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Ty! Yes we are! Some of that weight loss was pre-surgery, lost about 26# since surgery. I feel really good actually. a) I too need to stop eating before I’m too full like so many others here, I’m having a hard time with that. b) I was super nauseous for the first 3 weeks or so but was lucky in that my surgeon gave me Zofran for it. My Dr. cleared me to eat whatever (as long as it’s healthy) I want after my 1 month follow up and so far so good. My new favorite food is canned chicken crust pizza I make. It’s soooo yummy and gives me tons of protein intake with just one piece. c) I’m definitely feeling the stalls, I’ve had 2 (one currently) which is what makes me come see how y’all are doing and then I realize it’s not just me so that makes me feel better. It’s just so annoying bc I typically eat about 750-900 cal a day and my brain just doesn’t want to get why the weight doesn’t just drop off 🤣. I think it thinks I’m starving to death 🤦🏼‍♀️😂 d) I have on occasion gotten super hungry which I hate. I was so hoping that feeling was permanently gone but 🤷🏼‍♀️. It’s only happened to me 2 or 3 times so maybe I was dehydrated? That’s what I’m telling myself for now. I also have a hard time getting 64 ounces of fluid in but I try. And going back to the nausea thing….i just had a couple of suggestions that I’ve tried and have helped me, but of course ev1 is different. Even the thought of protein shakes now make me want to vomit, I do everything I can to avoid having to drink them. I try to hit 60-80 gm of protein a day. I eat a lot of tuna, chicken, Greek yogurt, the Only Bean roasted edamame beans and chicken pizza crust pizza. And use liquicel if I need a protein boost before breaking down and having a shake. I don’t ever take my vitamins on an empty stomach, I always eat light and fit Greek yogurt first. water makes me nauseated now. So I very rarely drink plain water. I usually drink decaf unsweetened iced tea and now add Mio to my water but I’m trying to integrate the plain water back in, I think it’s just some kind of weird mental block. And just keep in mind that dehydration itself can cause fatigue and nausea! Of course so can the vitamins were all taking 😂 Sorry for the vvvveeerrryyyyyy long post guys! And thanks again for all y’all’s unknown help. I wish ev1 the best on their weight loss journey!

I think 4 weeks of liquid shakes only is a bit excessive. I was told by my surgeon that I could only drink 3 shakes a day for 2 weeks, but when I did my research on liver shrinkage, what I found was that the goal was deplete carbs. And you can do that with things other than protein shakes. Like actual protein. So I asked my surgeon why I couldn't just eat chicken breast and eggs all day, every day. He explained that it wouldn't be nutritionally balanced enough, plus after the surgery, my stomach wouldn't be able to handle solid foods for weeks so it was good "practice". I took all of that under consideration, as well as discussions I read about other people's pre-op diets, and went a bit rogue. I would choke down 2 shakes a day (instead of 3), then eat chicken + non-starchy veggies for dinner. I also drank low-sodium broths frequently because I REALLY don't like sweet things. During the last ~5 days of the diet, I switched to recommended 3 shakes per day to get in that "practice" the surgeon talked about. That slower transition was so much easier for me than going cold turkey. I'm 2 months post-op now and down 42 lbs so I guess it's working. Not saying you should rebel like I did, but you should at least ask your surgeon to explain his reasoning and maybe bring up some of the above points. See how he reacts.

Hi Vanessa, I'm also 5'9 and started at 262. I had a 2 week liquid only diet, and a couple of days of that were pretty rough but I made it through without any slips. I'm 3 weeks post op now and the things I thought would be hard don't seem to bother me, watching others eat my favorite foods is not an issue. What's been harder for me is the expected emotional roller coaster, probably hormonal, and the changes that have happened so quickly. I have to keep reminding myself that I'm tired and emotional because I had a big surgery, and I'm eating very few calories. So when I walk on the treadmill and go too fast, too long, I have to rest for a day and I don't like that. I know it's temporary, I'll start feeling better soon.

