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It's all gonna work out. You will be shipshape in no time and ready to howl at the moon. Stay on your eating plan for each stage and rock the weight loss. It's going to exciting for you. Have fun with it. Great times ahead.

Welcome to LapBankTalk! 60 lbs. is great progress. You are over half way there! I am too and, to some extent, it's freaking me out a bit. Maintenance scares me more than the weight loss portion.

Did anyone feel guilty before being banded? I have these feelings that I should be losing weight on my own, that the money could be better spent somewhere else (I'm self-pay) and that I'm selfish for wanting to do this. My husband is very supportive and just wants me to be happy. On the other hand, I think ... are these thoughts just my way of sabatoging (sp?) myself like I have on sooo many diets?

Was banded on May 23, 2012. My surgeon says he gives everyone their first fill at 4 weeks. I've been on regular food for almost 2 weeks and I'm still losing weight (2-4lb per week). My question is if I'm losing more weight than is recommended per week do I really need this fill?

Manda 87 amen to that. Couple years ago my office was moved from one end of the building to the other. And by building I mean 3 enormous factories that were connected to make one collosal building. I sat as far away from the cafe as you could get. After that move I started buying a breakfast sandwich at Dunkin Donuts every day; which was also pretty expensive. I started buying low fat breakfast sandiches by weight watchers and lost probably 10 pounds from that alone.

As far as being treated differently goes I wonder how much of it IS that some of us are being treated differently (better) and how much of it is our perception. I am guessing its a little of both. I know that for me, I am always thinking that people are judging or being critical of me. I walk into a room and think people are judging me and making assumptions about me based on my weight.

I know how you feel, I feel that way with regard to my DH. He has a smaller weight problem than I had, his BMI is probably 32 or so, but that's enough to get banded in Australia, particularly since he has high blood pressure. He's got a weight problem not because he overeats, but because he spends an hour and half in the car to get to work, sits at a desk all day and then spends an hour and a half in the car to get home. He has to do all those stupid business lunches and drinks and Australian culture is so "blokey" - men do not refuse to drink and eat salads at a business lunch. He never overdoes it but they're still high calorie meals. Not to mention the fact that being the accountant he is, we spent the $3,000 to get me banded becuase he knew how much it meant to me but he would never in a million years spend that kind of money on himself when it could be paid off the mortgage. And since he doesnt eat that much anyway, and basically sticks to healthy food, I suspect he'd be a slow slow loser as a bandster. His problem is more that he needs to get not only more exercise but more incidental activity and he seriously probably needs to do some huge weights work to pack some muscle on to try to lift his metabolism. But he doesnt have the time. I seriously feel guilty for spending the money and the time I've spent on myself. The hours I spend exercising are indulgent - the house goes uncleaned and errands go undone because I place more value on myself. Which is fine, but my husband doesnt get the same opportunity.

I could not disagree with these sentiments more. Most people with gastric sleeve are going to be expected to be doing light exercise as soon as they leave the hospital, will be cleared for moderate cardio at 2-3 weeks out and generally be cleared for a full weight training regiment at 6 weeks or so. The only reason for any limitation at all is the increased risk of a hernia developing in the first 6 weeks of surgery. Lightheadedness is a function of dehydration not lack of available calories. Thankfully being obese we all have an abundant reserve of "fuel" to power our exercise routine, so at this stage you don't really have to worry about a caloric deficit from exercise (just make sure you are getting sufficient protein and more importantly liquid in your diet).

I take Celebrex for arthritis, my wife had severe bouts of FM when we met, we got it under control for a long time, now that she has gained weight and not lost very much I notice more frequent flare ups but with rest and meds it's still manageable, I think there is a definite correlation between weight, activity and FM, she recently got a part time job and has lost some weight and the flare ups are subsiding, but still takes meds.....

I have fibromyalgia, and take Cymbalta for help with symptom relief. It helps but I certainly still have my share of ups and downs. I'm curious to know if any of my fellow fibro-sleevers have experienced changes/decreases in their pain levels since being sleeved? I'm pre-op, and really hoping my symptoms will decrease as my weight goes down! Thanks in advance ☺️

