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People who have NEVER had weight issues have no idea what a slippery slope it is. It starts with a few MORE pounds that what we are used to hauling around...which makes it harder and harder to do everyday things. Pretty soon it is easier to just NOT do things...and just sit...and eat...and sit...and eat...and fast forward a few years. I totally agree with Cookie..."There but by the grace of God, go I" Which is a scary scary thought!!

Found an old WL journal I kept in 2007 and 2008. Except I started from 288 as my high weight instead of 314. I made a list of reasons I wanted to lose weight and they are all true except now I have 2 kids so those 2 would be the first 2. Funny how nothing much has changed in 7 years except a higher weight. Same reasons and same back and forth. Except this time I am taking a new measure and getting banded.

The lap band is supposed to stay in for life, unless you have a complication that requires its removal. The generally accepted thoughts on it is that if you remove it in the future even after losing lots of weight, you will gain it back, even if it is slowly since you would be able to go back to eating the volume of food you did prior to getting the band. Hope this helps, Stacey

I can use light hand weights and, of course, walk. I am looking forward to getting back to Pilates classes after the six week mark, although it is going to be rough to start again with loose abs.

I am pre-surgery. I thought I would have more energy after surgery and weight loss.

Congrats! That's super exciting. I definitely felt more secure after going to the seminar. It put me in the right direction, now everything is falling into place. I have to complete my 3 months medically supervised weight loss (which in my case, is 1 class every week for 3 months). After that, i just have like 1 or 2 more things to do, and then I can send in my info for approval from my insurance..

Congratulations! This is the first big milestone on your journey. Surgery is an important milestone, but so are deciding to go after it, attending the seminar, going to pre-op appts., etc. Just like everyone loses weight at their own pace, everyone goes through pre-op at their own pace too. Of course the timing is influenced by insurance, your surgeon's requirements, and so forth, but these speed bumps are there for a reason. It takes time to get your head and heart into the right place, no matter how ready you feel today. Take your time and really commit yourself to the pre-op process. Nothing that happens after this is time wasted; it's all helping you prepare one way or another for the big milestones ahead. Cheers!

Hi JoAnne and welcome to the forum. I honestly think this is more than a program. It's a complete lifestyle and mindset change. For me, the sleeve forces me to make better decisions. I have yet to feel "real hunger", and I'm 3 months out from my revision. I had a lot of faith in the band in the beginning because it did work until I lost restriction. When I started researching my revision (due to complications with the band), I knew the sleeve would work because it's immediate restriction. I struggled with my weight for years, and I decided that being fat came with much higher risks than having surgery again. I absolutely love the restriction I have when I eat. I have had several ups and downs with my revision post-op, but I have no regrets. The sleeve works. I won't deny that every day brings either a struggle or success. I have my bad days, but they are fewer as every week passes. Some days it's easy to make bad choices in what I put in my mouth, but the next day I make a better decision. I have to make the effort for the sleeve to work. I could eat ice cream, mashed potatoes, and junk food every day, but I would not be using the sleeve as it was intended. I hope ramble of mine helps some.

I am a Physician Assistant with over 12 years of experience in internal medicine and gastric band management . I am a certified provider in band management and have done thousands of fills. I believe in the band because I have seen, first hand, how well it works.....if the patient has been taught how to use it!!! Too often, the patient is rushed in and out of the office for a fill and the provider doesn't address what the patient is doing right or wrong. The weight log does not tell the whole story, far from it. Unfortunately, most providers put far too much "weight" in the weight log. For instance, the patient comes in for a 2 week follow up and has lost 3 lbs, great right? Not quite, If the provider doesn't ask the appropriate questions he/she may not know that the patient is too tight and vomiting daily, surprisingly, many patients won't offer this info up to the provider because they are losing weight. The provider MUST spend time withe the patient to determine if the band is too tight or is the patient making mistakes that cause vomiting. This vomiting is risky for band patients because it may cause a slip or erode the mucosa of the esophogus as well as many other potential problems. Believe it or not, there are plenty of "band bulemics" out there and most aren't identified because the provider doesn't spend enough time with the patient. On the flip side, some patients come in with a weight gain, yet their band is very tight. This is actually a common dilema and again if the provider doesn't ask the right questions, the patient will end up getting a fill when in reality, they need a small defill. Most patients want their band as tight as possible because that equates to more weight loss, right? When the band is too tight, the patient knows that most foods will cause vomiting. Ironically, its the food that they shouldn't eat, that they end up eating, thus weight gain. In this patient, with a small defill, the vomiting will resolve and their weight will drop. I am available to answer any questions this community has via this forum or email at jvmed@me.com.

