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Hi- I'm 5'4 205. My co- morbidities are hypertension and sleep apnea. I've had hypertension for over 10 years. My surgeon referred me for a sleep study just to see if I had sleep apnea and I did. I think it helped with insurance approval.

Hi: Nervous today. I am scheduled to meet with a surgeon today. My lap band surgeon (has started doing sleeves 6 months ago) suggested that I meet with this surgeon because he has more experience than the surgeon that did my band. My hopes are that he thinks I'm a good candidate and that he says that I should have my first surgeon do the surgery because I'm really not much higher risk than other sleeve patients and that I can have the surgery in April. I know it will take a lot of good fortune for these things to happen. Appointments so far completed 12/20/13 Consult with first (and preferred) surgeon. 2/11/14 - Upper GI (mild gastritis, small hiatal hernia, still had food in stomach after more than 11 hours), 3/1 bariatric emptying study (abnormal - slowly emptying), 3/13 second opinion. First Lapband 7/26/07, Second Lapband 7/23/10, Erosion and removal 7/30/13, Post-op infection 8/11 and hospitalized 4 more days. Positive thoughts and good wishes please. I'll keep you posted. Thanks. Sue

Throw your scales in the garbage, lol. I have just really started telling myself positive affirmations. I tell my body how much I love it and how proud I am of letting go of the weight and the scales started moving. I celebrate every pound now because I choose to believe that this time it is going to work and this time, it is not coming back. I am so proud of all of you guys. It took a big leap of faith to believe in ourselves to the point of having the surgery. I have began to celebrate everything. I celebrate my healing from the surgery. I celebrate that I don't have to take as much pain medicine. I got me a pedomiter that counts my steps and I walk as much as I can during the day and then celebrate at night that I did as much as I could. If you are anything like me, I spent years beating myself up that I couldn't do it on my own. I pray that God marks this journey with his own hands and guarantees my success. Each day I look at this as a mountain I am climbing. Sometimes it is hard to imagine looking at the view from the top but if I do what I can each day to imagine how glorious it is going to be to have the view after reaching the top, it makes it a celebration each time I take a step. So far today, I have lost 10 lbs from my preop starting point. I was banded this past Wednesday. My starting weight was 260m and this morning it was 253.4. Now my next goal is 252 and when I reach that goal (however long it takes), I am going to celebrate by allowing myself to be really happy about it. Write you out some affirmations and start telling your body how much you love it and it's ability to change and heal on it's own. Or, how proud you are of yourself and that you love how much it feels to be 8 lbs lighter. Look at what 8 pounds of butter looks like. You were once carrying that around and TaDa! it's gone. Write "I think I can, I think I can" on a sticky note and put it in your pocket or all over your house. Celebrate getting enough sleep and how much easier you can already move since surgery. You are doing great sunshine and every day and in every way, you are getting better, thinner, and stronger.

Hi all, I am trying to understand why I can't eat as much at work while am sitting down 10 hours a day, but at home I am perfectly fine. Is the sitting position making me vomit even the coffee? I have a schedule of 10 hours a day 4 days a week and on those days I am misserable, the rest of the week I am perfectly fine. Any thoughts....Thanks...

For me its more of a size then a weight. I would like to get down to size 8/10. If thats at 200lbs great, if thats at 150lbs that even better.

I am off the antihistamines about 10 days ago. Not sure if they were sedating type or not though. So what u r saying is that the more I'm in bed thr worse I get ? I do have trouble lifting a chair at home rhat I used to easily lift with one hand pre op. Is that what u mean?

Ok.. I have been trying really hard to get banded, and now I have surgury scheduled for Wed 9/10/08.. i am nervous about the surgury and i know that i will be able to finally get all of my weight off... that I have struggled all my life! What I am scared about besides the surgury (thats always scary) Is when I eat normal foods, all of this food getting stuck, throwing up, pain, not being able to eat and what the heck is PBing?? Sounds scary!! I dont know if I want to eat solids! Not that I ever ate fast and inhaled my food, I try my best to eat slow and eat to mushy! But with yall talking this way about solids getting stuck.. it makes me wanna live off of protien shakes and soft foods FOREVER!! I know, chew your foods well 20-30times take 20-30mins to eat etc.. but its still scarey!! :crying: I dont know.. i think i will end up becoming a picky eater... I do have a question.. for bansters who have been banded for a long time, was able to keep the weight off, and is active.. Once you have reached your goal weight, do they loosen (take saline out) the band, to fit your activity level? I am surprisely active.. and for years maintained my weight, just couldnt seem to lose it and wasnt going to go to bed hungry every night, that is no life.. I dont know I just want to know once reaching goal weight how normal (not over eating) are you able to eat? I am curious.. it seems they always tell you what to expect the 1st.. what about yr 2,3,4,5? Curious...