Gotta love the internet. You can find any answers there. http://ezinearticles.com/?Bad-Breath---How-to-Lose-Weight-Without-Getting-Bad-Breath&id=925480 Many people in the past few years have found great weight loss success by following the low-carb, high-Protein diet plans such as Atkins, South Beach, and many more. There is a lot of scientific basis for this- carbs break down as sugar in your system and are often stored as excess fat. However, these plans left people wondering how to lose weight without getting bad breath, since this seemed to be a common side effect of these programs. To really understand how to lose weight without getting bad breath, you need to understand what is happening on these diet programs to cause it in the first place. When the body has excessive protein in the system, it finds it very hard to break down and digest. This is actually one of the reasons that these high-protein plans worked- the body feels fuller longer when eating protein because it's working harder to digest it. Breaking down this protein is one of the reasons that there is usually bad breath, as the digestive system is often reflected in the breath. Think of when you eat onions or garlic- can you not tell that on your breath for hours afterward? However, just knowing that this is what is happening does not tell you how to lose weight without getting bad breath! Let's explore that a bit further. If you are following a high-protein diet, there may not be much you can actually do to stop that chemical process from happening and from being reflected in your breath. However, in order to consider how to lose weight without getting bad breath, you may consider some steps you can take to help eliminate the resultant odor. Many people have found that chewing peppermint leaves and parsley help to cut down on the odor coming from their mouths during digestion. Making sure you get plenty of Water also helps, as this aids in digestion and keeps your mouth moist. Another key in how to lose weight without getting this is to take care of your oral hygiene. Make sure you are flossing to get the food particles out from between your teeth, and rinse well with a good mouthwash. Keep some gum on hand at all times. You can learn how to lose weight without getting bad breath, if you are willing to take these few extra steps to take care of your mouth along the way.

OK, I am almost 2 years post op and I have only lost about 35 lbs. Now this is good BUT I still need to loose about 40-50 more. I have recently been told that my espohagus has stretched and so I got a little fluid removed. I go back in 3 months to see if it has gotten any better or not. I have learned how to snack again and am not making the good choices that I once did. Does anyone have advice to help me get back on track?? I have even thought of going back to Weight Watchers again and I really do not want to. As many of you I have been there too many times!

This is my understanding based on research and observation/logic. Different goals and constraints influence dietary guidelines. Before surgery: lose weight with a large stomach (need to fill it up with bulk--veggies, whole grains, etc in addition to protein). No problem staying hydrated and is a good time to ween off of caffeine, sugar, etc. Immediately before surgery: shrink liver (low carb, high Protein but still need nutrition for surgery so Meal Replacement shakes). Still need a lot of Water. Surgery: clear liquids (clear out digestive tract) and then nothing. Post surgery: very small and traumatized body and digestive tract (need water and protein with very limited room and capacity to take it in. Healing: see post surgery plus need to worry about texture to facilitate healing Ongoing: smaller stomach (although larger than immediately post surgery) so limited room to get nutrition so focus on water, protein Sorry for the short notes (I'm on my phone).

congrats!!! The worst is over!!! can't wait to see that weight fall off!

