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My weight loss has been officially noticed by the women I work with (from about 2 months post-op) and by my students, but not really from anyone else. Some of my students from 3-4 years back often don't recognise me at first, and do a double-take when they realise it's me. It is heartwarming to hear my students call me "slim" now, even though I'm not, as I'm still obese, and even if and when I get to a normal BMI I will still be considered big by Japanese standards (as I was when I first came here many years ago). The men I know haven't said anything to me unless I bring it up first.

Oh, Keep your head up.....you're doing great already even without the surgery. It is nice to know that your dr. is taking the proper precautions though. Just think you'll lose all the more weight before surgery! Best of luck!~ Nicole

my dr told me that statistically i could lose 50% of the weight with MINIMAL COMPLIANCE. i asked what that meant and he said that statistically if you try minimally then you will lose 50% of the weight but if you adhere to proper eating and exercise that you can lose all of it. not sure how true that is, but that's what i was told.

Now that I've lost 1/3 of my excess weight, I'm beginning to think about being able to go scuba diving again. Has anyone gone scuba diving since being banded? The port and band are a closed system so I don't think that they'd be affected by the underwater pressure. I'm going to ask my doctor about it at my next fill, but I thought I'd check on here to see if anyone already knows that they can scuba with the band. Thanks for your response.

I'm in the mushy stage of my post-op diet. I walk no less than a mile a day and the scale hasn't moved since a few days after surgery. I haven't gained anything (Thank God!) but I haven't lost, either. I take in about 800-950 cals a day. Should I eat less? Should I eat more? Should I keep doing what I'm doing and just wait it out? I'm not unsatisfied with what I've lost so far. I'm just wondering if and when the scale will move in the right direction for me again.

Like anything else, you get out of it what you put into it. If you use it the way it is intended to be used, you will lose all the weight you need!

Most surgeons place everyone on some form of diet whether it be full liquid, high protein, low carb. My surgeon does not use any diet other than do not gain, try to lose 5-10 lbs. I am 6 wks from surgery and I am eating high protein, low carb but will also have things I know I will not be allowed to have for quite sometime.

Dave once you get to the correct fill level after a band, then you are supposed to be satisfied or full with about 1/2 - 3/4 cup of food. This is how you are able to lose weight, but you have to follow the rules. The band is made to be a lifetime implant, and many have had them for a long time, but sometimes there are complications where they have to be removed, that percentage is pretty small though. On the excess skin issue everyone is different, it depends on your age and the elasticity of your skin, one advantage to the band is you lose slowly and this allows your skin to retract better than very very rapid weight loss such as you have with a bypass surgery. I believe I remember reading that about 20% of band weight loss paitients need a plastic surgery after they are at their goal weight. Hope this helps. Debbie

I have a few questions if anyone can help me: 1. After the procedure do you always feel hungry? 2. After you lost the weight do you have to pay for another surgery to remove the band? 3. After the weight lose do you have an excess of skin and need to get a body lift? Thanks in advance to anyone and everyone that can help me with these questions. Dave

I was banded October 15, 2013. My heaviest weight was 222 & when I started the Lap Band process I was 206. Since surgery I've lost 21 lbs. (I gained a few and lost a few.) But I feel like I don't have a support system (that is suitable for me) from my doctor. Most of you had doctors that had you on a pre-surgery diet, mine didn't. I had the WORST GAS PAINS EVER after surger for about a week. My band was not filled during the surgery and I went in for my first fill December 2nd & was filled with 5 cc's. Second fill February 3rd with 1.5 cc's, and I just had my 3rd fill on March 31st with 1.8 cc's. I now have a total of 8.3 in my size 11 Realize band. Next appointment is in THREE months! So far my protocol has been "stay away from breads and pastas". No meal plan, no monthly visits, no nothing. I have been relying on Bariatric Pal for my protocol, support, and advice. I feel like an abandoned child. In the begining, I do very well when I have someone to report to and a meal plan to follow. Um yes, I'm needy in the beginning then I'm ok after that. But this 3rd fill has me feeling some type of way. I'm totally lost and don't know what to eat. I'm at the point where I'm putting myself on a DIET. I made an appointment with my nutritionist and have signed up with My Fitness Pal (user name vlwx31). I have no idea how many calories I should be consuming. But I'll figure it out. I just needed to vent.

