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Thanks for the tips everyone. I'm going to start 3 Opti's and a proper dinner for the next week. I'm going to attempt to drink 2 litres of Water a day & cut down to one diet coke. I'm going to be so grumpy!!! I think I'll be less anxious if I do this and see that the weight loss is possible.Then I need to do it properly the few weeks leading to surgery in Feb 5.

I'm back home a feeling pretty good. I've gained back all that I lost but I suspect thats all swelling and stuff. Its certainly not from eating because I've only have 1 cup of broth, 2 jellos, 2 cups of juice and 2 popsicles since I left for the hospital. It certainly was nice to take nap in my own bed.

Congratulations! I am not an "8er," but my surgery is the 14th. My doctor does not require a liquid pre-op diet, but I have put myself on one because he does require that you lose any weight you gained from your first office visit. I started the process in May of last year and when I went in in the middle of December to get my surgery date, I had gained 6 pounds!

My PCP was on board with weight loss surgery. Once I was denied by my insurance company, I figured out the whole Mexico thing, had surgery and sent my PCP the surgical notes. When I saw her next, she asked if I was pulling her leg. NOPE! Told her how it went down, she seemed pleased. Done deal. You are welcome to read my blog post about it http://hoosierfatty.wordpress.com/2013/05/10/first-doctor-visit-after-surgery-in-mexico/ Of course your PCP will continue to treat you after the surgery. In reality, the only thing I needed help with was some follow up blood work after surgery. If your PCP doesn't come around, maybe it's time to look for a new doctor with an open mind? Good luck!

After doing the research I printed out all of the info, drs credentials, everything I could find. He read over and said by all means go for it. He has seen me struggle the last 20 years.He told me to make an appt for 1 month after surgery. When he gave me his blessing I booked it right away, for 2 weeks later, giving me the time to do my preop and get plane tix. When I went back to him after that month, he said he saw me weigh in and was going to look over my shoulder. He was surprised at the weight I had lost since his visit. He checked my wounds and all was good. I was off the sugar meds...and now off my arthritus meds. I had no problems....I can't wait to go back and see him next month. My dr is a big supporter of weight loss and has walking programs for our town. He's got a great sense of humor and he's pretty cool. All is good.

From the research I've done.... Dr. Rod is awesome!!! I'm with him in TJ next wed....Don't hesitate...this is an awesome tool. Most lose the weight in about a year. Edited to add...are you looking at going through BeLiteWeight? Bceause that is an American company...your flex spend might just do that. Call Jo-Ann there and ask.

I haven't been banded yet but the personal trainer said that exercise will help because it tones the body so I've started doing some walking and weight training 2-3 times a week. Hope this helps:)

Thanks a lot! Congrats on your weight loss as well, Now! I'm beginning the puree stage today (saw the surgeon earlier this morning and got the okay), but for the past week or so I've mainly been on Apple Juice (told to keep to a limit b/c it's filled with sugar), sugar-free popsicles, sugar-free jello and lots and lots of water. Also, I found that I was able to handle about 3/4 of a cup of Progresso Vegetable Soup (blenderized of course). Anywho, I'm glad to finally get something filling in me. I go for my first fill on August 6, and I wish you the best of luck with yours. Thanks for all the info and advice everyone!

I am so there with you!!! I had lost 85 pounds and have gained back just over 20 in the past 2.5 to 3 months and I hate myself for it! I miss my size 16's!!! Granted, I'm thankful to still be much smaller than I was this time last year, but when I think of where I could be it makes me sick. I went this morning for a fill and made the decision to start over. No more will I give in to this awful cycle of feeling bad about myself, eating for comfort, and then feeling even worse. I feel like I just set myself up to fail over the last few months. I actually thought more than once, well, a size 16 is about the best I can probably do so I guess this is it... at my lowest I was 204 and now that seems so far away again. No more though!!! My doctor said it well this morning as I was leaving - welcome back on the "band" wagon, lol. Good luck!!!

I think you should try out what she has to say. I eat between 1000-1200 cals a day. I aim for 1500 but its hard. My trainer told my I am eating for someone half my size and that my body is using my muscle because I am not eating enough food. He told me I need to eat more! Its hard with the band because I get full pretty quickly. I am usually eating every 2-3 hours even though I am not hungry but it is boosting my metabolism. Try it for a couple weeks and see if you get the results you are looking for. Does your trainer take your body fat? Is it lowering? My stayed the same but I was losing weight, this is when I got the stern talking to about eating more! Good luck!

