Tell Your Weight Loss Surgery Story

Hi Everyone! I have my first appt in a week and I am so excited! I have lots of questions though... I have read alot on this site in the last week so I decided to join tonight! Everyone on here seems so nice and helpful so I thought it would be good to start! And give me a little more insight on everything.:sneaky:

I am scheduled for surgery Sept. 22nd and have my pre-op meeting tomorrow. Until I joined this site I didn't know you had to be on a liquid diet prior to surgery. I've read some that say 4 weeks and some say 2 weeks. Or is this just additional liquids to your diet? I know I can get my answers tomorrow - but I want to sleep tonite and I'll be up all night wondering! Any help is greatly appreciated - also do you spend the night in the hospital?:smile2:

Hello everyone, I just found this site tonight. I am due for the procedure in October. I am very nervous about it. I hope this works and I don't disappoint myself, my husband, or anyone else. Well, just wanted to say hi and I look forward to getting to know you all.

Has anyone just decided to go right to a sleeve rather than the band? I have that swimming around in my brain today....

Hello I'm about to be "sleeved"...The date is set for September 15. I am female and 54! The way my body has sort of slowed down, I hope I am not too old for this. I'm nearly 100lbs overweight and I have tried and failed to sustain significant weight loss for too many years. At this stage of my life I am really seeing/feeling the consequences of having excessive fat everywhere on my body. It is no longer only a what I look like issue, my health is rapidly going south. I consulted with my primary care physician had some bloodwork done to check my thyroid and was diagnosed with hashimoto's. I went on armour thyroid and tried synthroid too for a year or more. My journey…

Hi all, I am still pretty new at posting, but I read on this board everyday. I love the information that is shared. 3 weeks ago I finished up with all of my 'pre req's' I started this process in July with the seminar, then had my consultation, then a group meeting followed by a meeting with the RN.. Then I had my meeting with the psy,nut, and fittness dude. I was told then that the info would be forwarded to my insurance by the end of the next week. I called after the week was up and found out that it had not been sent yet and it would be the next week. i wait a week call my insurance and it had not been submitted yet,, ok so this past monday I call the Doctors office and…

I have been approved for the lap band. So in December I aam off to Mexico to have it done. Does anyone have any helpful advise for after the procedure :sneaky:

So I finally figured out how to get all my photos in to one album - I have posted 4 more - 43 lbs. down - I can see some difference, but not much -- I can tell it more so in my clothes than in looking at myself ... I hope I can SEE a difference in the mirror soon.

Today I made a visit to the nutritionist. I decited to meet with her before the other steps in my jouney to see what was recommended. Unfortunatly, I'm more confused now than ever. We went over what I usually eat in a day, how much I exersize, all the good stuff, and she saw no reason for why I can't lose weight/keep my weight down. Seems that Im 'doing what Im supposed to'. Now I worry, if I go get the band... will it actually do anything? Im already eating what I should in the proper portions... could the band really help me? Has anyone else come accross this issues?? Thanks!!

Hey everyone.....well here's the dilemma. I got my first fill yesterday because I was feeling like I could eat way more than I should! So I thought, I'll get a fill and then I'll feel some restriction and won't be able to get in as much. Not the case today. I went out to lunch with my husband and ate a good sized piece of salmon (maybe 5 oz) along with about 1/2 a cup of steamed broccoli and a small portion (maybe like 10) sweet potato fries. And I stopped myself because I figured I was eating way too much. I wasn't full at all. Now I'm feeling really guilty and wondering how I am supposed to know how much to eat?? :sneaky: I'm just not sure??

Hello, My name is Wisteria and I have gone through all of the necessary steps to get lap-band surgery; I am just waiting for approval from my insurance company. I am 34 years old and have been majorly overweight for about 10 years now and I cannot get it off! So here I am! I weigh 211.5, my BMI is 41%, and height 5'0". I am pre-diabetic on medication so that is a MAJOR part of my decision. Also of course heart attack and heart disease are both in my family. I have asthma since gaining all of the weight as well as back issues. Had surgery on my back and gained A LOT of weight since then (MAJOR part of my weight gain by the way). Also have sleep apnea and acid ref…

Hi to all, I am new to this site. I am in the process of getting the surgery approved. I just went through the Seminar given by the Western Bariatric Institute in Reno, NV on 8/26/09 & I had my Initial Consultation with the surgeon on 8/28/09. I am now getting ready to setup my Psych & Nutritional Evaluations. The problem is, the surgeon is in Reno & I live in CA just north of Sacramento. So I plan on doing the evaluations locally. Has anyone had any problems getting the evaluations done long distance from their surgeon? By the way, I have decided after much deliberation to have the Lap Band. My surgeon tried to convince me the Bi Pass was the way to g…

Hi everyone. I am 29 years old and going to have lapband surgery in a month. I am excited and ready. Any words of advice.

