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Congratulations, job well done. Can't wait until I reach that stage I'm only 10 days out.

I agree with @ValJean. What a thorough response, @CyclicalLoser. So many great tips! @kingcake, are you able to stay any longer in the hospital? I stayed for 3 nights by choice mostly because of fear of coming home too early and not having help, plus I adored the nurse team and loved all the pampering in the hospital. I did not have any help when I got home and pretty much did exactly what @MarinaGirl did to prep. I got bills paid for a couple months, deep cleaned my house, filled up my car up with gas and washed it, purchased all my post-op liquids for about 2 weeks, set up my bed so I could easily slide in when I returned, organized my vitamins, borrowed a toilet riser (a shower chair would have been nice at the beginning). I felt overly prepared and that's what helped me come home as I got to focus on just me. It was fun. I binged on Netflix and watched weight loss surgery YouTube channels and aside from daily walks in my neighborhood, I moved from bed to couch for the first 10 days. Lots of napping took place. This is your time for you and you don't need anyone. Just be prepared and get a couple bottles of liquid Tylenol. This way, when you ease off RX pain meds, you can begin taking Tylenol and start driving again. Congrats on your surgery! You're going to do great!

Yes I just got my call yesterday that my insurance approved my Sleeve surgery !!! Aug.19 is the surgery day !!! I'm excited and nervous [emoji1] Sent from my SM-N950U using BariatricPal mobile app

I had my sleeve April 4 in June I had an episode in a grocery story were I passed out. The episode happened twice in about a 45 min period. Went to the hospital all tests were normal. I chalked it up to waiting to long to eat but followed up with my primary care. She did a 3 hour glucose test and found within an hour my insulin level went from 10 at fasting to 211, for those not aware that's and unheard of level, which she has seen one other time and that was in someone who had also had Bariatric surgery but she was 2 years post op not 3 months. She put me on metformin hoping to regulate and I ate about every 3 hours. I thought it was takin care of until out of nowhere I had another episode a few weeks ago and have felt pretty poorly since. I can never catch a sugar drop at least not at levels I believe should make me pass out. I get a continuous glucose monitor this week to wear for a week and have an endocrinologist appt at the end of the month. I can't find much research on this issue but my doc did give me an article about it. Essentially your body thinks its starving so it over reacts to food it gets producing too much insulin dropping your blood sugar ( sort of reactive hypoglycemia but a more intense reaction). And can actually cause your pancreas to grow. I am so pumped about my weight loss ( 80 lbs in 5 months) but I did this to be healthier too and I have followed surgeons/ nuts instructions to a T and feel very discouraged by this development. Has any one else experienced this? Essentially it's nothing I am doing wrong it's just a negative reaction my body has decided to have following surgery. But again not much research out there so I thought maybe some of you may have insight.

I was sleeved on 4/10. I'm feeling pretty good i have a Minor back ache from sleeping on it. I've never been a back sleeper and a pulled muscle feeling on my lower right side because i prop myself up on my elbow on that side to get up out of bed. Sleep hasn't been the best lol. Lots of. Walking and sipping. The protien shakes are so hard to get in they make me gag so I've been adding protien powder to my broth and i have proven water. Congrats on making it to the bench!!!

I tend to agree with this. You’re not going to dump on water. I’ve never dumped but had the foamies countless times. The sides are very similar to dumping but take a look at what you consumed to know the difference. Also, I wouldn’t put much faith in ER doctors when it comes to bariatric surgery. Take this as first hand experience from working in an ER for 10 plus years as a nurse and being a bariatric patient myself.

