Tell Your Weight Loss Surgery Story

Hi: I'm just in the beginning of my journey for what I hope will someday be a vertical sleeve. I've attended my first informational meeting with a local surgeon, and have gotten the referral to the bariatric clinic by my primary physician. I'm 5'6" and 236 pounds. I don't know if my insurance company will pay for a sleeve , but, I've been doing lots of research on it on the internet, especially on this site. I think that it's so wonderful for all of the support and advice that you all give to one another. I wish you all success on where ever you are on your journey.

So I just got home from an informational presentation by my surgeon and she has indicated that unfortunately there is a good chance that my insurance will not cover the VSG. I have Federal Blue Cross Blue Shield. Needless to say I am a bit bummed, I really wanted the VSG due to the fact that I have chronic headaches and take Advil quite a bit - which I will not be able to do with the RNY. Does anyone else out there have Federal BCBS? Were you able to get approved? While RNY is not out of the question - I just kind of had my heart set on VSG.

Hi My name is Jennifer and I am scheduled to have a gastric sleeve done in Juarez, Mexico by Dr. Jose Rodriguez. Has anyone used him or belightweight for this procedure? I am 5 foot 2 inches and am currently 250 pounds. I am hoping to lose 100 pounds or more with the sleeve. Does anyone know if this is possible? Or should I really consider Gastric Bypass? Any information would help me a lot. I am scheduled to have my surgery on November 1st, 2010, if anyone else is scheduled around that time I would love to talk.

Greetings. I had my surgery on 8/4 and am doing well. There is just so much info out there and adjustments to be made. Had a semi-stressed day for the first time since the surgery. Look forward to my first fill so I can again feel confident that this is working for me. I have not had any complications but I feel like the band may not be working (I read some other posts as well, so maybe it's just because I have not had any fills yet). Mostly, my biggest struggle is drinking and eating. It's my hardest habit to break! And I am SO thirsty! That's it for now. Will read more posts as time permits.

hello.. After a lot of research,I decided to take steps to get the Lapband. I am very fortunate that my insurance covers the surgery completely,however,I have to wait 6 months.They require 6 months with a nutritionist which I am finding to be extremely helpful. My surgeon is Dr Erhlich from Fairfield County,CT. So far he is great and his staff is amazing. Looking forward to meeting new friends here!!

Hi all! Wanted to say hello to everyone. I'll be having my VSG on Aug 30th at the Loma Linda Heart and Surgical Center by Dr. Stewart Rendon. Very excited! Got my approval today! I look forward to meeting all of you!

A local support group would be nice!!

Hello all, Im 12days banded and feeling good. I still have alil sharp pain in my tummy but hopefully it will heal soon. I need help with foods now befor I get my first fill...What should I eat or drink?????????????

I went and spoke with the head surgeon at the Hunington VA, met with Anesthesiologist, and their nutrionist. I am cleared for surgery, and received my date. Are you ready for this, December 2, yes that is right December 2. It sounds like it is so far away, but I'm sure the time will go by fast. To early to start counting down the days. lol But at least I have a date now. :thumbup1:

Hi, I'm Kim (KKB) I am soo exctied to be here! I have been reading and researching for a while, but now I made my decision 100% on the sleeve! (thanks to much help and advise from you!) I have done the sleep study, stress test, and EGD now just waiting for my second consult and date! I can't believe how fast everything is going! Kinda hard to wrap my mind around it! I just wanted to say Hi & thank you, and glad to finally be a part of the group! :thumbup:

I'm waiting on a surgery date, but in the meantime I am trying out a few products to see what works for me. I recently bought a Protein drink called "Amplified Wheybolic Extreme 60" - Fruit Punch. Here are the nutritional facts: 24FL oz Calories - 250 Sodium - 500 mg Potassium - 210 mg Carbohydrate - 0 mg Sugars - 0 mg Protein - 60 mg It's actually not bad, but I want to be sure the calories and sodium are within the correct range. Can anyone help me out with this one?:biggrin2:

Hey everyone! So, I have made my decision to have the VSG procedure done... I have approximately 85-90lbs to lose... I have tried everything to lose weight.. sometimes i have lost some weight but of course as all of us have probably experienced, i have gained it all back and then some!!!:svengo:... Im done playing around and I want my forever solution!!!!... I will be self paying (credit line) and going to Mexico for my surgery.... if anyone would like to shoot me some advice or whatever that would be great!!

hello to all from Illinois. I was banded in 3/09 and have lost 60 pounds. I am struggling a bit and am looking forward to hearing from others. I had the procedure done at Silver Cross Hospital in Joliet by Dr. Brian Lahmann. He is a fantastic surgeon and a great source of support. He along woth Dr. Joyce have a program setup that is second to none. I am interested in hearing from people that have had the band done a while ago and the ups and downs they have been through.

Hi, everyone. My name is Ashley. I am from VA. I am 26 years old. I was banded on July 6th, 2010. I am so excited about my new life! I am looking for advice or any information you may have found helpful when you were starting out...Thanks! :smile2:

I will have been banded for a week this coming tuesday and i have been following everything by the book when it comes to the diet an been walking for an hour a day and i feel as though nothing has changed with myself looks wise and im getting very discouraged. Please help:sad:

I am 7 weeks pregnant and down 10 lbs- anyone have this? I am not trying to loose weight, I just feel sick and don't feel like eating as much. I don't want to be a bad mother! I had my band 8 months ago- down 64 lbs total.

Hello, I guess I am doing this right. I haven't had y surgery yet. Still going thru tests and evaluations to satisfy medicare and my doctors. My surgeon is Dr. Kido in Pittsburg, Ks. My age may be a fator. Will stay in touch. Would like to hear from anyone in my age group/69/ that has used medicare.

I've had a horrible time of it since I got the surgery on the 11th. They also repaired a hernia. It started with my doctor telling me to take some tylenol if I felt pain. I called a few hours after I got home asking if there was anything at all they could do, because I couldn't breathe it hurt so bad. Most movement left me trying not to cry because even that hurt. After some debate they finally called me back at noon the next day and gave me some painkillers. (Four days worth) The painkillers worked okay. I still couldn't drink anything thicker than the chocolate milk consistency Protein drink I have. I can't do yogurt at all, and my medications for narcolepsy an…

Funny question..but how do I add a Ticker Factory option to my page....probably a really simple question but I am having alot of difficulty...I have made my Ticker but do not know what to copy and paste or where to put it...:confused:

First, I want to say thanks to everyone that share their stories on this site. I has really helped me "wrap" my mind around this decision to get the lap-band. I was successful losing weight on my own for a little while so my friends and family questioned my decision to get this surgery, but they are supporting my decision. I'm happy and nervous at the same time. I'm ready for this new journey and life style change. I'm ready to be happy about the way I look again. I'm ready to see some results after spending 5-6 days per week at the gym. :confused:

I am getting the lap band on august 7th, I am nervous and excited, not looking forward to 15 days of pre op Protein shakes! any advice for a new comer?

Hi everyone! I'm just starting my LAP-BAND®® journey! I attended a seminar in July, had my consultation last week, having my nutritional consult next week, my psych eval the following week, and my endoscopy on Sept. 14. I guess after I get all of that done we'll work on the insurance approval and setting a date. I'm 30 years old and have about 100 lbs. to lose. I have a very supportive husband and family. A big "thank you" for everyone for sharing their LAP-BAND®® stories. It's really helped prepare me and understand the procedure and what to expect. I'm so looking forward to having LAP-BAND®® and and starting a new and healthier life. :confused:

Hi there, I'm getting banded on the 29th of this month. I currently live in London but I'm a true Texan. Maternity leave for me is almost over and before I go back to do what I do best, I figured I'd get a band put in before I got any bigger. I've had a weight problem ever since I moved away from the good old US of A. :thumbup: I miss home! Support, advice and everything in between is welcome and appreciated.

