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Hi. I haven't had my lap band yet. I go to see th coordinator tomorrow. I am 5'4 and weigh 203. I'm worried that I'll be the one not to lose weight or I'll never have goo restriction. I am paying oort of pocket and I don't want it to be a waste of money. When are you getting banded?

I originally wanted the sleeve because I've seen & heard so many success stories, but I became worried about not being able to take MS Meds. Good luck to you on your weight loss journey! Keep me posted how your progress is going!

Weight loss happens in funny places, huh? Sometimes I notice saggy skin, but a couples of weeks later, it looks better.

The standard for calculating BMI is (weight in pounds*703)/height in inches squared. You can also visit online calculators like this one. Your BMI registers as 32.8. Unless you have two or more significant medical issues related to your weight, you're probably going to have a tough time getting insurance to cover your surgery.

Years ago I joined weight watchers. They had this beautiful woman stand up and announced that she had met her goal weight that night. She looked like a size 0 so I was impressed until they said she had joined 9 months before and had lost 14 pounds. My mom and I didnt really know what to think. I told my mom that I had lost that much with one bowel movement. Needless to say we were cracking up. Not meaning to imply that I was not happy for her weight loss. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G750A using the BariatricPal App

I wouldn't have had any other surgery but the sleeve. After researching it so much and reading the stories and actual personal experinces that people post on here. I've heard of people who have GERD get the sleeve done and as long you find a PPI that will work for you. My Suregon said in the seminar that most people will have heartburn for about a year after surgery. I'm 7 weeks out and have only had it once and that was because I forgot to take my PPI. And Ive seen many people regain weight with RNY because they are still hungry, with the sleeve for the most part we are never hungry. I'd check around for another DR who would do it. I know mine in Dayton OH would. So if you don't live that far, msg me and Ill give you his details. Kelli

Congrats on your date! It is my understanding that the pre-op diet is more to shrink your liver before surgery than for you to lose any weight. Often times the two go hand-in-hand. It's generally a high Protein, low carb (under 30 g) diet -- like Atkins -- that they put you on. I found it quite easy to follow and although I didn't lose all that much weight, apparently my liver was in wonderful condition! Hope that helps!

Hi Bandsters! I just joinned today! I've been doing alot of research on the procedure and after struggling with it I decided last month to get the band :Banane37:. This is against the wishes of my mom, best friend and rest of my family. But I know whats best for me. Soooo...I've completed all my tests and evals and am now waiting for insurance approval. Anyone have any exerperience with getting approval from United Healthcare? I didn't go through a six month WL program but had alot of Dr's recommendations and paperwork so I'm hoping for the best since I have a WHOLE lot of weight to loose! P.S. I'm exited to be here!

Elivia- My advice is do your research, but don't do what I did and wait five years to make the jump. I only gained more weight. I'm still new, but I have no regrets with getting my band. It definitely is a tool, not a quick fix. As, you'll read some people fail, but most of the time when you read their back story they didn't treat their bands right. Good Luck!

Hi, all. I'm in Northern California and working with Kaiser. My doc was great and gave me a referal to Bariatrics. I was assigned to the Richmond facility and attended the orientation today. At the orientation were also provided with our next appointment date, either Psych or Surgeon. I got the Psych first. So, I have a start weight to work with and know where I need to be. I have perused the forums for about the last 2 months and figured I'd say hello when I actually started the process. I figure there is a lot to learn here and wanted to learn and share my experience. As for my screen name, I'm also a SCUBA Diver. Regards

Had my last appointment Tues and they are submitting the paperwork. If UHC replies back in a timely manner I could have surgery on March 27th!!! I'm nervous yet excited. Hope I get approved. I feel like my body is giving out on me due to the excess weight I gained. I'm ready to change my life and get healthy. I do have a question about getting approved.Do I wait for them to call me or should I call after a certain amount of time?. Also anyone who has UHC how long did your approval take? Thanks!

