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Thank you for responding. I'm hoping it does and that now I'm cleared for regular food, it should be easier to up the calories. A little planning last night has me at 680 for the day so far. I've been pleased with the weight loss so far so speeding it up would be a bonus!!

They use the weight from your first visit to get your insurance verification normally. I was like you, I was just barely at 40 BMI; in fact if I had not worn heavy blue jeans, boots and had my cell phone in my pocket when they weighed me in the first time I am not sure that I would have made 40.

I remember the 3 week stall but is there also a big stall at the 6-7 month mark. I am 10-15 from goal and haven't lost anything in about 3 weeks. Just wondering if everyone stalls or am I leveling off? Hw was 232. Sw 218 and current weight 155. DOS 3/26/13.

That has been my focus too--calories, protein and fat. Then my sister goes and mentions that when she reduces her carbs, she notices more weight loss. Just another thing to track, great! LOL

Your health and wellness are the most important part of your weight loss journey!

Is stalling every 2 weeks normal? I know stalls are normal, and I do expect it, but this much? It's super frustrating. I get a good rhythm of weight loss, then BOOM, nothing. This is my second stall since my May 1st surgery.

My BMI was only 43 (haha funny to now be able to say only 43). Anyway, no you are not crazy. This is a way to reduce those co-morbidities. It will make suregery tougher on the surgeon, but in the long run this surgery will make life way easier on you and your body. I know there are lots of people on here who have improved both blood pressure, diabetes and arthritis, if not totally gotten rid of them. I am now off both my metformin and my blood pressure medication. I don't know about the lupus or the copd. It can only help your joints though. I was off my meds by about 4 weeks post op. You will be surprised how quickly things start to improve. One benefit to having a higher BMI is that you will see your weight drop off quicker than those of us who had not quite so high ones. Don't be scared. It sounds like you would have to have surgery anyway. This is just like a bonus one that will decrease the chances of having to go through any of it again later. I would not change my sleeve for anything. It is the best decision I have ever made. Good luck and keep us up to date on your progress.

My BMI was 57 when I started my sleeve journey. It had lowered by the time I had the actual sleeve surgery due to pre-op diets and having a gastric balloon inserted. I remember the day my dietician telling me my BMI had dropped below 50 and being weirdly proud! I was so lucky to have managed to get by at such a high weight for so long without having any serious health implications, apart from barely being able to walk when I was at my highest weight (not too impressive for a 26 year old), and I can't see how this would do anything but improve your health. Losing weight helps most things and it's definitely always worth a go. If you want to really make a change in diet and lifestyle, go for the sleeve. It's not easy but I feel like a new woman already, and I'm still only halfway through the weight I need to lose. Best of luck in your future surgeries and decision on the sleeve

In the past, when I went to amusement parks, I typically didn't go on rides out of embarrassment that I felt people were looking at how I barely squeezed into a seat for a ride or even worse, being told I can't ride a particular ride because of my weight or the restraint system won't properly close (that happened twice, I was more embarrassed for my children to have people looking a their Dad like that). Well, not yesterday. I went to the amusement park with my children and went on many rides including ones in the past I would never have been able to fit properly into the seats or weighed too much to ride. For the first time in many years, I did not feel like people were staring at me because of my weight. Although to be honest, I was nervous on some of the rides before I went on them that the restraint system may not close all the way and I will need to get off the ride. This is only one of many NSVs I have experienced since losing weight. I look forward to the new ones every week. Please share yours.

Just had to share my 2 month post-op photos! Look at them hips, though! Starting weight was 254. Day of surgery I was 240. Today I am 200. Doctor's goal is 140. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using the BariatricPal App

And feeling sexy VSG Date: 2/13/13 SW:285lbs HW:302 5'3 current weight as of 4/16/13: 239 5/15/13: 231yay me

Highest weight 410. Current weight 240. Goal 195-200. This has changed my life. I feel so much better, & my attitude is so much better. Still got a ways to go but I'm on the downhill slide. My health is so much better. No diabetes, no more insulin shots, no more sleep apnea, no more neuropathy of the feet. I exercise & eat right. I'm so greatful for my 2nd chance at life. At 61 I feel better than when I was 40. Sent from my Z970 using the BariatricPal App

Thanks guys. That was helpful Lisa. It worries me a little that I get no answers and for me to have a major surgery that really worries me. Again I have done all of my requirements but the nutritionist . Not sure what the hold up is. It's not that easy for me to get to the office though I love about an hour from the hospital. I will try once again this week. If I don't get any answers then I will try to see another surgeon. Smh . James, I was confused as well being as though I'm new to this they insured me that the nurse practitioner new everything I needed to know. I really however have been wanting to see the surgeon. I don't want to get all in my head like "You shouldn't be getting the surgery anyway" or "Try to lose weight on your own again" Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hi there! I'm pretty new too, but this place has been awesome and a constant resource on my weight loss journey. Good luck with everything.

