Search the Community

Chrissy....I'd be pretty darned confused too! So don't feel bad. Only you know the answers to these questions....so ask yourself. 1. Have you made a concerted effort to lose weight in the past? 2. Have you been successful only to regain weight? Now, if you're like me, you've tried to lose weight more than once, probably starting at a young age. I would suggest going to see a different surgeon entirely. Go to the free seminar and talk to the doc and/or staff and decide what YOU really want to do. Good luck with whatever route you choose.

Hi Paula and welcome to this site. You will meet many nice folks here that can provide you all the information you need. As for me, Oh yes I would do it again and I am so happy I did it. I had been looking into weight loss surgery for about 10 years but I never really discussed it with anyone. I went to about 4 or 5 different seminars at various hospitals in town but I guess I just wasn't ready. My husband talked me out of it twice. Finally last summer it hit me... I had been fighting this obesity for most of my adult life and not only was it not getting better, it was getting worse. I could not get a grip on it. Nobody in my family is overweight so they did not understand and at family get togethers I always felt like the elephant in the room. So one day while researching diets and weight loss on the website for the local teaching hospital, up popped an informational advertisement on WLS. I made a call that day. I went to see my PCP and she was all for it but directed me to another facility and another doctor who had more credentials in the WLS arena. I go an invite to their seminar about a month or two later and that's when the process began. Many tests were done to ensure I was healthy enough for surgery and then the pre-op diet before surgery. My insurance company mandated a 3 month physician monitored diet before they would approve. Thought there can be very real complications with any WLS, mine was pretty text book. I had the surgery on a Monday, went ho on Thursday and I have progressed according to plan. I just had my 5/6 week check up and I have been released to do anything I feel up to and to eat anything I can tolerate. Life is good. I'm losing weight (I did have a two week stall) and my clothes are starting to fall off of me. I have closets full of clothes in smaller sizes I can wear so not time to do too much shopping yet. I didn't want any complications so I did exactly what the doctor said and I could not be happier. Social situations can be sticky at times but when I remind myself that my health is my priority it all gets put back in perspective. We still go out to eat at restaurants with friends and my husband and I share a meal. I didn't tell any of my friends or family I was having the surgery so they don't know and by sharing meals no one is the wiser. Some times my daughter goes out with me and we will share a meal. Both my hubby and daughter have now lost weight too so they are keen on sharing our little secret. I would never tell someone to jump into this... but if you are thinking about it, do your research and find out everything that is involved because it is a permanent alteration to your stomach and will only work if you make a life style change. Weight can always come back but if you alter your life style and your choices you will be fine. Go to some support groups at the surgeons office prior to surgery to give you an idea of what's going on and buy some books on WLS and read them a couple of times. Read everything you can on the Internet and go in to this as informed as you can be. My only regret is that I didn't do this 10 years ago. I wish you all the luck in the world in whatever you choose to do. Janet

Wow wish they would put the band in my head ever week or so I can stop thinking and eatting. Iam a year out..I dont keep anything bad in the house so the most I do is over eat yogurt but in the course of the day in can be alot of calories even on good food. This all started when I had to have the band emptied twice and worked my way up but it never was the same. I am up and down 6 lbs and I am happy at this weight but still would like to get to my goal. I am going in for alittle more put in the bsnd and back to the gym (thats been the real problem I think) so I will hang in there.

Got my blood test back my cholesterol is little bit high and i might be diabetic my blood tested 7 but I'm not going to go back and get retested again after i get the band and lose some weight then i will.

i think the 2-3 ounces is just a guideline. It is difficult to get much down the first days after. Really you should go by feel and make sure you are getting enough. if you drink too much, you will know it, your body will tell you. I would always keep your water near and sip it throughout the day. Water will help with your initial weight loss.

I'm sorry your confused! I would be too. I'm 20 years old 5'5" and 247 pounds. Luckily my doctor didn’t tell me to wait. I personally have been on every diet known to man I was probably the only 5th grader to be on weight watchers . For me I know I’ve tried everything including starving myself to lose weight. Maybe it be best if you see another surgeon and see what their opinion might be. If you really feel that you should continue to diet do it :tongue2: maybe it will work this time, and it never hurts to try again before making a big decision. I’ve been thinking about this since I was 15 so I know this is something I want to do. Good luck with your decision if you ever need to talk I’m here.

