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Sounds like you need new doctors. I was on depo for 10 years. I loved depo, but I believe that us where a lot of my weight gain came from. I asked my GYN several times for a better solution and he mentioned Mirena. I determined it was not for me and stayed in depo for 2 more years. I eventually got tired of him suggesting other forms or medications when I really wanted something permanent. He would not do surgery for sterilization. Although I was 30 and had no kids, I had also been married twice and could of had kids if I wanted kids. I understood that I wasn't motherly and would rather have Great Danes than children. I found another GYN. She was very understanding and listened to me and my reasons and what I wanted. She helped me find the method of birth control that worked for me and was willing to preform the Essure procedure. That and WLS have been the best decisions I have ever made. Having a doctor that will listen and help you makes all the difference.

I have not had vsg yet but that is my plan and hope at this point . I have one ore month of supervised weight loss & then should be on my way . While having my Egd the doc said I had signs of avid acid reflux. This was new to me, I very rarely had any issues, only when I was pregnant. (3years ago). He then put me on med. for this "problem". I then within a week of taking this me started having indigestion like crazy and have felt awful ever since. I also was told during my stomach ultra sound that I have gallstones in the neck of my gallbladder . I felt like crap ever since they went fishing around doing these test. I had a attach of some sort the other day while eating dinner ( baked pork & carrots ) horrible chest pain, back pain between shoulders , hot flashes, nausea, dry heeves felt like something was stuck. Horrible pain! Went to ED, they gave me a GI cocktail and zofran. With in 10 min. I felt much better. Called the gastro doc next day & they switched me to nexium. I still have mild pain on left side of chest when I take deep breaths. And after I eat. Most psin is on left side of chest, right under sternum, and left side of stomach / abdomen . I am worried that my surgeon will say no to the sleeve due to this new issue. Anyone have issues like this before or after the surgery? So frustrated & I am so close to the finish line that I'm afraid of everything going wrong at this point. :/

I don't think I've ever had this many compliments from total strangers as I had just now. I was in the ladies' dressing room at my gym before i worked out, and the cleaning lady stopped me to say, "You have lost so much weight.... I just wanted to tell you." When I finished my 65 minute elliptical workout, the woman next to me said I INSPIRED HER! Then, as I was sitting in the lobby, waiting for my husband to finish his workout, another woman came up to me and said, " I've been wanting to tell you this for a few weeks, but you rock that elliptical workout." I was in such shock bc you would have to understand where I came from when I started exercising last June. I really couldn't do 10 minutes on that elliptical. The day I went 30 minutes, I went into the dressing room and cried. I pushed myself to get to that 45 minute mark, and for the past three months, I've been working out an hour a day on that machine. I'm inspired by so many others in that gym, and today I inspired someone else! My husband put his arm around me as we walked out of that gym together today, and I felt proud of myself for no longer being, Tammie, The Couch Potato!!!!!

It took me 10 days or so to really feel like my insides were okay. Same hernia and pain you mentioned. I can say please do follow the liquid diet for a full week. Adding any type of non-liquid food the first 1-2 weeks only makes the pressure worse......

I have never heard of the Switch. I had the lap band for over a year, and recently converted to the Sleeve 10 days ago. I was VERY disappointed with the lap band. I did great with the band for the first 6 months. I had lost about 40 lbs, then I had something get stuck and it was downhill from there. I was constantly seeing the doctor as things always got stuck. It seems with the band, once you had an issue, it was downhill from there. I gained weight. Spent lots of money going to the doctor to have Fluid let out, then even more money to get fluid back in once my stomach "rested". My advice.....don't do the band. I know it works for a lot of people.....but the sleeve has been great for me thus far. The band was a nightmare.

Hi my name is Sharon. I just made the decision to have the gastric sleeve. I am 57 and have struggled since the age of 10 with my weight. My surgeon will be Trace Curry. I have my first appointment next week. I anticipate the surgery will be in August. Wish it could be tomorrow. I have to admit I have a fear of failing at this too but I am excited.

