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Hi, I have my surgery in 2 1/2 days. Have to work the next two nights then surgery on Tuesday am. I am from Washington State and Dr. Neal is my surgeon. I have about 100 pounds to loose. I would like to get down to 115-125 pounds. I am 4'11" tall and 55 years old. Been overweight more or less since I was 10 years old. I have a wonderful, supportive husband and am paying for this out of my own pocket. I am very much looking forward to loosing weight. I lost 90 # 7 years ago and have gained 70 # back. That is the way it has been all my life. Well, got to go and sleep before work tonight.

I think I was 33 BMI ... 216 on date of surgery, 226 highest weight, at 5'6.5. My 2 year bandiversary is this month, and I now weigh 145. I was a slow, slow loser but continued to lose all during my second year. My doc said that's what he likes to see ... At every appointment my weight is less (even if only a few pounds) but it is not up and down. I hit months-long plateaus that were frustrating, but I've kept plugging along at my own easy pace, and it works!

Thank you for your honesty. This forum is a great resource! Could I ask you where you got the tracker of your weight loss that is at the bottom of most everyone's posts? I can't seem to find it.

Hi, my name is Rochelle I'm 28 from northern NY. I've been lurking for a while now. Still trying to decide if the LB is for me. I have 3 boys, the youngest was born in Sept. I'm now at my highest weight ever...around 240:faint: I've never maintained my weight. I started dieting when I was 13, and since then I have been either losing or gaining weight. I'm really good at losing the weight (I've lost 60 or 70 lbs. about 5 times) I just can't keep it off. As soon I reach my goal I immediately begin to gain it back. I'm afraid to put in the effort and hard work just to gain it all back again. Anyway, I really enjoy this forum and everybody's helpful advice and just wanted to say Hi!:wave:

i also wonder about who i will be after this. I have spent the past twenty years being a "big sexy" girl. i met a man who adores me as just that. i try every day to get past this and hope that he will love me when i am just "sexy" without that other word. i hate to admit it but there were times when i would get motivated, diet, workout and lose weight then he would sabotage me & tell me how beautiful i was as i am so i would stop and continue to jeapordize my health & life because HE loved it! i have stated MANY times that he is unsupportive of my decision & i know not whether he will be around when my transformation is complete. i suppose i need to make a MENTAL transformation first. at any rate, whatever happens, BOTH you & i will still be the same people---with better health & flatter bellies! good luck to you!

Hello everyone, My name is Mark and I was banded on 4/5/2012. My starting weight was 300 lbs and I'm 5'11". I know that isn't a ton of weight and if you saw me you'd probably think I weigh 250 lbs or less but that is where the secret is. I have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, insulin resistance, and high blood pressure. My cardiologist and my primary care physician wanted me to loose weight and I tried for a year and lost a total of 15 lbs and gained it all back. The problem with me is that because of my HCM I am exercise restricted and can't work out very much. I "carry" my weight well. That is what people always tell me. The reason is that I have a barrel chest at 65" and all of my weight is in my stomach and inside my chest cavity. So I decided to get banded. I was given the option of gastric bypass but I was a little scared of that. I got the Realize band with Imbrication. So far I have had a pretty smooth recovery. The biggest problem is gas. I have never had so much gas in my entire life. The biggest life savers so far have been Gas X, my heating pad and really hot showers on my back. My doctor was Dr. Tyner in Cary, NC and I had my surgery at Rex Hospital. I was in the hospital for less than a day and went home pretty soon. I got my band one day before my insurance expires. I was relieved I was able to do that! So far so good!

Tanya, ask for the little needle. The first time I went for fills I almost passed out, just cause I had a lot ofo anxiety and....I'm a big chicken when it comes to needles. Now I take a half a valium and put some cream on before I get to his office, so it's a breeze now. Jack, you keep on waiting and you'll have lost all your weight and won't need one, you're doing such a great job. Betty of course it didn't hurt, you're a Harley Mama.

