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Same here....I had to undergo a 6 month medically supervised diet, complete with weekly progress notes, charts, graphs, etc. I told the weight loss center that I have done diets time and time again....why another one? They said the insurance co. wants it OFFICIALLY on file, signed off from a Dr., showig I did a sincere diet, and FAILED. They will not simply take my word for it. So yes, I took the 6-month program, at great expense to me out of pocket. And just like every other diet I started out good, lost significant weight, then started to cheat and rationalize, then start to gain it all back...in other words, I failed miserably....but this time it was official, on record for the insurance co. I have read here over the years about people saying the insurance co. demands they be successful with this diet or they would not approve surgery.... To me that's confusing...if I could be successful at diets, then why would I need - want Weight loss surgery?

How often do you step on the scale to check your progress? I was getting to a bad habit of checking my weight every morning..

Zleng, you have already made a brave decision regarding your health by scheduling this surgery. I have never been a small person myself and have tried all diets known to google with yo yo success. I was sleeved 14 days ago and feel this has been the best decision. I am just now starting to lose a bit of weight and I am happy. I feel full with a shake! James is very right about caffeine. I used to drink 5-6 cups of hot black tea daily. I stopped that cold turkey when I started the preop diet. I wish I had slowly weaned myself off because I was so tired and sluggish. I am fine now. Wish you well in your journey. We are all here because of the same struggle.

I also have tricare. Would you mind telling me what your beginning stats (weight/comorablitlies) are? I don't have any comorbilities, but I do meet the 200lbs. over ideal weight requirement as long as they go by the low end of the metlife chart. I'm about 10lbs. shy of the higher end. Just trying to figure out what my chances are of getting approved. :tt2: Thanks. KP

I had my band from 2007 - 2011 (it worked for me until it eroded and had to be removed). I am looking at converting to a sleeve now as well. Obviously I can't give you any insight to the sleeve yet but I can tell you that the first year I had my band, I didn't lose that much weight either. However year 2 was when the weight really came off of me. How many adjustments/fills have you had so far? I had a 4cc band and I didn't start to really lose weight until my band was at least 1/2 full and felt real restriction. My program was really conservative and I must have had 5-10 fills before I reached that point. But once I got to the point where I could only get in about 800-1000 calories a day (liquids, soft foods), the weight came off my rapidly. The band loosens as you lose weight and lose fat around your stomach, so eventually you can eat more and need to get another fill to keep that restriction. I went every 1-2 months for a fill. I lost about 50% of the weight I needed to lose with the band alone and light exercise (walking a few times a week). The rest of the weight melted off of me once I started working out more regularly and heavily (I started running instead of walking 5 x week, added yoga and pilates into the mix). I plateaued with the band when I had the last 20 pounds to lose. I am 5'3" and was 220 lbs (size 18-20) when I was first banded and the lowest I ever got was 2.5 years out at 145 lbs (size 6-8). As well as the Lap band worked for me (until it didn't), going through erosion was hell. My body just did not want a foreign object inside of me and rejected the band. Unfortunately VSG was not an option yet when I was banded, but if given the choice I would have opted for the sleeve over the band for sure.

the rate of your weight loss really has nothing to do with you developing loose skin. alot of it is genetics, your age and how long you were overweight for. exercise will help...but basically once the skin is stretched...it is stretched

Wow, so I didn't know that this site made other improvements besides their name! I like this better, now I can go read forums about other procedures. I originally had the LapBand. Had to have it removed due to infection. Gained all of what I lost (47 pounds). Trying to lose it on my own and it's such a struggle. If I don't lose at least 20 pounds by the end of may, I think my decision would be to get the gastric sleeve, a handful of people one here suggested it. I'd be so scared of them taking half of my stomach out, having it stapled and then losing the weight too fast and ending up with lose skin :/ don't want lose skin and don't want plastic surgery. Jumping ahead of myself here... Anyways, now I can get more info, yay!

Whether you lose the weight fast or slow the loose skin will either tighten up or it won't over the long haul. It has to do with genetics and age more than anything else. I am now 65 and over 2 years out, lost 130 pounds and my skin is still slowly tightening. I expect it will not tighten completely thus making my midsection look like a cut-out from a romance novel cover. The alternative in my case would be very wrinkly skin in my casket 6 feet under.

I'm with ya!!! I got to within one pound of goal for about five minutes. Since then I've bounced around 2-4 pounds above my goal for over a week. I also have a stretch goal that's four pounds below my stated goal, so this is killin' me! Okay, not really. I feel good at this weight, but I'm a numbers guy, and I'm sooooooo close! Like you, I'm determined to make it, and with that attitude, it's just a matter of time until we do. I've never "done" anything to break a stall, just kept on keepin' on. So let's just keep doing what got us this far, and when the time is right, we'll get the next drop, and then (eventually) the next one until we make it. Good luck!!! Just wanted to let you know you're not alone.....