Yes please do keep me posted on your insurance approval, I'll be curious. I have about the same amount of weight to lose as you as well...wishing you the best. Beth

What was your starting weight. You look fab ! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

It's only been three months and I've already lost 50% of what I needed to shed. If things keep going like this, I'll hit goal by/before the end of the year. How do I make the weight loss stop after I reach my desired weight?!?! This may sound ridiculous but I'm nervous about getting *too* skinny. HELP!!!!!!! Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G925A using BariatricPal mobile app

Hi everyone, I wanted to know if anyone else is not telling anyone about their surgery? My surgery is Sept 7 and I have only told need to know people. 3 years ago my husband committed suicide leaving me pregnant and caring for a one year old. I was so busy I forgot to eat and ate once at night. I gained 150 pounds in 2 years. I don't have any help or support but my mother in law. Soon after I started having major health issues. Doctors have given me multiple disease diagnosis' and then would take them off the table. (Including Lupus, Hughes Sybdrome, etc.) Basically not knowing what's wrong with me. All of my doctors have signed off and feel comfortable with me going forth with the surgery. Last night I made the mistake of telling one friend and was immediately bashed. I purposely didn't want anyone else's thoughts or opinions because this is MY decision and I've never been more certain. I plan to continue improving my health but right now this is part of it. I don't like feeling bad about something I feel so good about. Sent from my SM-N920P using the BariatricPal App

I think if you tend to be impatient about the weight loss ( but what obese person isn't) then you should ask the surgeon that would do the surgery about his policy on "fills" with the lapband. Some Dr's wait six weeks to start fills, some start sooner. Some Dr's will wait 8 weeks between fills, some do them sooner if you are hungry. If your Dr. is too conservative with fills, you MIGHT lose much slower. However, I think if you continue to lose slowly, but continuously, you'll be satisified. I am. Part of this band process requires some effort on your part especially in the beginning. It really helps to follow the pre and post op diet as your Dr. tells you and to get your Protein and Water in. As your motivation starts to dwindle the fills will get you back on track as you'll feel fuller. I struggled a little with this decision as I also am impatient, but I just did not want a surgery that was so invasive, that my insides were completely changed so I went with the lapband. I'm only one month post op, but so far I do not regret my decision. Good Luck whatever you decide!

I just went for my second to last weigh in, and like usual I left my primary care doctor's office with my head hung in shame...I told her when I began to seriously consider having the sleeve done what my intentions were...she was vaguely discouraging at that time...each time I've gone back she's gotten less and less encouraging...this time when I went to weigh she told me she felt like I was just "using her to get weight loss surgery"...I was completely at a loss...the only reason I'm going to her for the last weigh in is I'm scared if I don't she will somehow hold my paperwork hostage...I just feel like this is the most absurd situation ever...why am I allowing my own doctor to shamed me about my decision to have this surgery?

Just googled it, and darned if you aren't right, RNY patients have a higher incident of alcohol abuse than banders. http://www.webmd.com/diet/weight-loss-surgery/news/20121015/addiction-risk-weight-loss-surgery

My understanding from reading about this is that yes, the pouch does stretch slightly over time. I have heard that this is one of the reasons why RNY patients often eventually gain back some of the weight that was initially lost.

I have learned that I can't expect weight loss results when eating for maintenance rather than weight loss (including carbs in my diet). Increasing fitness can help. Going back on Protein shakes (at the direction of my surgeon) for two weeks also really helped shrink things back.

Hi all, I'm very new to all this but I felt like I needed somewhere to go where people can relate. I had my lap band surgury on Aug. 9th. I went to Hamot in Erie PA. I had a wonderful experience there with my surgury and the staff.That's not the problem. I was 270 when I started out. I have only lost 20 pounds since. The band itself I feel is not the result of my weight loss. It was the grueling low calorie diet I was on before surgury and the 3 weeks of liquids after. I have had 3 fills with the last one being last week. I feel the hurt when I eat too fast or too much but I can still snack away. My doctor has now prescribed an appetite suppressant for me. It gives me a little energy boost and I am hoping for some results soon. Anyone had any similar problems? I have slipped up on the exercising and trying to eat better. I am trying to get back on track. I think I lost hope after so many months of no weight loss. Any suggestions?:help:

I met my Doctor today - Dr Blair Bowden. Nice guy. Pretty calm and knowlegable. Says he's been mentored by George Fielding. Dr Bowden said if I do nothing else but get the band - not even excercise - statistically I will be 85kg in two years. Today I would be thrilled to be 85 kg but I know I really want to be 75. This is the weight I was at school when I thought I was a hippo. Welln actually, some of the boys told be I was a hippo. Even dad made the odd comment about my weight. God strike me down if I ever say anything to Millie about her weight - never ever!!! Andrew came with me to the appointment. God I love him.. He doesnt say much but he is so supportive. I just dont tell him enough about what I'm feeling. I also went to see Beres my GP. She happily gave me the referral and said this surgery woud be appropriate for me and said Dr Bowden had a good reputation. I'm pleased to have her blessing. I told Dr Bowden about my fear of failure since that had always been the outsome in my endevours to lose weight. He said that of all the people with a weight problem only 5%, that's 5% actully lose weight and keep it off long term - 5+ years. The huge majority fail and that is why LB is so successful. There was a study done in Switzerland. They took 200 people put 100 of them on a regular diet exercise programme and gave them, doctor, psycologists, trainers and nutrisionists and 5 years later only 5% had kept the weight off. The other 100 people had lab band and 5 years later 80% had lost and kept off their weight. I only have 2 days before optifast starts so I need to gear up for that. Made a pact with my walking buddy Andrea to make Monday morning our weigh in then tell each other on our walk. Used my new Polar Heart Monitor watch today. Sure did keep me going when I slackened off.

