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I have done so well. 3 months out, 53lbs lost. Exercising now, weight loss is slowing. My sweet tooth seems to have returned somewhat- HELP! I work and stay busy, is it boredom, I just want to taste it, I have even spit it out. The urge is hitting me everyday. All of a sudden I want gelato, a piece of chocolate or two, a cupcake. It must stop. I am scared and need to adjust my thinking. Tips, thoughts and suggestions are welcome.

Hey! Just a note to give my 2 cents worth.. Getting the band for me was one of the best things I could have done for myself. I have struggled with my weight ALL MY LIFE.. and I know the band is working.. It is slow going, and as they say, "not a quick fix, but a tool," but I believe I am on the right track! Good luck and God Bless!

You may have hit a point of equilibrium where the amount of calories you take in equal the amount of calories you burn on a daily average. If you would like to lose more weight, ensure you are doing the basics: Don't drink Water 15 minutes prior, during or 45 minutes after eating Eat lean Proteins first, then good carbs Exercise - push yourself, don't just go through the motions. Your heart rate should be up there. Do you track on MyFitnessPal?

I started out averaging about 13-15 pounds per month in the early months. I stalled big time at 7 months and lost only about 4 pounds in a month's time. Then at 8 months it picked back up. If I look just at the most recent 30 days time, I've lost 8 pounds. It's much smaller than the 15/month I lost at first, but at the same time, I've only got about 3 more pounds until goal, so it is bound to slow at some point. ETA: It's worth mentioning that during that month that I stalled and lost very little, I took a comparison pic in my workout pants and sports bra and compared it to the month before, and I could definitely tell a difference. So while I didn't lose a lot that month, I was consistent in eating and exercise and I could tell a difference in my body between the 2. Maybe I can find the pics to add....let me see..... Anyway, my point is that even if you have a smaller month number-wise on the scale, other good things could be going on too like losing inches or gaining muscle definition. Here are the pics one (the first) was from May, one (the second) from June....Only 4 pounds difference, but looking better in my opinion. So numbers aren't always the best indicator of progress

I use MFP only on my phone. I want to know if I can go back and see my actual weight from previous weeks. I can see the graph but want to see the numbers. Can I do this on the app?

Blessed, I was beginning to think I was going crazy. I can see all of my diary but not my weights. I've been in a stall for almost 2 weeks and I'm trying to figure out how to break it.

On Wednesday, my local support group had a guest scholarly and published speaker. He had all sorts of degrees in kinesiology and muscle synthesis. He's a big fitness science nerd, and he owns a gym here called Exercise Science. He threw around big words and sited countless studies. So here were his main points.. Muscle strength and growth is the most important thing for fitness. Blah blah metabolic, hormonal, and skeletal benefits. It's the "fountain of youth". If you compare a young control group to an older group of swimmers, an older group of runners, an older group of tennis players, and an older group of weight lifters, the weight lifting group's muscle biopsies are identical to the young folk. High intensity resistance training is the most efficient and effective way to strengthen muscle. Cause as much micro-trauma to the tissue as you can and then rest to build muscle. His goal for his clients is to get them to their strongest genetic potential. Intensity and required resting periods vary for individuals, but he made ball park recommendations. High intensity means you leave the gym walking as if you have cerebral palsy. You shouldn't be able to lift your arms. You go at it so hard, you should reach that point with only a 30 minute workout. Soreness is unrelated to whether you're sufficiently rested or not. The only way you know if you've rested sufficiently is if the next time, you're stronger. Rest means no muscle stimulus. No moderate or even light resistance training in between. No endurance activities in between. No jogging, no swimming, no yoga. People who rest for a full week have better muscle growth/strength improvement than people who train twice a week. Combining this method with a ketogenic diet is ideal for weight loss. Not a single person in my support group was exercising the "right way". So what? I like my early morning 3 mile walk. It seems to help me with stress and starts my day off on a good foot. I like Couch to 5K. Half-way through! I like working out with weights 4 times a week. I'm motivated as hell. Yoga is improving my flexibility, breathing and posture. Let's just say his method is measurably and scientifically backed up and proven to yield the best fitness results. Screw it? Do you forget the science? Do you stick with what's "working" for you, even if it's not actually working so well? Despite my efforts to reverse the trend, my fat free mass (according the BIA scale at the doc's office) continues to drop. From 128lbs before surgery now down to 104lbs. There are weeks where according to that a-hole scale, my fat% is increasing. I haven't gotten stronger. According to him, the science says my efforts are misguided and are in vain, I'm not shredding or resting enough, and his method would actually be effective. I plan to stick with what I'm doing anyway. I'm open to increasing my intensity, but I'm not giving up my other activities. I could try decreasing my gym training to 3xs a week, but no less, and I wouldn't be happy about it.

