Search the Community

I had the same problem until I realized my weight was documented when I went for my yearly check-ups at the ob/gyn. This doesn't help you, but if your wife was seeing her doctor yearly, she can get the weight documentation from them.

I am 3 weeks out. I had my surgery on July 16. I weighed twice once a week & the scale never moved. I weighed again & had lost abt 10 lbs. I knw tht its impossible not to loose weight w the amt of food im eating. So dont get discourged, it will come up. Inches are coming off, i can tell in my clothes.

I have gained some weight, now I really have to try hard to lose what I gained before the 10th! I have aetna and so afraid they wont approve me.

First off, congrats on opening up. It takes a lot of nerve. I personally found it freeing. 7 months ago, I would never have told anyone my weight. Today, I practically shout it from the roof tops and I am still morbidly obese. You know what has changed the most...my attitude. I found that when I opened up to people about it, I found so many other people that were also struggling. I found that I had a lot of support and that really helps to make everything else easier. Its hard to pass up the pizza and pepsi, but the compliments I get from people satisfy my so much more. I think its important to get to the root cause of your initial weight problems. Why do you turn to food? Take a deep look at this and see the real reasons. It may even help to talk to a counselor about it. So many people struggle with food issues and don't know it. For me, it was a control issue and the fact that I grew up poor and couldn't have things, so as I earned my own money, I could spend it. I could justify spending it on food, because we had to eat. That problem continued into adulthood. When you figure out why you have a problem, it will be easier to move on. Also, you need to really ask yourself why you want to have surgery. Why now? Be honest with yourself (and others if that will help you) and make sure you are ready to change your life. Most insurance companies require a supervised diet program. Take that time to make sure you are well informed on all the aspects of your surgery. Also use that time to start changing your habits. Ween yourself off the fast foods and sugar now, so you don't go into a state of withdrawal or shock. Start exercising now. It will make everything easier for surgery. I am not trying to sound harsh. I weighed 295 in September, possibly more before, but that was the first time I got on the scale in almost a year. On the morning of my surgery I weighed 263. Now at 23 days post-op I weigh 241. We all got overweight for a reason and we have to really be willing to change for surgery to work. I am here if you ever need to talk. You can do it.

I think that most if not all of us here can completely identify with your worries. It's hard for me to believe that I don't miss anything. I really can have whatever I want, just in small quantities at appropriate intervals. The weight loss is great but as others have mentioned it is the change in attitude that is so amazing. For me choosing weight loss surgery was choosing myself. And getting that appetite monster off of my back was the best decision ever. The constant gnawing thoughts of what can I have, what will I have next, etc. are gone. I am some one who benefitted from seeing a therapist for a while. I wanted a third party to go through the process with me. We worked on identifying my triggers and really breaking them down into very specific incidences. Prepping myself with food before a meeting or conference call, cruising for a little something as a form of procrastination, getting a bowl of ice cream to self-comfort then getting more because I knew I would be back to a strict diet soon......no more dieting. That didn't work for me. WLS has given me my life back.

Congrats this week will just fly by yet drag at the same time. LOL enjoy your last week and be ready for this life changing event. Before you know it you'll be a one month post op bragging about your weight loss!

im having the gastric bypass starting weight 422 so i have yet to find any women at our weight range hopefully someone can offer some insight good luck and congratulations!!

That will be tough. You should check with your surgeon....the first thing that comes to my mind is the weight lifting limitation...mine was no lifting of over than 10lbs for the first 4 weeks. Good luck!

