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I had to wait 10 weeks before I could swim, or use the hot tub.

Good luck! Let us now how it goes. I fly out on the 9th surgery on the 10 th with Dr. Alvarez in Piedras Niegras. Can't believer it's almost time.

I just posted this new weight loss surgery magazine article on the new Gastric Balloon: The gastric balloon is a newer approach to weight loss. It is an alternative to Weight Loss Surgery for obese patients whose BMI’s may be too low to qualify them for Weight Loss Surgery. It can also be an option for you if you do not want surgery because of its risks or because you want a completely irreversible treatment. How It Works The gastric balloon is placed in your stomach to partially fill it. This helps make you feel full so you are inclined to eat less and lose weight. The program depends on your readiness to make changes in your eating behaviors, and you are likely to be more successful if your doctor works closely with you during the time you have the balloon inflated to establish healthier nutritional habits. Like weight loss surgery, the gastric balloon is a tool for weight loss that depends on behavior change. Patients are supposed to have nutritional counseling and learn new eating habits during the months they have the balloon in place. Orbera also promotes establishing a sustainable exercise routine, managing your appetite, and learning how to keep yourself motivated. The Procedures for Implanting and Removing the Balloon It usually takes less than 30 minutes to get a gastric balloon implanted. The procedure is endoscopic, not surgical. You receive an anesthetic for your throat, and then swallow a deflated balloon attached to a catheter or small tube. The surgeon places the balloon using endoscopic instruments, such as a probe with a camera, and then inflates the catheter with saline solution or air. You can go home within hours after your balloon is filled. For 1 to 3 days, you follow a liquid or soft foods diet. You may have multiple balloons inserted over the course of your treatment. For example, Obalon’s 12-week program includes up to three balloons, each with a size of 250 cc (about 1 cup), for a possible total of 750 cc. Other company’s balloons may be larger, such as 400 cc. To remove the balloon, the surgeon gives you a sedative. The process takes only a few minutes, and you will be sedated for only about 30 minutes. Differences from Weight Loss Surgery In general, the gastric balloon is an obesity treatment designed for lower-BMI patients than weight loss surgery. In general, you are eligible for the gastric balloon starting at a BMI of 27. In contrast, health insurance plans that include weight loss surgery set eligibility for reimbursement at a BMI of 40, or a BMI of 35 with an obesity-related comorbidity, such as type 2 diabetes or hypertension. A BMI of 27 is not even considered “obese,” but rather categorizes you as “overweight.” Unlike Weight Loss Surgery, the gastric balloon is not intended to be permanent. The Orbera intragastric balloon can be used for up to 6 months, while the ReShape Duo may be used for up to 12 months. Manufacturers of the gastric balloon claim it can help you lose about 10 to 15 kg (20 to 35 lbs), at the rate of about 1 kg (2 lbs) per week. In comparison, Weight Loss Surgery patients may lose about 80 to 100 lbs. (35 to 45 kg) in their first year after surgery, which is also a rate of about 1 kg/week. They have continued effects of the surgery (e.g., restriction from a smaller pouch/sleeve) after that time, since surgery is permanent. Effectiveness and Safety The gastric balloon can help you lose weight at a steady rate for the months or year you have it in place. It can also help encourage you to establish healthy eating patterns. Some research studies have also found reductions in visceral (or abdominal or belly) fat (that’s the unhealthiest kind of body fat). Patients who are most compliant and lose the most weight are also likely to see improvements in type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and fatty liver. The gastric balloon has fewer risks than surgery. It can lead to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Nausea and vomiting are among the more common side effects. Pregnant women, individuals with psychological disorders, and individuals who are misusing drugs should not get a gastric balloon. A Few Different Versions Multiple companies make versions of the gastric balloon. For example, Apollo Endosurgery, makers of the lap-band, make the Orbera gastric balloon. Obalon sells its gastric balloon in Europe and Mexico. A smaller medical device manufacturing company, ReShape Medical, makes the Reshape Duo balloon, which was approved by the FDA yesterday!

