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Congratulations on a surgery date. I would be happy to talk to you. I am pretty new myself 6 months post op but I have had no problems at all. Sometimes people just do not understand what is feels like. My husband is very supportive but he weights the same as when I married him 29 years ago. So he understands but at the same time how can he really? I have lost 51 lbs in 6 months, I did not have to do pre op diet. A couple of women I met on the boards here started our own support group we meet once a month for coffee. So if your Dr has a support group I would start going now. It helps so much to find out things that seem hard or strange to you are normal because other people are going throught them too. Feel free to private message me or e-mail me at crodriguez17@comcast.net. I would be glad to support you unless you would perfer men it won't hurt my feelings. Many people this board and are so supportive they have helped me a lot. Hang in there it is all worth it!!!!

I didn't have any infection but I gained my 4-5 pounds of Water weight back. I think that happens in any hard core diet like the liquid diet pre-op. The first 4-5 pounds comes off so fast because its water weight, it doesn't stay off forever, it will come back slowly, mine came back all at once when I got a nasty cold. Once I started on solid foods again I think the body will naturally reabsorb all that water we initially lost. So I say let your body keep the water weight, and loose the fat! Give it a week or two, I hear this is quite common a few weeks after surgery.

I frequent a board and a lady on there WON $20,000 today on a race to a waist compition her in the Salt Lake Valley. She lost 90 pounds in 3 months!!!!!!!!!!!!!! here is what she said copy pasted Well thank you every one. I wish I could say that I ate right and worked out but it is only half true. I worked out every day but Sunday. The other thing I did do a colon cleanse (which I realize has been debated on this board) and juiced vegies. After I did the colonic I ate for Thanksgiving and gained 12 lbs. I realized then that I had rung the proverbial bell and couldn't unring it and went back to juicing. (I hope I didn't loose any one with that one...I just meant I couldn't go back to eating until after the race). As for the winnings there will be a need for surgery but that will be a year from now. I need to finish loosing (180 is my goal) and my body needs to see what is going to bounce back. I have a feeling my b**bs never will and my stomach will need a little help as well. wow! Just WOW! jen

I don't know enough about you, your eating (food choices, amounts, frequency), exercise, and fill history to give you suggestions. Are you talking about a weight loss plateau, and if so, how long has it lasted? Have you discussed this with your surgeon and/or dietitian? Do you feel that you have optimal restriction? Do you think you need a fill? Etc, etc, etc... Three days of a liquid diet might help knock off a pound or two, but it's not a longterm solution.

I am new on here, sleeve on Oct 1 after band removal ..... Lost 20 by Oct 12 and nothing since, I am sad.. Feeling like I am failing at this. I actually think I have gain a couple of pounds. I guess in reading this I need to learn to eat more often.....I have no issues with food, except I feel hungry and want to keep eating. I never craved sugar before and now I am craving sugar

Thank you urbandecano5! I was so lucky my insurance didn't require the 6 month pre-op weight loss diet thingy. Sounds like we get to be surgery buddies! Please keep me posted on how things are going for you! Good luck!

Well you could get a full detail description of the requirements for weight loss surgery. Sometimes that helps and you have a less chance of receiving any surprises

I have officially lost 50 LBS since my surgery! The scale this morning was at exactly 242. Including Preop weight loss I am down a total of 69 LBS. Yea!!! Just a quick note. Shower is waiting. :frown: PS see my album As I Lose to see photo progression.

Don't worry, your just mourning your loss of your old lifestyle, it will pass. Once you start seeing results, this feeling will diminish. And you will eat again! I actually feel I can eat more, not more food but more choices. Before the band, when I went to a restaurant, I was limited on the menu to things that were large portions because I didn't want to be hungry when I was finished. Now I can order anything on the menu and be happy with it. I am through trying to lose weight so my band is semi-loose and I have not found anything I cant eat if I take my time and chew properly, but even when it was tighter, I could still eat everything except bread and bananas. It will get better, I promise and shortly you will be the one telling your family, I told you so!

Actually it's 1/2 your body weight but you don't drink 119lbs if water, you drink 119ozs of water.

I think that those of us who lost a significant amount of weight prior to surgery and are closer to goal can lose more slowly than those with more to lose or who have been losing for longer. My weight loss is slow and seems to happen in small bursts since my Jan 3 surgery. I'm finding that less weighing myself helps me not fixate on it so much. Keep doing what you need to be doing and you will get there - that's what they tell me!

