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Geez, you are doing great!! Don't get discouraged, everybody is different. It took me 4 fills before I really started losing. It has been one year now and I have lost 85 pounds. I am actually a few pounds below the original goal I set for myself. I felt the same way you do at the same point into my band. Just trust me, you are doing great and have great motivation. As far as the fills go, I have a friend that never got a fill and she has lost almost 100 pounds and she had surgery 2 months after me. So, the band acts different on everybody. I am exhilerated about my weight loss and I promise you I would have never done it without the band. It is a great tool. Keep up the good work!!!

YEA!!!! Congrats girl!!! It's on now!!!! The "weight" is over!!!! Glory to the most high!!!! Be Blessed!!!

Gosh. I don't even know where to start. I'm seriously concerned for you and your well being. Not just from the drinking your calorie part, but as much the alcohol (and juice) combo. Did you receive any pre-op education? Do you have a post-op dietary guideline from your doc or RD? The first place to start if you CANNOT do this on your own by accessing and applying your personal responsibility would be to see your doc, your RD and ask for a counselor PDQ. Your surgery is a tool. It's a "nail", but you are the hammer. Without your actions (repetitive and applied force), the nail does not do its job. And even then, there are MANY nails that will need to be employed to lose and maintain your weight. Not just the one nail from the surgery. Think about it. It takes multiple nails to hold up a house! WL Nails: Healthy Diet Plan WLS Exercise Relaxation Exercises and Deep Breathing Re or Balancing Your Once Toxic Relationship with Eating for Comfort or Eating Emotionally Re or Balancing Your Once Toxic Relationship With Food (making healthy choices over eating crap) Re or Balancing Your Once Toxic Relationship With Family/Friends Balancing Work Schedules and I could go on and on with the number of nails you need to act upon as the hammer, in order to keep your house level!

I second myfitnesspal I especially like on the pie chart and goals that I was able to customize my macronutrients because they automatically have high carbs in their program. I've learned so much about nutrition just by logging all my food (if you bite it, write it haha). And the little pat on the back they give is nice when they notice your weight loss.

From what I've read, she's against all types of elective surgery from cosmetic to WLS for herself. She epitomizes, for me, just what a struggle long term weight loss can be. With all the help she has at her disposal, and her battles to lose weight, she just can't seem to keep it off. I'd love to see her be successful, but I also see in her that it's one hell of a fight to keep and maintain a healthy weight even under the "best" of circumstances. (I really don't know what her personal life is like, but she has at access to all the trainers and dietitians one could want, and she seems to have the drive to lose weight, she just can't keep it off longterm).

Hi Lisa, I have not had the surgery but I am scheduled for the 11th of April. I too am married and have 3 kids and 6 grandkids and 2 more on the way. 2 is such a wonderful age especially girls, mine already picks out her wardrobe. But they are quick at this age and running after her will be easier without the extra weight. My grandson lives with me and goes to kindergarden, such fun. Anyway congrats on your surgery and I hope my recovery will be the same. Did you do a pre-op diet before your surgery? :welcomeB:

Well, I just discovered this journal here on LBT. I've been being told by countless people I needed to start one specifically for this surgery. I'm not so good with the paper and pen though. My mom bought me a beautiful paper journal...but..it's still empty :-( So, right now, I'm at the stage where I'm waiting for approval from my insurance company. Even though I have faith in God and I know he would not get me this close and cut me off, I'm still worried I'll get denied. He made me this way, so I hope he understands that I just can't help it, but when things get too bad, I just tell myself over and over again, "Have faith and God will provide." Other times I remind myself of Phil. 4:13 (i believe that's the right scripture number)....."I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." It helps, but it's hard. My mom and I are both going through this at the same time. So she's waiting for approval as well. However, we know hers is going to get approved and it's going to get approved fast. The surgeon's office even told us that. Mine on the other hand is some off-the-wall, hole-in-the-wall company and everyone i work for says that if i get approved it'll be the first time they've seen this insurance work for someone. So that's why I'm just a tad bit nervous. But even right now, I keep tellin myself "No! God is going to get this approved for me because he's brought me this far". I know I have to show faith, it's just that the wait is nerve wracking and Satan knows how to push my buttons. Anyway, other than that, I've been trying to find one of those protein shakes I can actually stand! I've tried Advantage, Advant Edge, and Slim Fast-Low Carb Diet. Several flavors of each...and YUCK! *sick* They may be hard to get down, but I'm forcing. And so far, I've lost at least 4 lbs. Possibly more. Which is even better because If i weigh more than I did at my first appointment by pre-op visit, he won't do the surgery :-( But considering I'm at a weight I haven't seen in at least 3-4 years...I think I'm doing good :-D Over the last year I've lost about 15 lbs. on my own...so I'm excited :-D means I'm doing something right! So, here I am, waiting...........and waiting.................jumping every time my phone rings. I'll be alright. Hopefully the next time I write an entry it'll be about being approved :-D:clap2: -Panda-

I started my 6mos wls diet with my doctor in March. I went every month until June and then made a decision that I wanted to try and lose it myself rather than surgery and stopped going to the Dr. However, I got a personal trainer in June and he asked me all about my diet plans and documented my weight and diet program. Then I started going to weight watchers in July, and I know insurance companies now accept weight watchers meetings. So basically I have all 6 months of my weight documented and what diet program I followed. I have lost 32 pounds but I know that I need the band to help me continue my weight loss, and to finally maintain it for the rest of my life. I have been on diets since I was five years old and up and down my whole life and I am ready to end that demeaning process. So basically my question is, do you think that my insurance might deny me because I have weights from different places? I should have just finished it out at the Dr. but I guess we don't always make the best decisions. Im just nervous, back and forth on what I should do about the surgery, and second guessing myself. I know that the band is what I need, but I guess I just need some encouraging words from someone who has felt the same way. Help!!

Around 60. It goes up and down lately probably period weight

Hey all im in a weird head space after being in whats called a stalled state and gaining. Sleeved 7/13/16 weight 275.0 1st Week follow up 7/21/16 wt 255.0 6 Week check up 8/24 wt 245.0 I have stayed here in the 242.2 To 247.0 Range 8/24. I walk 2 miles a day and burn off between 150-200 calories. im without a doubt not over eating maybe even under eating..... Not getting the 64oz of fluids in and pretty sure the Protein is not 40-60gm either im off track mentally and I can't digest the multi Vitamin makes me hurl even on a full stomach the smell alone makes me gag. so I don't take it either. I've tried every Protein shake know to man don't like any of them but im pretty sure I should be drinking them less and less by now and learning how to eat normal food correctly again and finding my protein in food. feel like I need a support partner terribly to push me and help me I've short of given up and I know mu body has the potential to still loose another 50lbs. Please NO judgement I didn't join the group to be beat up on. Just need to know what others did or are doing because I can't be the only one that has been through this. What did others do or are doing to push through Find what to eat How much of it And Alternatives to Vitamins Can anyone offer me a template of what you are eating daily? Breakfast lunch dinner and Snacks? Im looking for ppl who have done this and success with it. I Need Help!!!! Sent from my SM-N910V using the BariatricPal App

