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I'm not nervous about the surgery it's self. I've been under the knife several times. It's all the other stuff that is the big unknown for me. Recovery, pre and post diet, post weight loss. The most nerve wracking part is the thought of doing all this and STILL not permanently loosing the weight.

Wow! that is fast...I know I have to do 4 month supervised weight loss before I can get approval but I am happy for some adjustment time but I would like to have the surgery by end of June to allow recover time before I have a vacation "Road trip" planned. Nice thing with road trip...I can pack the car with plenty of grocery supplies.

I am having my surgery November 26th. I'm wondering if anyone started their vitamins ahead of time or did anything else to prepare ? I really want to maximize the weight loss so anything that helps is great!

I am probably less than 2 months away from having surgery. My pre-op consultation with my surgeon is July 10th. I knew my weight was effecting my family because of my lack of energy and motivation makes it hard for me to play with them as much. Last night my son whose just finishing up Pre-k came home with his portfolio with all his work throughout the year in it. As I was flipping through it he had a picture of me and I was huge compared to everyone else in his pictures, I asked him why and he replied" Because you have a big belly" he's only 5 years old and loves me very much and means no harm. Him saying this brought me to tears and a great realization of how much detail he is actually aware of that I never even gave a thought too. I don't want my children to see me as big and unhealthy. I know that's a big reason why I am getting the surgery to begin with is to have a better quality of life for me and for them. I haven't stopped thinking about what he said all night. I have fallen behind with my weight loss a little and now it's opened my eyes again to keep this going because it's a life long battle and both my kids and I deserve this. In order to achieve this I have to be successful and work at it, after last night I know I want this now more than ever. My question is has anyone ever had comments from your kids or anything and how did it make you feel?

I had severe nausea the first two days after surgery. After that, none. In fact, I only take my nausea meds to help me sleep at night. I'm one week post op, so next Monday 12/9 I'll transition to puréed and see how I do! Katy W- Louisburg, NC Lapband revision to VSG with DS HW- 297 Weight at Surgery-279 CW- will update at two week appt

I use the low sugar cream, 2 T and that's it in one cup of coffee and a Truvia sweetener. I'm pre-op and have lost so I think after surgery should be easier but I don't know about Desserts and restaurant eating yet. I hope to order low carb, high Protein meals at a restaurant and immediately ask for a container to put all the food but 2 or 4 oz in. Actually, I have to ask my nutritionist how much are we to eat at one sitting with the gastric sleeve. I thought it was 2 to 4 oz or 1/2 cup. Even lets say you get lasagna you can still lose if you eat small amounts. I have lost on Weight Watchers before and you can eat real food and lose but this will be way less and you SHOULD feel satisfied. Key word is Should!!!

