Search the Community

I was sleeved 6 months ago today and I couldn't be happier. Quick stats... HW = 238, CW = 154 Hit surgeon's goal weight 3 weeks ago and I'm 4 pounds from my personal goal. went from a size 22 jeans to size 10 (I would have been happy in size 12) Tops XL/XXL to M I'm going to go ahead and say it, I'm kind of starting to think this was the "easy way out" after all. Sure, the preop and postop diet stuff wasn't super fun but it was all so temporary. And then there was acid and nausea and diarrhea and constipation and stalls, but seriously, those things are minor compared to all the good stuff. I never thought I could look and feel this fabulous at 45. And the changes have been so simple....I'm not measuring or tracking anything so I don't feel like I'm on a diet. My excersise program is non existent. All I do is follow the basic rules....protein, fruits, veggies and Water. I eat when I'm hungry, I eat what I want and I eat until I'm satisfied. The only thing I really gave up is beer and I don't miss eating huge meals at all. My bloodwork is great and I'm actually having to add carbs to slow my weight loss now that I'm basically at goal. For the newbies out there, all I can say is keep your eye on big picture, follow your doctor's diet plan (no cheating!!) and stay positive. Whining and stressing over the recovery and reflux and diet restrictions and stalls and everything else that is a normal part of this process won't help. And good luck to everyone...I hope everyone feels like I do someday. P.S. gotta put in a great big thanks to everyone at Obesity Control Center for making this possible for me.

I'm having RNY bypass 12/31/19. In Cookeville TN. I hope your surgery goes well and uneventful. [emoji40] Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using BariatricPal mobile app

I'm 19 and 5'3 Highest weight: 340 Surgery weight: 287 Today:262 I've stalled twice but that just goes along with it everyone says its my body catching up with itself.. Honestly I'm shocked by the size difference.. I'm beyond ready for the onederland tho.. 122 pounds til goal! Possible to get that off by July 2014? The left is me today and the right is a day before surgery [ATTACH]17436[/ATTACH]

Hi Everyone, I am from Calgary too! I have been banded for 10 weeks now. Although I cannot boast big weight loss numbers yet, I am finally getting the hang of this new lifestyle and have had some really good NSV's of late. Good luck on your surgeries and keep up posted!

Thanks for the encouraging words everybody! I know now I need to eat more. I weighed at the nutritionist 's office today-ONE lousy pound!.. in over 1 1/2 weeks! whereas, I lost 10 pounds two weeks after surgery. The good thing is I go in for my first fill tomorrow-so at least I'll get a little restriction-finally!..lol.... But I didn't gain it in days, so I can't expect to lose it in days either! I LOVE this board!

My date is August 5th and I am getting scared. I am self employed so I have no vacation pay to fall back on. Even without taking 7 to 10 days off in August, August was going to be an extremely tight month for me. My work includes sitting for about 10 hours per week tutoring so I am hoping I can go back after 1 week. I am 62. For a minute I thought about having the surgery in December instead when schools are out anyway. Maybe it is just an excuse to chicken out. When I was waiting for a green light in order to cross the street yesterday, the computerized signal kept repeating " wait wait wait." or maybe it was "weight weight weight "

Sleeved 10/30 and I am now just able to open the refrigerator door without wanting to vomit! It was way worse the first 2 months.

The sugar will make you hungry faster. So its best to use sugar free with everything. Besides some of it (jello) tastes good. I am 10 days out and I've tried a bite of eggs and a bite of cheese and immediately my body said NO WAY!! I was curious if I could hold down any mushy stuff and the answer is no. I learned and went back to my campbell's vegetable beef broth (its a waste of veggies, but the broth is soo good) I certainly can't tell you whats best for your body.. but I'll tell you that after 10 days, my body isnt ready and still needs liquids ONLY>

The same thing happened to me. I was so sure before I got a date (12/10) then all of a sudden I started doubting myself. I prayed a lot and I'm back to feeling confident that this is what I want to do. I do always lay out my insurance folder whenever I go into a hospital just in case. (Never know what you can catch there). I'm anxious now because surgery is just days away and I'm trying to fight a cold, if I still have it on Monday they won't do it, and it will be another month before I get a date.

