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I haven't posted much, but here goes: In May, I started the 6 month MD supervised diet my insurance (Cigna) requires. This Tuesday is the 6 month visit, and my MD will fax his notes to my bariatric surgeon that day. I've had : endoscopy, sleep apnea, cardiac stress test, ultrasound to both legs to rule out blood clots, psyche and nutrition eval--been through it all!!! Due to gallstones, I had my gallbladdere out on 10/23, done by my bariatric surgeon, Dr. Craig Floch of Fairfiels Bariatrics. I have lost NO weight, but Doc feels I will be approved due to my BMI of 51 and co-morbidities. So now, it depends on how long Cigna takes to ok me. I'm hoping to have the lap band done before 12/31, due to $$$$$$$--I've already met my insurance deductibles for this year. On Monday I will be a 3 year survivor of stage 3 ovarian and peritoneal cancer--I am also on Soc Sec disability because I have wicked arthritis all over my body. Hoping the weight loss will help diminish the pain to my back, knees, ankles, feet. I've already had a shoulder replacement. So that's my story---can anyone contribute experience with Cigna? I know they can be a drag,:whoo: although I have no complaints as far as my cancer and arthritis treatments. With an 85% recurrence rate, my oncologist and I want me to be pain free and be able to do more of what I'd like and believe weight loss will open that door for me. I am a stubborn and determined person, but have just never been able to be successful at permanent significant weight loss. Well-----that was long, hope not too much information!!! Carol in CT

I really don't have any answers for you. I just wanted to tell you I totally understand your frustration. I had my surgery about a 10 days before you and i have had as much as 5 pound swings in my weight from one day to the next. I didn't lose a single pound in my pre-op diet...which is freakin weird....and I did it for two weeks. I have lost since the surgery so your weight loss and mine is almost identical...but for different reasons. I just wanted to tell you we are out here listening and your aren't by yourself. This is a big shock to our bodies and our minds....

Mine were so deflated after weight loss that I could pull the skin up like when you pull pantyhose away from your legs. They were that deflated. When I was on my back, those deflated sacks took a beeline for my armpits. Disgusting! I had a breast lift, no implants, because I didn't want to be a bigger size, nor did I want to sign myself up to have surgery every 7-10 years. Those implants have a shelf life, and even if you get them at age 30, you're facing 5-6 replacement surgeries by the time you retire from working. Uhm, no thanks; that wasn't the choice for me. I am completely happy with just the relocation and not the implants, and I returned to my original, pre-fat bra size. My girls are situated right where they should be, and I don't have to wear a bra either. I still do though. My momma raised me that way. =)

I just had a breast lift and implants and before surgery I felt like a bad person for chopping up my perfectly good boobies simply because I wanted them to be higher and fuller. After weight loss they were like udders..hanging tube socks of breasts and I felt very non-sexy. Don't laugh, I actually gave each one of them a little talking to before surgery about how I love them and how I was sorry about what I was going to put them through. A lift involves basically cutting off the nipples temporarily and I think of all of the people who have had to have their breasts removed or significantly altered for health reasons and here I was doing it out of pure vanity. So, I did have to get over feeling like Shallow Sally, but I've largely moved on from that. It's been three weeks since surgery and I am very happy. I have always had large breasts, except they have never been this full, and round, and perky. I can wear all those cute little sports bras with the tiny little straps and yesterday I went out to dinner for the first time since I was 10 not wearing a bra. I felt scandalous! Of course no one noticed because they now look exactly like they did before when I was wearing a bra, but it was still something that was new for me. So, yes, I missed my old girls, but I am very much a fan of the new ones.

It is interesting what is being proposed in the United Kingdom. The NHS will ban patients from surgery indefinitely unless they lose weight or quit smoking, under controversial plans drawn up in Hertfordshire. The restrictions mean those with a Body Mass Index of 30 or more will be set targets to reduce their weight by 10 per cent over nine months, with those with a BMI over 40 will be told to cut their weight by 15 per cent. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/10/17/nhs-provokes-fury-indefinite-surgery-ban-smokers-obese/ The National Health Service (NHS) is the public health services of England, Scotland and Wales, and is commonly used to refer to those of Northern Ireland.