Hi everyone, I am new to the board (well actually lurking for a couple of weeks). I have been researching lap band for a couple of years and finally made the decision to go ahead with the process and I am very excited about it. I had my consultation with the doctor last week and am currently waiting to hear back from insurance. My question is actually if anyone who has been overweight/obese since childhood can be successful with lapband. Most people talk about how they gained weight after they were in their 30's or after having children but I have been overweight since about the age of 2 and probably would have been before that if I hadn't been 6 weeks premature. I have…

joe nottingham england:thumbup:

I know I 'm not going to lose all the weight over night, but I never thought that 14 days after surgery I wold start gaining weight. At week 1 I had lost 11lbs. Now I have gained 6lbs back. I am not doing anything different. I am actually always hungery but don't eat except when I am suppose to. I don't get my first fill until Sept.28th. Has anybody else had this happen?:blushing:

My name is Celestine, I had the surgery done in December of 2007, I am almost 100 pounds out and holding mine own...loving myself and loving being healthy.

Yeah, I think its high time I make a change and get my booty down to a reasonable size. But, that's why we are all here, right? So, about me.... I'm Mego. Pleased to meet you. No no no...the Pleasure is all mine.... I'm a fatty. **Record Scratch** Yeah, a fatty. I'm 27 and have been married for a year to an amazing (very skinny) man. I keep telling him that he is a chubby chaser, but he just says he knows beauty when he sees it. <3 Yeah, I love the hubz. Although I am 27, I feel 97. Its time to get this weight off and possibly start a family. I refuse to be 270 and try to have a baby. That's just no good people, no good at all. My husband started a new job toda…

Hi, I'm new. I've been thinking of getting banded I went to the information session and today I met with the doctor. I'm feeling very discouraged :smile2: When I talked with the PA he made it seem like I was a good candidate and would be able to have the surgery. Then when I met with the doctor he didn't seem as optimistic. I am 5'3" and 210 lbs and my BMI is 37. I have high cholesterol and triglycerides that are treated with medication and thought those were on the co-morbidities list but the doc didn't think they were so serious...he said had I had high blood pressure or diabetes then we would more than likely get approved. After meeting with the doctor we met wit…

Ok I went to PCP yesterday and discussed me being a candidate for the surgery. He was supportive of it. Told me who to get in touch with. St. John Weight Loss - Dr. Hawasli. I will have to do a 6-month supervised diet / exercise routine. I am little bit disappointed in that. I mean the reason I have decided to seek this is I have hit my rock bottom. I know it's not the magic wand for weight loss or the quick fix. BUT I've been down that road so many times I've lost count. And now lately everytime I try to "eat right and do right"..I tank out after a week. I am tired. I need to get a good amount of weight off so that I can feel better physically and be able t…

Hello Everyone, I'm so glad to be apart of this community! I Welcome any helpfull information or encouragement, and will check out the FAQ page next. I want to be a successfull lap-bander, so here we GO......... Sue Bergquist Salem, Oregon

Hi Everyone, I am a newbie & I finally began my journey to my new self this past week & I hope to have my Surgery approved & scheduled before the end of the year. My Insurance, BC PPO, requires that I have the surgery through a COE site, the BMI, & a Psych & Nutritional Evaluation for them to approve the surgery. The first 2 COE'S I contacted advised me that they charged $3,000-$3,500 upfront, out of pocket, non-negotiable, & non-billable for Fees, Classes, etc. :wink2: This is why I decided to go out of my local area & have my surgery in Reno, NV. Although they are a COE, they never heard of the outrageous additional costs bei…

Hi, I am "new" to this site in that I just registered today, but I have lurked around here in the months before I banded. Yesterday was my surgery day, and I have to say already I have found these forums to be a great resource. After I got home and rested up, I decided to step on the scale and WOAH that was a mistake! It said I was up 9 pounds. I freaked out and started to worry about the band and what had happened. Today I weigh only 6 pounds over my pre-banded weight, and realized I need to push these fluids to get the hospital meds and things they pumped into me flushed out. I am glad these forums are here, if they weren't I would still be freaking out thinking there …

I had my surgery 3 days ago and am feeling much better with each day but was wondering if one of those abdominal support bands would help with the discomfort? Has anyone ever used this? Is it harmful in any way? Any help would be appreciated.