Did u ever feel as though you are not going to lose anymore weight? I feel so stuck and I'm only 7 weeks out

I lost 15 pounds on my liver-shrinking diet August 1st until,my surgery September 5th. if that doesn't seem like much, I have at,72 the,natural BMR, of a. sick🐌 on Anti deppresants, I normally lose weight painfully slow. So if I could do it at my age, I reckon most everybody can. If you only lose 12, don't get discouraged, if you lose 25 Good For You. We all are our own journey person, but guess what? The victories are,all yours too. My unexpected one, I no,longer get stuck in my PCP office chairs. it is embarrassing when someone has to help you up or pop you free. And you learn to celebrate those little things until they mount up into a BIG one.

Oh your close to me. Who's your doctor your going with?I know someone who had that surgery recently and they have lost a lot of weight .

Thanks everyone for your words of encouragement! I am feeling better and more positive now and will keep following my program and hope that my weight will come off. It is a long journey and I know I cannot expect miracles. Plus, I am hypothyroid and I know that will make weight loss even harder even with this new tool.

Hello all! This is my first post here and I am thrilled to have this resource available at my fingertips. I have been reading posts for about two weeks and decided it was my turn to ask for your opinion. My relationship with food has been a lifelong struggle. After a while I gave up hating myself and tried to work on self love, which really just turned into justifying my bad habits. I started this gastric surgery journey at over 300 pounds after seeing a candid photograph of myself. I didn't recognize the person I saw in the photo. I had been ignoring health issues far too long that I knew were related to my habits. I began to make small changes like eliminating soda and fast food. I knew, though, that I needed to make a longer lasting change and the sleeve sounded like a great tool to reset my eating habits and relationship with food. My first appointment with the surgeon was June 8 2017. I weighed in at 294. I had four months worth of nutritionist visits, all of which I fluctuated between 295 and 297. Then I had my psychiatric evaluation on August 23 2017. My weight that visit was 299. The psychiatrist cleared me, but was very insistent that he typically wouldn't clear someone who had gained five pounds since their first visit and that my surgeon wouldn't perform the surgery unless I was down 5-10 pounds. My current weight is 290. My pre-op appointment is November 8 2017 and my surgery is scheduled for November 13, 2017. I am a nervous wreck. I have started going to the gym five days a week and doing half an hour of cardio. I don't restrict what I eat, only how much of it I eat. I know I will lose some weight as a result of the liquid pre-op diet but the psychiatrist's words haunt me. I am convinced after paying such a high deductible and all I've already been through that for some reason my surgery will be postponed. Has anyone else had a similar issue? How was it resolved?

I noticed the days I drop alot of weight I kind of feel washed out and tired. I had to up the carbs just a little. I was not eating barely any at first and that helped the energy level a little. What week after surgery are you at? If it is 4 or less give yourself a break - you just had MAJOR surgery. If you are tired it might be your body's way of saying slow down and rest a little. Just stay hydrated is the main goal of the first month. Good luck! The energy level does get MUCH better the more weight you loose. I am not out of breath and don't get the sugar drop tired feelings that I had when I was 50 lbs heavier.

At my 6 week appointment my surgeon approved Celebrex but only the low dose. Cox2 inhibitors have a lower GI risk. I find that since I have weight (69 pounds) I need them less.

I don't want to tell you how to live your life but please be careful and please be honest with the psych/therapist. I know we mostly see the psychiatrist as an annoyance in our journey to weight loss but they truly are there for a purpose. Years ago I knew someone who had a gastric bypass. Surgery went fine but 5 or 6 days post-op she went on an eating binge for several days, she'd eat until she threw up then eat again until she threw up. In the end she tore something internally, was rushed to emergency surgery, and passed away. This is an extreme case but you need to be as mentally prepared for the journey ahead as you are physically. You and the therapist need to work through this and get you to a healthy place where you can make the best of this surgery. It isn't a quick fix and it isn't to be taken lightly. I wish you all the best and good luck!

I have to do 6 months med supervised weight loss, Psych eval, cardiac clearance, NUT appt, exercise class, support group and and endoscopy b4 my insurance and surgeon will approve me. I should be done middle of november or so then surgery 2017... From what I have read, every surgeon and insurance is different, so when you go to the Dr for your first appt they will tell you everything you have to do b4 surgery. Congratulations on taking the first step

So I'm still a bit nervous about surgery on Monday but had a couple of small successes today. First, we had a catered retirement lunch today for one of my colleagues. The folks who work directly for me know about my upcoming surgery but most everyone else in the office doesn't. So I came down to lunch with my cup of broth and bottle of Water and settled in. When asked if I was eating, I simply said I had some test coming up and this is just bad timing, no hassle and I bet everyone thinks I'm going for a colonoscopy (lol). Second, I took the stairs back to my office - 2 long flights - and realized that I wasn't out of breathe when I got to the top. The weight I've lost so far and the regular walking is already paying dividends. Thanks for listening.