Take your time, listen to your body. Dont compare your process to anyone else’s. I waa struggling to drink and swallow and I was frustrated and miserable! But i spoke to my sister whos 17 months post op and she said for me to try to be more self aware with my sipping I admitted to gulping lol and being frustrated by it. But once I calmed down, gave my body time. Im able to chew and drink better. But, if i estimate my food intake at a time its prob like. 3oz at a time. Like last night I went out ordered a lamb cut the meat super super small made sure I chewed at least 20 times per bite. I accomplished to eat the tip of one lamb which was very tiny lol but I was satisfied. My point is listen to your body, trust the process. A few tablespoons might be what your body is fine with for now as long as you are satisfied thats all that matters. Another example when I eat yogurt I can only have 2oz at a time. Im 3 weeks post op on soft food diet. Hopefully I helped u a bit and didn’t just rant lol. Sending you good vibes

Well, I don't like that dietician. That was just unprofessional to comment on your weight compared to other patients. And also a load of garbage, as there are plenty of people your starting size who seek out wls every day. As for why you've struggled with your weight, it's the same reason we all have: genetics plus environment. Your body is very efficient at storing fat for survival and your current environment offers you the exact kinds of foods your body is best at converting to fat. It's not your fault. Are there things you can do better to keep from returning to where you were? Of course! Learning to resist those simple carbs is going to be very important to longterm success. But it's not a moral failing or lack of willpower that made you obese, and you can definitely make the changes you need to make with the surgery to help you. Good luck!

Almost 5 years & yes, I do. There are certain foods that simply are too heavy in my tummy. Breads, pasta, rice I’m looking at you. I try a bite of bread every now & again just to see but nope not for me. (Don’t really miss them at all & I used to eat them often). I also have times when something I’m eating unexpectedly sits too heavily. Unexpected because I’ve eaten it before without an issue & I’ll eat it again easily. Though it is nice to know my restriction is still active. And yes I still have bouts of the foamies. I think I’ve a more sensitive tummy & esophagus but I had a sensitive tummy before surgery so nothing really new just a little different. I’ve accepted them & think of these as things that are just quirky to me: makes me more special than I already am - LOL! Doesn’t really restrict or limit me in any way. Can be a little annoying at times of course but easily manageable. And much like @The Greater Fool, some days I eat all of my meal & another I may not. Doesn’t matter. I love left overs. They mean I may only be reheating my dinner tonight not cooking from scratch. I’ll be snacking on my left over rolled oats breakfast later this afternoon. I also focus on protein & vegetables too & honestly after that I couldn’t eat anything else. Oh yes, also female, though late 50s, 5’3” & not active,& have maintained (apart from a 2kg medication glitch 2.5yrs ago but I lost that when we sorted it). Congratulations on maintaining too. Who hoo!

I went on a road trip for the holidays at 2 months out. I took a giant lunchbox with me filled with protein shakes and ice packs, cheese and some other cold snacks (I can recommend a fantastic lunchbox on Amazon if you are interested). Then I filled the top of it with some Powercrunch protein bars, Quest sweet chili protein chips, Paleovalley meat sticks (they weren't too dry) and water flavoring packets (I like sugar free lemonade and the Jolly Rancher sugar free ones because I love sour things). I stopped every 2 hours to walk around and use the bathroom to ensure I was hydrating properly. And we stopped for 2-3 meals a day in addition to my shakes and snacks. It worked really well!! I didn't feel deprived at all. In fact, I felt better than I did on road trips before surgery because I stopped more often and hydrated better! Plus I was making wiser food choices.

You're fine. My surgeon didn't even have me do a pre-op diet. He was fine with me even eating normal food the night before,I just had to fast by midnight before the surgery. I legit had lobster risotto 13 hours pre-op. My surgery went fine and things have been going great post-surgery.

Did a reverse sear venison back strap, over some sautéed spinach, side of roasted veggies and one roll. I like to cook and this one was good and I ate almost all of it, but should have stopped sooner. Food after surgery doesn’t have to be boring, just smaller portions. 😎

12/11 I’m at the purée stage and ran out of food ideas pleas help…

MJ - I'm with you! I switch to purees on Wednesday. It can't get here soon enough! I'm so over all the sweet stuff! LOL!

Just curious, are you on a mainly vegetarian or vegan diet, because its common for copper levels to increase with a lack of meat. Foods that commonly have more copper include shellfish, beef liver, whole-grain products, nuts & seeds, avocados, chickpeas, tofu, potatoes, mushrooms. So if you eat a lot of these, this may be the cause. I'm not a doctor or nutritionist, just some random guy on the internet, but from what I can find on the matter, it sounds like it can be caused by eating a diet mostly consisting of those things I mentioned, but also from a deficiency in other minerals like Zinc and B & C vitamins, as well as other metals needed in a diet, which copper will take the place of in their absence. It may be worth looking into a multivitamin that's lower in copper but has other metals in safe levels. It can also be environmental, so check to see if there's anything you're around frequently that could expose you to copper, such as copper plumbing for your water, copper cookware, jewelry, and IUDs. I have a similar issue with Nickel, and have to be careful which metals I handle, since its common for steel to have nickel in its alloys.

