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What can I do to minimize skin sagging while losing weight? I'm 65 lbs down and about 90 more to go. Any thoughts on Spanx or certain creams? TIA

First of all, just a general disclaimer: everyone is different, so while this is my experience, yours may be different. Good luck on your 2 week liquid diet. The first 2-3 days will be your hardest. By day 4, I wasn't hungry or anything anymore. It'll suck, but you'll get through it and have lost some weight. I, personally, lost 12 pounds during my 1 week liquid diet pre-op. I didn't pack anything for the hospital since I planned on going home, and we live close enough for my husband to pick up anything I may need if I had to stay over night. My husband brought his laptop since he stayed with me the whole time. I reported to the hospital at 5 in the morning and was in the OR by 7. I was in the prep room for about an hour. I woke up at about noon feeling no pain only nausea. Nausea and gas were the only "pains" I ever had from surgery, and the nausea was actually from the anesthesia and the pain meds that I was given afterwards. I lost pretty steadily for the first 3 weeks, though the loss didn't start until about day 2. I attributed that to the gas they pumped into my stomach. The pain that I felt in the recovery week was gas pains. I expected the pain in my chest, but what I didn't expect was the gas pain in my shoulder. Gas-X helped for the chest pain since it made me burp, but nothing I could take helped with the shoulder pain. What I ended up doing was putting a heat pack on my shoulder to help a bit. Another thing I didn't know until the class before my surgery was that my surgeon required an additional 3 weeks of liquids after surgery. I just about went crazy by the end of the 2nd week since I had already had 1 week of pre-op liquids under my belt. I was extra careful when showering because my staples were super annoying. Once my incisions started to heal, they itched like crazy! My surgeon's office told me to put some benadryl anti itch cream on it. Well, it worked...until I had an allergic reaction. But, it worked! I hated how itchy the incisions were. So what I wish people told me before surgery: * Wait until anesthesia wears off before taking pain meds because apparently, I don't do well with pain meds and just get nauseous. * Prepare for a month of liquids. Protein shakes, Soups in between, sugar free Jello, etc. FOR A MONTH * It's possible to get gas pains in the shoulder, and it's annoying. It's like a dull ache that you can't massage out. * Healing skin itches A LOT. I actually couldn't sleep some nights because it itched so much!

When I was 40 I didn't have comorbidities I do now even tho my weight hasn't gone up much since then. The pressure on my knees started and then everything just went to hell. My bp is horrible without meds. My knees have been replaced, I'm teetering on the edge of diabetes and I just feel lousy. Surgery can not come soon enough for me. I'm waiting on approval and have to continue my psych till it's done. Only you can make the decision but I wouldn't wait for the trouble to begin if you can avoid it

I've just joined the community today and have gone through most of the discussions. But stating this obvious question once again to gain some comfort in deciding to go under the knife. I desperately need your wisdom to help me decide. I’m obese, type-2 diabetic for the past 9 years (I’m 40 yrs now) with uncontrollable blood sugar levels all this while. This summer my tests had traces of Microalbumin and a follow-up test in autumn confirmed Microalbuminuria (Incipient Diabetic Nephropathy, early stages of Chronic Kidney Disease). It was like a bolt from the blue! If I do not take control, I could progress the stages of CKD and also risk having other complications (like hypertension, heart disease and eye diseases). I've consulted an Obesetologist and a Bariatric Surgeon to understand the bariatric surgery options for BMI 36.0 and my comorbidities. They've advised me Gastric Bypass Surgery. I can fund my surgery if Insurance declines. While engaging the doctors and follow-up tests I've also started to follow strict low-carb diet and follow a good exercise regime. In the last 3 months, I dropped weight and now at BMI 28.5 and blood sugar level is at normal levels for a month now. Here is where the confusion is - I know the risks of the chronic disease like Diabetes and Nephropathy + others. I'm only 40 and need to strictly follow the diet and exercise without getting a burn-out for the rest of my life and not let the diseases take over my life. On the other hand, Bariatric Surgery is promising with limited set of post surgery complications/risks. If I weigh the risks of not having surgery and having surgery done, on paper Surgery WINS hands down. I just need someone to tell me to go ahead with the surgery, so that I can focus on preparing myself. Thanks a lot...this advice will change my life and my family's.