Hello, I'm new to this forum, I had my sleeve on 22/10/2012 and had a diet program for four weeks, now I'm so lost and don't know what to eat and what not to, started eating raw vegetables two weeks ago.. Can anyone help me with a diet program? Can anyone tell me when should I stop the protein shakes? Is one Centrum pill daily enough? Thank you all

Lost 10#, am currently 22days post op. Haven't lost since post op day 6. So in 2 weeks 10#. allons-y

so i was hanging with friends yesterday and we dont see each other very often. once a month maybe. anyway they decided they wanted to drink. n i wasnt gunna. but they convinced me to have a sip. no big deal. it made my stomach kind of crampy so i didnt continue (wasnt planning on it anyway but yeah) i did have some "scale-less victories" yesterday though. we were at subway. i didnt eat anything there. but we have friends that work there and they sort of burnt some cookies like 2 dozen and she brought the tray over and asked hey free cookies u want some? i didnt take any! and i love those cookies. my one friend took about six my other two. so that was good. but then we went back to my friends house to drink (them not me) and we decided we were gunna see what all the fuss was about on that chatroulette site. it was a horrible demeaning experience.. so we maybe talked to idk 15-10 people and three of them asked if i was my other friends' mother... im 21 for christ sake... one person as soon as they could see us started pointing and yelling "fat lady fat lady fat lady!!" over and over. another person said they didnt want to talk to us because i was a heifer... another person once they could see us said "WHOA" we asked what.. they said man she's fat. my friends just dont get it.. they just ignored these people and what they were saying to me..didnt even try to stick up for me.. they know its all true and so do i.. i would have just left but i never get to see them.. so it ruined my night and i was depressed all night. being the "buzz kill" that i am. it certainly didnt help i have been having a tough time w my depression and stuff this week.. not sure why but it feels like im off all of them.. not good.. they just dont get it and they literally are avoiding talking about the ELEPHANT in the room.. they tell me what do u care what random people think of you.. well cuz its confirming how i feel others look at me everyday especially at classes.. i have a hard time making friends and i feel thats half the reason.. i have no confidence and am so insecure that when people hit my like that it really really hurts... this is the only place where people might understand.. i dont expect people to say im beautiful, but my god.. another reason im posting this is so maybe when im successful with my band that i can look back at this and not forget how horrible things are/were. also i have now decided if i ever date people again my test is going to be what they think of obese people.. if they have bad feedback. theyre out of here. people suck. thats all i can say..

Well I just wanted to share alittle with all my family out there. My husband got a job at Boys Haven that is a home here for bad, neglected or abandoned boys. We will be moving there tomorrow. We will have my own apt. which will be nice and all our bills will be paid plus excellent insurance it's only 5 months late I paid out of pocket but oh well anyway I am not going to be resricted to work there but I will be able to help out and make the house my home I am so looking forward to getting to know these boys I guess God knew this was coming that's why I haven't had any of my own. Anyway I feel so excited to have this chance to save $ and love a child actually 10 teenage boys. OH MY GOD WHAT HAVE I DONE!!! just kidding. Anyway I think this will halp me get some structure in my life and hopefully I will start cooking at home and make healthier choices. 299/273/130 Dr. Spegiel

My procedure is the 15th, and my doctor has told me that 10 days should be enough recovery before I head back to work. I have a compete sit down job, so I'm sure that makes a difference. I'm glad to hear about the exercise pre-surgery helps recovery. I've been working myself as hard as I can knowing that after surgery, I'm going to need to keep it up.

It happened slowly over about a week an thanks for the support it's very scary going thru all of this at 19 wish I would have waited a while!!!