My VSG Story PRE-OP: Two weeks prior to my surgery date of April 10, 2013, I had a check up with my primary care physician and tipped the scale at 343 pounds, 5-10 in height. I researched the VSG procedure and doctors in Mexico due to my insurance not covering bariatric surgery in the US for several months. All my findings led me to Dr. Fernando Garcia in Tijuana, MX. I went through the coordinating company, Ready 4 a Change. I chose that company because the response was instantaneous and I never waited more than a couple of hours for a response to my questions via email, even on weekends which is unheard of in the States. All in all, I would definitely recommend this coordinating company again. Also, I travelled alone, which went extremely well, and I guess would depend on the circumstances but I would not hesitate to do it alone again. On 3-27-2013, I started my two week pre-op diet which consisted of all liquids, protein shakes, and small salad for dinner. I did fairly well on the diet but cheated a few times very minor like one bagel bite, or a small bite of my wife's burger. Anyways, the diet sucks nonetheless but after day 2-3 it's really not that bad. The protein shakes I used were syntax nectar strawberry kiwi, and the chocolate/vanilla premier protein. I would advise to start some type of workout regimen during this phase. This pre-op diet is meant for shrinking the liver to provide a safer surgery, not necessarily weight loss. Again, all in all the two week pre-op diet went well and it went by fast after the first couple days. DAY OF SURGERY: On the day of surgery, I flew out from Dallas, TX to San Diego, California. Upon arrival to the airport, which I was 15 minutes early, I called the driver with R4AC, and he said he was just around the corner and showed up in 5 minutes flat. He even asked me on the phone if I wanted him to remove the company sign from the outside of the van, which I though was courteous. I told him no need, I'm not ashamed! So the driver picks me up and we head across the border which was uneventful and easy. We make our way to the hospital, as I elected for same day surgery so I would stay two nights in the hospital, and three nights in the hotel. Upon arrival to the hospital (Hospital was Florence Health System/Oasis) I was immediately checked in and taken to my private room with hospital bed with nurse call button, TV, an extra bed for a support person, etc. pretty much anything you would find in a hospital in the states. Now, this hospital is in the process of renovations with state of the art operating rooms as in the states, but the rooms are a bit older but nothing to gripe about for sure, and very clean. So I make it to my room and put everything up, and I am greeted by Melissa from R4AC, and she starts going over paperwork and answering any questions I had. The nurse comes in with a hospital gown and says to take everything off, including the underwear. So during the next 1-2 hrs, I have blood drawn for labs, an EKG done, chest x-ray, and an IV put in (first try,) and given a happy pill to relax. I also meet with all of the Dr's at the hospital including Dr. Velasco who is a bypass patient herself. Dr. Grafias who is a sleeve patient. Dr. Cabrera the anesthesiologist, Dr. Luna who is a bariatric surgeon as well, and Dr. Fernando Garcia, my bariatric surgeon. Pretty much all of the Dr's ask about medical history and prior and current health conditions so your basically checked 4-5 times to make sure your clear for surgery still. At about 5:30 or so, I was wheeled in to the operating room. You have to scoot over onto the operating table but no biggy. Dr. Luna took my wife's number down on his phone to call and let her know once surgery was done and everything was ok, which he did according to my wife. I remember one of the Dr's asking me if I had anymore questions as he was pulling out the left arm rest. I said just make sure I wake up and I was out like a light. I woke in what felt like was just seconds after going out. I sat up with minor pain in my abdomen from the incisions, not