I am out 19 months, but aim for 1200 daily.

I was Morbidly Obese. That alone is a major health issue. The pain of my lap band was very minor. Compared to my other surgeries, spine fusion, rotator cuff & ankles this was pain free & easy. More than losing weight is the new lifestyle. It took me over 10 years from 1st seminar to being banded. I had to lose lots of bad habits. You will do just fine! Good Luck, Hasta Pronto, George:thumbup::wink2::thumbup:

I was open with my kids too (19, 16, and 8) ... For the youngest, I told him that mommy needed her tummy fixed because it made her want to eat too much. I showed him some diagrams and he thought it was kinda cool - but not very interested. What was funny was when I returned home. He had gotten it in his head that I would come home skinny. Boy! Did I disappoint him! But, now he makes comments like "I like hugging you and reaching all the way around". Makes me smile everytime!

I had surgery 9/19. Close to six weeks post op..lost 39 lbs incl pre op diet. I worry about meeting someone in the future and having loose skin and being embarrassed to become intimate. I don't know how I will look when the weight really starts to drop but I am a bit worried about that.

Reporting in that I had a great day today. Stuck with my meal plan and had a really good workout at the gym. Thanks again to everyone who provided words of encouragement. It was just what I needed! I'm still getting used to talking about weight loss and being honest when I have a bad day. I usually just suffer in silence because I'm so mad at myself and embarassed. Just about all of my friends and family members are thin and it's impossible to talk to someone who thinks having 10 pounds to lose is a big deal. I have to say I'm actually looking forward to my psych consult. Pretty sure it is going to be more helpful than I think.

I am/was type 2 diabetic that was using meds and diet to keep under control. The doctor had me stop taking meds immediately following surgery. My last med was the morning of surgery. Immediately post surgery my sugar was very low and then gave me some glucose to bring it up and then said no more meds. I am 10 weeks post op and I still check sugars periodically but my sugars have stayed in control. Lost to date is 45lbs. I test now mainly when I feel that I may be running low.

I was told by my surgeon that 1-2 pounds per week is average. Keep in mind that your body will plateau possibly for weeks at some point. Don't get discouraged, this is normal. Also, I have found that since I exercise a lot, sometimes it takes a while for the scale to catch up. This is why it is a good idea to take measurements of your body so that when this happens you can see the progress without the scale. I went all last month without losing but 4 pounds but I lost 10 inches.

My doctor said not to start early reason being at the 10 day Mark your liver is as small as it is going to get. That any days over that your body starts adjusting and liver size will increase.

SoCalFosh: LOL!!! I was originally scheduled for the 8:30 slot but they called me the day before and said they had to add someone and I would be at 10! I agree w/the friend thing...as long as Dr.'s are competent I don't care if they want to be chatty with me! How are you feeling? I am feeling tons better today - have been able to drink more. Do you have a follow up with them tomorrow (10/27)? I do at 1:45...I hope I don't have to wait very long. What part of SD do you live in?

Hello. I've been on here a few times and I REALLY enjoy reading everyones stories...so here's mine.... I have been overweight for the majority of my life. Three beautiful children added even more weight which was so hard to lose. I've tried diet after diet...pills ...everything. I would lose a little weight here and there then gain it right back. Recently I began looking into info. on the gastric sleeve. My PCP said I was a good candidate considering my history and my not so good family history. Eventually I started the 3 months of classes that Kaiser requires and completed them. Next was my consult with the surgeon. He put me on the 3week liquid diet and I lost the 10 lbs required.It was tough going through that phase! Finally the surgery date arrived...Nov. 27th 2012. Everything went well. They removed my gallbladder and repaired a hernia that was found. Hospital stay was rough...had horrible spasms in my chest ..but I was released the following day. Recouperating at home was a lot comfortable. The muscle spasms continued for a little over a week or so. Thank God they are gone!! Nausea has now kicked in which I take medication for. I am hoping it subsides soon!! It's been 19days since my surgery. Between the pre op diet and now I've lost 19 lbs. Happy about that even though I was hoping to of lost more...I'm now at the dreaded stall and haven't lost anymore weight in over a week and I'm really frusterated! Staying focused though! Ive come to far and refuse to give up. Hope you enjoyed my story as much as I enjoy all of yours. Add me as a friend if you'd like. I'd love to talk to you ...share encouraging words...advice...anything!!

