Tell Your Weight Loss Surgery Story

Hi Everyone! Im pre-op and set for surgery Dec 5th. Im excited but nervous at the same time. Dr. Hess (in Boston) is doing my surgery. Im more worried about excess skin and not being able to loose the wt after surgery. Right now Im around 265 (on a good day) and hoping to get down to about 150. It took me over two years to decide what to do. I have tried so many different diets and nothing worked. I once lost 30lbs on my own and gained it all back and then some. Weight Watchers worked for a while until I just stopped loosing weight. I got annoyed at all the work I was putting into it with no results. My entire life I have always been overweight and I just hat…

Hello Everyone!!! I am sooooo excited about getting the Lap Band on December 4th. It is something that I have waited for for a long time. I orginally was denied by Cigna for not following the 6 month physican diet to the T. I was seeing my physcian every other month instead of every month during the 6 month time frame. However, I sent in a really great appeal letter and just got word last week that they approved me. Now I am scrambling around trying to get all my pre-op stuff done. I am so excited to change my life. Well just wanted to say hello to everyone!

Hi Everyone, I have been lurking too long! Sorry, but I have really learned a lot over the past 2 months, as I waited for my case to be submitted for insurance approval. Yesterday, November 1, 2007 I was approved by UHC POS!! :whoo: Next stop, will be surgery with Dr. Johson & Atlanta Bariatrics... Thanks for allowing me to lurk, I hope to get to know more of you better!

Hello everyone! I am new and have just started looking around a bit. Seems like really great site. I have my Pre-Op appointment on 10/17 to start the process and to pick the date. I am very excited to get the procedure done. My insurance company stated that my employeer had added a specific clause exempting any bariatric procedure so I will be getting it done private pay. Any Banders from Kansas? I am going to take about 2 weeks off from work since at times work can be very strenuous. I am nervous about having it done but I get nervous with any surgery. I hope to meet alot of you, make some friends, and to learn more about this new lifestyle I have chosen. Talk to you al…

This is my first attempt for online support. Not sure what to do. :confused: I have been looking for support since my band was placed in 12/06. I found this site today. My doctor nor the surgery center have a support system (as they claimed they had pre-surgery). Im struggling with food. What to eat? The only meat I can consume without getting plugged is ground beef, thats b/c it is in some type of sauce. Sometimes a little chicken or sliced ham if it is smoothered in something wet and slide-able. Im tried of eating cottage cheese and apple sauce with all meats. Any suggestions? I have lost 36 lbs, but have not lost any more weight since July. It is now Nov.! This platea…

hi my name is anne3,im new so bear with me. i am still getting the last of my meetinges in order.one more vist with nutritionist one vist with PSY.DRand one more support group(for ins.)then i guess i really will start to get scared but happy. please someone tell me does it hurt? i got this thing about PAIN.the fill part how bad is that ?do they give you something other than asprin for the pain.GOD im such a woose.the good part is i only have a 45 min ride there. how much down time is there. thank you all for all your help anne3:help::confused::omg::phanvan

Hi my name is Charisse, and I was banded on Jan 31st 2007... I've lost 46 ibs so far, but have had numerous problems... I am now going to have a revision, and get the gastric sleeve sometime next month:clap2:. I still have 65 ibs to go, and hope that this procedure works for me. Is there anyone out there that has had the "sleeve" done? If so, I would love to hear all about the procedure, recovery, etc... Thanks, Charisse

I have been looking into this surgery for several months now and am finally ready to delve headfirst into really making it happen. I need to gain 18 pounds to have a BMI of 40, in order for the insurance to cover it with no additional conditions. I am willing to do that if I have to, in order to get it covered. My question is, if the doctor says I have to lose a portion of weight before the surgery, what's the point in having gained the extra weight to hit the 40 BMI score? Do they cover you based on what you weighed the first time you went into the doctor? Is the "pre-surgery weight loss" strictly for the doctor, or does the insurance company say, "Hey, you're n…

