Search the Community

I'm scheduled for VGS 5/19/2020. Anyone start to panic approaching their date? What did you do to calm it? Did you back out? Or did you go through with it and regret? Or were you happy you did it? I'm between just ignoring it and calling off my surgery. Every night I get closer, my sleep gets worse. Only thing stopping me from canceling is I've put this off for 2.5 years and I'm out of the 3 year approval window. I've literally rescheduled 3 times already since 2018. Only reason I can do it is COVID messed up the surgery date I had in April. If I back out now, I have to start all over again and I barley qualified the first time around. But I'm seriously wondering if this is the stupidest idea I've ever had and I should just let it go. It's not like I can't drop it. I just pile it back on. Maybe that's OK? I'm thinking, I'll keep the date and if I just can't, I can't. Better to march forward than to back out. I have 10 days. Anyone else freak out like this?

That should be 10 lbs

Hi i knoe exactly what school you went to. and thank u. i used to live in houston texas and it was hot and humod didnt like it. i love cali. lol i had surgery sept 19, 2013 and nov 11 had my first fill of 4cc but had no restriction i just got another fill this week and i got 2cc for a total of 6cc and still no restriction my weighloss is super slow im down 40 lbs since surgery and at my last appointment i found out i have a 14cc band of all the forums i read alot of people have a 10cc band. what size band do you have and how long did it take to get to ur sweet spot?

I had 6 tiny incisions and they bothered me getting up from bed. It was a pulling soreness kind of thing. A single larger incision is likely to hurt a bit more, especially once the powerful meds wear off. I am only saying this because I had a C-section with my 3rd baby. A little discomfort is to me expected but severe pain is not normal. In my opinion, anything extreme should be called in to the doctor. Focus on telling them exactly what your symptoms are. Be as to the point as you can. Rate the pain on a scale of 1 to 10 and make sure they take you seriously. Where you advised to take pain medication? Good luck!

Now that I am thin and leaving the house more than I used to, I'm trying to update my wardrobe. The clothes part is going okay but I decided I wanted a pair of ankle boots to wear with jeans instead of my trainers or loafers. I have tried on ten or twelve pairs and all of them make my legs look like saplings growing out of a bucket. Am I trying on the wrong styles? Do I want a bootie instead (they all seem to have spiky heels which frighten me with their height). I don't want UGGs or western but something stylish with not too high a heel that kind of hugs the ankle but is loose enough to stuff in leggings or jeans. I am 57, 5'8" and weigh 137. I wear size 6 clothes but I have size 10 feet. I have come to depend on the stylish folks on this forum to help me make these puzzling decisions. Do you have any advice?

When you feel in your gut what you are and then dynamically pursue it - don't back down and don't give up - then you're going to mystify a lot of folks. Bob Dylan

So I started my weight loss journey at 144 kgs, and came to 95 10 years ago, since then i have been very active and maintained it, but in the last two years, i went to 110, but brought my self down to 105, from here i literally threw up any solid food or even liquid, i try to push food down with water and for the last couple of years living like this. the country i live in now we don't have specialists for biatrics so i cannot get this checked. But i feel that either my band is too tight or it has slipped, i have lost 10 kgs in the last year, 5 kgs in the last 2 months, and this is unexplained weight loss, i am eating everything, choclates, burgers, regular food, but i feel i cannot keep anything in, in my mind i am eating and keeping it in, but it doesn't explain the weight loss, yes i throw up (planned) a lot, i feel i am stuck and don't know what to do..what steps can i take to fix this?

The orientation was very informational. They talked in depth about the rny, sleeve and briefly about the lap band. A nutritionist came in at the end and spoke for 20 minutes about what our diet should be like starting today. If we want to go forth with surgery we have to lose about 10% of our weight. They use our highest weight recorded and every pound after that counts! I set up a consultation right after the orientation for the end of the month to meet with my surgeon, dietician and coordinator. Are you going through kaiser?