gas pain. I looked at the clock and it said 7:30. I'm not sure how much of that 2 hours was surgery time vs waking up, etc, and I didn't really care. I immediately stood up when I woke up and started walking the halls. All of the nurses looked at me like I was crazy and asked if I was ok. I told them I was because several speak pretty good English to communicate. They said most people are not up and walking that quick after waking up from surgery. I guess I was the exception. So that first night was pretty good except the minor pain in my abdomen from the incisions which basically felt like I did too many sit-ups, not unbearable in the least. POST-OP DAY #2 So I slept off and on mainly because the nurses come in every 2 hrs or so to check on you and give meds, check BP, etc. The nurses were AMAZING! No complaints whatsoever, and if I pushed the call button, the longest I waited for a nurse was maybe 25-30 seconds. This day was pretty much the same, walk, rest, meds, repeat! I also had 2 leak tests done, which went good and no leaks detected. One of the leak tests was odd as you lie down on the x-ray table and drink some liquid while laying down. It didn't hurt to drink but was just an odd feeling. While walking the halls, I met 3-5 other people from various online forums and FB who had the surgery and became friends and exchanged info to keep up with each other and our progress. POST-OP DAY #3 I had my drain out this morning. it was WEIRD, like a snake in your tummy. it did not hurt at all, just awkward. I got copies of my lab work, x-rays, etc and was discharged. Then around 10 or so, I was picked up by the Hotel Marriott shuttle and taken to the hotel. It was extremely nice and the same as you would get in the US. I got checked in and taken to my room. You get 3 free bowls of chicken broth, 3 free Popsicles, and 2 free bottles of water daily. I would not eat the Popsicles, but there is a small shop in lobby you can buy Popsicles which were awesome. The broth was ok at times, and way to salty others, but then again it's broth...boring! The first day I relaxed mostly and went out by the pool and lounged around and didn't really do much. Still no pain really except for abdomen from incision sites. POST-OP DAY #4 Today I lounged around again and walked a bit around the hotel. I ventured out and took a can to the local Walmart as I started feeling some acid reflux, which is common with VSG, and bought some omeprazole which helped a lot and it was gone in 2 days. Dr. Luna came by and removed the staples from the incisions, which did not hurt, and cleaned all the sites and put steri strips on them and covered up the drain hole. I was given medicine before leaving the hospital which included antibiotics, disgusting liquid acid reducer, and pain meds, which I didn't take any of it. I had dinner with some new found friends and co-sleevers and got some sleep. POST-OP DAY 5 Today was the same as day 4 pretty much. Lounged, went out with some new friends, had dinner, etc. I packed up all my stuff and got ready to leave in the AM. I got a call around 8:30 by the driver who gave me the option of leaving at 6 am or 9 am. My flight left at 1:20 pm but I was ready to get back to the states so I opted for 6 am. POST-OP DAY 6 I woke up and was checked out of the hotel and in the lobby by 6, when driver promptly arrived. Myself and 2 other sleevers headed back to the US. It took us about an hour and a half to make it across the border, it was very busy but an easy process as we all had our passports. Made it to the airport, caught my flight home, end of story! All in all, I would say the level of service and care in MX was equal to and even greater in some areas than that in US. I would highly recommend Dr. Garcia and his team, R4AC, and Florence/Oasis Hospital. I would do this whole over again and look forward to taking some of my family members and/or friends to MX for this procedure. If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me and I hope to help others with their journey if I possibly can. Johnathanw1988@gmail.com