I was a 30 year smoker. I quit about a year and a half before my surgery. I still want to smoke, all the time. I don't, but I honestly do. I have a friend who had bypass, and she claims it kept her weight down. I believe it, I gained 50 lbs after I stopped smoking. I am hopeful I will continue to remain smoke free. I have found a freedom I never really understood, until now. But...if it's a donut or a cig, I'm probably going to go for the cigarette. lol Just being honest.

So I FINALLY made my way to the Bod Pod. Work has settled down and after working nearly an entire month on my Fridays off I got one to myself. Yahhh!!! Anyway, I met some amazing outstanding folks at the Vacaville Golds Gym. They made me feel so welcomed, and geesh if I lived there that would definitely be my workout spot. More on that later, here are my results: Fat: 35.3% 64.0 Lbs. Lean: 64.7% 117.3 Lbs. Total: 100% 181.3 Lbs. (I lost some weight yay!!) How I measure up (per Bod Pod Composition Test Results Page): Risky (High Body Fat) >30% Men >40% Women Explanation: Too much body fat can pose serious health risks. Ask your health care professional about how to safely modify your body composition. Excess Fat (I'm smack in the middle of this!!) 21-30% Men 31-40% Women Explanation: Indicates an excess accumulation of fat over time. Moderately Lean (29% will be my first goal!!) 13-20% Men 23-30% Women Explanation: Fat level is acceptable for good health. Lean (Will be my Ultimate Goal <22%>) 9-12% Men 19-22% Women Explanation: Lower body fat levels than many people. This range is excellent for health and longevity. (Sounds like exactly the place for me!!) Ultra Lean (A bit too much for me) 5-8% Men 15-18% Women Explanation: Fat Levels sometimes found in elite athletes. Risky (Low Body Fat) <5% Men <15% Women Explanation: Too little body fat can present health risks, especially for women. If in doubt, check with your health care professional. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My next goal is to get my total Body Fat to 29%. I am quite pleased by my results! I have come a long long way and to just be deemed as having excess fat now is quite the achievement. However I'm also glad I finally got myself to this appointment so now I know for sure I still have some work to do, and well that's exactly what I'm going to do. The trainer who helped me, Michele was so nice! We went over a few things as soon as my tests were complete. I asked her what she thought I could do to reduce the body fat while trying not to lose so much lean tissue. Wow!! And I have to say I'm quite impressed with how heavy my lean tissue is! So my thoughts were correct that I am a "heavy girl". 117 Lbs of me is all muscle, bones and organs. Not sure how I compare to anyone else who is 5'7 but I really thought it could be more around 100 Lbs of lean tissues. Not only that, per their scale (which was midday almost at that) weighed me in at more than 1.5 Lbs less!! Yippeee!!! Anyway, we were talking and I was describing my workout routines for her. Her eyes literally bugged out of her skull and she exclaimed that I do far more than most. That's funny because I always feel like I can do more. She said my workout routine is excellent. The only things she suggested I can do is do at least a little bit of weight training 2x per week. She said that is quite enough, and if I'm up to it, perhaps taking some swimming lessons. She said that burns enormous amounts of fat and will get me lean, no problem. Then we met with the Swim trainer, who has had RnY by the way 4 years ago. She was incredibly nice! Once I'm healed from my procedures I plan to have a few swimming lessons with her to get me to learn it properly. So with that, I move onward and downward. I imagine a lot of fat is going to be removed with my liposuctions. I hope 6% worth!! :lol: Source: The BOD POD