Hello :-) As you know Protein and Water are key! I was sleeved October 7th 2013 and am three months post op as well. I am down over 85 pounds. Keep in mind men lose faster then women. I have stuck with one Protein Shake a day called VI which is a powder that is like a vanilla cake mix, mix it with two tablespoons of Peanut Butter and a glass of milk, bam over 40 grams of protein. When you eat remember, protein first. Don't drink a half hour before or after meals. I use the most basic exercise which is a Ab Twister Pro and you can do it sitting and it minimal effort. Amazing! Men's lose fast then women, but I've given people this advice and they have been very successful. My program count two things when looking at labels, protein and sugars, anything you have keep under 10 grams of sugar. It's been a true success for me. Hope this helps you! Best of luck and please keep updating!

FYI, if interested: Excuse its length, but here's the email blast I received of today's ASMBS' Connect: News topics of the week re: obesity and WLS. You might find some articles of interest to you. They sent: The following is a summary/brief analysis of the obesity and surgery stories making news this week: Company Seeks FDA Approval for Balloon System for Obesity… Retinopathy Stable After Bariatric Surgery…Sleeve Gastrectomy vs. Medical Management for Diabetes… UK May Seen Huge Increase in Bariatric Surgery… New Clues on How Metabolic Surgery Affects Diabetes…Sharon Osbourne Felt Like a Cheat After Surgery… Obesity Worse Than Smoking… Childhood Obesity Drops in NYC… Stigma Around Obesity Persists… Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery in the News… ReShape Submits Dual Balloon System Application to FDA (Bariatric News) ReShape Medical is seeking FDA approval for the ReShape Integrated Dual Balloon System, "the first and only dual balloon for non-surgical weight loss designed for people with a BMI 30-40." According to the company, the system is the first device to meet its primary effectiveness endpoints in a U.S. randomized, sham-controlled pivotal trial. Dr. Jaime Ponce, Principal Investigator in the so-called REDUCE trial, commented, “Meeting the primary endpoints is an important accomplishment, as it convincingly demonstrates the superiority of the ReShape procedure over diet and exercise alone. The ReShape procedure offers a new alternative to help patients kick-start weight loss and learn new behaviours. We are excited about what this new treatment option may do for millions of people needing to lose excess weight.” The device has been available in the E.U. since December 2011. ReShape Medical anticipates a launch in the U.S. in mid-to-late 2015. No Change in Retinopathy in Diabetes 2 Years After Surgery (Medscape) Results from the STAMPEDE trial presented at the American Diabetes Association 2014 Scientific Sessions show no change in diabetic retinopathy for patients two years after bariatric surgery. Lead author Dr. Rishi P. Singh commented that he was “pleasantly reassured” that there wasn’t a higher incidence or significant progression of the disease after surgery. He said the results demonstrate that regular eye exams are still important for this patient population. "This is the first time that a prospective, randomized clinical trial has shown that intensive medical management vs gastric bypass doesn't appear to increase the retinopathy incidence or progression, nor does it increase the rate of vision loss or changes in intraocular blood pressure (a sign of glaucoma)," he added. Dr. Bruce Wolfe, bariatric surgeon at Oregon Health and Science University, commented on the results saying, "The induction of remission or improvement in diabetes control is positive for the patient, but drawing conclusions about the many-year process of diabetic complications of diabetic neuropathy or diabetic retinopathy is premature." Additionally, he added that patients who are informed that their diabetes has gone into remission after they have had bariatric surgery may think, "I don't need to go to these eye assessments anymore," but that would be too hasty, he stressed. Better Long-term Diabetes Outcomes with Sleeve Gastrectomy vs. Medical Management (Healio) Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy helped adults with type 2 diabetes achieve better blood glucose control than standard care alone, according to research presented at the joint meeting of the International Congress of Endocrinology and the Endocrine Society. To determine long-term outcomes of diabetes in patients with sleeve gastrectomy vs. medical care alone, investigators reviewed medical records of veterans with type 2 diabetes, ages 18 to 80, undergoing the surgery at a VA medical center in a major metropolitan area. Two years of data from the charts of 30 patients treated with surgery were compared to 23 control patients. All patients had received medical treatment and been part of the MOVE national weight management program designed by the VA National Center for Health before being offered surgery. Significant improvements in BMI and HbA1c were seen in patients with surgery at one year, with improvements sustained through the end of two years; BMI decreased from 46 to 34 and HbA1c from 7.25% to 5.98%. These kinds of outcomes were not witnessed in patients without surgery during the study. At study completion, 76% of patients with surgery were able to discontinue or reduce their diabetes medications, compared with 26% of patients receiving medical treatment only. Thousands More to Get Obesity Ops on the NHS: NICE Calls for Huge Increase