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That is awesome you two!! I am very much in anticipation to lose more weight!! I know my patience struggles!! Whatbim worried about is the fact I do work out a lot and notice inches being lost, but I think I am replacing with more muscle mass....

You are doing great! Yes, it is a long road to goal, but you are well on your way! Goal just seems so far away so I have tried to set little mini-goals along the way. One of the things that has helped me the most is setting out the next item of clothing I will be able to wear. I have saved clothing over the years in hopes I would take off weight and get back into the stuff. I went through my closet and tried to organize it by size. I sometimes try things on to see if they fit. I will bring to the front of the closet the pair of jeans or whatever that is just a little too tight to zip comfortably or too tight to wear in public. I try them on about once a week and before I know it, they fit! It is just so much better than looking ahead to that final goal weight.

Hi, I am a 38 year old male who was banded on Nov 9th 2010. My weight loss in the pre-op and 6 weeks post op was substantial, but now has slowed down to about an average of one pound a week, which my surgeon says is exactly what he wants. Problem that I am having is that I find myself constantly obsessing about my band having slipped. I have made mistakes over the past few months. There have been times when I have been stuck, and I have vomitted probably 3 or 4 times. Sliming is not uncommon for me if I am not very cautious how fast I eat. I find that learning how to eat has been the biggest challenge and if I am not concious about it I will sometimes eat to fast and get in trouble fast. Now because I have had these episodes of being stuck and a few episodes of vomitting, I am really scared that I have damaged something or that my band has slipped. Everytime I feel anything different or any kind of sensation anywhere near my band I panic and think that I have done something. Any time my restriction feels decreased or I feel that I could eat too much I panic. I think everything seems to be working well. I still feel satiety after a small amount of food. I don't think I am at my "sweet spot" yet, but am getting close. I just wish I could get some reassurance that my band is still where it is suppose to be and that I haven't damaged it by being stuck or vomitting. My episodes of getting stuck are far less frequent now as I learn to eat, so I know I am on the right track. However, because of my obsessive personality I just can't stop worryingf that I have damaged this thing by not always following the rules. Can anyone tell me if I would know for sure if my band has slipped? What would I be feeling? would I have more restriction or less? Any reassurance would be appreciated.

..and i agree with her. i didnt want to live the rest of my life stressing about what i cant eat. i just needed to reign in my impulsiveness on how much and how often. If i can continue to lose weight and live this way i will be very happy, in fact its more than i expected it to be in the beginning.

Surgery went well today, and I have finally joined all of you who have been banded! I am so excited about the future and am hopeful I will be able to effectively manage my weight for the rest of my life! My surgeon said he does place some fill in the band during surgery that stays there. His NP had told me that he doesn't, so he has either changed how he does the procedure or his NP is misinformed. He said most of his patients require about 6 fills, then added that some people and lucky and never need a fill. I've been very nauseous after surgery, so I called and asked for medication, which has helped tremendously. I was told the nausea was probably from the anesthetic, so hopefully that will subside soon. I've been walking short distances frequently and am having only a little pain. Sore and stiff are probably the best adjectives to describe what I am feeling. There was one shocking component with the pre-op routine this morning: The nurse wasn't required to weigh me. She used my weight from the pre-op visit I completed in March.

annie i say excerise it will help with the emotional eating and the stress of everyday life as well as losing weight. for the first month it will feel crappy but after the inital month it will be great and you will find yourself just excerising just to relieve the stress

Is anyone having problem with family (jealousy) for example comparing your vsg surgery to their diabetes or lil digs about your weight loss,like your losing but you still have a ways too go Really.I know in our nut groups they said this would happen but Damnnn!!! REALLY PEOPLE HAVE SEVERAL SEATS

Yea I went through a week or two where I felt very low energy but I think that was typical for just about everyone. I would still give your psychiatrist the heads up that you may be needing adjustments especially if you have needed them for weight fluctuations In the past but like I said so far so good. Fingers crossed.