I can see how age factors into weight loss. I lost before and for the next two weeks. I seem to be stuck.....probably ready for a fill. I was banded on Jan 19.

I was banded on January 19, 2007 and I have had those pains too! I have also had trouble getting down adequate fluid and food (pureed). Today was my best day at 25oz. This is so hard. I am thirsty! I did contact my Doctor's who promply sent me for a Barium Esophogram even though their feeling was that I was on the "outer edge of normal" I was so upset and fearful of doing the esopghogram because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to drink enough barium, but I followed my Dr's orders and drank one small sip at a time and held it in my mouth a few seconds before swalling. It went well, and my Dr. is reveiwing the films himself Monday. (The Doctor who did the test thought that all was okay) Once I got home from the test, I let out a series of burps, and the pain lifted! Now I wait for Monday morning. No one told me that I was going to have this much restriction for so long after surgery. Will that diminish?

I have been sleeved for 10 weeks, so I havn't experienced what your going through. I would say go back to the beginning, eat your protein first, keep a food diary, whatever some of the things you were doing to lose the 58 pounds in the first place. That is a big accomplishment!! I'm curious, do you still feel restriction? I'm worried that I could do the same thing, cause I like chocolate and chips, I don't eat a lot of these types of things but a little bit pretty much everyday.

The effects of gastric sleeve surgery are: restricts food intake controls hunger Following gastric sleeve surgery, food continues to move through the digestive system naturally, from the time it enters the stomach to the time it is released into the small intestine through the pyloric valve. The difference is that after surgery the amount of food that can be eaten at any one time is greatly reduced. The surgery also helps to control hunger, because the upper portion of the stomach that produces the hunger stimulating hormone Ghrelin is removed during surgery. I've gone through the Kaiser Options 12 week pre-op program with the intention of having weight loss surgery, after many years of yo-yo dieting and always gaining back the weight. I'm 56 and I needed to do something very proactive to give me longevity and a more active lifestyle. I got really tired of being sedentary! Tired of needing a belt extender on an airplane, tired of never sitting in a booth in a restaurant! In the 12 week program, we were expected to lose 10% before being eligible for surgery and put on a restricted calorie diet, mine started at 1400-1700 calories for six weeks, then 1200-1400 for the next six weeks, and after that 1200, which is ongoing while I wait for surgery. The post op information indicates that the dietary restrictions after surgery, once fully healed, are to eat mostly Protein, then fruits & veggies, then carbs. The new stomach pouch can only hold about 3-4 ounces in the beginning, so this is not much food, but you feel FULL after eating very little, and the stomach is no longer "stretchy". You have to supplement with protein about 80-100 grams per day. This means for most people supplementing with Protein shakes between meals and then meals with high protein as a main component. I can envision having some carbs after surgery, but this will not be my mainstay. I have lost a good amount of weight even now at 1200 calories and 30 minutes a day of walking and some resistance work and strength training. I take Vitamins everyday and drink at least 64 oz of liquid daily. Mostly, if you feel better having some carbs in your life, you would be better to switch out to whole grains. I do this by having whole grain crackers, reduced fat triscuit and wheat thins, whole grain bread, brown rice (learned to love this) and whole wheat english muffins, Pasta, etc. Even tortilla chips are whole grain, so I can have my chips and salsa and still lose weight. In the big scheme, you can't do things the old way. You have to eat healthy and do the work, by monitoring your intake, and drinking Fluid and getting excercise. The sleeve is a tool not a simple fix. I'm going for it.