Here in New York the process takes about 6 months. ( really it depends on the insurance) Monthly weight management clases, 2 support groups required. I had to get clearance from the cardiologist, psychiatrist, and I had to get a Pulmonary ol function test. Then meet with my surgeon to sign consent, then a pre-op visit with my PCP. That's it. My surgery is scheduled for 2/7/2017. Best of luck to you. Wish you well on your journey Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hi, as you might have read, my name is Carmen. I am a mother of two, a 13 year old daughter, and a 9 year old son. Currently after 15 years working I am taking a break to continue my education. I am an EMT, and I am going to school for cosmetology. I been in the retail industry all my life. When I became and EMT, it was one if my great accomplishments, I was very happy. I started to work for a busy system in the City of Syracuse, and I was doing OK. At the end of my 15 hour days, I was in serious pain, but i got up every morning at 4am to go to work and do it all over again. But the pain got worst, i was barely able to stand on my feet less carry a heavy bag with an oxygen tank. I took a medical leave to address my condition. Resulting that I have arthritis on my back and my knees are deteriorating and I have tendinitis on my wrist. Anyone with arthritis now that pain only gets worst and it never gets better, I started taking medications for the pain that wouldn't allow me to drive the ambulance in the state. So I had to extend my leave indefinitely. My neck started to hurt, along with my ankles, and even so I decided to start going to school for cosmetology more standing up and more wrist work, What was I thinking? I figure I need to continue working on something I like doing but I want to make more for my work, and I want to work when I want to ( when not in pain). Anyways Its been a journey I am half way my journey (http://bbgbeauty.blogspot.com). My brother ended up in the hospital, also my mother. My brother had developed sleepanea, a sleeping disorder mostly on obese people. He weight at almost 600 pounds. He had let himself go. He was in the hospital for many months until he was able to get out he now weights around 550. He can barely walk, or breathe he ended up with a tracheal tube for life or until he gets his weight under control. Now my mother is battling her foot to diabetes in the hospital and they ha to amputate all her toes. I go trough a lot with them and finally get them into my home and they doing a little better. But its far from over, my mom goes again more times to the hospital and still struggling to keep her leg now in top of everything my boyfriend ends up in the emergency room because of his diabetes. I said to my self no more... I decided I am not going to end up like them, to this date I don't have diabetes, I might be in the border of Sleepanea, I might already have it. I don't have high cholesterol but my blood pressure is very high and I take medications for these. I talk to them about loosing weight and that we could do it together, they seem reluctant to the idea of eating less and healthier. I guess I am on my own right now. Each person's health is their own decision. My mom is somewhat supportive, she "tried to keep me under control with sweats" and by trying i mean she waves them in front of me and says resist the temptations! lol . My boyfriend has gone so far to the info group and support groups in the area for me and have allow me to expend a little extra on healthy foods. We all know that healthy food is more expensive... but thats another topic. So I went to the information group to gather information about the Gastric Bypass Surgery, and I have learn a lot. I also went online to research, and I been to support groups in the area. I filled my paperwork and submitted to the surgeons. I am awaiting a date to start the process. It should be this week. They called me last week but I was missing my doctors referral, which hopefully they faxed today. I been on a diet on my own so i can gradually start my transition to better eating. Its been hard. I am limited to 1,400 calories a day, witch is not much compared to what I was eating before. its like torture, to the point that I don't want to leave my room into the world because everything is food, advertised, in commercials, int he internet, on games, in my kitchen, my family and kids, across the street next door, its everywhere, the temptations are all there, its worst than drugs. And for someone that has been big since a child, and never been restricted on what I can eat because my motto was, "I am going to die anyways might as well die happy" Well, i rather die happy but not suffering restricted to a bed or not able to enjoy life. I want to be able to fit in the roller coaster so when my daughter goes in a date I can follow her and get in the same rides as her and her boyfriend. I want to be able to fit on normal clothes and spend $20 less on a shirt. I want to be able to run after my future grand kids, I want to be able to have a snore free sleep, and wake up energized, I don't want to be afraid of a stroke or diabetes. I want to keep all my limbs, I want to be able to work and make money! I want to be able to wash the dishes with less pain on my back and knees, and I want to be able to go back to being a great EMT and live a long healthy life. And more than anything I want to go to my birth country and shove it on their faces that I was able to loose weight and I ams till beautiful as I was before. So this is why I decided to do the gastric bypass. Even thou a lot of people say you can do it without the surgery, I might... but YES i am opting for the easier way, where I will have less chance of failure. Once my stomach is smaller, I will able to be full with less food thus being different from now, that I eat less but i am still hungry. And I don't care if people don't agree with me on doing this surgery, it my decision, and if I am weak for doing it, so be it. Pre-Operation: Currently I weight 280 pounds I lost 3 pounds in 2 weeks. Here are some of my current pics, They are gross, but I want you to have an idea of the real situation and have a visual concept of my progress.

I haven't gone so far as to actually get a weight out and see what it was like....but I do imagin the pounds in food....Like 10 pounds of potatoes....or 10 pounds of butter.....theres what, four sticks of butter in a pound. Right now I have lost 54 pounds. Soooo 54 X 4 is 216 sticks of butter~~~ Thats a real good idea though to break out the weights and carry it around! It is amazing huh???

I have reflux and hernia. My surgeons office is also a Center of Excellence. My surgeon is going to repair the hernia when I get the sleeve. She also told me reflux (like so many other conditions related to obesity)would greatly improve with weight loss. Just wanted to share. Good luck to you.

I'm in law enforcement and was recently banded. After 6 weeks post-op, I'll be considered "fit" for duty. A band should not impede you from entering law enforcement provided you meet height/weight requirements (which I did when I was hired - I gained a large amount of my excess weight after a nasty injury).

Angie, Yes I think traditionally the 6 mini meals is regarded as a good way to safely diet, but lap-band does have it's own rules for a reason. Although after surgery before you get restriction (bandster hell) my surgeon did recommend mini meals if needed. I'm at a point that I have good restriction and eat about 1/2 cup to cup of food per meal (not a 1/4 cup). Typically most people eat between 1000-1300 calories a day with the band. There all times when we all reach plateaus, but I've been banded for almost 7 months and have had consistent weight loss (about 2.5 pounds a week). Right now I can't really give you a lot of drawbacks. I've had great weight loss yet I'm still able to eat most foods. For me this has been great because I don't feel deprived like I would on a diet. Do your research and ask you Dr. all those questions - they are good ones. Good luck with your decision!

vent all you want! ! That's what we are here for. Everyone will have some sort of struggle and hopefully everyone will achieve what really is our ultimate goal....to lose this weight once and for all!

Hi all, I've been lurking for a while , but now that things are finally starting to move along I'm gettting excited and nervous too. Last Wed I went for my first consult with the nutritionist, met one of the doctors, but not the doctor that will be doing my surgery, met the PA, and made my 2 months appt out for the next visit with the nutritionist. Since then I have scheduled a gallbladder ultrasound, and the psych eval., both of these for next week. From what I've read on my insurance coverage, I don't think I will have a problem with them paying, or doing a lot of jumping thru hoops. If I can just lose enough weight between now and my next nutrition appt I think things will move along pretty fast, hopefully. Now nerves are getting to me, but not too bad. Just have to keep my eye on the prize, lol. Anyway, just wanted to say hi. Lisa

There's a little exercise called the "5 day pouch test' that has helped several people get 'get back on track'. It's free and only takes a little time, if you really want to get back where you're losing weight. As you know, there's no easy way to do this, so you'll have to get going and really apply yourself. Anyway, give it a try and let us know if it does you any good. You'll find it with the search box on this site or look for it on Google.