Hiya Melissa, Thank you for responding to my post. I am happy to know that there is a great doctor to see out here. I really didn't know where to begin and so I figured going to a seminar to get info would be a great first step to a better life. Right now I feel my body slowing down almost giving up on me when it comes to losing weight. Truthfully I have been thinking about this for a cpl of years but before I never saw it as a problem. I was the type of person who always thought if I want to loose it I will. Now that I want to I can't. I can't continue to be hard on myself for something I try very hard to control. So 4 weeks ago wow! Congrats..... Whats it like so far? I know such a broad question... :thumbup: Do you feel very much pain if any at all? Thank you for the info on the meetings. Did you go through your primary doctor, and if so are they through lovelace. My primary is with Pres and I am wondering If I should change to a lovelace doctor just to keep it all within the same place. You have a great day. TTYL -Jessica

This could be a case of you losing body fat and not weight. Which happens more often than people pay attention to. Your water intake needs to be higher, I can bet your sodium intake is through the roof and you are retaining water like a dam. You **REALLY** need to start doing your own prep, Restaurants nutritional information is notoriously wrong, always WAY under what it really is. Frozen pre-preped meals are great for on the go and pinch situations but *SHOULD NOT* be your first line go to... again, sodium and lots of other things are WAY TOO HIGH! It's great you are trying to track your intake. And you say you work out, but. Is your caloric burn higher than your caloric intake? So... You need to almost double your water intake. Ensure you are working out for at least 60 mins a day (Not including anything you do at work) stop with the take out / frozen foods and start prepping your own meals. Start taking chewable or drinkable fiber daily, sounds like you aren't even close to getting your daily required fiber intake. And lastly *STOP WORRYING ABOUT YOUR WEIGHT* Weight is only 1 number in this whole equation. Your body fat % can drop and you still not lose weight. I'm down .8% body fat over the last week and I haven't lost a pound. Stay focused, do not give up.

Gazebo, I've just finished reading all your post and I must say you've had a ride....lol possible pregnancy, while going through the pre op liquid diet, I think I would've been a wreck. Well, I'm Pam, and let me tell u my story.... Former flight attendant for 18yrs, my roommate died on sept 11, on the 1st American flight that crashed so I've been emotional eating since then. Have 2 sets of grown twins so I've always maintained a 145lb weight. I'm 5'8. 7yrs ago working a flight we hit some horrible turbulence and dropped 500 ft in the air and I was thrown. I broke my back and neck and have been disabled since the surgeries. They found out I have multiple sclerosis also. Then, arthritis, depression, fibromyalgia....to name a few other things set in and with all the steroids they were feeding me, I ballooned up to 303lbs. Within 15 months. I went from traveling the world, to walking on a walker. I live in Pensacola FL., and there's the most beautiful, gentle, patient staff of nutritionists, and drs where I was referred to that they feel like family. My dr even gave me his cellphone number and said to call him if I ever just needed to VENT. I went through the 6 months process of relearning how to eat right. I lost 15 lbs cutting back to 1500 calories, 65oz water and my protein shakes, and oct 4,2016 was my surgery day. That morning I weighed in at 289. The liquid diet wasn't my hardest thing because I lost my appetite for food. Once I put it in my mind that I wanted to get this weight off, it melted off. When I went for my 3 month, I had lost 65lbs. My walker was gone, the pain in my knees was gone. The dr had to look back at my last photo to make sure that was me. He literally cried because I came to him almost dead. I wanted to die the way my life had changed. I never thought I'd see myself under 200lbs again and like you, I didn't set a goal weight. I wanted to get to whatever looks good to me. And I have stopped at 160. I like me curves. My breast had gotten up to 52DDD. But now my dr has referred me to a plastic surgeon for a reduction and lift because of back and neck pain and insurance is paying. That's my only issue now and I'm done. We all have stories and you will to. It maybe hard for the next couple of days. My surgery was quick, he repaired a hernia I didn't even know was there, but painless. My ONLY complaint now, which is the biggest 1, is I've developed chronic constipation and it is horrible. I've been to specialists and they've tried almost everything. Nothing works, and I may need a corrective procedure. But everyone is different. You're in my prayers tonight. I am in Paris at the moment, and it's 250am here. I know without this surgery, I would've never gotten the chance to travel again. God's got your back. Bless you

