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I'm trying to get everything together for the predetermination for my insurance (BCBS Federal) and I feel like I'm trying to walk up a wall. My BMI is 41.6 with no comorbidities, I just moved to a new college and have found myself more active because it is larger (classes and food are a half mile away from my house instead of a block away) while this is a great thing, in terms of losing weight, I can't help but feel like it is the worst thing ever. I know that this surgery is the best option for me because for the past 5 years I have been bouncing from 230-260 lbs. and while I have no comorbidities now, I feel like there is a time bomb strapped to my back. If I continue to fluctuate and never get to a healthier state I will eventually develop one or more comorbidities. My PCP tested me for diabetes last month as a precaution and I was shocked to find out that I don't have it because my weight has been an issue that has been progressing for almost 10 years now. I keep second guessing myself right now. What if I just haven't done enough and now that I have better resources around me I could lose the weight with out surgery? At the same time I know that this goes much deeper than just losing weight or exercising more, I've become so used to shoveling massive amounts of food down my throat that I look at a recommended portion and see it more as a snack or appetizer. I need something to not just help with the weight issues but a way to retrain myself on how to eat as a way to nourish my body, instead of continuing my unhealthy habits. I'm worried that with all the changes in my life right now I'll lose enough weight that I'll be denied by my insurance and be back on that yo-yo cycle of bouncing from 230-260. My window of opportunity for this surgery is small, because I'm only on this insurance plan for another 10 months. I'm hoping someone has been in a similar situation of feeling like they have to maintain their weight just to have a chance to be healthy in the long run and can give some advice on how to deal with this. I find myself getting excited because my pants aren't as loose as they were my first 3 weeks at this college (I lost about 8-10 lbs. during the moving process and my first few weeks here because of the larger campus, stress, and a few other things) I haven't gained past what I was at the dr. consult in December, so I'm basically just maintaining the weight at this point. And I can't help but feel that it is a little twisted that I'm excited because I gained back some weight so that I can qualify for a surgery that will help me lose weight. Maybe I'm just not looking at this in the best light? Thanks for reading and any advice is appreciated Also, thanks for giving me a place to reach out to people who could possible understand. I've talked to a few close friends and they think it's a bit odd, because they all cheer for weight loss, not gain

Women's weight vary quite a bit so weighing daily will make you crazy. My weight varies within 3-5 pounds but is trending down. Don't worry.

Hi I had mine (band) in Birmingham. We had to do a 6 month education programme, where you attend once a month for 6 months. Then you see a dietician again, get referred to the weight Loss consultant, then to a surgeon and then the waiting list. It does take time but it gave me the time to think about the surgery and really make up my Mind Hope that helps Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

A good pace for you is if you have your heart rate above, say 130 bpm. Whatever pace that is. You sound fairly fit, my guess is you should be running more/walking less if you want to keep improving. You'd be getting to the point where its not POSSIBLE to walk faster but you're not taxing your cardiovascular system much. I cant walk much above 5mph (a 12 minute mile) before I simply must break into a jog. And I find it hard to maintain that walking pace without slowing down as my legs/back get tired, but it doesnt even make me breath heavily, I simply must increase the pace to about 6 mph or more (and thus jog) to get a cardiovascular workout. Although OF COURSE, if you can walk that sort of pace and dont particularly care about getting fitter than that (it'll definitely keep you out of the cardiac ward) and you're weight loss is going how you want it to, then keep up the good work. I just get a thrill out of saying I can run for a whole hour, which is my motivation to do it. And it will boost your loss noticeably, but eventually you adapt to that too.

I am so darn frusrated with this band. I am almost four months out and I am not losing a thing. I have had one fill of 1 1/4cc and I don't even feel like there is a band there most of the time. I don't have to chew well, nothing disagrees with me. I am hungery and able to eat whatever I want. I am to go for an endoscopy the 13th the nurse thinks my band could have slipped. The problem is I have to travel 3 hours each way to the Dr. and have very high co-pays each time. The nurse mentioned switching to rny but my family will not support me emotionally if I make that dicision. Is there any hope that this is going to get better and have some possitve results. I did lose during the pre-op diet and the liquid stage but nothing since I have gained 4lbs. Need to know the truth if that is all there is going to be with this thing.:cool:

I haven't had the sleeve yet. But, I have a very plentiful supply of friends and co-workers who have had it done. All have had varying amounts of success. It really depends on "getting your head right" and once you get to that 50-60% mark realizing you may have to count calories or do a more traditional weight loss plan. The sleeve is one tool. It is not the end all, be all for many people. This is coming from my observations and what has been relayed to me by the people in my life who are a very valued support system with many different views. This seems to be the general consensus. The ones who are really getting to their goal are working hard. But they report feeling really good and having more energy to put towards working for it. Also, the emotional aspect helps as they are not so demoralized and ashamed to go to a gym. And more than one of these people were in excess of 400 pounds. It's very achievable, but may take hard work.

