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My doctor told me about it on a recent visit. All you need to get signed up is your surgery date, the doctor didn'thave to do anything to activate it. It looks really interesting to me. It also includes two nurse phone calls during the 10 weeks. I'm starting on Monday. Why don't you do it too and we can support each other? Maybe we can get other Bandsters to do it too? Britt

I have decided to go from a hand written journal/food diary to one that EVERYONE can read....and relate to. I will also post new recipes as they come to me... I can be quite creative... so check back!! My name is Melissa, I'm 31. I have a 12 year old daughter who is the best kid ever!!...well..depending on the day! HAHA... I'm also engaged to an amazing man who I love with all my heart. Our wedding is on 11/10/07. I have been overweight since I was around 8 years old. I was never big on sports and I loved to eat.. bad combo. I never really went on a diet until after I had my daughter. Of course I did the Phen/Fen thing... lost about 65lbs.. and looked great! When the reports came out about the dangers of the drugs I stopped taking them and up went the weight. I've been allergic to scales for the most part of my life, I rely on my pants to tell me if I have gained or lost weight. Sometimes this is a good thing, sometimes bad. Saying that.. my lowest size was a 10, highest 20/22. I'm currently hovering around 18/20... REALLY hoping to hit the size 18 soon.. I have some really cute spring clothes from last year to wear!! My last attempt at losing weight went very well. I began working out for about 45 min a day/5 days a week. I also had a strict diet of no sugar, low fat, low cal meals.. a typical day for me would be a breakfast of fruit smoothie made with low fat yogurt, a lunch of salad with fat free dressing and cottage cheese and grilled chicken, and dinner would be some type of grilled or roasted meat (normally chicken, turkey or fish)....I'd also have a piece of fruit and maybe a hand full of pretzels to snack on.. Seeing how I was allergic to scales I do not know the exact weight loss... but I did go from a 22 to a 16. Thats when I met my fiance, got comfortable in our relationship..and out went the diet and exercising. I gained it ALL back. This time I've had it. I thought about bypass surgery, but I really did not like the idea of my insides being "cut and paste". When I heard about the lapband surgery I took my time and really researched it..and found it to be much more appealing than the bypass. I attended my first lecture at the end of Feburary and that started my journey. So, today I got my rear out of bed and went to the gym.:clap2: I did 20 min. of cardio on the treadmill and 25 min of resistance training. It felt good. When I came home I had a home made smoothie..made with fresh pineapple, orange juice and a half of a banana..I also added a half scoop of vanilla unjury protein powder... yum!! For lunch I had a small "taco salad" using about 2 tbs of ground turkey, a sprinkle of cheese, lettuce and tomato....no shell. Not bad. ...I'm off to do housework... a never ending task. 3/5 1st Consult 3/19 Cardiologist 3/20 Life skills class (1 of 3) 3/26 Cardio stress test (PASSED!) 3/27 Life skills class (2 of 3) 3/28 Program Psych and Nurse appointment 4/2 Psych clearance 4/3 Pulmonologist 4/3 Life skills class (3 of 3) 4/23 Final Dr appointment for surgical clearance 4/25 GI Endoscopy 5/14 SURGERY!!!!

I dont have pics sorry but I need the brachioplasty (surgery) each arm has about7-10 inces of loose skin- my docs think it is at least 5-15 lbs that I will/would loose- just saving money at this time for the procedure- then I will have before and after pics.... My arms don't really bother me- they bother others though- I am not afraid to go sleeveless or tank top etc... I am comfortable in my skin-

As you are not eating a lot do you have energy for excersise and general living etc? I have two young kids and go to the gym 4-5days a week. I need energy. I have alot of energy and I am 2 weeks out. The first week, not so much and every once in a while I've done too much, but a lot more energy without caffine! Secondly how is life after the weightloss.? Do you still enjoy goong out for dinner/lunch/coffees etc? I just started back on food and I went out for dinner last night and lunch today with coworkers. Its a little odd at first, but nothing too strange. I just have alot of leftovers Most people with partners order one meal and they take a small portion from the plate for themselves. Saves money and you're not wasting it. Thirdly how slow do you really have to eat? Is it a pain? You have to be conscious about how you eat, buts its not extremely slow. Practice eating like this: take a bite of something, chew it as much as possible, swallow, put your utensil down for 10 seconds, pick it up again and then do it again. Do you miss not heing able to eat a lot? Do you still want to and you just cant? Or does soms of the desire disapear? This is where your mind plays tricks on you. I am absolutely never hungry, but I know I have to eat. Then again there were times when I wasn't hungry and I ate, like if I was bored, etc. I catch myself more now than I did preop. I am more aware of my feelings and this is a process, not everyone is perfect. Do you have to drink slow? Yes, I sip my water. If I noticed I took in a large amount I either slowly traffic it down or spit it out.

