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Ok, so my surgery was June 26. I flew out there (alone) from Maryland on Sunday night, June 23. I stayed at the MGM Signature because I had stayed there a few years ago and I liked it since the elevator wasn't too far from the hotels entrance. Monday morning I had a dr appt to get my clearance for surgery. I cant remember this DR's name but DR hanna's office set it up for me. Luckily my insurance covered this visit. They did an EKG, went over health history, etc. then gave me a lab slip for a chest xray. The next day I visited with DR Hanna for the first time. Everyone at his office is so friendly. He went over everything that was going to happen, etc. Also, I had started my clear liquid diet Monday AM. And my husband arrived Tuesday evening. Wednesday I arrived at the hospital (North Vista) at 7 am which looked like a dump. I was feeling a little uneasy at this point at the looks of the hospital, but not for long. The hospital is SO accommodating. I was appointed a Bariatric coordinator who showed us around. I went into the operating room at 930am. I was never once scared or nervous until I got onto the OR table and they started strapping my arms down and giving my oxygen. Last I looked at the clock was 9:38. I woke up at 10:20. Feeling very nauseated. Wheeled into recovery, stayed there maybe 30-40 mins. Then went back to the outpatient room where my husband was waiting for me. I tried walking the halls but everytime I got out of bed I felt like id be sick so all I wanted to do was lay around and sleep. Finally at 2pm a nurse recommended that we go back to the hotel. The first afternoon/night was a breeze. I slept pretty much the rest of the day. Did not want to walk at ALL. Gas wasn't that bad, not as bad as I had expected. The second day, sucked, big time. I tried once to take a teaspoon of the liquid pain meds but they made me throw up so I didn't touch them after that.. I had my follow up that day because I was leaving vegas on Friday. It was all I could do to get dressed and go to the DR office. He checked my incisions and gave me a rx for the stomach spasms I was having. I flew out of Vegas Friday morning. I do not recommend this if you are flying in from another state. It was a 5 hour flight. VERY uncomfortable. Couldn't eat anything really. It was awful. DR Hanna called me one week post op, I missed it and called him back. He didn't answer. He never returned my call and I haven't heard from him since that follow up visit at his office which I thought was kind of unprofessional. But I haven't had one single problem so I guess there's no point in calling him anyway. I'd definitely recommend him, he is a gentle, soft spoken man. My experience was great and I love his office staff. Esp. Zee she is great. I email her questions all the time and she replies within minutes! I hope this all made sense, if you have any other questions please don't hesitate to ask!

Well.....after I had the sleeve I got a leak....i went septic four days later and had to have emergency surgery...I almost died...They put me in a coma and I was in it for 19 days....I had a temperature of 104 and it would not break.. 2 done...While I was in the coma they discovered that I had sleep apnea and that scared the living daylights out of them so they gave me a trakia ( spelled wrong) 3 done. After that i woke up and was moved to another floor out of ICU and they put a stent in my stomach to see if they could close the leak... 4 done. Six weeks went by and it did not work. So they put another stent in on top of the other stent 5 done. Another six weeks went by they did not take so they decided to put clamps in to try to close the leak....6 done. I got abscesses in my stomach and had to go under to get them cleaned out and they put a tube inside to drain it 7 done...Crap..I had 9 surgeries.....They decided the only option left was to give me a by-pass sleeve combination and it worked... 8 done! I was in the hospital a total of 5 months and did not eat any food for 5 1/2 months....When I was in ICU in critical condition and on life support..i got an ulcer on my rear end..category 5 which is the worst you can get... So they hooked me up to a vac and after I learned to walk again, write and talk again...I came home...The ulcer would not heal so I ended up going for another surgery to see why...they operated and pulled out a sponge and packing that some nurse left in my butt and it started to heal over but couldn't because of the stuff left there 9 done. Now after 10 months I still have a nurse that comes every day to change my dressings.... The ? is..Would I do it all again? YES! I am a new person and now that I am recovering I am getting healthier by the day.....I can do so much more then I could before the sleeve....I am excited about this wonderful opportunity to get my life back....NO regrets here! I also had to have the pick line removed and replaced in my arm 4 times because it clogged up too much...That was done in a special place in the hosp. So even though they did not put me out for those...I was scared to death for 5 months!