Two months ago today, my life changed forever....and today, I am 30 lbs closer to being thin and healthy!! This was the BEST decision I could have ever made for myself!! I am eating just about anything I desire, with the exception of salads. I cant have those until I am 4-6 mos. post-op. I choose not to eat breads and rice most of the time, but that is not to say that I dont have just a bite occassionally. My portions are tiny...but I am completely satisfied! I do find that I am somewhat of a grazer if I dont get the opportunity during the day at work to actually sit and eat the way I should. I still have some of the same old habits I did before surgery, …

Hi,I'm new here and have some questions about lapband surgery. I have only 1 more appointment with cardio doc,my surgery date is 10/19/10. I really need to lose weight,not the biggest guy on the block(260 5'8" bmi 40)but i do have some other issues ie:sleep apnea, high cholesterol,family history of heart problems,GERD etc.I have a 3 great kids and i want to live a long healthy life so i can see them grow up! Sometimes i feel like the surgery is the easy way out and i should be able to lose the weight naturally.has anybody ever felt the same way? I get up for work at 0300am and get home around 5 or 6.I just feel too tired to come home,change then run out to a gym and jump…

Hi, my name is Myra and since my insurance does not cover the lapband, they referred me to carecredit for financing. I have looked online and saw so many negative reviews about care credit and im not sure if i should take the risk. please if u have used Care credit, can you please tell me your experience with them good or bad. i dont want to get in a scam or jam. Please let me know. thank you

Hi everybody! This is my first post. I've got about 125 lbs to loose and I am so ready to start this journey. I am awaiting approval from my insurance company. Last week I completed my psychological assessment, which is the last thing BCBS said they needed. Not sure how long the approval process takes, but I am ready to go tomorow if I could! I know all insurance companies are different, but does anyone have any experience with Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey?

I had a consult with Dr. Veninga yesterday and was pleased with the info & him. So I scheduled surgery for Sept.8th. I will be starting my pre-op diet on the 25th! That should be interesting. The nurse did say that if I really needed food to have 1 sm salad and chicken or steak. I'm excited to see how much weight I can loose in that 2wk period. They showed me a video of the surgery which I had been trying to avoid, and now after seeing it, it still kinda freaks me out that I'm going to be going through that?! I'm also wondering about follow up care in the future with my PCM. I'm self pay for this surgery & not going through Tricare. Will he be able to order a…

Hello everyone. I'm looking into having LAP-BAND® surgery and I'm using this site to see real results good and bad. I've read somethings that have triggered questions. Hope you can help. I'm 5'7 280 lbs - I carrier most of my weight in my stomach. If the surgery works I'm worried I will have a bunch of hanging skin. How many of you have gotten a tummy tuck and did your insurance cover the surgery? Also some people said they were disbanded due to erosion. How long does the band work? and does insurance cover the cost to remove or replace the band? Thank you for your time.

Hey guys! I'm completely new to this; just decided today that Lap-Band is probably the best choice for me. I go to a free seminar this Tuesday night. Right now my BMI is 39, but I also suffer from PCOS. I'm hoping that insurance will at least partially cover this (fingers crossed). I'm super excited and nervous. Any advice is greatly appreciated! Thanks! Jennifer

Hello peeps, My surgery is scheduled for 7:30 A.M. CST tomorrow.:thumbup1: ALL PRAYERS ARE WELCOME!!!! WOO HOO.

