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It's been 10 years since I had my VSG. I honestly never really think about the fact I've had surgery due to how long it's been. I'm used to eating small portions. I typically either share meals or order kids meals. I will admit there have been times when I'm eating somewhere that has amazing food that I really want mentally but my stomach says I have no more room. That rarely happens, maybe once a year.

I have PCOS and insulin resistance. I am 19 years old and my metabolism is total crap. I have gained over almost 200 pounds in the last 4 years even while eating healthy. I have been trying really hard to lose weight for the past 6 months and was successful in losing 4 pounds the first month after my doctor put me on Metformin. Then she put me on birth control the month after to treat my PCOS and bring my periods back, but then I started gaining weight again. I got my period back but kept gaining weight. At first, I didn't want to go off of the birth control because I wanted to have normal periods every month but soon went off of it after 4 months of gaining at least 3 pounds consecutively. Even after going off of it I still keep gaining weight every month, and I am so worried that my insurance is going to deny me because I haven't lost or maintained weight since my first month starting this. My doctor then prescribed me more Metformin so that I take it morning and night, and so far I've just been maintaining my current weight. My PCOS has been ruining my life since I was 14. Treating it and not treating it, I can never win! Does anyone else have this and feel this way?

I don't have protein shakes, but yesterday, I had 80 grams of protein. Breakfast: Egg white omelet with 1 slice of jennie-o turkey bacon, 1 oz of boar's head cajun turkey, 1/8c of fat free mozzarella, 1/8c spinach, and a xtreme wellness spinach wrap tortilla: 24 protein Snack: 1 reduced fat string cheese: 6 protein Lunch: xtreme wellness spinach wrap, 2 slices of jennie-o turkey bacon, 2 oz boar's head cajun turkey, 1 tsp of spicy mustard, and a tbsp of Philadelphia garlic and herb cream cheese: 23 protein Dinner: 2.2 oz of chicken breast, 1 slice of jennie-o turkey bacon, 1/4 slice of tillamook swiss cheese, 1/8c cabbage, 1/8c spinach: 19 protein

After putting in all the work. I received my approval to have surgery. Due to Covid-19, the hospital has postponed non emergency surgeries. I am hoping I can get a date in mid-may to early June

Someone over at Obesity Help posted this video from Abbey Sharp. I think it's worth a watch and want to share the video. Emotional Eating During Social Isolation for COVID-19

I'm 14 months out, and although I can eat anything I want, my tummy still reminds me of volume. I find that the things I used to love eating a LOT of - like stir fry veggies, just don't sit so well any more. I can eat out anywhere (except now!) or fix any kind of food, and in that sense, things are back to normal. But volume is definitely not the same - THANKFULLY! I am presently enduring 2 weeks of home isolation due to COVID-19 symptoms, which are resolving without any problems, but I admit that there has been heightened anxiety/stress during all this. I am utterly dismayed to find myself resorting to food for comfort - I thought I had that one licked, but it has raised its ugly head, and I have gained 5 pounds! I have been too tired to exercise, so I have been a couch potato/food addict for nearly 2 weeks, and now I am paying the price. But.... I am now back on track with starting some exercise again, tracking my food, intermittent fasting, and working on my emotional issues. It feels MUCH BETTER to be in control of the food, rather than the food being in control of me. I need to hold this thought and remember that the long term reward greatly outweighs the short term gratification.

I have the band. I have no problems heath wise in over 10 years. But I am struggling with my weight. The bypass ..hmm I have had many of my friends have Major problems with it. A second pouch..ulcers ect. The band is Not permanent and * can * be removed if needed. Thats why I wen that road. Once your body is changed there is No going back. Just my thoughts on it.

