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I was just curious at how much u guys lost the first post op week.....I started at 257 and I an six days pot op and have lost 11lbs already! Don't get me wrong it's GREAT!!! I did not have a pre op diet to follow....I know it will slow down soon. Is this an average post op weight loss???

After trying years of diets and yo-yoing up 5-10 pounds each time, I decided to go with the Lap Band device. I went through the pre-surgical testing and got my insurance company to approve it upon my first appeal and an additional six-month waiting period. In that time I dropped from 380 pounds down to 360 (which was my pre-surgery goal) and on Valentine's Day in 2008 I got the surgery. I was in at 7 am, and home in my recliner by 5 pm. The abdominal pain was absolutely minimal. I was able to get out of bed and walk within the first hour, and was voiding my bladder and cruising the hallways soon thereafter. I refused the morphine they were offering as I wanted to go home, and honestly there was no need for it as I was in minimal discomfort. Once home I quickly adjusted to the phase-one diet and ate the clear liquids and developed an affinity for nice cool Jell-o (lime or orange). I no longer experienced "hunger" as I once did. Even though I knew I hadn't eaten but a handful of calories in any given day, I did not feel "hunger". As I approached phase-two I began to develop some "cravings" which after discussing with my nutritionist I found to be a healthy response to the surgery--a way for your body to tell you what you're needing. I don't even question it when my body tells me that raw calf's liver would be SOOOO good right now. I just do it. Once onto phase-three and normal life I began to feel better about myself as I (rapidly) dropped weight. Within 12 months I had dropped nearly 100 pounds, 3 trouser sizes, two inches from my neck, 2 shirt sizes (from a XXXL-Tall to a XXL) and amazingly--TWO shoe sizes--I once wore a 14 and can now fit a 12 comfortably. My knees stopped making horrible grinding noises, my hips stopped hurting and I found I had more energy to tackle my tasks with. To make myself feel even better I once loaded 100 boxes of butter (sorry Safeway) into a cart just to see the physical quantity of weight I had lost. Likewise--I have thrown a pair of 40 pound bags of dog food on my shoulders to experience just SOME of what I was carrying around. It makes all the difference in the world when you still perceive yourself as a "fat man" to look at some tangible facsimiles of your achievements. Now--about my device, my post-op life and the joys of living with the Lap Band: I received an "AP Standard" device in lieu of the "AP Large." My surgeon has never been able to give me a reason why other that "I have never used an AP Large device and didn't feel comfortable doing so here." Initially I thought this was a bonus as I would lose weight a little mroe rapidly. What I did NOT know whas what to expect in the process. Yes, I went to ALL of my classes, nutritional counseling, etc. Yes, I understand fully how to eat. NO! I did not sign on for this. Each bite of food I take--regardless of how I chew, registers somewhere in the 7 range on the pain scale. Even water--is about a 5 for 10-15 minutes after I swallow. The surgeons (I have multiple) have all scoped me, barium'd me, fluoroscope'd, swallow studied, etc me to no end. There is no slippage, no obstruction, no swelling, and no redness. Only "An extremely small pouch with very tight restriction." During my first adjustment (more on that later) my surgeon primed my device and in doing so, completely closed my esophagus and rocketed me into a vasovaglic episode. Since that time I have had ZERO Fluid in my device--not a single CC in the bladder, not even a drop of saline to prime it. Of course in order to make sure of this, each surgeon has to attempt to drain it again--so I got very used to being adjusted. As long as your surgeon is competent (NOT like Colin MacColl) you don't even need any of that local anesthetic-stuff. None at all. It's just more needle-sticks and to tell you the honest truth--the "big" adjusting needle doesn't hurt AT ALL. If you'd like to see what it's all about, go to YouTube and search "POV LapBand" and you'll see Colin MacColl failing miserably and repeatedly at accessing my (very easy) port. While this particular procedure was uncomfortable for me (as evidenced by my toes in the video...) it was NOT painful and I had zero anesthetic. When I finally grew tired of a life in pain and constant medical testing with no results I accused one of my surgeons (Colin MacColl) of practicing "diagnostic medicine" on me and demanded that he do something other than shrugging and saying "Let's try this." The next week I received a letter informing me that I was "fired" as a patient of Oregon Bariatric and would have to seek a new doctor. In the end--I am now 18 months post-op, sitting at 235 pounds (down 155 pounds) with an un-regulated and completely un-restricted device. I have no surgeon/bariatric doctor. I am hypoglycemic, I have 3 major Vitamin deficiencies, I vomit at least twice a day, I eat less than 200 food-calories in any given 24 hour period and when I do I am down-and-out-in-pain for a good 90 minutes after I eat it--IF I can keep it down without vomiting. Am I happy being the "new-man?" Hell yes! It's GREAT being "Skinny(er)." Would I recommend the Lap Band procedure to anyone? HELL NO! Looking forward to talking with you all. Cheers!

