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As long as you're following the rules, you're doing fine! I'm not even a year out yet and have lost a significant amount of weight...especially considering they told me to expect only about a 40lb loss the first year. Enjoy it while it's falling off, the weightloss will slow down, I promise!

I have always worn a tankini. Skirt and long torso tank. This summer was my first summer in 15+ years at a normal weight so my skirt was a tad shorter and my top was the bra top variety. My thighs are really saggy and I want to go to the pool or beach and NOT feel self conscious so I will never wear a bikini bottom again, most likely.. Wear what makes YOU feel good. I felt great in my itty bitty bikini when I was in high school and college. I haven't felt great in a suit since until this summer. (This is a hurdle for me, too, as I was a competitive swimmer and still love to swim for exercise.) Shop around, you'll find the right style.

I've had many surgeries...c-section, nephrectomy, gallbladder removal, lapband. When my band slipped I lost all hope and gained all my weight back. I had RNY less than two months ago and I'm already down 50 lbs!!! The doctor took out the lapband at the same time. I only stayed in the hospital 2 days and have had no complications. I was scared to death, but this has been the best weight loss decision i've ever made. In my opinion RNY is the way to go.

Excellent start to your goal! Always happy to see a positive start... As for "how do you know" you need a fill, I went with the "if I'm losing comfortably" i won't get another fill program. I was only filled TWO times and I have the largest band they can possibly install, why you ask??? Because I'm losing weight at a good rate while ALSO maintaining my ability to eat stuff without being tightened to the point I PB... You do whats best for you, in the end you'll adjust your fills by the rate your losing. Your dr. will push you in a healthy direction! Good Luck!

I'm coming up on 3 months and feel pretty good most days. Still weak in my arms and legs but I attribute that to not getting enough calories. I'm going to the gym an hour a day 5 days a week doing treadmill for about 40 mins and the rest on weights. Still having trouble getting my protein goals but am doing much better on fluids. I can definitely tell a huge difference in my body. It's exciting.

After being banded 1.5 weeks, my doctor decided to move me from liquids to mushies. I was enjoying the great weight loss on the liquid diet and not getting hungry. I'm worried about gaining weight on mushies and solid foods. The doc indicated that I should be on solid foods my next appointment. Are my worries unfounded? He indicated I shouldn't worry about calorie counts, just recognizing feelings of fullness. I don't know what to think of expect.

I totally agree that we should focus on healing, BUT that does not mean we should just take this as an opportunity to get in a bunch of slider foods we won't get to have after we're healed. There is no reason why we can't use this time to both heal AND make healthy choices. I don't even have a functional scale right now to check my weight, so I'm not focused on my weight. I'm focused on both healing AND making the changes in the way that I eat and think that will carry me through for LIFE. There is no way that I'm going to lose time or headway on my progress just because I'm on mushies. I'm in this for the long haul, but I'm not going to sabotage myself by making that haul any longer than necessary. Just my take on it.

I can say for sure that yes, weight loss has increased my immunity. I have an immune deficiency and one of the reasons I got the surgery was because obesity impedes the immune system and my numbers weren't coming up. My immunoglobulin g (the part of your immune system responsible for protection against bacterial infections and the memory cells) wouldn't go above 300. My immunologist wanted me in the 900 range. 3 weeks after surgery and about 20 lbs down my level went up to 600!!! So YES, weight loss absolutly helps your immunity

So awesome to hear about your improvements!! And super freaking cool that you have the empirical measure! The act of losing weight (mobilizing and shrinking fat cells) is amazingly powerful. I was diagnosed with polycistic ovarian syndrome back in 2005 (but I'd say symptomatic since 2001). The condition was in full swing while my weight steadily increased. I had it even when I weighed well under 200. By my 3-month follow-up appointment after surgery, my numbers were completely normal. Even though I weighed 207, it was the losing 47 that made the difference. @@Robert Christopherson - Here's a piece about the benefits: http://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/06/02/12-reasons-why-apple-cider-vinegar-will-revolutionize-your-health/, and the excerpt re. immunity: 3. Prevent Candida and Normalize Intestinal Bacteria ACV is full of beneficial acids which are believed to help improve the make up of your intestinal flora. These include acetic acid and malic acid, which have antibacterial, antimicrobial and anti-fungal properties and can help control the spread of the candida fungus in your intestines, a common debhilitating problem with many people’s high sugar diets. 4. Strengthen Your Immune System Your intestinal flora are a big part of your body’s immune system. It makes sense then that improving the conditions for the growth of friendly bacteria with apple cider vinegar can help improve your overall immunity. The malic acid in ACV is also a strong antiviral, perhaps one of the reasons people often say they experience fewer colds when they take apple cider vinegar in Water daily. Additionally, raw and unfiltered apple cider vinegar is said to benefit your lymphatic system by helping to cleanse lymph nodes and break up mucus in the body. Over time this can relieve sinus congestion, reduce colds and alleviate allergies.

I have the same issues, I thought it was just me. It sounds like you are doing great with your weight loss.