I walked out of the house this morning in a pair of light weight khaki pants... of course I was late... so I could do NOTHING about the fact that my pants were halfway down my butt as I walked to my car!! :cursing: It's a good feeling to know that my clothes don't fit because they are TOO BIG!!! Fortunately I do have some really nice stuff in smaller sizes. I've been so afraid to get rid of anything for the fear of gaining weight again. But Just when I think that will happen...I lose more weight. I'm looking forward to the summer for the first time in a very very long time!!! It's also mother's day this Sunday...and it will be the first since my mom passed away in July. This surgery has been the best thing I could have done for myself. Even though I have bad days, I can no longer use food to avoid feeling my emotions!! That was what I was hoping would happen for me. So I have to deal with what I am feeling. I miss her so much...and sometimes I feel bad that I don't miss her enough!! I wish she could be here to see me now because she was always my biggest supporter!!! But I think if I can be proud of myself...she would be even more proud of me!! :cursing: Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms!!

style="margin:0;padding:0;background-color:#d8dde8;color:#5a5a5a;font:normal 13px helvetica, arial, sans-serif;position:relative;"> Hey BariatricPal Members! Happy New Year! BariatricPal wishes each of our members a happy and healthy year. We hope 2016 is a year you meet all your goals, whether they include getting weight loss surgery, hitting goal weight, or maintaining your loss. Here’s what we have in this newsletter to get you motivated and ready to go. A New Year’s Message from BariatricPal Time to Buckle Down: Here’s How Make Those Resolutions Last All Year! So take a look through the newsletter, then spend a few minutes to set your resolutions. It may help to come to the forums to talk about your goals and whatever else is on your mind! Then you may want to head out the door for a quick walk for a great start to the New Year. Happy New Year! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal A New Year’s Message from BariatricPal We want to wish all our members a happy and healthy New Year! We hope 2016 will be a year that sees you come closer to achieving your dreams. We hope BariatricPal will be an important part of your weight loss surgery support system as you work towards your goals, whether they are to look into weight loss surgery, lose weight, or maintain goal weight. A Quick Look Back at 2015 2015 was a busy year for BariatricPal! The forums have been blossoming. We have a weekly VIP Member Challenge going on. As a community, we hit a total weight loss of 3 million pounds! We also opened The BariatricPal Store! This had been in the works for a while, and it is a thrill to be able to support the weight loss surgery community through supplying healthy foods and supplements. Check the store often to see what’s on sale, and see our blog for the latest store news, recipes, and discounts. More to Come in 2016! We always have more projects up our sleeve. We expect 2016 to be filled with growth and exciting new developments for BariatricPal, so stay tuned! We know none of this is possible without your support, so a huge Thank You to all our members! Insure Nutrition We are always thrilled to welcome a new newsletter sponsor into the BariatricPal family, and this month, Insure Nutrition is giving us the pleasure of doing just that. Our latest sponsor, Insure Nutrition, is an online company that specializes in getting health insurance coverage for nutritional supplements. Its Post-Bariatric Surgery Nutrition products includes Premier Protein shakes in chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry flavors and OptiSource High Protein drinks in caramel and strawberry flavors. Checking if you are eligible is easy. Insure Nutrition encourages you to use its online form to find out if you qualify. Our sponsors help make BariatricPal newsletters and other services possible. We encourage you show your thanks by considering them first for your bariatric needs. Unjury and Opurity BariatricPal is proud and excited to announce two new sponsors for our newsletters. The new sponsors are Unjury, a supplier of wonderful tasting, highest quality protein supplements, and Opurity (from the makers of UNJURY), highest purity vitamin supplements for bariatric surgery patients. Their support lets us keep BariatricPal newsletters coming to you each month. Unjury was founded by a master’s degree dietitian who has been helping patients since 1974. It is committed your health. You know the importance of getting enough protein after weight loss surgery, but you also know that meeting your protein goals can be challenging. Unjury makes your task not just easier but actually enjoyable. Product flavors include Chocolate Splendor, Chocolate Classic, Vanilla, Strawberry Sorbet, Chicken Soup Flavor, and Unflavored. These ready-to-use protein powders come in single-serve and multi-serve containers, and contain high-quality whey protein to keep you full and nourished. Launched in 2007, Opurity is dedicated to using the purest ingredients in its supplements. Opurity Bariatric Multivitamins have two unique big advantages: First, each multivitamin