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I am with you fellow bander... Nothing before noon... Dinner is enjoyable. Lunch is just something band friendly just to have something Maybe a different exercise / work out can kick start a loss? A different Zumba class or bike riding? After so many years, I also stay about the same weight Rarely do I eat differently or not work out. So I guess it's an elusive answer Let me know if something new comes on the board to change our status quo⭐️ Ps. I do increase my water a lot and this seems to help flush off salt weight????

I have sympathy for those of you who have regained weight. I myself lost 120 pounds and at 2 years out my portion options became much larger, my ability to snack became apparent, and my weight started to yo yo. So what happened. Well I felt very very depressed. I put on 15 lbs and was having nightmares about being back to my pre op weight. I also felt extremely depressed about the idea of having to be back on a diet and stay there the rest of my life. My weight loss with my sleeve was very easy and I had it had to really try not to eat. Suddenly all that changed. The scale began to rise. So what did I do? I began dieting again. Counting calories, doing low carb, etc. what happened? I lost weight. And then gained it back and then some. I found myself back in the same pattern of dieting and binging that got me obese in the first place. I felt very angry and in despair. I just knew I couldn't live like that again. I knew dieting had made me gain weight before and I would again. Skipping meals, going to bed hungry, not allowing myself to eat things I enjoyed, not enjoying family events because of the food, etc. I decided I was done with all that. There was no way I was going to go back to dieting because I would be more depressed living like that than being overweight. Instead I began to research anti-dieting. I discovered intuitive eating and it changed my life. I bought books, read stories and blogs, and made a pact with myself I would no longer diet. And I began to eat anything I wanted and to honor my bodies hunger and fullness signals. I soon found myself eating a normal amount of food without binging. My weight stabilized, my energy level shot way up, I regained my health. I stopped weighing myself or counting my calories. I finally had the energy to go to the gym- not for weight loss but for the fun I got out of it. I now weigh about 128lbs at 5'6. I maintain my weight with no effort. I eat when I am hungry and I don't if I'm not hungry. I eat whatever makes me feel good and sometimes I even eat food that makes me feel crappy. I am active and fit. I don't think about food or have food rules. I allow all food in my home and I never binge on food because I don't need to as I am not deprived or hungry. I follow my bodies intuition. If you are having issues like me I highly recommend reading intuitive eating and walking away from the diet mindset. Surgery is a great tool but no one can live on a diet plan forever. And who would want to? Me and my daughter who I am also raising to be an intuitive eater and to love her body at any size.

I'm 2 1/2 years post op and just hit 100 pounds of weight loss. It's been a long slow road but at least the scale has gone in the right direction. I still have 71 pounds to go. I'm wondering if anybody has some jumpstarting tips or even pearls of wisdom for me. I need to get some more of this weight off before I lose my mind. Thank you!

Hi! This is a great idea. Meditation provides a source of comfort and guidance for me. I have especially been focusing on surrendering what no longer serves me (excess weight, emotional eating) and setting intentions for successful adaptation to my new life. For me, the mind, body, spirit connection can not be disputed. I had my surgery August 28th and was also fortunate to have a healing touch practitioner work with me night before and day of surgery. Looking forward to sharing the journey. When did you have your surgery and how are you doing? Best to you...

Had lap band for five years. Lost 28 pounds. Had revision to sleeve May 16, 2013. Down 72 additional pounds as of today in just under seven months. 268 starting lap band weight. 240 starting sleeve weight. 168 current weight.

YES, (which is a very good thing) I can tell by other things like when I walk on my treadmill I can now walk at 3 mph at incline of 3, where before I couldnt get to over 2.5 and I can keep my balance on my treadmill with my weights ( I use 3 & 5 pound weights). While walking I do any kind of exercise I can think of with my arms. I can tell that my wedding band is very loose. I will need to get a ring guard soon. The best part is I can tell that my cothes are getting really loose and baggy. So yes I can tell Im losing inches, but I want the weight part as well. Its just great to hear other people (besides family/friends) who are going through the same thing as me, say its ok, dont worry about the scales, take all the victories you can get... So im going too. Thanks I really needed the encouragement.