This year will be reflection on my long journey, I've had many ups and downs, weight loss surgery IS a journey. I will be 9 years post op this year, and this great little tool is still keeping my weight down. I am still happy and healthy, I don't have to take a boat load of supplements, or kill myself exercising, just an hour walk daily on my treadmill or outdoors helps keep my weight down. I started in a size 26, and my lowest size was a 8, I hover around a size 10/12 at 5'7 inches tall now, I don't have to kill myself at this size -- and still eat what I want, I am grateful to be healthy at 9 years post op and most importantly -- still wearing a size 10...

OK. Here goes...... I think I should say a little something about myself since I am reading all about y'all. I got my referral from my PCP on 10/16/13 and go for my orientation/class, meeting with insurance counselor, and first apt with the surgeon/team on 11/7/13. I am going to UVA (University of VA) and am not sure who my surgeon will be yet (because it is a teaching hospital). I have been overweight my whole life and I am sure like many of you I have struggled to control it. I know I have a food addition...more like sugar addiction. I have tried so many different things; most recently I tried a drug called Qsymia with no results. It has been very frustrating. Add the fact that I have some other medical issues that have developed in the last few years and between the conditions and the meds, the weight keeps piling on. What made me decide to have the surgery is that my PCP (and my Rheumatologist) told me that loosing the weight would make me feel better. Less pain can't be a bad thing and I am willing to do almost anything to get there. I am realistic; I know that loosing weight is not a "cure all" for my medical issues or for emotional ones. I am very excited to start this journey and am happy to have found a community to share it with. I have a great support system at home, but they will not understand everything my body and mind are going through. I have found inspiration and knowledge here and want to thank you all. Sharing your stories have helped someone (me) and I look forward to sharing my journey with the hope of helping someone too.

So last night I planned a vacation to NYC on June 19-21. I had surgery the 10th of May. Obviously, never being to New York before (I'm from Miami) I know there are lots of foods to try and plan on using one of those 2 days as a "treat myself" day. What do you think around that time I'll be able to eat? That will put me, if I do the math correct (although I failed it in highschool lol) about 5 weeks post op. I just need some help pre planning Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Have you tried cutting your pill in half or thirds? I have always had a hard time taking pills even before being banded. You can pick up a decent pill cutter for under $10 from CVS or Walgreens. I cut my pills in half and take them with something soft, like SF pudding or SF Jello, its a mental thing for me. I can not swallow pills unless I am really deperate without having something soft to swallow with. You may have irritated your stomach with the throwing up, try sticking to liquid for a few days. Valarie

So I have been to Steve & Barry's 3 times now and each time I am terribly disappointed. Sara Jessica Parker's new line of clothing "Bitten" is supposed to fit women sizes 2-22; however, SHE LIES!!! I am a size 16/18 now and I couldn't find anything that would fit. Clothing sizes can be so frustrating. In one store you can be a 16 and in the next store you are a 20. It sucks when the scale is going down but your clothing is not reflecting it. Oh well maybe in 20lbs I will see the size change. I am beginning to wonder if I will ever make an 8/10.

My center recommended clear liquids through day 3, then full liquids through day 7, purees through day 10, then slow cautious forays into mushies. I'm 12 days post-op and I've had a dream recovery (other than a cracked tooth, dental abscess, and root canal... but that's another story). I've never felt nauseas and I've kept down everything I've tried to eat. So, my favorite purees were: Corned beef hash and scrambled eggs Chicken salad: canned chicken, greek yogurt, sweet midget pickles, and curry powder. I ate about 1/4 cup of those at a time. Usually corned beef and egg for breakfast and chicken as a late lunch/early dinner. My first non-puree was mashed potatoes. Since that I've been branching out... my first "real" food was grilled salmon.... yum! Went down easy too. Last night I had this genius idea that I would blend my protein powder with a little milk and some sugar free fat free ice cream. It was delicious! But I didn't want it to melt so I ate it too fast... ugh! No more ice cream for me!