No weight loss in the last couple weeks. Thanks for the advice Lapbandster, I will switch up my routine. This may be the problem. My body is getting to used to the same routine. I usually spend 45 min on the eliptical then I do my other exercises. Then the next day I usually spend 45 min on the tredmill and my other exercises. I alternate those two routines. Is my body that smart to know that its not really much of a change. I been thinking of adding an aerobic routine at home.There are plenty on my Comcast Cable On demand. So I will add that to the mix. I have literally been an exercising machine! Eating right, limiting the carbs because of the PCOS and absolutely no sugar. No beef or Pork because I cant tolerate it anyway. I hope I get over this slump this week.

@@josiek1988 In my case, I didn't have "classic" symptoms like slippage or an infection at the port site. The first sign I had was a return of my acid reflux. I had it before banding and it went away for about 2 years but then it came back. That happens to a lot of folks so no one seemed concerned. The second symptom (which no one thought was band-related at the time) was a horrible sharp pain that started in my side and radiated to my back. It would last about 3-4 days, then go away for a few weeks, then come back. Everyone thought it was muscular but I knew it wasn't, it was deeper and it was debilitating - it hurt to do anything active (I could no longer run), heck even going over a bump in the road while driving caused agony. I had every test known to man -xray, CAT scan, MRI, dye tests, endoscopy, colonoscopy - you name it. Nothing. I think they started to think it was psycho-somatic. FInally during a barium swallow my surgeon saw a small pocket of air but said it was nothing to be concerned with and couldn't be causing the pain. Eventually I just stopped complaining about it and it lessened over time. I kept getting band fills and would feel restriction on some days but others I could eat anything without issue. I slowly started regain weight - I assumed it was because I couldn't work out. Then one weekend I came down with a high fever and what I thought was the flu and ended up in the hospital for 10 days. Whatever infection I had made me septic, my kidneys had shut down. I got so dehydrated I ended up with a bowel obstruction and that is really what kept me in the hospital for so long, waiting for that to clear up. While I was there more tests showed my band had completely eroded into my stomach. The reason I was feeling restriction sometimes was that not only had my band eroded, but my stomach actually birfucated and grew around the band so the food had two paths to go down, one banded and one not. I am convinced that mysterious infection was either caused by the eroded band or my immune system had been so weakened by it, I couldn't fight strep or whatever it was I had (they never figured it out). Long story short, symptoms may seem unrelated because pain may manifest in other areas, or because of secondary infections. If you feel anything abnormal a simple swallow study and an upper GI can help determine if the band has slipped or is eroding. it is a foreign object and erosion is often caused by your body trying to reject it.

These are all great ideas! To inject one small word of caution into the narrative though, please be careful to use correct form, especially when dealing with heavy weights. I don't want to imagine what it would be like to get a sleeve and be all excited about getting fit and muscular, and then getting a hernia or a ruptured disk. Otherwise, exercise safe, and (most important) have FUN!

I think you all should be extremely proud of such SUBSTANTIAL weight loss in less than two months. I know it's hard to be stuck in bodies we don't want, but you all are making progress. Any movement in the right direction is a major victory, given that most of us have been gaining weight the majority of our lives. Celebrate the change.

Unfortunately, bat/whale wings do not contain any muscle so you can lift weights until you are purple and it will have no effect on that area of the arms UNLESS you are young enough to have very elastic skin and it has not been stretched out past the point of no return. If you DO have very elastic skin, losing the fat in those areas while exercising will help reduce the flabiness. Otherwise - surgery after weight loss is about the only way to get rid of these flapping wings. Exercise will help develop the muscle in your upper arms and if you are young enough to still have elastic skin and as I said earlier have not stretched it past the point of no return, then you will see improvement as you drop the weight and get rid of the fat in the upper arms and tone the muscle with exercise, but if that skin has been stretched past that point of no return - then surgery is the only way to get rid of that excess flab. I know - I am waving all the time.

Please help me! Idk what to do! I had my sleeve on Feb 8 and with in a week from Feb 8-12 I lost 10 pounds but this week I haven't lost any weight ???? Idk if it's me or my sleeve, I'm doing everything I can possibly do, I know it's only my second week but I'm already having doubts that it's going to work for me etc ???? I'm starting to get depressed thinking it's not going to help anymore and I don't want to think that but it's hard mostly since my family are also doubting me

Hi I see this is your first post - welcome. Firstly you started with a low BMI. The less weight you have to lose the slower you lose it. I also got banded in jun 09 and have lost 22kg. The loss now seems to have stopped. Secondly you have a very low BMi as a goal. It is right at the bottom of the normal/bordering on the underweight range. Yes you may be able to achieve this but unless you really limit your food and do lots of exercise it is unlikely. If I was you I would reassess once you are into the healthy weight range. You may find that you don't want to weigh that little. I have always wanted to lose more weight but I realise now that if I lose much more I will probably end up looking old/gaunt. It would be fine if I could choose where it should come off(stomach) but that is not possible. Instead my legs just get thinner - if they get much thinner then I won't be able to buy clothes off the rack. here in Aus it can be pretty hard to find a size 8 - if I need to get a 6 or smaller I could really be in trouble. Where are you from? Obviously not the USA or UK as your ticker shows your weight in kgs and they generally show theirs in lbs or stones.