Yup love love the jello and popsicles I ate probably 5-10 popsicles a day hehe Life savers!!

Today is the beginning of a new you. I was banded on 11/19/09 and have lost over 60 pounds in five months. I have always made food my best friend. The adjustment to a new way of looking at food is amazing. I wish you so much luck and I am sure you will be successful. Just remember you no longer live to eat, you eat only to live!!:glare::tt2::bored::tt2::sleep::thumbup::thumbup:

Wowzer, if you want a Snickers that bad, eat a Snickers. It's not going to make you gain 10 pounds, and if this is the result of your craving, it's better (IMO) to eat a Snickers and be done with it, than get to the point where you're obsessing about it (sounds like you're there now)... because that's when you eat 10 Snickers.

I know just how you feel. I was banded 8/15/07 and have very little restriction. I had a fill 4 weeks ago and go again 10/25/07. I can hardly wait. I know I eat too much, but keep doing it. What is wrong here? I want to loose the weight so bad, but some times just fall off the wagon. I don't eat until I am sick or anything, but I know I eat too much. Please get that candy out of your house!!! If it was in my house I could not sleep untill eating it. Like Wheetsin said have a small piece, because if you are like me once I start obsessing about something (food) if I don't distract myself or eat a small amount of what ever it is more than likely I will over eat. I know how hard it is I live it every day. Please hang in there. JP:)

I am very nervous about Monday (not the surgery, but the diet I have been on). I have been on a low carb/high Protein diet for 10 days. Tomorrow I will be drinking Clear liquids only before my surgery. I feel like I have not lost any weight on my presurgery diet! Will they not band me if I have not lost a lot of weight? What do most people drink the day before surgery? Is Isopure allowed. ACK!!!!! :smile:

I have no idea what might be happening with your knee, but I do think you should go see primary care if it still feels that way after a week or 10 days. This is great advice. If you start working it too early you could hurt it further...water exercise is smart.

I'm a little over 8 months out (started at BMI 36 before my VSG, having previously dieted down from BMI 46 and am now at BMI 23.8) and starting to try to taper off the weight loss. I've been eating a little more the past month, 1500 calories or so per day, and have still lost the same 3-4 pounds as the previous month. Weight loss was very rapid at the beginning and is now clearly tapering off. I've read about others continuing to lose weight even when increasing calories gradually so I was prepared for this, and still want to lose 10 pounds or so. I can't believe how well everything has gone! I'm mostly wondering about a couple of things: I do have some excess skin, how much do you suppose that weighs? I'm aiming for a BMI of about 22 but of course I have no idea what my normal weight is so I'm shooting from the hip here. Should I factor in for the excess skin and if so, how much? I don't know if anybody has that info or would hazard a guess. I'm 39 and though there is some loose skin around my lower belly I've come out surprisingly all right in that area, I think. I'm not comfortable wearing short shorts, knee-length yes, and have been seen in a skirt (with tights!) ending a couple inches above my knees. My arms have really firmed up well (I'm doing Pilates weekly) and I'm trying to get more exercise done now it's so easy to move. For anybody just considering having the surgery, I'd say definitely go for it. It has been one of the best decisions of my life. And I'm really glad I found my way to this forum: I don't post a lot but I've read a lot of the info and it has helped enormously. To each and every one of you: thank you! So now what? I go on with my life, healthier, happier and half my size six years ago. I'm still a work in progress in other ways, but I think I've got this particular problem out of the way. I'll still continue to watch what I eat, make sure I get enough Protein and weigh myself weekly, and look forward to the rest of my new, healthier life.

I was sleeved 7/13/10... yes less than a month ago and I am down over 50 pounds! Today I stepped on the scale and I was less then 300 pounds for the first time in a long time! Some of the weightloss was pre-op but who cares!!! I am feeling great! Next goal to be 250 by Oct 26th (my 28th birthday!).

This is really important for Pre-surgery peeps.... There are 8 videos, each one is less then 10 minutes and the content is awesome. It's everything we'll need to know to make this surgery work for us !!! Please take the time to watch these.

to lose weight to you have to exersize,i walk 2 miles everyday or more,its hothere so i go when sun goes down.alot days i dont want to go but i do.i watch what i eat,i have a 14 cc b andand have 9 cc,i lost another 10 pds last month and this month doing better,its been 7 months,i dont think i need another fill this m onth cause im not hungry and im not eating a whole lot,as far as scars mine is like almost gone.they healed great,

