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Ok so heres my first post on the forum. Going to Mexico next week to get banded by Dr. Kuri. Excited to get it done and get my life back on track. Starting weight 325 and I'd like to weigh 175 sometime in late 2013!

So recent events like my slight unfill and this stupid plateau have me desperate. I am trying to be calm about losing the rest of this weight. Its working but I am ready to start losing again. The truth is that I am getting kind of anxious about staying this weight. I am not happy with the current state of my fitness either. So I am giving the 5 day pouch test a go again. I am also going to be trying some different ways of getting cardiovascularly fitter as well as stronger. Tomorrow I am doing 1hr of cardio, consisting of Couch to 5k (wk1) and the elliptical for the remainder of the hour.

It's ok I'm doing my up most best to have this belly fix next year. At least I don't look pregnant. Let me see if I have a photo before weight lost.

I am a month out tommorrow and I'm going through the same thing. Except I don't have swelling n it's on the right side. I bend over a lot during work too so when I get home im really sore. And I still can't lay on my stomach. I email my doctors office but I'm assuming I have to weight til Tuesday. I hope everything works out for you! •Highest Weight - 240 •Surgery Weight 8/3 -230 •Current Weight 8/31 -203

I had my appointment with my Sleeve Surgeon yesterday. It actually went a lot better than I was expecting. Per the PA, my sleeve is not abnormally large, and she said it was typical of what she would expect to see on a sleeve patient 4 months Post-Op. Dr. Kim said it was stretched slightly, but not enough to be of concern to him, and certainly not enough to warrant any additional or subsequent surgeries. Dr. Kim's response to my concerns was that I should not overlook the fact that I've lost (and kept off) 60+ lbs since being sleeved, and reminded me that this is not an insignificant number. He essentially told me that I need to start taking care of myself, and stop putting everything first, like my job, my special needs child, or my struggling marriage. All of these things are impacting my inability to lose the weight, and enabling me to make poor choices in my food. He's 100% right there. I feel my weight is a direct reflection of the amount of the level of uncaring I am feeling after taking care of everyone and everything else. In a nutshell, Dr. Kim said it would not really be possible for the gall bladder surgeon to have been able to note the size of my sleeve when removing the gall bladder due to their locations in regards to each other. He said he would have had to do a lot of "dissection" in order to come to that conclusion. And, since the gall bladder surgeon did not do any type of imaging (barium swallow test) while I was in the ER/Hospital or during any subsequent follow up visits to him, he feels it's speculation on his part to suggest that my sleeve is too large, or was not done right. Additionally, Dr. Kim disagreed with the prescription and approach to dealing with the chronic diarrhea I've had, so he prescribed me a different medicine. The gall bladder surgeon's prescription has not had much of an impact on it, so we'll see if Dr. Kim's approach works. All in all, I have an appointment on the 20th to see the gall bladder surgeon. Dr. Kim's office gave me a print out of my sleeve from my barium swallow test, which I will bring with me. I have another follow up visit with Dr. Kim's office on Dec. 1st, to meet with the Nut, and I am supposed to get lab work and keep a food log between now and then. At the end of the day, it's all about getting back on track. Eating more Protein, less carbs, getting more fluids, exercising up to 2.5 hours if/when possible. The story continues....

I am 5 wks postop. Have lost a total of 24 pounds counting 2-wk liquid preop diet. In 3 wks, I had lost 1 pound. I've been eating about 500-600 cal a day, and today I gained a pound! Just walking for exercise so far, and getting very frustrated.

Hi - I"m 53 days since surgery. My weight loss really slowed down after the first 3 weeks, and twice now I've had a three or four day stall. I' am losing about 1 to 2 lbs per week now, even though I eat about 800-1000 calories and excercise every day. When I've tried to lose weight before (which I've done several times) I had to excercise like crazy and go to bed every night hungry in order to lose at about the same rate. The difference this time is that I don't feel deprived or hungry and I've been working on changing my eating habits without feeling like I"m battling cravings. Imagine that you can still keep this rate of loss going for a whole year. Say you average only 5 lbs per month. That is still 60 lb loss, which puts you where you want to be! And a steady weight loss like that is better for your skin and kidneys. Stay positive!

Just follow the program requirements that you were given covering vitamins, fluids, protein, exercise and meal volume and you should do well. Your weight loss will taper off the further you go post-op and eventually come to an end when you slide into the maintenance phase but you still have many, many more months to go before maintenance.