Total Scale Victory and Random Observations: I now have lost more than I weigh. I have lost 190 lbs. from my highest weight of 374. The first 50 was using Victoza for Type 2 diabetes. My bariatric program has my starting weight as 343. SW=325. CW=185. My program doesn’t give goal weights. For my own satisfaction, 174 would give me a normal BMI. I’d like to end about 170 knowing that some gain/loss is possible as things settle. I’m 5’10”. I have gone from a size 30/32 to a 14. I haven’t been this size since early high school. I look forward to doing things rather than dreading them. I’ve been off all diabetes meds since surgery. I am still using my CPAP although I’ve had the pressure lowered twice. I see the sleep program in December and we will re-evaluate then. I suspect I will still have a need for it. My cholesterol medication will be re-evaluated in December as well. My doctor thinks it likely I will remain on that med due to family history. That is the only medication I take other than my vitamins and supplements. I track in LoseIt. I track every bite, every day. It keeps me accountable to myself and I foresee it as something I will need to do forever. Today is the first time I ever exported my progress to a spreadsheet. On other groups, I see so many questions that ask how much someone has lost at a given point. I honestly never knew what I did. These are my totals lost from first to current month: 16, 19, 17, 15, 15, 18, 4, 9, 17, 10. I exceed my liquid goals every day and never tracked that after the first week. I’ve never had any trouble with liquids and I know roughly what I drink each day as I know what my mug holds. I also ran my macros for the first time. Since surgery, I’ve kept protein to 40-50% of my diet with fat and carbs 25-30%. I’m still at 800-1000 calories per day. My program has said that is relatively low at this point but as long as I am losing and not feeling hungry, it was fine. My hunger has not returned. I am grateful for that. I’ve tried to build successful habits that will serve me for the long haul. I’ve been walking since coming home from the hospital. I started at 5-10 minutes per day. Now, I try to walk 45-60 per day at a moderate pace. I use 5 lb. weights and do toning exercises for 10-15 min. most days. I’ve started seeing virtually a therapist recommended by my program. I don’t have a history of trauma or eating disorders but I didn’t get to my weight by having a healthy relationship with food. Plus, I was very moody and short-tempered following surgery. I feel great and have more energy than I have in years. But This. Is. Work. I’m ok with that and try to keep my focus on progress and health. I follow what my program suggests and make my own decisions within that framework. There is no short cut to this. There’s no pouch reset, fasting, diet pills and how soon can I eat at McDonalds. I ranted on here one time about hating the word “pouch.” I still do. I hate pouch reset even more. 🙄😫 I don’t believe in it. We don’t need to reset. We need to make the best decisions and choices we can without needing to be perfect. Sure, you lose weight with it, but it’s simply because you are going back to not taking in many calories….and most of us have been down that road before. I continue to absorb the wisdom I get here from those who have gone down this road before me or are on it now. I still hate shopping even though it is not as difficult as it once was. I’m still not sure who I see in the mirror and am uncomfortable with focus on my weight loss. I could eventually benefit from plastic surgery, but I don’t know if that will be in the cards. Enough for now……thanks for reading.

My everyday driver is a 07 escalade. I drove a 97 tahoe for 10 years and finally traded it off this past January. My fun car is a 65 mustang fastback. I can squeeze in it but just barely. I've decided to get the sleeve and I'm ready for a new journey in life!

I had my band placed in 2009, lost and maintained 89lbs for 7+ years. then in 2017 i got the flu and slipped my band.... So out came the band. I looked on and off for years for someone to revise.... but keep getting NOOOO you don't weigh enough. Over that time i put on 30lbs of the weight i lost. Went from 143 to 173.5. I was so depressed that i was doing everything i could and i was still gaining.... Crossfit, starving my self, diet pill.... nothing worked. I was weeks away from going to Mex to get the MGB when i happen to call a local dr. He agreed to see me. We talked and he said that because i had had the band that he could do a revision even though it was 2.5+ years out. He just had to note it in the file that i was a previous bander. So Aug 28, 2019 i revised to the sleeve. I had to pay out of pocket 14K. Worth every penny. As of today... down 38.5lbs in 19 weeks. 5'1" (now 51 y/o) 2009: SW: 232, LW: 135, but my most consistent weight was 143. Size 20 to a size 6 2019: SW: 173.5, CW: 135. Size 4-6 Pros of the band, i had total control of my diet. What i ate and didn't eat and if i ate too much, i "got rid of it". Sleeve, no maintenance. I can't eat nearly the amount of what i ate with the band. 2-3 bites and im done, but i'm hungry again in about an hour. I've only had two episodes of vomiting in 19 weeks. If your dr. will do a revision at the same time as a removal..... i would do it. Look into the Mini GB. Its what i really wanted, but my dr doesn't do them. So i choose to go with the sleeve and be 10 min from his office..... vs having to fly to Mex.

im expecting to be $1500-2000 out of pocket.$7000 seems to be so much,and if thats what im in for id rather just pay for the whole lap band op now instead of waiting another 10 months for my private cover to kick in.Im just wondering why are so many people on here out of pocket $4000++ when they have private health insurance?Why do some people pay about $2000 and others pay $7000 when they have private cover?i will email surgeon and ask for All the item numbers,he just gave me the one for the lap band..cheers guys for all ur advice!!:cool2:

Hi gmp72, The reason that people are charged different prices has to do with the surgeons fees, nurse fees, anaesthetists fees, physc, and dietitician fees only part of there fees are covered private health do not cover all the fees they only pay part of it, for instance my surgeon charged me $5000 for him to do the surgery and medibank private and medicare only paid a total of $930. The anaesthetist charged $1200 and all I got back was $800 no one pays for the nurse (except you of course). The dietitician first visit $98 out of pocket $60 2nd visit $40 out of pocket. Whereas my husband was charged $4500 surgeon that is what his out of pocket expense was with him no rebate from health fund or medicare (as that is what he charged over and above). Everything else was the same as mine except that when I go to see the surgeon again I don't have to pay for my fills whereas, John has to pay $70 as his surgeon does not bulk bill and a extra $10 for the disposal of the needle, he also has the choice of seeing the other doc who does bulkbill and pay nothing for her to do the fill but she still charges him $10 each time for the disposal of the needle. So always find out what the extra hidden costs are surgeons fee above the normal refund etc. Hope this explains it all Sam

Good Luck for tomorrow!!!! You'll be fine, I promise. Day 19 for me and I havent stopped eating and drinking all long weekend.....Can't wait for a fill.

Thanks Astromom. I'm still somewhat sore on day 3 but I got out and walked this morning for 45 minutes and I feel ok so far. Took the bandages off today and I look like I went 10 rounds with Mike Tyson lol. Bruised up pretty good. Thanks for the advice and just supporting me. It's good to be able to talk to people who have been through this and have probably asked all these questions at one time or another.

Just an update. First, thank you to all who replied. I sinerely appreciate the comments and concerns. I talked to my physician and he said that it was not unusual and was probably due to my having a nerve problem in that leg compounded by the positioning on the operating table and the straps used to hold me on. I have had no pain, elevated temperature in the thigh or tinderness and those things are associated with a blood clot. Also, my daughter is a nurse and she checked it too. But, as several of you said, you can't be too careful. Oh, I also weighed today and I have lost 10 pounds. yeah ! and I am now able to eat unclear liquids, so cream of brocolli Soup never tasted so good ! Thanks again.

Hmmm... I think then maybe your problem is that you're allowing yourself to eat with too much time. Maybe you should set a timer or clock watch while you're eating. Say, if whatever you haven't finished in 30 minutes gets tossed. I do understand that is a really hard habit to break. We get to thinking about wasting food or the millions of kids starving in China. But, you have to overcome that. I know I sure can eat a lot more if I didn't stop at my pre-measured tiny portions. I do follow the 30 minute rule too. I learned this while being banded so I really don't even think about it anymore, but should be a standard for anyone with WLS. Also, set mini goals for yourself. Sometimes its easier to see the forest for the trees, know what I mean? I do about 20-25 Lbs goals and watching my little shark swim quickly accross the Water really helps to keep me motivated. Also once I get into Onederland I'll shorten up those goals into 10-15 Lbs. All the best to you, and I *know* you can pull it together and start up the weight loss again.

Hate to tell you this but reflux is also a sign of a slip. I had no other signs of it (I could keep almost everything down and had no pain) but when I went in for an xray on Monday, they found my band had slipped. After 2 1/2 yrs. From vomiting most likely. I knew that would eventually catch up to me! I had severe reflux for the past 4 mthsd, was sure I was too tight, but didn't want any taken out for fear I wouldn't lose my last 10 lbs. Wrong idea. I gained 4 lbs and was miserable very single nite. Had to take 2 prescription meds, 1 otc med, and pop rolaids like I owned stock in the company. And sleep propped up on 3 piilows on my back - very uncomfy. My husband finally talked me into going to the doctor and I'm so glad I did. The last 2 nites of drug-free sleeping have been wonderful. I'm gunna have to be careful not to gain during the 2 weeks my Fluid is out, as I'm hungry at all times it seems! I'm gunna try to stay the same tho - no losing for me the next coupla weeks. You need to call your your doc and get checked out. Instead of waiting 4 mths like I did. Almost ruined my band. Good luck to you! Marci