I had my surgery on Monday (Aug 16). I was the talk of the floor because I was up and moving fairly quickly and had little pain. It didn't last long though, nausea set in and I was gone.:scared0: They had to give me phenegren and it knocked me out. It was hard for me to drink after my upper GI came bad clear. I would fall asleep trying to sip down my water. As soon as it would go down it would come back up. So not fun!!! I am home now and doing better. I am up and walking and sipping as much as I can. I have a gas bubble that is a beast. Nothing is helping it come up. I have taken gas-x strips and my mom has even patted me on the back like a baby. It is holdi…

Hello everyone, my name is Holly, I have been reading all the post for the past couple of months but this is my first posting. I had my appointment yesterday with the surgeon and attended the seminar. The paperwork was submitted to my insurance company this morning and after checking the status of it for what seems like the 100th time today it is still pending. I hate waiting....:thumbup:

Hi I`m new on here; and I`m going for a consultation on Tuesday to have a gastric band fitted; so am hoping to gets lots of support and help on here from all my new friends. Also hoping to learn from all your experiences as well.

Hello everyone...I had my lap band surgery on June 18th 2010 and have not lost much weight. I go for my first fill on August 23rd and I sure hope it helps me to lose this weight. I am so encouraged by the members and ther postings that I am now thinking that I did the right thing having this surgery.:thumbup:

It has been too long since I have been on LBT, and I thought today would be the day to do a post. I remember when I was presurgery and I was on here all the time...this site served as a springboard to my blog, and subsequently, me changing my life. I remember searching for the "success stories", and being filled with hope...for the first time in a very long time...that this time would be different. And it has been. It has been anything but what I expected. It has been more. I warn you, this is going to be a very long post. I thought that I would share with you my very first introduction on this site, and my very first post I ever made on my blog. Then, I wi…

Hi guys, today is my first day post-op. I am sore on the left side and I cannot seem to keep anything down. i tried eating my meds, split into 4, but just 1/4 of a pill gives me pain and it seems stuck. Then when I sip water/gatorade my stomach has a churning sensation then I vomit brown liquid.. need advice what to do. I haven't farted yet also, can you help me? i tried walking and standing up to no avail....

Hi everyone, my name is Bry (long e sound) :smile: I have been researching the lap brand procedure since about a year ago. I always told myself that even though I am obese, i would only consider it as my last resort. I am currently 25 yrs old I weigh over 250 lbs (i still can't come to terms on how much i weigh :smile2: ) but anyhow over the years my PCP and I have been monitoring my weight/diet and my co-morbidities that have creeped up. I have high bp, was diagnosed w/ sleep apnea a year and a half ago, and my bmi is well over 40. I also have Polycystic Ovarian syndrome which doesn't help making me lose weight any easier. But I've been going to the gym and dieting l…

Happy Friday All! :thumbup: I?ve been on VST for a few days now, and must say that the wealth of information, candor, and just over all good vibe I?ve received has been a blessing. I have noticed though, that a lot of folks didn?t opt to tell anyone about their surgery ( except maybe close family, friends). I almost feel like I?m the crazy one for blogging my journey (but I?ve always been a serial blogger ? so why not this experience) and even discussing it with my supervisor at work. Thing is ? for me ? my verbal diarrhea of sorts ? when it?s come to my decision to have this surgery, has proved to be a tremendous blessing. In my candor ? I have come across at…

Hi everyone. So, I attended the nutrition class, support meeting, had my psych evaluation, and now I am waiting for my doctor's talk before my insurance coordinator is able to support my information for insurance approval. I am sooo excited and hope I get approved. My BMI is 48 and I keep telling myself they'll have to approve because I am so overweight. I'm keeping my fingers crossed! I need this weight off so I can join police academy! How long does it take for insurance to approve and set a date for surgery? I appreciate all answers

My name is Sandra and I live in Northern Virginia. I went to my Bariatric Surgery Session 5 Aug 10. I have completed all the necessary lab work, meetings, and appts inorder to receive a date for surgery. I was interested in the Band but now would like to get the Sleeve. I am looking forward to a new life soon inside and out. I am excited, but a little scared. I will be having my surgery at Bethesda Hospital in Maryland soon.

Hi, i'm scheduled for surgery a week from today and I'm getting really nervous. Have been doing liquids for a week and could eat this desk, but I've lost around 6 lbs, only around a hundred or so to go - ha! I'm in Ca, the big OC, which I never dreamed would one day be relatively 'cool' at all - anyway i'm reading a really good book about this and obsessing and thinking - if no liquids with meals, can I ever eat soup again?? along with a thousand other things...