Well my Cousin had the Sleeve two years ago and she thought hers had stretched out cuz she started gaining and got Checked, well it didn't stretch The Dr said since she got off of program (STARTED EATING ALL THE WRONG FOODS) is why she gained weight!! Buyer be where!!

I stalled for a few days after one week. Scale moved this morning. 1lb at a time. That's how I gained it, so that's how I'll lose it. But 19lbs in two weeks was never something I could do on my own. So I'll take it.

Here is my story. I am 29 yrs old, married and a mother of 2 boys (ages 10 & 5). I have battled my weight my whole life and turned to food at a very young age to fill the emotional voids. It was my best friend, was always there for me and never judged me. I have battled with depression pretty much my whole life. I got pregnant when I was 18 and got married. Over the past 11 years I have been a yo-yo between 185, 215 and 230 being the highest. I have seen that damn 230 quite a few times. I delivered both my boys at exactly 230. I have lost and gained and lost and gained. In 2004 I was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome and also insulin resistant. I went through hell and back with my hormones and meds. I went threw fertility treatments, etc. There was one thing that was always there for me, food, any hour of any day or night. The last time I hit 230 was a year ago. I had had enough and made the decision that I was going to get the lap-band. I went to a seminar @ my local hospital and while sitting there listening to all 3 procedures, I decided that the band was not for me. I needed the RNY. I needed something to kick me in the ass, make me sick if I ate the stuff I shouldn't. I'm a very impatient person and knew the band would be too slow for me. So I began the process of a very long 6 months. I had my surgery on 8/22/12 and weighed in at 217. I stayed in the hospital 1 day and couldnt wait to get out. I cant sit. There were many times throughout the 1st month I asked myself what the hell did I get myself into. There was times when I had pain so bad I wanted to die. My own fault because I advanced my foods too soon. I am 4 months out and weigh 170. It has been an emotional rollercoaster. If you are considering surgery here are a few things to consider. I went into this with a "I've gave birth to a 10lb kid naturally and had a c-section and was back up full speed in 5 days". Let me tell you giving birth was a hell of a lot easier. Make sure you are ready and have a handle on your food addiction. I thought it would be so easy to kick once I had my surgery. I still struggle with it everyday. I have thrown up many times because I have eaten stuff I shouldn't. I have wanted to die many times when the dumping started. Sitting down and eating dinner with your family (especially if u have kids), will not happen for awhile. This was one thing I was not prepared for. There is still times when I cant eat with my kids or I find out what I made, doesn't sit. Going out to eat is pretty much next to impossible, unless u wanna waste ur money. There pretty much isnt shit to eat on the menu that will guarentee to sit well. The other problem is they give you all this food, and your brain still reverts back to that "eat everything that is on your plate" mentality. Well, at least mine does. Your hair will fall out, some more than others. Mine has fallen out quite a bit, still waiting for it to stop. The doctor said it should be soon. If you have PCOS, do not think that your hair will stop growing other places. It still does, except for your damn head. Some days are better than others. I can eat something one day and eat the same very thing the next day, and feel like crap. I still cannot eat bread. What I would do for a sandwich, yes really a sandwich. Have a good support system. I dont and it is very difficult. No one understands, that I know, what this is like. It is not the easy way out. This is harder than just losing weight. It is truly a life change. You may think you are so ready, but there will come a point, when you look up at the sky, and ask yourself "What the Hell did I do." "Is this worth it". I would love to sit here and say absolutely, but I'm still not there. Yes, I have lost 45 pounds in 4 months and have 30 to get to my target goal of 140. That is the easy part. The emotional changes that you have to make are hard. People will look at you differently. People will judge you and think you took the easy road. So the question is did I kick my love affair with food. The answer is: I'm a work in progress and its an addiction. One day at a time.

Hi all, On tuesday I'll be 5 weeks post op. I was doing really great and lost about 17 pounds from my surgery on 12/16 till New Years. Since the 1st, I have gained two pounds. I'm still not eating that much, and I'm walking around, taking my Vitamins, and trying to drink as much Water as I can. I don't understand what I'm doing wrong. Could I be eating too little? Any suggestions to help me get out from this stall will be appreciated. I'm feeling pretty unmotivated - this was such a big decision to do this surgery, and I'm worried that I made a mistake by choosing to do it.

