Search the Community

In two weeks out tomorrow and wanted to know when would be a good time to start walking for wieght loss reasons? I dont want to push to much too soon and just would like an idea as to what would be good to start with. Thanks! :001_smile:

I'm 3 months out and have just started tolerating solids. I still get almost all my nutrition from yogurt and protein water. Try the protein water, it is easier than shakes, imho. Do check with your doctor. Mine wasn't worried at 6 weeks, but he did send me for additional testing at 11 weeks. But as @Pearldrop says, we're all different and some of us heal more slowly. And I agree with @shelly420, this is a great opportunity for weight loss if your protein intake improves. Hope all goes well.

It is natural that you are 'starving'. Your body will slowly adjust after several fills. I too cheated, but felt rather guilty afterwards. We all spend thousands of dollars getting the band - keep it SAFE! In all honesty, I was 'starving' regularly until after my THIRD FILL! (I guess thats why we are suppose to get fills in the first place!). As in the weight loss - I am my first year anniversery this March. I have only really began to lose in late October (6 months post op) because I had finally gotten the right amount of fill (this was my third fill). It was a depressing summer stepping on the scale and teetering 2-3 pounds but never lost any weight - and I was hungry! Oooops - I am not suppose to say hungry. My dietition pounded in to my head you need to seperate MENTAL HUNGAR and PHYSICAL HUNGAR. Eat when you have the physical hunger (which I ate more likely to the mental hungar). And I probably most times continue to eat when I am mentally hungry and not suppose to (it is why we are in our situation we already are). Please, please please be patient! I promise after your Dr. tweeks your band with the right amount of fill you will see results. The golden rule of lap band - 1-2 pounds a week, 50 - 60 pounds per year. I did hit my 60 pounds a year! It came on the second half of my first year. I will also continue to lose post one year, so everything looks grand from here! My Husband is going through the same thing you are experiencing - I promise to the both of you, BE PATIENT! It will happen! (ps, follow up with your Dr. regularly so he/she can fill and unfill to meet your needs so you can reach your goal quicker!) Hang in there, keep your head up! It will happen! Good Luck!:clap2:

Pixelsmack, Have you researched the gastric sleeve? Maybe this would be an option for you. I am a 45 year old female. When banded I had a bmi of 53. The band was my first and only consideration for WLS. I have Kaiser insurance and Kaiser was pushing the bypass to me and I am completely against it. I know several people who have had bypass and all but 3 of them have gained most of their weight back. One of them is in ICU with liver failure brought on by her bypass 6 years ago. One of them died and one other has had serious complications and multiple surgeries to repair these complications. I chose the band because of the low risk associated with it. I will use the band to its full advantage for weight loss and I will not give up. It will work for me because for me it is the only option I am willing to put my body through. I had my surgery in Mexicali, MX done by a surgeon who has performed over 2000 of these proceedures. Everything went well and I have no problems and I am loosing. Good luck to you and don't be discouraged. If I were you I would make gastric bypass my last option. Try the band first. Banded 4/17/09 Start weight/surgery weight/current weight/goal 330/319/288/170

Hello everyone, I have been visiting VST for a while, just now introducing myself. I have pretty much the same story as everyone else. Yo-yo dieted most of my life, weight loss expert that can tell you how to loose it, just not keep it off, emotional eater, etc. But in August of 2012, I went to a seminar at New Life Bariatric Center in Knoxville Tn. and met Dr. Boyce. My VSG journey started then. Other than insurance requirement of 10% wt. loss and one denial from insurance it has been a fairly easy process. And finally I have a date Feb. 18, 2013. Yeah!!!I am so excited,.,.,, nervous at the same time. Worried about all the changes for me and my family, how to cook for them, eat at family get togethers etc. I really enjoy reading all your positive and helpful info. so any pointers would be great. Thanks

I drink with my meals. Not a lot, just sips as needed to keep things moving. If I don't do that, it's hard to swallow. My nutritionist and surgeon both know, and neither has a problem with it. They say as long as my hunger is controlled, drinking with meals makes no difference. I can't guzzle liquids any more, and don't even try. But they taught me to sip my liquids all the time after surgery, so that's what I do - including during meals. I've had zero problems. If the point of not drinking is to keep from flushing food through your band too fast, and therefore causing yourself to get hungry sooner, which may cause you to ultimately overeat, the fix is to limit your food portions. If I know I have X amount of food on my plate, and when that's gone I'm done eating, then whether or not I drink along with that food is a non-issue. When I've finished eating that meal, I know it'll be so many hours till my next meal, and that's that. Overeating or snacking or eating the wrong food just isn't going to happen. Whether this is right or wrong doesn't seem to be a factor. it's about weight loss results, right? It's working for me. Dave

Welcome to the bench!! Well done on your weight loss so far!

