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Check with your insurance, they might cover the tummy tuck because you've lost more than 100 pounds. Some insurance will even cover arm and leg skin removal after massive weight loss, too.

I was banded on the 17th and just now feel I can go back on the treadmill - but at a slower pace than I did and gradually build back. I will continue weights and squats. I exercise to feel fit, to bend down easily, to squat easily, go up and down stairs without huffinf and puffing. So yes I will continue forever!

I am also 4 months out & have hit a wall with my weight loss. I'm down 74 lbs & very happy about that but I have 90 more to go!!! This is supposed to be the time we are dropping it like it's hot! I blame my plateau on cheating on my diet, not getting enough Water in, & not exercising enough. Sooooo...I'm back on the horse & starting drinking Protein shakes again, parking at the far end of the lot, and putting myself on a food & supplement schedule. I have 5 alarms on my phone that go off every time it's time for me to take my supplements and/or eat. I'm also squeezing exercise in wherever I can. I brought an 8lb dumbbell set to work and do arm exercises during down time. I also do butt clenches & squats. I get very weird looks from my co-workers, but screw it! I'm loving all the new found energy I have everyday! I'm pretty much living on Protein Shakes, egg whites, grilled chicken, tuna salad, G2 & Powerade Zero, & Greek yogurt. That's really all we can do, right?? But you should be proud of 50 lbs, that's 50 lbs less your carrying around! Good job!!

Whenever I'm tempted to eat something that I know will not help in my weight loss I remind myself that I let an almost complete stranger (credentials set aside for these purposes) stab me in the abdomen 5 times and wrap a piece of plastic around my stomach. I know it is crude and simplistic but it works for me.

I have finally decided after a long time that I am getting LB, which I was very very against at the begining. I am 30 yrs old, and I have 4 kids. I had my first child at 18, and three weeks from his birth, I had to have my gall bladder removed, which they said would hinder weight loss greatly. I have a sister who had her GB removed after the birth of her daughter as well, and she has gained a lot, too. Its confusing to me, because I do not have diabetes, high BP, bad colesterol, sleep apnea, or any of the other co morbidities that you would think a person with a BMI of 54 has, but I dont. About half of my family dont approve of me getting this done, including my husband. They think its the lazy or easy way out, but my body seems to adapt fairly quickly to dietary changes, and I tried two different weight loss pills and they both gave me scary side effects (heart palpatations, stomach pain, no loss of appetite etc..). Both my parents were overweight and my mother was dead by 42. I do not want to die early, and I have been praying about this and feel its the right move. Anyone else going through anything similar?

For me it took almost 35 pounds before I started to really get comments.... but now! Even a 1 or 2 lbs loss and people ask: "are you losing weight? you look great" LOL I guess proportionally the weight loss is greater closer to goal... which is great because the loss slows down and we need the encouragement LOL But I remember going to my hair salon, after loosing close to 70 lbs (I see this gal every three weeks mind you) and one week I come in and she asks, "are you losing weight?" I cracked up! I had lost about 2 lbs. since I saw her last but like 70 overall. I though, yeah just a little bit! Funny how she noticed those two but not the other 68! :-)

I feeling anxious for more weight to come off....

Can you please tell me how to add the weight chart at the bottom?

Anyone else sick of Protein drinks? I am 2 1/2 weeks post op and can barley stomach them! I fell like I have to choke them down! Anyone else feeling this way? Suggestions? surgerversary: sept 24th 2012. Starting weight: 240 Today's weight: 222!

We sound about the same size 5'7 cw235 all ass. I never got noticed before . Now Its out of control it is a ego booster but it also make never want to never gain weight again

I went to my PCP and he thought it was a great idea. He referred me to a nutritionist and wrote me a letter as well. It’s been six months and last week I had my last nutritionist visit. Good luck to you in your new weight loss journey [emoji1487]

Thank you for your encouragement. I am looking forward to the weight loss. I am tired of being in constant pain and discomfort. I am also sick of always feeling tired.