I had my surgery Dec 17th was self pay so it made sense for me to fly to Dallas for my surgery 12,200 all inclusive. Today I've lost 38 pounds since surgery had a text book recovery which I'm fortunate for!! I'm able to ear pretty much what ever I want now but only very very small amounts. I push myself to get 800 calories per day early on I was only getting 500-550 per day and my weight loss was slow, since I've upped my calories to 800 I've been averaging 3 pounds per week!! Best decision of my life just wish I would have done this 10 years ago!!

I have struggled with my weight for over 20 years, yoyoing away. I heard about this surgery in April of 2011 at a seminar. I found out my insurance didnt cover it so I tried to put it out of my mind and keep trying on my own. Then, in July, my husband got a new job with new insurance. I started looking to see if they covered it. They did and I scheduled to attend a seminar with a different surgeon the next day (a saturday). They talked about all the different wls options and I knew then and there the sleeve was definately for me. I found out there that Humana, my new insurance, doesnt cover the sleeve unless your bmi is over 50. I was devastated until a nice guy who was there starting talking to my hubby. He said listen, forget the insurance, just self pay. they have financing with no interest for 18 months. Thats what I did. We talked about it and decided we could do it. I scheduled an appointment with the surgeon there for Monday, two days later. I went to see him and we talked for an hour. He said I was a perfect candidate and he thought I was ready. I had to have a psych eval but everything else was a go. I already see a therapist and she wrote a letter for me that week. My surgery was scheduled for the following MOnday!!! I had seven days until my date and so my preop liquid diet started that day. There was no time to think about it. From Seminar to surgery was 9 days. I had my EKG and bloodwork done during that 7 days and I reported for surgery at 6am Monday, aug 8, 2011. That was seven months and 73 pounds ago. I had 100 pounds to lose. I was 234 and I am 5'4". I was wearing a size 18-20, mostly 20's and 1x tops. I am now wearing mostly 10's some 12's and medium tops. I dont regret it at all. I am glad it went fast so I didnt have time to dwell on it. I had no complications with the surgery, recovery went smooth. I did have a kidney stone a few weeks later but it wasnt related to the sleeve. I have a long family history of them and I was a little dehydrated after the surgery so it happened. I am just telling you that I think I am the fastest person to ever get sleeved from seminar to surgery. Its the best decision I ever made. I was emotional the night before with the usual anxiety but I knew I needed to do this for me. I knew I would love being able to eat my favorite things and this time be able to control how much of those things I ate. Now, I just eat a few bites and I am so full and satisfied. You will love your sleeve and you will be happy you didnt have to wait forever to get it. Embrace your good luck! You will do great!

I agree with allwet. I suffer from chronic constipation. Been using Miralax every day for 10 years now and it works. Very safe as well. You seriously can do some damage from going without BM for too long or straining too much.

if you're still seeing your bariatric team, I'd start there. Or if not, is it possible to see them again? Otherwise, if you're not still tracking your food intake, start there. Track for a couple of weeks to figure out what your average calorie intake is now. Then try cutting back by 100 calories or so for another couple of weeks. If that doesn't do the trick, cut back by another 100 calories. Rinse and repeat. Eventually you'll find the level where you'll start losing weight. also, start doing some of things we did that first year after surgery (NOT all the way back to shakes and purees - I mean how we ate after the first couple of months - focusing mostly on protein and non-starchy vegetables. Then if you have room, maybe a small serving of fruit or whole-grain carb). if you're having trouble with hunger while cutting back, add in more vegetables - I try to eat vegetables with every meal when I'm trying to lose (I don't always with breakfast, but I DO blend a cup of fresh spinach or kale in with my morning protein shake to make up for it). I also always keep raw veggies (with a dip made from plain Greek yogurt and ranch dressing mix), sugar free popsicles, and sugar free Jello around, too. Healthy fats like avocado and peanut butter or a handful of nuts can also help with the hunger - but just have a small portion of those since they're pretty high in calories. good luck with this. I know it's tough - I'm battling a 10-lb COVID gain right now and I know it isn't easy, but people do it... At least you're catching it at 40 lbs while it's still do-able oh btw - I know a lot of people who've regained who've had success with Weight Watchers, Keto, and/or intermittent fasting - so those might be options for you, too...