What has changed in my life since I have lost 105 pounds? I was thinking as my husband and I are planning a trip to Europe in September 2011 how much my life has changed in the last 2 ½ years. 5 years ago I would not have considered going on this type of long vacation. If you are thinking about having Weight Loss Surgery, these things don’t even hit your radar screen right now, because I had NO clue that so many things would change in my life after losing weight. 1. I always liked myself; I just hated the body I was stuck in. WOW I had no idea how different I would feel about myself after my weight loss. 2. I know I walked with much more confidence after my weight loss and I look people in the eye. 3. I have no problem standing up for others that I feel are being picked on or bullied, or judged by how they looked—their weight, their clothing, the color of their skin. I hate bullies and adult bullies are 10 times worse. LET’S STOP THEM OK!!!!!!!! 4. I wanted to give back something to my community and let others know that they could do what I hadn’t been able to do with JUST diet and exercise. I needed to have WLS so that I had the tool to achieve my goal. My tool is the restriction I have with “sleeve surgery.” 5. I am retired and went back and started teaching at an Alternative High School. So many of my students were from dysfunctional homes. I know without a doubt I have made a difference in their lives (they certainly have changed mine.) I am giving 2 of them scholarships to college. Maybe more of us can give something back, big or small. It all makes a difference. Your time helping kids really can make a difference. 6. I am willing to try to educate others about what Weight Loss Surgery really is. 7. I am here to support and encourage others on their WLS journey and I thought that would be a short term thing…now I know I will always be willing to help them in the years ahead. Pay it forward; you may change someone’s life by helping them with words and encouragement. 8. Life is very short, none of us know how long we will be here, and the time is NOW to have your weight loss surgery. This has to be ALL about you and NO one else in your life. It is nice if your family supports you but don’t count on it. And don’t let them discourage you. 9. I get up every morning feeling 20 years younger. 10. I know without a doubt that I will ALWAYS maintain my weight loss. Something I was never able to do before in my life. 11. Eating healthy is really fun. You can cook yummy healthy food that tastes great. 12. Exercise is something that I have always hated, now I want to exercise it actually feels good. 13. I have become a much better cook than I ever was before. The standard things that I am enjoying and they are all the things that you are thinking about if you are about to have WLS or have already had it: 1. Feeling and looking better. 2. Better health and I got off a lot of medications that you I taking. 3. New clothes, shoes, and shopping in places that I never could shop at before 4. Being comfortable and being able to move without my entire body hurting. 5. Wondering if you are the “one” person that WLS will not work on? I promise you it will work for you. 6. Having people notice that I have lost a ton of weight and being able to tell them how I did it. 7. Having someone call me SKINNY—what a GRAND feeling that was. 8. Going on vacations and walking every place I wanted to without having to stop and rest. 9. Giving away all my “fat people” clothes to a shelter where I know they will be need and use. 10. Getting hugs!:happy: Please consider how YOUR life can or will change if you have WLS. When I was considering this, I want the best doctor I could find who had done numerous “Sleeves” surgeries with great success and after all my research I knew it was Dr. Aceves. If you are going to do this WHY not have the best there is? Suzanne Sleeved by Dr. Aceves Oct 21, 2011 Starting Weight 225 lbs, Goal Weight 125 lbs Weight now 120 lbs

You should read this: http://www.dsfacts.com/weight-loss-stall-or-plateau.html It will explain what you are going through.

I wasn't all happy with the surgery, actually i hated it for about 3 - 4 months! I had real buyers remorse. . .I've been out now 1 year and 1 month and have gotten so used to it. . . I'm still losing but really slowly, but just cause my weight loss has slowed down doesn't mean that my life sucks now. . .nope, I am 12 lbs from goal and look good. . . I can do so many things now that I couldn't do before when I was morbidly obese, but if you mean after you get to your maximum weight loss goal and don't need to lose more will I regret it? I don't know. . .my fear is when I'm older. .. you know how the elderly already don't eat and are frail and many suffer from malabsorption of Vitamins and minerals, what will happen to those folks who have this surgery? Including me and I already have severe malabsorption problems with Vitamin D? If the elderly don't eat much with stomaches, what are we going to endure towards the end? That is my fear, the unknown . . . but that is yet to be seen I suppose. . .

Hey!!! Welcome!!.. I'm in month 3 of my 6 month Medically Sup. Weight Loss Program.. I believe the insurance company looks at your initial weight and BMI... For me I've had complete blood work, EKG, Chest x-ray, and I'm having a stomach scope done Saturday.. Also, I believe you can use the forum search for pre-op tests and some helpful threads will come up.