The stomach flu visited my house this weekend. 1 child, my hubby and me, all while planning a birthday party. I managed well, trying to stay hydrated and sane and it all worked out in the end. I had my follow up appts today. My endo jad to lower my synthroid..it seems I'm slightly over active. But I have no negative symptoms, sonwe came to a compromise. I get skip 1 day of dosage. Saw mu surgeon today. Ive lost 52lbs since surgery. (My scale says 60 :-) ) His scale 230 My scale 227 we also started counting at different times. He says I'm halfway there which would put me at 178? I read the weight chart in his office and "ideal" weight range for me would be 132 ish to 144. But I would be more than happy at 175. Anyway for those counting (me) Highest weight 287 Current weight 227

Quick update: down to 234.6 as of this morning. Had no appetite until dinner tonight so will prob lose a little more. I haven't been 100 percent good. More like 75. I seem to hit a stall every 3 weeks but I'm noticing my body change even on days..especially on days that I dont lose weight. For example, my tummy shrunk and my legs that were jiggly one day are back to solid :-) Heres hoping for minimal loose skin. Hair loss: started at around 6 to 8 weeks. I have a thyroid condition so I'm no stranger to hair loss, ans I was blessed with a lot of hair so not totally upset. It is annoying tho because I she hair at the worst moments, like cooking or at work. Stress is paet of life and I'm not handling it well. Fighting the urge to quit my job. With the surgery I lost my coping mechanisms and am searching for new ones. So far I've go lt cooking, music, and organizing. Thanksgiving came and went. I did so much cooking and was only able to eat a few bites. That was depressing, watching everyone eat. On the upside. L, at least I lost weight during the holidays..thats a first. My pantss are lose everywhere but my belly and I'm still a size 16 pant down from 18 and a 1x shirt down from 3x. I always wear 1 size bigger to hide my belly. People are really noticing my weight loss and commenting.akes me very shy and self conscious. While my surgery is not a secret Im not exactly shouting it fro the rooftop lol. I tell people privately to avoid a big discussion. Anyway, guess not a short ipdate after all. Hope everyone is doing well.

It's starting to feel really real right now. My pre op diet starts tomorrow and my last meal was a salad! I have a bunch of liquids and some Premier protien shakes for tomorrow and I'm waiting on my Amazon delivery of actual protein powder in the next few days. Highest weight was 286 and current weight is 284.4 I have my pre surgical testing tomorrow morning. Sent from my SM-G930T using BariatricPal mobile app

Hi Kelly, I was 2 weeks post op on Friday the 12th. I was in moderate pain for the first week. I found it hard to lie down so I slept in a chair for the first week. My incisions felt swollen and hot to the touch so it hurt to get up and sit down but that goes away after a couple of days. You cannot drive for a week. I had my proceedure done at ST. Rapheal's in New Haven by Dr. Valin. He made me stay out of work for two weeks. I went back Friday. Banded 9/12 Start Weight: 251 Current Weight: 239

I went thru 4 ivfs so put my body thru a menopausal state 4 times and my body loves to hold onto fat! Before the last ivf, i convinced dh to let me have a smart lipo procedure on my tummy so the meds could work better (they did, I had twins). My hubby mistook the lipo for weight loss and said basically I was still fat and I'm never to have that type of surgery again. My recovery was tough and he was worried (?) anyway, I need help, I want to get the sleeve and get in with life and run after my kids without having a breathing attack. I want to be open about the surgery and my desire for it, but it'll cost 12000 out of pocket. I'm afraid he'll think I'm doing one of my silly weight loss things again. I don't think he'll appreciate the reasons to do it and we'll tell me to diet and exercise. Any advice? Sent from my SM-G860P using the BariatricPal App

I was banded on 12-20 and am now starting to feel hungry. The first few days I was not hungry at all, I had a hard time getting in everything I needed too. After about 4 days I started feeling hunger pains, but they were quickly eased with sf Jello or sf popsicle. I've started to really feel hungry (and stay hungry) today.. I know what the problem is though, I'm not getting in all of my Protein and need to work on that. Even though I "stay" feeling hungry if I try to eat something... like applesauce or pureed fruits I am only able to eat small amounts and feel satisfied. The satisfaction however, is not lasting as long. I have an appointment on Monday with my nutritionist and I think I will be able to movie to pureed protein (tuna fish, chicken in a can) and am so looking forward to this!! I hope you get some relief soon from the hunger. Hang in there, it will get better!! I'm 12 days post op and have lost 12.4 lbs. The weight loss is well worth the hunger!!