jsm - I am one week out and I also was very scared - still a small amount. But I can tell you this. I've gotten to two different restuarants with my kiddos and hubby and I'm not even interested in their food. I've lost 22.5 lbs in two weeks = one week preop and one week postop. I believe this sleeve will work for you if you follow the program... Now I have a friend that had the complete bypass a week before myself and she's gained weigh but in talking with her she's been eating small amounts of food the first week - hello... my doctor doesn't have me eating pureed food until three weeks out. You must be completed and work the tool. Hope this gives you some insight.

Hi everybody! My husband had surgery today and has had a really hard time. I wondered if any of you have had similar things happen and how you recovered. I had my surgery 1 month ago today and it was very different from what my husband is experiencing. It began with the dr. coming out after surgery and telling me that he had a really hard time. Most of my husbands weight is in his belly, so I guess that is what made the surgery more difficult. But anyway, the dr. told me that he wanted to do the gastric x ray before he would even give him ice chips or Water. They took the xrays 3 times before it finally passed through his stomach. His stomach is hugely distended and he's been in a lot of pain since he woke up. He has not been able to pass any of the gas in either direction and is really nauseaus. Now he has developed a slight fever. I'm really getting very concerned. He says he can feel his sips of water go all the way down and it hurts all the way down. Have any of you had an experience like this? What should we be expecting? Is he going to be able to come home tomorrow? Is all this normal? Please give us some advice. And for those of you who pray, your prayers would really be appreciated! Thanks.

Hello All, My name is Cheryl and I was Banded on May.22,2006. I have been on Clear liquids since and on Monday I am told to start regular foods. I am real nervous about this. I have been steadily losing 1 pound a day since day one and I am nervous that when I start eating again I will gain weight. I don't no about anyone else but it always was that once I start eating it is very easy for it to get out of control. Any how I just weighed in at 199.5 and feel that maybe I should stay on clear fluids until I am a little futher away from the 200 mark. Does that sound twisted?? It has been so long since I have gotten down this far I am scared about losing control. Well I would appreciate any insight you all have to give. Thanks and have a great Day May.22,2006-215 June.08,2006-199.5

I did have a flare up after surgery. The doc said it was probably because of being dehydrated due to not being able to drink anything before the surgery and not being able to drink liquids too fast. also it is because the uric acid is also released in the fat cells when you lose weight. I talked to a gentlemen who also had ghout and he said he had one flare up after surgery and then it was gone forever! To me it is worth it. To be able to not be in pain again is great. Have you tried allupurinol it is a generic prescription drug it might be cheaper for you. I would have to say this is the best decision I have made. Good luck to you sweetie!

Agree that everyone is different. Comparing can be negative, but sometimes you just really want to know if your experience is typical or not. I think the best place to get objective comparison is from your surgeon's office. They should be able to tell you how your loss tracks with the typical results they see based on your starting weight, age, gender, type of operation, etc. I can tell you that my surgeon would be happy with your loss. My surgeon usually likes to see 70% excess weight loss after 12 months. By that standard, you're more than on track. BUT AGAIN, most important thing is how you're feeling in terms of your health and changing lifestyle.