hey melinda... i live in LaVergne and was banded by Dr. Dyer at Centennial because he was the only in network MD my insurance would cover. He is very nice and I will be seeing him today for my week 1 postop. My first choice was Dr Morton at Southern Hills, he probably has the most experience. I also have heard good things about Dr. Houston, he is at Centennial. Good luck!!

Michael, Welcome aboard As they say in the 12 step programs, "One Day at a Time." I think you are looking too far ahead. You have to get to your goal before you get concerned what to do once you get there. Lapband surgery does not come with a guarantee of losing a single pound. Many fail with it. Fortunately, many succeed as well. The lapband is just a tool and comes with quite a few rules in order to make it effective. You should be asking yourself whether you can adhere to these rules for the rest of your life. Eat only three small meals a day Eat slowly and chew thoroughly (15-20 times a bite) Stop eating as soon as you feel full Do not drink for 30 minutes before or after eating Do not eat between meals Eat only good quality food Avoid fibrous food Drink at least 64 ounces of water a day Drink only low-calorie fluids Exercise at least 30 minutes a day You'll learn a lot more on your journey and it is definitely a worthwhile one. Remember, it is not too late to turn back until the day of your surgery. So, take it slow and if you find the lapband is not for you, call it quits. Good luck!

I am 4weeks post op ...and I felt like you. Sometimes I have flashbacks and feel upset because I can not eat a full meal with my family. But lately I've been feeling better because the scale does go down, I lose weight slow but .. So far I've lost 24 pounds and I am not taking my diabetes meds. (Got off my meds last week) You have to stay positive and think positive and set small goals.

I am 3 weeks post op today. All I do honestly is sit on my butt answering phone calls (I work for US Airways in reservations). I don't know if it is the amping up the workouts or actually being at work but I am exhausted. New shift is 5pm to 1:30 am. Pray for me that I can survive this.

I am 3 weeks post op today. All I do honestly is sit on my butt answering phone calls (I work for US Airways in reservations). I don't know if it is the amping up the workouts or actually being at work but I am exhausted. New shift is 5pm to 1:30 am. Pray for me that I can survive this. Like This wow your working out already? are you superwoman? op 8-24-12 and still in too much pain to reach the floor. lol had a fight with the vacuum cleaner and a big spider.( think they ganged up on me!) they sure did kick my butt! lol

Hello Everyone, I'm new to this forum but not to WLS. In September 2015, I'll be 6 years since WLS. I started a little less then 300 lbs at 5'2 wearing a size 48 in pants and I got down to 170 with the RYN procedure. Within the last five years I've gained back 15 lbs. which is Ok according to to my doctor. I'm currently in a size 34 pants, working towards a 32 by July 2015 which happens to my around my 50th birthday; OMG. During these five WLS years, with all the energy I have, I've gone back to school a earned both a MBA and a DBA (Doctorates in Businesses Administration). I currently have a full-time career at a nuclear disposal facility and two part-time jobs (evenings as an adjunct Professor teaching Computers and Business classes and a weekend job as a cashier at a local convenience/gas station). My workout consists of the elipical (30 min during lunch and late evening on week days) and playing racquetball (Wednesdays at 7pm and Saturdays at 10am). Here is where I answer "at night" to the question as to when I sleep. I'm looking for a support group for older men (like me) who is at their "maintained stage" of WLS. I believe support groups are very important. I'm also looking to find other men to encourage them on their WLS. I'll also help anyone who asks. Thanks RlopezNM

naw, its been 3 weeks. I have been feeling pretty good. Surgeon wants me exercising everyday (blech!) you will get there hon.