Hey man...I am not losing weight on a regular basis right now. I was sleeved Sept 16 and dropped about 60 lbs in the first 2 to 2.5 months. I started hitting the gym in November and lifting weights. I think I'm swapping the fat with muscle. I'll go for 3-4 weeks and not lose any weight. Then..I drop like 10 lbs..and don't lose any more for a while again. However, my waist has gone from a 54 to a 48..and almost about to grab a 46. Shirts have gone from 4XL to 3XL and I even wear a few 2XL now. The reward from this...and how great I feel...I stopped worrying about the scale. I'm 6 months post op; down 105 pounds; have the sex drive and stamina of a 25 year old; and feel like one big stud right now!! Lol!!! The weight will come off. I like the toning at the gym!

Wow!! I never knew how many people commented on this one! I am sorry to be out of touch. The hunger is still there and I am 10 months out. I can definitely eat a lot more than I could in the beginning. Sometimes it scares me how much I can eat. Carbs tend to take up a lot of room in my stomach (rice, bread, pasta) so I try not to eat as much of those so I can focus on Protein. Drinking Water and exercising has been quite helpful for me!! I can exercise I a lot more now since I am so much smaller. It is the only thing that helps, especially, since I felt so HUNGRY at about 1 months until about 8 months. I am 93 lbs down since 4/3/15, which was date of surgery. Dr. Sudan's team at the hospital is marvelous! I had such a great experience there, the nurses are wonderful and everyone is so nice. Every visit I have had to Sudans office post op has been very good, he always says I am right on target! Billing at that office has been a bit of a dilemma, just never pay a bill if you have a question! Make sure to stay on them about it! I have had to, but it might be that I have duke insurance. Good luck with your surgery! You will do awesome! Just remember to ask questions, if you need to. I felt like such a failure because I was hungry all the time. I do not know if it was head hunger or not, somedays are better than others. I now get hungry but not quite like it was. I had this conception that I wouldn't feel this hunger anymore... that I would be like Scarlett O'Hara and never be hungry again! Alas, it was quite different from what I thought! But in reality I find that if I exercise as much as possible, like 4 to 5 times weekly and push the water, I do much better. As for my diet I do a low sugar (by choice, because it sends me on a roller coaster ride of emotions) (low sugar for me is NO white, raw or processed sugar, fruit is okay, very little honey, I try to stay below 5 grams per serving, with natural sugar only), high protein (chicken, fish, Beans, I don't eat red meat or piggies by choice) But I have NO issues with any foods, besides foods that have high fructose corn syrup in them, those will send you to the bathroom with promises of "never again"!! I wish that I had done low sugar from the beginning like 3 months out. I only started that at about 8 months. The low sugar has helped me substantially, emotionally and physically. I think my cravings for for food or that hunger that I felt so much was the sugar wreaking havoc on my body!! I am a sugar addict, I was before and I will always be. Thank you for responding, everyone! It really does feel like I have come so much further than I think some days, because reading through this and how different I feel now. I will update my profile with new pictures too!! Again, good luck! Feel free to contact me on here too if you wish!!

I can't argue with the cost issue - I think it is usual here for insurance to include lapband and VSG, but not everyone is insured, and then public hospital waiting times are long for things like this. A great many things in life are a trade off between cost and safety or cost and comfort, sadly. I have previously asked my surgeon why he keeps his patients in hospital so long (although i was personally v pleased to have it done that way) and his reply was (in part) that Gastrectomy is done for lots of reasons, not just weight loss - cancer/tumours and ulcers on the fundus can lead to an op that is a lot like VSG. It is standard to keep patients for those ops in hospital for 3-10 days... And I have seen those same times quoted on US websites too. He went on to say that many VSG patients have higher blood pressure, sleep apnea or other issues that put them in a higher risk category than the average person and he prefers more conservative treatment. And finally that it reduces the risk of complications and increases patient comfort. All very sound reasons to me. Someone said earlier in this post that the OP should discuss with her dr and be sure she is comfortable with his reasons for discharging her on day 1... Specifically why he thinks this is right for her, not just "right"... And then the OP can decide what she needs to feel comfortable undergoing the op. I think that's good advice. It's worth shopping around too, as longer days in hospital don't always mean greater cost - well where I live they don't. Every clinic I spoke to charged the same "out of pocket " cost - Insurance companies in Australia can only insure up to 85% of of a govt determined cost for a particular service - the doctor can charge more (and most do) and the "gap" between the insurance payout and the cost gets bigger... and the patient has to pay. Bariatric surgery is very competitive these days, and you too may find doctors are charging similar end costs to ensure their share of the market If you pay the same and get less care and follow up the doctor is pocketing the difference as profit. More care and follow up and he's investing in your health. It's always worth asking around.

