Tell Your Weight Loss Surgery Story

Hi! I'm Marissa, from Austin, TX, and I'm scheduled for surgery on Feb 24th. I've been overweight for more of my life than I have not - and I am a perpetual dieter. I have tried EVERYTHING. I've had some skinny days in my life, but could never hold on to them long... thus, I have boxes and boxes of skinny clothes (size 6!) stacked in my garage, that I am just DYING to get back into. Sadly, I didn't get to wear those for long, and I should have known better than buying a bunch of designer clothes in size 6, since odds are, that I wasn't gonna be thin enough to really even enjoy them. But of course, I said what I'm, sure every perpetual dieter says.... I'm never gonna let …

Hi everyone - I'm new here. I had my VSG on 1/24/12. I am trying my best to be upbeat and do everything that I am supposed to be doing, but I feel as if I am failing at this! Heartburn, nausea, pain, second-guessing myself... I'm sure that it is normal and that I'm not the only one to feel this way. I just didn't plan on all of this - I don't want to fail at this, too. Does anyone have any advice? I feel like such a loser right now.

Hey Everyone, I'm so excited and scared. I finally made the decision to go through and get the Lap-Band. I went through the pre-req stuff like get and endoscopic exam, blood test, sleep study, ekg, and pysch test. I meet up with my doc on 2/11 to give me the results and hopefully give me the ok and we can submit it to my insurance. Kinda weird the doc found that I had a hiatial hernia but said he could fix it when they do the surgery. Does any one know if healing time is longer because they have to fix this too? I really love this site. It has already answered so many questions I've had. Please tell me your stories healing and exercise. Can I walk on my treadmill as …

Hey everyone my name is Rocky . I got my band on Monday and it took 6 hours to put in ?? Anyway I had a lot of gas but that has since died down a lot and the gas pain is pretty much down . I was wondering I still feel hungry a lot is that normal ? I'm only eating jello water and tea and I had soup twice just broth .

Well it's now here. My surgery that is. Been ongoing since Oct. with my first visit to Dr. Cahill. My story started with my boss having a sleeve because he was pre-diabetic. I had never heard of this procedure even though my mom had recently had a Gastric Bypass. He lost a lot of weight and started to tell me of the benefits. You see I've been a type 2 diabetic for roughly 15 years and it is really starting to take it's toll. I've been heavy most of my life with a fifty pound gain 20 years ago when I quit smoking. At my heaviest i was around 290 but have maintained 265 to 270 for quite a few years. The struggle has been that with type 2 it is extremely hard to lose weig…

Hey y'all my name is Shawnte, I am 34 years old and I am ready to begin a new lifestyle change. I am over weight and have been for some time now. I have started diets and didn't complete them. I have gone to the gym which was also a fail. I am familiar with the lap band and recently had my PCM put in a referral. Good news is I received my approval letter and now I am so anxious to get this ball rolling. My husband will be deploying soon and what a better time to focus and take better care of myself. I have a few questions like starting what do I do now?!? I did attend a seminar a while back ago and have no problem attending another one. Any input or advice is greatly appr…

Well, if everything goes right { oh please, please, please this time *fingers crossed*} my surgery is 16 days away. So last night was our last chance to go out before my pre-op diet starts. Tupelo was covered up and the wait time to get in everywhere was an hour {and it was cold outside!}. We finally managed to get in the door at Applebee's after only 35 min. But anywho, I had an exquisite 9oz. Sirloin strip, steamed broccoli and baby carrots, onion rings and then to finish off a shooter glass of chocolate mousse and whip cream. It was wonderful and nice of him to take me out. What I would like to know is how much of that does the average person eat after surgery? As in h…

Hi, I'm Molly, and I'm going for my Lap-Band consult this Friday. I'm very excited, a little nervous, and a lot terrified that insurance will deny me! Fingers crossed! Anyway, I've been lurking for a few days, and just wanted to say this forum has so much great advice, info, and inspiration!