Hi bandsters, I haven't checked in here in a long time, but I just wanted to let you all know that as of today I have lost 246 pounds on my lap band journey. I was banded in late 2008, and lost about 200 pounds in two years. Then I plateaued for about a year, thinking that perhaps that was as low as I could go. Then when getting another fill my port tubing got struck and my band was slowly leaking. Only we didn't know that at first. I had a bunch of tests done to rule out band slipping, etc. I had lost most of my restriction and I gained back 30 pounds. I had port and tube replacement surgery a little over a year ago, and ever since then, my weight loss has gotten back on track and more. I've lost over 60 pounds in the last year for a total weight loss of 246 pounds. In the last year to get past this long plateau, I've had to get really serious about diet and exercise. Now I'm on a Paleo diet, and I drink my own fresh pressed green vegetable juice every day. I use fresh green veggies like celery, cucumber, mint, brocolli, lettuce, kale, sugar snap peas, plus an apple or some grapes, and a lemon for acidity (helps alkalinize the body) and to keep it from oxidizing longer if I don't drink it all immediately. My body loves it! It's vitality in a glass. I use an Omega vegetable juicer. I also do regular yoga. In the month of January as part of a challenge my yoga class is doing yoga every single day, and yesterday we went to an all-day yoga workshop! Honestly, if even a year ago anyone told me that I would be doing daily exercise and going to an all-day exercise class I would have LAUGHED IN THEIR FACE! But now I'm really loving it. Yoga is great because it focuses on the mind as well as the body. I think most of us, whether morbidly obese or not, need to rewrite our "stories" about ourselves. And yoga really gives you tools to do that. It's more than just exercise. So I just wanted to let people know that YOU CAN DO ANYTHING! Really, when you change your thoughts you change everything. So just start thinking about how you are living a healthy lifestyle, and you have the power to overcome any challenge, and you will be surprised how the results add up over time! What's next for me? Well, I've already surpassed my first (249 lbs) and second (199 lbs) weight loss goals. My next goal is 180 lbs, and at 187.2 this morning I'm getting pretty close to it. I may or may not set a lower goal after that. Even at 5' 8.5" height that still puts me in the obese category according to BMI so I may go lower still before plastic surgery. I definitely need plastic surgery. I have a LOT of loose hanging skin, folds in my skin both horizontally AND vertically. I know the surgeries will take some additional weight off, too. I have met with a local plastic surgeon who recommends three surgeries: (1) a lower body lift with anchor incision, (2) breast reconstruction, arm lift, and lipo on the thighs, and (3) medial thigh lift. It's quite expensive here in the SF Bay Area though. Soon I have a consultation at Cosmed in Tiajuana to see what they would charge. The challenge is both finding the time as well as the money. Well, I hope this is helpful to some of you all. Good luck and keep up the faith! Kathy

my doc said i could do like light excercise at about 6 or 8 weeks out then told me that I should start strength training at about my 4 month mark ... my trainer is kicking my butt !! but i have noticed that i havnet lost weight since I started training, I have totally lost some inches and I am getting stronger .... also I seem to want to eat more .... I am still getting the hang of it ... but the burn feels so good

I'm 62. I was going to wait until 65 so Medicare would pay for it...my ins wouldn't. My dr said I'd have diabetics by then. I've had many surgeries...run over by a dump truck, head-on collision , rear ended by a semi, 3 C-sections, a virus killing my platelets , a brain hemorrhage , one hip replacement, injections in my neck and back. Needless to say I paid for the surgery myself...6 weeks out...and did it for my health...I have too many scars to do it for looks. I just wanted to be healthier. Im 4'11" My highest weight was 265. I weighed 200 before the surgery and have lost 35 lbs. there comes a point in ones life where you gotta do what you gotta do! I stayed in the hospital 2 nights, stayed at a friends house 1night. And then drove 90 miles home. Don't let fear steal your dream.

I had that thought run through my head about a week before surgery. (Although I was 43, no kids, etc.) As I'm sure others have mentioned, look at the long term health benefits of getting to a healthy weight. Right NOW you don't have health issues, but what about in 5-10 years? What if you don't lose the baby weight and gain more? My only regret with the surgery is that I didn't have it sooner.