I had my gastric sleeve surgery on Monday December 12, 2011, that was a day in it's self. I am bi-polar and had not had any medications for 2 days before going to hospital. I was not a nice person at all even had a fight with my husband making him leave before I went under and then I didn't even see him after the surgery. I am doing some what better still have no medication as they won't let me take pills yet, but am trying to work through it. I did good in the hospital walking but now that I'm home it is much harder with the cold to get out and walk so I try to get as much as I can inside LOL I have been using the season packs from Top Roman to make my meals some of them are good and some just bite. I feel like I can't get enough to drink so I have filled a 1 liter bottle with tea and lemon in hopes that I can drink it all today. The gas is unreal and have not had a BM since before surgery. I am not sure what else to take or do I have used a few different softeners and nothing is helping. Truly believe it is all about the fluid intake. Hydrating is the name of the day for me, try to see how much I can get down without it coming up. My bruises are looking better, the big one has spread way out and is now changing colors thank goodness. All the sites itch but that means they are healing which is a good thing. When I woke from surgery I looked as if I had been beat puffy face fat lip and all the bruising, face and lip went back to normal by day 3 was very happy. Update appointment to check wounds is December 20 in Las Vegas Tuesday hope there will be good news. I believe that I have taken the right steps in having the gastric sleeve surgery for my health. Starting weight was 337 heaviest was 341 can't seem to get on the scale yet to see if I lost anything guess a little scared. One thing so far that is a God send is my sugars are way down 130's never thought I would see that, they were always in the high 200's. All in all I am feeling better day by day step by step.

Welcome, Suzy! I was banded on March 4 and have some pretty good restriction, which makes me very happy. I hope to hear more from you as you successfully loose your weight for good! SS

I hit a 3 week stall too! I knew the weight was one my body was at for years pre-surgery and my last gain before finally having the surgery done, but it was frustrating. I am now back to losing almost a pound a day for more than a week! Yay! Knowing this stall ended will help me get through the inevitable next one. Hoping all of you are feeling great!

yeasterday i got a fill only 1/2 cc and i am hoping that this helps me start to loss some weight i have only lost 30lbs. but i know it is gonig to take sometime and a lot of watching what i eat and excercies. i need to come to this forum and talk to poeple that have gone thur this just like me. i like to be down at lessed 25lbs before we go on our cruise in march or april for our 10th wedding anniversary.i am on a liquid diet for 4 days then go slowly back to solids. we will see in 2 more days :tired

