Search the Community

WOW 2 Miles! Walking is encouraged and needed but man, don't push it! You have wounds inside that needs to close! You will LOVE how you feel in the coming weeks! There are times when you feel a little disappointed that you can't have something, but the weight loss and the all day energy, without crashes is worth it. What was hard for me was about 2 weeks out when I felt great and its easy to forget you had the surgery and you want to eat the things you had been... but intellectually, you know you can't. I'm 48 days and learning a whole new way of eating and its a lot better food than I thought! Take it easy!

I'm currently on my pre-op diet which is a 1000 calorie a day mostly liquid diet. I am allowed to have shakes (Muscle Milk Lite), which is absolutely atrocious because of the after taste. I was convinced it was not bad and I bought $150 worth of it to last me the 2 weeks. Also I am allowed to have 2cups of vegetables a day which is my splurge of a iceberg lettuce for dinner. It's day 2 and I'm down from 373lbs to 363lbs, 10 pounds in 2 days, I don't know if it's bad to lose that much weight or is it normal. It's very sad but I can't wait for my surgery and I can't wait till I'm able to eat some scrambled eggs when I get eat soft food....

You know, I hadn't realized the part about skinny people being more supportive than not, but that explains why I have received so much support - everyone around me (even at work) is pretty thin / healthy. I have been so blessed to have incredible support from my friends and coworkers. (There is one friend that isn't but I knew she wouldn't be. She's just like that about everything medical.) Interesting observation... I tell EVERYONE (and I mean everyone - perfect strangers - about my surgery). I guess I figure if I don't act embarrassed of it and get it out there before someone says something, then I have the upper hand? I don't know. Like you, I don't quite grasp that I have lost over 100 pounds; however, mine is because I never really understood how heavy I was. (Crazy, I know.) So just probably the last 10 pounds or so have I realized that not only do I look different but I am actually starting to look - gasp - THIN! Concentrate on those NSV's. That is why we all did this - off the meds, better dr visits, fit in the plane seat, smaller clothes, etc. Those are the things that will help you realize the weight that is gone (said I after going to a movie today and realizing how nice it was to fit in that seat!) I too do not like the excess skin but constantly find myself staring in the mirror trying to decide just how bad it is. Most of it is covered up - except for the turkey neck and that BOTHERS me to no end. I will have my arms done if nothing else because I have always wanted to wear sleeveless (without the requisite cami over it). I can completely understand being anxious about your wedding dress, but girl, you are getting married and from the sounds of it to a wonderful person, so I agree with @@Valentina, spread your wings and fly! Congrats or your progress!

I guess so. It is quite common to gain weight when you move off of mushies to solids then losing it after you start getting fills. Don't panic. Just try and keep your calories to under 1k a day. Protein first.

I am sorry these things have happened to you. have you had a cat scan to diagnose your diverticulitis? Thats usually the only way of knowing for sure, its brought on by eating nuts and seeds as well as low fiber have you been eating that if so calm it down. do you know it can be taken care of usually with one round of Cipro which is an antibiotic. Millions of people have it sleeved or not. also maybe try quest bars loaded with protein 4 usable carbs and 17 grams of fiber. As for hairloss yes mine is flying out too, but you had to know this goin in, they do say it does grow back If mine gets out of control, I plan to see a dermatologist for inections to stop it. I researched and knew exactly what i was in for before surery, there are no surprises here except weightloss and yes im still heavy but im a different person now. im tall ive always hid my weight well and still do. Im a better mother better lover better person with just 68 lbs gone. I cant wait to see what the future holds.

I haven't been in here lately but here's a current update... band date: January 8, 2013 weighing 260. Today's weight is 225...

This is a meaningful conclusion. I want to be smaller but my current size /weight reqires diligence and effort but does allow me a little room for " dates nights" and other treats. So I say embrace beong "medium..haha" beats the hell out of 3X and I believe I can maintain this and still "live a little. "

The article may be sketchy but there's value in posting it because now you have a group of people talking about it and their experiences. I'm pretty sure I'm a skinny fat person - I'm not plump like I was so I have skin hanging off (which will probably get worse). I haven't done any weights and have stuck to 100% cardio. I'm 50 years old and figured hanging skin was the price to be paid for losing weight so quickly.

Ha! Isn't that just like the Internet for you (lifting pictures). Apologies to anyone offended for posting this article as it appears content is in poor form. Stick to Inclusion of weights with your cardio program as well as a nutritional diet focusing on a balance of macronutrients and you should be in good form to shield yourself more against the angst of skinny fat syndrome due to rapid deterioration of muscle.

Due to the pannus causing infections, odor ect, a panniculectomy <sp?> is often covered by insurance with documentation. You could start a file with a dermatologist to establish history while you lose weight.