Hi. I'm Stratty and I had my lap-band surgery on January 18th. I am 53 years old, married for 28 years and have a 20 year old daughter who recently moved out on her own. My beginning weight was 298, but at the date of surgery it was 285.5. Today is day 12 post surgery and I have lost a total of 5 pounds. I thought my weight loss might be slow since I have struggled to lose weight after going through menopause. I am supposed to be following the opti-fast plan, which means I would be on straight shakes right now BUT I hate the taste of them. Also, I am believer in eating healthy, organic foods with little or no preservatives and the shakes are not healthy! I have mo…

I had my consult on Dec. 29th, my dietician and psych evaluation on Jan 18th and I'm having a hard time finding the patience waiting on my dr's office to send off to the insurance company. I am trying to sit still and shut up and wait as I know that this can be a time consuming process. However, I don't even leave Christmas presents alone as I can not wait for anything. How long did it take for your doctors office to gather all your paperwork and submit it? How long afterwards did it take for your insurance to get back to you? I have BCBS Illinois.

Hi, I'm new to the group and wanted to introduce myself. My name is Kita, I'm from Chicago and God willing, will be getting banded in March. As with many others, I have struggled with my weight most of my life. I was always the kind of person who would say "I didn't need surgery to gain the weight, so I don't need it to lose it". After years of struggling, and my best friend having WLS, I've realized that thee is nothing wrong with getting the help WLS can provide. I will be having my surgery done at Day One Health in Chicago, with Dr. Myers. Has anyone else used them? I just found out that BCBSIL has changed their policy about WLS and will not require a 6 mont…

So I go for surgery tomorrow, everyone please keep me in your prayers. I managed to survive the pre op diet 3 times lol and I can't wait to start my new journey. I am starving but I can't wait to go praying I will not wake hungry. Anyway just wanted to let you know and i will keep everyone posted as soon as I can.

Im out day 4 now..feeling good. I find it very hard to get all my protien in, do you guys feel that way too? Im constantly sip sip sip all day. Any liquids I have I mix in a few spoonfuls of Isopure. The only pain I can complain about is the hole where they took the stomach out of. Lots or bruising and tenderness but I take my pain meds as needed and take small walks and catnaps during the day. This new "full" feeling is something to get used to. Mentally-to only drink a few ounces at a time and feel so full you may burst is weird to get around. I can start my full liquids next week, very excited for that. Does it bother you to see people that live in your house eat norma…

Bla

Hi everyone i saw this forum and thought wow what a great way to talk to others who know just how i feel. I had my surgery on January 5, 2012 so i'm a little over 3 weeks out. I feel so much better but i do have my days. There are some where i just dont want to it and if i try i get nauseous. The surgery went great i really didn't have no problems. i was kept a couple extra days only because they were sure if i had a leak, but luckly everything was good. Home life has been so different i dont quite look at food the same way as i once had. And boy am i forced to deal with my feeling in a whole new way. i have had my ups and downs like when my daughter told my mom, " i wish…

Seven months ago my 10 yr. old grand-daughter moved to another state. She was very excited. Shortly after the move, she said, "no i'm not happy, I'm so upset". Seven weeks later she told her mom - I'm so very happy we moved. Kathy

Hey everyone, newbie here! I am preparing for my VSG surgery and boy are things moving fast! Surgeon & seminar next weekend and the following week my mental health assessment and then bam I can schedule surgery! I love my insurance company let me tell you! My surgeon's nurse wanted to schedule me 2 weeks after my mental health assesment, I was like whoah slow down I have to get time off etc lol. I will discuss dates with surgeon next week, I am thinking sometime in March, I will post once I know. My story is long and detailed, so I will post it later. But I weigh today 276.8lbs and I am already starting to do some things that I know I will have to do after su…

Hello everyone, I had my band placed in 2002 and had problems ever sense. I lost 80 pounds to gain it back after my saline was all taken out. Then it slipped and replaced . Next I'm having all types of erosion acid build up and vomiting everyday. I went in to ask to take it out my original surgeon said risky so I got a second opinion. I received a revision on last Tuesday but there was to much scar tissue and he had to carve the band from my liver and other places. He said it was the worse case he had ever seen and he could not do the RNY and I may never be able to. This was due to the scaring internally. Has any one had there band removed and was able to be switched ov…

Hi everyone! Wish I had found this site a long time ago. I had my surgery on 01/19/12 and have lost 9 1/2 lbs so far, but most of it was within the first couple of days. I haven't lost anything during this last week even though I was on clear liquids for a week and creamy liquids since Thurs. Should I be losing more or is this the norm? I am scheduled for my first fill on 02/01/12 and hope that it will help. Any advice is appreciated.