Hi Mr. Mason Thanx for the response. I think the "anticipation" and eagerness to lose SOME weight is stressing me; especially this week. Besides reading and working my Options book, I also research the internet to find all info I can in preparation for this surgery; also post-paration (if this is a word, lol) .... Emotionally I am ready, but the mental part of me is the pre-surgery weight. I exercise (walk) daily. It is part of my day. Three 30 minute walks with three other co-workers is a ritual daily. Zumba class 2 nights a week. I moving but the scale is not. Now I will continue to work hard and go harder with all my might. Feet can't fail me and God will not either. Faith is all I have.

Hello I would suggest that you go with what surgery is best for you - not let your schooling decide for you! School can be postponed, your health cannot! However, that being said, I would say that in your situation, a band would be better as there's less healing to go through. Remember that with a Bypass you'll have had major major surgery, spent some time in Intensive Care and been pretty poorly. With a band there is not a single change to your anatomy, and to be honest, after 10 days I was feeling more or less back to normal. The "lack of food thing" you speak about - I feel no different - no ligtheadedness etc. I've had my 2nd fill and I'm still not at my sweet spot yet, but I'm getting there and am losing weight slowly. To those that don't know i've had the band, my diet is working well!!!! After the band the pain was completely tolerable - only 2 or 3 days of taking pain killers, and then rest for a few days. after 10 days I was out walking 3 miles a day and enjoying the rest of my time off work (My GP signed me off work for 3 weeks!!!!! - totally unecessary!)

it could be hormonal . sometimes after a good chunk of weight is lost, esp. if you are a female, the hormones change in balance due to fat loss and it can cause hormonal shift and cause acne.

The sleeve, but I opted for the rny because I wanted more agressive means for weight loss, you can always go from sleeve to rny.in the future if you , your surgeon and your insurance allow you decide . Cyn-shakiraa-*12/17/12*Sent from my mobile Rnytalk.

I'm not sure if I am posting in the right place. I was banded in 2007. It worked well at first but after having my son 5 years ago, I cannot get this thing under control. Multiple fills. If I have even a little bit in it, i have terrible reflux. I empty it, I gain weight. I am strongly considering the revision but have some questions... I was told the band would make me feel "full". I never feel full, just pressure and "stuck". Then, I either vomit or close eyes and wait for food to go down. Does the sleeve just give you a full feeling? No pain? No vomiting? How slow do you have to eat? What happens if you over eat? Do you get problems with reflux? I really appreciate any advice or caution moving forward. I need to know what to expect this time.

I'm sorry you were feeling sick. I actually think this is a common symptom of detox and fat being released around your liver and I'm glad wifey gave you a pass. And her request may not have registered to her as insensitive. But this did get me thinking about my role as personal chef in my home and what will be required without causing to much discombobulation in my home. Maybe I can switch duties or pick up some extra slack in other areas outside the kitchen because preparing food is when I typically consume the most unconscious calories.....I don't want to appear like narcissistic, that can rear it's ugly head during previous diets and weight loss attempts and my family is over me.

Maybe I'm just having a down night & need a pick me up, but I'm feeling pretty low. I am supposed to be able to start solid foods tomorrow, yet I find I can still hardly get any mushy foods down. I've followed my docs post-op diet & I've read & re-read everyone's various ideas of mushy suggestions but nothing seems to go down good for me except liquids. All the things that most people have no problem with (tuna salad, chicken salad, egg salad, cottage cheese etc) feel like they get stuck in my throat & then I spend the next 30mins or so feeling like it's all coming back up... and that's only after maybe 1tsp at the most. I don't get it? Am I missing something? I'm taking the smallest of bites, chewing everything till it's a paste & still no-go. Because of this inability to eat anything other than liquids, I just keep asking myself why I did this & if it will EVER get better/easier. I had a very smooth recovery, so is this my torturous stage?! Can someone/anyone provide insight & let me know if you possibly experienced this or if this is normal for some people? I'm a-okay with only being able to eat small portions for the rest of my life... but these no portions are really taking a toll, physically & emotionally. The weight loss is there, but I fear it's not a healthy loss this way. Appreciate any feedback!

A couple of days ago I passed another Mini-Goal. This one was real important to me. It was passing the lowest weight I had ever previously attained on a diet. For me, that weight was 212lbs. The last time I was there was after about 10 months on Nutrisystem, it was a real struggle to attain at the time and obviously one I was not able to maintain. My second lowest dieting weight was 215 and that was a few years ago while doing Atkins. Again it was about 8-10 months to get there and didn’t last long. This journey on LapBand and taken me about 4.5 months and feels so much better than anything before. Don’t get me wrong, it hasn’t been a cakewalk – but it has certainly been a more rewarding program day to day. Next Mini-Goal is to get under 200, then its just 15lbs to get to my main goal of 185 and a normal BMI.

What are you eating? 1500 calories may be high in the weight loss phase. How much do you weigh? I would encourage you to schedule an appointment with your Team.