Way to go! I'm sure you are working hard! Hope you are proud of yourself! Weight loss can slow down but it is different for everyone. There can be a lot of reasons for this but don't let it mess with you. Focus on keeping up the good habits - whatever exercise you like, lean protein first and hydration. One reason that weight loss can slow down is that we weigh less and it takes less energy to do the same activities. As my surgeon put it - It is like driving a car to Florida and hauling something. If you are hauling 3000 pounds you are going to use more gas than if you are hauling 1000 pounds. Cravings and head hunger started to get really intense around the 8 to 9 month mark for me. It doesn't happen for everyone, some people don't even get cravings back. My best advice is read about mindful eating or books by Geneen Roth maybe get some counseling (helpful for me cause I'm a stress eater) and if possible avoid keeping around sweets if they trigger you to eat. I keep around sugar free popsicles and yogurt for when I really want something sweet. All the best to you!! Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using BariatricPal mobile app

When checking out a local supplement store today I asked the owner if they carried any supplements for bariatric patients and he proceeded to tell me how I would regret the surgery ( I am scheduled for 11-26 ) and that I would be facing serious medical reprocussions in the future as I age and get older due to insufficient nutritional support and other various issues that weight loss surgery patients incur as they age...he stated that he felt compelled to ask me to reconsider the surgery and try again to get help from professionals such as a nutritionist and other scientifically based programs for weight loss. When I told him that I was going to have the surgery and I respected his opinion but my mind was made up, he continued to plead with me as if he was trying to save my life! I even felt raddled enough to reconsider for a brief second..I was just wondering if anyone has read any research on bariatric patients as they age. I am still having the surgery, just thought maybe someone out there might have come across this subject.

If anyone in the Harrisburg, PA area is looking for a surgeon, Dr. Matthew Davidson did mine on March 9. When I met him in the office weeks before surgery, I felt very comfortable. He answered all my questions. He met with me in pre-op to see how i was doing and to answer any questions I had before going into surgery. I felt confident going into the procedure. Weight Loss Clinic in Harrisburg is great! All of the doctors that I have met there are wonderful. Dr. Davidson gets 5 stars from me!

Many of us had the same feelings. I cried all the way through pre-op, wondering if I should get off the stretcher and leave the hospital! This decision is huge and definitely takes courage, but for me, one the best I've ever made. I have a brand new body and I am loving it every single day, with all the things I can do now. OK, so you have to commit to a new, healthy lifestyle! For sure! No shortcuts there. You have to reframe your thinking so that you see the new changes as part of your new, healthy life - not as deprivation.Yes, you have to give up the crap - but you get so much more in return. I started making these changes long before surgery, but have solidified them since surgery. I think a great motivator is starting to get the weight off and once you can start enjoying new things (like smaller clothing sizes, activities that you couldn't do before, etc.) it becomes easier and easier to embrace the healthy changes, because the payoff is so great. For me, those changes are: no wheat (I have been gluten free for years already), but now do not eat refined grains - only whole cooked grains. No sugar and no soda of any kind. No juice. These were biggies, but I feel SOOOOOO much better without sugar. It's not even a temptation anymore. No coffee or alcohol because I don't want to risk any irritation (I already have Barrett's esophagus with a pre-cancerous polyp removed, and as a GI nurse, I've seen the really ugly side of WLS patients who start drinking again.) No processed foods, period. If it comes in a box, it's not for me. Lots more veggies, low carbs, higher protein. Intermittant fasting is a very powerful weight loss and maintenance tool to use later on in the journey, Lots of exercise. For me this started out by getting 10,000 steps a day. (My step tracker never leaves my wrist and is my best little buddy.) Gradually, I've added a lot of other exercise components, and they get more fun and more motivating as I see strength and muscle definition increasing. This is a journey. You start out with baby steps and commit to follow the plan. Do not cheat. Don't let your mind even go there. Some people look for ways to flirt with forbidden foods or ways to game the system. This is a recipe for failure. Your determination to be successful is the greatest predictor of ultimate success in this venture. Develop some mantras to get you through the temptations.: "I AM NEVER GOING BACK!" "IT'S JUST NOT WORTH IT!" "I CAN'T HAVE THAT NOW, BUT I WILL HAVE IT LATER, DOWN THE ROAD." You can do this. Learn from the mistakes of others and be motivated to avoid their pit falls. The fact that your mom lost weight successfully is a good predictor of success for you. You just have to make sure you take your vitamins and keep on top of the nutrition.