I'm showered and packed and getting ready to leave for the hospital. Please keep me in your prayers that all goes well for a smooth surgery and recovery. My nerves are all over the place this morning and I couldn't sleep last night.

I don't like canned/boxed broth and was wondering if anyone could give me a good recipe for homemade broth. I want to stock my freezer before my surgery!

Is the surgery recovery similar to a c-section, pain-wise? ~Angie~

besides Water, shake and popsicles - what else can i have on liquid diet? NUT or dr. did not really say thanx kathy

I know that I started out this journey MUCH larger than most of you. But it's so hard to hear how after losing 30 or 40 lbs you've gone down like 4 or 5 dress sizes!! I have lost almost 70 lbs and not one thing has changed-size wise (yes I probably should measure-but I know that won't happen). So 70# later and I don't even get to buy a new, anything! I bought a new bra yesterday-and it is the same size as my old one-and tight! I know from prior weight loss experiences that it takes about 100# before you can notice on me. And even then only some people notice. Don't get me wrong-I'm thrilled to have lost what I have. It now seems doable thst I'll hit the 100# mark b…

I started my sleeve journey in July 2011. That is when I started my classes with my insurance provider. I had my first appointment w/ my surgeon, Dr. Suh, in December 2011. I just had my surgery in January 23, 2012. At first I was wondering what the hell have I done to myself, but now I am glad that I stuck to my decision. I am already feeling better. I am following my 1st week diet as planned and dropping weight. My husband has been behind my decision the entire way. He has told me that I am doing this for myself and not him. Because he loves me that way I am. I did have a few friends that opposed my doing the procedure. But after having long descussions with them about …

I had my surgery on January 7th, 2009. My surgeon was Dr. Derek Weiss at Bluegrass Bariatrics. I lost 30 pounds in the 1st six months. Since then I have gradually added back about 15 pounds. Now that is very depressing. I have had my band tightened 4 times and reduced twice and am going back to have it all taken out to start over again. It appears I did best when there was no fluid in the band. I have trouble with food getting stuck - usually when I eating meats or a pasta. I would like to say I exercise but I don't. I walk my dogs about 1 to 2 miles a day.

Hello Everyone.... I am not new here...I have actually been banded since May 5, 2005. I am struggling and need to get myself back on tract soooo here I am. I actually was very very very close to meeting my goal. Then, I got pregnant. I had my beautiful baby girl in December 2009~ and have not dropped the weight I gained with her. I was diabetic during my pregnancy so I think that sorta contributed to my weight gain...but I also fell off the radar and didnt do much in regard to keep my weight down.. I got all the Fluid removed from my band in the beginning of the pregnancy...and I didnt follow up with my LapBand doctor. I screwed up....ALOT..... BUT I am here now an…

I have taken the steps to get the ball rolling to getting a band. I have had my information session, now am waiting on my first visit with the surgeon. I am excited, but nervous at the same time. What if i cant do it? What if i fail at this like every other weght loss attempt. What if i pay all of this for nothing? Will it hurt or help my relationship my my husband? My son? So many questions, and my mind is racing at the thought of it. So, enough rambling, nice to be here!

Hi! My name is Noemi and I live in Pembroke Pines, FL. I had Gastric Plication surgery on Monday, December 19th, 2010. My procedure was performed by Dr. Jorge Sosa at Palmetto General Hospital. He also repaired my hiatal hernia. Today, I am on day 8 - post surgery. The first few days post surgery were painful and uncomfortable. But, I must say that around day 6, I started feeling much better. Tomorrow is my first appointment with the nutritionist - post surgery. Thursday, I have an appointment with the surgeon to have the staples removed. I am still on Clear liquids and it was tough during Christmas. I also go back to work tomorrow, so lets see how that goes…

Any Ideas are welcome! So excited.

