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I've actually found compliance over the first 7.5 months post-op to be quite easy. I don't really understand the thought process for people who are non-compliant right out of the gate. I'm not judging, I really just lack an ability to understand where they are in their life/thought process that allows them to do that. That being said, I worry a ton about maintenance. Being non-compliant there i can TOTALLY get my head around. I think everyone of us who had this surgery had dieted over and over and over. We probably all had some level success, but we pretty much all failed at maintenance - that's why we are here. So, to me, it's the old demons. I always failed in the past, why will this be any different? I am almost almost 30 lbs below my original goal weight and if I'm honest with myself, part of why is that I am so worried about transitioning into maintenance (and partly because I can, so hey, why not). As a last thought, I also wonder if you ever get to a point that you feel "safe". If you maintain for 5 years, will you start to believe you will not regain? 7 years? 10 years?

This is the best decision I could of made for my self personally and for my health. I was first looking at the lap band but then realized that the lap band was only a temporary decision and would need surgery again to have it removed and I didn't like the refill stuff. I also had an old friend that I ran into that had the band 2 years previous and she was still way over weight. So I wanted something that was permanent. Now I have it and love it! The sleeve rules! I hope you will join us on the BIG LOSER'S BENCH!

Today was a much better day as far as eating goes. I haven't had any soda, and only one carby snack. Not a bad start. I have been trying to keep busy, to quell my urge to snack out of boredom. I am down 2 lbs this morning, which Im pretty sure is water weight.

I just had to share - I'm down 6.4 lbs! I weigh daily, but do my "official" weight each Sunday. I weighed last Sunday & was 267.0. That was the day before my surgery. Today I am 260.6!!!! I'm down 6.4 lbs in 7 days! This also brings me down 19 lbs in 3 weeks because I lost 12.6 lbs during my 2-week pre-op diet! My husband just asked me "So, do you feel almost 20 lbs lighter?" All I can say is that I am SO happy with my decision to have this surgery done!!! I will post new pictures & measurements later this morning on my blog!

Hello everyone.. I've been a member since March when I decided to go forward with the surgery. I thought it was time to introduce myself and my story. My name is Sandy and i'm 35yrs old. A mother of two 16 and 11, I've been struggle with my weight since my son was 3yrs old. I've tried everything under the sun including weight watchers where in 98_99 I was able to lose 75lbs. That I later gained back as soon as I became pregnant with my second. I was recently diagnosed with Lupus, Sjogrens, Anemia, Fibromyalgia and many more crap.. I'm on many medications that have contribute to my weight staying or going up from 242 _ 255.. I've research the sleeve and I finally made the decision to meet with a surgen. He agreed that the sleeve was the best option because of my Anemia so if you have medicare the sleeve will be covered if you can prove that it is more beneficial than the gastric bypass.. You're surgen should be able to fight for you, I know mines is fighting.. Had my initial consultation on May 18th and that same day started my pre_op testing.. I'm really looking forward to regaining control of my life and health.. Sorry for a long intro.. Sent from my SPH-D710 using VST

Lets see I had my surgery March 12, 2012. As of today I have lost 16 pounds. I have been walking daily and feel great, but I lost more before surgery. I know it is going to take awhile for the weight to come off. Cannot wait to see it in the scale, my clothes feel lose. I read more pages and by now peop le seem to be losing more. PLEASE TELL ME WHAT ELSE I CAN DO! I know I cannot snack. My doctor stated that by now I can eat anything and he wants me to stay away from sweets, carbs. Protein Protein Protein. I am so constipated at times.

Hi, Lismivel! Don't be discouraged! Others here who are further post-surgery than I am will be able to give you good advice on how best to keep up your intake, as my experience is limited, since I am still in the clear fluids stage. Just so you know you aren't the only one worrying about your weight loss, when I was weighed at my first follow-up appointment last Thursday (9 days post-op) I was one kilo more (yes, more!) than I had been on the same scales two weeks previously - after four days of no food while on the IV, six days on clear fluids only and a huge portion of my stomach having been removed! Of course, I had read the average weight loss statistics and was therefore doubly disappointed. The surgeon said (from what I can remember between my tears!) that all sorts of things could be responsible, but that in days of yore I would have been ideally positioned to survive in periods of famine, as my body is so good at hanging on to what it has accumulated during times of plenty! He warned that it could also mean that I can expect long stalls as I move through the weight loss process, but for both of us, if the loss isn't showing at the moment, once it does show, it should be well worth seeing! Keep your chin up and all the best!