Hello Everyone: I found this list when I was searching the net for lord knows what. Before anyone comments, I do realize a LOT of the items on this list are superficial. However, as superficial as they are..they are things that smaller sized people take for granted and are more than significant issues for larger sized people (well I am at least soeaking for myself). I actually have this list printed out on my fridge. I think this lady was either peeking through my window or had a hidden cam on me for the majority of my life. Nearly everything on this list applies to me. The bright side is that I am looking to change that. Home Page Neat Reasons to lose weight! 1. To feel better about myself. 2. To increase my feelings of self worth. 3. To be able to run and jump without worrying about hurting myself. 4. To look good in a tight dress. 5. To be able to wear shorts in the summer. 6. To be able to go swimming without being self-conscious. 7. To feel I can go swimming at all! 8. To be able to run with my grandchildren 9. To be healthier. 10. To not have fear going to the doctors, because he'll make me get on a scale. 11. To be able to wear a bra that actually fits. 12. To not worry about lawn chairs breaking. 13. To not worry about where to sit at a picnic or on an airplane. 14. To not get "those looks" at a restaurant, even when eating normal food. 15. So my ankles don't puff up and look like there's half a tennis ball on each side. 16. To be able to use a public washroom comfortably. 17. To be able to go into any store, and buy the clothes I like, not just the ones that fit. 18. To not feel awkward about going clothes shopping, or shoe shopping. 19. To be able to order clothes from a catalogue without worrying if they will fit. 20. To be able to wear something that doesn’t say PLUS on it. 21. To reduce my blood pressure. 22. So I can feel comfortable. 23. So I can run on the beach in a bathing suit and feel proud. 24. So taking a bath is a luxurious thing, instead of taking a shower so I won't risk overflowing the tub. 25. So my pants won't wear out between my legs while the rest of them are still in good shape. 26. I want to be able to read the scale by just looking down, straight down. 27. I don't ever want to feel my fat jiggle again! 28. So I can look in the mirror from the neck down and like what I see. 29. To feel strong and fit again. 30. So I can show off my muscles, instead of just feeling fat. 31. So I can play with my dog again! 32. So I can drive my car and feel comfortable. 33. So I don't feel like I'm always leaning back while sitting in a chair, because of my butt. 34. So I can walk up a flight of stairs and not feel winded. 35. So I can wear tight jeans. 36. So I can get up and dance and not feel weird. 37. So I can go on rides at amusement parks again, without stuffing myself into the seat shamefully. 38. So I don't have to worry about the maximum weight an exercise machine can take before I use it. 39. I want to deprive my cats of a perching spot on my chest because it’s too small. 40. So I don't get that pitying look when I go to a gym to work out. 41. So I can lay outside and suntan on my front lawn if I want. 42. I want to wear underwear that looks cute and dainty, not something industrial. 43. So I can buy lingerie that fits, and looks good. 44. So I can buy lingerie without getting weird looks from store clerks or other customers. 45. I want to be able to at least consider entering a triathlon and have it be a possibility. 46. So getting dressed every morning is a joy and not a dreaded chore. 47. So I can pick the haircut I really want and not just one that is for fat people. 48. So I'm when people start talking about weight loss, I don't feel they mean me. 49. So no one ever calls me "a big girl" ever again. 50. So I'm not embarrassed to have my picture taken. 51. So when my photo is taken with my family I don't have to groan inside myself as I know how terrible I am going to make the family picture look. 52. So I don't get those indents on my thighs from the arms of the chair I'm sitting in. 53. So I can cross my legs. 54. So I can walk in heels without fear. 55. So I can put my jeans in the dryer, have a shower, get out of the shower, walk to the dryer and just pull my jeans on, instead of waiting to really, really dry off and then fight to get the zipper up. 56. So I can put my clothes in the dryer and forget to check the timer, and not worry about them fitting. 