I totally understand what your saying and I wonder if I'll ever get there. I'm 18 days post op and I'm afraid to eat anything for fear it will make me sick, it will get stuck, it will give me dumping syndrome, I will gain weight. food, all food, has become the enemy!

I had my gastric bypass on 3-13-13. My weight on the 12 was 280, current weight 5 days post op is 269. Pain was also minimal but that GAS is a mother. My doc sent me home on full liquids, was only on clear liquids the day after surgery. The only thing that pretty much sucks is that i have a drain coming out of my tummy

Congratulations for weight loss. Was anyone hungry during the first week.

Discovered I'm now seriously lactose intollerant along with artificial sugar and sugar alcohol. My whole plan for weight loss is out the window. The final straw is my Dr said I should be losing more than one lb per week. Anyone have similar symptoms? Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using BariatricPal mobile app

I am 8 weeks into my weight loss journey... my total loss is 27 lb... I am thrilled with this loss... I was stalled for about 2 1/2 weeks and I think I am moving past that... it feels good not worrying about losing ... I am fine with a slow loss because I know it will come off eventually...

Hello everyone. It's great to find this website. I was banded on July 6, 2009 so I am nearly 1.5 years post surgery. So far, it has been good in that I have lost now 94.5 pounds with about 60 more left to lose so I have absolutely no regrets about this. What I struggle with is looking at what is yet undone/unachieved and wondering if I have the emotional & physical stamina to keep on doing what I need to do to get the rest of the weight off vs to I just give in and accept this current weight as "good enough". Has anyone else found themselves in this place and if so, what did you do?

We are so use to years of 'failure' - it's easy to think 'what if....' Mine now, since I'm at goal and can now eat more....'What if I gain it all back' Ugh, the mind games we play. I gained five lbs over the summer due to way too many sweets at the family reunion, all the church get togethers and vacation. As of this morning, I'm within the range I'm comfortable at ( 143 - 146). I don't get hungry, so all I have to do now is use self control. "Dieting" is easy when there is little or no hunger. I just cut back a little and up my Protein. It's taken 3 weeks, but I did it. I figure in another 3 weeks, I can get down to 144. As far as losing.....girlfriend, you are going to have approx 85% of your tummy removed, you WILL LOSE!!!!! How much and how quickly does depend a little on you. I treated my sleeve as the most important 'diet' of my life. No sweets, fried food....nothing I should not have until I reached goal. Slowly but surely I eat normally.....a NEW normal. I don't deprive myself, I think I NOW eat like a naturally thin person and I make choices, I don't mindlesslly eat!! I am aware of everything I put into my mouth. It is much easier than before!! You will lose...enjoy the ride, it is WILD!!!!

I have been on the pre-op diet at under 1000 calories and haven't lost much weight. However, it just makes me realize hoe important this surgery is for me.

I understand. I'm just starting the nutrition classes, so for me it will definitely be next May. I at first was dismayed about the wait, but I'm working on being Zen and really making the most of this time to address non-hunger and binge eating and get myself into as good physical shape as I possibly can (given that I have some mobility challenges due to my weight) so that I will heal well from the surgery, But I totally feel you. The day will come!