I started out around your weight...227 on the day of surgery...I am 5'8. I had a stall last week at 4 weeks out...In fact, I gained three pounds..It was the week I introduced soft foods and I also did not exercise that week...But this week I kicked my workout game up a notched and I lost the three I gained and an additional 3 mo pounds...So I thus far, I have lost 27lbs including 1 week pre-op where I lost 5lbs...While the sleeve is a great tool, I am doing my darnest to help it with the weight loss by sticking to a workout regime...I started walking 3 miles at 60 minutes about 2 weeks post op...Now I walk/jog 3 miles at 46 minutes. I am working toward 30 minutes...I say all this to say I want to really maximize the first 6 mo of the sleeve loss...I want to be that non-ideal case and hit my goal 155-160lb within 6 mo. And that only happens with hard work both in being good with diet compliance and working out...I got 50lbs to drop over the next 5 months...I am going as hard for it as I did for cold stone creamery ice cream on double stamp day Mondays...

I went to the dr. Yesterday for my 6 week check up. I lost 30 lbs since the day of surgery. Major stall last week Anyway, I was talking to the receptionist. She told me I looked great. My skin was clear hair looked nice etc. Joking around I said " oh I thought I would have lost more ." And she said " because you are so small, it will take you two years to lose your weight. " Two years??? Is that what everyone experiences? I'm by no means small. I started at 231.

Hello! My name is Sondra and I will be having my vertical sleeve surgery in 3 weeks. I am having a revison from the lap band to the sleeve. I had battled with having a revision surgery for about 1 year now. When I finally got the nerve to make the appointment for a consultation I called and canceled. I felt like a failure because I gained the weight back from the first surgery. But after praying and talking it over with my husband I made a second appointment and kept it. What really helped was the support from my husband and a very dear friend who had the surgery as well. We both struggled with our weight all of lives and thought the band was what we needed. While we both continued to struggle with our weight while having the band, my friend was never able to get off her high blood pressure meds. I was just blessed to not have any medical problems that required meds. Long story short after my friend had her surgery and said it was the best thing ever, she is officially 3 months pre op, down 41 lbs and off her high blood pressure meds. I was inspired yet motivated to make the lifestyle change. I received the call on April 1st (Yes April Fools Day) that my surgery was approved and that they could schedule the surgery for April 30th. Take note when they called I was taking a nap so I thought it was a joke. I had a ton of questions like do I have to go thru the classes or psych evaluations. To my surprise no, just get my lab work done, see the dr for post op and then have my surgery. I am still shocked because I hear of so many people waiting for thier approvals. I guess you get what you pray for. I am still new to this sight and learning how to maneuver thru everything but I want to post my pictures and interact with others who have the same issures that I may have but until then..COUNT DOWN TO A NEW ME!

Same here. I am going to start my weight on the day of surgery. I also gained 10 or 11 lbs when I got home from the hospital. It is too early to say if we will be a fast or slow loser. I just want to be a loser...........

Hi all, I was wondering now that we are well on our way to losing weight can me make one main thread like past months/groups have done. Then we can better communicate. I was banded march 2007 and rebanded sept 2008. The first group while still active has dwindled down to about 6-7 pages a month. But we have remained very close. I am not sure how to do it what do you think?

Most people lose less than 100%. I believe most surgeons declare surgery a success if you lose 65-70% of your excess weight. And as time goes by, you can eat more and a wider variety of foods. It's crucial to use this time to learn new habits of eating and coping. Find the low cal nutritious foods you enjoy. Discover an exercise you like. Mine is walking outdoors. Find activities other than eating that sooth you. Use a therapist to work on eating issues you can't conquer on your own. You are worth it. The surgery is the first step, you must choose to take the next steps to be successful. Lynda

I'm sure, prior toWLS, you were aware that the sleeve doesn't cure obesity and as many have said, it's a tool that is to be used to assist you in losing weight.

Thanks ladies and contemplating we are almost exactly the same, my staring weight was 245 and I am 5'7 and would like to lose 100 pounds lets keep in touch. I guess in my heart of hearts I agree clower is better as itw ill stay off.

This is also a good article about the typical stages of pain and healing happens at different stages. It's explained a lot to me. Hope this helps! http://obesitycoverage.com/weight-loss-surgeries/gastric-sleeve/recovery-what-to-expect-from-day-1

Gaynor, excellent weight loss! I'd LOVE to see pics! When you get an unfill, will you have it done under flouro? The doc can see the position of the band and the shape of the pouch and see if a slip has occurred. Keep us posted. Also, lots of factors can contribute to sudden restriction, including stress, flying, temporary reflux, that time of the month...you know the drill. Have you been super-busy and stressed? Can't wait for an update! Good luck!