Thank you SO SO much for posting this! I was really beginning to get more nervous and scared by reading all the negatives!!! My surgery is 01/04/13 and I have to start on liquids this Friday for 2 whole weeks I am worried about the headaches I will get from being hungry, worried about ideas of what to eat and how to introduce new foods, but not worried about the actual surgery much at all. I've had an open hytsterectomy and gall bladder removal, so I'm hoping this will be a piece of cake in comparison! Anyone else want to input great stories or tell me about foods to try and how to introduce them? Love and thanks!

Pain is definitely normal. I was blessed that I didn't have much pain a few days post op. Getting out of bed sucked, but after the first 2 weeks, I was fine. When I went to the gym last night, used the bike for 45 mins and I used a different elliptical machine, and it made my side near an incision hurt so bad, I had to stop after 15 mins and call it a day. Eating slowly is a problem of mine too, but I just get hiccups. I am taking two 30mg of prevacid a day because I wake up with a sour stomach sometimes. But one in the morning and one at night has helped it go away. I stalled 10 days post op for 2 weeks, and then the next week the scale went down 2 pounds, and then nothing, and then 2 last week, and nothing this week as i'm approaching another weigh in for a valentines day challenge. I can't even get to my goal of 15 pounds :[ So I know the frustration. Things take time, at least that's what I need to keep reminding myself!

Ok I have a wierd one for yall, I am 10 days post op. Last night I was laying down and eating a popsickle. I suddlenly felt like I had something "like a piece of bread" stuck in my throat. It feels better today, but it stil feels like there is a sm pill stuck. I do not know if it was because I was laying on my side or what, but I do not recommend it. Besides that I feel great. How are yall, nurse linda and lsuval?

@@patricia How much did you lose before surgery, and how quickly is it coming off now? In my 2 week prep I've only lost 10#. They put me on liquids for 2 meals and 1 regular meal a day. I was fine until the lap band was emptied. Now I'm hungry all the time. Luckily I haven't gained any back, but it would be sooo easy to! @@skuper My surgery date was changed to the third, so I'm only one day ahead of you. I'm happy to hear your age, we're not alone in our quest to be healthy and happy at our age! I don't know about you, but my doctor hasn't blinked an eye about my request for the sleeve, and hasn't referred to age being a problem for this surgery, nor did my PCP. They seem to be be of the opinion we should just go for it!. I am getting nervous though, but excited too. Never thought I'd be excited about shopping at Goodwill for "new" clothes, but I'm starting to think this really is going to happen! Dreading the actual surgery and hoping the hospital stay will go by quickly! Let me know how you do on Friday. Good luck on an uneventful, successful surgery with only good things coming at you afterwards!

I did the same ting only I was driving and my son didn't want his cheeseburger. so use to eating what they wont, here was a perfectly untouched cheeseburger. Took two bites. feel odd. then for some crazy reason took two more. Thought I was going to die and tried to wash it down. Even worse. Finally coughed it up into my hand on the PA turnpike. Not my best momment. Yesturday, after haivng my first fill last week, was talked into going to an new asian buffet by my kids. No wise. I was somewhat good. Mostly because I got stuck on my first bite of meat. had to wait a good fifteen mintues to try to eat anything else. End up eating the kids unwanted items again. Have to get over the "don't waste food" monolog going on in my brain. Still only ate about 1/2 a plate of food, more then I should have, felt ill afterward too. The kids did ate really well and more then made up for the fact that I didn't eat my $10 worth. But don't think we will be doing that again.

What kind of problem are you having with this type of protein ( meats )? I have problems with pork and eggs they just take longer for my stomach to digest. Personally I feel I'm still healing from surgery i was sleeved on 10-8-12. It's a process just be patient your body may need longer to heal more. I also try to eat my meats ground up for now that helps a lot. They sale like ground turkey, chicken, pork in the grocery stores I need that extra help for now. I hope this helps. Jenipher

You think your lunch is early... oy! Mine is at 10:50 this year! How crazy is that?

