Search the Community

I totally agree with Thinoneday. Keep researching the surgery so you become & sound informed. I would say something like " Not sure if you remember but we have discussed my weight many times. I have done such and such to lose it but it keeps coming back and I am worried. I have researched blah blah surgery and I know it will help me be healthier and live longer. I would like a referral from you to such and such surgeon." Be prepared to answer questions such as why did you pick Sleeve Gastrectomy or comments such as "I think you just need to eat less and exercise". Change primary doctor if you have to. Good luck. Keep us updated! Don't give up, but research , research, research. This is permanent and you are very young! Consider going to a therapist that specializes in bariatric surgery to help you through this. Big hug.

I don't know about the first try, but supposedly people are more fertile as the weight comes off. Most doctors will tell you to wait a year before trying to get pregnant, though.

I'm starting liquids tomorrow. Surgery scheduled March 14th. I'm getting very nervous I'm so ready to lose weight!!!!

I am going thru the same thing. I am 2 months out and i havent lost weight in like 3 weeks, im eating ok, drinking water, excercising as well. Everyone tells me i lost but i dont know....

I am cleared by the psyc to go ahead with wls ... She had just stated that she doesn't think the Lapband is the right choice because of my goal weight .. I had talked to the surgeon and he said he will do which ever surgery I would like and that I am a good canidate for the lap band ... But he was wanting me to lean towards gastric.

Well I thought it was my band-adversary but I looked and it was 4 days ago. I forgot to weigh this morning so I can't report exactly but I am sure that I am still in my 133-138 zone that I prefer to stay in, probably 134 based on what I have been eating lately. Since I was banded I have really changed the way I eat, I cook almost everything we eat from scratch, no more processed foods (except corn chips, my one concession to junk food). The funny thing is it really doesn't take longer or cost more once you learn what to do. I absolutely stay away from anything with high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners, as far as I am concerned they are poisons that confuse your body and make you have fake hunger. I cook a lot of soups so that I can eat them at work and I don't have to pay attention to chewing or eating too fast like I do on regular foods. I think that is a key to my success is to always have a healthy, easy thing available to grab and make in just a few minutes, so I don't resort to grabbing a handful of chips. I learned that its OK to be hungry, I can sit there and be hungry for a few hours, its not going to kill me, if I am in the car and not going to be home for an hour, there is no reason to stop and get some fast food, just wait it out. Well, in closing, I hope some of what I have shared has helped those of you who are early in your journey and still trying to wrap your mind around the whole thing, it took me a while to stop fighting it and accept the mental changes that were necessary for me to lose the weight. Here is a picture of me from this morning....

I have had numerous skin ailments in the past, including infections landing me in the hospital....used to see a Dermatologist on a regular 3 month basis.... Since dropping all my weight, I have very little troubles. simple over the counter cremes is all I need... Have not seen my Dermatologist in over 2 years....

Did she tell you WHY she didn't think it was the right choice for you? Did she say that the LAP BAND wasn't the right choice and suggested other WLS? This is coming from the psych evaluation, not medical....so in most cases, the psych eval is used to make sure that the patient is mentally ready for weight loss surgery, in general....not just the lap band. So, if she is saying it's not right for you, TO ME it sounds like she is saying you are not mentally prepared for whats to come with weight loss surgery. However, I don't know exactly what she said. You have to be mentally prepared for any WLS - gastric bypass & sleeve included.

I had surgery on 9/18/2012 and am also a very picky eater. There are definitely more items I choose not to eat for whatever reason. My taste buds have changed somuch that overall I basically live on a high Protein, low carb diet with vegetables as often and I can eat them. My meals consist of protein and fruit for Breakfast (egg beaters southwest style) 1/4 cup of cinnamon flavored applesauce, for lunch I have 2 ozs of protein and 1/4 cup of a vegetable then dinner consists of 2 ozs. of protein with 1/4 cup. At 10:30 am every morning I drink 1/2 of a 20 oz. Isopure drink and save the remaining 10 ozs for my afternoon break at 3:30 pm. At least two or three hours after dinner if I want something I usually end up eating a sugar free banana popscicle from Kroger (they're GREAT). I recommend them to everyone if you like the banana flavor. I try my best to not be rushed while eating and never eat on anything larger than a saucer. My heaviest weight was 293 but lost down to 278 before surgery and am now down to 219.4 at my weigh in yesterday. At this stage I try to weigh weekly not to become a slave of the scale. I hope to join a local gym later this month when life allows for it. Good luck to everyone with regard to eating. If being a picky eater isn't bad enough, I found that after my procedure everything tends to have a blah taste; nothing really appetizing. Everyone hang in there and do you best to try those things you didn't care for in the past. Your taste for foods WILL change so be ready. When I went through the two week FASTING shakes prior to surgery I didn't have any problem feeling full. After surgery when I could drink the FASTING shakes I could not bear to swallow the drink. To date the shake is the ONLY thing that has made my gag reflux kick in. Therefore I am staying away from the FASTING shakes. Good luck to all of you picky eaters!