I was wondering. Does the band get more loose as you lose weight or does it get tighter?

hi just too say i had my band fitted 2 weeks ago in belguim and now i am looking forward to my first fill and weight loss

☆.•´¯`•.☆.•´¯`•.☆.•´¯`•.☆ ...........ONE-DERLAND............ ☆.•´¯`•.☆.•´¯`•.☆.•´¯`•.☆ I hit 199.8 this morning. Its been 12 years since I was this weight. Soooo freaking excited! My weight plateau'd from week 2 to 3 and just would not budge. Im so glad to see my weight loss is kicking in again. ~Leticia **HW: 259**PreOp: 216**SURG: 3/21/13 **Discharged @: 221**25 days post op. CW: 199.8 lbs .... Loving One-derland!

Everyone's journey is unique...I lost 22 lbs in 2 months after my surgery..I'm happy wiz my weight lost. Talk to u r doctor but most importantly use lots of moisturizer on ur skin..gonna help.. Sent from my SM-G900W8 using the BariatricPal App

Hi I'm looking for a couple of lap band friends. A little info about myself, I'm 45 years old and been overweight most of my life. I got married at the age of 18 to a girl I met in high school. At that time I weighed 142 pounds, now I'm twice the man from then. Married 28 yrs in Aug, have four children and one grandchild that's eight months old. I work as a Mental Health Tech and love my job. Things that I really enjoy is playing the flute. I've got over 200 flutes many from around the world. Goal is to play every flute known to man. I also use music to help people deal with stress, depression and anxiety. I believe everyone has a song within them to bless others. I weigh 294 pounds and want to drop 100 to 115 pounds Iwould like to find a couple of people who would like to help each other in this journey of weight loss. Sing with your flute and give thanks for another day. Blessings Bearbelly

I am coming up on 1 year. It was more hard in the first few weeks /months than it is now. New habits are formed. New eating techniques, food choices, going to the gym, etc. Practice makes perfect! It becomes a normal day to day way of life. I am being totally honest when I say there are days I don't even think about the band. Weight loss has slowed, but I am within 10 lbs of my goal. As long as I am not gaining and still moving in the same direction.

Congrats! I was sleeved the same day, close to the same weight and have lost 27... seems a bit slow to me. Can you tell me what you try to keep your numbers at: Cals per day? Do you count carbs? Do you exercise? Im just trying to figure out how to make it move a little faster. Thanks!

I have restriction and I cant drink when I eat as it causes great discomfort. But I can eat ANYTHING. Some things are harder than others - apples and other fresh fruit are hard for me, but I still eat them, just carefully. I had a very strong craving for a Bic Mac a while ago - not a food I have a problem with overeating and not somethign I'd crave often, in fact its the only time in 4 years, so what the heck, I'm a healthy weight, I had one. I ate 3/4 of it, I took it slow but I had no particular trouble. that's from someone who's 4 years out, well and truly at goal (and past it) and maintaining with no trouble. I do a lot of exercise, so I dont need to have my band very tight and this way, I find there's absolutely no restriction on normal eating. I've had to learn of course to handle the "sometimes" foods, but that's a GOOD thing. I dont really desire to have those things off my menu simply because they're impossible to eat because then I dont think you're really learning to manage your own eating.

Just venting (or whining). I was banded a little over 2 months ago. Since then I've dropped 35lbs (60 since starting the process), but have finally hit a plateau. This isn't unusual. I've lost large amounts of weight in the past, and have always hit a plateau around this time. The problem, I think, is that 2 months after getting really psyched up about weight loss, the novelty wears off, and old habits begin to re-emerge. This is one of the reasons pasts attempts have failed for me, and one of the reasons I felt I needed help to stay on track. The problem is that I still don't feel much restriction, even though I've had a fill, and my next fill isn't for another month. For example, yesterday I had a really bad day, and was bad last night, and had a large bowl of Cereal for dinner. It was much larger than the 1/2 cup I'm supposed to be limited to, but had no problem whatsoever eating the whole thing. I'm getting kind of scared that my bad habits are starting to reappear, and will end up sabotaging myself (again). Any long timers run intot his situation, and how did you get refocused?