i had mine dec. 31st and am also going back to work after a 2 week recovery, im not sure how thats going to go either, im gettimg liquids in okay i just cant stomach the protein shakes and drinks. strange because i liked them all before surgery. i made some cream of potato soup amd am.sneeking the protein powder in there, dont know what else to do, today im going to try to sneak it in pudding? but im already down 12 pounds since surgery day and know i need to get that protein in for healing and continued weight loss

I was pretty much stuck most of the month of March. When I went from liquids to mushies I figured I was going to stall for a bit but I increased my exercise to make up for the additional calories that I was getting. During the liquid phase I was probably eating/drinking around 400-500 calories. Once I got to the mushie phase I was eating/drinking about 600-800 calories and now that I'm on pretty much regular food I eat anywhere from 800-1200 calories, depending on the day and my activity level. I was stuck at 260 from the end of February until March 15. However, I stuck with everything that I was doing with my eating plan. I followed my doctor's plan about 95% of the time which includes eating 2-3 oz. of dense protein first, 2-3 bites of potatoes or mushy veg and eating every 3 hours. I kept my exercise level consistent except for 1-2 days per week when I increased my time at the gym by about 10 minutes. I've lost 2 pounds in 2 days this week and I didn't go to the gym at all this week yet! I've been taking 15 minute walks with my dog at night, I did a Zumba DVD in the morning and yesterday I took my son to the museum and we walked around and played for about 2 hours. I was too tired last night to do an exercise video and somehow, I dropped another pound! So I think the thing about stalls is to remain consistent. If there is something in your diet that needs tweaking, like maybe getting too many carbs or not enough carbs, go ahead and tweak it but following the doctor's plan does seem to work for most people. Of course, I was banded for almost 10 years so I think that has helped me with certain eating rules like chewing food really well and slowing down to eat. The biggest rule that I have a hard time with is not drinking while eating as I get pretty thirsty when I'm eating. The thing I learned while being banded is that it doesn't really matter how long it took me to lose weight, what mattered was that I had a difficult time keeping the weight off once I lost it. I am more concerned with long-term diet and exercise changes than losing weight quickly. When I lose it, I want it to stay lost!! Good luck to those of you struggling~

I was 20 pounds from my goal weight,but had stopped losing weight so I went ahead and had a LBL and they removed 15 pounds of skin/fat.

I've been very frustrated having to wait the 6 months. I started doing everything in January and I'm gaining weight, not losing. If all goes well, I will be eligable for surgery in October (that's a total of 10 months from when I started). But even then , the surgeon said it takes another 3 weeks to schedule the surgery. And if I get denied, then all this time wasted was for nothing.

I was banded 10/1/08 and I still have a good bit to go before I hit goal weight. I've lost about 44 lbs so far but i have been thinking more about "work" done. I would love to have an breast lift and reduction and a tt. I have an "apron" that doesn't seem to go away. Any advice on how much longer I should wait? I go back to Dr. the 24th of this month for 3rd fill and I'll talk to him then but just wanted to see what others thought. I'm concerned that if i have it done now, i'll need it again in the end. Any advice?

I am 34 pounds down with about 60 to go, but the tummy rash on my thighs has already been a problem. I'm a total researcher, so......I put in some calls to some local plastic surgeons recommended by the "American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons". Each said to wait until about 30 pounds from goal for your first consultation. The articles by plastic surgeons that I have read on WLS Magazine website say the same thing and recommend at least 3-5 consultations (should be free) with different surgeons and most will make you wait 3-5 months for surgery to see where your weight stabilizes. My bariatric surgeon has someone he recommends, as well. On a side note, all the articles I read recommend taking someone with you to all consultations who can ask questions with you to be sure no question goes unanswered. My best friend can't wait !! Personally, my plan is to go over the holidays this December for my consultations and maybe surgery for Summer 2010 when I can take 6 weeks off to recover.