57. So my bras don't stretch on the sides, or get pulled seams. 58. So I can crawl around on the floor hooking up computer cables without wondering how bad I look. 59. So I can look in a full-length mirror with pride, instead of despair. 60. So I can get up from the floor in one smooth move and not a grab and hold on to something move. 61. So I can get on with my life!!!!!!!!!!!! 62. So those stupid gowns at the doctors or chiropractors not only fit, but also are too big. 63. So I can show off my legs, instead of monster ham thighs. 64. So I can look good in a business suit or a short skirt, instead of always wearing loose clothing. 65. So my back doesn't hurt so much. 66. So I can lie in bed, look down and see my toes without lifting my head off the pillow. 67. So I don't have to worry about what fits in the closet and what doesn't. 68. So I don't have to worry about the seasons changing, and will my summer/winter clothes still fit. 69. So I don't fear the onset of summer and light clothing. 70. So I don't crave wintertime, so I can hide under big jackets and sweaters. 71. So I don't think mean thoughts when I see skinny women. 72. So my doctor will never say, "you really need to lose some weight" to me ever again, but instead says nothing more than "see you next year". 73. So no one will ever again ask me "when is your baby due", and I'm not pregnant. 74. So people in the supermarket don't look in my cart when they think I'm not looking, to see what a "fat person" eats. 75. So I look lean, mean and powerful. 76. So I can say my weight out loud with pride. 77. So the old pictures of the fat lady at the circus don't look like me. 78. So I can say to other people who are overweight, hey, I was there once too, and maybe help them get to where they want to be. 79. So I don't wonder if people are saying, "what is HE doing with HER "? (My honey is skinny and can eat anything) 80. So I don't have to worry about my bathroom scales breaking. 81. So I am in control of what exercise I choose and not what I am able to do as of being so over weight. 82. So I don't have to give excuses for being over weight. 83. So I can shave my legs in a shower without gashing myself because I can't see around my fat. 84. So I can ride a horse again! 85. So I can go out fishing with friends, and not be scared to walk inside the boat because I'm so heavy I will tip it. 86. To be able to go canoeing, and my end doesn't sink real low while the other person is almost in the air. 87. So my Grandchildren never remember me as fat. 88. So I can stand up in a boat again, with balance and grace, instead of hanging onto the sides and wondering how I'll get back in if I fall out. 89. So I can boat out to the middle of a lake and go swimming, and be able to pull myself back in the boat. 90. No more "beached whale" comments, anywhere. 91. So I can go into public and not care what type of looks I get. 92. So I can sit on a bar stool and I'm actually sitting ON it, not on it and around it too. 93. So a regular towel goes all the way around me, and maybe even looks cute. 94. So my socks pull all the way up. 95. So I can hug my knees to my chest again, and it’s comfortable. 96. So I can sit on a chair, and have my feet on that chair too, and not be sitting on them. 97. So I can wear a low cut sweater and my collarbones show. 98. So I can wear a light blouse or sweater, and there aren't dents where my bra straps are. 99. So I don't have to worry about arthritis or joint replacement when I get older. 100. So furniture doesn't groan when I sit on it, or wear out long before it should because I'm too heavy. 101. So I never have to look at someone else with envy again, thinking, "Wow, I wish I was that thin". 102. I want to lose weight so that my breasts stick out more than my stomach and not the other way around. 103. I can sit comfortably in the lawn chair all the way instead of sitting on the edge and the arms pinching me. 104. I can fit into the theatre seats comfortably. 105. I can sit at the booth OR table in the restaurant. I don't have to be embarrassed because I need a table. 106. I can look straight down and see my toes instead of bending over to see them. 107. I can bend over comfortably to tie my shoes. To give credit where credit is due, i got this list from Wildkat's Weight Loss Adventure