Hi, I'm new here. Female, 49. I have been lurking since I started my journey, in September. Since that time, I have been making many changes, awaiting a date for my surgery. (Gastric Bypass). I had my surgical consult a week ago, and everything went very well. I feel very confident about my surgeon. He seems to think despite my having previous colon resection surgery that I am still a good candidate for what I believe he called a low limbic Gastric Bypass. I have made a lot of changes, which I notice everyone else has too. I just hit my 1 year smoke free anniversary I stopped drinking diet soda, gave up caffeinated coffee, I am drinking about 100 oz. Water daily, passed all my psych evals. I am recording everything I eat, and I'm losing, a small amount of weight. I'm on 2 types of insulin, so that's not an easy task, but I am working on it. I eat Breakfast, and I haven't done that since I was a kid. I still worry about one thing, I still have a craving for something sweet after a meal. I don't bring bad things into the house which helps. It still doesn't change my cravings. Maybe that in and of itself is a problem, thinking foods are bad or good. I have my last dietary meeting at the end of the month. They told me about 6 weeks from that appt. will be my surgery. Anyone else have issues with specific foods, or sweets? I have done so much work, but I know I have to tackle this last craving to be successful. Sorry if I seem like I am rambling. It's just a lot and I hope to make some friends here, and work through some of these fears and doubts with others who may be having the same thoughts. Did anyone else have to have an endoscopy because they have GERD? I do. My surgeon is doing it though, so I'm glad of that, he should be able to tell me right away if there are any issues that would prevent surgery. Thanks so much for reading. Gahhhhhhhhhhh I'm really doing this. Maybe that's why it took so long for me to actually get up the nerve to write here. It's getting so close, there is no turning back, and I am happy, and ready, but I could use the support of others who are going through this and have gone through it.

Yeah absolutely I know insurance hasn't actually been run through. I haven't had insurance since I was 18 so I was stressing about primary doctor and weight history. They said all I need was psychologist appt and nutrionist for insurance but my surgeon itself requires 3 appts which is fine lol

Not losing weight in 4 days is not a stall. My doc says that a platoe is when you are not losing in months. I know it's hard but sometimes is better not to get on the scale every day. Consider that you are intaking lots of fluids and since your food intake is not much your body stores fluids and calories to survive. Your body is learning to adjust to a different life style. Also if you are not intaking enough fluids that can affect your progress. So do not stress over 4 days that you have not lost. Eventually weight loss will become slower but keep in mind that is not about how many pounds you lose but about the % of overweight that you have to lose. The more you lose, the smaller that percetange of exess weight you have to lose becomes. In my case I sometimes don't see any changes on the scale for days or even weeks but I can feel that my clothes fit better so I realize I am still losing inches. Don't feel discuraged or anxious, it is happening! just keep up the good work!!!!

Me too. My insurance company didn't require any weight loss, just pre-op tests and a psych evaluation. All were accomplished in less than two months. I feel so lucky when I read the stories of people who have to wrangle their insurance companies.

Being able to breath easier to me was one of the best NSV's. You will notice more and more how good it feels when you're not carrying around that excess weight. Gratz on the 20 lbs.

I have about 70lbs to lose and was wondering if I will need PS after. I really dont want to lose all the weight only to find out that i need PS because I look heinous. Thank you

Sleeved dec17. I would have to say my success so far has been not eating, thinking or even look at rice, pasta soda and anything carbonated since being sleeved. Non success for me would be maintaining the same weight for the past 2 months. :-( YEP! Ive lost nothing in the past two months. Im sooo frustrated at that being that i still have a good 50pounds to goal weight. I really hate to think My weight loss stopped just after 4 months of surgery. My tool is just fine. I still eat small amounts as the first 4 months but it just isnt coming off in scale numbers or body inches.