Just wanted to introduce myself! I'm Tara, I live in Utah and I'm looking forward to surgery. I haven't yet found a surgeon as I'm currently saving but hope to have the funds before the year is out. Disappointed my insurance doesn't cover WLS as I desperately need it but trying to just get over it and take care of myself. My BMI is 46 and it's been a full 10 years or more I've been this obese - ever since my first child. I can't wait to get to know the rest of you here and so grateful to have found this board! Also, I do CrossFit and it's the hardest thing I've ever done but I've been at it nearly a year (about 3 days a week) and I feel healthy and strong except for my weight so there's that

Wow...I am having the same problem! I was banded on 11/16/10 and I am eating and drinking just fine. I did the first week post-op full liquids then bumped it up to mushies because I was still hungry. So far I am loosing but I'm not having any trouble getting any food down and that make me nervous too! I see the surgeon next week. I'm almost afraid of how I am gonna feel after my first fill. I thought it was just me. I kept thinking..can I possibly be this greedy??? I'm eating small portions but I am eating several times a day plus Protein drinks

Hi I'm a little older 28' things progressed for me pretty fast because I.work for St. Luke's. Begin in February on.the 6th to be exact and had surgery.April 23. Ib have only lost 19 pounds since surgery and I'm 17 days post op. Do you mind sharing your diet

A lot of times too, they are younger and/or men! I just turned 40 and after 2 kids, losing weight is A LOT more difficult than it was 10 years ago -- surgery or not!

You look great! 7*10*12

Wow! Thanks ladies.. needed to read this forum.. I too am almost at my 10 month post op and have been in an emotional struggle with food again... my food intake has increased and I have beem making some poor choices.. but Im ready to get bacl on track and lose these last 50-60 lbs

This is really interesting information that I hadn't heard before (the part of 10% extra loss as well as the REM/sweet craving connection). Although it doesn't necessarily correlate with needing the study done prior to surgery it would surely factor in after surgery. Thanks for sharing!

I am 10 weeks Post -Op and still can't eat eggs, cottage cheese bread of any type and barley can eat any meat and if I do get to eat meat I only can eat a couple of bites of a grilled chicken strip only no red meat or pork and then I'm full . I can eat yogurt and a half of a protein shake .I was wondering if anyone else has or had this problem of having a hard time eating at 12 weeks out ? I'm already down 60 lbs which I'm happy about but I would like to get more of a food intake. TYI

Mine isnt much of a support either. He is convinced I had the surgery done to lose weight so I can leave him....trust me, if I had the intention of leaving, I certainly dont need to lose weight to walk out the door! HAHA! I try to go grocery shopping WITHOUT my husband. He always wants to buy chips, Cookies, crackers, and any other sugar filled item made available. However, his Mom often sneaks in snack after snack after snack. At one point I had like 30 boxes of Oreo Cakesters in my pantry. I did everything that I could to give them away. I even sent entire boxes to school with my daughters, in hopes that some of her friends would eat them. I think that I have like 10 more expired boxes in the pantry. Yep, EXPIRED, but my husband insists he will eat them at some point. I just have to wait for trash day to dispose of them.... I am sure that your husband/significant other isnt purposely sabotaging you. If it is a habit, then he needs to break it. If he brings you cookie dough, politely refuse and remind him that you are trying to be a healthier you. Then tell him what you would like in place of the cookie dough. My husband STILL offers me cake and such items on a nightly basis and I still look at him like, "WTF?!" but then I remind him, "I CANT HAVE THAT....REMEMBER?!" Then he laughs, I roll my eyes and my life goes on. Dont let your husband/significant other have such power over you. I have no will power either, otherwise I wouldnt have had the lapband done in the first place. You have to look at the reasons why you were banded in the first place. You have to look at the possibility of a new, healthier you, and that has to drive you to have willpower. Lapband is a tool. It is there to help you, but if you cant help yourself, then it will fail. I wish you nothing but the best of luck!!:thumbup:Hang in there!!!!!

Hi Sarah! Here are some suggestions that I think will make you feel better: Make your list of thinks to take: - Warm, comfortable clothes -- I went to Wal-Mart and bought men's BUM equipment, 100% cotton sweatshirts that were $10-$15 each. - Slippers - Gas-X - An antacid -- I use Prevacid and I've not yet had any problems - ear plugs - the recovery houses are noisy as is the clinic - rest! as well as walk (I did stairs) during recovery. This time is for you so take advantage of it and -- rest. - throw away facecloths -- use a clean face/wash cloth everyday -- if you can, just leave them in the trash. Wal-Mart has a package of 5 for $2.00 - inexpensive cotton underwear -- 2 pair for surgery day as the surgery pair will be quite soiled with iodine, etc. from the surgery (if you can, make these disposable as well) (My point is: pack what you need but bring back as little as possible so that the return trip is as 'easy' as possible) I did not take Vitamins the week of surgery. But, I started again, the week after. Do contact Melissa with any questions -- she will help. Do positive, do well!