This is something I read before I decided to have surgery. It was what helped me decide that this was the right option for me and I wasn’t doing anything less than what I deserve. It still rings true for me today. “This is a huge rant topic for me, so I will spare you all the long ALL CAPPED emphatic response LOL. This is my single question back to anyone who says I took the easy way out: Why should I NOT take the 'easy' way out? Seriously -- this is not a rhetorical question: Why not? Fat is not a moral failure; I didn't do anything Bad or Wrong, and I don't 'deserve to be punished' by doing it the "hard way" over and over and over again. The end.” That being said having the vertical sleeve gastrectomy was and is the best thing I have ever done for myself. I have never felt so good and been so happy. The weight loss has slowed, but it is still coming off every month. I had a small stall again this month where I didn’t lose for two almost 3 consecutive weeks; however I knew that I was still losing because in those weeks I had lost a complete jean size even when the scale didn’t move. StartWeight: 273 lbs. **Goal Weight: 157lbs. Pre-op:--- 6 lbs. lost Surgery Weight: 267 1 month: 247 -- -- bmi 39.0 -- -- 20 lbs lost 2 month: 238 -- -- bmi 37.3 -- -- 9 lbs lost 3 month: 229 -- -- bmi 35.9 -- -- 9 lbs lost 4 month: 220 -- -- bmi 34.5 -- -- 9 lbs lost 5 month: 212 -- -- bmi 33.2 -- -- 8 lbs lost 6 month: 207 -- -- bmi 32.4 -- -- 5 lbs lost 7 month: 201 -- -- bmi 31.5 -- -- 6 lbs lost Lost since surgery: -66 Lost Total: -72 lbs. Overall Goal Weekly Break Down, lbs. lost pre-op week: 6 lbs week 1 -- 8 lbs. 2 - -5 3 - -3 4 - -2 5 - -2 6 - -3 ~2 months 7 - -3 8 - -1 9 - -2 10 --6 ~3 months 11 --0 12 --2 13 --1 14 --3 ~4 months 15 --0 16 --4 17 --2 18 --1 ~5 months 19 --1 20 --3 21 --3 22 +1 ~6 months 23 --0 24 --3 25 --2 26 –1 27 --2 ~ 7 months 28 --0 29 --0 30 --4 StartJean size: 24/22 Current Jean size: 14/12 *I have lost over ten jean sizes. This is amazing Start Shirt size: 3x/2x Current Shirt size: xl/L Inches: Neck Start: 16 Last: 14 Recent: 14 Loss: 0 Total Loss: -2 Upper Arm Start: 15 Last: 13 Recent: 13 Loss: 0 Total Loss: -2 Forearm Start: 11.5 Last: 10 Recent: 10 Loss: 0 Total Loss: -1.5 Waist Start: 49 Last: 39 Recent: 38 Loss: -1 Total Loss: -11 Abdomen (belly button) Start: 55 Last: 45.5 Recent: 44.5 Loss: -1 Total Loss: -10.5 Hips Start: 55 Last: 47 Recent: 45.5 Loss: -1.5 Total Loss: -9.5 Bust Start: 54 Last: 45 Recent: 45 Loss: 0 Total Loss: -9 Chest Start: 44 Last: 37.5 Recent: 37 Loss: -0.5 Total Loss: -7 Thigh Start: 30.5 Last: 25 Recent: 24.5 Loss: -0.5 Total Loss: -6 Calf Start: 17.5 Last: 15.5 Recent: 15.5 Loss: 0 Total Loss: -2 1st month loss: -19.5 in 2nd month loss: -9 in 3rd month loss: -13.5 in 4th month loss: -6 in 5th month loss: -2 in 6th month loss: -6 in 7th month loss: -4.5 Total Lost: -60.5 inches Christmas Goal: Start weight 207 Goal weight 193 7 ½ weeks to goal –14 pounds total = 2 lbs. Per week Right on track, halfway through time halfway through weight loss to goal

i chose the lapband because of the lower risk of complications, the fact the people don't die from it, that was a plus. The recovery time is amazing. It's cheaper, reversable if there happens to be a complication. If there is a complication I can always be rebanded. The success rates are about the same long term. the weight is slower to come off, but that just means less skin to pay to have removed later.

I have to agree with Alexandra. The risks are too high with RNY and although the thought of losing all of the weight in a short period of time was interesting, I chose the band. I think it is much healthier, it is less invasive, there are minimal complications unlike RNY. It may take longer, but in the long run the results are the same without being sliced and diced and having my insides rearranged. The fact that this can be reversed if necessary and the adjustability made it my first and only choice.

I hear ya. I could never get more than 25 pounds off at a time and that usually took me forever. I hope your doc takes your progress into consideration. You are losing after all. If not, is there another doctor in your area? Mine didn't require pre-op weight loss, but he did require a liver shrinking diet for 2 weeks. I lost 11 pounds on that one. Keep plugging away at it, it's so worth it! I'll be cheering for you!!!

Congrats, it will be life changing. I was sleeved by Dr. Almanza on 5-25-2011 and things could not be better. My weight loss has been great but the way you will feel is fantastic. They will take good care of you and it will be over before you know it. I cannot believe it has been 7 weeks since my surgery, it seems like only a couple. The time will fly by for you. Enjoy the journey.