The first 6 weeks most surgeons order us not to lift anything over 10 lbs, and such.... You need to walk and make sure you don't dehydrate. Not doing these things can land you back in the hospital. Of course you are fragile for a while after surgery... thats just normal to be cautious for a short while until complete recovery. At 6 weeks I feel great and ready to really engage with all that life hands me.

Well sweetie it's all really individualized. What I can eat, which is pretty much anything except bread and hamburger, other people may not. As for the throwing up, from my experience if I go slowly and take small bites that I chew up really well I'm fine. Another friend of mine threw up everyday for a year, but that was because she didnt listen to her body and work with the band. And no, it's not a silly question. I asked my dr the exact same thing, I told him if I was going to end up like my friend there was no way I was doing it. 10 months out and so far so good. Hope this helps you...it's a tough choice, but it's a great life on the other side of the band... Kelly

i haven't had the surgery myself, i'm in the begining stages. my story is similar to yours except for the medical problems. i've been obese all my life and never had any surgery except for dental. i'm an ob/gyn and do surgeries all the time. there are no guarantees in anything, for the most part the complication rates are minimal. one of the keys is making sure your surgeon has enough experience (make sure he or she is a bariatric surgeon), don't be afraid to ask for his complication rate. first find out if your insurance covers bariatric surgery and what their requirements are. then find a bariatric surgeon. they will guide you from there. my insurance requires me to lose weight (10%) first and since i don't have any comorbidities i'm don't know if i will get approve. if not i am heading to mexico (it's going to cost about the same as my copay for surgery here anyway), that's how serious i'm about being at a healthier weight and prevent my family's medical problem from becoming my own. weight loss has been shown to significantly improve morbidity/mortality. you may end up having to take less pills everyday for blood pressure and even require none at all. good luck with everything.

Wow, Missy, you sure don't look 55!!! Anyway, I was sleeved at 58, am now 63....best thing I ever did! Congratulations! Excited for you. Interestingly, I was 223 lbs, but 205 at surgery, just like you! My goal weight was 138 which I reached in exactly one year (I wrote a book about called Queen of Crop, where I wrote every Sunday for a year (while traveling!). Might help you see what you might be in store for....a great adventure for sure! I was at my goal weight for 4 years....this past year I have gained 10 lbs and am working to get that off.....good luck!

That’s good. Yes, everyone is different & if that works for you then go for it your way. Height: 5'0" Weight for WLS consultation: 216 lbs. Surgery date: 2/13/17 Goal: -71 lbs for healthy BMI (about 145 lbs). Current weight: 130 lbs, 10 lbs away from new goal. My profile picture is not me. It's my "FITspiration" body.

Yeah, I still have half a protein shake with about 10 oz of iced decaf coffee to start my day plus another protein shake in the afternoon. Otherwise I'm not even half way there!

great post.. 1. enjoy an adventure on the beach 2. Bahamas 3. Get bendy with my baby and make him beg for more 4. change in a dressing room without crying 5. feel good in my own skin 6. feel girly 7. wear a dress ( haven't done this in almost 20 years) 8. become athletic 9. high heels (oh how I miss them) 10. slap the sh*t out of every chick that ever called me a fat bitch

i got banded on 01/27/11,, i have lost 77lbs with no fills, i also got stuck but no vomiting a few times because of not chewing enough!!!!!

@ dhales, what does your liquid diet consist of? @ LuLu YOU CAN DO IT! I go Friday to get weighed in, I had to lose 10-15lbs... These last 3 lbs are taking forever, I hope I don't get turned away this is the last step b4 scheduling my surgery ???²

Who are you telling I had a drain that was left in for 8 days that was so uncomfortable 10 mgs of Percocet wouldn't help. I got pneumonia was hospitalized for 4 days no other complications other than that.. When the drain came out I started feeling 100% better no nausea I've been drinking well. Hope you're feeling better

I was about 10 days post op when I had a minor family emergency. I essentially OVER DID IT and my port site was actually more painful than it was immediately post op. I rested and used cold packs on the area. Note I said "cold packs" such as rice bag that has been in the freezer. Ice bags are great, but if you use Ice don't put it right next to the skin or leave on too long...my opinion cold packs such as rice bags, cherry pit bags etc. are cold enough to give relief without being too cold and uncomfortable or messy. HOPE you feel better SOON!

Hi Lucky, I think the doubt is part and parcel of the whole thing. I know the sleeve will end up being one of the best decisions I have made but when your in pain and feeling crap it does creep into it. I think I was unprepared for how much pain I would actually be in. My surgeon has said that due to my allergies he couldnt pump me full of the usual pain killers during the operation so from the minute I came round I was in real pain, if I was still I was saying my pain was a 3 on a scale from 0-10 (10 being the worse ever) but the minute I moved I soon changed that to a 8-9, I actually thought they had left something inside me at one stage because it felt like something was ripping and tearing inside me. Previous surgery I have always sailed through and never complained about pain and I assumed that this would be the same.......I think that was where part of my doubting came from. I am still suffering from reflux which is annoying the living daylights out of me but I feel so much better today and for the first time since getting home from hospital I actually want to go out. My first week was rotten there is no denying that but I know its a small blip on what will be a long road ahead of me and thing are going to continue to improve. I really hope you get your date really soon Lucky and that you dont have as rough a first week as I have had. Oh and one last thing, I am absolutely gutted about...............I used to love my cup of tea first thing in the morning, now I can't stand the taste of tea, it tastes vile. I really hope that changes as I dont like coffee and never have, I hate even the smell of that stuff lol.