:opps2: So I have been cruising :car: around this website, and just throwing my two bits and smiley faces every where I pleased,:blabla: but I never went to the introductions and told you who I am. Shame, shame, shame! My name is Amy. I live Canada:canada: with my husband David and 10 year old daughter Holly. I am a part-time accounting student, and full-time "go-to-coffee-with-friends" person.:tea: Currently I took the semester off to have the lap band surgery, because I am a big baby. I got the lap band for the same reason you got (or getting) the lap band- I need to lose a boat load of weight!:fish2: I hate to change my bad eating habits, because of the hunger. Hunger makes me fail at diets. If I am not hungry I will not eat...period. If I am hungry...I WILL eat... period. It is not rocket science; the lap band will be my friend and we will work together and combat hunger. I love all of the advice and wisdom I recieve fom LBT; I don't know where I'd be without it.:frusty: (Probably rocking back and forth in my bathroom asking my husband if he thinks this normal or that is normal...what does he know abot a lapband anyway? ) So I'll see you around and I hope during my journy I not only lose weight I gain friends in the process!

April 11, 2008 As most overweight people i have been fat since about 5 or 6 years old. I've always been into sports so i had lots of muscles etc. I was made fun of but but i took it OK. I'm a real jokester. Anyway i did every diet took weight off put it back on and then added another 20 or so pounds. when i reached 354 i couldn't believe it. So I told myself lap band for me. July 10, 2007 attended the meeting at NYU the next week i started the journey. 6 months of Dr. visits, all the stuff NYU wanted and then on March 3, 2008 I was banded by Dr. Ren. I have lost a total of 30 pounds so far, I got my first fill 4/8/08 doesn't seem like its tight enough i need more, next fill 5/7/08 I will ask for more!!!! April 19th still the same holding at 30 or so pounds with no restriction, I can and do eat everything, i called the Dr. Ren's office last week they told me to eat meat and chicken.............I am sooo confused they tell us not to eat that stuff cause it will get stuck.what's up. Next fill may 7th we will see. I want to stop crying about this. Viv:sad:

Real common! I think especially for us introverts. Part of the attention is because you are changing and ppl who know the "old" you are commenting about the change. When I have lost weight in the past this drove me crazy! But I'm handling it better this time. Can you continue your therapy? This is exactly the time it helps to have professional guidance and coping advice. In time, you will get used to the extra attention and the changes will be your new normal but this transition period can be tough. Hang in there!

I had to find something that counted on me being smaller and meant more to me than the pain of going through being noticed and even what the numbers said on the scale. When I couldn't make this journey about me or my health, I made it about getting smaller so that I could ride my horses and get back into competing on them. You can't be as competitive as a rider when you are bigger. It's not fair for your horse to carry that extra weight -- you're not upholding your part of being the best you can be as part of that team. Granted, I like how I look in the mirror now that I've lost 40 pounds but just looking better for me is not motivation enough. I'm actually dreading getting smaller and having guys hit on me. It makes me uncomfortable if they are way over the top about it. One of the perks of being fat is being invisible and it's hard having to learn with how to cope with stuff like that. The only way how I know now to get through that discomfort is to remind myself that it's important for me to get smaller for my horses and for what I want to do. I cannot let my embarrassment or uneasiness about how I look trump me getting fit for them. It has to take a back burner if I want to do what I've dreamed about for so long and stopped doing once I was bigger. I don't know if it's a healthy approach from a medical standpoint but it's the only one I know that's going to work for me so far. I've tried working with therapists to figure out why I sabotage or have those feelings of being exposed more when I lose weight but I never figured out why. I wasn't abused in any way and didn't have any really bad dating experiences. I'm just uncomfortable being judged like that. So I had to find something that meant more to me than having that discomfort. Riding horses is my lodestone that keeps me on track.

Thanks Sadie. I actually work in Carnoustie. Congrats on your weight loss, thats really great. I'm struggling just now but think I'm just needing a good fill. I checked with the Spire Murrayfield but I think it was about £300 for a fill, does that sound right? Great to hear from you.

Greetings November Sleevers..... I've had some difficulty getting enough liquids and Proteins, but today is the 4th day and everything seems to be settling down. My sleeve feels pretty comfortable and I'm moving around pretty normally. I didn't have any difficulty finishing my 30g Protein drink this a.m. and am sipping a nice chai latte now. Feels pretty normal. Not hungry, and feeling much more like I will be "myself" soon. But, get ready for this: I went downstairs to weigh myself this a.m. because I am/was convinced I must have dropped a few pounds since I went in the hospital. I have GAINED 4 lbs! I know it must be Fluid retention, no BM yet, but it was a shock, I have to tell you. I have barely eaten anything (maybe 400 calories/day?) so I wasn't expecting this. I am not alarmed but I am shocked. Has anyone else experienced a weight gain after coming home? Jeez.

Totally normal. .. that water weight will leave as quick as it came.. hang in there

I've noted the periods of 'more discomfort' on my port, are related to those times when I've rammed that part of my belly into something which serves as a kind of blunt force. First time about 1 year postOp I was loading yard debris into a utility trailer where the side was just a little below my port. By that evening I noticed along with the discomfort was a little bruising, which coincided where I would lean over the side rail without thinking about it, and subject poor Mr. Port to some kind of fulcrum-wedging. The last few years the only port discomfort I've had, is a bit of tender skin over the port area, which the more I rubbed it seemed to make me less happy. I changed that little habit and over the last 6 months have had no complaint....well....HARDLY none. Sometimes my fantasy is it would be nice to move it....yet it seems perfectly placed and perfectly installed. Mine is to the right of mid line half way to the lateral side of body, and about 8" above my navel. Perfect access for any fills I've had, as it is well stabilized and easily palpated. When I lost my first big amount of weight, it was rather like a smooth quarter-sized pebble that became easier to notice as the glacial fat melted away. Now it's noticeable as a roundish lump under my t-shirt when I'm out flexing on the beach.

