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I've been prescribed Qysimia for my 6 month pre-op weight management. I am finished with that and have been approved through insurance. Now I am just waiting for my surgery date. I don't know if I should keep taking the meds or not. I feel like it will help with the pre-op diet because I am not hungry at all while taking them. My surgeon is aware of the meds but hasn't mentioned.

Hi Everyone! I am considering VSG, hoping to have the op sometime in December. I am very aware that the sleeve is a tool. I know you can gain a lot of weight back by making poor food choices (chips, ice cream, slider foods, etc.) and that if you want to keep the weight off, you have to make a lifestyle change. I am prepared for all this, in fact I welcome it greatly. But the more I read, I get scared. I am starting to feel like post 6 months there is not much restriction and you are kind of left to your own devices. Apart of why I am having this surgery is because I feel like a bottomless pit and want an internal stop button. I want to feel full without eating 1000 calories a sitting. To be honest, I don't have much physical hunger to begin with now. I mostly feel (unless I have just eaten the usual big/unhealthy meal) I am up to eat more for the sake of gluttony. I know I have issues with food, I am a recovery addict with some years of sobriety, and I understand since being sober I have used food as a drug. I definitely emotionally eat and most of my hunger is head hunger. Again, I am willing (very willing) to do the work and I know this is a tool, but the some of the things I've read make me feel that after sometime the sleeve is not much of a tool at all:( Can anyone shed some light? I can deal with making the appropriate food changes and eating the right things (i.e. Proteins first, veggies, etc.), but will that make me feel truly full? I am ready to start incorporating a fitness routine but I am just beginning to question if the sleeve provides restriction after the initial honeymoon period.

Okay so I went to the dr Wednesday dec 6th I wrote him a letter with everything that I have tryed and diets, apps ,and gyms. I put skinny pictures of me and now weight pics of me. He knows I have tryed everything under the sun and he thinks it's time, he told me to go to a seminar which I just enrolled and it's dec 15th in Knoxville TN and then after that one see him and he will do the referral letter to the surgeon and they will make apt for me. I'm 5'11 and weight 246 my bmi is 34.5 I know I have to be 35 and 1 or more health issues I have asthma, siatic nerve issues in back and knee problems but I heard that wasn't going to count my dr said that he can make it happen and put i have more issues if I really want this done which is shocking!! So!! I'm going to have to gain about 10 lbs to get my bmi to 35 but scaried to death he can't make it look good on paper for health issues or I could gain another 47 lbs and be at 40 bmi and not have to have any health issues . What do you all think and any advice is greatly appreciated!! I have blue cross blue shield federal also. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I got my band seven years ago. I was the perfect patient for 5 years. I followed all the rules....ate right, drank my Water, exercised. Then somehow, I lost focus and started gaining. At my lightest, I had lost about 120 lbs. Now I have managed to gain about 60 lbs back. I hate it but cant seem to find my motivation again. I have gone back to all my old habits. Always thinking about food, drinking diet soda, no exercise, etc. Is there anybody else out there in this same situation? How did you find a way to get back on track and get the weight back off? I was self-pay so it really bothers me that I spent the money to do it and now I am not committed to it anymore. Any ideas or suggestions will be appreciated.

Thanks for sharing Leslie! I am scheduled with Dr. Illan for 3/24- exactly two weeks away! So excited. I have already seen how great the team is, as I was able to skype with Omar and Dr. Illan. I can't wait to be back on here sharing my weight loss success!