Hi guys, I was just curious if anyone has had any complications from any of their pre-op tests? I had my sleep study, endoscopy, saw my pulmonary dr. some lab work done but now I have to have a stress test done and an echo done, because of my weight, I get out of breath easy and I'm worried about not doing good on the stress test, I guess my mind is playing tricks on me, did anyone have any issues with their stress test or echo, I just don't want anything to get in the way of my surgery after coming this far. Thanks everyone.

Alright thank you!! Wonder how much weight I'll lose

Awesome! That is quite a lot of weight! I hope you're eating plenty of Protein to keep your muscle strength up. What liquids were you on?

Yep, you read right. I wanted to pass on what's really helped me on my Pre-Op and will probably continue to help. My phone is able to scan calories/protien/fat in (via barcode on most items) and add to my Calorie Counter App or program - so I have a REALLY EASY food DIARY. Now there is a no brainer way of calculating your Calories, Protien, Carbs, Sugar, etc. You can also add your own food/drinks etc. It even worked to scan my Gummy Vites and Water! My regular cell phone died, so I took the opporunity to get one that runs Droid or Google based applications, but I am sure that it will work with Iphone/Ipods and there are plently of other good Calorie counting & barcode scanning programs out there. I think these programs were both free or less than $2. The Calorie Counter syncs with FatSecret.com so I have a backup of my Food Diary. Pretty cool way to utilize techology to loose weight! Ok, so maybe I just prefer to consume items WITH scannable barcodes.. (it will probably even work on fruit/veggies too!) I just found it has REALLY helped me budget my calories better! Hopefully it will help you too!

-immediate family --a couple of close friends --anyone who asks me "oh my God, you look amazing, how did you lose all that weight?"

thank yall so much for your answers..i feel better just hearing from other people and having my feeling validated!!!i dread life right after surgery but i'm a strong woman and i've been thru so much already in my life so i know i can get thru this and be happy on the other side.. I had back surgery in may and recovered as much as expected considering i have other herniated and bulging discs (another side effect of obesity) and i know in my heart that if i dont get a significant amount of weight off and keep it off forever than another back surgery will probably happen. not to mention my high bp which i have to take 2 meds for and pre diabetes. I have to have this surgery. I'll be sleeved this time next week..omg.. i still can't believe this!!!the future is bright

Go to 140. I don't know how tall you are, but keep going! I was 5'11" and got to 163. After I have this baby I want to get to 150 or a size 6 pants! WHAT! WHAT! I mean I should probably just have a goal of losing the baby weight, but I want want want to get to a size 6.

Hi, thanks for the info, studies show that in Enddscopic sleeve the weight loss is much lower than the sleeve, but 8Kg is quite low. Did you follow up with the doctor? Are you still loosing weight? Where was it done? Is there a possibility that it stretched or it wasn't tight to begin with?

Hi Misty - The difference between dieting and the band is that dieting is "temporary", and the band is "forever" (God willing). When someone goes on the Atkins diet, it is almost always with the intention to lose weight to a certain goal so "I can eat like a normal person." At least, that was the goal of every diet I was on - to lose the weight, and then be able to eat like a "normal" person. Unfortunately, my idea of how a "normal" person eats was that they can eat anything, anytime they wanted. So, as soon as I started doing that again, all the weight would come back on. Plus, with dieting, it is all about deprivation, denying ourselves, building up cravings, finally giving in to the cravings, feeling horrible about ourselves, totally falling off the wagon and bingeing on all the things we weren't allowed to have on the diet, feeling even worse as the pounds start to creep back on, bingeing some more, resolving to start over, a few last suppers, more self-recrimination, and then the beginning of a new diet. The cycle continues... With the band, #1 our hunger is put into check, so our drive to consume obscene quantities of food is turned waaay down. And #2, our ABILITY to consume obscene quantities of food is eliminated. It just is no longer possible. So, we no longer need to diet. So, what to eat when we're not dieting? This is where everything we have learned about nutrition comes into play, and where we have to really stop concentrating on what we eat in regards to weightloss, but how are we best going to support our HEALTH. This has nothing to do with dieting. So, if you were going to design a HEALTHY, NUTRITIOUS way of eating for someone you loved, how would you have them eat to prolong their lives, have good energy, and avoid disease? Would you have them eat nothing but cake and candy? Not a lot of nutrition in that. How about nothing but rice, potatos, and Pasta? Again - not a lot of nutrition. For the best nutrition, the best building blocks for our body, Protein, vegetables and fruit is what we need to be healthy and have a long life. It just so happens that eating that way is also good for weightloss, but that's NOT the best reason to do it! It's because we will be healthier. So, if we eat protein first, then vegies, then fruit, and occasionally have less nutritious stuff, we're meeting our nutrition goals, AND eating like a "normal" person, where we have things that are less nutritious without the bingeing or guilt. We have all been focused so long on losing weight that we have lost sight of the real reason we are changing our lives - to be HEALTHIER - not just thinner. If we become HEALTHIER, the weightloss follows. Being banded helps us choose a healthier way of eating by controlling our hunger and satiety response to food.