I Just got my first appt in Feb to meet with the NUT and the PT, and see the NP. I am reading about all the pre diets you are required to do before your surgery.. I am exactly at 40 BMI if I lost a bunch of weight prior to surgery, wouldn't the insurance deny surgery because you are not in the BMI catagory required for the surgery? I am not sure if my program will consist of the 6 month supervised diet yet, but that seems like a person would lose a bit of weight and possibly be denied because of it dropping their BMI, has anyone ever had that issue? Thanks!

Hello everyone, I am new here and just had my sleeve done on Jan 17th. I had a few issues so had to stay in the hospital for 3 nights. I am doing better but my tummy is still swollen. I have not gotten on the scale yet because I don't think I have lost anything yet. But I am very glad I had this done and know I will have a good outcome. I have fought my weight problem my whole life and I am hoping I have found the solution. I know this is a whole new why of life and I am ready for it.

Congrats on your surgeries, ladies! The first month or so can be tough, but believe me it gets easier! Fills are different for everyone. It took three fills for me to get to "green" and I'm one of those bandsters that has lost my appetite all together. You'll find our experiences are different but we all have a common goal...To lose weight and get healthy. Best Wishes!

I was right at 40 BMI so my surgeon advised me to stay the same weight as my initial visit for my visit with the nutritionist. After that he said I could lose as much as I was able. I fluctuated one or two pounds from visit to visit. I was approved by BCBS within 24 hours of submitting my paperwork documenting the six months. . Of course, my primary had sent me to many specialist prior to seeing the surgeon for weight loss. I am not sure if impending back surgery made them more likely to consider WLS OK.

Saw my PCP yesterday and she discontinued my last blood pressure medication AND told me to cut the only remaining medication (for cholesterol) in half. I'm having blood work done in 5 weeks and she feels confident that she'll be calling me to discontinue that medication too! I am so happy. I don't think my feet touched the floor n my way out of the office I was flying!! The weight loss is great but the improved (read that resolved) medical issues are even better.

Day of the surgery I was still pretty drugged so the pain didn't bother me at all (and they got me up every 2 hrs to walk to help with the gas). Next day (still in hosp) I was getting shots of pain killer & pain was bearable although the incisions definitely made themselves known. Kinda like when I cut my knee as a kid - a cut's gonna hurt for awhile, but not crazy hurt. Went home the afternoon after surgery & did this with no pain killer (doc took forever to come to the room, nurse woulda had to keep me another half hour if I had more & I chose to go without it). The ride home was rough, but I got through it without screaming. Doctor's office also gave me a teddy bear to hold on my stomach which helped a lot. Have a pillow in the car so you can hold it against your stomach. This will avoid any jiggling from the bumps in the road & help avoid pain. I suggest keeping a pillow or nice thick stuffed animal close by to hold in case of a sneeze or cough. That night & next day was rough getting out of bed or up from a lying position on the couch. Two days post op - I'm much better. Wounds don't hurt as much. Walking was never really a problem; stair no problem either. My surprises were that I can't drive for a week. My surgery was Thurs & planned to go back to work on Tues so the driving thing is causing me a problem. Other thing is the doctor wants me in the office on Wed for post op care & seminars with him, the dietician & another staff member. Now I guess I'm out of work till next Thursday & doc's office said I'd be back to work in 2 days. Don't appreciate their lack of honesty there and not sure my employer will appreciate it either. Other surprise is after the surgery one of the doctor's associates told me I'll need to have GI series in the future to make sure my esophagus, stomach & I don't know what else is o.k. I'm still looking into this 'cause like I said yesterday was the first I heard about that. I was supposed to be on a diet for 1 week consisting of 3 Protein drinks, 1 protein (both bought at the doctor's center), a salad, dinner of lein meat & vegetables and all the sugar free Jello & broth I wanted. The 2nd week consisted of the 3 Protein Drinks & all the jello & broth I wanted. 2 days after I started week 1's diet, I got a call from dr's office & they moved my date up to 3 days later. So I was only on the all liquid diet for 2 days. The day of surgery I ate nothing - not even Water. Day after surgery I got little thing of jello & broth & 3 bottles of water. But then was able to drink the 3 protein drinks later when I went home & have all the jello & broth I wanted. BYW - the broth helped to satisfy me a lot - I got the packets of dry powder stuff that mixes with water. I found the ready made ones really gross. The powder ones have a salty flavor. Told pretty few people I was doing this. Not 'cause of embarrassment (I could really care less what anyone else thinks). I thought it 'cause me too much stress because everyone would be watching to see how much weight I was losing & I have enough stress in my life. Good luck to you!!

My surgeon started me on a 6 month Dr supervised diet and i was just heartbroken that I'd have to wait that long to go forward - especially since he said the insurance company doesn't even care if you lose or even gain weight...but my policy must have changed because they called me and said I odn't have to do it afterall. YAY!!!!! So I just need my psych eval and approval and I think I'm golden! I'll find out Thursday when I go back to see him again

Hey all I saw 3 articles today about studies done on women who have undergone weight loss surgery and then got pregnant. Basically all of the articles say that the studies show that women should wait 12-18 months before conceiving. My doctor said in his info seminar that he reccommends 2 years. I never would have thought to ask when I went to the seminar. Partially because I'm too focused on getting out of school already! (It's taking sooo long, but it's my fauly for that sooo... ) Anyways I thought I would post here about it, Not sure if I can post links or not? But I have them if anyone is interested. Any thoughts? Have a good one all!