Help! Haha I'm leaving for a 10 day vacation and I'm 4 months out from surgery. Down 73ish lbs from preop and feeling great! I'm so worried about how I'm going to stay on track in Europe. I don't know what the food will be like and how I will get in all my protein. Thinking about packing 10 protein drinks but that's silly right? Not sure. Thought about 100 calorie nuts packets and protein bars. Any suggestions for what I can bring with me or any suggestions from anyone that has been to Paris/Loire Valley or Barcelona while on track and seen or know of any good ideas or options so I don't come back 10 lbs heavier. My weight loss journey has been a battle and I fight the demons every day. I haven't had an easy, not hungry time of it and I really don't want to lose now! Thanks in advance for your help! Band to sleeve revision surgery 1/16/17 HW: 283 CW: 210 GW: 160

Snacking/grazing? Unsure of your daily calorie intake? Use an app like MyFitnessPal or LoseIt...without knowing, it's just speculation which will add to your anxiety level. Your male friend has lost more? You are comparing apples with oranges. Men typically lose at a faster rate than women. Also, why are you comparing your weight loss with anyone? Kind of setting yourself up for disappointment because there will always be someone who has lost more or less than you. As I tell my kids & students...worry about you and your own journey. It really is the only one that matters. Your comment about doing this to be thin...did you reallyjust get WLS to be thin? Or were there other reasons, such as, a better quality of life or because of comorbidities or other health reasons? Let's put this into perspective...although being thin is nice...it is just so much more than that isn't it. And if it is so much more than that doesn't that make what you see on the scale just a part of the journey...not the end all be all.

@ Donna ,Good to hear from you besides of gaining , how have you been other health wise & hope it's not to much of a gain on weight .

I'm new, I just joined like, 5 minutes ago because I need to hear from some people who know first hand what I'm thinking or can just "get it." I'm also not sure if I'm even posting in the right spot or even posting correctly at all? I'll start by saying I'll be 24 in December, I'm married to my amazing pilipino (I know it's an "f") and the whole reason I'm wanting this surgery is kids! Haha, straight to the point. I was diagnosed with PCOS and insulin Resistance at 13. I started showing symptoms when I was 6 and nobody knew what was going on, nobody knew as much as they do about PCOS and IR as now, leading me to this: I thought I was going to be stuck with taking Metformin and Aldactone my entire life. I've been taking it all this time, anyway. I've had 3 miscarriages, so now I'm on BC until December, when I'll get off, at that time I'll do Clomid and try again. UNTIL... My mothers very close family friend is the owner of a company that helps get grants for candidates for this surgery, not sure if there's more than one but still, I'm not saying a name (Not that she would care) She called to check in and said somebody close to her had a baby-she had PCOS- and the surgery had literally "cured" her PCOS and Insulin Resistance and a lot of other people they've gotten grants for. Like wooooooow. That blew my mind, I'm waiting to talk to her for more, for now I have this wonderful place. Everything I knew about my future could be changed by this and I'm freaking out. I was researching all this good stuff the day I found out.. Yesterday and I was like dude, hell yes I'm doing this! No regrets ( YOLO, really). But today I was finding out more about the diet and everything; which leads me to this: I'm not addicted to food. I don't go to food for comfort when I'm sad or even happy. I probably don't eat enough honestly. I love Water, I love chugging water and I love working out and chugging water. I was reading stories and videos about how so many people get dehydrated! That scares me so much. The whole process of eating a quarter of a meal makes me feel uneasy, I know it's psychological, it also sounds like I wont get nutrition (I know you need to take Vitamins, I do now anyway). Eating so so so so slow sounds like it will be weird and ultimately not like myself in a way, you know? Like changing ALL these little things will change who I am. I know that's ridiculous but I can't change that thought no matter how hard I try. I've been bigger my ENTIRE life. I lost weight months before I met my husband from running 2 hours every night, literally around 2 in the morning, I just stared college with late classes and it was a way to occupy my time I guess. At the time but I was still curvy but healthier. I've gained weight back and it WON'T go. I run for an hour 4 days a week a few months now. I don't know if I'll feel like ME, I look in the mirror and I'm like eh, I'm overweight but I'm okay with that in a way, I'm me? You know? I know I'm not defined by my weight but it's still apart of me in a way. I don't want to do this for the way I look (mainly) I don't think I'm scared to be thin, I'm scared to not be ME. I want to do it for my health and even though it hurts a lot and it's like UUUGH, I'll postpone having baby a couple years to have a healthy pregnancy, no gestational diabetes and a healthy baby is the only thing I want, I'm not selfish in that matter, I could do clomid now but I'm not healthy yet so I passed. So those two fears are taking over my brain. I haven't even talked to a surgeon yet, but I have an appt with my PCOS specialist early September I'll bring it up then. Are my fears normal? Rational? Or am I alone in this and a friggin' baby. If you read this whole thing you're amazing and I can't thank you enough. And I'm sorry I wrote too much, I have tendencies to overshare.. a LOT.