Hi Yall! I'm new here but this just hit home. I am in the same boat and need to turn it around. I keep doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result! I drink when I eat, which means I can eat almost anything. I got a fill last week and can tell a HUGE difference. I've PB'd often. But, for instance, I just ate a whole small Quiznos sub. The last 10 bites or so I knew I was full...oh, I drank a large sweet tea also with it, anyway, the last 10 bites I knew I was full. Now I feel sick, but it all went down and I need to throw up...(Yuck). How do I get my head straight? I've lost a total of "about" 30 lbs, and 2-3 sizes. I just feel like this far into it I should be further along. :help:

Oh yeah, I know my self esteem is an issue. I kinda didn't want to make it one in my post, so I apologize for that. I just wanted to shed light on the ridiculousness we women have to deal with when it comes to body image etc. Overall, I think I look and feel great. I never thought I would be a size 10 again. My observation was, isn't it weird that I lost all that weight and yet I'm still "fat". So ironic. I know not all men are obsessed with weight etc when it comes to their women. I know I'll meet my Mr. Right (after dealing with a few Mr. Wrongs). I'm super frustrated with my spare tire that has gotten smaller but is still there. I'm so tired of the muffin top. haha.

Highest Weight 279 Day of Surgery 10/10/12 - 262 Weight Today 218 Lost so far 61pounds 55lbs I go.

Sleeves 10/25. Went from 230 to currently 184. Well over halfway to goal. Started out 18/20 and xxl tops, now size 14 and large lovin my new tummy

So im a little late with this weeks blog... I was in L.A this past weekend trying out for THE VOICE.. he he he.. Well ill keep this blog short n sweet.. Im still feeling really good, but ive had a head cold now for about a week.. and it doesn't seem to wanna leave any time soon unfortunately so i haven't really been able to work out cuz every time i bend over i feel like my heads going to explode from the pressure..lol.. sux but what can ya do. LOTS OF TEA FOR ME!!!!! So anyways, this past sunday I auditioned for the Voice in L.A and when my group got called in we all sang out of the 10 of us.. I WAS THE ONLY ONE THEY CALLED TO SING AGAIN! lol.. so everyone left the room and i was told to sing another song.. well they judge said "Im not gonna tell you no.. im gonna tell you maybe and when we do call backs you will get an answer." well i still haven't heard anything.. ( and from what i am beginning to think is that if they dont call then its a no.. im a little bummed, but hey there is always next year!!! Im keepin my head up.. well anyways.. thats all for now.. I hope everyone is doing well and of course i leave u with stats and pictures!!!!!! HW: 265 CW:179 GW: 150

Shmoopy, I so feel your pain and empathize with you. I am also a size 10 and feel fat. I, too, wish I could feel better about myself, I have 25 years on you and am running out of time, LOL!!!! I hope we succeed in the near future!!

A size 10 is a very normal size. I felt great when I was a size 12 which I was for most of my younger life. When I was a teenager I had a "fat" friend. She mustve been at least 240 lbs.. Men FLOCKED to her. It was her attitude. She was sexy and big. She walked around like a goddess and men picked up on that. Handsome men!!! So its not necessarily the size. I was in awe of the way she just owned it. So that was a lesson learned for me.

Long story short I dont have good..well any restriction right now and because of mine and my doctors schedule i wont be able to get another fill till after the holiday. i go to my mom's house in the south for thanksgiving. i have no idea how to control myself around my mom's good ole southern cooking. right now i've not had restriction for over a week and my weight is just stagnate, which i'm ok with, but i just dont wanna gain any. i am still in the gym 4 times a week, but as far as eating, i can eat as much as i did before the band. ugh! i started appetitie supressants, but i'm so bad with remembering to take pills that i never remember them. any suggestions to get me through the holidays without gaiing 10 pounds!

Surgery Dec 10....down 15lbs.

