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There is also the No-NO hair remover home laser, and the new ones are approved for use on the face. I think I will be getting one of these REAL soon bc I have noticed all my hair is growing faster...now I read it's prolly the Biotin... LOL O well it's a trade off bc the hair on my head is thinner..so I'm trying to get a jump on that since my surg is 2-6 but now my leg and face hair is double time

So I went for my yearly and have a new dr. she asked what I was taking for BC and I said nothing and she stressed how easily I can get pg if I'm not on BC... I explained my infertility and at the end of the visit she said well I guess I will see you when u come in pregnant... I was like uh huh That will be in 2000....never! But if its meant to be it will happen and if it isn't I guess it won't. I'm not stressing over it anymore!

How can I say this? When we know better, we do better...this is especially true in medicine.. My aunt was heavy, too heavy. Really high BMI. I don't know what she weighed, but very short and very heavy. Eventually couldn't hardly walk at all. The surgery they offered then was state of the art for that time. It was some kind of lap band that she got that got all wrapped around her insides to the point that it had be removed b/c she couldn't get food down at all. But that time has passed, it was the first lap band or stomach stapling and that was gosh, 30 years ago. She died 13 years ago or so, from being overweight. She was in her late 50's, and otherwise she had been healthy - just heart problems from being overweight for so long, loss of muscle tissue, etc. She prayed for that magic pill to lose weight. In time the magic weight loss pill came along and it damaged people's heart valves, not hers I guess bc she was already gone, but it did damage my dad's valve. Then there was the more modern lap band, then the bypass/RNY/DS, etc. and now the sleeve. And actually now the sleeve plication. You gotta realize your doctor is working with the most up to date information. We get used to hearing about things like lap band and it was great for some, or gastric bypass, which some people did well. But now the sleeve is better than those. Maybe you really do need to look at data. Kinda sounds like you really wanted gastric bypass, but what if this is better? I weighed 220 and I was paying cash bc my insurance did not cover ANY WLS or complications from WLS. I asked my doctor which surgery would be best for me long term, most effective, safest, etc. I didn't ask which was cheapest, because I didn't care. He immediately said sleeve. I went to a nutrition meeting with like 6 other people getting WLS. Some lap band and some gastric bypass. All of them were on insurance. They were all getting the lap band or gastric bypass, but all wished they were getting the sleeve. Their insurance did not cover it bc it was too new, That was a year ago so since then a lot are covering it. At a certain point you gotta pick a doctor and trust him. I do have one question though. The sleeve plication is even less risky than the sleeve, from the little I've read here, so if you were not able to lose weight to have the surgery (the 100 lbs) then could you get the plication at least temporarily to keep you from being able to overeat? I just wondered if you had spoken with your doctor about that. The plication is where the stomach is not cut but it is rolled up and stiched so that only a small portion of the stomach is available to put food into. I was wondering though. 100 lbs seems like a lot to lose before surgery, but I know he is trying to help you. I wish you the best.

I have the mirena and have had a period 3 out of the last 4 wks. I'm sure it's related to surgery tho bc I've had it for a year and my periods have been regular (never stopped for me). If this continues I'm going to switch to the para guard. Yes you can use tampons normally, and it's effective immediately.

The brand is called Biohealth and the proteins is called grass fed precision blend

I know exactly what you mean. I was wearing size 24 Jean's. My mom came to my house for the holidays (we live in different states) and she made me try on some 16 Jean's. THEY FIT!!! WITHOUT A BELT!!! I didnt want to try them bc in my mind I thought only one leg would fit un them. Definitely just try our brains play tricks. Sent from my SM-G965U using BariatricPal mobile app

I had steak from six weeks out. I can't eat much but I have no issues with the little bit I do eat. Tonight we had beautiful eye fillet steak, I had about 2oz, a tablespoon of peas and 4 oven baked sweet potato 'fries'. I am sufficiently replete! I have arule that since I eat so little, I make sure I eat quality. So I don't mind spending more on getting good quality, grass fed, organic eye fillet beef because overall my grocery bill is less. Tonight's eye fillet was melt in the mouth rare and delicious!

This is a tough one bc there is no guarantee how your body will react. I had the sleeve, but totally would have had RNY if I had GERD preop. I had terrible GERD when I was pregnant and I never want to go through it again! I have serious compassion for all of you out there with chronic GERD. You said you read a lot of research. Just curious, have you read any that included the elevated risk of esophageal cancer with chronic GERD?

"We want to talk about Lap Bands, not all the other BS that goes on over there." ABSOLUTELY! No offense, but if I wanted a general topic conversation board, I would have joined one! I wanted a LAP-BAND BOARD!