Hey there! Your post touched home as although I'm older than you, I'm about the same height and was close to the same weight as you. Great job on deciding to make a change for the better! Cutting out the soda is a great first step! Soda is just empty calories that don't help you in any beneficial way. The first step – have you seen a doctor about your back? You may want to have it checked to make sure you don’t have a herniated disk. If nothing shows up and you’re cleared to exercise, then I suggest you start walking. Try walking for 20 minutes, and build yourself up to longer time. Once you start exercising on a regular basis, it’s very possible that your back will begin to feel better. When I take more than a couple of days off from working out, my back starts to hurt a lot; when I start exercising again – no more pain. Once you lose some weight, you may want to try jogging/running. Start for short increments, like warming up by walking fast for five minutes, then jog for 90 seconds, walk for 90 seconds, jog for 90 seconds, walk again, etc., until you reach 25 minutes. Then cool down with another five minute walk. That will definitely help you tone up and lose weight. As you become fit, you can increase the time that you run and work out. The second step is to make sure you’re not overeating. If you are not banded, then I offer the following suggestions: You only need 3-4 ounces of protein, and you can always add some veggies. You may want to invest in a food scale – it really does help. Also, if you eat cold meat sandwiches, then I suggest that you switch to whole wheat bread and have low-sodium turkey. You only need one piece of bread and about three pieces of turkey. A half of a sandwich is really enough, especially for lunch. Also, you’ll want to have a mid-afternoon snack, so some fruit and two hard boiled eggs are a great suggestion. (You should eat about every four hours.) You need to remember that you need to burn more calories then what you take in. If you want help in tracking both how many calories you burn and how many you take in, you may want to invest in a calorie counter, such as a BodyBugg or Go Wear Fit. There have been a lot of posts about these, so just do a search to see what the others have said. So, if your goal is to lose two pounds a week, then you’ll need a 1000 calorie deficit each day. For me, this means burning 2500 calories each day and not eating more than 1500 calories. I think my highest weight was close to what you are – and once I stopped overeating and began walking for a ½ hour a day, I lost abut twenty five pounds really quickly (a lot of it was water weight). Last year I lost 50 pounds. I think I could have done a little better, as there were times I slacked off from working out, but I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished and hope to finish what I started this year. I hope this helps. Regardless of whether you are banded or not, this site is a great resource. Let me know if you have any questions. Best, Maggie

Hi, I am waiting for surgery. I have meetings in march 2010. Then I hope to see Dr. John Baker and he sets me an appointment for surgery. I really don't know how anything works.. I am very excited about the lap-band® surgery. I want to start living again. My weight is 390, I know thats really bad. I want so much to run with my grandkids and walk in the park with them. I want to see my grandkids children and get off of a lot of meds I have to take now.. So many things I want to do , just simple things that I haven't done in a very long time.. Please someone let me know how this surgery process works.. I look foward to hearing for you... Thanks:confused:

Hi, I am waiting for surgery. I have meetings in march 2010. Then I hope to see Dr. John Baker and he sets me an appointment for surgery. I really don't know how anything works.. I am very excited about the lap-band® surgery. I want to start living again. My weight is 390, I know thats really bad. I want so much to run with my grandkids and walk in the park with them. I want to see my grandkids children and get off of a lot of meds I have to take now.. So many things I want to do , just simple things that I haven't done in a very long time.. Please someone let me know how this surgery process works.. I look foward to hearing for you... Thanks:confused:

I had lap band surgery in August 2013, everything was going well. In October I joined a cross fit training class (mon- fri). About two months ago I started having issues with keeping food down! Never did I imagine that my band had slipped!! My dr told me that if it doesn't go back in place in one mth I will need to surgery!!!!! Obviously he unfilled me, my appetite is back (I'm concern that I will gain my weight back) and not sure if should cont cross fit training so I renewed my membership a hath club. I thought I could do cardio but now I'm having second thoughts. What if I make matters worst!! Anyone has any idea what's the best thing for me to do?!?!?! Your feed back is highly appreciated, thank you!!!

I finally have the green light to eat pureed and soft foods but I'm really struggling. Anything I eat - outside of Protein Drinks - I throw up. I thought maybe I was eating too much or maybe too fast so I weighted out 2 oz of rotisserie chicken and pulsed it in my Ninja. I took 10 minutes to eat it. Still no go. What am I doing wrong? Any suggestions on things to try? Is this normal?

I started this process on May 4, and I had my surgery on September 12. In between, I lost 56 pounds. Since the surgery, I'm down another 39. I went from 5'5" and 285 to 5'5" and 190. I've lost 10 inches off my waist and went from a XXXL to a large. I stepped back through my old wardrobe so quickly that things I thought would fit for a while no longer fit at all, and I have to start from scratch on my wardrobe. My glucose is 92, I'm off the CPAP, I'm off the cholesterol drug on a trial basis. I look better than I have since high school. I go hiking multiple times a week, I swim multiple times a week, I just bought a kayak. And I'm still losing weight. The 100-pounds-lost mark is right around the corner. This is successful, but not success. Success is many years away, when I'm on my deathbed having never become obese again. And I expect that to be many, many times more difficult than the last few months have been.