So I've been trying not to freak out, but I am a little. I'm losing weight scary fast. I had my band in on the 8th, and I've lost 20 pounds. That seems really fast to me. Could it be just Water weight? I'm trying really hard to get enough calories in, I have been tracking them, and writing everything down, and I've been able to get between 900-1000 in each day. I'd like to get 1200, but I feel full after I eat (just started mushies). My plan is to add some more Protein powder into the shakes that I blend up, and maybe have full fat cottage cheese instead of low fat. I think I can get to 1200 that way. If anyone else has some more good suggestions, I would love to hear them! I'm going to peruse the threads for some good mushie recipes. I never thought I'd have to fight to get in enough calories, lol. I assume that the weightloss will slow down soon? The reason I got the band was so that it would be more gradual and in my opinion healthy. This is kind of freaking me out. BUT I do feel really healthy and have tons of energy. Maybe it's just what my body is supposed to do right now. Thanks for all advice ahead of time.

Since I follow a Dr S group on FB, I read ALOT about people's experiences with plastics. A couple of things, most of us don't have that much skin removed. Seems like 20# but for me, it was only 5.5# Then, you DO generally have swelling.. often for months. I didn't swell too bad, but did have some. Extensive plastics take alot of calories to heal (especially protein!). I was HUNGRY I mean really hungry during the healing phase. I had to focus hard to not overeat. It wasn't destructive, it was my body telling me I needed the nutrients to heal. I stayed high Protein and really monitored my intake so i didn't gain weight ... but I didn't lose any either. Others on the PS forum (private FB page) have LOST weight due to the "afterburn" I just described. I am not sure why - but many say they have no appetite. I don't think that is necessarily better as I want my overall health to be as good as possible and if I need nutrients to heal - I would rather feed the healing process than lose a few pounds. So for me, I stayed the same but could have easily gained. I do NOT think it was sabatoge, it was genuine physical hunger that declined approx 4-6 weeks post plastics. Remember, i had alot done at once too (LBL, breast, arm lift and a small thigh lift)

I can't remember from your previous posts, but are you on a PPI like Nexium, Prilosec, Protonix? Eating really sucks, especially after complications. I always felt like eating was stressful which in turn made my stomach tighter for whatever reason. Have you tried warm fluids like warm decaf tea the Celestial seasonings makes a peppermint tea that and a chamomile tea that totally rocked for me, I felt so wonderful drinking those. And, when my hydration levels were getting compromised, I said "screw the calories/sugar, I need fluid" and I drank regular gatorade. If I was dehydrated, and my body was struggling to function, a few calories/sugar wasn't going to hinder my weight loss, and honestly, after my complications, I didn't give 2 poops about carbs/sugar that first couple of weeks, I needed fluids. Warm fluids seemed to relax my stomach, soothing, but the warmth really helped and still do this at 2 years out. I still order hot tea or coffee before a meal. I hope the next few days are easier.

I am currently awaiting insurance approval, but I have been rather open about it. A lot of folks know how much I have struggled with weight loss over the years so I was happy to share this important decision and luckily, I have been greeted with a lot of encouragement. My sister-in-law, who is naturally about 100# soaking wet, made a comment that she can't support me or give her blessing, but guess what? I wasn't asking for it. I believe that her opinion actually comes from a place of concern and religious beliefs, but it was slightly hurtful nonetheless. I figured anyone that I haven't told will figure it out when I rapidly begin to lose weight, and it doesn't matter, I am not ashamed of my decision. I am choosing to take my life back and live a better and healthier life.

People who have always been thin truly don't understand. My mom's highest weight, 9 months pregnant was 117. She can be insensitive at times, but she truly doesn't understand. Just ignore that woman. Or, you could buy her that book by Judge Judy, "Beauty Fades. Dumb is Forever."

Originally Posted by: BandAid Here's a popular Plateau Busting plan: Dr. Fox's Plateau Busting Diet This is the plan that Dr. Fox gives to his RNY and AGB patients in order to get through a plateau in weight loss. #1 Do for 10 days to break plateau #2 Drink 2 quarts of Water a day #3 You must have 45 grams of Protein supplement and all your Vitamin & mineral supplements each day. #4 You may consume up to 3 oz. of the following high-protein foods, 5 times a day: a.. beef, b.. pork, c.. chicken, d.. turkey, e.. lamb, f.. fish, g.. eggs, h.. low-fat cheese, i.. cottage cheese, j.. plain yogurt (or artificially sweetened), k.. Peanut Butter, l.. beans/legumes. #5 You may also have: a.. sugar-free popsicles (avoid juice popsicles), b.. tea or coffee, c.. sugar-free sodas, d.. sugar-free Jello, e.. broths & bouillons, f.. Crystal Lite drinks. #6 IF IT IS NOT ON THE LIST YOU MAY NOT HAVE IT! #7 Keep a food diary and try to get 30 minutes of exercise daily.