"my doctor told me this is why she charges $500 because if people started all this and she guided them and they quit half way in, her time is just wasted." I'm going to call BS on this one. No doctors does work for free. If someone starts the process they are paying for each appointment. The cost of each visit is priced to pay their overhead. I think of it like a college education. I did'nt give them a tip in addition to all that tuition.

I have it! I also was newly diagnosed with insulin resistant type 2 diabetes. Had my band done 21 months ago and have been yo-yoing with my weight. Actually going to dr tomorrow bc something has to give. Since July I have gained 10lbs. ={

I know that I am in perimenopause. My GYN diagnosed that last year after I kept complaining about hot flashes. This year is the first time that I have skipped periods without being on some type of bc pills. I am hoping that I won't have to go the route of hysterectomy. My mom had hers done in her 30s. I am already starting all of the problems she had plus PCOS. Thanks EVE for screwing it up for all womankind! lol

So I went for my 2 week post op today and nutrition class.. Hoping tom I can start mushy foods! Well.. I have to do one more week of liquids because I was losing a lb a day after surgery and the last week I've lost 1 lb. And I've been active and walking but not getting my heart rate up bc when I tried that I was getting a lil light headed.. but the doc said still do it.. So tom I'll start really exercising and 1 more weeks of liquids and hopefully that will get me somewhere =)

Hey there. I'm just curious if anyone else out there has Blue Cross and Blue Shield for Federal Employees in Ohio? And if so, how hard are they to get approved for the surgery? I've done the seminar, called them, found out what they want (no one mentioned the 3 or 6 month doctor supervised diet). All they SAID they want is a letter of medical necessity from the surgeon and the CPT and diagnosis codes. It just seems a little too easy. I haven't met with the surgeon yet, but I'm anticipating that the insurance is going to be the hardest part. Suggestions? Thanks!

Goooo girl. A lot of people won't understand nor will they get it Bc it's not them. I'm Having this issue at work. People chatting about why I'm not at work. And others telling why I'm out. At the end of the day it's the persons decision. We all kno what we have to do for us. Everyone one else can kick rocks Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Wow..can I relate to this thread! I had my surgery 11/19/15..and returned to work 2 weeks ago...(having lost 35 pounds since anyone last saw me)...one doofus @ work immediately blurted out, "Did you have gastric bypass?!?"---I confronted her and curtly told her that my surgery was personal...and essentially none of her concern. The next day, I returned to work to hear that she told everyone I had vaginal reconstruction!!! I was appalled. Again, I confronted her..asking just WTH her problem was...spreading lies that had placed her on a fast-track to a workplace harassment charge...now possibly sexual harassment....and she meekly replied, "I was just concerned about you"--- BS...."concern" would have been checking in on me while I was off from work...not speculating and fabricating BS lies upon my return because you don't know ANYTHING about my personal life...and you have some sick need to be the focus of everything. --- I told her that if anyone wanted to 'really know what went on while I was gone from work', that I'd gladly tell them, provided that they be willing to pay a portion of my medical bills....otherwise, it's NOYB. Period. I told her that if she spoke one more word about my health or appearance, there would be consequences beyond which she cared to imagine.....Strangely enough, she has been quiet as a mouse since. Some people just have serious issues seeing someone else experience anything positive....My choice to undergo such a life-altering procedure didn't come lightly...and the victories are MINE...and of no concern to anyone other than those I choose to share with.

The dr told me to drink liquids after surgery and my first adjustment but liquids didn't satisfy me so I tried cottage cheese and then tuna. No problems. Do you feel like you saved enough money to make the extra effort to travel to Mexico worth while? Do you have to go back to Mexico for adjustments? My BC/BS wouldn't cover the lapband either but I figured it is an investment in the rest of my life.

Anyone that says going to Tiajuana for surgery is unwise.. is unwise themselves!!! It's a twenty minute procedure that in the States cost self-payers $15,000 to $20,000... $1000 a min is BS..... Dr Ortiz has done ten times more lap bands than any doctor in the states. My dad is a Veterinarian, when I was young I watched him do spays and he was just out of vet school.. it took him forever... now he does three in the same time and better.. Good luck.. my two cents Tom

I have Blue Shield of California. I'm a little worried about proving I've been over weight for 5 years. I didn't have insurance during college so I could probably only go back 2-3 years. I don't know if my insurance has that 5 year requirement....and really I'm not sur if BSBC is the same as BS of CA. I have an appointment with my surgeon schduled for Sep 16th.

I'm really struggling this week to get calories in and with heartburn. I'm sooooooo tired! I'll be 3 weeks out tomorrow. I have my post op appt Tuesday. I've thrown up a couple times bc I've eaten too fast. That's definitely not fun.