Reading your post, I find myself relating to your story… I was thin till I was about 30/31 years old… so for the last 10 years I have put on weight for one reason or another – but I too didn’t match what I saw in the mirror… now 8months post op and a 100lbs lighter, I look back at pictures and have no idea who that person was for the last 10 years… I always knew there was a “skinny girl within” so when people who didn’t know me before I gained weight say “omg you look so different” I just smile and say well I am still the same on the inside… or a simple “Thank you.. I think..” and then normally they realize that they kind of crossed that invisible line of offending you with a compliment… and then they kind of back tract… Most of my coworkers know that I had this surgery, I just couldn’t really hide it… there are just too many big mouths and there was just no point in trying to lie about it… HOWEVER – in my life outside of work, only close family & friends know. It’s not something I post, blog or brag about… I have had a lot of people that are not in my everyday life ask me what I am doing, and I tell them I cut all pork, Pasta, rice, breads & alcohol… (which is the truth – I just have left out the part where they took out 90% of my stomach) I do feel bad, but half the time I just feel like they are being nosey.

I appreciate all the responses so quickly!! I do feel that part of me is just freaking out because it is getting so close, but I also think part of it is when I went for my pre-op testing all of the nurses kept asking me why I was having this done? They kept telling me that I am not that over weight and they would have never thought that I weight over 200 lbs. I am 5'7 and weigh 230. I have not had any health problems so far, and my weight has not kept me from doing anything that I have wanted to do. My main reason for doing this is just because I want to physically look better to myself. I know that if I continue the way I am that I will probably eventually develope health problems, but I guess that is why it is hard for me now to go through with it, because people keep telling me they don't know why I am doing this, and I haven't had health problems as of yet. Another thing that makes me nervous is that we really don't know about long term effects of this. Like 10-20 years from now. Will the band hold up? I have 3 more days to decide and really apprecaite all your feedback!! Keep it coming it really does help!!

Girl I FEEL YOU! I had surgery 10/20/17. Date of surgery 275 today 219. the scale has been 219, 220, 219, 221, etc. for 5 weeks! I feel smaller but damn that scale!

I was banded on Monday, Oct 3rd! Yay! No problems with surgery! Yay! Haven't taken pain meds since Tuesday, the 4th! Yay! Ok, the issue is all this bloating with gas. It makes it hard for me to take in my liquids because it just makes me more miserable than I already am. I don't get anywhere near the required amount of fluids because I'm miserable. Yesterday, with permission from my doc, I started with GasX and Milk of Magnesia-finally-RELIEF!!!! However, here I am again bloated and miserable. It doesn't matter how much I rub my stomach (in an effort to get the gas to go down-if you know what I mean) or how much I walk-no relief. What gives?? Is this how things are gonna be?? Is there any real relief w/o the assistance of meds in my near future? I'm going back to work next week, I don't want to walk around looking 10 months pregnant! Any suggestions would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!!!!!!

I gained 5 pounds after surgery. It took me a week to lose that! I felt (and sometimes feel) the same way. I just thought the weight would "melt" off these first 6 months. Now, my doctor and support team have told me over and over that it is a process and that surgery is a tool to help you. I work out 5 to 6 days a week and still (Just over 2 months out) can't eat very much. I went for 2 and a half weeks with NO loss. Then the next week I lost 10 pounds. I am also just under 4 months out from having a baby. NO clue if that plays into it or not. This woman that came into my office lost 63 pounds in 7 weeks. I was so jealous. I am now losing anywhere from 2 to 4 pounds a week now (most weeks). I feel this is pretty good for me. Usually my weight loss levels off after 2 months so I am keeping it going. Hoping to be at goal weight by 1 year mark. Good luck!