Today I am 45 days out. I take my vitamins daily, get my fluids in with no problem and am tolerating food very well. I almost feel like I'm doing too well...reading some of the things on here have me perplexed. I have to remind myself that everyone is different, everyone heals differently. I'm down 38 pounds. Whenever I get the thought in my mind that I am not progressing fast enough I remind myself that this is the most weight I have lost in ages. I continue to gain and lose the same five pounds, then it finally falls off. Then I plateau and gain/lose the next 5 pounds. Like I said, its frustrating me to no end, but I am trying to be realistic with myself. Slow and steady wins the race, and I am giving my skin time to adjust to the loss as well. Observations and Weird sensations: Sometimes I can barely finish a yogurt while other times I can eat quite a bit more. (For example, a bean burrito from taco bell or a 6 inch sub on flatbread from Subway) I can feel the food shift in my stomach; I've never had that sensation before. Sadly, the sleeve doesn't get rid of PMS cravings. I still have to fight myself about eating crap. The difference is now I can talk myself out of it 95% of the time whereas before I was 95% sure I would eat it anyway. Since I am not consistently on sugar/carbs like I used to be I can actually feel myself crash from eating something carb/sugar rich. It's enough to make me not want to eat them. I've found if I've eaten a few bites too much, I can get rid of that feeling much faster by walking. Walking actually helps move my food. Before surgery, walking while I was stuffed was sheer torture. If I was overly full, I would feel that way for a long time. a couple hours even, before I would get any relief, I definitely feel restriction. I eat maybe a 1/4 to an 1/8 of what I used to. I can't throw up. I've had the sensation a few times and even tried to on one occasion that I overdid it by accident. I didn't feel the restriction til it was too late. I've since learned to slow down when I eat so I have time for my body to signal to me. But the point is, I used to be able to puke almost on command. Not so much anymore. Its not really worth going out to eat at a sit down restaurant. I cant eat like the rest of the folks. While that is a exhilarating feeling, I found myself sulking because I couldn't eat my favorite meal at Chuy's. I had to laugh at myself like really, Tracy? You have wanted to be thinner for years and now that you have the chance you are crying about a chimichanga? I still have to silence my inner fat kid on the daily. I'm hoping that becomes less and less. I didn't realize just how addicted i was to food and food routines. I'm slowly re-learning how to have fun without food or booze and how to incorporate exercise into daily life again.

Guys i need some help. I have tried getting more specific answer from UHC and they literally only spit out the policy at me verbatim. My policy states i need 6 months minimum before surgery for dr visits and/or weight loss logs from a structured program. So my question is, how far back in my medical history can i go to get 6 months? Also, it says and/or weight loss logs so does that mean i can getapproved on 4 months dr visits and 2 months worth of weight loss logs? Ive gotten no help in clarification from UHC and the bariatric coordinator at my surgeon is hell bent on 6 straight months of dr visits and she dont wanna hear anything about my weight loss logs or my gym check ins my coworker under the same policy got hers approvedby her just logging 6 months without dr intervention! Thoughts? Suggestions? Anyone had similiar experience with the coordinator at ATL Bariatric Surgery - Dr. Hart?

I am not telling people I've had labpanding done. Now I have told a few people, 4 of my close girlfriends know but they all live in at least a state if not several away. I have told my husband and my mother but that's it for local. Did you ever watch Seinfeld? You know the episode of worlds colliding? That is what it would feel like if this world met my irl world. I have been overweight as long as I can remember. My immediate family has never made me feel bad but I recently realized that my siblings are content with their weight because they are not as big as me. As long as I am the "big" one then they dont have to address their issues. I have heard the whole "you'd be pretty if..." line and the trump was when my Grandma told me "you could find such a nice boy if you lost some weight" I was maybe 16/17 yr old and told her if the 'nice boy' required that i lost weight to find him then he wasn't nice enough for me. That has long been my stance and it worked, I have been married to the nice boy in my life for almost 15 yrs. I have heard the stage whispers of "oh I thought she'd lost weight" at family functions. I dont want my weight loss to be cheapened by people talking about it as the easy way out. I have lost several pounds prior to surgery or preop diet because I am determined and focused. I dont want people to discount my work at this. Maybe as I lose weight and become more comfortable in my own skin my feelings will change. Right now I wouldnt count on it.

Pouch dilation is a complication from banding, not as serious as band slippage -- but is a prelude to slippage if saline is not reduced and caught in time, it can cause the pouch to get really big and prolapse, but it is a complication where it makes it difficult for the band to be effective... Pouch dilation happens when someone is filled too tightly TOO LONG and continues to try to eat on a very tight band (along with frequent vomiting), sometimes it can happen pretty quickly after being filled too tight, this is why it is very important to return immediately to your surgeon when you've been filled too tight to prevent permanent damage to your band. Pouch dilation is tricky also, sometimes you think you are doing well with a very tight band and losing weight, and after someone who have been too tight for a long period of time, start noticing they can eat more food, they think they need more saline, but sometimes the pouch will dilate .... Here are more causes and differences in pouch dilation and slippage: http://www.sages.org/meetings/annual-meeting/abstracts-archive/gastric-pouch-dilation-versus-slipped-band-an-important-distinction/ Aggressive band inflation and creation of excessive restriction to compensate for patient lifestyle non-compliance may contribute to morbidity including gastric pouch dilatation, band slippage and erosion. It is essential to be able to diagnose gastric pouch dilatation and its causes. Treatment of pouch dilation includes band deflation, which preserves the device and ongoing patient educational counselling. We recommend that restriction should be increased in patient’s with aLAGB commensurate with their compliance and lifestyle change in order to avoid complications.

I'm 3 weeks post op and I haven't lost any weight in 5 days. In fact I gained a pound. Sent from my SM-G920V using the BariatricPal App