This OTC diet pill has just been approved by the FDA and is expected to be in stores before the month is out. It will cost about $2.00 a day, and help users lose about 50% more weight, provided they follow a reduced fat diet and exercise regularly. Alli Diet Pill (pronounced all eye)Review SummaryIf you haven’t yet heard of the diet pill Alli, it’s likely that you soon will. Although at time of print, the FDA has yet to approve this new over-the-counter weight loss aid, its manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline has already taken to the Internet to promote it. Alli actually uses the same active ingredient as another diet pill, Xenical, but it is a half dose. However, unlike Xenical, which is typically prescribed only to the dangerously obese, Alli would be available to anyone who wanted assistance losing weight. The shelves of health food stores and pharmacies are already incredibly crowded with product that promise to help dieters lose weight fast. We will carefully examine this product in order to determine whether or not it truly lives up to its promises. Ingredients at a GlanceAs discussed, Alli contains the same substance as Xenical, which is orlistat. Ingredients In FocusThe primary function of orlistat is to prevent the absorption of fats from the diet, thus reducing caloric intake. It works by inhibiting an enzyme in the pancreas that is responsible for breaking down tryglycerides in the intestine. Without the enzyme, fats are prevented from becoming absorbable and may then be excreted undigested. It is estimated that the drug blocks approximately 25% of all fat in the diet. While most of the oils are eliminated as waste in the normal way, some unpleasant side effects may include gas, incontinence, and oily spotting. These effects are obviously quite uncomfortable and inconvenient at times, and have caused some individuals to think twice about taking this drug. Diet LifestyleAlthough Alli is still awaiting FDA approval, there is already quite a storm of controversy surrounding it. Many individuals believe that even though Alli is half as strong as Xenical, that it should still only be used under the guidance of a physician because of the possible side effects. Others believe that it will simply enforce the “quick fix” mentality that many individuals already have about weight loss. Rather than enduring uncomfortable and possibly embarrassing side effects in order to eliminate some of the fat from one’s diet, many dieters may agree that it is far easier and safer to simply consumer less fat and fewer calories to begin with. An all-natural appetite suppressant like hoodia gordonii has been shown to help control cravings and reduce total calorie intake. Positives• When/if approved, it may be available over the counter • Half as strong as Xenical Negatives• May cause unpleasant side effects for some • Website does not post testimonials • No free trial sample available • As of this writing, still not approved by the FDA Final ThoughtsIt is easy to see why many people would be enthusiastic about a product that allows you to reduce your total calorie intake without actually eating less. Of course, the results would be much improved if you do make certain dietary changes. For this reason, many experts believe that Alli is still best used under the supervision of a doctor. Fortunately, supplements containing hoodia gordonii offer an excellent alternative to prescription drugs. In addition to controlling the appetite, they can also help to boost energy levels, helping you get more out of your visits to the gym or not.

Hi Im Dee, Im 4 years out, my lowest weight was 113, Im stable at 115. Welcome. Your right it takes work. And when we (for whatever reason) don't or cant work it, it catches up really fast (damnit all to heck). So So So happy your reaching out, before your OUT of control and just say THE HELL WITH IT. yay hang out, have a glass of tomato juice, pull up an ottoman..lol

Oh sorry you did ask a question. You and I are only 5 months apart. So basically were at the same stage. Go back to the beginning where you started in MAINTANANCE. cuz that's when the "Honeymoon' phase ended. One awesome thing about this pouch is..it has the ability to make you lose weight quickly if you start behaving properly again...love thattt!!!.., Go back and follow your maintenance rules, That's why food logging is so important...I've give my self a 10 lb leeway, 10 lbs up Im still ok, but need to BACK IT UP...10 down ( happens when I going going going, busy busy busy, and not eating enough food for weeks). The 10 lbs either way gives me a instant alarm to PAY ATTENENTION DEE, your body's in distress!!!! I always jump back to my shakes & Snacks and up my exercise time in the gym or whatever, I like to walk, ALOT to the beat of my music..and I like Katy Perry!!!...lolol

Do not give up girl! I remember running back and forth to my primary for recommendations and paperwork to give to my surgeon so they can submit it! My primary even made a graph showing my yearly weight gain. Insurances are never easy but you break em sooner or later! Good luck you'll be fine!!!! Let us know your surgery date;)