You look great and you can tell the weight loss Keep up the good work you go girl!

I'm glad you started this thread. I have been trying to get some cardio in but I have been too tired and dizzy (i'm only two weeks out). I'm hoping this improves in the next two weeks. I add in more walking to my day but I can tell I'm not ready for hardcore workouts yet. I just bought a treadmill instead of a couch for my living room I prefer lifting weights to cardio so I'm looking forward to clearance for that. It tends to help my weight loss much more than anything else. Right now the lack of energy sucks.

Hi, Was wondering if you could suggest some brands of tasty Protein powder for me and I'll try to find them on sale here in England. Getting filled again after 18 months of going it alone. Maintained till this Jan then fell off the wagon and gained 2 stone. Time to try again and try harder this time. Thanks for your help, Yvonne x

Thank you B, I absolutely will be giving continued updates! I'm so happy to have found this community of others having similar experiences. There are very few people in my life I can't relate to on this. And all of my friends are thin so they don't know what it's like to struggle with weight, and struggle with confidence as a result.

My dietician wants me to set a goal weight. My surgeon said that according to the antiquated medical chart they use that I should be 145# but at 5'11" that seems mighty low to me. I was 135# in high school and looked anorexic. Can anyone share how you decided on a realistic and healthy goal weight?

so i'm sitting here the day before my surgery, and what show is on my favorite channel? Big Medicine, and not just one show, its a marathon. Its actually calming my nerves to watch all these people have weight loss surgery, i can SEE what may go on after surgery in recovery, how the surgery is done, and how much weight they are losing. I also thought it was interesting that the doctors (its a father and son), their daughter/sister has the lap band. if anyones up and has TLC check it out! lap band here i come!! woo hoo!

Welcome to LBT and congrats on your surgery date. I don't know how much weight you have to lose all together and everyone is different, but yes 60 pounds should be reasonable. But, ever 40 or 50 is a lot too! Good Luck!

I'm just speaking on the scars... With all the stretch marks I already have on my tummy, the few little scars would be almost impossible to see. After losing the amount of weight that most of us need to lose, I will have so many wrinkles and folds til the scars will merge into the background. The future scars from a tummy tuck will definately over shadow a few tiny incisions. People can see I look 13 months pregnant. No one will notice a few itty bitty teeny weenie incisions. Best wishes on your journey!!! Pssst....If you don't want to have any evidence that you had surgery...research "Spider Surgery" its done with 1 belly button incision. Cost more. Newer. Limited Doctors.

Hello, so here is where I am I have been to my seminars, got the approval from my Insurance, now in order for me to schedule my Surgery Date I must lose 10 pounds by Friday. I have started my Protein shakes but don't know if that will be enough to get the weight off. Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated. Second I am 5'2 230 pounds can anyone with my similar stats tell me how their weight loss went (fast, slow, stalling)? I am getting closer to getting this done and while I have done lot's of research I still have many many questions. Nellybell

I have high cholesterol. My goal weight is 145lbs. I am at 199 now. My doctor said it would be the right surgery for me. I would have great results. I am a nurse and teach about good health with my patients but I'm not healthy myself. I have tried diets but never do well. I eat mostly healthy but binge when I'm hormonal. I need restriction.

So I am postop day 5 and still trying to figure things out! Overall I feel amazing. Today is the first day I feel hungry, but is it hunger? I had a 8 oz protein shake over 1 hour for breakfast then another 8 oz protein shake between 2 and 5. My stomach feels like maybe I am hungry, but I also know I have not drank enough water today. I am very nervous to over "eat" with shakes and according to my NUT I should be having 5 shakes a day eventually. I also have noticed that I can take bigger sips today-is this normal? Can I really screw things up for losing weight on a liquid diet? Thanks in advance for your words of wisdom!