Went on vacation and for the first time since I can ever remember lost weight instead of gaining!!! Wow it feels so great!!!!

Lisa, I just noticed your current weight. It has a memory attached. My high weight was 311. When I reached 198, I realized that my goal, which was 145 (only so that I could be on the downhill side of 150 for the first time in adulthood), was in view. Because of that, I'm happy for you. (Never mind that at 198, I began regaining much of what I'd lost. I've recently resumed good work.) P.S. I was typing when you posted the good side of your cousin. There's much to be said for her.

30 and change off since surgery 11.28.12...stalled at 3 weeks, and another one now at week 7 No real cheats. Eating 3+ small meals, mostly Protein. Trying to increase fluids. Just wondering if any of you were in the same boat as us newbies, only to see major cumulative losses over the next six months or so. It's not that I am a hurry or a race (okay, maybe a little..lol), but just knowing that things do work out, equilibrate, is comforting to know. I saw another poster's log of dates and weights, and it appeared to be a slow steady loss of 1-2 lbs per week. I am really not trying to compare, just wanted to know if this is to be expected and not to get overly concerned. Thanks!

No extreme is good, I know by experience. My mother was obsessed with her diet and weight, and as soon as I was 9 put me on a diet. I am sure that all my issues with weight started then. I have 3 girls 12yrs,10yrs and 16 months, and I try to get them to eat the healthiest diet possible (even when I was fat) with the ocassional treat and trying not to make a big deal about it. The food for kids here in England is also crap, even though now restaurants are adding healthier choices to their kids menus. If there is nothing remotely healthy I get them something from the adult menu to share, and even the baby enjoys healthy "adult" food, like salmon, stir fries, cous cous. I just don't want my girls to go through what I went, and I'm sure all of us with children feel the same!

How long does the 3rd week stall last? I want to start losing weight...I feel so discouraged ugh. I've lost about 20lbs so far but I really want to start losing again or I feel like I'm suffering for no reason ???? Can someone tell me how to get off the stall quicker?

You are welcome! Best of luck with it all. I am much better today. Managed to clear the bowel discomfort last night and bloating down by half and OK with that! With the shake diet for next few weeks I make sure I put 2Tbsp. of invisible fibre into the Optifast shakes (my surgeon recommended the brand and not sure if you have it in the US?), so this will NOT HAPPEN AGAIN! I am off pain relief now as well so this should also assist. Feeling good today. Down another full Kilo (2.2 pound) and feeling pretty chuffed. Look after yourself. Hopefully an anti inflammatory gel on your joints where sore will assist + stretches (they work =ly as well). I hope your weight loss journey is a + one! Best of luck!

Hi ashleigh, Perhaps ask your surgeon's office if they can put you on a liquid diet. Maybe call the nutritionist and tell her you've been following all the guidelines. Maybe make a food journal and send it over to her so she can review it and maybe make some suggestions for changes. I know my surgeon offers a liquid diet but she also doesn't require pre-op weight loss as a general rule. Best wishes,

Good Morning all! My first time on here. Just looking to share stories and gain support from people who have been in my shoes at the starting line. I decided to take my weight into my own hands and get gastric bypass. My very first seminar is tonight so I'm a little anxious about that. But any support or advice will be greatly appreciated! cruisin' for losin'

With all of the emphasis on diet, exercise and other health behaviors, the real marker of long life seems to be mental even more than physiological," says aging expert Daniel Perry, noting that those who reach very old age "have a certain toughness of spirit about them and an ability to roll with life's punches and keep plugging away with a sense of purpose." Wow, that is great news. I have been cleaning out my closet, again. This time I was serious about it. I did not save anything over an 18. Gaining and losing weight has become such a habit that I save fat clothes and skinny clothes. No more. Posted by Queen Bee's

think the process to get the surgery is slow? just wait until you see how slow the weight loss process is after the band! this whole process requires lots of patience. i have to remind myself that i didn't get this way overnight!