This is a great topic. Before surgery when I looked in the mirror, I still saw the old me, I didn't see the severely overweight person that I had become. But then when I looked at photographs of myself.... that was another story....I was shocked and embarrassed at what I had done to myself. Now when I look in the mirror, I see someone I don't recognize and when I look at photographs of myself I see myself but yet, I see the new me and someone still larger than what I see in the mirror. Does that make any sense? I feel so much better but there are days still feel really big because my weight loss is slow and I still retain a lot of weight around my waist line. I'm happy with my weight loss but still having body issues.

brendaliz_r wonderful, amazing, happy etc i shop in kohl's i go past a full legth mirror and walk backwards i stare at myself in the mirror usually muss with my hair look at myself and smile i've never felt happier remember............ "I'm cute as a button" kathy

I totally avoided knowing my weight for probably the last decade, which also meant avoiding doctors as well. I guess irrationally rationalizing along the mental vein of what I don't know can't hurt me. What finally forced my hand to make a doctor's appointment wasn't the number on the scale, but it's unavoidable repercussions: joint pain, limited mobility, and other weight related maladies. To find myself at an all time high of 248 at that appt., was like being slapped in the face. I never really understood before when people would say that they had no idea they weighed so much. That day I knew it was actually possible; I had become so good at avoiding the truth for so many years, I had even managed to fool myself. But I am eternally grateful for the aches and pains that forced me to make that appt., because that was the start of my journey towards weight loss surgery. It was also the date I started my personal video journey. It really helps to know how far you've come along the way, and I not only have my videos, I also have my words and emotions to go along with it. Even when my own eyes deceive me as to my progress along the way, I can't deny the actual evidence. It's so important to take before and after pictures, as well as measurements. It'll keep your spirits high on the days when you start to doubt yourself. Sent from my iPhone using BariatricPal

Hi curvy, I am in Louisiana,USA. Getting ready to be sleeved in late March. ( I can not wait!!!) I have rather low BMI also. My dr believes this is best for me. Make sure you get all your information. I understand the dr should have preformed at least 300 of these prior to you is best. Also, know and understand the size bougie that he will be using on you. Some believe this in combination with how tight the stomach is pulled will make surgery successful. Seventy pounds was great. Was that goal. With the sleeve, I have heard weight loss may be a little faster than the band. Good Luck. PS My hubby worked off the coast of Scotland in the North Sea back '88. He was working in the oilfield. He was there when the big rig went down. We lost some friends that day. I know many lives were changed that day in Scotland. Our hearts and prayers have always been with your country. pf337

I personally also hate the weight loss protein shakes - have you tried isopure? You can get it at GNC and it's not a creamy shake - it also has 40 grams of protein in each bottle. You've gone thru alot and if one of your big worries is not enough protein - you can order this on-line and they'll deliver it to your house. Take care of yourself, eating right is part of healing.

Sorry to hear how badly you are feeling...clear liquids/full liquids are so awful, but you just have to take it one day at a time. Are you getting in all of your fluids and Protein? could you be going thru caffeine withdrawal? If you are tense, you may be clenching your jaw (even at night), which could cause headaches. you could ask your surgeon if it would be ok to take a little Tylenol. I definitely wouldn't do labor-intensive meals if you feel that you need to cook for your family. Can you make them some casseroles or meals in the crockpot? What about frozen Stouffers-type meals? Also, I would go do something else that you enjoy while they eat--maybe a good time to have the remote control to yourself! Or take a nap or get on the VST board. Hang in there--it will get much better. And you should see some great losses during this time, which will help bring you comfort!

Hi all, I'm about 70 lbs overweight and BMI 35 with diagnosis of pre-diabetic and pre-heart medications and told I have to get my weight down. I'm considering the Lap Band and wanted to see what others had to say about this. I read that there is a lot of regrets and pain. I wonder about overeating with the band, I hear you get nausea and vomit but yet I read of one lady who was bulimic with the band and would feast and purge. I have gastritis and fear that my stomach may not do well with this procedure, what do you think? I see the charts with weight loss progress and it looks like there is progress, but whats the time line, like how fast do you lose weight? Thank you for reading

Congratulations on your weight loss so far! You will find many different opinions on this subject. It has been a hot topic on here. It's a very personal decision, in my opinion, whether to tell or not tell. It's not wrong either way - just whatever the individual is comfortable with. I opted to not tell anyone outside of my husband and almost grown children. I am happy and comfortable with that decision 4 months post-op. By the way I love your response when people ask why you had WLS.

I too am struggling. I've beeN on liquid for 8 days and I am down 19lbs. How are y'all doing on weight loss from the liquid diet?

I not lying but I don't tell everyone I meet either. I just don't feel obligated to divulge my business to everyone who compliments my weight loss.