Hi All, I am waiting for a date....hopefully November. I am doing well with my exercising but as I get closer to the surgery I keep having doubts about how I am going to handle the emotional side of all of this. What if I screw this up! I know I will be restricted but how do I get past the part of me that is a food addict. You know...the out of control part. I want this to work out so much. I am afraid of failing. Can I do this??? Are there others who feel this way? Any support or advise would be very greatfully appreciated. Thanks, Barb

Hi all!! My surgery is scheduled for 10/29. I am excited but nervous about having it done. My biggest worry is the sedation and how I'll feel afterward. My physician is Dr. Marley at Windber Hospital in Windber, PA. I am also worried about the liquid diet I'll be on following the surgery. I'm not quite sure yet what I'll be drinking, so anyone with any good concoctions please respond.

Hi ya' all who read this thread. I just want to be heard and find a connection with people who have a similar story. Here it goes... I have been overweight all my life. I can only remember a few times when I wasn't. I grew up with two brothers who ate what they wanted and were at normal weight. My mother would go out of her way so I would diet. I have been on every diet imaginable from SlimFast, to diet pills from GNC, joined gyms, Doctor paid for medically diets and exercised programs, Soup diet, cabbage diet, south beach, WW,.....on and on.... Some worked others were a joke..... But needless to say gained it all back. I am right now the biggest I have bee…

I have my surgery scheduled for Friday. I have a ride home from the surgery but will be by myself off and on for the next couple of days. Does anyone have any suggestions of things that I might need after surgery. I just want to be prepared. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks! :eek: Elizabeth

I am very new to this whole lap-band idea and have not yet decided if it's for me. I have read about everything I can find on the surgery, but would like some more information. First off let me tell you a little about myself. I have struggled with my weight for as long as I can remember. I was always bigger than the other girls in my class and my girl cousins. I can remember starting some "crazy" diet with my Mom when I was probably about ten. My Mom has never struggled with her weight and doesn't understand what it's like. I have taken prescription weight-loss drugs, tried every fad diet out there, and done Weight Watchers. I lost about 40 pounds over three years ago, bu…

i want to share with ALL OF U someones comment that made me feel like shit tonight, just came back from visiting my bestfriends parents that have just arrived from overseas,, anyway all us girlfriends were sitting having our coffee and smoke out on the verandah, and my best friends mother turned around out of nowhere and said to me "how did u get so fat? i remember u when u were small u werent this fat" guys i just wanted to disappear,, u can all imagine... How judgemental can someone be,, hello , never judge a book by its cover! Anyway my girlfriends all know im going in tomorrow for surgery so they just ignored it and spoke over her,,,they tried hard to make m…

Hey everyone! I am Apples I shouldv'e did this first before I started asking any other questions. But I have just recently become serious about lap band surgery. I had thought about it for a while but I would always change my mind. But after 450 dollars, hypnosis, and 20 pounds heavier later I have to do this now. I went to the gyn a few days ago and my cycle is so screwy because of my weight it's becoming a fertility issue. Yes I have become that fat!!! I am 323!! I am kinda embarrassed to say that but oh well. We are all in the same boat here anyway. But I can't have that me and my husband are young and we want children really bad!! And I don't want to be able not to ha…

I have been posting and commenting throughout. This website and everyone is great and awesome! Well, I had my PCP visit, psych visit & surgeon visit. My PCP is very excited for me. The referral lady is goofy. She sent the referral with the incorrect DX. The surgeon's office and I got her straight. UGH! My psych visit went well. The LSCW was very impressed that I was educated about the surgery. The surgeon is very nice. He is very straight forward, not too warm and fuzzy. That's okay with me. Now I wait for Anthem to approve it. I'm attending the 4 hour meeting tomorrow so as soon as it is approved, the surgery date can be set. WHOO! c:clap2:

:help:Hello Everyone, I am newby on this site. For a year i've been wanting to this surgery. My doctor just tells me to loose weight on my own... I am 250lbs 5'4 and have been overweight 10+. How do you get your doctor to approve this surgery? What are the first steps.. by the way I have Healthnet HMO

Hello, I have not lost more than 8 lbs since my surgery. The surgical center has not really been supportive at all. I have seen a dietitian one time and that was minutes before surgery.... The place was called Brand Surgical Center. I paid cash 15,000 although I knew that my insurance would have covered it if they had been more interested in helping me... Anyone else experience any of this? I am new here and very depressed. Don't know what to do. Cdy

Hi! I have enjoyed reading the information on this site and decided to join. I was banded 9-18-07 at Emory Hospital in Atlanta, GA. I had my first fill 10-17-07 and haven't lost much weight. I go for my second fil Nov. 14. I am hoping that I getter better results with the second fill. I have been bummed because the weight loss has been extremely slow and very minimal. I hope this is normal...Have any others experienced this? Thanks!

I am going for my 1st fill... What is it like? Does it hurt? Can you eat anything after or are you back on liquids again? Please let me know if you can. Thanks so much!

I am finally scheduled to be banded on 11/21/07. My insurance required 6 months of nutrition counseling, from which I am proud to say I lost 50 pounds. Now I am going through 20 gruelling days of liquid diet to shrink the liver...yuck!! Today completes day 5 of 20 and I have been 100% compliant. But I am very sick of Atkins shakes, non fat yogurt and sugar free jello....(why dont they make this stuff in bacon or terryaki sirloin flavor?). Anyway, I have lost another 10 pounds in the last 5 days. At this rate I will be down by a total of 70-90 lbs before the surgery!! unfortunatly my glucose around 80 is dipping into the 70s...its taking juice about every 2-3 hours to kee…

I did a web search for a lap band forum and found this one, I have browsed through a few posts and it looks like it could be a really good resource for me. I had my surgery on 10/17/2007 in Paducah, KY. They have a great Weight Wellness Center at Lourdes Hospital there and it is only about 60 miles from my home in Northwest Tennessee. I started going up there back in March 2007. He does a lot of testing before surgery and, of course, there is the wait for insurance approval. He started me on a liver shinkage diet back in July, the 23rd to be exact. It is a no salt, no sugar, no fat and no caffine diet that does jump start weight loss. My surgery went fine and I have had n…

Hi there peoples .... i have been lurking around your site here for a while, reading all your stories and feeling very inspired by your successes ... so given now i know so much about you'll ... i thought it would be rude to continue on without introducing myself. My name is Tracy - 32 years old - from a little old place down under - New Zealand I am joining your bandster club on 11 Dec - so i am excited/nervous about that. My story of how i got here is the same as most everyone elses - yo-yo diets until i got to the weight i am now. It is nice to read your stories and to listen to you'll blow off steam - i feel the EXACT same frustrations - i strike the same t…

Hi, I am new to this journey. I have completed all initial visits and have talked to the surgeon. His name is Dr. Naziri in NC. I am just waiting on insurance approval and have been told it will probably take less that 2 weeks. I am very excited to move on to this new phase of my life. I have 4 children who range in age from 15 to 21 months. I am determined to put myself first for a change and give my kids a much healthier mom!:clap2:

I just received my surgery date - December 5th. I am excited but nervous. It helps so much to read about other's experiences. I'm scheduled for pre-op November 21 in the morning then classes with nutritionists that afternoon. What all will pre-op consist of? Reading the success stories of others on this borad is very encouraging. My doctor is David Elliott in Richmond, Virginia. Any other Dr Elliott patients? I'm not excited about the liquid diet, which I have to endure for two whole weeks! :confused:

Hello everyone. I just joined the forum and wanted to introduce myself. I manage the Bariatric Learning Center, which is one of the few independent / unbiased resource websites pertaining to weight loss surgery. We publish a lot of surgery success stories, as well as the horror stories. The entire purpose of our site is to provide both sides of the story, the good and bad, so that potential patients can make a more informed decision about weight loss surgery (whether that be lap band, gastric bypass or whatever). I wanted to join this forum just to get a better understanding of weight loss surgery in general, but particularly how it affects people -- for better and …

I lost only 2lbs post opt I was so ashamed..but I still could get the surgery....I lost 13lbs in 2 weeks after surgery....my first fill is 11-23-07 but I am feeling hungry is this normal.....I ate some shreaded chicken and I didn't know it had traces of light tomato sauce...now I have been craving since 10/31 I cheated I had a small peace of homemade carmel and I really want your opinion about this....is it normal....did it not get filled during surgery? if so why am I getting hungry?:omg:

I've only been on mushies for a couple days but its still sort of painful to eat most of them. I ate a softboiled egg early this morning and it hurt. I had read that bands might be tighter in the morning, I wonder if that's why? I had mashed potatoes for lunch and even they were a little bit painful - not as much as the egg though. Tonight I am having soup .. and going to try some pureed chicken salad. Not sure if I should go back to liquids for a while or not? It's been 17 days since surgery - should it still hurt to eat ?:help:

Hey everyone ~ my name is Gina and I live in Ky. I have just recently started my lapband journey. My insurance will pay for my surgery 80% but of course my primary physician has to send my medical records and a letter stating that the lapband is medically neccessary. My insurance then takes my record before a medical board and reviews it to determine if they will pay for it. This can take 30 days. My doctor sent all this out yesterday evening ~ YaY. But now I'm so nervous, I'm so afraid they will turn me down. Like I told my husband ~ if they approve it then in the long run I would actually save them money because the surgery will help with a lot of my medical problems. S…

Hi Everyone, What I have read on here has been of great help in answering some of my questions. I have been considering having the surgery for 3 years. I kept putting it off to try something else....Finally I have decided to do this for my health. I have about 80 lbs to loose. I am a little scared since the last surgery I had was my wisdom teeth when I was 16. I am now 50......but here goes. I would love to get together with other members who have a November surgery date. Thanks:whoo:

I had my surgery on 10/2/07 by Dr. Onopchenko near Atlantic City. I started a liquid diet a week before so using that as my start date I have lost 20.5. I can certainly eat more than 4 ounces at a time right now. I have been eating low fat and low sugar but I eat until I am full which is a lot more than 4 ounces. My first fill is coming up on Veteran's Day. If I'm still losing I am thinking about not getting adjusted until I stop losing. I have NJPlus and I think they only pay for 2 adjustments and I will have to pick up the rest. I think this operation is a wonderful tool. I love that full feeling I get and, at least right now, I am not tempted to eat high calorie.…

Hi! I haven't been banded. I am just doing research regarding LapBand. I weigh over 100 lbs. beyond my goal weight, but the gastric bypass is too invasive! I am 59, and not sure whether this is for me. Secondly, my husband has Medicare with Tricare for Life, and I am covered as his dependent (spouse) with Tricare Prime; I do not qualify for Medicare. I found Tricare Prime accepts referrals from Primary Care Physicians for GBS. However, I checked about 4 months ago about whether they approve for LapBand surgery, and was told "No, not at this time." Has anyone heard different as to whether they have reconsidered? I am curious. Does anyone know why Tricare Pri…

:clap2:Hi my name is Kyle Ann. I was banded on 10/18/07. I have lost 21 lbs. I had my surgery at Temple University Hospital in Phila. my doctor was Dr. Meighlan. I am very excited to be moving on in a positive direction and I am looking forward to communicating with other who are going thru exactly what I am.