My weight is 231. BMI is 48.5. On my first day of my 2 week liquid diet, I woke up at 6:00am with the alarm. We had security duty at the vendor building for 7:00am. (We're fulltimers, living in a motorhome. At the present time we're at a rally in Perry, Georgia.) Surrounding me today will be what I call....carnival food!! Thank goodness I'll be busy till 9:30am, checking for ID''s to enter the building. I said goodbye to all that "junk food" last night with a shared peach cobbler with my husband. I'm determined to do this new lifestyle the right way. I had 1 Optifast at 7:00am, followed by 28 oz. of sipped water. 2nd Optifast at 10:30am. I'm feeling a little hungry just hanging around all this "fried-food" people are walking around with outside. 3rd drink at 12:00 noon and 16 oz. black coffee w/hazelnut shot. 4th drink at 6:00pm and 2 s.f. popcicles. I got really hungry between 3:00 & 6:00pm. I drank a 16 oz black coffee. Ugh!! I hate it without coffeemate hazelnut creamer.:phanvan 5th drink at 7:00pm. I've been so sore from riding my bike all around (determined to get in some exercise) since I haven't ridden it since last fall. Took 2 Aleve before bed and hope for a good night's sleep.

I only had 3 incisions.... each about 3/4 of an inch long....... I'm 16 days post op and I would say mine were fully healed in 10 days and barely noticeable. Not sure of the others but mine were surgically glued shut....

So I am 2 years banded and 1 year post TT. In that time I have lost 100+ pounds (idk how many inches). Gone from a 22w to an 8/10. And yet I still struggle with my body image I just don't see what others see or what the clothing size difference says. Eureka!! Today a huge lightbulb (100 watt) when on above my head. My problem is the number on the scale (isn't that what brought most of us to banding). Seriously though I mean I am relating how I think I look to that number that glows at me when I step on that scale. Has it changed - hell yes it has. 262/3 pre banding to 159 this morning. Somewhere in my brain that number tells me I am still fat! If Jennifer Anniston and Angelina Jolie are like 120 or less than I MUST still be fat. And forget when I watched Kirstie Alley on DWTS. I felt like a beast. I never wanted to be a size 2 and I still don't want that. I would look awkward especially since I am a 36dd. I know now I need to separate what I see from what Hollywood tells me. Heck Marilyn Monroe was a 12 and she was perfect!! Am I a success. Yes I am and if u are trying your best and u like u than u are too

Hello all! I was sleeved 12/10 and am down 17lbs since surgery. I'm looking to see if there is anyone that lives near me and would like to become occasional work out buddies or attend support groups together. I live in the East Bay of Oakland-San Francisco area.

I just saw my doc this past Wednesday for my preop and asked the same question. He told me that though he is comfortable performing either procedure, he likes scientific data. The rny has been performed for 30 or 40 years with very high success rate and the sleeve has only been performed for the past 10 years so it doesn't have the longterm data to back it as rny. So I chose rny because I feel the same way. Something interesting though while at my appt...all of us in the group that day were asked if we wanted to participate in a blind random clinical research study for a single incision gastic bypass. Being random you wouldn't know which surgery you were getting until you woke up but my doc did the first single incision rny back in 2004 and is coming to the end of his clinical trial...thought that was interesting though I opted for the normal 5 incision...he said the single is a bit more difficult and a little more post op pain involved. Good luck with your decision! I wish you the best!

The old prescritptions were some times very effective but they took allot of the market as well as the 3 pill coctail including phentermine as a part. The latest news is that they have aproved one which also has the phentermine in it but its the first in 10 years. Over the counters have herbals now as well, they are not so good. I use a natural resource algea called spirulina which has an over powering taste and I put it in blenderized drinks. It takes some getting used to if you hadn't drank anything like it before.

Keep up the good work and way to go!! I do think that really working hard to get lots of exercise has helped me lose the weight. I also started as a light weight and am 50 with a metabolism that isn't like it was when I was in my 20's. We both had our surgery in March and will be at goal before we know it. Keep working it! Frankie VSG 3/22/10

Damn 10 months out and still the fat brain............ Well congrats at the weight lose........... I just don't understand it......... I had to put on a pair of my old jeans just so my brain can see the difference.....