Wow, at 8 weeks??? I remember I didn't start showing so that people noticed until I was 5 months with my first child, and I was an average weight then. I was trying to think of when it would start being noticeable and I was thinking maybe January/February . . . but if you are already showing at 8 weeks, I could start popping before the end of the year, lol. My husband tells me I am already showing as well. I don't believe him at all. I am sure if I were kissing my stomach several times a day . . . it would look bigger from that angle as well, lol. I think it is just wishful thinking on his part. I think I wouldn't mind lack of showing until about the ninth month, lol. Although give it another few weeks of getting used to the idea of "omg I'm pregnant" and I am sure I will change my mind.

Hi, you have the right idea. You should manage your own fills and make them work with your life (your trip) and not the other way around. BTW: I do recommend not getting a fill before a journey because you just might have an issue (excessive swelling, over fill etc) and be too far away from your provider for help.. Also, once you get a fill (at least for me) I can count on getting real tight for at least 2 weeks and needing to be on Soups and mushies for the first several days (normal requirment) if not more. Not to mention that in that adjustment period you are more likely to experience food getting stuck and PBs (Producive Burps) and all the other trial and error things we banders go through when we adjust to a tightened band. (Don't worry you will be any expert about it all soon). And if your journey happens to be a vacation. Even more reason to wait. Vacations are still about eating and drinking exotic things with exotic flavors with people you love. Live it up, then go get your fill. Having to eat mushies on vacation would not kill anyone but vacation is about relaxing and letting go -- not worring about food choices any more than you have to............ All being said, I recommend you talk to you health care provider about your fill shedule.. They are the ones that know you best and can tell if you are still a little swollen from surgery and thus tight enough, or if your ongoing weight loss makes a fill unnecessary at this point, or if you need to get started on your fill schedule or whatever. There are so many variables: Many surgeons will not fill you till you STOP losing weight-- because it is so important to learn better eating behaviors now, rather that later. And still other surgeons are anxious to get you to your sweet spot, so they keep you on a steady fill schedule. I am 7 months out from my surgery -- recently I called and talked to the Barietric nurse in charge and told her that I am still losing weight albeit slowly but I did not want a fill just yet. Instead what did she think of the idea that I wanted to take up to another month and work on behavior modification. (I have had an overfilled band, and now know that I prefer it as loose as it can be while still providing me with moderate restriction and letting me set some limits and goals). She was all for it, she said that thats what the lap band is supposed to teach me and that I should be learning it as I go becasue if I reach my magic number and think I will learn it then -- well I missed the opportinity to learn along the way and would stuggle to learn it later.. Well, thats a long answer to a short question, but I did not know this stuff when I was new, and others took the time to help me --- so now I am reciprocating. Good luck. (BTW - my counter is wrong - i've lost 60 lbs since Jan 15, 2011 PTL !) .

I have an appointment for tuesday, I am 4 weeks (8/15)post op. I am losing weight (of course not as fast as I would like) and feel restriction at 1 cup of food(eating very healthy). I am never hungry and feel the best I have ever felt. My band was regular size and no fill what so ever. Do you think it could be possible I may never need a fill? Or at least not for 2 more weeks? Right now i am in a good way. I think I'll put it off until after my trip I will be at 6 1/2 weeks at that time.

So, I had the psych eval today and I think she will recommend me for the surgery - at least that what it sounded like. There was an interview and then I had to take two questionnaire tests. But based on the interview she said that she would recommend me. I also found out that my referral letter from my PCP still had not been received. So, I spent the afternoon working on that. Made about 4 phone calls to my PCP's office and finally got them to fax me the letter along with 5 year weight history. I just faxed it over to my surgeon and called to make sure they received it which they did. YAY! One more item off my checklist! Just the EGD now on Friday. I'm getting nervous about that for some reason. I know that he's just basically going to knock me out and put a scope down my throat to get a visual, but still, I'm getting nervous. How weird is that? Then on Monday I get to sign the consent forms, do the pre-op teaching and get the "package" for the pre-op diet that will have to start the next day as that will then be 2 weeks before the surgery. In just 3 short weeks from today, I will be undergoing the surgery and starting my new life! Wow - this is going quick!