requires only one tablet per day*. Second, Opurity is so dedicated to quality that it is unique in using no ingredients from China. Choose from chewable orange-berry multivitamins for gastric bypass and gastric sleeve patients or for lap-band patients.Opurity also sells chewable calcium, vitamin D and folic acid/vitamin B-12 chewables. All supplements come with a 100% satisfaction guaranteed. They return policy is: “Yes you can return it.” Support from Unjury and Opurity helps us continue to bring you the services you enjoy on BariatricPal, so please support these two brands! When looking for your bariatric surgery supplements, first visit Unjury.com and Opurity.com. Purchasing from these companies helps support BariatricPal. Thanks to Unjury and Opurity for your generous sponsorship, and thanks to BariatricPal members who support our partnership! *You still need calcium and sublingual B-12. Time to Buckle Down: Here’s How It’s the New Year! That means the parties stop, the holiday treats disappear, and the stores advertise healthy foods for weight loss. Breathe a sigh of relief as the holiday food goes away! Easier to Focus There’s a good chance you slipped up a little during the holidays and need to get back on track. Even if you were perfectly disciplined, you may appreciate going back to your regular life. It’s easier stick to your everyday routine when there aren’t as many distractions. Go with a Sensible Plan For most WLS patients, a detox or fad diet isn’t the way to go. The most effective is to go back to the basics, cliché as that sounds. Focus on lean proteins and fill up on vegetables. Drink a lot of water. Eat slowly. Plan ahead. Measure your portions and log every bite. Make a Few Resolutions Remember to make them controllable, feasible, and clear. Here are some examples of better and less good resolutions. Controllable: “I will log every bite of food and stick to my 1,200 calories a day.” Not controllable: “I will lose 2 pounds every week.” You can’t control what the scale says, but you can control what and how much you eat. Feasible: “I will work out 5 days a week, leaving myself 2 days to recharge.” Not feasible: “I will work out every day.” What happens if you get sick, need a little extra sleep, or need to take a friend to the doctor? Did you fail at your resolution? Clear: “I will have fish three times a week.” Not clear: “I will eat more fish.” How do you know if you’re following your resolution if your goal is to eat “more” fish? How much is “more?” Set the Stage for Success Regardless of your specific resolutions, you’ll make more progress in your weight loss surgery journey if you set up your environment to help you succeed. Clear out your kitchen – pumpkin pie, egg nog, and Christmas cookies should be nowhere to be found. Restock it with nutritious foods you need. It should be packed with lean proteins, such as chicken, fat-free dairy products, tuna, eggs, and beans. There should be fresh vegetables and fruit, plus frozen and canned ones to do in a pinch. Round it out with some whole grains such as oatmeal, and healthy fats such as nuts and olive oil. Get your kitchen scale and measuring cups out of storage and put them in a prominent place. Check the gym schedule, get out your workout clothes, and lace up your walking shoes so you’re ready to get out the door for some exercise. There are some extra steps you can take to make progress easier this year. For example, if you’re still gathering information on weight loss surgery and trying to choose a surgeon, make a list of surgeons’ phone numbers and questions so you’re ready at a moment’s notice to make the necessary calls. Make Those Resolutions Last All Year! This year, make it easier to keep your New Year’s Resolutions with a subscription to your weight loss products from The BariatricPal Store. Choose your favorite protein bars, shakes, and smoothies, bariatric vitamins, instant meals, and great-tasting snacks. You’ll be reminded to focus on your goals every time you receive a delicious delivery from The BariatricPal Store! Just select “Subscribe and Save” on eligible products. Receive your products every 1, 2, or 3 months (your choice). Choose the quantity you want to receive. Get an automatic 10% discount on your subscription items. When your healthy meals are delivered year-round, there’s no need to go off your meal plan. You save time and can be confident of being nourished while you lose weight. That’s what we have for this newsletter. We wish you the best in your weight loss surgery journey in 2016, and hope you’ll keep sharing your goals and progress with us on the forums. Again, Happy New Year!

I used to be hot natured when I was a normal weight. I don't know now if it's the weight loss or what but even my skin seems thinner somehow and my feet are also always cold, and I have over 100lbs yet to lose.

I have Fibromyalgia and im just starting my journey i had my band in august 2010 and have only lost 7.5 kilos.In the last few months my Fibromyalgia has been quite severe and exercising is the last thing on my mind even thought i have to do it.The only thing i can seem to do without severe pain the following day is hydrotherapy classes but the only problem is its $10 a class and i cant afford that 4 times a week. How are you going with your weight loss ?