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Will do, thank you Mel34, I hope you have a fast response as well!!

I agree, I lost a big chuck before my actual surgery. I felt if I was making this big a change, I better get on board fast. So in June, 2012 when I made the decision to move forward I started weight watchers, then modified it to be high Protein, low carb/low fat. And set out to find a Protein Drink I loved. I've had no problems at all since surgery (other than a day or so of gas) and I think I really got a handle on emotional eating and head hunger. I just make sure I have items handy that I can have and enjoy.

Hello new friends, I am probably on here super early. I don't have a doctor, surgery date, or any of that yet. I can only tell you that about 4 days ago, I got to a point where I was disgusted at the weight I've gotten to. I began crying to my mother (who by the way is 100 pounds and tried to tell me she understood) and I haven't been able to stop crying since. I hate that I can't bend over to tie my shoes, I hate that I can't keep a pair of jeans for longer than 4 months without getting holes in the crotch from the rubbing, I hate that I can't cross my legs, I hate having rashes and the way I smell, and most of all I hate that my poor kids are always bored because I never want to get up as I don't have the energy to do much more beyond getting myself to work every day. You would think that all of this would give me enough motivation to just take the weight off but it doesn't. Instead I get even more depressed, and I eat even more. I know it's wrong yet I keep eating and eating…3 helpings sometimes and then I proceed to eat what is leftover on the kids's plates because I can't bare to waste food. I'm sick. I don't know why I can't stop but it's really spiraling out of control and I need to do something. I got to talking to a couple of friends both of whom I've known for many years. One has had a lap band with much success and the other has had gastric bypass with much success. They both recommended the sleeve ironically. I'm trying to read up on all the surgeries and I guess I feel it may be the right one as well. I've been reading non stop for 3 days now and my next step is to see a doctor. What are the opinions of others on the differences between the three surgeries? My other dilemma, and I know I've read this already from others on here, is am I taking the easy way out or should I just do it with diet and exercise because I have done it before? I've struggled with weight since I was a child. I come from an Italian family where everything revolves around food. I remember my grandmother would make ravioli and at the young age of 6 years old, she would encourage me to eat 10 of them. Then when I ate 10, she would encourage me to eat another 2. Then there was dessert…and never just one choice. It went on like this for years until finally I moved away from my family and decided to try and see what I could do to lose the weight now that food wasn't around every corner. I did everything from good old diet and exercise to fasting. I could never keep it off longer than a month or so. Finally, around the age of 25, after my first son was born, I took most of it off and got down to 125 pounds, which is still heavy for a 5 foot tall woman. It took so much effort that my life had to revolve around diet and exercise. I took Xenadrine, which is now off the shelves (hmmm, I wonder why), I walked to and from work, was on my feet at work teaching all day, ran 4 miles or more each day on top of that, ate absolutely no dairy and very few carbs, ate 5-6 tiny meals each day, and never ever ate after 4pm. I followed every diet tip known to man and was still considered overweight for my height and build. All that work and all it took was me taking a desk job for it to all go to crap. I had lost my teaching job and began working in an office that I couldn't walk to, sat all day, and immediately the weight gain started and I was back to 180 in a matter of months, even though I kept doing most of the other things. Xenadrine was taken off the shelves and there went another 20 pound increase. My lifestyle now would not even allow for part of that. I have three children, barely have time for myself, and I work at a desk for at least 10 hours each day. I get home at 7:00pm starved and just start shoveling the food in. I am really just doing a lot of venting here and would love for someone to tell me I am looking in the right direction with the option of surgery. I plan to make an appointment here in the next few weeks with a doctor but it always helps to have the support of others who understand. If someone thinks I should just suck it up and get myself to diet the normal way again, please say so Thanks for hearing me out and I will be around reading more and more and educating myself as much as possible. I will keep everyone up to date on what the doctor says once I get the appointment.

Mine does that when I eat or drink too fast. Sometimes I just eat a few bites in a row without thinking. Still tiny bites but I have stop myself from going to the next bite too soon. No diarrhea ....just the nausea.

I used a heating pad on my stomach and would hold it when i moved it seemed to work real well.I am 6 days and I just walk and walk it seems to be helping my fluid intake is good and I have hardly any pain .I used a pill cup or a shot glass to sip my fluid intake so I did not go to fast .I sipped a 1 onuce every 15 to 20 minutes and now it is so much better .I did not have a hospital stay at all I satayed the first night at a motel then went back for fluid and then came home .