I, too, was frustrated so much at my slow rate of loss. I was seeing so many on these boards losing so much so fast that i was feeling defeated when i had only lost like 15lbs a month out. I am about 2.5 months out now and "only" down 33lbs (310 to 277 lbs) and have resigned myself to just "keep with the process" and what will happen will happen. There's not much else i can do. My body is just not one of those bodies that is going to lose quickly. But if i continue to follow the program, i can't go anywhere but down, right? My big butt cannot sustain all this weight only eating 600-700 cals/day, plus exercise. I thought that too, that people who didn't have this drastic-ass procedure lose weight at 1-2 lbs a week, same as what's happening to me now (unless im in a stall, which i have been in SEVERAL TIMES already in 2 months!). But, like a poster above said, the difference is I don't feel hungry all the time, like I'm forcing myself into this diet of starvation like i used to. It's easy now for me to only eat 4 ounces of food and push away from the table, for instance. Also, keep in mind, just because we're only eating 400-600 cals/day, doesn't mean we're going to lose faster. I, too, thought that initially. But when i started including more grams of healthy fats a day (almonds) and about 100 more cals, i started losing more. That's the hardest part, i think, is finding the sweet spot of cals/day, fat grams/day, protein/day, carbs/day, etc to where ur body doesn't think ur starving it. I think my body was holding onto weight before i started increasing the macros. And I'm ok now but i know I'll have to change again as my weight gets lower. Bottom line, its a pain in the butt...but it's way easier now post-op than it was pre-op, don't u think? Maybe it's a mental thing but whatever it is, I've finally given in to the process. Eat better, exercise daily. There's no magic trick (eg, rny bypass)...just tools to make it easier. You'll get there too! Ps. I still cannot get in 64oz of water/day. No matter what i do, i just can't do it. I'll continue to strive but as of now, i can only get in, max, 30-40oz/day. Yes it would be good if i could drink all sorts of water, but my body seems to be accepting of my lower intake...for now. It may change or it may not. I just have to wait and see. My point is...just keep trying. That's all we can do.

First, I'd start tracking calories for at least a couple weeks. Most who don't track calories are shocked at how much they're actually consuming when they do start tracking them. Keep in mind the band isn't supposed to make you feel full. It supposed to make you feel satisfied, or no longer physically hungry, on less food for longer time periods. Don't expect that same full feeling we had before surgery- that is not what you're supposed to strive for. Have you been to a nutritionist? If not, that would be another smart step to take. A nutritionist who deals with bariatric patients can help you set up realistic food guidelines for optimal weight loss. It's possible you don't have adequate Fluid in your band yet, but if you want to lose weight I'd still stick to a cup or less of food per meal and count calories in the meantime.

I think it was a combination of a few things, Water retention cause I'm not drinking enough, using milk with Protein drinks and other higher calorie Protein Drinks, and increased muscle mass. My doctor weighs me on this high tech scale that gives out detailed readings. It said I gained 6 lbs, but lost 1.5 % body fat. So who knows...

Hello everyone: I had my surgery on May 9th. I have yet to tell my family. My husband knows, my best friend knows, a lady who had the surgery knows and my one of my cousins knows that I trust not to say anything knows. Other than that I have yet to tell anyone else in my family because when I first mentioned it to my parents they immediately started to criticize and tell me that would be the biggest mistake of my life. I also did not want to have to explain myself. I have lost some weight since the 9th but it has been slow which is fine. I probably won't see my family until the holiday which is far away. I have my ups and downs with my relationship with my stomach and trying to work on my relationship with food. I hope with time the ups will far outnumber my downs. LS LS

Does anyone have a maintenance plan for when they reach their goal? Or are there any vets out there who have kept the weight off for 1…2…3 years or longer? If so how did you transition and from losing to just maintaining.

Hello All. I am 8 weeks out from my surgery and down 30 pounds. I hit a stall my third week. I am doing everything by the book, food, water, iron, protien....Problem is, I started to bloat at week 4, and they said the surgeon said this is normal, especially with the higher temps. I increased the water from 64 oz. to 80-100 oz., and did see abit of difference in water retention, but the swelling is still there. Mostly in my calves and top of my feet. Here's the other thing, and pardon me for being graphic and giving TMI, but I have had my period since June 17th. My surgery was on May 31st. I am 47 years old, (PRE-SURGERY WEIGHT:379)and my periods were like clockwork before the surgery. Maybe Menopause? I can't seem to get an answer. I went to my regular doctor for the swelloing and she is afraid to give me anything for it (Lasix) because she does not want to knock my system out of whack. This last week, my period has been so heavy, it's a wonder I am not passing out. But I feel fine.Already had the pap and all that pre-surgery, so I am not worried there. Has anyone, my age or any age, had this problem post surgery? I just read that fat has lots of hormones, and when I dropped 30lbs., my estrogen went nuts. Help!!!!!!! Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Also, has anyone else hit a 5 week stall? I am about to go crazy. Eaing like a bird and not losing weight. Thanks all.