Hello Ladies, 63 year old male here scheduled for mid February with the exact date still up in the air. My weight has been creeping up for 20+ years to an all time high of 390 pounds. I used to carry my weight well when I was under 300 pounds at 6'5" now i'm just an tall old fat man, gosh that is depressing. The fact is I am misirable physically the list of things I can't do now because of the weight has grown far too long. My daughter and her husband both had this done last year she's lost 70# and he just under 100. The wife never had a weight problem so it came down to me being the only fat one in the immediate family. So I looked into the options and the bypass was just too invasive I spoke to the surgeon and we are going with the lap band. he said we can always do more if this doesn't work for me but the bypass should be considered a permenate proceedure. I have gotten down to 372 and will be starting the pre op shakes soon to shrink my liver and make the proceedure less hazardous. My journey so far has been enlightening and I am confident I can do it. I have seen for myself that it is effective on my daughter so with a change in eating stratagies and upping my exercise there is no reason to expect anything but a good outcome. Good luck to all of you guys and I look forward to being a tall, skinny, somewhat wrinkly old man who can do fun things and perhaps stick around on earth a little longer than I would by remaining fat.

I'm really glad to hear about your success. I've been following a discussion where every one seems disgusted and looking at mini bypass surgery. It made me wonder if I didn't make a mistake. Today I ate soft foods for the first time since my surgery. It's clear that I can eat just about anything. There doesn't seem to be any restriction. Is this the way it is until the first fill? I have noticed a change is what "sounds" good. I think I posted somewhere that I am hungry for salmon. That's on the menu for tomorrow. Did you have hair loss? Mine's pretty thin and I can't afford to lose much more. How does it feel to be thin! In my world, 150 is Twiggy-like! Do you want to weigh 120? I can't see myself at that weight and I'm 5'2" like you. Do you know why your weight loss slowed down? Are you afraid of over eating again? Yes, I have lots of questions. Do you ache less--if you ached before-are you better? Give us words of wisdom and thanks for writing. Nicki

How are all you "60 and Olders" doing? There hasn't been much activity here lately - just wondering how ya'll are? I am getting closer to my date (2/28) and am getting very excited. Even tho I read a lot of negative stories about people with bands who aren't having great sucess - I still believe I can make this work to my advantage. I believe I mentioned before that this is not the surgery I initially wanted - I wanted a gastric sleeve, based mainly on my Dr's recommendation due to some other issues I have, and truthfully if my insurance covered it that is what I would be doing. But I can only get the lapband covered with the insurance I have and I am not in a position to self-pay, so this is it for me. I plan to keep a positive attitude and work my band for all it's worth. Someone here mentioned having the date of their banding tattooed on their hand - I am considering the same (altho not on my hand!) because that date is going to be the beginning of a profound change in my life. I am also going to turn 60 exactly one month after my surgery and I like it that I am starting a whole new decade of my life with a whole new outlook and approach and a tool to help me achieve my goals. The most important goal I have going forward, aside from losing weight, is that I have been working my way to becoming vegan (have been a vegetarian for awhile now) and when I have my surgery, from that day forth that is the way I intend to live. I found a very good site that I visit daily for inpiration - it's www.bandedliving.com The two women who run the site have had great sucess with their bands and they are truly an inspiration to me. I believe that is what we need to do as we start/continue our journey with our bands - stay positive and inspired. Don't get me wrong - educating yourself about all aspects of the band is important - I have spent 7 months researching this and looking at it from all angles, the positive and the negative - but now that I know the negative I prefer to move on and surround myself with positive and inspirational people and stories to keep me going. I personally know a couple of people I work with who have had the band and not had much sucess with it - but I also see them raiding the candy jar in one of our co-worker's office, eating large amounts and eating & drinking things they shouldn't. So it's no wonder they are not having sucess. It's so important to remember that this is not a magic pill to cure our obesity but rather a tool to help us - but we must put forth the work and effort to make this work. Yes, there are some banders out there who want to go from the band to a bypass - but there are also by-passers who are now getting "banded over bypass" because their bypasses failed them! As I said, I wanted a sleeve and would go that route if I had the choice, but on the other hand, altho the band may make us have to work harder to lose than sleevers or bypassers, on another level you actually learn to control and discipline yourself in ways you don't have to do with the other surgeries. I can't help but think that's a GOOD thing! And we don't have those crazy side effects to deal with like hair loss and dumping syndrome. All I know is I am going ahead with my band surgery and I plan to give this my very best effort. If I happen to end up one of those people who don't get results despite my best efforts, I'll face that when/if it happens but atleast I'll know I gave it my best effort. Hope everyone of you out there are doing well - have a wonderful coming week!