in Surgery - But Even Obesity Charities Condemn It (Daily Mail) New draft guidance from the U.K.’s National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (Nice) suggests that people with obesity who have type 2 diabetes should be assessed for bariatric surgery under the country’s National Health Service (NHS). At present weight loss surgery is given to patients on the NHS who have morbid obesity with a BMI score of over 40 or to those who have a BMI over 35 and who have another serious health condition - such as type 2 diabetes. But now Nice is suggesting that people with a BMI score of 30 to 35 should be considered for an assessment for surgery under the NHS if they have been diagnosed within the last 10 years. This could mean hundreds of thousands more patients could be considered for treatment. The draft guideline also recommends that people who have undergone bariatric surgery under the NHS should have a "follow up care package" for at least two years after their operation. However, opponents of the guidelines say it is wrong of Nice to recommend that the NHS offer operations costing £5,000 when the agency faces a £30billion deficit. Scientists Discover Clues Why Weight-loss Surgery Cures Diabetes (Medical Xpress) A study published in the journal Endocrinology found the actions of specialized cells in the intestine that secrete a cocktail of powerful hormones when we eat may help bring us a step closer to understanding why gastric bypass surgery "cures diabetes in most patients." The research team showed that gut hormone cells previously thought to contain just one hormone, had up to six hormones including the hunger hormone ghrelin. Study team leader Dr. Craig Smith, a Senior Lecturer in Molecular Cell Physiology at University of Manchester, commented, “Understanding the messages the gut sends out when we eat food and when things go wrong, as is the case in diabetes, is our next challenge and hopefully one that will result in the development of drugs which could be used instead of surgery to cure obesity and prevent diabetes.” Sharon Osbourne Opens Up About Feeling Like a ‘Cheat’ After Gastric Bypass Surgery (NY Daily News) In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Sharon Osbourne commented that she has “secret shame” about having bariatric surgery in 1999. "I felt (like) such a cheat when I had that band on my stomach,” she said. "People are saying, 'You look wonderful! I'd go, 'Thank you, I just have to leave and vomit.'" Osbourne had the gastric band removed in 2006 and says she controls her weight through the low-carb Atkins diet, but admitted she struggles because she is still a food addict. Obesity in the News… Extreme Obesity Cuts Lifespan More than Smoking: Study (Reuters, CBSNews.com, Voice of America) Extensive media coverage of the “largest-ever study of the effect of extreme obesity on mortality,” which showed the “most extreme cases” may shorten a person's lifespan more than smoking. Scientists at the National Cancer Institute found people who suffered from severe obesity died 6.5 to 13.7 years earlier than people of healthy weight. A data review was conducted of 20 large studies from U.S., Sweden and Australian, which included 9,564 adults with extreme obesity and 304,011 of normal weight. Heart disease, cancer, and diabetes were mostly responsible for an increased risk of dying “at any given time” when BMI rose to levels of extreme obesity. The study was published in the journal PLOS Medicine. Severe Childhood Obesity Shows a Decline in New York City (Reuters) The prevalence of severe obesity among school children in New York City was down by almost 10% in the 2010-11 school year compared to the 2006-07. Earlier research had shown a decline in overall obesity among NYC public school children, but the prevalence of severe obesity had not been studied. The new study, published in the journal Preventing Chronic Disease, shows NYC rates “buck national trends.” Height and weight measurements were recorded for 947,765 children attending public schools in kindergarten through eighth grade. Severe obesity fell from 6.3% of the children in the 2006-07 school year to 5.7% in 2010-11. The change represents a 9.5% decrease. The prevalence of severe obesity was highest among boys, minorities and poor children. Additionally, while prevalence declined in every group, the greatest decrease was among white students and wealthy students. Many Obese Women Face Stigma Every Day, Study Finds (HealthDay) A new study found women who were overweight or suffered from obesity were likely to be faced with frequent, daily insults and humiliation from strangers, family and friends. Researchers recruited 50 women who were asked to log their “weight-stigmatizing” events in a diary during the course of a week. A total of 1,077 occurrences were reported including physical barriers (84%), nasty comments from others (74%), being stared at (72%) and others making negative assumptions (72%). Each woman experienced an average of three negative events over a seven-day period. Researchers found BMI was “the most significant factor associated with all forms of stigma except that caused by interpersonal relationships.” Ted Kyle, advocacy advisor for The Obesity Society, felt the study was limited due to the size and lack of data from other groups including males and other ethnic groups as most participates were white. He commented, “Most everybody struggles with some kind of health issue but obesity is something you wear on the outside.” The study was published recently in the Journal of Health Psychology.