Hi, I had to laugh because I write long things too. I do not have any hanging skin. I would love to have some plastic surgery on my face and neck, but this is because age has caught up with me. I am 66. I did have my eyes fixed but that was also because of my age. I had been walking for about 5 years before I had surgery and I think that has helped me a lot. My arms are a little floppy, but again that may be age. I am working on some exercises for the arms too. I think a lot of my good luck with no hanging skins has to be good genes too. Everyone is a little different. I still walk about 4 to 5 miles 6 days a week. I have recently started doing some Pilate's and I love that too. I will tell you I wasn't so sure about going to Mexico either--don't believe all the bad things people say about Mexico--so many Americans go there for their Health Care. I was very lucky and worked with a Nurse Practitioner who I trusted so much. She is the one who told me about Dr. Aceves and how wonderful he was. She had weight loss surgery. I trusted her, but she made me check things out for myself. Well, Dr Aceves's name kept coming up and I learned how Highly Qualified he is when it comes to weight loss surgery. So I knew without a doubt that I was going to go to him. I think his fee is about $8,750 for everything including a night in a 5 star hotel. That is the night before the surgery. You have to pay your own air fare and have a little spending money for dinner the night before the surgery. This fee includes the surgery, the staff, the test and blood work and all your aftercare--like sending you home with pain meds and anything else you will need for the first month. I just never looked at this surgery and thought what if I get home and something goes wrong. I think differently and knew what great care my friend had received and I had the same kind of care. My PC doctor was so in favor of me going and she did any blood work I needed when I got home, and my insurance paid for it. Mexicali, is a very safe city to go to. His hospital is about 5 blocks away from the boarder. The sleeve surgery has to be the best thing I have EVER done for myself. WLS has changed my entire life. I feel 20 years younger and I love everything about it. If you have more questions please let me know. I am more than willing to help you with anything I can. There isn't anything that we can't talk about. I try to be as honest and open as I can be about this. This is not a magical cure, it does require work and effort on your part too. Hugs, Suzanne

Loretta, I feel for ladies trying to keep their weight down during pregnancies. Don't beat yourself up, it's NOT you, it really isn't. Nature has made it so that we have the extra fat to cushion those babies! Just do the best you can to eat healthily, protein first then veggies, take your vitamins and minerals, drink lots of water and walk. Walking is still good exercise and you know it's great for everything. So much of this is out of our control, just do what you can to control the controllable. happy Mother's day from NY

So I managed to pick up a stomach bug the day after my vacation. When I got home I weighed myself and scale said 199lbs. Woohoo onederland! Then all day yesterday and so far today as well I have been with diarrhea and not eating much (I get nausea) the scale now reads 197lbs. As excited as I am to see that number on the scale (I haven't seen a 1 in front of my weight in over 14 years!) I know I weigh 197 cause of the diarrhea. Should I even count that??

I do get what you mean Chickie. I have spoken to DH about it today, about how I feel like I'm going to be missing something when I no longer have to a 'goal' to strive to, and he reminded me that that was when I start living. But right now, I'm not sure what that means. I guess I'll have to figure it out when I get there. I HAVE started running, though. Actually I started today on the couch to 5k. I'm hoping that striving to that goal will help take the focus off the weight-related goals. It's interesting though, that after the masses of cycling I do, the running has me sore all over, and I barely rose a sweat! Jack, I have kept a few pieces of my old clothes, and I tried them on when I read your post. It seems surreal that I can now just about fit in one leg of my old work pants. It's gratifying, but even then, it somehow still doesn't seem real, if that makes sense. I guess time will tell as to how I cope with getting to goal. I might hang out in the forum for a bit, see how everyone else's has adapted... :thumbdown:

I think I understand. Being so close to the end I have this feeling of 'now what'? My biggest fear is that I will get lazy and gain. Like other posters said, I think it will be best, for me, to have a goal in mind like a body fat ratio or something similar. Just to have something to focus on to keep it together. I have been in the losing mode for over a year now, it has occupied my thoughs for a goodportion of every day as I consciencly make decisions that will facilitate my weight lose. Having that end is just scary.

So yesterday I had my first nutrition appointment and my initial consult with the surgeon (Dr. Galvani). I thought I was going to have to do 3 months supervised diet, but apparently I wouldn't have to (because of my BMI). However I want to do my surgery in early December (good time to be off work) and so I'll do 4 months with the NUT. Dr. seemed agreeable to my timeline, and the insurance coordinator was not concerned about my approval. The NUT was a hoot...enough energy for all of us! My husband went with me and so she included his calories/targets as well...he only gets 300 more calories than I do...I was surprised. So here is what it turns out my first month targets are: 1. 1500 Calories a day 2. between 125-150 grams of Carbohydrates (will go down in the following months but she figured out pretty quickly I'm a carb-a-holic) 3. between 80-90 grams protein 4. minimum 30 minutes daily moving 5. lose weight (no target pounds given) It was very liberating for me to get some guidelines to follow. I know that may not make sense, but I've been winging it for so long, actually having a target to shoot for that I know will ultimately result in weight loss is kind of cool. I'm using my fitness pal to log my food and we will call it up at my next NUT visit on 04 August. For the first time in a very long time....I believe I can do this! Beth