Got my band 15 years ago. Lost 100 lbs. then slip. No fill for 6 mos. then removal 18 months ago. Regained all the weight. Sleeved on 8/22. Down 50 lbs. and I’m post-menopausal. Love the sleeve!

Well i made it through surgery and am now at home. I feel very blessed that my surgery was relatively pain free. No pain from the incisions and no gas pain at all. I have not had to take any pain medication. I'm struggling a little getting my liquid and Protein in. I'm using Isopure for that. I can only take it in small doses. I was released from the hospital yesterday afternoon. I slept a little bit in my bed last night but after about three hours I got up and switched to my La-Z-Boy recliner and had a very nice sleep until 7 am this morning. I jumped on the treadmill and did about 10 minutes of slow walking. I'll repeat that process throughout the day. I gained 5 lbs from the IV solution in the hospital but have since dropped that weight and three pounds more. Best of luck to everyone that has had their surgery or is about to have surgery. Dallas

I was banded seven years ago. And yes that is what it is like, "sticking your toe in the water" I was afraid of doing anything more invasive or "drastic" as I thought at the time. But I should have went the rny route then and saved myself seven years of up and down weight, still all the comorbities I had and all worse now. I don't have any horror story to say about the band, but it just was either too tight, too loose, and between me and it we just didn't do what we should do. I have lost and gained the same 30 to 40 pounds, and now at my heaviest and sickest. I am waiting for insurance approval to revise from the band to rny. Again, I could have been living life and enjoying health benefits if I had just "jumped all the way in" I hope you have that option.

It is amazing how every body is different in the healing process. I was very fortunate in my recovery. I was off pain meds and back to work in 3 days. I am almost 7 weeks post op and I don't regret my wls decision. Just hang in there and you will start feeling better soon. Best of luck on your weight loss journey. May you have a happy and healthy new you in 2015!!

I too was a military wife. My husband just retired after 28 years. We had a conversation---he has always been against any type of surgery. For him, losing weight is just put your mind to it and do it. He loves me no matter what my size. I told him yesterday that it is not a vanity thing.....I want to be healthy. He loves to run, cross country ski, hike, kayak. I want to be able to share all of that. Of course I try but with the weight some of it is just impossible. That being said, I am so afraid. Don't know if this happens to you all, but the first things family members say is that is drastic. When you read that they remove 70 to 80 % of your stomach you realize that IS drastic. When I consider my sore knees, stiffness, hypertension , and pre diabetes I realize maybe I am in a drastic situation. Just plain scared!!!! I love hearing that you can get back to a normal life. Those who have had surgery---do you have many complications. Not to be too graphic but do you have to run to the bathroom immediately after eating? Do you have severe reflux? Is your quality of life a lot better? Think my biggest hurdle is to get over being afraid of the surgery and recovery.

I had thoughts of the same thing and surgery is tomorrow, but I remind myself that this is forever. I have done the diet yo-yo for years getting down within 30 lbs of where I should be, but then gaining it all right back and then some. It's the gain back that has me convinced that this is the right thing for me. I am type 2 diabetic, and the up and down swings are not healthy, so I need a tool to assist me with a balance so that I can live a longer and healthier life. I can't wait for my semi annual blood tests without hearing, that I need more of this med or that med, and add this medication, or that my insulin levels are finally normal. I can't wait until the healing is done and years of stomach aches, pains and exhaustion are gone.

For the past two - three months I have lost weight during my TOM because the restriction is tighter than ever. Normally, I too gained weight, but not anymore. I am having to adjust my eating though. I am not looking forward to eating out today for Mothers' Day.