Nice post ElyQuint. Congratulations on your weight loss of 93 lbs. I hope to be as half a success. I am from New York too. I'm looking forward to reading more of your post. Keep up the good work.

I have been wearing elastic waist basketball shorts ever since my surgery, and since I live in a hot climate and no longer work it hasn't been a problem. I have one pair of khakis that I wear to church, but my wife is getting tired of my "upper class homeless guy" look. I was fine with it, but a couple of weeks ago I had to go out of town to a funeral and realized that I had nothing to wear. SInce we had no shopping time until I had to go, I dug way in the back of my closet and found a sport coat that I had not been able to wear in 15 years and my trusty khakis. I guess I looked semi-presentable. But it did make me think that I need pants since it is now 40 degrees. My wife took matters into her own hands and went shopping. Not wanting to spend a lot, she went to K-Mart. Well she found the sleeved mans Godsend. Dockers style pants with an adjustable waist. They aren't the funky looking elastic waist things either. The look like a nice pair of slacks with this nifty little adjustable thing inside. You may be acquainted with them from tux pants or from little kids jeans. I found that I can make them go down almost 2 inches! The really cool thing is that they cost less than $20! These should work for around 20 pounds of weight loss.

Yeah my bmi is 40.3 and my doc only wants me to lose 5 pounds. So it really does depend on how much extra weight you have.

Take a deep breath. It won't be bad. At my appointment we went through my history of weight problems - I had to fill out a questionnaire before hand. They really just wanted to make sure that I understand the risks of the surgery, why a lot of the post-op guidelines are there and that I understood the surgery isn't a miracle cure and that I needed to commit to some major lifestyle changes along with it. They also wanted to make sure I had a support network (doesn't have to be family, just a couple of people who are in your corner). They also wanted to guage whether there were any issues that might impact my success that I need to deal with (eating disorders, depression etc). They may recommend you get professional counseling depending on your specific info but see that for what it is - a way to set you up for success!

Hi Ya'all: I am also from TX. Wichita Falls. I have been banded for over a year, fell off the wagon due to embarassment, and am getting my first fill since January 07! I want this to be heard because I would hate for any of you all to go thru what I have. You see the surgeon who banded me, gave very small fills. Because of His gruff ways, I never told Him that I was hungry ALL THE TIME. I went on different diet plans without succes, became depressed and gained ALL MY WT BACK! My fault. I found another surgeon who is taking me on. I get my 1st fill today and am hoping for a full cc. He is also setting me up with a nutritionist, and am joining a gym for a spin class. I almost missed out on a wonderfull gift because of fear, but THANK GOD, I.m not. All will be well. I hope that you accept me into your group, even though in the past I have failed. Amy

Are you happy with your decision to be banded? I am only 2 1/2 months post-op but so far yes I am very happy. Do you have any regrets and if so what are they? No, none at all Would you do it again if you had the choice to make over? In a hearbeat! What are some of the physical difficulties you've faced post op..such as diet, health? My health has already improved...I am already off one of my two prescriptions. Other than recovery which wasn't too bad there have been no physical difficulties. There still is head hunger but it has been easier to combat. Did you have any complications and what was the outcome? No complications from Lap Band, I also had Hiatal Hernia repair and had a few minor complications from that (breathing problems and pain) but I am fine now. Do you feel better or worse now compared to pre banding? I already feel sooo much better. Once the weight is all gone I imagine I will feel like a new person. Did you tell people you were having or had the surgery? I hadn't planned to but I ended up telling family and co-workers. I do not have any regrets in doing so. How did your friends and acquaintances react? Mostly with curiosity, lots of questions. My mom had some concerns but she is OK with it now. Hubby has been very supportive. How hard was it for you to stay on the pre and post op liquid diets? Very hard. Pre-op was harder than post-op when I had less of an appetite but it was hard. But it was only a short time and worth it. How hard has it been for you to learn new eating habits? Very easy. I am not hungry like I was pre-band and the band keeps me from eating too much and that makes all the difference. How do you overcome eating temptations or do you even have them anymore? I think most of my head hunger comes from my addiction to Carbs. I also have PCOS so carbs are truly the enemy. Pre-op diet was low carb high protein so I was able to get the carbs out of my system and have stuck with the low carb not allowing myself any sugar or white flour (I do eat whole wheat wraps sometimes, oatmeal, fresh fruit but no pasta, starches, sugars and I can't tolerate soft breads). I really think that avoiding bad carbs is helping a lot. Why do you think this surgery was successful when so many other dieting attempts failed (assuming you are like me :crying: in this regard) I have dieted my whole life. I have lost up to 50 pounds on my own more than once then lost my willpower and gained it back and then some. In order to lose weight I had to deprive myself of food and endure constant hunger. The key now is that I am not hungry and I can't cheat without feeling discomfort. I really don't feel the deprivation I have always felt on other diets.