I am an A type personality. A former athlete and self proclaimed workaholic (okay maybe more than self proclaimed...as I am told regularly that I work too much). I spent a lifetime playing baseball, softball, rugby, indoor soccer and pretty much anything I could sacrifice my body to in the name of winning competitions. My knees started to go as a teenager (first surgery at 14). Now at 43 I have osteoarthritis and I am nearly bone on bone in my right knee. The pain in my knees have progressively started getting worse as one, I quit playing sports about 5 years ago and two...and extra 110+ lbs will do you in too! Its an awful pain. I have paid the trainer and worked out diligently for 2 years with a 258 going down to 213 lbs. During this time I dislocated my right knee a few times (once while walking in the pool!!) and this of course makes for a great setback. Oh...I worked out with a leg brace on but not getting a 1000 calorie per hour burn does not help my A type personality when I only burn 400 in an hour. And lord forbid I only get to burn 250 because my knee has gone out again. *sigh* How did I get overweight? I weighed 160 lbs in 1995 and gave birth in 1996 at 290 lbs! I weighed 330 lbs when I gave birth to my second child in 1998. Gestational Diabetes. I did not have diabetes nor did I carry over diabetes into my life after pregnancy. But I did get down to about 208 and hovered there. As I played more sports (now with another 50 lbs in tow) my arthritis got worse and the weight began to rise. Second, I developed a sugar addiction. I work and dont eat...I come home and I crash/binge eat. This is the mental game I have to change going forward. Eventually I quit playing sports (2008) and easily added 20 more pounds. Here I have remained. Not one person, no matter what your backstory, goes into WLS flippantly. If I could control the sugar and workout without ending up in a knee brace every few months I would have done it! There is a mindset that needs to be achieved and I know I have a joint replacement surgery coming 10 years down the road. So while I have a plan that is 10 years long, I have short term miles stones to achieve right now. I read about people's outcomes and successes after WLS. I realistically understand that my arthritis will still be here and still be painful even after the weight is off. I hope the weight loss eases my knee pain. I know I will be able to relearn the food because I am/will take the time I need (something I never do) and I am committed to each step of this life long change. I am a very assertive person and will take each step as it comes and not worry about all the steps that will come in the future. I just want to focus on what I need to do today and change that. Tomorrow I will focus on the next step and so forth. Oh--I have a killer support group. My family and friends are going to be very helpful and my employees and my bosses are supportive. I am blessed to have these people in my life. For the first time, maybe ever, I am asking for help and I am going to openly receive it. That has been a huge step for me in the past few months. I tend to do everything for myself an not ask for help. Things are changing

Hello all, My name is Mark and I am new to not only these boards but to the bariatric surgical world. I have not yet had any procedure done yet, nor have I met with the surgeon; however I am convinced this is what I want for myself. My PCP recommended lap-band as she figured my insurance would cover the procedure. I am 36 and was diagnosed as a type-2 diabetic about 10 years ago. I have never really taken my disease seriously, and it is starting to catch up to me. I have 3 small children and can't bear the thought of them growing up without me. I discovered that my insurance requires the 6 months of supervised diet, and I meet with the surgeon's dietician this Monday, 6/14. I know the wait will be long, but I know in the end it will be worth it. I have been reading some threads and such, and honestly, I am a little nervous. I read about the PB/food getting stuck, which scares me the most. I would like to know if this common or just happens on rare occaisions. Also, the surgeon mentioned 2 types of bands now, Lap-Band and Realize... do people on this board only have lap-band or is there a mix of both? Looking forward to becoming a healthier, happy me on Monday. Thanks for your ears and your patience. Mark

So I don't notice the difference most of the time until I put on clothes that no longer fit. However when I look in the mirror I still look at myself and see the fat girl. I am a nurse and have had to finally go get new scrubs because the old ones were falling off me. When I did this I thought I only went down one size and no I went down two. I am 4 months and a week post op. i have lost 72 pounds and so close to being in the 100 mark. I have struggled at times with eating. I have not had any trouble eating anything. Nothing makes me sick to my stomach or har the runs. Sometimes I wonder of this is all really true and if they really did the surgery. And then I take the one bite to many and it hurts. At that point I know it is really sleeved. I dance hula and have fr about a year. I danced it at 281 pounds and am still doing it now at 210. We had a big performance this past weekend and I really noticed for the first time I am skinner. I have to day this is definitely a journey I thought I was ready for but realized that it has so many challenges that I wasn't expecting. Or example gettin my water In when I'm working out or dancing and am completely thirsty and water is not helping it. So some things I have learned. • don't overeat at any time it hurts real bad • work out and it helps with the skin mine is going in not fast but it is. • don't do it the wrong way. Follow your surgeons plans and diet they have to for a reason. I have a friend that did the sleeve and then took diet pills to loose it faster and didn't work out. But followed the diet and lost 150 pounds in 10 month but has a ton of excess skin. • no matter what you see the people around you notice even if they don't say anything. • the best feeling is know that this saved the rest of your life. • when you put on clothes 2 sizes smaller you will feel amazing. Especially when you haven't been that size in years. I hope this helps some one. I read a lot of post on here and don't respond a lot but I have gotten a lot of positive feelings form them. And know that I have done the right thing and that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks for taking the time to read this. One year ago at a performance This past Saturday