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I had the same problems pre-surgery. I told my parents when I started the process and while they were always supportive, my Mom said a couple of things that sounded like "are you sure this is right for you?" that I interpreted as unsupportive. I told friends and co-workers after I had been approved by the surgeon and insurance. In hind site, I think I would have waited until I had a surgery date to tell anyone but my closest friends. It just seems easier to tell them a couple weeks in advance than to have it out there for comment for a longer period. I really don't recommend not telling your family before surgery. It isn't fair to you or them to not prepare in advance for the changes that will come post surgery. I recommend writing out your reasons for having surgery so that you can make the most compelling points about why this is the right choice for you! Also tell them that if they don't have any thing supportive to say to please keep the negative stuff to themselves. Also be prepared to answer questions about what kind of help you will need post surgery. If you are organized and clear about the process then it will be easy to answer their questions and deal with their concerns. Finally - know that they love you and are concerned about your well being. That may cause them to ask questions or say things that seem unsupportive, but just be grateful that they care and want what is best for you. Good luck as you head into surgery!

I've had 2 fills and both took about a week to kick in. I have 2.25 cc's in a 4cc's band, the inamed 9.75 cm band. I am scheduled for another fill this week. I keep noticing everyone else has less fill than me. Should I not get another one. I still don't think I have enough restriction but I don't want to get too tight. I can eat anything at all right now. Bread is no problem. I've only lost 36 pounds and I had surgery 2 months ago. Just would like someone else's opinion. Thanks in advance guys.

I feel your pain! I was banded 9/24 and started getting very hungry about a week out. Didn't help that my husband and everyone around me was eating pizza and burgers and all of the things I can't have. I saw my Dr. on 10/6 which was like 12 days postop, and they moved me on to mushies. I think as long as you can handle it, then its fine. Every surgeon has their preference, I've even heard of people going to mushies on the 3rd day. Since I've been on mushies/soft foods, I feel great!

Well, I can't believe this 6months process has already come to a head. It seems just like yesterday I was making my first appt. just to see what this lap-band thing was all about! I am going with the Realize band at my surgeons suggestion. I have no fear or hesitation what-so-ever about having this procedure done. I can not wait to get this process started. I have been on a 2 week liquid only diet. I had one slip up on my 7th day when the "I'll never have again's..." thinking about my favorite meal (which I wont discuss for all those who are trying to make it thru their fasts without skinned knees!) anyways, had my "last,last" meal and next day was right back at it...I have lost 8 lbs so far in 12 days, so I think im doing very well. I get married in Sept. Hoping I have enough time to make a difference in my appearance by then!:w00t:

hi it seems today is a day for 1st. i am also new today,. i was banded 1/25/06 i had my first fill one week ago. and after the 2 weeks or so that my stomach was sore. i was able to eat everthing. i was afraid i had done all the pain for nothing. but after my fill. i am very limited to eating. i even worrry that i have to much. i was also disappointed in my orignal lose only 8 pounds. my doctor. spievak from houston said that was great since there was no restriction yet. we will see. hope this helped donna

How long should I wait before I go in for an Unfill? It's been 2 weeks and I know that the fill usually loosens up after a while.

I am soooo frustrated. I finally hit my first real stall, and I'm fluctuating between 199 and 200. I'm in Onederland, I'm not in Onederland, I'm in Onederland...no I'm not in Onderland. For the past two weeks! I could pull my hair out! (no, it hasn't started coming out on its own yet)

Hi Lapinmich, I don't know if I would be of much help, but also feel stalled as well, so at least we are in the same boat :thumbup: I am also an Ohioian and live in North Central Ohio. I had my surgery at OSU in April of this year. I have only lost twenty pounds and feel really stalled and would like to jump start my weight loss somehow. What areas have you been struggling with? I don't really go to a support group either. I have traveled to columbus from time to time to meet with a great group, but it gets hard to travel that far. I hope you are healing okay from your gallbladder issues.

believe me, you aren't alone in the post-op sore and sorry stage! How are you doing now, since it has been a couple of days since you wrote this? My days 3-4 were ironically my worst. Now (starting my 3rd week today) you would never even know that I had surgery! Good luck with recovery. Cheers!

It is amazing how every body is different in the healing process. I was very fortunate in my recovery. I was off pain meds and back to work in 3 days. I am almost 7 weeks post op and I don't regret my wls decision. Just hang in there and you will start feeling better soon. Best of luck on your weight loss journey. May you have a happy and healthy new you in 2015!!