After 2 1/2 years, I'm nearing goal weight & have noticed that I'm starting to have more port site 'discomfort'. I don't know what triggers it. Could it be that I have less fat insulating it? LOL. Anyone else have this trouble? Is this something I should be talking to my surgeon about or is this normal?

Now what I understand is that all the estrogen stored in the adipose tissue when you are obeses make menopause much worse. When we lose weight there will be a temporary adjustment in your level but when it levels as you loose weight I think it will be easier.

One of the key factors those people are missing is time. As I said in a previous post, it can take time for the skin to catch up to the weight loss. That's not to say that all of their skin would have shrunk had they given it more time, but it may have improved somewhat. I don't want to sound like a hypocrite here though. Full disclosure: I lost 90 pounds back in 2010/2011 "on my own" and had an extended tummy tuck and breast lift afterward. And that was after having maintained my weight for almost a year. So clearly my skin didn't tighten back up to the point where I was happy with it. I do wish that I knew back then what I know now about steps I could have taken to reduce the loose skin issue WHILE losing weight. Once I am sleeved on September 1, I intend to be religious about hydration, moisturization, supplementation, and resistance training. Hopefully by doing that, I can reduce the likelihood of needing to have any revision to my tummy tuck or any additional skin removal surgery down the road.

First I want to say Wow this has been quite a journey so far!!!! Everything that had to be done to get where I am at today is beyond being worth it!!! Second I want to thank my partner in crime Karen for telling me about this surgery to begin with. I would have never known about it or gone to have it done without her!!! Thank you Buttercup!!! Third I want to thank my husband for supporting my decision even though he thought I didn't need to have it done. He even stood up and said something to my family when they were being turds about me having it done. Thank you Pookie!!! So to finish up here, this is what has happened so far & what is not so far away!! Surgery date: 5/22/2013 Height : 5ft. 6" Age: 39 Start weight : 218 Current weight : 171 Only 3 pounds away from hitting 2 goals. 1st: hitting the 50 pound mark 2nd: hitting 168 ( the weight I was when I met my husband) I also am only 36 pounds away from hitting my goal weight of 135!!!!! Thank you everyone for being there even when I was whining & complaining!!!! XOXO

I completely understand what both of you are saying. I lost 100 pounds with my band in 2011 getting down to 146# at 5'7" (about a size 4-6). At 42, I had never been that little. I also received a lot of comments that I was getting too thin. The comments were from family as well as work friends and I feel like they were genuine. Over the course if the next year, I put on about 15 pounds. Then, when my band slipped and they removed it, I ballooned up to 200# almost instantly!! I am now 11 days postop with my sleeve. At age 46, my goal is to be healthy, live life, and yes....look hot in some kick-butt clothes! lol! Pre surgery I was doing boot camp classes, yoga, hiking, stand-up paddle boarding....all without the constant concern of what others thought!! It was amazing!! I don't want to get as thin as I was before and had the same concern with 'shutting off the weight loss'. I would be interested in other folks thoughts on this topic as well.

I have the exact same situation. Lost 27lbs at pre op diet and only 32 in total. I'm trying to tell myself that is 32 lbs I probably would not have lost. I also sprained my ankle so I have not been exercising for 6 weeks. It is still better than the gaining 10 lbs I've been doing every year. Think of it that way

Hi: I was banded on 1/5/10 and have had 3 small fills since then. I am not sure if I need another one or not (I have an appt. on Thursday). I do notice in the morning that it takes a little longer to drink a glass of water- although I have never had a problem drinking. I usually eat slowly and chew well- but never seem to feel full. I have never had anything stuck (don't want the experience either!) I am now at 6.2 cc. in a 10 cc. band. I know that everybody is different but am not sure what is 'normal'. I am not losing weight- but not gaining either. Just afraid of being too tight. Since I've never experienced the 'sweet spot' that everybody talks about I am afraid of missing it and then having problems with being too tight. Any body else experience this? Or have any suggestions? Thanks. I am not even sure if I should get a fill or if I do how much they will put in or should put in...Maybe I am overthinking this? Thanks, Sue :thumbup:

Does anyone know of a support group for those who have had to have their band removed due to erosion or slippage,etc., and had no other type of replacement. I am scheduled to have my band removed and need support and encouragement to not gain my weight back. If anyone knows of success stories, please HELP!

Thank you for posting! I was wondering how well VSG works for those who had previously lost and regained large amounts of weight. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App