Hi there! I’m 3 months into my surgery and since 2 months i haven’t really felt like myself, the first month of Gastric Sleeve was perfect no pain no nausea no vomiting no discomfort, but right after that 1 month mark passed everything went downhill, i have no appetite I’m always nauseous to the point where i vomit for relief, food portion wise I’m eating like a 4 month old, I’ve consulted my doctor and he proscribed meds. Took the dosage and term of meds and still nothing, was suppose to do a endoscopy can’t due to covid-19 situation, so I’m wondering is there anyone else out there who’s experienced this, I’ve asked my buddies if they’ve felt this and 15/15 said no, my symptoms consist of nausea dizziness vomiting loss of appetite lower stomach pain dull kind of. Food doesn’t go down easy. liquids sometimes hurt. And heartburn. I’ve taken antacids. Antibiotics. Gas meds. And a liquid coating to help, and it’s like nothing ever helps, the only a quick solution and it’s for maybe a hour is peppermint tums, like this made my surgery a bad decision for me cause there’s times i can go days without eating and just drink liquids, really hope someone can help with some suggestions. Thanks and sorry for the long message lol

I hope everyone is doing well. I’m struggling with grazing as well. Let’s not give up. I feel Better than I’ve felt in years! I’m down 70 pounds total. I haven't worked out in a month . SMH. Surgery was 10/22/19

Hi there! I know this topic is very old but I understand where the op is coming from. I had my lapband put in back in 2006 and it's made my life much worse. It was a panic decision on my part, plain and simple. When I was a teenager I weighed 450 lbs and was constantly depressed. I lost over 150 lbs over 2 years due to dropping soda, fast food and alcohol all while maintaining a very physical job. Even though at 300 lbs I was still obese I felt amazing. We eventually moved and as a coping mechanism for stress I lost myself in alcohol and Warcraft and saw my weight climb all the way back to 375 in less than a year. I freaked out and scheduled a consultation. I was paying cash so there was no delay and no psychology exam. 2 weeks after consultation I had my lapband and the nightmare started. For 6 months every adjustment was free so they would help over the phone if I was having trouble. After the six months it became 200$ per visit and suddenly they couldn't help over the phone. I would go days without being able to eat or drink because I was unable to cover the fee for an adjustment. What I didn't realize about the surgery was that it still relied on personal responsibility. Not eating or drinking things that would irritate or cause swelling etc. I finally decided to have it loosened as far as it could be and my life has been moderately better since. Through diet and exercise I've gotten down to 210 lbs and kept it there for almost 10 years now. At 6'2" that's a healthy weight regardless of misleading bmi. I even just recently had the full body lift about a year ago and I'm really comfortable with myself for the first time in my life. The lapband still stops me from eating or drinking occasionally but I've learned to live with it. It's a reminder to not make rash decisions out of fear. Good luck to everyone or anyone who reads this. Some people love the lapband and I'm very happy they found something that works for them. Others are going to struggle with it like I did. I love you all and I hope everyone can find a balance.

Hello, checking in. I had my surgery on 10/01/2019. As of today I’m down 73 points. I know it’s slower than most but I’m okay with that. Truth is I’ve allowed my self some carbs and sugar and I need to be better. Still feeling good and labs are good. Wishing everyone the best!!

Your body reacts to rapid weight loss by filling all those empty fat cells with water. It is water weight. Keep on your plan, stay off the scale for a week or 10 days, keep drinking water. Been there, and it does go away.