Mine was April 5th and Im doing 3 10 min walks a day. My doctors wanted me doing that by the end of my first week. I started with walking around my house the first day home then worked my way to 1 10 min walk out side then the next day did 2 and so on. Still increasing it a little each day even by a few minutes. My doctor wants me getting in as close to 10,000 steps a day. Sent from my SM-G930P using the BariatricPal App

Hi everyone - I'm 10 days out from a lower body lift and inner thigh lift... I'm finally starting to feel human again. I knew this was going to be rough, but wow... Luckily, other than pain I've had no complications. I had 2 of my 4 drains taken out on Wednesday and am pretty sure the other two will come out next Wednesday at my 2 week checkup. I had my surgery with Dr. Shiffrin in Chicago. I think it was a little more than some of the quotes I've saw tossed around here, but I felt really comfortable with him and knew that I was going to get a good result based on feedback and pictures of the work he's done. He's just a really down to earth guy. I've been wearing really loose sweat pants ever since surgery. Today, I tried on a pair of jeans for the first time. They fit fine in the legs but were tighter around my waist than pre-surgery... but I had to laugh because I'm not really sure where my waist is anymore. I'm used to my pants going under my gut, but the gut is gone! Did any of you find that your clothes fit a lot different after surgery (or even go up a size), or is it just a matter of giving enough time for the swelling go down?

The nausea stopped right around the 24 hr point. I tried to walk two laps everytime my vitals were checked but I was tired and slept most of the afternoon away. Sunday morning, Dr. Kelly came by and checked me out then Cecy took me around noon for my swallow test. That facility is very nice, though the roads are quite bumpy on the way there. Thank goodness I still have cushion on my backside lol. The drink is disgusting, like aspirin Water, but it goes quickly and I brought sugar free mints for afterwards. Dr. Kelly recorded the test and Omar emailed it to me. My tummy looks so widdle on the video. They also gave me xray to take home. It takes like 10 minutes total. Cecy took me to the grocery store to get some cold beverages and my meds. The grocery store had the most gorgeous mangoes I wish I could take home and was sooo clean and colorful. Once I got to the hotel, Omar and Dr. Kelly came up to go over my diet and Cecy made me some rice water. I'd never tried rice water, but it has a nice cinnamon flavor. Omar went to get the other two couples then came back to get me. I took a big gatorade and headed to the bull fight with another couple. It was $20 for premium seats and $1 for a cushion (concrete seats). The food they brought by looked delicious, dried meat, fruit platters, but I sipped my gatorade. It was very...authentic. Beautiful bulls and horses. We stayed a little over an hour. Omar picked us up and we all went shopping at Avenida Revolución. You have to haggle for prices, but I yard sale every weekend so this is totally up my alley. I spent $33 on 3 luchador masks and some maracas. We stopped at Caesar's Restaurant which is the birthplace of the Caesar salad. It is made tableside with ground anchovies, dijon mustard, oil?, garlic, worchesterchire sauce, egg yolk, pepper, parm cheese & croutons. It looked really good. We then went out to eat at a mexican restaurant that has the.best.chicken.broth.ever. I don't remember the name of the place but I've never had broth that good, full of cilantro goodness. I chewed a tiny bite of rice with it. It was my first meal since Thursday night (3 days). I sipped too fast as about 5 minutes after I finished eating I felt way over full. You know how when you eat like a jumbo cheeseburger and fries then feel ugh? I felt that way after drinking 1/2 a cup of pineapple juice and maybe 3/4 cup broth. I kinda couldn't believe it until it happened to me. We got back to the hotel around 9pm. I showered, changed my bandages, took my meds, went on the balcony to check out the city at night, then online way too late. I got up this morning around 5am and had a drinkable yogurt. Omar brought me some thin oatmeal Cecy made me around 8am. I'm sipping on it very slowly. I'm chilling in the room this morning watching HBO. I have no nausea or pain. I get a free broth and popsicle from the hotel daily so I'll be checking that out later today. So far I've had a great experience in Tj. You don't get this kind of personal service in the US. Good luck Reese! It was nice meeting you yesterday. I'm sure you'll do great! Thanks thinmymind, I had a lot of fun yesterday.

I did keto for a long time pre-op and even before I thought about bariatric surgery. My program is different, I guess, in that we don't do purees or full liquids and move onto soft foods like cottage cheese and yogurt, etc. on day 10. We are allowed chicken salad, even. She said to start with Greek yogurt, which I did.