I have to say this is a bunch of predictions based on what? I had my surgery December 11, 2013. I don't take NSAIDS for my severe arthritis anymore. I can move with less pain than BEFORE surgery taking high dose NSAIDS. I like my chances at keeping the weight off. There hasn't been a magic pill in all the decades they've been trying to develop one. The simple fact is my stomach didn't work! It kept telling me to EAT, EAT, EAT. Now that the troublesome part of my stomach has been removed--the part that makes grehlin, (spelling?), I get a little nudge telling me--"Oh I need to eat something". NOTHING like it was before when I was an absolute beotch from Hades if you didn't get me food when I was hungry. Yes, I went through a dark period when I missed my old constant companion of food. I had some mental issues to work through. I've never thrown up. I can eat about 8 ounces of food--unless it's really dry. I eat fruits, vegetables and a variety of foods but it's ALWAYS Protein first. I don't have diarrhea but I do have to battle occasional constipation. If I drink the 64 ounces of Water a day, exercise and get my Fiber in---constipation is not a problem. I have not vomited ONCE since surgery. I'm so lucky to not have any reaction to anesthesia or narcotics like some people do. Yes the gas used in surgery was very painful BUT I'd go through it again in a heartbeat to feel the way I do today. I wouldn't trade my chances at a longer healthier life for any of the BS on that site. Good luck, Blessings, Kathleen

Agreed. The "Dr" also went on to tell me about a patient who was out 3 years from sleeve surgery and can't keep food down, yet has gained most of the 100lbs he lost. I asked how is it possible he can't hold anything down yet gained all this weight back?!... His Answer: " well, for one thing his metabolism has shifted. He's in constant "starvation mode" so the body is going to hang on to as much as it can." I call Bull S*it...

So I've been super stoked about my consultation appointment tomorrow. I get a call from the clinic and they were talking about how my insurance wouldn't cover a fill. I had to patiently explain to the lady that I don't even have a band yet. So she fixes the mess up in the computer and then lets me know that they don't have all their contracts in place yet with my insurance. So it will cover my initial consult but nothing further until they get the rest of the contracts in place, which will be a few weeks. In the meantime I'm asking her if the nutritionist and the psychiatrist that they use is a part of the group or if they are independent, hoping that maybe my insurance will cover those appointments and I can keep the momentum going until they get their contract issues worked out. I have no patience, I know this. And when I finally make up my mind to do something I expect it to be done right this minute. My Mother always said that if I could put my single mindedness to good use then I would have had this weight issue taken care of years ago. Well that's what I'm doing now and the powers that be are not cooperating with me!

I am only 10 days out and I think if you focus on doing other things you will not think about weighing yourself so much, I know I have put in the time yet like some of you guys but, I have so much energy. That I don't even thing about weighing myself, and the same week of my surgery I was out at a post op&pre op meeting explaining how good I feel, and a lot of post op people was like WoW! So I only weight myself 1time so far

Well I cannot believe this is the first time I have been on here in this long.....it seems like just yesterday when i started this journey, and I have taught so much about myself over the past years and have changed so much I have a hard time remembering the "Old" me. I gained in between the end of 2009/2010 and had not been back to see the Doctor until last summer...which is when I finally got back on track. Everyone thinks this is simple, but we all know it is something we deal with daily and we have to stay on top of to be succesful. I am closer now to my goal than ever before, and I cannot wait to Kiss the 200's good-bye!!!