Hello - I had gastric sleeve in June of 2015 and lost over half my body weight initially, getting down to well below my initial goal in the first year. Started having issues with acid reflux pretty early on, and it's gotten steadily worse, especially in the past 3 years. I'm currently on omeprazole and famotidine, plus Tums in addition. A 24-hour PH study showed that I had over 100 episodes of reflux in that period. So I was approved to revise to a gastric bypass. I also have regained over half of what I lost, mostly since my reflux has gotten worse, and am about 50 pounds heavier than my ideal weight. The reflux makes me feel hungry all the time, and I'm eating way more carbs than I should because they seem to tame the acid somewhat. I understand that it's pretty much a pipe dream that I'll be able to lose anything close to that with revision, but I guess any weight loss would be better than where I am right now. My new surgeon said she expected that I'd get back down to 110-120 after revision (my preferred weight personally is around 125), but based on all the posts I've read here and on reddit, she is definitely exaggerating to make me more willing to go through with the surgery. The best it sounds like I could hope for is to lose maybe 15-20 pounds over the course of a year or more? I am scheduled for surgery on Jan. 18th, but I'm having second thoughts after reading so many horror stories of unpredictable dumping episodes and ever-changing food intolerances. I guess maybe my reflux isn't as bad as others, since the reality of daily life with RNY seems unbearably miserable to me in comparison to my life currently. I'm afraid that I won't be able to do my job anymore (or even leave the house at all) if I am unable to eat or drink anything without the risk of vomiting/foamies (I have pelvic floor issues, so I pretty much always lose bladder control when I vomit or dry heave) or having uncontrollable diarrhea. After revision, do you have to wear an adult diaper all the time? Has anyone developed an eating disorder based on fear of getting sick after consuming anything? Do you have any "safe" foods, or is it always a (literal) crapshoot? I know that continued GERD can cause esophageal cancer down the line, but wouldn't the same be true of daily vomiting? Has anyone who is several years out from revision developed cancer or precancerous damage to their esophagus due to the constant vomiting? Likewise, have your teeth been ruined from it? For those who revised from VSG to RNY and are past the initial healing stages, would you do it again or has it made your life even worse?

I haven't told anyone -- even my family -- that I got surgery. It's none of their business, and people can be really ignorant and judgmental about WLS, and I don't want to debate about it. Sometimes when someone says, "Wow, you look great!" you can divert the conversation away from weight loss just by saying, "Thanks! So do you! It's great to see you; how have you been?" My go-to answer when people ask me how I lost the weight is, "I made a lot of lifestyle changes..." That alone is often enough to make them lose interest because they're looking for an easy answer. If they press for more information, I'll talk about using MyFitnessPal to track my food, getting a FitBit to track my steps, waking up early to work out before work, finding healthy recipes on Pinterest, incorporating more vegetables into my meals, using grocery delivery to avoid temptation, etc. Which is all true. I'm 3.5 years post-op, and over time, the surgery itself is less of a factor and the "lifestyle changes" (I used to hate that term, but that's what it is) are what matter. Nowadays, weight loss drugs like Ozempic are pretty socially accepted, more so than surgery. I would be more willing to admit to using Ozempic than getting WLS, except that I haven't used weight loss drugs and I wouldn't lie to say I did (and wouldn't want to have to answer questions about side effects, cost, etc. that would probably follow). But since weight loss drugs are so common, people might just assume.

A couple of questions about recovery before a family wedding. I am scheduled for VSG on March 6. Yes, far out due to work commitments. I have a big family wedding two months later and am wondering (overthinking) how this will all work? 1) I am not in the wedding party but do have a role and need to get a new dress. At this point, I am planning to get a dress that fits me now and assume it may be a bit roomy two months following my surgery, but will still work. Does that seem reasonable, in others experience? 2) Is it likely I’ll be able to eat any of the wedding food two months out? I absolutely realize my experience may be different from others, just wondering what events have been like at two months for others going through the surgery. I also understand my options will be limited (plain protein?) but wondering if I’ll have to pack food/snacks. I’ve read all kinds recovery eating schedules but don’t have the proscribed one for my program yet. Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences and advice!