HELP.... I'm one week post op and am dreading the exercise part of the program. How do I motivate myself and when and where do I start? Any input would be appreciated. I don't have a treadmill and it is quiet icy outside now so walking for exercise is limited for the moment.

Hello everyone: My name is Rydell. I am 20 years old and from Pennsylvania. My entire life I've been struggling with my weight. I'm 5' 9" tall. My current weight is 290 pounds but my highest was 311 pounds. It'd be up, down, then wayyyy back up. Dieting for months and months wasn't successful. Meeting with dietitians and sticking to a 1600 calorie intake wasn't successful. The gym 6 days a week was successful for only a short time, then it all bounced right back on. I finally broke down talked to my family doc ably some weight loss pills..his response was, "what about surgery?" I was scared at first. But it was that very moment that I decided it was time to start the journey that would take me through the rest of my life. After doing a required 6 month weigh in program through my insurance, my surgery date is right around the corner. February 10th yall. I am doing my 2 week pre-op diet and I'm struggling. Any ideas on that? Was anyone only required to do one week liquid diet prior to surgery? Any one around my age experience sagging skin that doesn't bounce back? Any advice welcomed on any topic of the gastric bypass!!!! Just no crude criticism. ❤️ Thank you all, Rydell

It's normal in Ontario. I'm actually lucky the process is only going to take one year total. I know of people waiting two to three years for surgery. Our OHIP, (Ontario Health Insurance Plan), is paid for by our income tax deductions. So no out of pocket costs, or insurance to deal with for approval. But it makes wait times for any kind of surgery long. And gastric bypass is considered to be an "elective" surgery, believe it or not, lol. My cousin had GB done at the same hospital three years ago and her duration from beginning consult to surgery was only nine months. She was lucky. A friend of mine, had hers there too, last August. And her duration was over two years. So, if mine only takes a year total, I'm ok with that. But I have been wanting surgery for ten years. So the waiting seems like it's been forever. The Ottawa hospital has only been performing gastric bypass for about four years. Before that, patients had to travel to Toronto to have it done. About a five hour drive. We're lucky to have it in our city now. But I'm still frustrated with the waiting game. I'm a naturally impatient person, so that doesn't help. Lol.

http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/blog/1973/entry-4677-all-about-my-surgery-and-two-weeks-post-op/ linked it to my vst blog. let me know if you have questions!

I had to have someone change the kitty litter for me (well, for my cats, I don't PERSONALLY make use of kitty litter because I was on a lifting restriction for the first four weeks. Other than that, nothing at all.

Girl, your hormones are flipping the FRICK out. Normal. You are going to be moody, hangry, pissy and overall rough to be around for a few weeks. It's OK. It's worth it in the end.