So I just keep stalling out at about 186.2 lbs. Well, sometimes it is 188, 187, 186, but never below. Well, even though I haven't lost much weight, today I got into size 12 pants. :sad0: Not just once, but over and over again in the dressing room. So I am losing inches, but today the scale moved again also. I have learned that if I go 1g over my 30g limit of carbs a day, I will not lose. If I stay under 30g, I will lose every time. So thanks to Tiffy for all the advice-she is exactly right. 30g is a good limit. So Saturday I leave to go on vacation for the third time in 4 weeks. :thumbup1: I am going to try my best to eat right every day while on vacay. We are going with a few friends (and they have no idea that I had surgery) so it is going to be tough. I still have chronic diarrhea on a daily basis. I have tried plenty of remedies with no resolve. I guess it is just going to take time. When I told my doctor, he said "That doesn't have to do with the sleeve." :biggrin0: Honestly, why would the diarrhea start a few days after surgery? I have never experienced anything like this in my life!

I was banded 4/13/7. To date I have lost about 13 pounds. I was down 20 pounds but when I went from Clear liquids to full liquids I gained 8 pounds in 1 week and have stayed there for almost a month. I realize that I haven't had my fill yet which I will get tomorrow, but I am pretty disappointed to see that scale frozen on that 238 number when I am eating the way I am supposed to and getting in exercise. Plateau this soon?? I didn't have to diet prior to the surgery so 251 is where I really started. Any other slow starters out that that have experienced this??:help: Is this a slow start? Any advice would be deeply appreciated. 251/238/150

Hooray, I had a reply from Fred today. He has booked the Hotel for 3 of us but now I have to wait to see if my brother wants to come, cus its goin to cost him £88 !! So, I'm defo booked for the 11th Sept. that was a relief, I realised today that it is only about 4 weeks away......Im really excited and cant wait to start losing weight again. My Tesco delivery man came tonite with my painkillers, wipes & windeze. Just got to find some 'sweetie' like multivitims !! :thumbup: I need to dig out my old joggy bottoms to see what fits and what I may need to buy. I think I will go to Matalan to get a spare pair (cheap and disposable!!!) to keep me going. S.x

Honestly I can say that I have not developed any new bad habits, mostly good ones. I quit smoking 28 years ago and would never go back. The thing is, I gained 70lbs after quitting! Now the lbs are coming off thank goodness!

I went to a weight loss surgery meeting last night and met a girl who was 3 years out. She has gained 40lbs back from eating the bad things she knew she wasnt supposed to eat. Not encouraging but a warning. It can happen. She ate a whole black forest cake on Valentines day just grazing on it all day. You know what you have to do, you didnt go through all of this to slide backwards. You had a few bites. no big deal, you are human! but dont let it be a habit. get out of the house, go for a walk, join a gym, start a yoga class. change something little and it will help knock you out of your rut. You worked really hard to get where you are now, keep up the good work and keep on going!!

This is my first blog ever but I am so excited to have found a site of fellow bander's. At this moment I am 376 lbs but my heaviest was 386 lbs. I am not shamed of telling my weight I am shamed for letting myself get like this. I got real depressed after I had my son, I gain so much weight when I was pregnant with. With the depression I gained even more so this is where I am. I am ready for this I have tried every diet there is and even invented a few. Needless to say I lost the weight but gained more back. It has taken over a year to finally get a date set June 24, 2008. I am calling this day my new beginning. I am getting a second chance to make my life what I want it to be and I am going to take full advantage of it. I have looked at other blogs and I have found some helpful ideas. I look forward to telling my weight loss journey in hopes that it will help others.

This is my first blog ever but I am so excited to have found a site of fellow bander's. At this moment I am 376 lbs but my heaviest was 386 lbs. I am not shamed of telling my weight I am shamed for letting myself get like this. I got real depressed after I had my son, I gain so much weight when I was pregnant with. With the depression I gained even more so this is where I am. I am ready for this I have tried every diet there is and even invented a few. Needless to say I lost the weight but gained more back. It has taken over a year to finally get a date set June 24, 2008. I am calling this day my new beginning. I am getting a second chance to make my life what I want it to be and I am going to take full advantage of it. I have looked at other blogs and I have found some helpful ideas. I look forward to telling my weight loss journey in hopes that it will help others.