So you've lost 29 lbs with NO fill ?!?! That's really great !! When do u get ur 1st fill.? Why would u be thinking about bypass when u haven't really adjusted to the band.? I think u should celebrate ur 29 lb victory ! If ur weight loss has stopped try going for the fill.I'm sure u will continue to lose.I'm losing about a pound a week at this point ( 10 weeks) and I'm good with it

Hi all, Just joined up and wanted to introduce myself. I'm being banded tomorrow (13/01/2007) and can't wait. I have been looking forward to having it done for so long now and cant believe its only 7 hours away! I find these sites so informative and helpful...and will endevour to track my progress on here if thats ok. Anyhow,until next time...when I'm a true bandster....Debby:)

Hi everyone.. my name is Laura.. and tomorrow marks the second week since I had my surgery. I am loving it so far, and have lost 10 pounds. I am a married mama of 3 beautiful girls, I work full time. I had to go thru 6 months of medically supervised weight loss and my husband's insurance has covered most of the procedure. I want to do the right thing and lose 80 more pounds. I am going to begin walking tonight. I am so pumped about this and am ready for this weight loss journey!

Your body will fluctuate. It's all part of being a human being. Get your water in, get your protein in, and keep working out. If you gain 10 or 15 lbs, come back and talk to us ???? otherwise, keep on keeping on ????