Is honey on your plan? Honey is the same as actual sugar in most ways—calorically and glycemic index are very similar. It’s not really a sugar substitute in the way these are. Honey would not have been on my plan while I was losing weight and it isn’t on my plan in maintenance. I save my calories for things with nutritional value 90% of the time. Honey would be in the same treat category as sugar for me.

Just short of a few days from 5 months since my VSG surgery. So far I have lost 55 lbs. To be honest with you I could have lost more than this by now but my commitment level to exercise and to eating what I should not has not been as it should. I am not ungrateful for loosing 55 lbs, dont get me wrong, but I know i have also eaten crap that if i did not do that I would be at a better weight loss bracket. You really have to be fully committed BEFORE you start this surgery and I only realize it now. I had some misconceptions about the surgery and thought that it would 'carry' me more without the level of personal responsibility and commitment it actually takes. I thought that my appetite would be next to nothing but immediately following the surgery I felt starving. My appetite never really waned but its true that you do fill up quickly - thank God for stomach restriction! I still cant eat most meats and I do not have 'meals' yet per se, I like soups, but I do get calories in by things that are called slider foods. A cookie, some chocolate, some ice cream……..all no nos for weight loss. So while I have lost a lot of weight and look quite different already (2 people I ran into last week actually did not recognize me!) I am doing better in changing my eating habits still compared to what I used to. And my glucose levels are MUCH better but this TAKES WORK! You experience weight loss plateaus,. At 4 months I reached a particular weight band and I have vacillated in the 5 lbs up and 5 lbs down range for 2 months now. Its SO FRUSTRATING! I am able to eat a lot more than before so around 4 months you have to really make an effort to restrict your calorie intake. I brought WAY TOO MUCH stuff before surgery LOL I am a type A person and like to be very organized. I bought too much post surgery medication. I bought lots of bariatric surgery paraphernalia like food measuring devices and things that I have never used once. I did use the waist binder for 2 months and was glad I bought that but not even the GasX strips work. Seriously, I bought so many of them and they don't really work. What works is a nice HOT cup of tea! Gas comes right up. All this bloody GasX strips I have and wayyyyyyyyy too many antacids. I need the antacids but I bought TOO many. I only get acid reflux occasionally. Buy things AS you need them. Don't by bra's in advance anticipating weight loss. Your boobs change shape and cup size. I made that mistake. I am no longer a DD but a D and I bought smaller back sizes at DD and now the cup is too big!

All I did was treadmill walking post-op for a year. I went from 268 to 198 in six months. Then it took me another six months to drop the next 20lbs and as those six months went on, I did less and less cardio. (bad girl!) about 1.5 months ago I got my fanny back on the treadmill and about a month ago I started a running training program. I've dropped another 5lbs. I started the running to hopefully help tone up and tighten up some skin. I'm sure some light weight lifting would help too, I just don't have time.

Plus, you get a lot of fluids while you are in the hospital. It took me a week before I was actually below my weight on the day of surgery.

People are way to worried about there weight...I understand that the purpose of this surgery is to lose weight but we have these really crazy ideas that we are supposed to lose it like right now...it doesn't work like that. It's a process the weight will come off but it takes time..your real focus should be recovering and getting used to your new life style..I am two weeks out and haven't stepped on the scale once and I won't until I am able to start working out again...I feel like people after getting this surgery forget that it is not a cure it's just a tool...plus any weight lose is good...I hear people complaining about it being 3 weeks out and they only lost 30 pounds?!?!...honestly before surgery have u ever lost 30 pounds in under 3 weeks. Just calm down. U will get there .

Stacie- I am sorry for your lost. I just lost one of my Jack Russells two weeks ago--Checkers was almost 17 and the very first of the six JRTs that we've shared our lives with. PLEASE don't feel bad for eating. It's a manifestation of the grief you are experiencing. You'll gain control of your eating in time but for now you have enough sorrow without worrying about your diet. Rejoice in the 14 years you had with your sweet dog and that she died in your arms knowing you loved her.... Are you familiar with the story of the Rainbow Bridge? I won't copy it here because it always makes my cry, but just google it and you may take comfort from reading it. Laura