You know, I looked before, at your profi;e, you've lost LOTS of weight! KUDO's!

The same way you will be eating many things that are not necessarily the tastiest thing from now on. You have to find ways to cope. You are eating for different reasons now. sugar will not aide you in your journey to lose weight. I am not one of these people who are going to tell you that you are going down a terrible path or whatever if you have some flavored yogurt but do consider this - if you cant stick to the rules now as far as sugar goes how are things going to go for you later on?

Well I didn't have to have more tests but my insurance company denied my first submittal because they said I did not space my appointments far enough apart during my 6 month supervised weight loss program with my PCP. Two of the appointments occurred 2.5 months apart instead of 3 months apart... arrrghh!! I had to wait an extra 3 months before being able to resubmit everything and felt like it was the end of the world at the time. I too was just so ready and had tried everything. I literally wanted to just chuck it all and just give up. But I'm so glad I just kept going with the process. I hope you will too. Just remember that it WILL happen and when it does, you will probably figure out there was a reason for this delay that worked out okay in the end. For me, I ended up having my surgery in December when I had time off for the holidays and people around me to help out and I got to begin a new year on a new journey. I know it's so hard to wait but we are here for you. Don't give up. Your time will come!

Im a self proclaim stretch mark lady lol. I have it in my arms n stomach. Now that im losing weight I am starting to have even more! I tried palmers oil n it was working, but in one arm I started to have terrible rashes in one arm so I stoped using it. Are there any suggestions for my condition? thanks!

Hi. Just signed up and e-mail from Alex said to tell my story to get started. So here goes. I had a VSG performed by Dr. Keith Kim at Celebration Florida Hospital on 29 July. Surgery went well and I didn't suffer any nausea other than from the pain meds. But the post surgery recovery time at home was definitely more hard core than I'd anticipated. I think the surgery group downplays the significance of the surgery but there's no denying - it's major abdominal surgery. I've had my gall bladder removed (old school style 20 years ago) and a c-section. And while I was much younger for both of those, the rebound on the VSG was nearly as bad as those prior experiences. The path to surgery took 8 months. Between arranging financing (I was self pay), and pre-clearances - both cardio and pulmonary - it seemed like it was never going to happen. In total, the surgery cost me about 19K but I figure where is my better investment - a new car or a new me. I won. So I'm 10 days out and pretty much back to normal. It's definitely taking time to get the hang of the eating/protein/vitamin/sip routine but I keep reminding myself to be patient. My first birth took 9 months....only makes sense that my rebirth take a while as well. And to be honest, I'm making this post because I want to learn how to put up one of those cool weight loss count down graphics!! Gastric Sleevely Yours