It's good. I hit my pre-op weight loss goal a few weeks back. I see the doctor next week (I think, don't have my calendar in front of me, lol) and I'm guessing she's going to put me on a liquid or reduced diet until my sugery date...woop woop! Those'll be some good times. Ha ha. I haven't gained any but I haven't lost any more either (well, I've been teetering by about 3lbs). I've kind done OK with the plan they gave me but I do need to ramp up my exercise. Does your doc or center have you on a specific diet?

Im at my target weight of 147 lbs. April 25th will b a year of my surgery. I only had to lose 50 lbs or so. Im now going thru low blood sugar, today was 60. Have any of u experienced this? I hve to admit i do not eat enough Protein ir drink enough Water. Any suggestions? Blurred vision. Tomorrow i will call the doctor.

Can't believe my surgery date is coming so soon. I've been thinking of weight loss surgery for about 5 years now. I decided 2014 would be my year. I've done a three month health plan with my surgeon and dietician, as required by my health insurance. I was approved within days and received the call today for the 21st. For the past three months, I was expecting sometime in June, but feel excited, relieved and nervous that it is so soon. I've lost 34 lbs since Jan 7 and will try to lose about 5-7 more before surgery. My starting weight is about 450. I'm 6' and turning 30 in June. I'm nervous I won't be able to lose enough for it to even be noticeable. I'm trying not to worry, though. I know this is the best thing for me. I have not her choice. Anyone else in my weight range that can provide some insight? Thank you!

I have 4 older sisters who all thought the surgery was cheating, but a week after taking care of me, they all quickly changed their minds. I would suggest u keep a journal and have something to share to those critics who say it is the easy way out. If you want to get to work, you could wake up at 4 am and take 2 or 3 hours to walk there or you can have a car note, be stuck in traffic, etc.. The car may get you there faster, but doesn't mean it's easy (I use to sit on traffic 3 to 4 hours a day Atlanta) I fell asleep behind the wheel, thigh and legs went numb, gained more weight and increase vertigo.

Yup - that was me too. I told her I'd read it and that I didn't need it read to me - she kept at it, and then i figured out that was literally the requirement for her role that day. SO stupid - and for that I was required to pay $500!! Unreal. And they never did answer tone real questions i had, so thank goodness this forum does. I saw a nutritionist a few years ago in pursuit of weight loss, and I actually knew more than she did, and she ended up taking notes about newer products and healthier versions of overprocessed foods from me. Again - full pay and no help. Sigh. Can you imagine how horrible it would be to BE a nutritionist these days, and have to observe the rules about reading crap you don't believe in to patients? Mine actually copped to her 'differences' with the material they were handing out. Thanks vdub-tx!

Hi girls. I too am one of the older ones at 65. I had my surgery Nov.30, 2010. Since I started this journey with my Dr. on Sept. 30th last year I have lost 41 lbs. Medicare made me lose 20 lbs. before my surgery, which I did. By Dec. 6th at my first Dr. appointment post-op I was down 31 lbs. and on Jan. 4th when I went in for my first fill I was down another 11 lbs. so I wasn't given a fill. I was thrilled. I go back to my Dr. Feb. 22nd to see if I can get a fill then. So far I have felt great. I got to go back to the gym today to start back on my resistance training and I walk most days or get on my Gazelle. I haven't had any troubles at all and I have had one of my high blood pressure meds taken away. I have been overweight since the birth of my second child. Of course I have dieted and I have lost a lot of weight, but I have never been able to keep it off. I have wonderful grandchildren and a beautiful great-granddaughter who is with me a lot and I have missed out on so much with her because I can't get down on the floor to play with her or chase after her. I finally decided a year ago it was time to change my life if I was going to have a life worth living so here I am after much soul searching and much research. I will try to answer any questions and will hope to get a lot of feedback from others. Good luck.