thank you all it was just a moment but i after i came home from the doctor weighted my self and it was still 194 at my house lol so ill keep it to what mine says lol

I am 4 years post op. I never lost more than 40 lbs. I havent seen a dr, or had a fill in 2 years. I have always had a problem with spitting up I don't consider it vomiting, b/c the food never hits my stomach, its bulges up above the band in the bottom of my throat and it HAS to come back out. Its worse in the mornings, but sometimes at nite, I can eat as normal people do. I've learned to live with this. ALL OF A SUDDEN, I cannot hold ANYTHING!!!! Its not gastritis b/c I have no acid, stomach pain, swelling etc. I have no clue what to think about this, but I am starting to get weak. I've lost almost 20 lbs in 2 weeks, I'm so thirsty and dehydrated i guzzle guzzle and it all just comes rite back up. even if I take baby sips, it comes back up. I CAN hold small amts of food. Very small. I no longer have medical insurance and wonder if anyone else has had this happen??? I don't know how much longer I can do this. I keep thinking that since i'm losing weight, my band will loosen and I will be able to hold liquids again. I can take my vitamins at nite, but the next morning when I drink and then spit it up, I can taste the vitamin, so I dont know if i'm absorbing the vitamin.......I dont know what to do............

I am 4 months out and I've only lost 50 lbs. I try to eat small meals and sometimes don't eat anything, but nothing is coming off. I've stopped the shakes because I thought I was getting all the Protein I need in meals. I exercise 3 days a week and take my Vitamins. What gives?

The day of surgery, I weighed 196. That was the 7th of this month. Today I weigh 186. That's only a weight loss of 12 pounds! Doesn't that seem too slow? I'm not cheating! I'm taking all my Vitamins, getting in all my Water and 75 to 80 grams of Protein and walking a mile a day. Do you lose more weight when you eat solid foods? Because the only real food I'm eating is cream Soup, applesauce and a tablespoon of Peanut Butter a day.

I am not looking forward to the pre-op diet at all. One day at a time. Hope your back pain gets better. Bet getting the extra weight off is going to help in the long run.

Was that me who was mouthing off not a week ago about how she didnt need a fill, and wasnt going to have one, how she never thought about food and was still losing well? Hehehe, I'm eating my words now, not to mention wanting to eat everything else. Suddenly I'm hungry. I've only got to wait till the 19th, but we can hang out! Eat enough to satisfy yourself reasonable, the weight will come off faster again after the fill, just try not to go crazy.

Thank you Jack. I am trying but it almost becomes an obsession. I started a diet (again) in June and by Oct I had lost 30 pounds. Now though, that I am waiting for "the phone call" I can't stop eating. I know that to gain weight will mean a postponement of my surgery,I still eat. I have gained back 8 pounds since mid Oct. UUGGG

I've seen a few people that haven't needed a fill. i've seen some people only needing one small fill, and others that have their band totally full before hitting their green zone. i'm still not at what i could call my green zone (i currently have 5cc's in my 11cc band...5 fills @ 1cc each), but i can easily eat more than a cup of food, and i'm still getting hungry in between meals. i'm still losing weight, but i eat right, record every single thing i put in my mouth, and stay within my calories. I'd love to get to a point where i don't have to think so much about it.

Wow ! That's a pretty lady in the glamorous Hollywood dress ! Congratulations ! You look like a movie star !! As far as what im doing, just living a "normal" life, nothing exciting, but just being able to have a day that is easy on me is a real gift ! Not having to live my day around my weight, instead I can do what I want to do and not be held back, mentally or physicaly . Thankyou Lapband !!!