Well it's been a week since banded and I'm better. The one thing that is bothering me is going through another week of liquids. I know it is necessary, but I'm having a hard time. At least let me get to the puree stage!! I think I just heard my stomach for the first time...oh well. Dr. Madan is impressed with my weight lose, so that's good. This morning I did get on the treadmill at a really fast pace. Other than that I'm still day dreaming of being small. Be BLESSED!

Hi, I'm new here and making the first step toward lap-band® surgery -- educating myself. I'm wife to a Marine and we have 3 children ranging from 11-17 years old. We live in a suburb of Philadelphia. I first looked into this a couple of years ago and got scared with all the surgery safety warnings. Then I started seriously considering getting banded a little less than a year ago. I talked myself out of it and decided to be really serious about re-joining weight watchers. Since then I've had the diagnosis of osteoarthritis with torn menisci in both knees and I've fallen off the wagon on both my super-serious attempts with weight watchers. Sigh. I think it's time to do something more drastic. So, there you have it. That's my mindset right now. I'm really glad to be learning so much from this forum and know I'll have lots of questions. Deborah

Well here i am, just trying to take my first steps in the process of potential lap band surgery...... baby steps, that is all that I can do. I remember "starting" the process 3 years ago. I called someone, and had an appointment to be seen 2 months later. but then i thought i could do it on my own...... so a few weeks before the consult, i called and said "hey i am doing this on my own, i've lost 8lbs since i've made the appointment" Well looking back on some old journals, i see that I am about 50lbs heavier than i was then. Three years in a row now i've been hospitalized in the winter for Asthma type symptoms, and for stomach problems. I don't know why but during an April Doctor appointment, i was shocked that my Doctor asked me if I thought about having surgery to help me in this journey to better health.... gee Doc (i've been with him for 13 years... he knows me inside and out) I am here because of my lungs and difficulty breathing, i am here because of the stomach problems i've been having, I am here because my FBS are getting higher and higher every year, (although still in Normal range), I am here because my knees have been causing me so many problems........ Gee Doc, I didn't say anything about my weight!!:thumbup:, I immediately told him, noway......I am doing it "on my own" this time, like i've been telling him for 10 years. he smiles, and he supports me, he'll do what he can to help me....but he say's well if you are ever interested, I will send you to a wonderful program in Pittsburgh. I said goodbye, and I will see you in July!! You know for the first time in my life, I am truly happy, happy with who i am, happy with my children, happy with my husband (second husband, first husband left me 10 years ago) My husband loves me so much and shows me all the time, he loves me 125lbs over weight! so in reality.......... this makes me a perfect canidate for this surgery. My family health history is not good, 3 out of 5 of my brothers have/had 100lbs to 250lbs to loose at one time. My only sister could loose about 50lbs. 3 of my brothers are diabetics now (we are all under 50) My dad died at age 52 from his 3rd heart attack. My mom died at age 58 she was 150lbs over weight when she died. THIS IS WHY I NEED THE HELP TO LOOSE THIS WEIGHT. I have an incredible faith in God, and I go to Him for every decision I make, and this is no different, i am taking this to prayer. My husband is so supportive, he is even coming with me for the class to see what all of this is about... and i say to him, what if this doesn't work? and he say's well then i'll keep you the way you are. I've told a couple of friends, some supportive, some down right angry..... but ultimately it isn't what they think or feel, but how i think and feel.... I'll talk more about that later :tt2:

Well here i am, just trying to take my first steps in the process of potential lap band surgery...... baby steps, that is all that I can do. I remember "starting" the process 3 years ago. I called someone, and had an appointment to be seen 2 months later. but then i thought i could do it on my own...... so a few weeks before the consult, i called and said "hey i am doing this on my own, i've lost 8lbs since i've made the appointment" Well looking back on some old journals, i see that I am about 50lbs heavier than i was then. Three years in a row now i've been hospitalized in the winter for Asthma type symptoms, and for stomach problems. I don't know why but during an April Doctor appointment, i was shocked that my Doctor asked me if I thought about having surgery to help me in this journey to better health.... gee Doc (i've been with him for 13 years... he knows me inside and out) I am here because of my lungs and difficulty breathing, i am here because of the stomach problems i've been having, I am here because my FBS are getting higher and higher every year, (although still in Normal range), I am here because my knees have been causing me so many problems........ Gee Doc, I didn't say anything about my weight!!, I immediately told him, noway......I am doing it "on my own" this time, like i've been telling him for 10 years. he smiles, and he supports me, he'll do what he can to help me....but he say's well if you are ever interested, I will send you to a wonderful program in Pittsburgh. I said goodbye, and I will see you in July!! You know for the first time in my life, I am truly happy, happy with who i am, happy with my children, happy with my husband (second husband, first husband left me 10 years ago) My husband loves me so much and shows me all the time, he loves me 125lbs over weight! so in reality.......... this makes me a perfect canidate for this surgery. My family health history is not good, 3 out of 5 of my brothers have/had 100lbs to 250lbs to loose at one time. My only sister could loose about 50lbs. 3 of my brothers are diabetics now (we are all under 50) My dad died at age 52 from his 3rd heart attack. My mom died at age 58 she was 150lbs over weight when she died. THIS IS WHY I NEED THE HELP TO LOOSE THIS WEIGHT. I have an incredible faith in God, and I go to Him for every decision I make, and this is no different, i am taking this to prayer. My husband is so supportive, he is even coming with me for the class to see what all of this is about... and i say to him, what if this doesn't work? and he say's well then i'll keep you the way you are. I've told a couple of friends, some supportive, some down right angry..... but ultimately it isn't what they think or feel, but how i think and feel.... I'll talk more about that later

Congrats on the weight loss and thank you for sharing. :tongue_smilie: Deb

Welcome Sadie to LBT! This is a great place to get info, encourangment and to express feelings. As for using Kaiser, I cant help much I am self pay. But I have been looking into this surgery for about 5 years.. and here I am.. FINALLY! I am on the path to a lighter me, a healther me! It took me 5 years to totally know for sure and in that time I also tried everything that I had not done before that time to loose weight. I was able to find a doctor that I could afford and that I feel 100% comfortable with. I am excited to be where I am at now.. so.. you just have to do some soul searching and 'homework' if this option is right for you. Best of luck on your journey and let me know how it goes for you!

DH had to have his resized a couple of months ago. He got out of the car and it rolled down the street. We found it and went to the jeweler the next day. His is a plain gold band so it could be done without looking badly. Mine is the same, but I really don't expect to lose weight in my fingers. My fingers are always bony.

I would love to meet the Dayton Group for dinner - I am having my 1st fill on the 9th - I had to postpone my orginial date due to my husband having open heart surgery on March 29th. So I am a little behind on my weight loss. Hope to see everyone soon. ROSIEG

I haven't posted for awhile. My VSG was performed about 5 months ago. It has been a great 5 months. The surgery is continuing to change my life. For the first 3 months of that time the weight came off pretty fast. Things have slowed significantly the past two months. I'm still losing but it's taking more effort now. I think a big reason for the slow down is I have been busy at work and haven't been able to find the time to exercise regularly like I was before. That seems to be a big factor with or without surgery - becoming more active. This week I recommitted and exercised 5 times and the weight came off. I lost 3 more pounds and am now at my lowest yet - 70 lbs down. Last week I had to punch another hole in my belt. That's the third hole since I in-grew (the opposite of out-grew) this belt :tongue_smilie:. I have gone from a 48 to a 36 waist. 12 inches. Wow! I'm about ready to go back to Am-Vets and get some smaller clothes. We have a good one by our house that seems to have decent clothes and I have been trying to spend less on clothes until I get down to my ideal weight. My goal is to reach that by the end of the year. Then I will go for the good stuff. I guess that's what some of our tax refund is going for this year:biggrin0:. It's not just about the clothes, though. It's about the quality of life. I'm sleeping better. I'm still using a C-Pap machine, but I wake up in the morning and feel well rested. I've even been waking up earlier, without effort. I've been happier and more pleasant to be around. Just ask my wife. I am out there with my kids and have more energy to spend with them. I can do a whole day of yard work now (as opposed to 1 or 2 hours before I would die) without being exhausted or my back going out. Working out in the yard is now one of my favorite things to do. According to my doctor, getting healthy could increase my life expectency by 15 years! If those 15 years will be anything like the last couple of months have been, the VSG could very well be the best decision I have ever made (except for marrying my wife. She's a peach.) If you are considering having a VSG, do it!:thumbup: If you want to change your life and realize your full potential, do it!:thumbup: If you want to be there for your loved ones now and in the future, do it!:thumbup: I can only say good things about my experience. Reading all the successes and advice from this web site has been a real boost. Thank you all for your stories. Dan S VSG - 3/15/10 Highest Weight - 284 Current Weight - 214 Goal - 180 34 Pounds to go! Who knows, maybe I'll have to adjust my goal to 170.