Hi - I got my surgery date on Tues. (41 days from now...Sept. 29) and went to my first pre-op support group meeting tonight. I've got SOOO many questions that I'd probably wear out my welcome if I asked them all at my doc's office. I'm hoping for some input from those of you who have "been there/done that". One of my first questions: I have to start on my low-calorie or liquid or something diet soon. My BMI was high enough to get insurance approval without a problem, but now they say it would really be safer to lose 30-40 before surgery. I've been given several options: low cal on my own (not likely to work!); slim fast 3-2-1 plan; or Optifast. Anyone have any op…

Hi everyone! :biggrin: I'm hoping to get banded by the beginning of October, 2010 via the Weight Loss Centers (1-800-Get-Thin) and since I'm currently unemployed, I need to purchase an insurance plan. I have been considering the Lap Band for over a year now, have conducted extensive research on it, and really know it's what I want/need, so I would really appreciate any help on this whole insurance thing. I also want to mention that I have lingered around this site for quite sometime before registering today and consider many of you an inspiration. The representative from the Weight Loss Centers that I spoke with highly recommended purchasing a PPO insurance p…

If all stays on track, I should be banded in early October. I have a wonderful 11 day cruise vacation planned with my sister 1/3/11. I can't even tell you how much I would like to lose weight prior to our trip. How possible will this be since I will only be 3 months post-op prior to the trip and only a couple of fills will have occurred? Is 30 lbs out of the question if I eat as designed and exercise? I am required to do a 10 day pre-op with Carnation Instant Breakfast only. I suspect this may get the ball rolling. I am starting to panic:scared2: My sister has had bariatric 3 years ago and looks wonderful. I would hate to feel like a fat pig and not enjoy mysel…

I can't belive it. It really happened. I really had it done. After everything we went through, I had my VSG on 8/16, and I'm home. This is SO surreal. Walking the halls of my own hospital this morning at 4 am, saying hi to the night shift. Amazing. My big issue is severe epigastric gurgling when I try to drink anything. Can anyone relate? Jello seems to go down the easiest. I had a GREAT talk with my surgeon before surgery. He knew I wanted larger than a 32 Bougie, and agreed. He went with a loose 35. I was so relieved. I also asked (since his practice is a leader in natural orifice surgery, and has been removing the fundus of the stomach through the vagina- something I…

Hi all, I am just trying to figure out what is a good bougie size for a BMI of 36.9. I want to lose around 70lbs. My Dr. uses a 32 but Im thinking a 36 might be fine for me.

hey everyone im melissa im a month away from getting the sleeve, iv been going to appoints for almost 6 months, anyway i havnt been able to loose the pre op weight loss cuz i guess i suck:( im only 205-208lbs and 5"2, my last appoinment just a the monthly check up that is, the dr said i see your having trouble loosing the weight so he said he is going to book me for the sleeve so its next month but i have check up coming up in a couple days here do u think they will not let get the surg if i dont loose some weigt it already book. im scared what am i gonna say when he sees i havnt lost anything or very little agian????? am i the only one that hasnt lost the pre op weight? …

Hi everyone, Its been a while since I posted everything has been going great since I had the lap band back in Dec 09. I have lost 174 pounds. Now I know I have drooped a lot of weight but when I look in the mirror I still see the same big guy, some friends and I are going to Six Flags Over Texas on Sunday and I am afraid that I wont be able to fit in the seats everyone says I will be fine including my doctor but I just cant get that feeling out of my mind do any one have any good advice. Thanks Guys,:biggrin: Jon

Tuesday is my big day. Really looking forward to this new life. All the pros and cons that are associated with it. Been big my whole life, typical dieter, big losses and even bigger gains back...tired of it. I've been reading a lot of y'alls posts and appreciate all the info, good and bad. Hope to post here more often.