This is my journey after WLS. As you can see I don’t post on the message boards. However, I have been an avid reader of the forum for over a year. I have learned so much from other people’s experience and advice. I thought it only appropriate to share mine. I’m a 41 year old woman and 5 foot 3 inches tall. I have a husband of 16 years and a 12 year old daughter. I was sleeved on October 25, 2010. My weight before I walked into surgery was 227. I had surgery in San Francisco. My surgery went fine and I stayed in the hospital for 1 day. The pain I experienced was in my shoulder. I was told it was from gas they pumped into me at surgery. All I know is it hurt. I…

Hi everyone, wow I am so grateful to have found this site. I live in Australia, on the Gold Coast. My surgeon is dr Layani, he is very wellknown and have done these operations for years, he also trains other Bariatric surgery surgeons, so I feel very safe for him to be in charge. I am currently on the 2 week pre op diet, made up of 3 optislim shakes a day, plus fruit or vegetables with each shake and Snacks of fruit or diet jelly twice daily. Starting the pre op diet, I weighed 136.1kg. I was a very big baby and have had a lifelong struggle with my weight. At this stage of my life, 54, I could no longer teach, I have a very rare disease, degenerative crumbling of bon…

Had my surgery on the 24th and was released today. I had a pretty rough go of it with nausea and dry heaving, but it seems to have subsided. My insides feel like the creature from the Alien is roaming around, though. Constant gurgling. I can already tell that getting in the fluids is going to be a challenge. Anyway, just wanted to check in with you.

We had a serious house fire on Sunday and will be displaced for 6-9 months. We are in a hotel for now but hopefully will be getting into a rental late next week. My request for advice is this...I am scheduled for surgery on Feb 13 and I'm very afraid that I'll still be dealing with house issues and getting contents cleared out (I have no idea how long that will take) so I'm wondering if I should push the surgery out a few weeks. HELP! What do you think?

I am almost 6 months post op I was banded last August. To date I have lost 65 pounds - have maybe another 30 to go. I did not get a fill until last week. They repaired my hiatal hernia during surgery and this provided enough constriction without need of a fill. However, I lost so much my stomach actually got smaller and suddenly there was no constriction at all so I gave it and went for a fill. Feel so much better now. I also returned to work after a year and am trying to keep up with the gym since I am back behind a desk all day. It's still a battle for those of us that love food - I know I just love to eat - so having the appropriate fills are important and the f…

Hi folks! So I've been posting for a little while, but I kept forgetting to come over there and actually introduce myself. (How rude! lol) Now I'm doing some heavy-duty law school paper procrastination, which makes this the perfect time to post. I'm Rachel. I'm 30 years old. I live in the Washington, DC, area right now, though I've lived in a lot of other places. I'm originally from the Deep (Fried) South and come from a family of people with weight issues. I had my surgery on 12/28/11 with Dr. Kelly in TJ. I was really nervous about it at first, but the process went fairly smoothly. The company that handled the logistics, nutritionist, etc. wasn't that great (no big…

I am down to 219 lbs, but I have to undergo another barium drink tomorrow. They are a bit concerned about my digression to clear liquids. Wish me luck!

I am so excited that I have found this site! I have been reading success story posts everyday for the last month and finally decided to register on this site. Your success stories have made me very excited about my journey. I scheduled my surgery today for Feb. 3rd. I have been amazed at how smoothly the process, of getting approved, has gone. I prayed about having lap band for over a year and a half before I ever attended a seminar and truly believe this is the path that Lord has led me to. Please share any advice you have for the week pre-op and the first few weeks post-op.