Has anyone had any experience with approval through Healthnet/First Health? My company is based in CA and I am on the east coast...as such it is my understanding that First Health is the contract provider for healthnet since I am remote from my corporate HQ. I have been trying to get an answer on what the criteria are and I am not sure they even know. I have gotten 3 answers literally from representatives of First health and Healthnet. The least stringent was a phone conversation where the rep said 100 lbs overweight or under 100 with co morbidities. The worst said that I had to be twice my ideal weight and 5 years worth of morbid obesity records!! Has anyone actually gotten approved and know what it in fact does take through healthnet/first health...or even understand the dynamic interaction between those two organizations as it pertains to a patient?? Thanks for any help!

What I am upset by is that people think that they should lose the same number of pounds as some person on the internet they know nothing about. Look, it varies so much by age, gender, and perhaps most importantly - how much overweight they are! You have lost 27 pounds.... well, how much TOTAL do you need to lose to get to a healthy BMI? Let's just imagine your goal weight by the charts is 140, since you didn't provide that info. That would mean you started out with 63# to lose. You lost 27 already which is 43% of your excess! I would have killed to have lost nearly half my excess weight in 7 weeks and even though I lost "big numbers" - I had lost 41# by 7 weeks out that is only 27% of the amount I want to lose. If I go by the BMI charts, losing 41# was only 25% of my "excess weight". So, I think you are right on target unless your goal weight is like 58 pounds.

Mine does the same thing I bought a moderately priced scale and I try to make sure it's in the same spot on floor yes I count the tiles to make sure it's always in the same place lol. I fluctuate about 2-5 lbs so although I weigh everyday ( I know I shouldn't) I only record my Monday morning weight. Since I started preop on Monday n was banded on a Monday I'm afraid to but a $100.00 scale just for the same thing to happen. Sigh.... N once a month at surgeon is not enough for me n I weigh3lbs more on his scale

I really miss weight training when I don't do it. I just feel like such a slug when I am not working my muscles these days.

As long as you can drink for now ( I always do a couple of days of liquids, then another couple od mushies following a fill), you should be fine. BUT if you cannot manage solid protein within the week, I would plan for a small unfill prior to them being out of the office. Luckily you have a couple of weeks to see how it is going before they will close for the holidays. Having a too tight band has been shown to cause many problems, and there is no sense in dealing with that if you don't have to. Yes he is the Dr.....but it is YOUR body, YOUR band, and YOUR decision if you do not want it to be that tight. We all want to lose weight quickly, but if we choose to do it at a slower pace, in comfort, we should have that right. I often wonder if they push like that to keep their numbers up and reputations high...... Good Luck, hope you find a good restriction spot!!! Kat

My psych eval was pretty stress-free. Basically he wanted to make sure I knew what I was doing. He was impressed that I had studied up on it so much. He also wanted me to be aware that my life would change in many subtle but not so subtle ways after losing weight. He wanted to make sure my relationship with my husband was strong enough to weather it...he told me that other people would look at me differently, and being faced with so much attention might make me go a little crazy, lol. Overall it was a very interesting conversation we had! Just be strong in your conviction that this is the right decision for you, that you are aware that you will have to work hard to accomplish your goals and that lap band is just a tool to help you get there. Also, make sure to let him or her know that you have a strong support network at least in your immediate family and/or close friends. You'll be fine.

Hey Bud, Don't get discouraged! You are less than two weeks post-op. I lost 10 lbs on my pre-surgery diet and gained back every ounce thanks to the intravenous fluids I had in the hospital. My husband said my tummy was the biggest he had ever seen it in the first days following surgery. You have had your entire abdomen traumatized, and your body is rushing resources to it to aid in healing. It no different from the swelling you have with a sprained ankle or busted lip. I don't know if you would do better with a scale or not. I personally know that I need one. I have done very well, but I don't lose every week, much less every day--even at the first. This is not a 50 yard dash, it is a marathon. And unless you are planning a vacation to Maui in a couple of weeks, there are no deadlines or "use by" dates for losing after surgery. You will get to eat real food before you know it. I remember being hungry while on the liquid stage and my Protein shakes were nauseating. I'm so glad to have that behind me. But I have been amazed that hunger is not really an issue for me. But, the caveat is that I didn't get to 280 lbs by eating because I was hungry. So even the lessening and hunger, while a great gift, does not solve all of my eating problems. Concentrate now on healing, resting, moving, drinking, and you will lose! But even better than the scale moving, you will begin to feel so much better. If you are like me, it takes a while for your clothes to show the loss because they were pretty tight to begin with. And those lumps and bumps didn't come on us overnight and they won't disappear overnight. I will pray for you and wish you well! You have taken the first big step in a long and wonderful journey, as have I.