Banded on 03/28/07. No complications. I felt almost completely healed at two weeks out. My Doctor wanted me to remain on Clear Liquids and Protein Shakes for two ADDITIONAL weeks (until one month after surgery). He said this was for weight loss as well as to let adhesions develop around the band. I could lie and say I was following his rules, but at the two-week mark I started on full liquids, then mushies. Never felt a twinge from the band on any of it. Couple days later, I was on solids again, chewing well and feeling great. I've got a valid excuse in that the Protein shakes were making me gag- literally. Seven different brands of powder and can, all nasty. Plus, the only clear liquids that tasted good to drink were sugary fruit juices- I am not a broth/soup person at all. I was genuinely worried that I would "sugar" myself out of losing any weight. I wasn't getting enough protein, felt weak and tired. Now, my doctor and I had already discussed me doing Atkins on the band until I'm done losing. He also put me on Phentermine (appetite suppressant) to speed this whole process and help me through bandster hell. Anyway, I've been doing Atkins with only a couple minor cheating incidents. I get my protein from real meat. I avoid sugar. I feel FREAKING AWESOME. Today is exactly one month out and I'm down almost 50 pounds. I know, I know, should have followed doctor's orders... I know, I know, could have lost more already w/out the food. And yes, I have been exercising a little bit and taking my Vitamins. My portions went from tiny to almost-normal as my body got used to food again, so that I can just about finish a chicken breast, burger patty or can of tuna and I feel very satisfied with that. But even in supposed bandster hell with no fill, I just am not that hungry. I have to force myself to eat, most days. Some of that is the Phentermine working (you can feel it when you're on it), but even without the pills my hunger just isn't like it was. Don't doubt, I already pushed myself once, trying to eat the old way: I overdid it on on chinese spicy beef and the band let me know about it! Just ate too much, felt like I was bloated and it was pressing up UNDER the band? Wierd, but it went away when I took a gas-x tab. Regardless, I am so glad I had this surgery done. I plan on going under 300 pounds next month. I can't wait to get a fill (on 05/10/07)and watch my portion size drop back down again. Oh, one last dark little confession because I am a bad man: In order to avoid stressing the band, I've been drinking with meals to keep it flushed. I don't have restriction ANYWAY, but I wanted to let the adhesions form like the doctor talked about. He said food sitting in the band would push it down, that was the reason for the long liquids period- I tried to get around it my own dunder-headed way. So, it's time to buckle down and stop drinking with my meals. Thanks for reading this novella, please berate me for being pigheaded and breaking the rules. I know I deserve it. *ducks and covers*

Hi, So I’m 10 days post op and in liquid diet phase and it’s dreadful. My plan as per my dietician is 4 weeks of clear liquid 4 weeks of puréed phase and 4 weeks of soft foods before real food.I am fed up with my food now and want to have some real food. How do I overcome this?

There are tons of theories on this subject all around this site. First, don't stress, we all stall. First step, avoid the scale for awhile. Second, a lot of people will increase their calorie intake for a few days then return to the previous diet. Your body has set weight points where its comfortable at, once it hits a number and doesn't move your body gets stubborn and wants to stay there. What I do, personally, is switch to 2 shakes, 2 small healthy Snacks, and a very light meal once a day. I do this for a week. And if my fibro allows me, I'll do a little more cardio that week. Not much, maybe 5-10 more minutes to up my metabolism. And avoid that demon scale! I find the best results when I avoid the scale for a week or two then weigh and go for there. Just try and avoid upping your carbs, then you get cravings and have to go through the lovely carb withdrawal again Don't fret, you're not alone. It'll work itself out just be patient.

10 weeks post-op. Down 70lb.

That's 10 pounds you do not have to worry about after surgery - Congratulations! Best of luck to you!

Hi everyone. First time I'm posting. I got my surgery date, June 13, and I'm sooo excited. It's been a long process. I started with the first phone call to Oregon weight loss surgery sept 20,2011. What I'm struggling with is that my phys asst wants me to lose 10 lbs before surg. I have 9 to go and my check up is the 8th! I've had a horrible week...my friend was murdered at my work and I found out my husbands company is transferring us to Arizona. The stress is not helping with weight loss and I will be devastated if they push my surgery out a month. It's not like the insurance company wants it the dr thought ur would be a good goal. I had lost the 10 pounds around month 4 and gained it back month 5and 6. Precisely why I'm getting this surgery!,,! That's all

Hi all How long have your surgeons indications been for beginning semi contact sports again after surgery? I love playing basketball and don't want to let my team down being out for 8-10 weeks. It may be easier to schedule surgery for the Christmas off season. I also play indoor cricket (for those in the US, imagine having to pitch a baseball and bat repeatedly for 9 innings inside an hour), and wouldn't like to do any damage from that? Any insights? B

You will do great, just keep you eye on the prize, lol!! I began at a very tight size 24, within a year I was a 00 and have maintained ever since. The maintenance is the hardest part. Losing is easier, because you have the reward of watching the scale go down, NSV's, smaller clothes and many compliments. You will easily be able to get to size 10!