LizC, I am freaking out! I can't even express how much I LOVE Water and although I'm pretty much drinking all day, I still don't feel satisfied as if I actually drank water! I asked my surgeon in my 1 week post op and I think he saw the desperation on my face or something bc he somehow grinned and said that should get better soon.... I CAN'T WAIT!!!! thank God for hope!

Peanut butter! Yeah, yeah, I know - there's the stuff you grind yourself, there's PB2, there's Peanut Butter flavored Protein - I've tried those and even use them sometimes. But they're just not Jif. That's what my mother fed me, and I will always, always love it!

I am also having trouble with BS, my morning Bs has been in the low 200's since I've been home. While in the hospital I was in the 300's and they were only giving me small doses of insulin 4-6 units of humalin R. I am highly insulin resistant and normally took 23 units of u500 and 30 units of Lantus.. I saw my Endo he put me on a scale for Humalin R and 26 Lantus, my lowest has only been 185. Everyone's answer is it may take time, and I should significantly reduce or eliminate insulin. We shall see...

Hi Gina. I have IBS as well. I was hospitalized as a toddler for a week - diagnosis: nervous stomach. Which of course became Spastic Colon, then IBS. Now, at 54 I got so fed up with how I was feeling that i decided I wasn't going to feel like it another day. I started doing research. I discovered while doing research that sorbitol and other sugar alcohols are in so many things (xylitol, mannitol, etc.). Even in my toothpaste. And more importantly, I was taking Cipralex Meltz which contain sorbitol - I can honestly say I felt poisoned. So - lactose intolerant, IBS and a pretty bad intolerance for sugar alcohols (something I figured out 5-6 years ago but didn't know I was ingesting every single day). When I went to my doctor and explained all these thing she said - "I know what's wrong with you!" - She told me about the Low FODMAP diet - a Doctor in Australia (with celiac) discovered the correlation between certain foods and intolerances, and sugar alcohols and their effect on people with gastro-intestinal problems. The biggest factor for me has been removing sorbitol completely. I'm super vigilant about this. My brain-fog just disappeared, my gut/bowel was so much better after that. I'm fairly good at not eating the many fruits and vegetables, fructose, fructans, etc that are all part of this. I just could not understand why when I ate I avoided dairy but my almost instant diarrhea happened all the same. It was awful. I'm not completely out of the woods, but I feel control for the first time in my life! I downloaded the app, bought the book and haven't looked back. My IBS is one of my major concerns when it comes to getting the gastric sleeve operation. I'm very concerned about foods going through my system too quickly and making my life miserable due to the food bypassing the absorption in the small intestine and through to the large too quickly resulting in chronic diarrhea. I see my doctor August 11 and it'll be a question I'll be asking for sure. She may not know the answers but she may be able to send me to see somebody that does. I really think that you should try this diet, especially as you have IBS. Perhaps you already know about the Low FODMAP diet? If so, sorry I've wasted your time with this very long message! lol The protein shakes you're drinking - check the ingredients. Become familiar with all the sugar alcohols so you can recognize them when you read ingredient lists. Most people with IBS also have lactose intolerance. Do you have it? Protein shakes are an issue for me - it's also a concern if I get the sleeve surgery as the protein shakes are a necessity from what I know. I can't have things like sugar-free popsicles (probably have sorbitol), shakes if they have dairy or sugar alcohols/sorbitol, etc. Dieting usually means low-fat, low-sugar foods. I won't be able to ever have those items, so will need to always have whole foods only - no processed. I will need to have a protein shake chosen beforehand that doesn't bother me. If it bothers me before surgery it'll be a nightmare after. Please look at this diet - there are so many doctors that don't know about it. Find a dietician who knows about it and get some help from him/her. Check your toothpaste, your foods/drinks, gum, mints, sugar-free pop (btw I can't have aspartame either). Good luck - would be so nice if this is a big help for you :-) I was put on the low fodmap diet six years ago. I was not lactose intolerant before my sleeve but I am now. Thanks for the thought and the time you took to message me.

I lost only a small amount of sensation initially- but that has returned to a great extent. I would say about 90%. The majority of the loss of sensation is along the long longitudinal incision under the breasts. My biggest disappointment was that I was not able to nurse my son - the milk ducts were cut. I did have some milk leaking, but certainly not enough to provide enough nourishment. So, I bottle fed - no big deal. I love the way things turned out - my clothing fit better, and when I went out, men didn't look down at my boobs constantly - in fact, I would ask men what color my eyes were - many could not tell me. Don't be surprised after the surgery if you feel a bit "out of proportion". I did, at first. It took my brain a little while to make the connection and "settle in" to the new look. No regrets - go for it!