First off this is NOT an easy way out! You have to WORK for your surgery to work. And vitamins are for life. You are making a lifetime commitment to better your health and if people don't understand that then tell them to do the damn research, because there is no EASY way out! Sorry, a pet peeve of mine is hearing the uninformed thinking that we took the 'easy' route. It never fails to piss me off... Yes, it IS okay to be scared! It's perfectly normal to feel that way. I probably would have been if I hadn't had brain surgery two and a half years before (which to me, was a bigger deal). And risk is relatively low. At my heaviest I was 389 (though I COULD have been heavier, I just avoided scales like the plague). I finally decided to do something about my weight after my niece was born and I feared that I wouldn't be around to watch her grow up. I had always been scared that I'd fail, much like you are. In a way I did use food to cope because I'd eat junk food when I was upset. I didn't think I'd be able to do well and doubted myself constantly. Because my willpower is sh*t, I decided to pre-diet despite the fact that the only thing they asked was that I not gain weight in my six months of required weigh-ins. I did an elimination thing where I cut out one thing a month so that I could get used to the way I'd be eating. First month I cut my portion sizes by eating smaller amounts with no seconds, second month I cut out soda, third month was rice, fourth month was pasta, fifth month was bread, and six month I cut out beans and potatoes. My goal was to lose 35 pounds before my surgery, but I lost a staggering (at least to me) 64 pounds before my surgery. I amazed myself at my own willpower, which was far stronger than I had thought! Losing that weight on my own helped me gain more confidence in myself that I COULD do this! Is it worth it/ do you regret it? Yes, it's worth it. I felt like I got hit by a bus after the surgery and for a few days I was like, 'Why the hell did I do this again?' but it gets better! It's totally normal to feel like crap after surgery lol. I had my surgery 10 weeks ago today. Do you feel like your life is normal? What IS normal? I've lost over a hundred pounds since I started this process and I feel much better about myself then I did and I don't regret taking this route. I sometimes wonder if I should have gone the gastric bypass route instead since my particular surgery causes some... stomach upset that at times can be troubling because it sometime seemingly comes out of nowhere. But other than that I guess I feel normal... or as 'normal' as I'll probably ever be lol. (I've never defined myself as 'normal') Can you do it with 50/50 support from those around you? The most important part is your own willpower. Not everyone is going to understand the reasons why surgery is the best option. Even I had my doubters, but after I had my surgery they understand a lot more. It took me 8 months to lose 64 pounds and in the 2.5 months since my surgery I've already lost another 44. Meaning I'm likely to lose the same amount in HALF the time with surgery. Sometimes you just need to show them that you were right by showing results. It shuts the doubters up! x'D Do you have to lose weight first? It depends on your insurance actually. Mine didn't have the requirement, but I did it anyway. I have thyroid issues so I didn't have much expectation for a large weight loss, but I was pleasantly surprised with the amount I lost and am very proud of myself. Is the loose skin as bad as people make it out to be? It bugs me, but I'd rather have the loose skin than the fat. I'm trying to work on the loose skin on my upper arms as that's the area that bugs me the most. However, my insurance pays for skin removal after you've maintained for a year so... I'm not so stressed about it. Hair loss? I've only lost slightly more hair then normal. It's really not as bad as I was warned and it's honestly not noticeable. Tips? My only tip is to honestly give it your all. The psych doctor, shockingly, passed me on the first try. She advised me that if I was having trouble though to make an appointment with her. My advice is if you need someone to talk to about the struggle then by all means take advantage of that and speak with the psych doc when you need it. I wish you luck on your journey and in whatever surgery you decide on. It'll be difficult, but it's 100% WORTH it! Set small goals for yourself and don't stress over every little thing. And stalls happen, it's normal.

I had my RNY back on October 16th 2019 and I started at 256lbs now I'm 170lbs. But my average monthly loss is roughly 17 pounds a month. Is this good or average ? My goal weight is 150. And I'm almost there. I am also 5'9" . Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

I’m so disappointed.. I was Approved and scheduled for 3/27 and was cancelled the day after I completed pre-op😞due to COVID-19 I wanted to cry. I haven’t been rescheduled yet because of the pandemic. It’s so close but yet so far.. I had to process my feeling, I was kinda depressed about it but I know it will happen.. just wanted to share

I was Approved and scheduled for March 23 and got cancelled due to COVID-19😞

Bayugir....Well said!! I was banded over 10 years ago. I know there is nothing wrong with my Band..I have gained a lot of my weight back..but I have been through menopause and Just haven'r done what I should be. Very upset with myself. And will get it figured out. But my band is Just fine. Anyone will gain their weight back if they Don't do what they KNOW they should. its a HELP..a TOOL...it's not the FULL answer.