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Just got back from a 3 week trip for work - while there I had to buy some new clothes and that was great . I also could relax in the tub - still not as comfortably as I would like, but enough to fall asleep in there! The big Nsv for me was getting out of my hot tub and grabbing my usual towel that doesn't quite fit around me and what do you know!?! It more than fit around me! I had a good 6 inch overlap where there used to be about a 4 inch gap! I haven't been paying attention to a scale - being out of town makes that near impossible - when I got back I had lost another 10 lbs in that 3 weeks and I was bloated from that time of month and from travelling. I celebrated with a nice pedicure Sent from my iPhone using VST

i hope everyone is doing okay. i had the gastric bypass 12/10/07 and i am already down 43 pounds in 5 weeks:cool2: hugs Ann

Hello Everyone: My surgery date is scheduled for October 8th, 2014 and I am ecstatic. I currently weigh 280 pounds and I am 5'9" tall. I would like to lose 100 pounds by my 50th birthday (July 11th, 2015). WOW...that would be an awesome 50th birthday present to me. I have only told my husband and immediate family about my surgery. Therefore, I would love to meet new friends on here to support each other and to share our experiences. If you would like to exchange emails or phone numbers to support each other, please let me know. Thanks!!!!

Hey guys, I haven't been on for a few weeks and I apologize for that. I was banded 9/28 and since then, my life has gone through several twists and turns. I would say the 2 weeks after banding went as smoothly as possible. My band was a little tight the first couple days, had my first "unfill" on day 3 and from then on was pretty good. I took about 8 days off of work. Then it turns upside down. I returned to work on 10/8 only to be fired on 10/10 (really out of the blue, too.) I've been working with a lawyer to get a settlement on my contract and looking for new jobs. Frankly, the past 2 weeks have been the worst of my life and they have NOTHING to do with my band. In fact, I'm so stressed out, it's kind of good that I haven't had a fill yet because I'm really eating at a pre-surgery pace. I have always been a stress eater and I've never experienced as much stress as I have in the past couple of weeks. I was self-pay, the first credit payment is now overdue (will they repo my lap band? <grin>) I talked my wife into quitting her job to stay home with our 5 year old about 2 months ago. I tell ya, it's been about one Chevy truck and a dog away from a country music song. The good news is that I'm still losing a little bit of weight. I may grab for the chips or fast food, but it's WAY less frequent than the old days. This still has very little to do with the band. I'm feeling little to no restriction unless I eat really fast. Anyway, I just wanted to check in and those of you that are of that Faith if you could say a few words for me and my family to see us through the next couple of weeks as I attempt to rebuild my life. Plus, my first fill is on Nov 2. So I'm not really sure how that will factor into all of this... I'm still really struggling sleeping and having any energy, I'm falling into a little more depression after really feeling that I was coming out of it after the surgery. All I wanted was a "normal" weight loss surgery (if there is such a thing) but I got way more than I bargained for. I am still excited about the band, but it's just way on the back burner right now. But this, too, shall pass.

My doctor has done more bloodwork (labs) to see if my LFT (liver function tests) have gone down. He only requires 10 day liquid diet . . .I'll bet you'll be fine . . . try to relax and just follow the plan. Can you have other stuff besides the shakes you mentioned? I am boiling a chicken with some veggies to have some nice fresh broth ?? Good luck.

Okay this might be a rant, or something along that line but I'm so frustrated. I had surgery may 10, lost 10 pounds in my preop diet and have lost 15 since surgery. My parents both had this surgery done, my best friend had this surgery done and then I had it done. I meet my Protein requirements everyday, I meet my Fluid requirements everyday, I do cardio for an hour daily and for the past 2 weeks have been jumping between 254 and 251... I don't know what else to do. I can't call my surgeons office because the NUT is never available to talk and my surgeon is never in, I literally feel like giving up and saying whatever being fat is obviously how it's meant to be. I don't know what else to do or who else to talk to. It's come to the point where I have breakdowns daily full on tears because it is so frustrating. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Secret. Yes, my doc does have me do something wierd to find the port, although you can feel it pretty easily. I lay flat on the table. He gives me a topical, then I get a lydocaine injection. He waits, then he has me push my stomach out and bear down like I'm having a baby. My port pops right up to the surface. First quick stick and it's in. I've never had to go through a series of sticks thank God. My doctor does it himself EVERY time. He doesn't allow his nurses to do it. He puts in a good fill while I'm drinking water through a straw held by the nurse. When the water starts to back up, he stops and slowly takes some back out until the water goes down easily. I rest for a minute and then drink some more water. If that goes down, he takes the needle out. Then I sit up for 5 to 10 minutes and he has me drink some more water. If that too goes down, I'm free to leave. So he triple checks. So far I've never had a problem, and I've had 4 fills and one complete unfill.