Just found out today that I am getting banded on the 15th Sept, less than two weeks away. A cancellation came in while I was at the hospital. I have to start my diet tomorrow. I am scared stiff but at least I will only have two weeks of being like this and not worrying about it for months. Now the big question is: What shall I stuff my face with tonight for one big last meal ? :w00t:

Im just starting the process. i have pcos and am still unsure of what all i have to do. Im contacted a surgen and am waiting a reply. I joined here to get advise and support from others that have alread gone through this, if any body has any advise or if im going the wrong way about getting this porcedure please let me know.:biggrin:

I had my first consultation with my surgeon. It appears my insurance covers the procedure with no time constraints. The surgeon would want to go through some test either way which is fine with me. The test I will be going through are: Barium Swallow Stress Test sleep Disorder Study Exercise Consult Psychological Eval. The surgery will be scheduled for 3 weeks after these test are complete. I estimate I should have everything complete by end of November or begining of December.

Good afternoon all, Courtney all the way here from Maine. I have gone to a lapband seminar and have an appt with my primary care physician tomorrow to talk to her about getting the lap band. Im so nervous that she will shoot this idea down. But I have been seeing her for a year now for back issues with no relief from anything she and I have done. The thing that scares me is I DONT have high blood pressure and I DONT have diabetes. But all of it runs in my family. Everyone is obese in my family and have died at such an early age. I feel that if I dont do this for me now then this could be me. Any advise on the conversation with my primary? Thanks so much for reading!!

hey all, i just started eating 2 days ago and found that some food after swallowing it gave me the worst chest pain for about 15 mins, is this normal? also has anyone found that if they stop exercising the weight piles back on? anyone got any ideas for lunch and tea recipies? unfortunantly i havent found many recipies on the net. any advice would be great!

I saw my surgeon Monday, and he said I could go home on the airplane. So we headed off for the San Francisco Airport. Airport security pounced on me because I didn't take off my sandals before going through the metal detector. (I admit I was had taken my prescription vicodin, and therefore it didn't occur to me to take off my shoes.) The TSA agent made a sarcastic remark about it being too much trouble to take off my shoes. I asked him if he would help me. (It does hurt to bend over.) He refused and told me to stand in the glass enclosed area. After a few minutes, I said "Excuse me, I've just had major surgery and can't stand here for very long." He called a wo…

Hi everyone. I have been on this site several of times just doing research before the banding, but just never took the time to register. I was banded and came home on Aug. 28, 2009. It wasn't too horrible of a procedure, the worst part for me was the gas and left shoulder which is where the port is. Today, I began phase 2 of the diet which is thicker liquids. I haven't been starving like I thought I would have been and I guess since the swelling around the band I have only been able to eat an ounce at the time. It is so wierd to have the full feeling (I have never felt it before unless I made myself miserable). I had a problem with being stopped up and took milk of mag. l…

I am a lapband patient who got their band in 2004 (self-pay). The band has given me nothing but complications - mostly of the gastric reflux variety and being unable to lie flat in bed at night. My doctor finally told me it's time to consider the sleeve or another band (gag). He believes I might have a heital hernia that may need to be repaired. So here I am, looking for a better answer than the Band. I look forward to reading your insight on this procedure.

Hi My name is Marie I was banded 3 1/2 years ago. I was doing just wonderful. Lost 90 pounds up until last November. I made the mistake of telling my doctor I had a little acid reflux. Well you think what I said. Instead of just giving me medication for the acid reflux he sent me for tests, and the day before Thanksgiving he tells me he is taking the Fluid out. I wanted to die. He said to come back in six weeks and I will probably put it back if everything looks ok. So I went to radiology so they could check things out again and everything looked good. When I went back the doc was gone. He got another position in another hospital and I was left with a staff that I think…

Was approved and going to be banded September 24th. Excited but scared also. Have question regarding pre op diet and was told to get low carb protein drink. They want 7 or less grams of carbs and less than 5 sugar. I found a protein mix called Optimum Nution by Whey. Any suggestions if this any good and if so what flavor? Tried the EAS Myoplex Lite and it was pretty good.:thumbup:

Just want to say hi to everyone, Ive been reading posts for about a week now and have to say I LOVE this site, very informative!! Im just starting out in my lap band journey. I went to the required seminar, spoke with my PCP, called the insurance which it is a covered procedure grant it I meet the requirements which I do but I do have to enroll in the "I can change program" for atleast 6 months. But while Im doing that I can continue with everything from the Bariatric center that they require and should finish both around the same time! Yea! I meet with the nurse for the 1st time on the 18th, there is alot I do before I even meet with a surgeon. Oh ya, Im from Illinois…

I was banded on Aug 26. Got home on the 27th. Everything went smoothly. I wasn't in pain so I didn't take any pain meds. I'm sore but that is natural. My only complaint about my hospital stay was the old man across from me that kept yelling at everyone...all hours. And the machine that was checking my oxygen levels beeped 3 beeps every 15 seconds. So I wasn't getting any sleep even after they set the controls to off between the older man and the older lady who wouldn't stay in bed and the nurses yelling down the hall at her to go back to bed....glad I'm home. So I was catching up on some much needed sleep. So any newbies **don't be afraid** I've lost 3 lbs alre…