Usually with just a bloodtest to see your estrogen/hormone levels and an ultrasound of your ovaries to see if you have a bunch of little cysts on them. Nothing really invasive at all. I would definitely at least bring it up with your GYN, since it couldn't hurt to find out. And if that is indeed the case, they might be able to treat you with the metformin, and it could help you with advancing the weight loss. I also know that for me, personally, it helped knowing that it wasn't all 'in my head, kwim? Good luck! -m

Hello all, My name is Michelle, 44 years old, married, mother of a college sophmore (daughter). I have been on a "diet" since I was 11 years old. My heaviest was 366 lbs, which was as recent as this past September. I am now at 352, we had a Biggest Loser contest at work, I actually came in 2nd place. Don't get me wrong, I am very happy about the loss, but it took me 3 months to do so. I have done everything from Weight Watchers, Quick Weight Loss, Medical Weight Loss, liquid diets, the hot dog & banana diet, the cabbage Soup diet, etc. I have always been opposed to surgery for weight loss because I figured it came on the old fashioned way, therefore I should be able to lose it the old fashioned way. I have probably lost 400 lbs in my lifetime, lose 100, gain 110, etc. The last time I lost 100 lbs I was in my 20's, I am here to tell you it is much harder to lose weight in your 40's. Also I forgot to mention that at my very first mammogram 3.5 years ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer, which is another subject altogether, let's just say I was very lucky as it was caught early, was non-invasive so I only needed a lumpectomy and radiation. I also have GERD. Luckily my BP and Cholesterol are ok, but I have recently found out that I am borderline diabetic. So, since 11/19 I have taking Metformin and I totally revamped my pantry and fridge. Any bread, rice or Pasta is brown, no sweets (thank goodness I am not a big sweets person, just once a month chocolate craving), alot of chicken, vegetables and certain fruits, nuts and I treat myself on the weekends. Diabetes really scares me, almost more than the breast cancer!! Don't get me started on aches and pains, ankles, knees, back, shoulders. So now I am open minded to surgery (just Lap Band). A gal I work with had it done in September, I have watched her from pre-op on and she is doing fantastic, also a friend of mine in Chicago had it done about 6 weeks ago and she is also glad she had it done. This has motivated me, so far I went to a seminar, then I made the appointment for the initial consultation which is 2/17. Based on my BMI alone, I qualify, but I know there is additional testing that is required. I have not shared with very many people that I am considering it, but my husband, daughter, mother, siblings, (haven't told my dad because he would just freak a little), and my friends that I have told are very supportive except one, who is one of my best friends. The first thing out of his mouth was that I was taking the easy way out and if I got my ass to the gym 2 hours a day I could lose it that way. Needless to say, I was irritated and hurt, I responded to him, are you kidding me? I have been overweight since I was 11, what working person has time to go to the gym 2 hours a day? I am not naive either, I know that the Lap Band is a tool, it restricts the intake of food, I know I will need to exercise and of course eat healthy which I have a jump on already. Bottom line, I need help, at the rate I am losing it would take me 3 years. My goal is to be under 200 lbs, I am 5'6 and big boned (love that expression), I have never been skinny and do not aspire to be a size 4, I just want to be healthy and comfortable, for me when I was a size 16 I felt great and looked great, some people are not meant to be skinny and I am ok with that, but enough is enough, so that is why I have taken this initial step. Sorry about the book but I have been visiting this site for weeks but have not had the courage to say anything. Looking forward to hearing from anyone going through same/similar. Sincerely, Michelle in Michigan

I have no idea......but do you have a pool at your gym? If so maybe try water aerobics this is really low impact but a great workout. They should have weights that will be just like weight training but in the water. I also will feel free to grab those weights anytime in the pool and use them. I am sure you could ask the instructor to give you some moves to do in the pool by yourself.

I'm on the same "exercise plan" as coffee, although I'm not up to 2 miles a day yet. Go Coffee!!! I started out walking up and down the hallway in my house, then around the short end of my apartment building, then the long way around, until I walked around the lake in the complex about 3 weeks out. I felt like Rocky! Now, I'm walking 3 times a week on the treadmill, about 1.5 miles and that takes me a full 30 minutes, but I'm doing it! I alternate with riding the exercise bike... I'm working on getting to California via bike and treadmill so I can visit Lil Miss Diva! As for how to you change your mindset, you just do it a little at a time. Once the endorphins, or feel good hormones, start kicking in, it will be easier to make yourself walk/ride/run/lift weights, etc. BTW, if we're gonna have a crossover addiction, exercise is sure the way to go, IMO!!