Thanks Cat. they were so yummy. I had them again a few days later but they didn’t sit right. I am almost at the 3 month mark. I will do measurements in a few days. I have to eat even smaller amounts then a normal sleeve patient and chew 1000 times. Almost like mush in my mouth before it goes down. this is odd: The dietician has told me to chew the steak and then spit it out. This way I can get the taste and not the blockage. That has worked for at home meals. I am enjoying creating and cooking again. I have been busy with work(own business, work from home) but I have been staying 200km away from home 2 days a week as I have stuff on. Mostly immediate family stuff. That has interfered with my eating and drinking routine. I don’t feel happy/excited to eat out in public. Being judged for what and how much I eat. A friend complained I was wasting food. im looking forward to everyone’s achievements on our 3 month mark.

well i love ur xmas outfit! it would totally fit in for my fams xmas day morning and afternoon parties...about 7-8 years ago we all sort of all silently decided to show up xmas morning at the in-laws in our pjs or other loungewear...we stayed this way throughout the morning into the afternoon party at my SIL's. lol but we would change into something more presentable for the xmas dinner party whereever it was held hahahha the beauty of wearing comfy clothes at xmas: as elle woods would say: they aren't as "binding" (i.e., room AND camouflage for food bellies!)

I had gastric bypass in July of 2019. Highest weight was 400 before losing a bit on my own. Current weight varies from 167 to 173. I still feel some restriction to this day. My meals are usually small although I know we can all 'eat around' the restriction by eating smaller, but continuous meals and this was a slippery slope I fought back against. About 2 yrs ago, I started experiencing right sided pain. It felt like the pain I used to feel when I ovulated so I assumed it was ovarian (post menopausal). Saw OB & had 2 ultrasounds and they couldn't even see my right ovary (like, where did it go?) and the left was fine. Since they couldn't 'see' the right one, they said that was good since there was no obvious signs of..I don't know tumors, growths? The pain continued to worsen & I finally had gall bladder taken out about 1.5 yrs ago. I adjusted diet again to deal with gal bladder being gone and things seemed to go ok. A ew months after that the right sided pain returned. About 4 mos ago, the pain got so bad at times I'd be in a ball on my bed considering going to the ER (which I HATE doing). Went back to primary and he sent me for CT scan. CT came up with no findings. Then he referred me to GI doctor for colonoscopy and upper GI. I thought finally 'this was it, we've ruled out most other things'. I also had seen blood in my stools and it was old blood, like coffee grounds so I thought ok, not hemorrhoids? Just got back home from colonoscopy & upper GI. I thought doing the prep was bad 10 yrs ago, but it is much harder having had bypass surgery. Good news is they found no polyps or other concerning things. Bad news is I was stunned their main finding was regarding my bypass "Patient's surgical anastomosis was noted to be widely dilated, raising the possibility of Dumping Syndrome as a cause for her complaints". OK, most know what dumping is. I thought it was post surgery when we ate food (i.e. sugar, high fat) that processed too fast or was too much for us to handle. They recommended I see a gastric bypass revision specialist. My question is, has anyone else had a revision NOT due to their 1st bariatric surgery not being successful but for a "medical reason" like this (other than GERD, heartburn). I'm not even sure insurance will pay, but I have 2 yrs worth of history on this pain. Even it if does pay, I dread what this means for me - even more hair loss? If I do this, will I need another revision in 5 yrs again at which point I'll be getting up there in age. I've also wondered with the CT scan, etc. is there any chance of some straggler/stone from my gallbladder surgery 1.5 yrs ago that should be considered? Should I post this in the revision group instead? I read through some and was unsure. Are we allowed to cross-post? Any input would be appreciated. This is causing issues on my job as the pain hits out of nowhere (not X amount of time before OR after a meal, that I have been able to discern. Thank you!