I knew I was missing one! I was on Reglan first, like Becky L. My doctor does not want to attribute my dysmotility to the band, although I never had it before. It is one of the possible complications. If I cannot get to a fill level where I will stop gaining (I struggle to maintain) I will consider the gastic sleeve. Dr. Cirangle is my doctor and he is the leading surgeon doing it. For what it's worth, my dysmotility has improved a lot from being unfilled and is livable at this point. It was unbearable a year ago. (Hello and hugs back at ya, Leatha! You always bring a smile to my face. :confused: ) Becky (aka rebeccalee)

Do exactly what your dr and NUT tell you to do. Be patient with yourself--it's a big change and takes a while to figure it all out. Best of luck to you! I wish you great success, no pain, and lots of weight loss!!

I was pretty surprised too, to be honest. I've spoken to the nutritionist and the doctor and they felt it was worth trying. They told me to stay away from spicy food and bread and gave me sample menus and my target calories and macros for each day. It's actually been completely fine. I was nervous but I haven't felt sick or hungry once. I think this pain is related to air because I felt it even on water and soup stage. Aside from the pain which is lessening now, I generally feel much better since I've been eating solids. I have my follow up with my surgeon tomorrow and they contacted me today because the histology from my op came back and the h-pylori I had before the op hasn't cleared up yet. I was on antibiotics to try and get rid of it before surgery but it's still there, so that might be contributing to the discomfort. Anyway hopefully the stall won't last - as Nevermore says, I'll have to lose weight at under 1000 calories so I'll just have to trust the process!

You've only had two fills ever? It took me 3 or 4 fills before I got to the "sweet spot" for the first time. Then for a while I needed fills every month or so to stay at the sweet spot. I once went 6 months between fills but that was the longest. The trickiest thing is getting to and staying at that sweet spot. It sounds from your description that you have never gotten to your sweet spot. Keep at it! The band only works for you if you work to manage it. But since you had the band put in you should follow-through with the rest of your investment and get the fills you need to get to the sweet spot. The feeling of something stuck in the throat can happen at various times but for me at least, it is always associated with eating too fast. Slow down, take small bites, chew well, and check in with your body frequently as you eat. The real signal you are looking for is a feeling of fullness and the cessation of hunger. I won't say I NEVER drink when I'm eating, but really I can't take more than a single sip of liquids when I'm eating or there just isn't any room for food. If you're not feeling that way, if you're able to eat and drink at the same time, is another strong indication that you haven't even reached the sweet spot yet. It also sounds like you are struggling with head hunger quite a lot. That's the other thing I love about the band, when it's adjusted right, head hunger gets cut way back. The band pinches the vegas (sp?) nerve, which sends hunger signals to your brain. That's one way I can tell that it's time for another fill - when my head hunger starts to resume. (Slowed weight loss would be another sure-fire indicator.) Please do get another fill and let me know how it goes! Yes, fills can get pricey but if you don't get fills then you are not getting the value out of the band, the investment you have made in the surgery and recover time to actually lose the weight you set out to lose. Good luck! Kathy

update about my nightmare. i woke up yesterday after having some excess air taken out of my band to loosen it (there is no Fluid in it) the day before and finally felt normal for the first time in 2.5 weeks since the surgery. was so happy and thought everything was going to be fine and the chest pain was gone. i stayed on liquids yesterday and then mid day the chest pain started again and lasted the rest of the day and thru the night. so painful. had to take the codeine and tylenol that was given post op. my dr gets back tomorrow after being out of town for a week and i will see him tomorrow or tuesday. i just really, really hope he has a solution but i'm not feeling very hopeful. there is nothing in my band yet it's causing extreme pain (ER dr said it's not slipped, based on the cat scan). i'm just really afraid i'm going to have to get it removed. i'm self pay so i will have to go through surgery again and pay another $16k. $32k down the drain for weeks of pain. i feel like i made the worst decision of my life by doing this. i knew going in that some people do great and have no problems and that others experiences issues, so i felt like it was kind of a crapshoot and i just had to roll the dice. losing weight was worth the risk to me, but now i really wish i wouldn't have done it. very sad.

I had my surgery back in late April, and last week I had my first plateau of weight loss too. This week, I've started losing again. It might have nothing to do with your change in diets; it might just be your body taking a quick break from losing weight. Keep following the diet given to you by your doctor and nutritionist, and you'll be losing weight again in no time.