Hi everyone! This is my first time in the forum and my very first post! My journey has been long and hard and I have had to overcome more than my share of heartbreak and ache and loss, but I am still HERE! While I have spent my last 9 years raising my incredible and amazing little girl, it seems that I also forgot to remember to take care of myself through it all and that brings me to where I am today. I am 31 years old and I weigh 274 lbs... Just typing that number makes me ashamed and sort of sick... So before I go back and delete it, I will ask for words of advice. I know that most of us have our own stories, both good and bad that have brought us to the point which we are- here and today. We each have our own story and struggles that have caused us to reach out and take this huge leap into the gastric bypass world. Before last month I had never considered weight loss surgery, but at the end of my last dr appt, the form they gave me said MORBIDLY OBESE... The moment I saw it, tears filled my eyes and I walked to my car and had a good cry while trying to figure out where I had gone wrong... Was it my parents divorce when I was 16?, was it being pushed by my parents to a college I didn't want to attend?, was it my abusive ex husband? Was it baby weight still? Where did the 135lb 17 year old cheerleader who had a never ending smile go? When I stopped crying and wiped the tears off my face I realized that I was the ONLY person in my life who could change the way I feel and that in order to fix myself, I also needed to learn to love myself again. This is the beginning of my journey to find out who I really am and who I aspire to be.... I am NOT the fat girl in the corner who hides in baggy and black clothes, so I won't let that be me any longer. Tonight I took my first step in my new journey and attended a weight loss seminar through the medical group I will be using for my RN-Y gastric Bypass surgery... I am excited and nervous and apprehensive all at the same time!! The referral has been put through and I should be receiving a phone call within the next week to schedule my first visit with the surgeon, psych eval, nutritionist, etc- from there it is just a wait for the actual date!!! I am excited for my journey and I can't wait to find myself again along the way!! I know that I have the strength to get through this and get my life going again!!! Thanks so much for reading my story, and please please please, share your stories and triumphs and your journey with me as well! I think that having a support group will make the whole process that much more wonderful!!! Heidi - age 32 P.S. I can't run right now, my body hates me if I try... But I promise myself that if I get through this and I get healthy, I WILL learn to run each morning as the sun rises over the mountains in the town I live in!!!! Please help me reach these goals

I too have wondered about this. I am not really sure why it is done, or WHY I would want to do it. (Not being judgemental, just stating that this intrigues me, and I would love to hear from people as to why they did it.) I am losing slow, but I often hear people using this tool to get back to the basics to gain control over their eating again. My issue, as to why it may not help me, is I do have an extremely healthy diet and follow a lot if not all the rul. ...... um ok, some I don't follow hehe For those interested it can be found here http://www.5daypouchtest.com/ I am so curious about this. How is it going for you, I would love to hear form you <3

July 17th here, down 30 in seven weeks. I'm getting in closer to 1,000 cal/day because I'm working out 5-7 days a week, cardio and weights.

Congrats on getting clean! And your new family! Life has handed you a lot, and I'm proud of you for trying to get things straightened out. Usually a bypass is a one-and-done type procedure. A skilled surgeon can evaluate you to see if there is any "tweaking" that can be done, but it's better for you to focus on non-surgical options. Your stomach is still small, and your bypass is still in place. Those will continue being helpful (probably why you didn't gain ALL the weight back and more!). But at this point, it's time to get back to basics. Protein, vitamins, water, nonstarchy veggies, limited fruit and starchy veggies. No sugar or white flour. Weight loss won't be as easy as it was the first year after surgery, but it IS possible! Good luck!

call your medicaid office and get a list of covered procedures. i believe medicaid does approve wls. if you have applied for TANF or just plain FMC, call medicaid to see what your benefit will cover, typically it is what medicare covers and medicare covers wls. also, have you looked into SSI, or RSDI? You may have a condition that warrants a disability which may help with a small monthly monetary benefit. if you have recently applied for medicaid, get your pending slip and go and see a doctor and discuss a PLAN with him. If you just had heart surgery, my guess is a doctor wants to follow your progress and ensure your healthy. Then take a realistic approach to WLS. You are worth more than Ebay! Take one step at a time and you will be on your way. Yes you do need/want to lose weight, your heart needs to be healthy, and you need to exercise. With heart surgery, processes happen in a methodical manner. You need to discuss ALL of this with a doctor, it is not going to be a quick fix, but one you can live healthy with the right direction. g2s