so...this is my very first blog, ever ! i don't really know what a blog consists of, but i had this terrible urge to create one and write... i guess mainly because i fell off the bandwagon. when i started this journey i was full of hope, dreams and determination. That was 5 months ago. i remember how i keept saying to myself that i had failed at every other diet, excercise promgram and i was not going to fail at this. but here i'am once again admitting that i have failed, that i am a filure! i can say this time its different. Because i am taking responsibility. in the past it was always the ''pill'' i was taking's fault, or the excercise regime was too hard, or i dint have time to exersice. but this time i take full responsability of not losing any weight. if ther is a plus that does make me feel a little good is that i have not gained any weight. since my surgey in 8/11 i have lost 20lbs. I know thats great, and i felt sooo good, it was empowering to fit back into my closthes and be able to bend down and cross my legs without holding my knee !!! but i know in my ♥ i could have done so much better. I realize as i am typing that there is a deeper reason to why i cant stop eating bread and rice and fried foods and exercise regulary. ( i did undulge in those foods, but not in excess ) I am scared of the road to success, becuase it implies the posibilities of failure and quiting. i face it , its happened evertime. thats why i droped out of every activity in my life. I am scared of not succeceeding so i dont try very hard and i dont give it my all. There i said it !! how liberating. That is the truth, in my mind i keep telling myself "' why try if your going to fail in the end?" why go thru all this trouble if sooner or later your going to go back to your old ways. I am scared of giving my all, every ounce of sweat, strenght and feelings if in the end i will feel like worst of a failure. A failure for giving all that I am and still failing. Vs not giving it all and at the end i can say to myself " well atleast you didnt pour everything into this !", makes the feeling of failing less hurtful. i dont know if others out there can relate. I can say that today is another day and that I am going to try again, and again. This time i am going to give it more and try to change my mentality that its going to fail. i am going to have a little more faith in me and my abilities to succeed. I am going to be positive for a change. My husband says i am a negative person, i answer by say i am realistic of the posibility or realistic of all that can go wrong. for once in my life i am going to be realistic of all that can go right and of the positives.

My doctor doesn't make us do the liquid diet before surgery. He says he's had the same results with the first stage of the South Beach Diet. So, he requires his patients to do that 7-10 days prior to surgery. He did say that if you come back for surgery and haven't lost any weight then he won't give you the lap band. Because he said EVERYBODY loses at least SOME weight doing that properly for 7-10 days and if you come back the same weight then that means you didn't do it properly and he won't perform it. So, he didn't give a strict amount, but I'm guessing most people lose about 10 pounds on that diet.

Good morning guys, I've heard people who swear by it and others who swear against it. I've talked to a couple of personal trainers in the past and both insisted that strengh training is essential in weight loss and that you should do it since you start your weight loss journey, because gaining muscles boosts your metabolism, etc. I also talked to a nutritionist before who told me that I should wait until I have lost a larger amount of weight and then start strengh, otherwise my scale won't move. Losing inches is great, but I love to see my scale go down as well, I guess I can say that I'm addicted to the scale. (I know, I shouldn't) Ultimately, I just want to do what's right, not what I want. I've done my research and from what I've read I think it's a good idea to do strengh exercise along with your cardio since the beginning of our journeys, I tried at the beginning, but I was never consistent, but now, I've been doing it consistenly for 2 weeks, I do 20 minutes weights and then 45 minutes cardio, 3-4 times a week. What has been your experience? Have you done strengh/weights since the beginning and lost weight steadly? or Did your weight loss stop when you started doing strengh exercise? , and if it did, when did you start losing again, a few weeks/months? Or Did you wait to start your strengh training later on, after you lost more weight? I just would like to hear your experiences on this. Thank you guys, and have a great day! Love, Elena

@@avremy, I wouldn't worry too much about the bathroom if it isn't causing you any pain. Even at 3 months post-op, I only go every 2-3 days. What you're taking in doesn't look problematic to me. I bet you are just in a stall right now. If you're really worried about it, I'd call your nutritionist and have a quick conversation, but I'd bet the weight loss will pick back up before too long.

You never know how ones skin will spring back. Depends on how much excess weight, your skin type. You could try to build muscle to help with "filling in" the loose skin. After awhile some skin does snap back but others may not. Its all really a guessing game I think. Best to give it a year after you get to maintenence and then decide from there if you would like to do plastics to smooth things out. I have been trying compression garments for my arms to see if they have an effect. Some days I think yah there is a change and then others where I am like hummm I am going to have some good wing span. It is hard to guess how your body will react but you can do your best to stay hydrated, work on building muscles and hey maybe compression garments are the way to go. Who knows? I sure do not.

My solution is not to set a goal. This sounds contrary to the conventional wisdom but for someone who has been overweight from babyhood to adulthood I don't care about some arbitrary number. Rather I want to find a maintainable range where I am healthy and happy and can do what I want to do without weight holding me back. When I was on the Fen-Phen diet my doctor at the time had me tested for my true body mass. Based on it he estimated about the lightest I could be if I were a marathon runner would be about 270 or so. That means my skin, bones and muscle weighs more that the charts show I should be which is about 200 lbs. IMPOSSIBLE! Everyone is different. I am not a doctor and don't play one on TV (only at home LOL) but my advice is don't be obsessed about 20 lbs if your body is telling that you aren't going to lose any more. THATS IT! Why risk getting discouraged and saying the heck with it all and slipping backward. Stay vigilent and maintain. Just my humble opinion. Hope it helps!