Hi! I haven't been banded. I am just doing research regarding LapBand. I weigh over 100 lbs. beyond my goal weight, but the gastric bypass is too invasive! I am 59, and not sure whether this is for me. Secondly, my husband has Medicare with Tricare for Life, and I am covered as his dependent (spouse) with Tricare Prime; I do not qualify for Medicare, etc. I found Tricare Prime accepts referrals from Primary Care Physicians for GBS. However, I checked about 4 months ago about whether they approve for LapBand surgery, and was told "No, not at this time." Has anyone heard different as to whether they have reconsidered? I am curious. Does anyone know why …

Hello. I am a 40 yr old mother of 3 and will be having my surgery 11/29. I am a bit nervous and excited all at the same time. My biggest hurdle right now is trying to give up Diet Coke cold turkey. I am having horrible headaches if I do not drink Diet Coke, so I am gradually reducing my intake every day. Any other suggestions would be welcome. I look forward to meeting my fellow "banders"! My surgery is scheduled for 11/29 in Bend, OR.

Hi- I'm 55 and very overweight. Need to start finding out the real facts and I thought....go to the people who have had the surgery. I want to know if people are comfortable with a band inside them. Are there concerns about the materials that make the bands causing other problems down the road (like silicone did)? Do people keep it forever? Do you learn to eat properly? Every and all questions. How does one start on this journey:car: Gwenn

Hi everyone! I am just starting on this journey. I have been reading through these threads and I am so happy there will be so many helpful people when I actually do this. I have my evaluation this Friday. I am not sure about what I should be asking. Any and all help with questions/topics would be great. I have already contacted my insurance and know that they will pay for 80% so that is a big relief. My BMI is not over the 40, but I am pretty sure my circumstances will make me eligible. I also want to say, I am proud of all of you that have actually faced this and made changes. I know I am excited and scared. I really want to be healthy! :help:

I am getting banded on Nov. 26 and I am soooo ready!!! It has been a long process getting to this point. It almost seems like this has gone on forever but I can finally see the light of day!! I am supposed to start my post op diet on Nov. 16. But I am reading about lots of others who have started even earlier than the 10 days prior to surgery. So I think I too am going to start mine early. My doctor is Dr. Dunshee. I am sooo excited about this! But I am nervous and I want to make sure I eat all the right foods from now on. I'm still a little uncertain on what to eat before and after my surgery. So if anyone can give me some ideas I would greatly appreciate it. …

Hello all - I have been reading as much as I can about the lapband surgery, which has been very enlightening. My husband and I (he is going for this as well) went to our first orientation on the 1st of November. I think this site is amazing - I have gotten more answers to questions I DID NOT KNOW I WOULD HAVE! from here, than pure research. My husband more than meets / exceeds all the criteria for our insurance company- BMI 45 - high BP / diabetes - sleep apena. I am a little concerened about myself though. I am just a few pounds shy of meeting the 40 BMI requirement - I am about 38 - BUT I have sleep apnea and high bp - both treated for the past 3 years. Does anyone have…

Greetings and Salutations. I'm 5 days post op. Lots of gas pain and pressure. Surviving. Honestly, couple days ago I was wondering WHAT THE HECK DID I DO TO MYSELF? But it's a tool. I'm hoping this constant pressure will go away. Gas X is my friend and from what I read will be for awhile. My diet progression is a lot more liberal than what I've seen. 3 days clear 4 days full then puree for a week, soft for a week, then regular. I think I'm going to go slower though. I'm 5'6" 270 lbs pre surger down 10lbs already - but that's expected eating only Water and chicken broth. Well look forward to sharing with everyone. Katie

Hello Everyone, I was banded 10/15/07, this is my third week postop. So far so good, everything has been going great. I just wanted to say that this forum has been so helpful with questions or concerns I've had. Thanks everyone. I look forward to coming here and talking with all of you bandsters as I am now among you. :clap2:

Hi to all. I will be heading to the airport next Tuesday 11/6/07 and being banded on 11/8/07. :whoo: I will be back on Sunday and let you all know how it went. I am very excited and looking forward to my trip. I am going to Monterrey, Mexico for my surgery with Dr. Rumbaut.