Iv had testriction from day one but the doc also put 2 cc in at time of surgery! 4 weeks out got my first fill now im due for another and i can tell my band is ready! And so am i! I go in friday! Thatll put me at 6cc in my 10 cc band! Good luck! ' FEELIN IT '

I went today to have my free initial consultation with 1 of 2 groups I intend to go to their seminars before deciding on a surgeon. (Baptist & Vanderbilt if any of you are from Nashville) The initial consult just basically gives you info before the seminar and what you must do to get approved. I have Aetna insurance that requires either a 6 month weight loss program or a 90 day prep for surgery program. After reading some of the literature, I have some questions that I need to resolve and hoping this group can help guide me. I have been over 40 BMI for at least 5 years. 19 months ago I had a baby. I don't go to a PCP regularly as I don't get sick often. I do go for my annual gyno visits. (and they check weight, tell me to lose weight etc. ) If I am sick I typically go to the minute clinic. Amazingly for a 45.3 BMI, I am healthy but my concern is in the long run, I know I am at high risk for diabetes, heart disease, etc. as it is in my family and during my pregnancy I developed gestational diabetes and hypertension. (Luckily the diabetes went away postpartum) My biggest question, do I need to go get a PCP just to have them refer to me a surgeon and give their blessing for this surgery? Or do most centers have staff who will follow you for the 90 day surgery prep? Do you think there will be a problem with my weight history if two of the last years included a time when I was pregnant? Thanks in advance for your help. I intend to call and ask more questions tomorrow so I can decide what next... jenn

Well things are moving right along!!! I was supposed to attend a 6 week nutrition course 1 hr. 15min away that was only available on Thursday mornings and started the 2nd week in October, but I don't have a babysitter and was really starting to worry - WELL, I actually found a nutritionist 5 minutes away that specializes in Bariatic pre and post-op nutrition and my surgeon ok'd this as acceptable!! WHOO-HOO! Since this class is 1 on 1, it should only take 2 sessions which would make my surgery alot sooner. I meet with her MONDAY at 10! I am really starting to feel I am getting somewhere!! Just had to share my joy!

This support group is for the KC area LGBT community offer support for bariatric surgery patients. This is a safe place to share motivation, encouragement, recipes, and exercise tips. kclgbtbariatric@yahoo.com . We’re on FACEBOOK! 2-20-10 11:00 to 12:30 Meeting place: Antioch Library 8700 Shawnee Mission PKWY Merriam, Kan. 66202

I'm trying to figure out where the port sight is, haven't been in for a fill yet. I thought it was where my scar is, but last couple days my side has been hurting up higher like right under my rib and feels all tight . I had been walking ok, but yesterday it hurt so bad I almost couldn't finish my walk. Keep hoping I'm just paranoid. Banded 12-28-10 still have 3 more weeks before I go back to the doctor.