Thanks for the info.. They will not have a hard time finding my port .. It is very visible.. I wonder if that is normal?? Plus I am soo sad, I gain 1.5 pounds over the holiday .. That is what happens when you don't stay home ..

i have to agree with the last post from howluckyiam. i got banded on july 3rd and the second month i found myself not losing anything that month i was discourage but i found myself reevaluating myself and trying to understand why i wasnt losing weight. number one i was not excerising and number two i did not change my eating habits. i really wanted a motivation to go to the gym but with a 2 year old and a 4 year old 24 hours a day i found myself discourage to even go to the gym. plus i dont have my husband with me on this journey he is deployed for iraq for 15 months. he just left at the end of july few weeks after i got banded. what i realized was that the band is a tool its not a miracle and you just cant sit around and think it will do all the work for you. aint going to happen. so i got myself a personal trainer and signed up for the gym at the same time figured if i do 3 times a week with a pt and spend the money on him i will get off my ass and work. plus it will be a started for me. well its been 7 weeks and i tell you its one of the hardest roads i took. getting up early and going to the gym everyday i try to do about and hour a day at the gym sometimes more sometimes less. i also got a bodybugg to let me know how many calories i burn throughout the day. everyday is a struggle everyday i find excuses not to go but i go because i know that i will not lose anything sitting around. i can still eat a 6 inch sub at subway with no problem and i know that is alot for what i should be eating so i am also hungry but i been watching what i eat and how much i eat the band is there to remind me not to overeat. in this journey one thing i did learn its not a miracle its there to help you but not a miracle you still have to work hard and you will struggle but you just have to get back on track and make the days you do good count. you got to remember you want this band because you want to change your life. but if you lose weight and not change your lifestyle then its worthless. you have to understand that you did the easy change "getting the band" now its time for you to do the hard part and that is excerising and eating right. you didnt get fat overnite so it will take time to lose the weight pat yourself on the back for losing 25 lbs and work towards the future and change your life for good and get back on track use those machines if you cant then try getting a personal trainer to start you off yes its expensive but you have to think about the outcome you will be happier and you will have a whole new life. what do you got to lose? nothing if you work out it wont hurt you it wont make you fatter all it can do is move you forward. hopefully this gives you alittle motivation 7 weeks ago when i started with my trainer i had a 49 inch waist(yuck i couldnt believe it my jaw dropped) i never thought i was that big. i weighed 229 at the time too. on my 3 week weigh in and measurement i lost 8lbs and 10 and a 1/2 inches of my body. (4 inches of that was my waist) i was so discourage that i didnt lose more but then again i gained 5lbs of muscle. well here i am today and i havent had any measurments done again yet but i weighed myself today and i was at 212 i lost 9 lbs the last 3 and half weeks or 4 i checked my waist as well and its down another 5 inches. i got 2 more sessions with my trainer and then im on my own and i know it will be a struggle but i want those results to keep coming so i know i will have to work out and eat right. i hope everything works out for you just dont get discourage and find a plan that will work for you. my starting weight was 265 and now im down to 212...

I don't have any advice for you, but I wanted to say that I know where you're coming from. Today I had my sixth fill, and found out that I had gained 4 lbs. I've been watching like crazy what I eat, walk for an hour once a day, and this is what I found out.... I'm trying not to lose hope also, but sometimes it's just so hard.

I see your situation is pretty common. I am now five weeks post op from the sleeve and attend support groups every Thursday and it seems the eval is a bigger deal then people would think. Find a therapist on your own, and ask them PRIOR to meeting them there actual opinion on barometric surgery. You will be surprised to see how honest they are and you can get a feel from their response and their tone. That's what I did and it went just fine. Best of luck to you!! High weight:270 Start weight:252 Weight at day of surgery:232 Current weight:182

Hi Jocelyn, I had my surgery, RNY, on 8/28, I'm just a few days ahead of you. Im struggling with your same issues. Since everything medicine and supplement wise has to be crushed, I'm eating one applesauce cup a day divided in thirds. 1/3 in the morning for my Calcium Supplement, 1/3 around 3:00pm for my next 2 pill dose of Calcium and then the last 1/3 I mix with my Bariatric Chewable Supplement. Believe me, this is more than enough to fill me up each day but know I need more and want more. I've been adding high protein yogurt to the mix, cottage cheese and the best thing ever was yesterday, an Egg Beaters Scrambled Egg with low fat cheese...HEAVEN!!! I just bought an amazing cookbook called , "Earing Well After Weight Loss Surgery" by Levine and Bontempo-Saray. The authors recipes sound delicious and they break down the recipes telling when in your recovery, you can have the recipe. This is where I got the idea for the scrambled egg. Keep the Faith my fellow weight loss surgery sister, we can do this!!,!

I hear you Kim and I am not complaining, the process is over and the date if made. I just thought because I started this process back in April that I would at least get date before the new year is up so the weight would least likely to return. But I will stay focused and put the worries behind me. I have been taking the biotin for a couple of months now . I was truly surprised how cheap they were at Sam's Club , I know where I will go from here on out. I even have my 3 daughters taking one each day along with our vitamins, this helps to keep mommy on track daily. I still haven't explain it to them just yet but I did tell them I have to get my gall bladder removed. They are 12,10,8 and I know they will understand, I just don't know how to say it. Really I just don't want them to worry about mommy..... thank you for all your support and blessings for the future and your sleeve date and new body.