They generally go off of you initial weight from your first appointment. They require the 6 month monitored and most insurance companies will deny you if you gain weight during your monitored so I would say even if you get denied (which is highly unlikely) you have a good case for an appeal.

I am on the borderline of weight and BMI. My issue is I am a diabetic. I still have to have the sleep study done then they will submit to insurance company. I am so afraid I will have gone through all this just to have them deny it. I am so tired of being a slave to diabetes. This will cause it to reverse so I have been going down this road hoping for a great destination. Sent from my SM-N920V using the BariatricPal App

My question is what is the right type of scale? My home scale says one amount the drs Ofc has a totally diff amount. Which one is accurate and which do i Use to trak my true weight loss if any. I'm 13 days p.o.and I've not lost far as much I'd thought i would only lost 9lbs since surgery 1/14/14. Maybe it's my home scale not accurate. What brand is best for calculating bmi weight etc.

Weight gain can be a side effect, but that goes along with any birth control. Most of the weight gain is water weight, because you have a higher rate of retaining it. I don't reccomend the depo shot, and mainly because the doctor I work for tells all our patients that Depo has been known to cause "depression and anxiety." Good luck!

I don't know if the band is becoming a thing of the past or not. I only know one person whose been banded, which is my cousin and she has done wonderful with hers. It's been about a year since her surgery and she says that it's the best choice she's ever made. She's lost over 75lbs (over 100 if you count her pre-op diet). But she works at it, she has made the progress she has because she knows how to use her tool, and she works at it. I also know several people whose had the bypass (I don't personally know anyone whose had the sleeve..I may be the first in my group). Those who have had the bypass has also done amazing! You know the one thing I've learned since starting to research WLS and the different kinds of WLS is how it's a tool, it's not a fix. You have to work with it! Change your life style, make healthier choices, workout, get out there and move! You just can't sit back and do nothing, and expect long term, ever lasting results. Yes you may have results at first, but eventually things balance out and you can and WILL gain back weight if you don't WORK at it! I am so happy to know this, because probably like many people, and lord knows our society, I thought at one time that WLS was a cure, a fix, the easy way out. I know I know, but I've learned that..that is not the case and I'm thankful for that!

I am two weeks out from a crazy lot of surgery: Corset Abdominaplasty (a kind of tummy tuck), lower body lift and silicone breast implants. Today is my first day back at work and I'm feeling great, but still a little sore. I was really worried about being able to be back to work in two weeks, but it was no problem (office job) -- I probably could have been back last Wednesday after the drains came out. I'm thrilled with the results in my tummy and breasts, but still waiting to see how the lower body lift works out after the swelling goes down more. I'm happy to answer any questions about the surgery or recovery. I've noticed that most posts are from people getting single procedures, so I thought there might be some interest in what it's like to have several at once. Some info: - I was banded in february 2007 and lost a little over 100 lbs -- currently just inside the "normal" range for my height. - The surgery took 5-6 hours and I spent two nights in the hospital - I had four drains that were removed 9 days post-op (could have been done 7 days, but the holidays got in the way). - I was on Morphine for two days in the hospital, percocet for 3 days at home, then switched to nucyntra (narcotic without the side effects) for another few days. At about 10 days out, I switched to advil and I'm still taking them, but can skip the one in the middle of the night without too much problem. - It took me two days to be able to walk around and five days until I could walk a mile (slowly) on the treadmill. I'm going to start walking daily on the treadmill today (increasing speed and incline over time) until my doctor gives the go-ahead to get back to spinning and weight lifting. Happy to answer any questions!