Hi everyone. Thanks for listening yesterday. Thanks for everyone who offered advice. You are all the greatest. I'm going to stay focused. My first fill is this Wed. I was banded on 9/25. I had forgotten about the term Bandster Hell. I feel alot better today since I read your responses. I'm hanging in!!!!! Cindy

Hey everyone, I'm just beginning my own personal search into Lap Band. My brother had gastric bypass a few months back and he's doing fabulous! He considered the lapband, but after careful study, decided to do the bypass. I learned some stuff from him. I think the lapband would be better for me. I'm looking for information on eating restrictions right after surgery. My brother has been very restricted, how is it for lapband? And slipping is another concern of mine. I weight about 230, and would like to lose 100 lbs.

Hi there, I just had my lap band surgery about 5 weeks ago and I lost 10 lbs in the first two weeks, and only another 5 lbs since then. I found that I can eat a lot and there really isn't anything that I can't eat. I don't get really really hungery as before and can go all day without eating till late afternoon. I think that I have made some errors in choices regarding food and beverages. I also started smoking again, so back to 800-quit-now I go. It is a really great program and a cheap cheap price... I go in for my first tightening of the band. Have you had that done yet? How is it afterward? I am guessing it will be similar to right after surgery. I wi…

hello bandworld,, just came back from the hospital and i feel great,, i cant believe i have a lapband , cant feel anything,,, i got banded yesterday at 3pm, i got 5 incisions, all on my left side of stomach and my port is in the middle of belly button and breastbone... slight pain, more like discomfort,especially if i cough,, the hospital service was fantastic, my stomach is swollen hope the swelling comes down.... apart from the swelling right now its churning, i had the barium swallow xray and the stuff i had to drink has given me stomach aches and really bad diarrhoea,,i will spent the day today on the toilet... am i meant to feel any different? im not sure if t…

Hi....I am from MA and was banded on 06/07/2007. I have lost 52 pounds since May when I started with the prep. I have been maintaining for the last couple of months and not loosing...I am struggling. I am also still trying to eat slowly and chew well. Is there anyone else having this experience. Joni

I will have BCBS of Texas in January 08. Everything I have read states the procedure costs around 14,000. Does this include all of the rejustments done in the future. like with braces? Why does your insurance company have to approve a decision your doctor has made? I wouldnt think a doctor would preform a surgery on someone tht didnt need it. I will have lots of question over the next few weeks and I'm really hoping you guys can help me

HELLO EVERYONE, I WAS BANDED 9-10-07 IN VICTORIA TEXAS. START WEIGHT 286 GOAL 160. HAD A BAD EXPIERENCE AFTER SURGERY, TO MUCH SWELLING AROUND BAND. THREW UP EVERYTHING SALIVA INCLUDED. IN HOSPITAL 6 DAYS BEFORE SWELLING WENT DOWN. ONLY IV NUTRITION. I LOST 23 LBS BEFORE I LEFT THE HOSPITAL. WEIGHT LOST TO THIS DATE 33 LBS. I HAD MY FIRST FILL 10-26-07, 1.2 ML. IT FEELS VERY TIGHT, CAN HARDLY EAT. ONLY EATING TABLESPOONS AT A TIME. AFRAID THAT THEIR IS MORE SWELLING, BUT NOT THROWING UP. ALL IS GREAT. I'M DOWN TWO SIZES. JOANN:clap2:

:faint:I AM GETTING MY SURGERY ON MONDAY AND AM STARTING TO GET NERVOUS. JUST FILLED OUT 20 PAGES OF I AGREE AND UNDERSTAND ANY PROBLEMS DURING MY SURGERY..NOW I AM FREAKING OUT!!!! I AM FLYING TO CA FROM HAWAII AND JUST NEED TO GET TO CA TO CALM MY NERVES. ANYONE HERE HAVE DR PAUL CIRANGLE IN SAN FRAN?