Can you ask for a fill under fluoro to see the rate of restriction BEFORE your fill? If your doctor sees that your barium swallow is going straight through, maybe he'd be willing to give you a little more saline the next time. Sooner or later, though, he will get you to good restriction, so try not to get too discouraged (easier said than done, I know). Plus, a 28 lb loss since October is so much better than the alternative. I know I would have ended up gaining weight over the holidays had I not had my band.

@@beachgal2935 your post made me upset! I too fear having a stroke and not being around for my husband and kids. I worry about heart disease and all the complications that come with diabetes. As I speak, my sugars are out of control even tho my diet has been exceptional and I'm taking all my meds. The dr says sometimes there's no explaination for the rise in blood readings but that doesn't sit well with me. You went thru so much all because of that, you have done really well, I'm happy you're alive and on the mend to show me the valuable lesson. I'm seeing clearly that for the sake of "food" I shouldn't let my health and future grow dim, and that's what will happen. I'm not an obese person, here in Australia we use (kgs) and I'm 80 kgs so while I'm not BAD, I could stand to lose 15-20 more kgs. And it seems that weight is what is keeping me from being well and healthy and being taken off the list for more serious things to go wrong. You know I was put on insulin 5 months ago and for 2 months after I felt normal again, my energy had returned and my hbac1 was looking great! Now my level has started to rise again and I fear this will continue to be a never ending roller coaster. It seems to be that bypass is the answer to getting off the roller coaster......... I feel nervous going into such a life changing move but if I feel good and I get to hang around and be with my kids, then it's a small payoff. I can't thank you enough for writing your story to send to me, it has shifted my thoughts on maybe to definitely for the surgery.

Thanks for your replies. I know the bariatric place where I'm going will handle insurance stuff, but maybe I'll do a little more digging before I go to the seminar. i'm just now learning that some companies make you see a dietician for 6 months and/or have other stipulations. Now I'm afraid this could get complicated. The research is overwhelming. Especially when I have next to no downtime (stay at home mom to 3 under 3). This forum looks very informative!

Hi, I live in Northern Arizona. I have made it to a seminar, and have decided on getting surgery, just not sure which one or where yet. I am leaning more towards Lap Band, but have been considering the Sleeve also. I have been hearing horror stories about Lap Band, but also have heard some really good things. With the Sleeve it seems that after surgery there is less restriction, less hunger, and fewer complications, but I guess it depends on who you talk to. which is why I am glad I found this site, it will be nice to get to talk to some people who have had this done. The other decision I am torn on is where to get it done. In Mexico it is so much cheaper, but my husband has some concerns about my safety as far as getting it done in Mexico. Anyone have any experience with this? Is just as safe?