I'm not sure what you are asking for help with? You have to give us more info. Are you thinking that is too much loss, too little? What was your starting weight? I was down about the same in 7/8 weeks if that helps at all. I am just shy of 3 months out and down 42 lbs. Starting weight 230.

I have been a bit down in the dumps lately because the past few weeks' weight loss has been really slow. But this week was great -- over 3.5 lbs. lost! I am now down to 192.2, very close to being in the 180s and so excited about that! I had a NSV today, too. About a month ago I went shopping for some new jeans, since my size 22's were getting pretty loose. I was really happy to find out I could fit into size 18WP jeans, even though they were a little snug. I bought two pairs of jeans. I am very short and the jeans were still a couple of inches too long, so I needed to get them hemmed (I can't sew at all!). I had a lot going on the past few weekends, so kept putting off taking the jeans to get hemmed, but today I finally did it, because the size 22s are so loose they are going to fall off any day now, and just *have* to go. So I went to the seamstress to get the jeans hemmed, and put on the size 18s for the seamstress to measure, and I was quite gratified to notice that they were looser than I remembered when I bought them. The seamstress made me stand on a little dias so she could get the length right and I was facing a large full-length mirror. At that point I noticed the new size 18's were actually already pretty darn loose in the legs, and comfortably loose around the torso. I started wondering if maybe I was getting close to fitting into a size 16WP. So, after I finished with the seamstress, I headed on over to Macy's and decided to try on some new jeans. I picked up a pair of Levi's size 16 short, the Macy's house brand of jeans, and a pair of size 16 capris. When I got to the fitting room, I picked up the Levi's first and was aghast because the size 16s looked really, really small. I didn't think I could even get them up over my thighs ... but I did. I even got them buttoned and zipped up, to my amazement. OK, I have to admit, they were tight, and I wouldn't have felt really comfortable wearing them, so off they went. I nearly bought them just to measure my weight loss progress, but decided to hold off for a few weeks and come back and try again in a month or so. The Macy's jeans, however, fit perfectly and so did the capris. I took my new size 16 jeans to the seamstress and had her swap out one of the size 18 jeans (which I will hem using that magic hem stuff I bought from Walgreens). So, I am officially able to wear size 16! Woo hoo! I ended up buying a couple of new bras this weekend too -- the balconette style from Lane Bryant, size 42DDD. I was pleasantly surprised at the nice shaping they provide. My girls are hangin' low, so to speak, so they need a strong support and shaping bra! Now I will be brutally honest -- I look like total crap with clothes off. I have horrendous cottage cheese thighs right now -- not just the normal cellulite area, but everywhere down to my knees, front and back -- ick. And as I mentioned, I pretty much have the breasts of an 80 year old woman. And I still have a big old gut and butt. And, I am sporting a rather nasty wattle on my chin, making me look years older. Every day I put bio-oil on my chin hoping to moisturize and firm the loose skin, but it doesn't seem to be working that great. My body is definitely smaller than it was, but by no means is it a body I would be willing to parade a bathing suit around in! But, all in all, I am totally thrilled with my sleeve and feeling better and more confident every day. I am really looking forward to the summer, when hopefully I will be down in the normal size clothes range, and will look and feel even better. I talked to my husband and we are going to try the couch to 5K program this spring, and sign up for a local 5K race this summer. That will be a HUGE NSV for me, to finish a 5K! I am really excited about the future!