Hi everyone! I have just started looking into getting the lap-band procedure. After calculating my BMI, I am just over 38. I was wondering if anyone else who has been between a BMI of 35-40 has had their surgery approved thru insurance without having any co-morbidities? I was calculating the difference, if I weighed about 12 pounds more I would be at a BMI of 40....almost seems a little silly....should I gain 12 pounds so I can get the assistance I believe I need to live a healthly life or does your insurance company take this into account? I know each insurance company and case will be different...just wondering what others experiences have been. Thank you! :thumb…

i am scheduled to have the surgery later this month and i'm scared to death :frown:

After approx 10 months of a pre-op program (testing, losing some weight, etc.) I had lapband surgery on Monday. By Monday night I was feeling great -- was told I had great color, a big smile and the incisions looked good. I did three short walks that night. Tuesday wasn't as good, as I was definitely in more pain. But the pain is slowly going away. A few things I did that I think helped: 1) I went to an acupuncturist the day before. She put some "press tacks" in my ears to help manage the pain and reduce the side effects of anesthesia. 2) before going in to the operating room, the anesthiologist (sp?) offered me nasua bracelets. These work on an acupressure…

Hello Bandsters! :frown: Just thought I'd stop by and say hello...I've been lurking for a few weeks. I have my psych eval and nutritionist appt coming up this week. I have already been to one support group mtg and going to another one tonight. Any tips for a newbie? Any recommended questions I should ask my surgeon? Thanks!

My application is pending. I can not wait for a response. It was submitted on Aug25. Hopefully I will be hearing something soon.:thumbup:

My name is Maxinne and I'm a married sahm. I'm scheduled for lap band surgery on 9/16/09 at Peconic Bay Hospital in Riverhead,N.Y.. Dr. P.Mehta will be doing my procedure. I'm getting really excited and a little bit nervous,but definitely MORE excited.:thumbup: I just wanted to say "hi" and to introduce myself to you all.

Ok how long after surgery did everone go out (for a walk,shopping etc..) please share

Hi I am getting banded in jacksonvile, F:closedeyes:lorida in Nov. Anyone been banded by Dr. Paul Chappano?

Well surgery is today guys!!! I have not had anything to eat since Sunday night. I am not hungry but feel kinda foggy in my head. Sorry if my spelling is worse that usual. I have to scrub my tummy again with anti bacterial stuff. I am all packed with books, netbook (too watch movies), and iTouch. The hardest part is going to be leaving my wedding ring at home . I am a little scared that my pain won't be controlled after surgery but my DH has assured me he will be right on top of it. My report time is 9 am but parking can be bad at that time so DH and are going earlier. I should be in surgery by 10:30 or so. I will be discharged on Saturday sometime. I will try and post …

Hi there. I have been seriously thinking about WLS for a couple of months now. I have been leaning more towards the Band. So I call my insurance company and find out that it's covered 100% *IF* I am approved. I've been fighting with my weight most of my life. I've lost 50+ lbs 3 times only to gain it all back PLUS, not to mention all of the other attempts and losing 20 or so...then tank out and gain it back. I am tired of the fight. I am 45 years old and have 2 young children (9 yrd old boy and 5 yr old girl) I am horrible shape. I am 5'11" and 295 lbs. My knees kill me. Now I am having problems with my feet :frown: I cannot live like this any longer. I r…

I'm 3 days post op and scared to drink like I want to not only do I feel full but I feel like I might hurt something.

I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED IN THE PAST :biggrin: I AM SURE..I AM 6 MONTHS OUT, AND LOOSING hair BADLY. I HATE LOOKING IN THE MIRROR TO FIX MY HAIR AS THERE IS A BALDING SPOT.. I SEE IT IN THE PART OF MY HAIR..REALLY REALLY BADLY. I THOUGHT I WAS GETTING ENOUGH Protein, BUT MAYBE I AM NOT. MAYBE I NEED TO GO BACK TO HAVING A shake A DAY. THOSE THAT KELLOGGS MAKES ARE REALLY SUPER GOOD.. ANY ADVISE??:party: TEXAS ROSE

:confused:Is there anything else to drink or do on my first week. I just had my banding on Friday. I feel like i'm going out of my mind with jello and chicken broth. Is there anything....anything??

Hello everyone, I'm a newbie and saw I needed to introduce myself here. I've been here a few times before when I first had my surgery and finally decided to join. I'd like to say thank you to the owners of this site and the members, because you helped me tremendously in the beginning when I first had my surgery even though I wasn't a member with all of the posts for post and pre-op surgery questions. I now refer this sight to anyone who is considering or have been approved for the surgery. I had my surgery 12/08 and have been doing pretty well since, lost approx 60 pounds so far. Look forward to all the information/support I'm sure I will continue to gain from here.