Hi all. Wanted to respond to everyone ! I too am over 60 ( will be 64 this July) and have had the lap band since last May. My surgery was a "piece of cake".... hummmm, probably not the best descriptive phrase I could have picked.... but I was very fortunate and recovered very quickly. I was back to work in a week. I decided I needed to do this after many many diets and finely (after being warned numerous times by several doctors) was diagnosed with diabetes. I am 5'4" and was only 2 lbs short of 250. I had actually put the last 40 lbs on after taking my job as a State Liaison for a school district food service department! (where I still work). I actually did very well the first couple of months. Lost nearly 40 lbs.... but then, as someone put it above, figured out a way to "outsmart" the band. I was no longer feeling full in just a few bites and my old brain overrode the band. I can still eat anything I want..... anytime I want. I thought I must need a band tightening but found just the opposite .... they wouldn't do it. I have actually put 5 lbs back on and am now trying to go back to putting matter over mind!!! I do have to say that, even tho I haven't lost any more weight, my cholesterol and blood sugar are both down in a "healthy" range. Since my hospital (and any support groups that go with the surgery) are 3 hours from here... I need support too!!!! I too want to be more mobile .. I want my knees to stop hurting.... infact, all my joints to stop hurting! I want to beable to go out in the yard and actually get down on my knees and plant something! (and actually GET back UP again!!!) So... I'm ready.... lets get to supporting each other so we can all be successful and be (not so) young and gorgeous (or handsome) and FEEL GOOD! Gosh, didn't mean to go on so long..... but hopefully being "gabby" won't count against me! Lin in AZ

Bo-Less, Please share your blog--or if you're already sharing it, tell me where to find it. You're absolutely right in saying that this is a quality of life issue. My mother is 88 and weighs 106lbs. I looked at her and tried to imagine myself at that age, this weight. It simply didn't compute. I don't know that I've ever actually seen an obese 88 year old. That got me thinking. I might have another 28 years on this old Earth, how do I want to spend them? Unable to walk or do things? No, I think I'll get thinner (not counting on thin) and go hiking for the first time ever. Who knows--I just know this isn't living. I wish I had done this sooner on-the-one-hand; on the other, I'm glad they worked all the kinks out of the surgery before I got mine done. I went in confident (well a little nervous, the term "put to sleep" is a little unsettling) and came out intact mentally and physically. Something I think about before surgery! The pre-op diet is a bit of a drag. I was lucky in that I had two shakes a day and one small low carb meal at night, so it was do-able. However, I didn't have the big weight loss you did, so congrats! Alright ladies, Onward and downward-weight wise! Nicki

I am having a hard time finding out, with aetna's requirement that there is "no net gain". Is that from month to month, or overall from start to finish? I started at 440 lbs, and lost 10 pounds the first month. So if I weight 435 next weigh in is that going to possibly disqualify me?

I haven't noticed if my port has shifted or not, but my doctor said that it might shift up as I lose weight. Have fun bowling, and welcome to LBT.

I don't know why it happens, but it does. I was a 7w and now 6m. I actually noticed the weight loss first in my shoes, go figure.

I'm also thinking, as some of the others said, that when you are heavier, your weight presses down more on your feet, perhpas flattening out the arches (in addition to the width of your foot). Then, as you lose, there is less pressure on your arch, therefore it goes back to its normal shape, thus the smaller shoe size. Sounds like good logic to me!

My fiance and I both has WLS back in February and we both experience melting. We've joked around about it since it started happening but as more weight melted off the more we melted when we sit or lie down. Our running joke is that we become a couple of pancakes when we lay down. Bittersweet feeling Congradulations!! <3

Hey! I have had the gall bladder thingy happen to me (I am not yet banded), so I can understand that you feel really bad. But, you did not bring that on yourself. It is temporary. Once you get healed and feel better, you can get back on the band wagon and get started on the weight loss again. Do not accept these things as defeats! You want to stay around for a long time, so look at this as a journey for the rest of your life. Not a quick sprint to the end, but a beautiful long journey. This is just a very short stop. Be positive in this and before you realize it, you will have forgotten all about the gall bladder and will be amazed at how well you feel and look! Elgrad