Well, I still have my few extra pounds from thanksgiving on me...I have been trying desperately to get them off but they just keep hanging around...I figured with this last fill that I would just be dropping weight, but I guess not...Right now its just driving me crazy...Since thanksgiving dinner I have really been trying to be good and do whats right, but we have the dreaded leftovers in the fridge...I have been trying to stick to the turkey, green bean cassarole and the pea salad that I had made...I thought I was making some good choices...Maybe it will just take a few more days for my body to get back together and figure out what its suppose to be doing...Dang holidays are the worst!!

:biggrin:Tomarrow is my big day! Today I started my clear liquids before surgery. Im so scared. But I cant wait to get it over with. Its weird that I think to my self the if something should happen that I elected to do this to myself. But then I think it is either this get banded or die young cause im over weight. :confused: Best of luck to everyone!!:grouphug: yoco28

The insurance company somehow got it in their head that I have severe liver disease (which I don't). I do have a mild case of fatty liver disease, which they specifically mention in their policy as not disqualifying someone from the procedure, so I think someone saw the words "liver disease" and automatically red-stamped it without looking any further. I think what annoyed me the most was that this was such a stupid screw up on their part. I almost think they knew it was a screw up, but denied it anyhow in the hopes that I wouldn't appeal it, and they wouldn't have to pay. I was nervous about the BMI thing also. I had actually counted how much weight I could lose to meet the 5% requirement, but still be above the BMI requirements. Was your BMI of 39 when you first saw the nutritionist, or after you have been on their diet for a while? My insurance/doctor started counting when I first saw them not at the end. Also, if you have any co-morbities, high blood pressure or diabetes for example, the BMI requirement was less, so you might want to check into that if your nervous.

So I was banded May 11th and have lost 17 lbs from my highest weight. Ever since I started my pureed stage my weight has stayed the same. I'm eating 3oz for Breakfast, lunch, and dinner (eggs, egg salad, tuna salad, chicken breast). Plus I'm having my Protein shakes in between. When I'm not eating or having a shake, I either drink Water or tea. I had my period this week and haven't been going to the bathroom regurlary if you know what I mean. Any suggestion? Only went to the gym twice so far this week. My allergies are kicking my ass and I feel like crap.

So I'm transferring insurances (to Oxford liberty) and their requirements for the sleeve is to have a BMI above 40 or if below have major health issue. Now I've been pre diabetic 2x's now and have PCOS. My weight has been up and down like crazy since the beginning of my 6month journey. Speaking with my dr's office my insurance does not consider being pre diabetic a major health issue or my PCOS. I'm starting to get nervous about getting approved. Anyone else been in the same boat?? Also does anyone know if they go with your starting BMI from when you started or where you at, at the end of your supervised weigh ins?

This has been a busy time for me with work, weight loss, and 2 hard college classes about to end. I'm at 194 so weight wise I'm doing great. And I've made even more changes for the better. I'm now drinking 2 green tea's a day and have yet to have a cold this winter. I'm tracking my fiber intake and making sure I get 25 or more grams a day. I eat closer to the 1,000 calorie a day mark. I bought some new jeans on clearance at TJ Maxx and I'm now sporting a size 18 jeans and a Large size with tops and my new winter pea coat I got at a local thrift store for $7. I just don't see the point to spend good money on clothes right now when they are loose on me in a month. My bf bought me a treadmill off of craigs list about a month ago for $175. It's a $1,500 treadmill. It's been great and I'm still using my pedometer daily. It's a habit now. A long with drinking my 64oz of crystal light with fiber daily. It's all just become a lifestyle change for me. I did eat 2 pieces of pumpkin pie today at thanksgiving, but really didn't over do anything else. Oh well, I've had a few off days with going out to dinner with friends and it's so occasional I've still been loosing great. Can't wait to get down to 135 this summer and get all new clothes. Just wait...it will happen summer 2009.

Im excited and scared at the same time. Pre weight is 340lbs and I'm 6'2" at the age of 38. I worry about my skin bouncing back, getting to small and look sickly. Sent from my SM-G930V using BariatricPal mobile app