Hi Kathy, My wait was about 9 months in all, however, I pursued WLS for about 3 years. Once I was ok'd through my insurance (Kaiser), I had to go through a 6 month waiting period and then 2 months of nutrition classes, 2 mental health assessments, and a battery of blood tests. Once in the nutrition classes, things began moving very fast! Within two weeks of meeting with the surgeon, I was in surgery. It would have been sooner, but I chose a date that would work with my work schedule. Looking back, it was all worth it. The classes were great because they really prepared me for life after surgery. I am now 2 week post-op and down 23 lbs! I feel great. This was totally worth the wait. Good luck and enjoy all the benefits of WLS!

i've found that if i drink to fast sometimes and get that uncomfortable to full feeling.. standing helps.. hands over the head.. taking deep breaths.... sounds weird.. but hey whatever works right?

It's going fast, isn't it, Tina? I have about 4 weeks until my surgery and am freaking out! I'm not having a BA (still a D cup even after losing the weight, though they're a little 'emptier'-looking than before), just a LBL. How much bigger are you going?

It feels like a long time, but those 3 days will go by fast. And after the surgery you probably won't feel hungry for quite some time. I'm nearly 1 month post-op and only eat when I remember it's time, or if I'm getting too much acid (despite taking omeprazole). Good luck and let me know how it's going, and if you have any questions!

Like rachel said, sit and lower your head to your knees, legs as closed as possible. Do i couple times, thats what made all my gas leave very fast .

I agree with the 10 to 20 pound range and how much you or what type of exercise you do greatly depends on how fast you drop sizes. I know the elliptical will help you drop a pants size in no time!

Im new but I think it means when you feel like your in hell for any reason. Like me, I feel like Im doing all the right things but don't seem to losing as fast as I think I should. I even go to myfooddiary.com and record all my food and excersize. But hopefully after a few more fills I'll no longer be in hell. And I have to tell myself that as long as I am losing and not gaining I'm goooooooood

yes, i have some trouble with foods too. most of it with stuff i shouldnt be eating anyway!! i did have to have my adjustment loosened because i ate too fast and got something stuck (again!!) i am going back to have an adjustment done friday so i need to be lots more careful.:hungry:

I was hungry at 3 weeks out also (I still get hungry at 7 months out). I think it is perfectly normal. An acid reducer really does help(I take prilosec). I think alot of us had a "3 week stall. i think thats normal too. Dont fret, my dear. It gets better really fast!

Ok, so I am 7 months past surgery and only 28-30 pounds down!! I mean I know the band is not bypass so I am not expecting super dropping of numbers but I have had 2 months solid with no dropping at all. I am pretty realistic. My eating could be a bit better but at most I have a few oreos a week. I've had fast few a handfull of times since my surgery and if you look at my eating habits prior to surgery and now WOW, what a differance. What is really frusterating is I have just completed my first 5K, that is 3 miles, so fo the past 3 weeks I have been doing the 3 miles everyday with the exception of 2 days a week (3 one week). This is rediculous. If you look at my lifestyle before I am so drastically differant. PLUS, I didnt get a fill this month the last time I got one was 6 month and I am up to 7 1/2 cc's. I vomit pretty much every time I eat, not all but ALOT. So you think at the very least I should be dropping from that. I made a appt to see my doc but I am pretty upset with this whole thing. Agian I am not expecting to wake up tomorrow skinny but I feel like so much effort is put into this for very little. Anyone out there have the same effect??? or troubles???

Most likely, your bites are either too big or you are eating too fast. If that is not the case, stick to full liquids for a few more days and try again. Sometimes the swelling has not gone down enough to advance to another stage.

so is it likely this is caused by eating too fast or not chewing enough? Up until this fill I could eat as much as I wanted and basically as fast as I wanted. I was able to eat at my other meals today without feeling full. I guess I don't feel like I am at the sweet spot because I was hungry all day and couldn't wait for dinner. I start wanting to eat again after about an hour. I don't, but I want too. I have a large band and currently have 7cc in it. Thanks for replying.

Hi, Does anyone know of a good, reliable app that will help me to time chewing? I got some tiny forks and spoons, but I'm still struggling with eating too fast. I had "eat slower" and it worked for a while, but now is full of bugs and doesn't work very well. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I'm currently on an iPhone but am switching back to Android ASAP since I really hate this phone.