It's so great to hear others still LOVE their Band. I don't hate mine and I think it is still working the way it should after 10 years..but I am NOT doing what I should. I have gained a bunch back. makes me very sad. I need to know what you all think of how to get back to what I should be doing. Do you think starting Over..like liquid drinks..protein..ect is a good idea ??

Hi, I had the same thing happen. I am banded for 10 years now. I am betting your either swollen around band or it is too tight ...how much of a fill did you get?

Hi everyone, My name is Robyn I had lap band surgery over 10 years ago and have been gaining the last 4 or so. I'm trying to not get so mental about all that is going on in the world right now. My man and I are BOTH hoe ALL day together...yikes HELP PLEASE..HA We do have a gym set up down stairs . I feel Like I need to workout harder ...that's my mind speaking ..my body is like..ahhh NO!.. You all seem very positive and I NEED that right now... Thanks so much

Hello everyone. Hope your all doing well. I have had my lapband for over 10 years. Not doing so well weight wise after menepause...but hanging in there

Our schools are done for the rest of the school year, per our governor. The university's are doing virtual classes to finish out the semester, but are cancelling the first half of the summer semester all together. University graduations are being reconstructed to do as much as they can remotely, though our students aren't going to get the "walk" up to get their diplomas, which is really sad. I'm thankful that I have an essential job (health care) where I've not been furloughed or let go. I work from home 4 days a week and only go into the office once to take care of things that I can't do from home. I'm still putting in 40 hours a week. My surgery is being delayed (from April 13). I don't know when it will be rescheduled at this point. So, I'm keeping on keeping on, sticking to my new way of eating in preparation for surgery. I haven't been out walking like I should be, since my rec center closed due to COVID-19, so that is something I need to work on. Other than that, I'm trying to take life one day at a time and being the most positive person I can be. Like AJ said above, I can't do anything about the situation, so I might as well try to enjoy what I can.

Hi guys! I'm just looking for a bit of advice from people that may have experienced over fills in their bands... I had surgery July 2018, I've never had restriction or felt any restriction until now. I have been back to my clinic regularly for fills for the last 18 months, and felt no change. I finally had an x-ray a week ago with a barium swallow to see what was going on. The surgeon (a different one to who I usually see) told me I definitely did not have the amount that they thought was in my band and put quite a lot more in. I instantly felt restriction. I could feel even water taking a while to pass. I left the hospital and felt pain as if I had food stuck, but it was just the water. Now, a week on I can barely even drink water first thing in the morning without bringing it back up. I can't eat any healthy foods even when chewed to a pulp, I've tried very runny porridge for breakfast and even the smallest amount gets stuck. The only things I can eat without any problems are really bad junk foods..ice cream, chocolate etc - nothing else will go through and obviously this isn't something I want to be eating at all. I want to eat healthy, but I physically can't keep anything down, even in tiny amounts. Has anyone experienced this? It's the worst timing at the moment over here in the UK as everywhere is now on lockdown because of COVID-19 so I can't even get to the clinic. I don't think I can cope with this for much longer

@TashafromCT Hi Tasha! Welcome to the forum! I had VSG on 3/3/20 so I’m 4 weeks out today. You’re only 11 or 12 days out. Girl, I feel you! For the first couple of weeks I was like what the hell have I gotten myself into. But it gets better. By the end of the 3rd week I got my energy back finally. Now I’m not eating much more than you but I feel pretty dang good. The only things not making me sick right now are eggs, cottage cheese and Refried beans. The source of most of my nutrition is still protein shakes and I’m still eating SF popsicles. I can graduate to more foods this week but I feel as if I’m not ready and my new tummy may need another week or two. You will learn as you go along your body will let you know when you’re ready to progress...of course always follow your surgeon’s advice. My start weight on 10/7/19 was 256.6 on date of surgery 3/3 I weighed 230. Today I’m 214! it’s so exciting!! Keep reaching out. there are so many wonderful people on this forum who want to share their experience. why are you feeling you made a mistake?? You just feel like crap?? It gets better. ❤️