I had gastric by pass 3 years ago. Lost 107 lbs. Now I have gained 10 lbs and would like to get it off. Any suggestions would be so wonderful. Dom IN NEED OF HELP

In the yahoo group there was a person that was 10 years out. She was part of the Band Trails and is doing well. They have replaced here band with an updated one she stated. Chris Pre Band St. Louis

This is kind of cool...I've never had a blog spot. Surgery was Tuesday 2/2/10. Today is Saturday. It seems that my Dr takes a little different approach to the pre op diet and post op diet. It has me a little worried that I shouldn't have eaten those few bites of meat. I did a pre op low carb diet for 4 weeks and I lost 15 pounds on it. Then I had to go only liquids for 2 days before the surgery. I'm on soft foods right now, but we don't do weeks and weeks of it. He said that he's found that he doesn't like putting up diet rules that set you up to fail and if you follow his recommendations on the low carb for 4 weeks, that that is plenty to get your liver ready. And my liver was ready.

I have lurked here since my surgery, but I've made very few posts. I'm struggling, and when I read others' posts I feel guilty that I'm struggling. I read all these posts about how happy people are after their surgery and how they are doing so great and love life so much. I'm mostly glad I had the surgery. I've been at a healthier weight for about 2 years now although I've never gotten to my goal weight. When others see me or talk to me, including my surgeon, they tell me how great I look and how good I've done. What the surgery has done for me mentally has been so opposite of what everyone sees on the outside. I realized after surgery that my weight was really a symptom of much deeper problems. I guess I had this idea that if I lost the weight everything else in life would be perfect and fall into place. My experience has been much different than that. I have discovered that I have major depression and serious anxiety. I was able to cover it up for years by eating. If I was depressed, I ate. Then I would be depressed about my failure to lose weight and control my eating, instead of dealing with other issues. If I was anxious, I ate. The more anxious I was, the more I ate. When I had marital problems, I ate. Then I blamed myself for the problems, whether they were truly my fault or not (i.e. infidelity). After surgery, I had no more coping mechanism. The first year after surgery was the hardest. I got to a really great place with myself, and I was losing weight and beating the battle with eating. In the midst of my healing, my relationship with my husband changed. He didn't know where he fit in with my new found confidence and independence. He became increasingly angry and this drove a wedge between us. This summer something happened that rocked our marriage. We have been working on fixing things and healing, but I find myself personally back in the same place I was before surgery. I'm using food to cope, and as a result, I've gained 19 pounds from my lowest weight. I'm still a far cry from where I was before surgery, but I'm terrified of getting back to that place. Since surgery, I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and dependent personality disorder. This gives me knowledge of what I need to work on, but it's still a daily battle. Every day I get up and plan to do better with my eating. I plan to workout at least 3 times a week. I plan to go back to the basics that I used right after surgery. But every day, I end the day disappointed with myself for failing. The battle is mentally, and physically, exhausting. I guess I need to hear that others have had similar problems (not that I want anyone else to suffer), but sometimes I feel like I'm the only one experiencing these feelings. I'm really struggling. It gets a little harder every day to keep fighting the battle, but I'm not going to give up.

Well I'm at 179 with my weight right now...and I'm in a size 16. I just don't know if I will ever get to a size 10 or 12 with out having a tummy tuck and something done with the thighs and arms. I'm almost to the point of feeling like I will probably get another 20 or so pounds off...but just don't think it will help a smaller size fit me right without getting the excess gone first???? Its so questionable as to when to have ps done. I want to get to my smallest that I can and try to tone some...but I know ps will be the only way I won't have hanging skin and droopy boobs YUCK!!!! Maybe I should start checking into it and start saving $$$$ for it now!!!

Do it now before it's too late. I was overweight for years, and not just 10 or 20 pouns, but were talking three digits. I wish I would have done it earlier when I didn't have so much to lose. Then maybe I would have looked like a shar pei when I get done. It sucks I had to have my scrotum blow up to the size of a cantolope before I didnt something about it. Sorry for the visual, but the whole point is, don't wait and let things get worse. good luck. brian

I was told by my case manager that for people that go the self pay route that any complication from the lap band surgery will not be covered. Is that true. I h ave BCBS of Tennessee. I am being held up now because I did not have a 10% weight loss in the last 5 years. So they say I need to loose that 10%, before I qualify. However, that would put me out of the BMI range, even though I have several comorbidities. The did say that it would not be held against me. I could do it in the pre-op diet. Any thoughts?

Hi, I'm sure you have had surgery by now, but I'm in Pensacola and had my surgery by Dr Lord and his team 10 days ago..it's crazy to get scheduled with him but I'm so far beyong happy with him as my surgeon.

I feel your pain! Been there, u couldn't even eat a sliver if cheese without getting sick. However, I'm almost 10 wks out and although I can't tolerate ice cream or milk, I can tolerate most cheese in moderation. Good luck!