Thank you both. Spinoza thank you I know with my mental health issues that my journey doesn’t look exactly like everyone’s here but some version of what happened to me could happen to everyone I hope my story helps someone. I know that so many people here have helped me along the way. I wish I wouldn’t have gotten so embarrassed and stopped posting last time. Things may be different now. But, I put my story out there and from now on I am looking forward. BlondPatriotinCDA That’s what I try to tell my husband. He has always been very fit and he tries to empathize but he just doesn’t understand and sometimes he says all the wrong things. Recently He said I don’t get it, you quit smoking why is this so difficult for you. I said because I don’t have to smoke three puffs a day to survive and not smoke anymore than that. I know if I had one cigarette I would be a smoker again. In fact i did and I was until I quit the second time and now I know I can’t have just one. But, I do think knowledge is power and I will know when I do go off plan again which I inevitably will. I will know that give it a few days and my body will stop screaming at me that it’s starving because that’s what it takes for me. I eat carbs and my body craves them for a few days afterwards then the cravings are a lot less. Then I’m good until the next holiday or dining out temptation or if I’m really stressed I eat off plan. Those are my triggers. I’m hoping that information will make it easier for me to get back on track next time. This time I already told all my loved ones to please try not to offer me food that is not a good choice for me and I am eating low carb already. I also just declined a lunch invitation with my craft group being honest that I’m too tempted to eat bad when dining out. Maybe once I get back on track I said but for now I need to stay focused (to a group of mostly really skinny women who probably totally don’t get it but they didn’t say anything at least). Anyways. Yes. My plan is to keep chatting here with people Who actually get it and to try to find that therapist and pay out of pocket as Spinoza suggested because this is it. It is not like they usually revise a third time and even if they did the complications and risks are scary enough the second time around. This is my do over and I have to do it right this time.

The reason for erratic weigh-ins (and the infamous three-week stall) is that in the early stages of running a sustained calorie deficit, your body does not burn much fat. Your body worked hard to store fat and considers it a precious commodity that it does not want to part with for no reason. For extra energy to make up for a lack of calories in the short term, your body first burns glycogen. 1 gram of glycogen is bound with 3 grams of water, so as you burn it for fuel, you also flush out this water weight. Only when the glycogen reserve is used up does your body turn to burning fat. The first few weeks after surgery, you were probably lucky to get in 600 calories per day. Your body was burning glycogen like crazy. When the numbers first dropped on the scale, that was almost entirely water weight. Now that you're a couple weeks out, you're allowed to have some pureed food, and you can probably get closer to your protein goals with your shakes. With a few extra calories coming in (still nowhere close to what you need every day to power your bodily functions), your body is at least reassured you are not in imminent danger of starvation. It's taking a look at your empty glycogen reserves with horror and doing its best to fill them back up with the calories you are giving it, like a squirrel storing up acorns for winter. For every gram of glycogen your body puts into the storage cupboard, you've got 3 grams of water tagging along for the ride. Meanwhile, you can rest assured that your body is also burning fat to keep your engines running. However, when you step on the scale, it can't really tell you that you've burned 4 pounds of fat and also stored 7 pounds of glycogen and water. It's just going to tell you that you've gained 3 pounds. But you've done nothing wrong. This is your body doing what evolution programmed it to do since humans lived in caves and constantly had to battle short-term food shortages. Once you've restocked that glycogen, you'll start being able to see the fat loss on the scale again, and in your measurements. As long as you keep doing what you're supposed to do, your weight will move in the right direction. But not as a straight line. Weight loss looks a lot more like a staircase with drops and plateaus, and a lot of small fluctuations that have nothing to do with fat. Try not to let it drive you crazy!

"As is the practice here I had an assessment with a psychologist who confirmed I was a suitable candidate and a dietician who again confirmed I was a suitable candidate but in the process managed to make me feel like I had already failed, in her words I was "Much heavier than most people who come to us" As she was a gate keeper and I needed her approval to progress I did not complain. That time will come." Your last sentence made me laugh, I can picture it. I've always thought that dieticians should have all gone through the bariatric process in order to work at a bariatric clinic. They really don't understand nor have the empathy to comprehend what they're saying " you want something crunchy have some celery," "Oh, you're missing noodles? Try heart of palm noodles they're delish and taste just like regular Thai noodles" and my personal favorite; "you want a treat or snack have a glass of tea!" Unfortunately, despite all their training and understanding of nutrients they don't understand its not will power we lack, we've all lost 100's of pounds on our dieting, nor is it a lack of knowledge knowing what we should be eating - its our bodies demanding certain foods, talking over our common sense. Dieticians act as if we just don't have the knowledge or that we just eat garbage for the heck of it. Food processed today was made to be addictive, why else are populations getting heavier than ever before? Good for you doing what you had to and choosing to address her comments afterwards to get what you need. I did the same thing with my dietician and psychologist (she said she really thought our session helped me open up) nope, I'm not one to talk about my feelings, I just didn't dispute her so I could get my surgery and oh yes date of palm "noodles are delish" to my dietician bleh..they're nasty to me, because I enjoyed eating slimy rubber bands! 😉 Congrats on your journey and doing what you had to do!