Hi Dntsnt, Have you tried looking on the website ObesityHelp.com It can also give you some information. I use sleeve talk and OH daily to get information on pre op and post op stuff now that I'm a few days from surgery. Anyhow, there is a tread on Dr. A. I'm putting it on this one so you can see it. It's just the first one that popped up when I googled his name. My best advise is to do your research and trust your heart about what you think is best for you. There are too many folks saying the same kind of stuff about Dr. A to ignore. It goes back to that saying about if it quacks like a duck, walks like a duck....etc. Its not to say that he hasn't had good comments too, because he has and that should not be discarded either. Just make the right choice for you Dntsnt. Good luck to you. www.obesityhelp.com/.../Complications-from-my-sisters-surgery-Dr- Almanza-Reyes/ This is from someone named Prissy4115. Post Date: 6/1/10 8:55 pm Well, my sister had her surgery 3 weeks ago today. She is currently in the US in ICU and has been for 16 days now. She is in really bad shape after she was left with a leak in her stomach which formed a hole into her stomach and everything was leaking into her that she was taking via her mouth. After having her surgery on a Tuesday, then having to sit on a non air conditioned van so others could shop and then saying she was okay to fly home on Friday (4 days after her surgery). While in San Diego on Thursday she was very ill, my mom called the coordinator and was told "oh its normal, just gas pains"..How many of you have heard that? Well, she flew back home and felt so bad. Then Sunday morning at 4am where her drain was she started spitting out fluids like a Water fountain from her incision, it was watery, then bloody looking. She soaked her night gown and 2 towels and was in sever pain. My brother in law called an ambulance for her and she was rushed to the ER. Her heart rate was low, blood pressure low & had a fever. After several test they finally realized what was wrong (hole in her stomach) and rushed her to emergency surgery to repair this. She also had a severe case of pneumonia in her lungs, was severly dehydrated, and her kidneys had temporarily shut down. Now here we are 16 days later, she has had 4 surgerys to "wash" out the infection and she is still running fever, still on a ventilator to breath and they can not sew her up b/c of future surgeries to clean the infection. She is being fed through a tube directly in her veins. She is so swollen and has so much Fluid on her that she has gained 70+ lbs. She has to constantly lay on a cooling blanket to keep her temp from raising to dangerous levels. They have her in a medical induced coma and we have not been able to talk to her since the day in the ER. She will be in ICU for at least another month and the hospital and additonal 2-3 months. The doctor said it will be a year before she is completley better. This is a very scary experience for us and our family. My mother had the same surgery last year in July but this was when they was not doing the whole "rack em and stack em", "get you in and get you out". Thank God, her surgery so far has had no complications. When you are pushing 6 + surgeries a day and your "housekeeper" is removing the drain tubes something is not right. I hope you all know that I am telling you the honest to God truth about our story. My sister is laying in ICU with a huge opening in her stomach right now b/c the doctors are trying to fix what went so wrong. We have pictures if anyone needs to see the pictures of her. Please pray for her, we have our family and church praying for her recovery each and every day. I pray that nobody else ever has to go through what she is going through. She chose to do this in Mexico becuase yes it was cheaper BUT in the long run she is spending so MUCH more money now to take care of this. Supposedly the coordinator was fired because she was not telling the doctor about everything going on with my sister. I really think the coordinator got a conscience and realized their is some issues going on that she did not want to be a part of. Please keep Beverly in your prayers. Thank you! from her lil sister & best friend

Ever since I was banded on 10/26/12, I thought it was odd that I could see and feel my port. I was told that it is normal, especially since my abdominal area is on the smaller side. I went for my one month post-op appointment today and when the nurse practitioner examined my incision she told me that what I thought was my port is actually the tubing from my band that is protruding. She immediately called my doctor and I was told to wait until he got in so that he could examine me. My doctor examined me and confirmed that the tubing of my band is protruding against my skin. He told me that if he does not correct it soon, the tubing will wrap around itself, eventually negating all that has been done to this point. (I've lost 25 pounds and 2 sizes since I began my journey.) So needless to say, I have to go back under next week to have this corrected. I'm very frustrated because I developed a rash around my incisions when I was banded and that rash is just now clearing up. Has anyone else ever had this issue.

the secret is you have to burn more calories than you eat. Tracking your calories is key. Keep them at 1000 or less. Exercise just 30 minutes a day. Wether it be just walking or doing an exercise video or cleaning house ect. Make it priority. I had the exact same problem as you. I now track every calorie and also run 5k 3x a week. The scale has finally started moving.

I'm new at this fill stuff so I need some help deciding about when to get my 2nd fill. I can get my next fill as early as May 25th. But I have a couple of long weekend vacations coming up back to back shortly after that and don't want to be having trouble. I only had my 1st fill a week ago. Right now I am averaging 1000-1200 cals/day, having no problems at all. I've lost 1# this week, but also started working with a trainer so the scale is probably not an accurate indicator. I do want to be pretty aggressive during these first 6 months but don't want to have problems during my vacations either....especially because they're group vacations with friends, none of which know I am banded. any advice?

By my calculations you are loosing an average of around 1.4lbs a week. That is not so bad. I know you are in a hurry to get this weight off, but it didn't take 5months to get this way. The recommended weight loss is 1-2lbs a week. Put up the scale for a week or two and get out the tape measure. I bet you are loosing inches. Hey inches count big time!

Thank you for taking the time to share your story. I am so excited about the possibility of having this done. Unlike yourself I have been round my whole life, actually the scale makes a little roller coaster ride about every three years. To hear how great you are doing is wonderful!! It gives me extra incentive. :-)

I am 7 weeks post-op & craving salad. My dr. Is fairly conservative--I was on full liquids for 3 weeks and started soft foods 3 weeks ago. No issues so far. Thx.

My surgery is next week and I had a question for ya'll post sleevers. Are you feeling hungry on your liquid only diet? They say the surgery removes the hunger hormone, is that feeling true? Did you experience any vomiting post op?