First, let me just say I am sorry for your frustration and that I completely understand. I'm 5 weeks post op and and don't have a fill in sight- I'm self pay so I have to save up for it. But that said, I am running on straight up will power! And it has been a struggle, but I'm doing it. And you can too! What worries me is that you said you are eating what you did and how much you did before. Ask anyone- the band is not a magical cure. It is a helper. We still have the same obese brain we did before! We can't do anything about that. You really just need to learn to change your thinking. Try tracking all of your food. I use myfitnesspal.com. It's wonderful. I eat 1200 calories per day and also track my exercise there too. I have no restriction right now so I really need to watch what goes in my body. We all do! And this way, I'm training my mind to eat the right foods so that when I do have proper restriction I will stay on track even more. I lost 10 pounds pre-op and 12 so far post-op. This past week was a struggle and I stopped losing but I refuse to give up or gain. Remember, it's completely up to you! You/I/We are our own worst enemy... Work on the mental side of it until you can have the physical part on your side. That way you can be even more successful. If you don't tackle the mental part then you will always find a way to "cheat" the band- so I've heard.... Good luck, and keep us all updated! :thumbup:

Well, I have decided to take some of your advice and set mini goals for myself. My first one was to be able to use wii fit (which has a weight limit of 330 pounds) My second one was to be under 300 pounds! This morning I was 295.2!!! My next mini goal is to wear size 20 old navy jeans and to weigh less than my fiance (he's 265). So another 30 pounds and I *should* meet both of these (unsure about the pants, but I am currently wearing a good fitting/on the loose side 22....

Hey ParisAngelTX, You sound just like ME!! I had the lap band surgery on july 10,2006. I am also 5'4 ish and weighed 196 when i got the surgery done. insurance WILL NOT cover you, because they don't believe your heavy enough (trust me i know how you feel) Since the surgery I have lost 16pds but that was in the first 2 weeks while i was on liquids. i have had one fill but haven't lost any more weight. although i am not eating the amount that i had eaten before. i am working out a lot too! so needless to say i was a little disappointed.Don't get me wrong i am very HAPPY that i have the band, i just was expecting to lose more weight quicker! because i have meet people that lost 40 pds in 2 months!! but, i called my doctor yesterday and had a mini meltdown (this was a self pay and i just don't want to let myself down) thankgoodness he reassured me that everyone is different and with me working out im adding muscle..... so i still have a few more fills to go.! I totally know how you feel. it was hard for me to find a lot of people like me that weighed what i did. lots of people want to lose a hundred + pounds and i was hoping for at least 50- 60! im sorry this message is so scattered!! hope it makes some sense for you. and please contact me if i can help you with anything!

Now I have had a totally different experience! Yes the band is simply a tool to help you, like has been said. But it has made a HUGE difference on how I am able to eat...and has made all the difference in the world in my ability to lose weight! I have had 2 fills/adjustments. And I am no longer hungry. Dieting, or simply making wise food choices when you are not hungry is something I found very easy to do! When I would walk in the house at the end of a day and was starving--I'd grab a bag of chips or cookies and snack as I prepared the quickest thing I could that would make plenty. Now I am not hungry, so the effort is much easier to spend the time making something a little better for me health wise---and we don't need a ton of it anymore. I eat small amounts, so prefer to have something really good tasting for that small amount! I can afford to buy the healthier snacks now that one is going to be all I need or can eat, as opposed to being able to eat the whole box/bag. Water is free, tea is cheap to make, all the soda pop we were going through was neither healthy 9even if it was diet) nor cheap. I researched and studied all the different WLS, for months, before making my decision, based on my own health issues, and desires for my future. I spent hours a day on line, and reading, and researching. I have not regretted it at all. I am not losing as fast as some are---a couple who were banded the same time I was have lost over 140 pounds!!! But I do not follow a strict diet, I try to live as normal of a life as I can, and to now move some each day. I didn't (couldn't) do much exercise early on, but now with 85 pounds gone, it actually feels good to get out and DO things!! I don't feel people staring at me, I "blend in". And my body feels great after getting my blood pumping, and the knees that hurt too bad to exercise have reacted wonderfully to the lesser weight to haul around. It sounds like we fall on opposite ends of a spectrum, and in actuallity you can fall anywhere as well. It is only my opinion, but if it were me, and I was banded, and had proper restriction, and was still dieting so seriously Mary---I would see another Dr. and have some tests run. It could be any number of issues, and maybe something could be done to help, or at least ease your concerns. Good Luck to both of you! Kat

I am thrilled/jealous for both of you! I'm still fighting incompetent people everywhere to even have my insurance app submitted for approval. This wait (and WEIGHT) is killing me!

Could be low blood pressure after losing weight. Are you on or still taking any blood pressure meds? Are you dizzy after standing up? Sent from my SM-G928V using the BariatricPal App