I am one week out today and it takes me half hour to drink 1/3c soup and it hurts if I sip too fast

Good morning to you! Well what can i say. . I weighed 350 at my highest weight and had thought of WLS many times . . . but like you was skeptical and bought phentermine instead. . sure I lost 90lbs on phentermine, but at $145/month and a good addiction who can afford that! So i dropped the phentermine, gained all the weight back plus more and finally decided on WLS. . .hubbie wasn't supportive at all, so after about 2 1/2 years or so I finally convinced him to come to a meeting with me and he did. . . after listening to the 3 options of WLS, band, sleeve, and RNY, he told me that he would only support me with the sleeve. . .hallalooah! Got that sleeve within a month of the meeting (self pay goes incredibly fast) and hated it in the beginning cause you have to instantly relearn how to eat, drink, and chew all over again, but now after 1 year, I don't regret it at all and would probably do it again if need be. . .I've lost 145 +lbs and feel so good and can do things i never thought possible. . . i can ride horses again without thinking I'll kill them first before they can even take a step forward! I have heard many horror stories about the band, but I can't say anything about it cause I never experienced it, but there are a few on this forum who have and can share their stories with you. . . all i can say is go for the sleeve, I think you'll be very happy with your decision, however, the decision is yours to make. . . Good Luck!

I'm 32 years old with a 5'3" frame. At my heaviest weight I was 423 lbs. Now I am at 339 lbs. I lost my weight around 3 years ago with diet pills and stopping sodas. But I am nervous. I will be doing the sleeve surgery but don't have a date yet. My nerves evolve around me not knowing what to expect. I have NEVER been little or skinny.... At my youngest memory I was 11 years old wearing a 14 women's pants. By the end of middle school I was in an 18 women's and the start of high school it was a 22W. Fast forward to my 20s and I was 265 lbs at the time of the birth of my first child. And over the course of the next 8 years I had gained over 155 lbs. Now that I have kept this weight of 339 lbs I am now "used" to all the aches and pains that have become a natural part of my life. My knees have aged way before me and my ankles are horrible, one of them already being repaired because of my weight. But I am worried about the change. I don't want to become someone other than who I am. I know physically it will be amazing to get the weight off but there are things like my husband not being attracted to me anymore and me being that person who ends up obsessing over the weight loss. I have lost friends because of them losing weight and "preaching" to me or not wanting to hang out because we cant do anything they want to do and family who has had gastric bypass and now act like they are better than everyone else. I don't want to be that person. Had anyone else had these fears? I know I need the surgery and I will benefit alot from it so I'm not changing my mind. I just want to know I'm not alone. Any advice or suggestions? Thanks in advance. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G530AZ using the BariatricPal App

Hi Derby, Thanks for responding to my post. I went to my surgeon today and I'm hoping to get approval by next Thursday. He gave me a date for December 23 or possibly the 21 if another patient does not get approval. I to am a teacher and would love to have my surgery done while on Christmas break. I will need to start my 2 week fast this coming Thursday to be able to have my surgery. I plan on calling Humana on Monday. I am so prepared for this to happen. I am thankful that Humana made me wait the 6 months. It gave me time to do my research and make a sound decision about having Lapband surgery. Do you have a date yet? I live in St Petersburg. Dr Huguet is my surgeon. I really like him and feel comfortable with him. He has a very compassionate way about him. Let me know where you are in your journey, Hope to hear from you soon.

I'm approved I can't believe it went through so fast!! After 6 months of nutrition classes and another month of dealing with BS from my PCP all my paperwork was finally submitted to Cigna on Thursday afternoon. I got the call this morning that they received an approval!! My surgery date is March 16th!! YAY!! I can't wait to start my new life!!

Hello I am also in NH but will more than likely have my surgery in Burlington MA. I am going to the seminar next Monday and will let you know how fast it moves along. From reading the posts, I think its different from state to state and insurance companies as to how long you have to wait. Kerry

The band will help you with that habit. But it is better to do it the easy way and start now. So you will not get food stuck. Do not be disgusted with yourself just realize we all eat some types of food faster than others. I am banded and I have noticed if I eat watermelon I eat too fast and always get these really bad hicups that warn me to slow down now. You and I both need to build our self esteem, it will help both of us throught this process.