Confusedgirl, I absolutely loved Dr. Spivak and his care and after care. My weight loss has been slower than I expected compared to previous diets, however the major benefit is knowing that the weight is "gone for good". Where all previous diets it came back every time. So, on that note, I am very very happy with my weight loss and I love my band! It was the best thing I have ever done for myself. Please feel free to PM me if you have more questions. Good luck!

Congratulations on your weight loss. It seems like you are doing wonderful. Dr. Spivak is who I am considering for my weight loss. I noticed that you had your banding done in August of 2006. How do you feel now that you have lost so much weight and was it difficult? I just feel like I will never be able to do it on my own and I have dreams about being skinny and being able to wear the clothes that i want, but i am wondering if this is for me. It seems that a lot of people do loose weight. Can you tell me a little bit about your experience so i can make the right decision? Again, keep up the good work! I am so impressed!

This is a generality, but usually people who can't lose weight are eating lots of things that are not restricted by the band. I can eat no end of chocolate, ice cream, pudding, creamy Soups, Peanut Butter, baked potatoes . . . I'm getting hungry just making the list! However, I can about 1/4 of a meat serving compared to presurgery; I can't eat bread and enjoy it, and many Snacks have to be eaten slowly or else I will get sick. The other problem area with "eating around the band" is snacking and grazing constantly. If you eat a little bit, then a little bit again, then again, and again and again . . . well, you get the picture. If you follow the rules of eating a regular solid meal three times a day, with your Protein first, then veggies, and finally starches (which I usually just leave out, except on special occasions) then you will find your food intake drastically reduced. Finally, get your fills when you need them! If you don't get your band adjusted properly, it isn't going to work like it is supposed to.

Oh and congratulations on your weight loss X

I was banded on April 18th with a VG band in Mexico. My starting weight was 227.5 lbs. My doc put the VG band in because I carry the majority of my weight in my abdomen and as a result, my internal organs are packed in fat. I got a 2.8cc fill on June 12th in Mexico. No restriction noted. I got my 2nd fill July 10th in Texas and the doc said he could only pull back 0.5cc. He gave me a 2.5cc fill under fluro. When I asked my doc in Mexico what could have happened to my first fill I was told it had dissipated possibly due to air being in my band. The first 4 days after the second fill I had restriction and now I'm back to eating whatever I want and I'm trying to follow the "rules". I was so worried, I e-mailed my doc in Mexico asking if my band could possibly be leaking! I was reassured it most likely was not... but I don't understand this. My sister who was banded at the same time with a 10 cc band has almost too much restriction after her 1st fill. I mean, the girl can eat 4 tater tots and she's stuffed like she ate a Thanksgiving dinner! I'm discouaraged with my weight yo-yoing so much. I am so anxious to see these pounds drop! I'd lost down to 204lbs at one point after the liquid phase of the post-op diet, went up to 215lbs (which was my pre-surgery weight) ... down to 207lbs and now I'm back up to 211lbs. I don't know what else to do other than schedule another fill. What recommendations do you all have?