Just wanted to say hi. I've been lurking for a while, and finally wanted to post. I am getting banded on 1/24. I have a half day of final pre-op tomorrow. It's finally getting "real." I started a blog so I could track my progress and use it as a journal, I saw that a lot of other folks do that, too. So hello! Anything you can suggest to calm my nerves would be greatly appreciated! Cheers, Jen

Just wanted to introduce myself. I was banded 12/27 and tomorrow will make 4 weeks since then. As of today, I'm down 17 lbs from the weigh in the morning of surgery. I had the iLap procedure (with stomach plication). My co-workers and most of my family have been very supportive (with the exception of my mother in law). What I have come to realize is that a positive mental attitude is key. I've changed my entire outlook on eating. Not as a thing to socialize at, or do when bored, but as something to provide nutrients for my body. I may have gone a bit overboard, but I now eat organic as much as possible and make sure I have my daily vitamins and protein. I'm w…

So I was at a realtor luncheon today and another realtor came up to me and said wow you look good like you had plastic surgery on your face. I thought to myself d@# I must have been really messed up but nevertheless I'll take it and thanks I think. The things people say when they don't know what to say is unbelievable lol.

Does anyone know if medicaid covers the lap-band? i live in Polk county Fl.

Well it is finally that time, I get ready to start my "journey." I don't say that word lightly as I know that this is truly a long process from beginning to end. I finally came to the realization that I cannot conquer my issues with my weight without surgery. I start this journey with open eyes and realize that there may be complications and rough days ahead of me but there will be no buyer's remorse here. So come on with the prayers and well wishing for it is finally my turn tomorrow! #fistpump

any one out there for encourgement garywestern@frontier.com

How large was your bougie. I'm worried that mine might have been too large, and maybe my sleeve would allow more food. I don't want thant. I'm not really eating that much food yet, so i know i'm stopping early cuz i'm afraid of overeating. Please tell me your size? And if i should worry. Ok - here goes - mine was 36.

Hi everyone, my name is Bonnie. I am 5 feet tall and was 223 lb when i started my journey last November. I have insulin-dependent diabetes, sleep apnea (using CPAP at night), high blood pressure and have had both knees operated on. Since November, i have been working toward my life changing surgery. I am 62 years old and have finally come to realize that if i do not do something now, especially when i have all the tools in my reach, i would be crazy. I jumped in with both feet. My first step was going to the seminar. My doctor was so confident and knowledgeable. I was given the pamphlets and appointments were made. Then the work began, losing the 10% required for…

I started my surgery journey in Houston, where I used to live, and after a lot of thought, etc. chose to go ahead and have the surgery there even though I now live up north in Boston. (I am self-pay, and in Boston it was going to be 42k JUST for surgery, no pre or post-op included.) I am so glad that I went with the Davis Clinic in Houston. Dr. Primomo was great, and the process was easy even though I had to do all my testing in Boston and get it sent. I had surgery first thing in the morning on the 20th, and am recovering in a hotel with my mom. The pain is not so bad, which is good because the pain killer makes me feel full since it is a liquid. The worst has been…

I was sleeved on Jan 12th and I've lost 33 pounds so far in under two weeks. I am down from a 6 XL shirt to this brand new 4 XL !!! that I bought today. I haven't been in a 4 XL in yearrrrrs. I'm 32 yrs old and I'm 6'3 and the POUNDS are falling off me!!! Just wanted to share that story cause I'm pretty excited about it!! Worm

Hello All, I've been "stalking" the boards for some time now ... and I went to the informational seminar in December. I met with the therapist and I have done the medically supervised diet plan ... now here I am. I go to meet with Dr. Singh this afternoon over by St Agnes Hospital in Maryland. I have mixed emotions as the more I read, I am relieved by your successes, and so afraid of my own potential failure, or surgical complications. I just wanted to reach out and say hello, and let you guys know that I may need some hand-holding!!! Please wish me luck on my journey, and I hope to be as much of an asset to you as you all have been to me.

Hi my name is Danyel im 26 and I had my first appt.tuesday 1/24/12 theh weighed me and I nearly cried I weighed in at 367 lbs and 5"3 in height I already never ate much thats why I never understood y me y I have to be big well I immediately started the pre-op diet and the shakes are disgusting I had to look in the mirror and remeber y I was doing this I pray the lapband works for me as it did with some of the success stories I read:)