I was about to answer someone’s post when I thought I'd rather not derail it and instead start my own. This is hard for me as I am not usually a person to open up to strangers so please bear with me. For a long time, even in my teenage years I would be a bit ‘chubby’, not fat but a little over weight. When I look back I can laugh, as my idea about dieting and losing weight, was to drop the 4 or 5 lbs I put on over Christmas or family holidays. I was about a UK 10 which is a USA 8. I heard from my Mum all the time, “If you could only lose a few pounds you’d be happy”. That confused me as I always thought I was happy!! My Mum had a 24 inch waist when she married and had a 24 inch waist after having me 7 years later. She came from the generation where you dressed to clean the house or do the gardening, so I don’t blame her mind set but it hurt me, a lot. When I married my first husband I was already a slim 8 stone 4lbs (116lbs) and only put weight on during my pregnancies and lost it afterwards and was around 10 stone (140lbs). Then my thyroid stopped working, my body ate it up and to cut short a 22 year story of hell and despair I put a lot of weight on. I tried so hard to lose weight but between my thyroid, depression, moving every 2 years (my ex-husband is military) AND my own inability to stop putting food into my mouth, I failed time and time again. Seventeen years ago my Mum told me that she was very disappointed in me. She had no complaints about me as a Mother, she felt I was an outstanding Mum however everything else disappointed her. I disappointed her. She told me, her only child, not to visit anymore as I was FAT and embarrassed her. I haven’t seen her since. I was unhappy in my first marriage and ate as a comfort. I also thought the fat would stop him wanting to touch me. It was a shield and if it was there nothing could hurt me. He wasn’t abusive, we had a good lifestyle and at times a good marriage but there was no real emotion there for me or the kids. I am not blaming him either, he just couldn’t do the connection thing on any levels. After 25 years of being together we divorced. Food was now my partner and I stayed fat. I met my second husband online 7 years ago. Online is easier isn’t it, you type and people don’t ‘see’. People can get to know you before they see the blubber. I was safe and felt secure. Even when we skyped about 4 months after sending emails and chatting on messenger, he only saw my face and you can always angle the webcam to make yourself look 40lbs lighter, only use it at night when the house lights are dimmed and wear black! We finally met and as the saying goes, ‘that was that!’ He saw past the fat. For 3 years he drove down from his home in the north of England to see me (I live in the south) every weekend. The drive was about 5/6 hours and he never ever missed a single weekend. We married 4 years ago this October. Not wanting to sound big headed but he worships me, loves and adores me. He accepts me for who and what I am and I am so blessed. I always kept it in mind in the past that I had to diet for ME. Now I have had the surgery for US. I want to be around for a long time so we can enjoy life together. Doing it for US doesn’t mean I don’t want to be able to buy ‘skinny women’s’ clothes and get into a swimming pool without feeling I was going to pass out with shame. I want to peel back the layers and open myself up to life, grab it with both hands and shake it till it bleeds. I don’t want to waste any more time. So yes ~ I keep to all the rules, yes ~ I’m not rushing to the next stage because I am tired of one week of soft foods, yes ~ I will wait to listen to my body and not my head or my fears, yes ~ I may make mistakes, learn from it and move on rather than sabotage it. Yes. I can begin to love me.

Like Anwyn said, the trapped burp sensation is way different than the restriction. When I need to burp, I get a lot of annoying gurgles (gross) and bubbles. Sometimes if I stop eating for about 5-10 minutes, I'll suddenly hear/feel a bubble going down from my pouch (the gas moving through) and then I'll feel relief. And like I said, if I burp myself (by gagging), I feel relief. There are times where I don't get this, and once my restriction hits, I notice a very different feeling in my stomach, and I feel full and don't want to eat any more, and remain full for hours. I've tried a lot of different things, and the only thing that works is gagging myself. I've tried taking really tiny bites, twisting, turning walking around, chewing everything super super thouroughly... Oh well.

My name is Renia, (Renee)I am a 40 years old female who has decided to have weight loss surgery as an instrumental tool in my battle in weight management. I have a wonderful husband, Kendall (Ken), who supports me in everything that I do. We've been together for 25 years and married for 21 ½ years.I have three (3) beautiful children,:tongue: Chandralyn, age 10, Adrian age 5, and Nichole age 3. I am a house wife. I decided that I am really not happy with my weight. :thumbdown:Regardless of all the things that I have tried, nothing seems to work. I am a yo-yo dieter, always able to lose but never able to maintain any weight loss. In fact, I always gained back more than I lost. I have so many fun things I want to do with my life. I need to lose about 140bls to get to my heathy weight. My surgery is on the 22nd of April 09. I am on my liquid diet now, thired day. It's going ok. I cheated the first two days. Day one with 4 ruffle chips, day two with the skin off a chicken thigh (skin of chicken is my down fall). Lets be buddies.:smile:

Hello to all. I am a new kid on the block. I was banded 11/01/06. Weight at banding was 264 Goal weight is 150. My Dr. is Felix Spiegel Houston, Tx I live in Central Texas. I am new to forum boards. I live in a rural area and my computer is rather slow. I am really excited about the banding journey and just want to gather all the information I can here at the beginning. I feel great and only have a few aches from the procedure. I am on only liquids so far and doing OK. Thanks for any advice or input you have.