By Elizabeth Goodman Artis (Shape Magazine) We dissect the science of fat to help you pick the smartest strategies for losing it. Fat is the ultimate three-letter word, especially the kind that you spend so much time watching your diet and hitting the gym to keep at bay (or at least to keep off your butt). But beyond making you look less-than-svelte, fat can have significant physical and emotional implications. We talked to Shawn Talbott, Ph.D., a nutritional biochemist and author of The Secret of Vigor: How to Overcome Burnout, Restore Biochemical Balance, and Reclaim Your Natural Energy, to find out a few essential facts that might surprise you. 1. Fat Comes in Different Colors More specifically, there are different types of fat that have different hues and functions, according to Talbott: white, brown, and beige. The white fat is what most people think of as fat—pale and useless. Useless in that it has a low metabolic rate so it doesn’t help you burn any calories the way muscle does, and it’s the predominant type of fat in the human body, encompassing more than 90 percent of it. In other words, it’s a storage unit for extra calories. Brown fat is darker in color due to a rich blood supply and can actually burn calories rather than storing them—but only if you’re a rat (or other mammal); certain critters can activate brown fat to burn calories and generate heat to keep them warm in winter. Humans, sadly, have so little brown fat that it won’t help you burn calories or keep you warm. The third type of fat, beige fat, is in between white and brown in terms of its calorie-burning ability, which is actually very exciting. Why? Because researchers are looking into ways to shift white fat cells into more metabolically active beige ones via diet and exercise or supplements. In fact, there is preliminary evidence that certain hormones which are activated by exercise may convert white fat cells into beige ones, as well as some evidence that certain foods such as brown seaweed, licorice root, and hot peppers may have the ability to do this as well. 2. The Fat On Your Butt is Healthier than the Fat on Your Belly It’s probably safe to say that no woman favors the fat on one body part over another, but it’s actually safer health-wise to be more of a pear than an apple, Talbott says. Belly fat, also known as visceral fat, is much more responsive to the stress hormone cortisol compared to the fat on your thighs or butt, so when stress hits hard (and you don’t find a healthy way to handle it), any extra calories consumed are more likely to end up around your middle. Belly fat is also much more inflammatory than fat located elsewhere in the body and can create its own inflammatory chemicals (as a tumor would). These chemicals travel to the brain and make you hungry and tired, so you’re more likely to overeat or eat junk food and not exercise, thus creating a vicious cycle and perpetuating the storage of more belly fat. The good news is that anything that helps you reduce inflammation helps reduce those signals to the brain. Talbott recommends fish oil (for the Omega 3’s) and Probiotics, which you can take in pill form or get by eating yogurt with active cultures. 3. First You Burn Calories, Second You Burn Fat The term “fat-burning” is thrown around willy-nilly in fitness circles, but as an expression of weight loss, it’s indirect. Before you “burn” fat, you burn calories, whether those calories come from stored carbohydrates (glycogen and blood sugar) or from stored body fat. The more calories you burn during each workout, the bigger deficit you will create and the more fat you will lose. You can also create a calorie deficit by eating less. The trick, though, is time, since it’s hard for most people to put in the time needed to burn enough calories to make a weight-loss dent. Talbott (and many other experts) advocates high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to burn as many calories as possible in as short amount of time as possible. This method, which alternates between hard/easy efforts, can burn double the calories in the same amount of time spent exercising in a steady state. 4. Fat Affects Your Mood Certainly there is no easier way to ruin your day than seeing you’ve gone up a few numbers on the scale, but having excess fat—especially around your belly—activates that inflammation/cortisol cycle, which studies show may be a factor in serious mood disorders like bipolar disorder. If you’re stuck in a stress/eat/gain/stress cycle, however, you’re likely to experience at least a perpetually low mood, even if you don’t have an actual clinical condition. To help break the cycle, try eating a square of dark chocolate, suggests Talbott; there is just enough sugar to satisfy a stress-induced craving, but the healthy flavonoids help calm inflammation that leads to more stress. Low-fat dairy products like yogurt can have a similar effect—the combination of Calcium and magnesium can help calm the stress response. 5. Even Skinny People Can Have Cellulite The dreaded c-word is caused by fat trapped under the skin (known as subcutaneous fat). The overlying skin "dimples" are created by connective tissues that tie the skin to the underlying muscle, with fat trapped in between like a sandwich. You don’t need a lot of fat to cause a dimpling effect, so you can be in great shape and have low body fat but still have a little pocket of dimpled fat, for example, on your butt or the backs of your thighs. Building muscle while losing fat (and the fat loss part is key—you have to have it to lose) can help minimize the appearance of cellulite; cellulite-specific creams and lotions can also help minimize the look of dimpled skin (though they can’t do anything about the trapped fat beneath).

Being nervous is perfectly normal. The days leading up to surgery were exciting and scary at the same time. I almost backed out of surgery the night before and the morning of surgery. On surgery day, I sat in admitting thinking "I could leave right now and I'll only be out $500." Then I looked over at my husband who was equally scared as I was. We didn't say anything to each other - I don't even think we made eye contact. I just looked at him and knew this was something I had to do. I made the choice to walk down the hall and get things started. I am so thankful I didn't let fear win in that moment. I'm 18 months out and am finally living the life I was meant to live. My weight and food no longer rule my thoughts and my world. I'm happy and content. I smile A LOT now. I am active in my own life and not just in the physical sense. I'm more engaged with my family and friends. I'm a better wife, mom, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, etx. I got a promotion at work - I don't think because I'm skinnier, I think because I carry myself a different way - I'm more confident, I'm not pissed off at the world all the time and I am more calm. I feel better physically - no more aches and pains. I do hot yoga 4-5 times a week, I hike, I work out at the gym, I like being active. I have a goal to do a 5K every month until November and I made a goal to log 1000 miles in 2015. I feel attractive to my husband - he never said anything about my weight, but one time I remember asking, "How can you possibly find me the least bit attractive?" Was it all sunshine and lollipops the past 18 months? Hell no! It was hard work filled with anxiety, second guessing my decision to have surgery, tears, anger, frustration, etc. It's been hard - I was not emotionally prepared to make this journey; I had not addressed my emotional issues towards food. I had to address those issues while recovering from surgery which was very hard. There are still days where I wish I could sit down to a bowl full of Pasta and awesome crusty bread slathered in butter and just go to town, but those days are fewer and farther between than they used to. This surgery is a life changer...for me it was one of the biggest decisions I had ever made in my life. Now, 18 months later, I know that short of marrying my husband and having my son, it was the best decision I could have made for al of us. Best of luck to you. You're down the home stretch! Let us know how you're doing...