Its going my starting weight was 250 was down to 221 on June 11 th were i stalled for a week i wasn't getting enough Protein in. Haven't been on a scale since.but my clothes keep getting bigger on me so i am happy. How r u ?? Eating? ? Sent from my DROID RAZR using RNYTalk

Okay guys I'm 5 months post op & 63 lbs down. Lately though I noticing that I can eat a lot more & I'm hungrier than I use to be. Is this normal or have I stretched my sleeve out? The last month I've only lost 1 to 2 lbs per week. I'm starting to become very worried about blowing this great blessing. It's just hard to get past the mental sabotaging.

Hi all. I had surgery on July 26th (last thurs). It's been a rough few days & I'm hoping this won't last too long. Does anyone have any suggestions, advice, or words of wisdom to get thru the first few weeks/months?

Hi all Ok so I'm kinda new to this forum and new to using forums in general so be nice lol. I was approved for lap RNY a few weeks ago and f

Hi all Ok so I'm kinda new to this forum and new to using forums in general so be nice lol. I was approved for lap RNY a few weeks ago (took long enough lol) and for some reason I have a distinct lack of excitement. Is this normal? I guess I still believe it's not going to happen. My family keeps trying to reassure me, but for some reason its still not sinking in. It's strange, I even have a date and everything (June 18th, 2013). Maybe I'll be more excited when the date gets closer... Despite this, I was worried about some things. The number one that scares me about this surgery is being left with great billowing folds of skin afterwards. I saw pics on google and now I'm terrified lol... Will this happen to me? I am pretty young (turned 18 last December). Any help is appreciated <3

Thanks for the welcome! Kim...that is so great to hear someone else going to Dr. Roye! I'm going to have a ton of questions for you! I did have my appointment today, it went well. They are suposed to be contacting Blue Cross tomorow, and she said we will hopefully hear back in a few days to a week. She said she's pretty sure I'll be covered just fine, since I have some issues due to my weight. I definatly don't like driving to RIH though, I got lost, went into the wrong parking garage, and drove around for 10 minutes waiting to find a spot! Auuh I hate driving in Providence! I did get the small ammount of info that she gave me today, which most of it I already knew. I did have one question, what the heck is the phsych evaluation for? What do they do? And also, what is the pre-op diet like for him? Thanks!!

Hi Everyone, I am new to this whole posting thing and to lapband talk. I am not sure if I am supposed to start a new thread or just reply to someone else's so I am sorry if I am messing up here. My name is Melissa. My doctor is Ketih Zuccala in Danbury, CT. So far the staff that works for him has been great. I am having lapband surgery the first week of August. I have been overweight since I was 5! I am now 39. My insurance is going to pay but I had to wait 6 months and work a program they provided first. That was in January. I am really very nervous. More nervous than excited. My husband, sister and friends are really supportive of this. My mother doesn't think it's such a great idea and thinks I will gain all the weight back. I have even started yet and she's got me gaining it all back! I guess my track record isn't so great-I have always gained it back in the past. Anyway, I just want to thank everyone who posts. It is very helpful to read what other people are dealing with. Thanks-

My journey has been a long one to get where I'm at now. I initially visited a doctor in mid-2010 and went through many months of tests and dietician appointments and specialist appointments; everything I needed to do before I could submit to insurance for approval. All in all it took about 8 months to get through that process. However, my insurance denied me and then denied my appeal. I gave up for a little while and just didn't know where to go from there, but ultimately decided to continue to try to lose weight non-surgically (though unsuccessful). This past May, I found a new doctor that I instantly felt comfortable with and truly felt like he had my best interest at heart from the start. Dr.Fishman of Obesity Treatment Centers in Livingston, NJ is fantastic, and so is his staff. They went through all of my paperwork, tests from previous, etc. and worked hard to get the insurance to approve me this time. They must have done something right (and know what they're doing) because I got my approval letter 1st try this time, without having to go through everything I did the first time around. To make a short story long , I'm now 21 days out from surgery and moving right along. I have my pre-admission testing tomorrow morning, a couple specialist appointments to get medical clearance (e.g., pulmonologist, vascular surgeon, etc.), my IVC filter will be inserted in 2 weeks, and then its just waiting for my actual surgery date. I think I'm going through the normal pre-surgical fears and insecurities, though I am anxiously excited to truly begin my journey to a healthier me. I found VST through my many internet searches for more information, personal journeys, and success stories related to the sleeve. I am looking forward to sharing the journey with all of you and hope to get to know you all better! :wub: JerzyGirl :wub:

Hi Shelby, I was sleeved on August 7th so I am between 4 & 5 weeks as well. My dietician has me on moist solids and I am to try to get a litre of fluid in. She does not want me to worry too much about counting stuff yet. But I do fill in MFP so that I will get in the habit for the future. I find it difficult to get water down without it feeling like swallowing lumpy stuff. I have a dog who demands walks and I have a push bike which I have been out on twice. I am still going to bed early and exhausted. Still have some not so good days. But all in all life with the sleeve is improving daily.

I have been lurking around for some time now but decided I will join in and tell my story. I started looking into WLS a couple of years ago but at that time my insurance didn't cover it. In the fall my husband started a new job so a few months ago I called the insurance company and on the new insurance it is covered. I was so excited! I found a surgeon that I liked and went in for my exam and decided on the sleeve. I started my 3 month diet that was required for surgery and did a bunch of tests that were also required. Not too long ago I found out that my insurance had changed some of it's requirements. I had read on here about a lot of people who had gone to Mexico for the surgery. At first I thought (no offense) that all of you who went to Mexico were nuts! I kept reading about everyone's experience with Dr. Aceves and decided to give them a call to ask some questions. This was last week. I talked to Nina and there is a special going on if you have your surgery in May. With all of the excellent reviews I have read about Dr. Aceves I decided to talk to my husband about this and see if it was an option. He agreed that it would be fine for me to go ahead and have the surgery done with Dr. Aceves. My date is May 24th. Anyone else going to be there at that time?? This has all gone so quickly and I can't even believe it is really happening and I am so excited and a bit nervous at the same time. I am sure the nerves will kick in even more a few days before I leave. I keep thinking to myself that I can't wait to be me again. I never grew up heavy, in fact I was thin until I was in my 20's. I have been obese for over 15 years now and am looking forward to my new life that is right around the corner! I am sure I will have more questions and comment more as the days get closer but for now I just wanted to say "hi".

As Others have said you are most likely just in the normal stall that occurs around 1 month post op. It is very important to try to get enough fluid and protein in, without those 2 primary things your weight loss will slow down. Good Luck.

My name is Heather, I just joined this site a few days ago and I have been reading posts here for a few days. (Even posted an insurance question, but thought I should probably formally introduce myself. LOL!) Last week I spoke to my primary care doctor about having Lapband surgery. She thinks that it is my only option to be able to loose weight since I can't exercise due to facet disease. I can't exercise because of the pain from the facet disease, yet the pain gets worse as I gain weight. It's a catch-22. I am going to a siminar next Tuesday, the 24th. I don't know what to expect, so if anyone has any advice, it is appreciated!

Hi everyone! I have been a lurker for a long time on this board but I am having my surgery done a week from today! Yippeee!!! I just want to thank everyone here because without this place I may have changed my mind and chickened out on the surgery! Thanks! Tracy

Hi everyone! Iam new here. I was banded on May 9th, so I will be one week out tomorrow. I had a lot of gas pain and still feel a lot of bloating in my belly. Not feeling any more pain, just an umcomfortable feeling from what is probably still some gas in my belly. I can walk fine, but struggle after climbing stairs. No issues actually climbing a flight of stairs, but I just climbed two flights and needed to rest to catch my breath. I recover quickly, and my heart rate settles down quickly as well, but just wondering if this is something others of you have experienced in the first week. Thank you for any advice/thoughts you can give me on this.

Hi my name is Alexa and I am Pre-op I should be scheduling my surgery this week . I am 24 from Texas and I'm in nursing school.

If you are staying full then no you do not HAVE to get a fill. I am hungry often and can EASILY get to 1400 calories so a fill would help me. 5 pounds a week is awesome and if you dont think you need a fill I would tell them so. You can always go back if you change your mind. I can also feel my port ever since the swelling from surgery went down. Its to the right of my port incision.