Hi, my name is Yasmin and I am schedule to be banded June 2nd, 2006. In Mexico.Yikes! I did do my research and am as comfortable as I am going to get with surgery in Mexico but due to the cost it really is my only option. So any pointers, stories, ideas would be greatly appreciated. I hope the best for all of us and pray that everything goes well. I have several questions about diet, excersize, expected weight loss, etc. Please send any tips or comments on these subjects. I have read everything out there on the internet but really would like to hear from those who have had the procedure and are living with it. Also, I live in Idaho and am having problems with finding a follow up doctor, so if anyone knows of one in or around ID please let me know the name and no. I have made arrangements to follow up in Mexico if all else fails, but would prefer a closer doc. Thanks and God Bless, Yasmin :peace:

Welcome home!!! I gained weight from all the fluids and surgery gas etc etc. It drops off easy.

Here is my 2 cents and the reason I chose the VSG: The RNY pouch stretches significantly, the VSG doesn't. No malabsorption = no need for multiple Vitamins and supplements (plus, the malabsorption aspect only lasts for a few years before your body figures out how to absorb all of the calories, but you still miss the vites and other good stuff). Everything functions normally, just smaller (I am fond of my pyloric value - it prevents "dumping syndrome"). The odd "blind stomach" VSG = The removal of the part of the stomach that produces the hunger hormone. The ability to take NSAIDs (I'm young now, but not naive to the fact that I may have to depend on these when I get older!) How did you do with the band? Did you have it removed because you had problems with it, or are you revising because you have lost all that you can? You were luckly enough to already have a "restrictive - only" procedure and have lost 100lbs (congrats by-the-way!). This should help you decide whether restriction-only is good for you or not. How was it working for you? If you were doing fine with the band and restriction, but started having problems with the band itself, then I say go for the sleeve. If you have had good restriction with the band with no problems and just can't lose anymore of the weight, then maybe you need the malabsorption; however if this is the case, I think it is worth a look at the DS, I would do the DS over the RNY anyday...but that's just my opinion. Good luck!!

I have always done things like you describe. You have just hit a plateau which is very common. After a year with no fills, and doing just fine, I came to a point where nothing changed for 2-3 months, kept gaining, then loosing the same 5 lbs. The Dr. gave me a additional 1/2 cc fill and that licked me off the cliff so to speak and the weight began coming off again. After a while it slowed down again, but I changed (intensified) my workouts at the gym. Things began to move again. Things have since slowed down yet again, but I am not sure if there is any more weight I can loose that is not muscle. I still do not care about calories, how much or how little I eat. I just "Listen" to my band and live a normal day to day life, like all normal fit people do.

I haven't been released to go back to Water aerobics yet...Doc said 4 weeks after surgery. I am walking about 2 miles a day now...not all at once but I am getting there. It is getting too hot to walk in Mississippi so I may use the elliptical at the gym soon. I am going to start weight as soon as Doc says it is okay.

I am a 5/14ther and I am down 12 pounds. Funny as a woman i started at the same weight but I am 262 today. I feel awesome. My incisions are still sore and my belly is still swollen some but I am walking 40 min a day. Having a hard time with protein. I am tired of the sweet taste. I am really excited about the weeks to come.

@@Roo101769 Your friend starting at a higher weight may have something to do with greater weight loss as well. I've read that those who have more to lose tend to have larger losses compared to those with less to lose. And I've read about men tending to lose faster than women. Ah well...the only one I'm really comparing myself to today is myself yesterday...and as long as today-self is doing better than yesterday-self, I feel pretty good

Im completely stressed out and so nervous. .. I cant believe in just 6 days I will be a tru sleever. I recently broke up with my now ex boyfriend a few days after valentine's day. To get back with my ex husband who hold my heart but it pains me to hurt some1 . But his feelings for my surgery was fake support and he already started smothering ne after losing a little more the 20 pounds.. knowing that my surgery was 2 weeks away he bought me a bunch of different cakes n brownie n Cookies n ice cream n got mad when I said I cant eat it. He stole my fone to check it kuz he thought I was talking to some1 behind his back. All this because im losing weight I had to leave quick. My ex husband and I had always been friends n about a week ago we talked about giving us another shot. He knows about my surgery n he is ex military n he is willing to help me thru everything. N help train with him to get back in shape. Tho there are things we have to work out n figure where this is truly going weather it works or not he is still willing to be by my side and help me thru my journey. Im so excited yet scared. Cant wait till I can come on here with a post-op story so excited [ATTACH]41903[/ATTACH]