I really have the same pattern. I must swell after fills, I come home from each fill and within a day or two I'm thinking "this is the one" and I lose a kilogram or two within that first week. After that, the restriction reduces very significantly and I can eat virtually normally (with restriction on certain items and pain on eating too fast) for the rest of the month and dont lose anymore. So the last four months has been one to two kilograms a month off and thats it. In between I feel I have ever so slightly more restriction than I had last month so I am inching v-e-r-y slowly towards perfect restriction. My surgeon says one to two kilograms a month is great, very healthy weight loss, but its frustratingly slow, I'm so close to goal weight and it'll take over a year to get there at this point. I dont want to lose 8kg in a month, just perhaps 3 per month! I think though that despite naturally getting impatient its important to just inch your way there gradually, you will get there eventually.

Congratulations on your decision. I was banded on May 29th and have lost 28 lbs so far. Two things I can tell you related to your question is #1, patience is key, and #2, the amount of weight you lose is dependent on how much effort you put into the entire process. Let me explain both. Patience - it has taken me 3 months to get to the "sweet spot" where the band has just the right amount of restriction. I can eat enough food to be healthy without vomiting it up, but feel full faster and stay full longer and am losing weight. I had several fills and one unfill, then another fill to get to the right spot. Effort - it is not a magic mechanism. You have to eat the right foods, in the right order, exercise, drink tons of liquids, etc. You must follow the instructions your Dr. gives you to a tee. Example: I could probably still eat 2 big slices of pizza even though I am banded. Pizza is really greasy and slides right through the band. If I eat 3 oz of lean mean, 1/2 cup of vegetables and a little yogurt, I'm full for at least 4-5 hours. Huge calorie difference. It really is a lifestyle change. You have to change the way you eat for life. You have to be in control, almost to the point of being obsessive, at least until you've adopted good habits for good. It also helps to attend support group meetings, journal your foods and exercise. People who do those things are more successful than those who don't. The person who only lost 20 lbs maybe didn't follow through on fills, getting to the right restriction zone, and could have snacked on foods throughout the day, ate the wrong types of foods, etc. There are many ways you can fail, but you CHOOSE to fail. And to ultimately answer your question, yes I do get the "ok stop eating now feeling" but I will say it is more subtle than I had expected. It could be different for different people. Good luck on your journey, You won't regret it, I don't!

At 3months out I had no food restrictions other than what was sensible for losing massive weight. I eat berries daily. Some of what he said makes sense,most of it really doesn't to me either. Truth is a good NUT is rare..I am so lucky I had a great one my first 10months or so. After she left I only visited her replacement once.... When I got to goal, I celebrated over email with the one that left. Do you have a choice to see someone else? Just be thankful you didn't get the one that made you play with plastic food...yes....preop that happened to me....so it could be worse.

Well doc didn't yell at me... He was pleased that I didn't gain and suggested I go back to shakes and build up to solids again and try different forms of work outs. He thinks that my body is just comfortable at this weight and if I want to start losing again I need to change up my routine. For example instead of just walking I should try jogging or at least carry a heavy backpack when I go for my walks.

Hi, I have been involved in the bariatric program at CMC (Manchester, NH) since last July, when I went to the infosession. Thought about it for a couple of months and then started in October. My insurance switched in January, and my new insurance (Cigna) requires 7 months in the program before surgery. I have done everything they asked - even lost 35 lbs. when they asked me to lose 23. I am really so ready. I will see the surgeon in mid-April, and then its just scheduling the surgery. My family all knows now, as well as friends. All supportive or neutral. I can lose weight ok, but not keep it off long-term. I am 59 and want to be around to see my (unborn as of now) grandchildren grow up. getting impatient, as this process has been seemingly endless. expect it to be worth it, though.