Hi Joisey! I feel the EXACT same way. Just really started yesterday. I will be sleeved on 9/21. I actually have my pre-op appointment this Wed 9/5, because my surgeon will be out of town closer to my surgery. I am a phase I diet which is fine and don't begin full liquids until 9/14. So have not had to deal with the emotions that come along with being hungry, yet, which is good. But find that I have been so busy with appointments and getting clearances and not that it's all completed, the anxiety is setting in. With pre-op in two days, I know this is the trigger for my anxiety. I also feel the same about why I am going through all of this. I want to feel good in my body again, in my skin. I have so many constant pains it would bea waste of typing to mention. Primarily its my back and joints. It's about health for me too. And practical things, like seats on a plane, etc. I am too young to feel like I am 90 yrs old. I am only 42. I am surprised at my level of anxiety in a way because it's not like this process is happening over night. I began the process in April 2010 with my first seminar. It was 2 wks after I turned 40 and had decided that it was time to take control of my health. Made all sorts of appointments to check everything out. Physical, pap, bloodwork, etc. That's when I got the nerve to ck out the seminar. I was thinking of LapBand at the time and was excited to get the ball rolling. I received a call from the gyno and they needed to do ultrasound of my ovaries, which happened fairly often for me due to cysts. After the ultrasound the nurse said to get dressed and then I would be speaking with the dr. Seemed odd but not a real red flag. Walking to his office, did feel like a red flag. As I sat down and saw the way he was looking at me, was a red flag. He tells me I have a tumor the size of a large grapefruit on an ovary. Tells me he is sending me for bloodwork right away and referring me to an oncologist. Driving to do the bloodwork I was thinking, oncologist means cancer, right?? Of course I knew this but my head was trying to process it all. May 18th I meet with the oncologist and May 21st had open abdominal surgery. During those 4 days in between I read up on ovarian cancer and prepared for the end of my life. The size of the tumor means it had most likely spread, all over, and the 5 yr survival rate was not good. At the time it was 80% don't make it to 5 yrs. I woke up from the surgery and first thing I asked is "where did it spread to?" I kept getting same answer from nurses then family. Nowhere. It did not spread. I still to this day feel like a walking miracle. Apparently the cancerous part was surrounded by a non cancerous tumor, it it was encased. My surgeon hadnt ever seen that, and he is (I later found out) a world renound surgeon. I never found the right time, right man to have children with. And the dr said I needed a complete hysterectomy. He gave me 5 yrs to get pregnant. I tried to preserve my eggs but no fertility clinic would freeze eggs when a patient had ovarian cancer. Potential of freezing cancer with it. Well, dr said in Nov I had to have the surgery as soon as possible because my risks of cancer coming back were too high. He based it on bloodwork and, my weight. March 2011 had my hysterectomy. Very hard emotional time. Actually hardest in my life. That surgery was robotic, Da Vinci. SUCH a piece of cake recovery!! I recommend to anyone who has the choice to choose robotic surgery, take it and run with it!! Recovery was amazing. I was apprehensive going in because of the unknown and the surgeon not operating in the operating room but working from a seated position, in another room via robot. I just can't say enough about that experience. July 2011 went to another seminar for WLS and here I am 22 days from surgery. And I am anxious. I have to remind myself that I have been given another chance at life and want to make the most of it because tomorrow isn't guaranteed, for anyone. All of us going through this are doing so much more than just losing weight. It is literally transforming our futures. Our quality of this God given, precious life. And when our quality of life is better, our loved ones have a better quality of life too. We need to think of the memories yet to be made. Memories we will not be able to create in the current state of our bodies. Joisey, let's think about the exciting future ahead of us when we get anxious. We know that it's a tough road ahead but haven't we been living a tough road, everyday, anyway?? Yes, we are facing surgery soon and we feel like this is the beginning of something difficult but actually it's the end of a difficult time. It's the end of the hard parts of physical life and the beginning of a wonderful transformation that will make our lives physically easier. Godspeed my new friend. You and all going through this process will be in my prayers.

Thanks ANEWMEAK, I really like Dr. Gritsus also. I even found out that he was out of network for my insurance co and they gave me some in network doctors. I felt so comfortable with Dr. Gritsus that I'm paying out of pocket to see him. Your doing a great job with your weight loss, keep up the great work!

also, dont be alarmed but after surgery once you start eating mushies and soft foods you may also gain weight. your body is going to go thru and adjustment phase, so dont be alarmed.

I was told by my doctor not to drink for the first year due to the liver. He said that the rapid weight loss during the first year was hard on the liver and that drinking alcohol put it under additional strain. He also mentioned all the concerns that previous posters have mentioned such as getting drunk quickly and cross addiction. But the primary medical reason for him was liver function.

The first 2 weeks were the hardest for me ...but u will get thru it and see ur weight loss an know its worth it...when u get discouraged or frustrated sign in their are so many postitive stories... The new you is on its way..