The first year is where you will have the most success setting a new baseline weight, so avoiding excess sugar is important. I will say from personal experience, and recovering from Type 2 diabetes, if I have sugar like I did over the holidays (cookies, egg nog, cake), I would start to crave it constantly. It would take about 2-3 days of avoiding it to stop being "hangry". If I didn't make myself focus on high protein and savory foods, I would crave sugar, bread, and starch constantly. For special occasions you can have some after your restrictions are lifted, but just be aware it will temporarily make you crave more, and can get out of hand if you let it.

I am five months postop and think I am driving myself crazy. I have not lost any weight since November 11 right before the holidays and am terrified I messed my surgery up. I indulged a little too much with carbs during Thanksgiving and Christmas. I started this journey at 285 and am currently 227. I was 269 August 29th day of the sleeve. I followed my diet to the T until holidays How do I pick my weight loss back up?? Did I ruin this for good?? I def CANNOT eat as much as I used to but I can't seem to get back to starting point of protein and 5%carbs and 5%fat limits on food items. I'm embarrassed to talk about it with anyone except this forum. All my bloodwork is great. I am doing some cardio and weights 5 days a week but not much as I'm slowly getting into it. But I feel like I've messed up my sleeve or something!! What If I did all this just to lose almost 60 pounds but to be honest I do feel the best I have in years. I just don't wanna give up I don't even know what to think about not losing weight all these months. I did gain/lose a few pounds (was 224 then was 230 now I'm 227). Am I going to be stuck at this weight forever??? Its only been 51/2 months!! Advice please!!!!

For me now I am still trying to get into a routine of what I can and cannot tolerate but it is usually; Breakfast - pot of greek yogurt, tsbp of cinnamon (good for inflammation) and a 1/2 cup of granola or oats. (approx 20g protein). At weekends I do a protein pancake with fresh fruit. (15g protein) During the morning/afternoon - coffee with a scoop of collagen powder (10g of protein in the scoop) * 2 (20g protein) Lunch - usually a soup I have made in my slow cooker, at moment red lentil, chili & carrot which is delicious. (5g to 10g protein depending on the soup) Dinner - again something homemade in my slow cooker like a beef goulash, bolognese or chicken dish. I don't usually have a side with them, as not eating enough to sacrifice stomach space for a non protein element, but I do include some veg within the cooking process so I am happy with that. A few times I have had rice with the dishes but at the most 1/2 cup each time. Sometimes I will have the same thing for lunch and dinner as I batch cook so much my freezer is overflowing. The protein amounts very from about 8g to 25g depending on the food, for example a peanut butter (protein) chicken dish I made only has 241 calories, 8g fat, 14g carbs and a whooping 26g protein. On a Friday I treat myself to a 1/4 of a frozen protein vegan pizza (11g protein). It is the one thing really that I don't prepare myself. During the day if I remember to eat I might also have a protein bar, some nuts or 2 squares of dark chocolate. I am trying to get some fruit in also but it is hard to find the stomach space and the time (considering not being able to eat 30 mins either side of a drink). On activity, I have started the One & Done 7 minute exercise program, it is just three times a week as I am a beginner. I do 45 minutes of aqua aerobics once a week so that is four active days more than I did pre-op I try to get a walk in a couple of times a week also but find it hard to be motivated to do that unless it is around the shops which is then dangerous for my wallet!

I had my lap band removed in November of 2023. It was the best thing that ever did. Getting a lapband was the stupidest thing I've ever done in my life in the biggest waste of money. It was a complete rip-off. They give you nothing but false hope. I paid for it on my own. I basically just threw $10000 away. I never lost weight. What did happen was a bunch of complications and side effects. Reflux excessive gas. Severe pain in my chest and shoulder blade area. Vomiting food up of course. I wouldn't recommend getting a lap band to my worst enemy. 2 months after getting it out. I still have excessive gas. On a good note, most of the other things that I mentioned have subsided. I can't wait for the lawsuits to start being filed. I will be right there with them. My money should be returned to me because it never worked. Like the old saying, goes. If it sounds too good to be true. It probably is.