Hey chin up!! I've been banded since April 23rd. I've lost nearly 50 pounds, but the doctor says the more you have to lose the faster it come off in the beginning, But I will say, I did go 1 week only losing 1 pounds and I too was very bummed. Have you tried using a journal for what you eat. You may find you're eating a lot of calories, or fats or carbs and not realizing it. everything I eat gets noted in Fitness Pal primarily so I can keep track of my Protein. But you may be surprised. Supposedly the average weight loss is 1 - 2 pounds per week. So 12 pounds in 10 days is SUPER!!! I didn't really feel much restriction until my 3rd fill (last week) now I can hardly eat 1/2c of anything. So be patient, restriction is coming like no tomorrow lol

I was sleeved on May 1st. Starting weight was 246 Current is 171. Im 5'11" and 38 years old. I couldn't be happier. My BMI in normal. People tell me I'm long and lanky! I love that! I wear a 10/12 and large shirts! I can wrap a pool towel around me! I can see my belly button. I don't mind if my husband runs his hands down my back cause I don't have back fat! Sex is better! Sure I would love to have a flat stomach! But will I? probably not! I have had 3 kids! Do I worry about my hair! Yes it's so thin! I take my vitamins everyday! Had a not so great 3 weeks around xmas but still lost a few pounds. Started back hitting 60+ calories of protein. And set a goal of doing Pilates everyday. Hope to strengthen my core and hopefully tighten my belly! So glad to see this thread. I have friends that had the sleeve and they made sleeve friends and they stay in touch on here. Wish we May sleevers could stick together.

Oct 3rd last year. It's going. My hairs falling out so getting it cut Friday. Weightloss is at a stall this week so far. I got married Feb 11th and was trying to maintain that week. So I will start loosing again. I couldn't have lost what I have without it I don't think. Hw 1/1/2016 292 Sw 10/3 16 251 Cw 206

I think the other big thing (no pun intended) about plus size clothing is that there is a greater variation of size... In other words, a size 8 or 10 is only slightly different in size in the 'reg' size departments, but there are huge differences in size from a 20 to a 22. MUCH more room for growth or losing, as it were. I started out in mostly 26 and 24s and am now in an 18 jacket and 20 pants. I have always been hour-glass shaped, but now am much more pear-like. I feel like I'm losing from the hair to waist and from ankles to hips quite well, but that middle gut section is being difficult!!!!!! I'm having yard sale on April 12. I'm really having a difficult time purchasing clothing because I do not wear them for a long time. I go into a store and see all the beautiful colors and things that I would just love to wear and balk at buying anything. I've bought a few things, but just can't bring myself to purchase great quantities. BTW, what the heck is up w/ all of these tops that look like maternity tops lately, anyway? AS IF I wanted to look bigger than I already am, let's add a tie under the boobs and a flouncy shirt!!!!!!!! GRR!

That was exactly what I was feeling and I have specific Vitamin requirements through Kaiser, couldnt find everything, had a small health scare then had a small meltdown. Decided there was WAY to much going on to get my surgery 10/2 so I changed it to 11/6. Now I wish I had not changed it, that last week has gone by so SLOW...but I do have one month to finish up things. I need to get my house in order, will updated, life insurance in order, a few more supplements, a few more Protein shakes and 2 more Vitamins. I have plenty of clothes I just need to get out what will be comfy enough to come home in and walk around the hospital...I lost my mind when I was 2 weeks out. I am hoping for more peace this time:)

I but these to when it's my time of the month. 7*10*12

Just be careful of the sugar alcohols those can give you the runs as well. I by a carb smart ice cream bar it has two grams sugar and 6 grams sugar alcohols that is on the lower side that I have found and they satisfy the sweet tooth. Even though I can't even eat half lol. surgery date 08-01-12

I go through the same thing. During my pre-op diet program, my weight loss was linear -- 3 pounds per week like clockwork. Post-op, my weight loss is more of a step function. I lose 10 pounds in 10 days and then I stall for 10 days. It has been like this most of the last 7 months. It can be frustrating, but I have learned that it just works that way, so the further out I get, the less mentally-taxing it is...

I have tops that are swimming on me, but since my rear end is GIGANTIC, I've gone down only one pant size. I was a 26 and now I'm in 24. It was nice trying on a pair of my old 24's and they fit. But, I also have a pair of 22 jeans that fit me great too.. which is odd... I think for bigger sized people, the clothing sizes will fit you for a good 25-30 pounds in between.. as you get smaller it changes.. the size is only good for 8-10 pounds difference in between sizes. Of course, this is just what it seems to me..