Proud Grammy Wow another BC survivor! YAH! I thought I might be the only one. Now I don't feel nutty for thinking about this. I have Kaiser Permanente Insurance they cover weight loss surgery, as long as you have 2 of the co morbitites and your BMI is 35 or over. Lucky me! My mother was over 300 pounds when she passed and I can never remeber her not being over weight. She always told me my day would come and I would be fat too. : ( I managed to stay at a decent weight until I hit 45. Then it's been a losing battle ever since. I really packed on the pounds after my bilateral mastectomies and reconstruction. I wasn't allowed to do anything active for 5 months. Thank you helping me get my perspective right. CA reacurrance down 50% when not obese.......NO BRAINER!

I am a little nervous about going back to work with the new diet. I really don't want to explain myself to everyone. A few folks know, but I figured since the weight won't come off fast, I won't have to do much talking. How did you handle co workers?

7 days after surgery I still had a drain, find out if you will have a drain and for how long. I spent 5 days in the hospital and I know some people came home in one day. I had my drain taken out day 13. I took naps daily for the first 2 weeks. I'm 49 and I have Lupus but I also lost 70 pounds pre-surgery and I had a leg up on the weight loss. I have heard stories of women crying during dinner because they couldn't eat what everyone else is eating. Realize that your eating is going to be seriously different. From clears, full liquid, pureed, soft & regular. If you have been working on behavior modification pre-surgery that will probably be a piece of case for you, but for many people they really get depressed after surgery. Around day 9 it seems everything is much more emotional than before surgery. I would love to be a foster mom, mys on is 22 years old and I think what you are doing is wonderful. With that being said, you will have people say to you, oh yeah, no problem I did this that and the other after surgery. No two people are alike and you have no clue how you are going to be until after surgery. If you go into surgery with the right frame of mind and you are an upbeat and positive person, you will most likely do better, but complications do happen, people respond differently to different things. If these girls have been through a whole lot of stress prior, it could be hard on them, but if you have help for the first week they are there, and you can control your emotions when it comes to food and you don't have food mourning in front of them, you could do it. I think being a foster mom is a wonderful thing, and I wish you the best of luck and I'm not trying to scare you, I want you to be as informed as you can be. Again best of luck and I am looking forward to hearing good news after your surgery.

Hello! I am working on getting medical records submitted to my surgeon's office for review. Once received they will let me know what my chances are of getting approved then the pre-op testing will be scheduled. My concern (fear) is the requirement of my insurance company. I meet most of the requirements for approval, however, I've been told that BCBS of WY is very strict as they also require 5 years of medical supervised weight loss. Is this unheard of?!? I've been dieting since I was 8 years old so it's what I'he known. I never asked a doctor for permission each time I went on a diet. Sometimes the insurance companies will accept records from companies such as Weight Watchers. I've followed this program many times however only from experience and not through a membership. I'm worried about my chances with such a strict requirement of 5 years. What are your thoughts or experiences?

Hello I am Luz Elena I have been banded for a year and changes have been wonderful not only for the sizes I have dropped but also for my self esteem I have gained, I wish I had known this 10 years ago. I am still half way and still need to drop the other par but I know I'll get there Good luck to all of you pre and post:D

So glad you found us. We all have to thank Alex for creating this new board. Before this most of us went to SPOTLIGHT HEALTH, as did Alex, but he saw a need for more and he created this about 2 weeks ago. I am 5 weeks post op, I don't have a scale (thank God), and I am having my first fill next monday (thank God, thank God, thank God). I can't wait. I don't think I lost a lot of weight so far and it's so nice to know (thank to this board) that this is normal. Keep up the good work and keep posting! Lori

Hey everyone, I am 4 days into my two week Optifast diet an have been told twice today that I have bad breath even though I just brushed my teeth. I know ketosis can cause this , but my question is when does it stop ? The idea is to be in ketosis for most of the weight loss phase, right ? So does that mean as long as I am eating low carb I will have an offensive odor coming from my mouth? I have tried mouth wash, gum, brushing teeth and mints . They briefly and barely help. Any tips or hope on when this will stop would be so greatly appreciated! I know it's a small price to pay to be healthy , but yuck !