Lupe, What other methods of losing weight have you tried? I think most of us....well, let me speak for myself, have tried just about everything. When I went for my consultation and the doctor went through a list of weight loss mehods, there were only 2 of them that I did not try, NutriSystems and Optifast. I'm actually one of the lucky ones who were on Phen/Fen amd didn't get hurt. People like me are the ones who have this surgery. If you are planning to self pay, I guess you don't have to prove that you tried just about everything. But if you are planning on doing it through insurance your BMI must be a certain number to qualify and you have to prove you've tried to diet in the past usually through a doctor.

breakfast - 1 hard boiled egg lunch - cucumber and dill hummas with cucumber slices, honey roasted turkey meat snack - vanilla low fat ice cream with caramel sauce dinner - beef fried rice I AM NAUGHTY MCNAUGHTYNAUGHTY! i have no trouble eating ANYTHING. that knowledge is very dangerous. i emailed TODAY and requested a fill appointment. i WILL NOT gain this weight back!!!

Hi SB...I was originally scheduled to have my sleeve on January 24th. My sister who lives on the West Coast had hers on Jan 20th so we were pretty excited that we were doing it at the same time. As the time got closer and closer, I was freaking out. I couldnt sleep at night and I was so angry, thinking that I was going to have to eat the rest of my life like the post op liquid diet. I was SOOOO hungry. My husband and I went shopping one night and he looked at me and said, you really look like you've lost weight. I had lost about 10lbs on the pre op diet. That was like the straw that broke the camels back. We went out to dinner and I had a steak, loaded baked potato, salad and Pepsi and decided that since I had lost weight without surgery, then I could continue. Umm hmm. Needless to say, by March, I had gained 8 of the 10lbs back. My sister had lost 60lbs by the time I finally had my surgery on April 25th. My surgery went very smoothly, I vomited once when I came out of the anesthesia, and I was VERY sore. For me it felt like Chuck Norris went to town inside me. Getting up and sitting down were the worst, but I was released the next evening which was a Thu and Sat I went to WalMart grocery shopping. That was a little too much for me, lol, I had to go wait in the car for my husband to finish, but my recovery was pretty good. Now I'm 6 weeks out and have lost 30lbs, and I actually feel really good. The worst thing I could have done was cancel my surgery like I did. I wish with all my heart that I would have gotten it done in January. Imagine how far along I would be now. I'm in a good place now though and am so happy that I went through with it. PS, my sisters down 76lbs now

GOOD but i did see some jokes about that one congressman whose over weight - and they fun the made about him I do wonder sometimes folks that have so much money WHY not? I am so happy my insurance will pick up most of it, i have no clue why people in show biz or folks w money do not handle the weight problems. BUT I did see the story of Merv Griffin, He lost weight for his carreer, as a singer, before he became talk show host. And Oprah? what you waiting on girl?- I pray all goes well for myself and eveybody in here with thier WLS

WOW, you are doing so well. That's a lot of weight loss! Keep it up, and best of luck with your surgery.

Hey everyone! I'm a college student, sophomore to be exact, and I was sleeved in July 2012. So, I was wondering, who else on here is a college student??? I'd love to meet some people who can kind of relate to some of the struggles of being a weight loss surgery patient and being in school. Thanks, look forward to hearing from some people!

maybe this will make people look at lap band a little better, they can see how hard he is working at it and it is not a magic pill for weight loss. way to go corey!

I'm sorry it didn't work for you. As with all WLS, none of them work for everyone. I've met many people on here that absolutely love their bands and a couple that it simply didn't work for. Likewise, I've known people to love other WLS and some who've gained back literally hundreds after a radical procedure like Gastric Bypass. I hope the Sleeve works for you. It definitely seems like the next logical step to me- I'd do the same in your shoes.

Kicking this back up, because I would like to hear about this too. I think a lot of it has to to do with nature -- what your skin resiliency is, and then how fast we lose weight, how much we have to lose, how much muscle we build, all comes into it, doesn't it? I'm expecting a lot of hanging skin, unfortunately