I was about to answer someone’s post when I thought I'd rather not derail it and instead start my own. This is hard for me as I am not usually a person to open up to strangers so please bear with me. For a long time, even in my teenage years I would be a bit ‘chubby’, not fat but a little over weight. When I look back I can laugh, as my idea about dieting and losing weight, was to drop the 4 or 5 lbs I put on over Christmas or family holidays. I was about a UK 10 which is a USA 8. I heard from my Mum all the time, “If you could only lose a few pounds you’d be happy”. That confused me as I always thought I was happy!! My Mum had a 24 inch waist when she married and had a 24 inch waist after having me 7 years later. She came from the generation where you dressed to clean the house or do the gardening, so I don’t blame her mind set but it hurt me, a lot. When I married my first husband I was already a slim 8 stone 4lbs (116lbs) and only put weight on during my pregnancies and lost it afterwards and was around 10 stone (140lbs). Then my thyroid stopped working, my body ate it up and to cut short a 22 year story of hell and despair I put a lot of weight on. I tried so hard to lose weight but between my thyroid, depression, moving every 2 years (my ex-husband is military) AND my own inability to stop putting food into my mouth, I failed time and time again. Seventeen years ago my Mum told me that she was very disappointed in me. She had no complaints about me as a Mother, she felt I was an outstanding Mum however everything else disappointed her. I disappointed her. She told me, her only child, not to visit anymore as I was FAT and embarrassed her. I haven’t seen her since. I was unhappy in my first marriage and ate as a comfort. I also thought the fat would stop him wanting to touch me. It was a shield and if it was there nothing could hurt me. He wasn’t abusive, we had a good lifestyle and at times a good marriage but there was no real emotion there for me or the kids. I am not blaming him either, he just couldn’t do the connection thing on any levels. After 25 years of being together we divorced. Food was now my partner and I stayed fat. I met my second husband online 7 years ago. Online is easier isn’t it, you type and people don’t ‘see’. People can get to know you before they see the blubber. I was safe and felt secure. Even when we skyped about 4 months after sending emails and chatting on messenger, he only saw my face and you can always angle the webcam to make yourself look 40lbs lighter, only use it at night when the house lights are dimmed and wear black! We finally met and as the saying goes, ‘that was that!’ He saw past the fat. For 3 years he drove down from his home in the north of England to see me (I live in the south) every weekend. The drive was about 5/6 hours and he never ever missed a single weekend. We married 4 years ago this October. Not wanting to sound big headed but he worships me, loves and adores me. He accepts me for who and what I am and I am so blessed. I always kept it in mind in the past that I had to diet for ME. Now I have had the surgery for US. I want to be around for a long time so we can enjoy life together. Doing it for US doesn’t mean I don’t want to be able to buy ‘skinny women’s’ clothes and get into a swimming pool without feeling I was going to pass out with shame. I want to peel back the layers and open myself up to life, grab it with both hands and shake it till it bleeds. I don’t want to waste any more time. So yes ~ I keep to all the rules, yes ~ I’m not rushing to the next stage because I am tired of one week of soft foods, yes ~ I will wait to listen to my body and not my head or my fears, yes ~ I may make mistakes, learn from it and move on rather than sabotage it. Yes. I can begin to love me.

you're eating too many calories - not too few. once you get a ways out, calories are going to vary a lot depending on the person. The only way to find "your" range is to experiment with different ranges to find your sweet spot. I maintain on 1500-1700 a day. If I consistently eat at the lower end of that, or under it, I'll start loosing. If I eat above that range too often, I'll start to gain. I would say I'm moderately active. I usually do cardio (30-45 mins) about 4x a week and strength training (15-20 minutes) 2x a week. I do a lot more cardio in the summer, though, when I do a lot of walking and biking.

My ideal amount of calories fluctuates. I have a scale that tells me what my BMR is based on weight/body fat/muscle mass, hydration, etc. It currently says around 1560 so I *try* to keep this in mind when I make choices throughout the day if I’m trying to lose a little. Technically, I think I could go over this amount by a couple of hundred calories and be fine but I would need to track for an extended period of time to be certain. That sounds like a lot of work to me 😢 You may need to come up with a way to figure out your needs, but a few things to keep in mind: Are you at or close to goal/normal weight? That can slow the process down a lot. Do you know your weightloss vs maintenance calorie goals ? If you haven’t gained or lost, you are likely in maintenance. COVID/Quarantine stressors have affected a lot of people. Some people have lost but plenty of people have gained weight as well from stressful times. You maybe maintaining. Any other major life changes like medication of menopause, subsequent illness can cause plateaus and even gains. I hope that helped a little ❤️