On Wednesday it will be one month since I had the VSG! It's been challenging but I have toughed it out! This is by far the best thing I could have ever done for myself. I was taken off of my blood pressure medication 6 days out from surgery. I have lost 20 lbs and I don't know how many inches!!!!! I tend to carry my weight in my face so the comparison of face shots means the world to me! I'm attaching a before and after face shot.

Hi all, I was banded in November 2008, I fell pregnant in April 2009 and had my gorgeous boy in Dec 2009. I am now struggling to move forward. My first adjustment after birth, done in Feb, prove to be too tight, so I went back and he removed 3/4 ml. Since then I have been back 4 times and although I now have more saline in there than before I still have no restriction! I now go to the hospital tomorrow for an xray fill. I feel really fed up and have been making really bad food choices and sabotaging the weight loss already acheived before I fell preggers (3 stone) I still have another 4 1/2 to go and feel like I will never get there. I was banded in London.

WOW! You ARE above the norm!! I am at the 14 week mark since surgery on August 22, and I have lost 51 lbs. BUT.....I have lost a total of 75 lbs. since I started with the pre-op diet in mid June. Even though I have a lot of more weight to lose....I feel GREAT and I feel good about my progress. Good luck to us all in our continuing battle! God Bless!

Patience is a virture- Be Virturous!!! If that doesn't work go get a banna split - LOL LOL All kidding aside you need to stay vigilante through this process. It is sometimes(like mine was) a very long & tuff road. But the good news there will be a "pot of skinny" on the other end. Be good to your self during the process & try not to have to many "last suppers" I ended up gaining over 10 pds while getting my date. It took me nearly 7 mnths. In the end I ended up being self pay anyway. I wish you luck & stamina!!!

Thanks for the kind thoughts. I had surgery May 28th. SW 244, current weight 197. I am just struggling with getting enough protein and eating more solid foods. I am living on cottage cheese, string cheese, yogurt and fish.

I am 7 1/2 mos post op. I've lost over 100 lbs since then. However, if I didn't workout as much as I do (7 mornings a week for cardio and 4 nights a week lifting) I could have lost soooooooooooo much more. At the beginning of Feb., I had a personal trainer re measure my body as opposed to when I joined last April. In that time, I had lost nearly 40" off my body. Exercising, especially resistance training, will build muscle. And, as the old addage says "muscle weighs more than fat". It's not just the scale that is important. If you are still losing size, you are accomplishing something. Eventually, you will start to lose weight again. Just make sure you are eating correctly, and enough as ironic as that sounds, and you'll get off your plateau soon.

1. I had to buy new shirts for work already. I went to a consignment shop for cheaper ones as this will not be the last time. Amazingly, I am smaller around sooner after the sleeve than when I worked out and dieted before. My clothig didn't change for about 25-30 more pounds. 2. I fit into a McDonald's booth! Now before anyone judges me on being in a McD's, I ate a grilled chicken club with NO BUN and extra bacon (this is 50g of protein). I needed the protein intake and neither of us wanted to cook. I also spread about a teaspoon of habanero sauce instead of mayo. 3. I did a WHOLE Insanity cardio workout. Of course I modified some things because I am too big still to jump and do deep lunges (poor knees of mine) but I still did it!!! Now some unexpected hurdles from losing weight: 1. I can't eat away stress and frustration so I fight more. My bf calls me the big B at least once a day. I just cannot hold my anger in and It comes out. 2. I have realized how much I hate my job and the people I work with. I must have smothered my unhappiness in food for awhile because After 6 weeks off and not eatig that much I despise them. They do nt support my dietary needs nor do they care much about anything but themselves. I have begun the interview process to GET OUT!!! 3. I hate cooking now. I make something awesome and I barely get a 1/2 cup to a cup of food? So not worth my effort. It is easier to eat when y bf cooks.

It has been a LONG road getting here, BUT, I have a date and will be banded on the 28th of Nov. '07. Yippy! I had no idea there was a Nov 07 board. So I guess this is my Official introduction. I am 400 Lbs and a 52 BMI, male. I figure since I am male I will hopefully lose weight faster. I just wanted to say howdy to all and I am glad to be here. Cant wait to have the band placed! Later, Craig