I feel so bad I did my first week good with fluids and this week has been hard I ate beans and soups but I also ate a piece of hotdog and three chips , eggs . I am supposed to be on mashed food I gain two pounds I only been banded 10 days . From the 14 of August to the 21st I was doing good I hope I didn't make my band bigger! I am not strong enough to do this I thought I was my first fill is September 13 what to do ?????

I had the same problem with an MRI machine. Two years ago I had a tumor in my middle finger and it developed an infection. They admitted me into the hospital for surgery. That morning they wanted to take me down for a presurgery MRI, but they said I was over the weight limit. I said "MY HAND???" It took them a while to figure that out. To make matters worse, the nurse wanted me to strip down to nothing but a hospital gown for the MRI, then ride like that in a wheelchair across the hospital, down the elevator, and to the imaging center. Again....it was just my hand. I said "Lady, what do you think that gown is gonna cover up? I'm 6'1", 400lbs. I could use it as a dew rag maybe. " Long story short. I wore my basketball shorts and tshirt, and they just stuck my arm into the machine and MRI'd the hand. 2 hours of fuss, and 10 minutes to do the dang MRI. Thank God the Bariatric unit at the hospital where I had my sleeve had gowns designed to fit big people. That thing was like a 4 man tent.

hi!!! I am six weeks post op - and my period was last week. I swear.... my entire uterus came out during my period ( I know TMI). I honest have not bleed that much since I misscarried over 10 years ago. WOW!!! And the cramps - were so bad. According to my surgeon, the periods are a mystery after surgery. So anything can go. Here is what I did.... When the cramping was bad (and yes, I wanted to wrap myself in a ball and die) - I got up and walked around. This really helped - sure at first it sucked but it did let up after a few minutes of walking. Night time was the worst - so I just went up and down the stairs when I woke up. And this first period was 9 days - can you say - kill me now!!!

My highest weight and what I weighed at my initial visit with my surgeon was 342. He wanted me to lose 20-30 pounds before surgery. I only lost 8 before my pre op appointment but he didn't seem bothered. My pre-op diet was clear liquids for 10 days and was frankly the hardest thing I've done in my life! I weighed 322 day of surgery and I'm at 309 this morning 11 days post op Sent from my SM-G930T using BariatricPal mobile app

Hi and welcome to the boards! It isn't so much that you "can't" have surgery with a >60BMI. It's more that you need to make sure to choose your surgeon and new tool wisely. Make sure to ask your surgeon how many people he/she's operated on in the past year with BMIs >60? Ask if it will be an open or closed procedure. Ask about the surgery type. Ask about their success rate/complication rate. If it were me, I'd be sure to go with a Center of Excellence surgeon, team, and hospital--but I'm a wieny that way...I'd mainly want to know that my doc has great comfort/skill in operating on someone towards the higher BMI spectrum. Ask about contingencies: what happens if he/she gets in there and that there's "not enough room" to perform the chosen surgery--then what happens? Will the surgery change to an open procedure? Will you wind up with a different procedure? BTW, most docs are gonna wanna see some weight loss. They're gonna want to know you can go the distance, are serious about changing food relationships and sticking with a diet program. They're also gonna want to reduce your bulk to increase the space they have to operate and to reduce your liver. So you may have to lose 5-10% of your weight or more. My insurance company only required I lose 5% of my total weight. My doc said 10%. I've lost 10% from the date of my first weigh in with the surgeon. I think I will have surgery either next month or in early March.