My husband once said something to the effect that this was an easier route for me. I blew up at him with the following... 1) I have to count every calorie, every gram of Protein, carbohydrates and fat in my diet. Then at the end of the day I have to make sure I got the right amounts so I can stay healthy. 2) I have to take 10 different Vitamins a day at different times and constantly worry about combinations and absorbing them. 3) If I mess up #2 or #3 I risk serious health issues, some of which are permanent. 4) If I eat one bite, one sip, too many my stomach hurts like hell. 5) If I don't constantly keep aware of how well I am chewing my food I risk not chewing well enough before I swallow and throwing it all back up repeatedly and not being able to eat the rest of the day which messes up #2 and #3. 6) Sometimes I'm pissed for no reason other than that I cannot eat, or have to constantly think about what/how I am eating. 7) I live in constant worry that I won't make it to where I want to be and that this whole process will be for nothing. I spent an entire year just preparing for the surgery! This isn't about just getting better abs, or a nicer butt for me; it's my life, my mortality. This is not one bit easy. It only looks easy right now because YOU (you being those who haven't gone through it, my husband namely) aren't the one following all the rules and at risk of serious consequences if you don't. It also looks easy because weight comes off faster when there's 200lbs of it to lose. He hasn't said anything similar since, but I saw the look in his eyes and he "got it". It's not easy, just different. That said, I can't say their perspective is all that different than what mine used to be. I didn't really know or understand exactly how much work I was going to have to do to lose weight and get fit before I found myself in the thick of it. I thought it was easy for them, people who had never been obese or had to lose a significant amount of weight. Really, it's not easy for anyone, no matter which route is taken. It's a lot of work to get the body you want.

I started my 6 month "diet" yesterday. I did see the surgeons dietician, but I can go with my PCP, so it will be much cheaper for me that way. Aince I have so long to wait (10 months), I'll just keep seeing my pcp for a weight check until December. We're all in this together, and I hope the time will fly by like everyone says.

So I am 2 weeks post op today and I am down 13 lbs already. I lost 10 lbs the first week and only 3 lbs since last friday. My doc said its just the bloating and water retention. HOW LONG DOES THAT LAST? Only thing I have read was regarding bloating but not water retention. Is this normal? Still tender and occassionaly I have shooting pangs near the incision areas that the doc said will subside but this bloating and water retention is for the birds. So ready for it to go away...

So I was sleeved on May 2 and am down a solid 50 lbs. I feel so much better and have more energy but...I have not lost an ounce for almost 2 weeks. I have 30 more I want to drop and the scale is just not moving. I have tried upping my carbs and calories and lowering my carbs and calories but nothing seems to work. I do Zumba 3-5 times a week and swim a mile once or twice a week as well. I am fitting into my old size 12 pants, which is great but I want to be a loose 8. I was hoping to be able to wear my cheerleading outfit from high school for Halloween but at this rate...that's not happening. I am just feeling discouraged. I have tried to keep up a good attitude for the last few weeks but being stuck here at 170 is driving me nuts. Any one else have a nasty stall at 4 months out?? I will be 4 months tomorrow. Last month I did lose 10 pounds during the whole month...but still. Any advice,encouragement and "this is what happened to me" stories are very welcome. Thanks, Laura

I am post-op april 10. on May 16 was told that the opening to my pouch is about the size of a coffee stir straw and on tomorrow may 21 am going in to have it stretched. my question is to any post-op person that has had this done have you ever had to have it redone? Does it stay open?