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wow im soo excited to hear that. I had my psy appointment today and it went soo well. Only 30 min and done! Now im just trying to loose the 12 lbs b4 surgery....its hard...darnit...but im trying. Im also waiting for the letter in the mail from the surgeon telling me what further tests he wants. Everything is going smooth and steady...im happy and excited but it seems like its still going slow lol. Hey what protein shake did you end up buying...? i dont even know where to start. Also what vitamins did you end up getting?

I'm getting this a lot lately! Even to the point of some one saying I'm too skinny. Lol At a BMI that still say Obesity I'm not Skinny. To the OP, curious what other vets have to say. I got asked how much I plan to loose, really. Ok Til I am in normal BMI range. Thanks

Is it normal to have extremely dry skin after surgery?? For the last 2 weeks my skin has been flaking off and looks like I'm heeling from a sun burn. It is horrible and no matter how much cream or lotion I put on it doesn't go away!!!

You know how sometimes you have a 'good hair day'. Well, today has just felt like a 'good body day' all day. The scale has not budged, but I feel skinnier. My jeans were loose when I put them on this morning and so was my shirt. It was windy and kept blowing in the wind like it is all flowy on me (not sticking to my bulges like normal). LOL After I had my kids off to school, I stopped at Ross to return a shirt I had bought that just didn't work w/the outfit I had imagined it with. I decided to do a little shopping as long as I was there and everything looked so good in the dressing room. My stomach just looks slimmer and not so bloated anymore. I got a great deal on three new tops... all a little snug so room to shrink. :biggrin: OK, now its time to hop on the treadmill and get my 30 minutes in! :thumbup:

The fist fill is a good reminder to help you stay focused on eating well and in smaller portions. You will want to test the band to determine the restriction you may be experiancing; Be carful though, as you do not want to get sick. You may or may not loose weight after your first fill, as it can take many fills untill you get to the sweet spot. Just make sure you plan a follow up visit within the next month of your fill so you can go back if needed. (your doctor should automatically do this.) It may be that your first fill will be the one that gives you the restriction you need, but if it is not, do not get discouraged, it's just part of the process. I have had four fills and do feel restriction, but feel I need more so I am going back on Monday. I have 8cc in a 10cc vanguard band. If you have a large band like this you will likely have a first fill of 3cc or more. Take Care, Tod

I have 5 NSV's to share today! My pants are falling off, and shoes are loose! I feel more energetic - no naps Walked around the Canadian National Exhibition for hours yesterday People are very encouraging; you look great, your skin is great, what have you done Taking public transit now and walked home from subway; no bus for me! I have been a little sore, like I pulled something for the 2nd time. These 5 things make up for that! First fill next Monday! So what is making you happy outside of what your scale says? (I am weighing myself next week) Kim

Hi Angie Glad to be of help. You must get initial surgery done in Leeds (obviously) and then you get your first fill in Leeds. This is because it must be done under X-Ray so they can monitor the liquid you drink going down and how fast or slow it goes. After that its all done in Hollywood. We flew with Flybe (i think) and the flights were something like £50 each return - so not too bad at all. My husband came with me and stayed in a Travel Lodge near the Hosp (about £78 for 2 nights) (about 10 mins walking distance) but taxi was only £4! He spent most of his time with me at Hosp cos its a private room and they dont mind that. You must fly over the day before to have your pre-assess done. We flew over on Wed morning early and home Fri afternoon. We had thought about staying an extra night, but the flight was at 7am Sat morning so it would have been pointless. Was most surprised and sorry to hear about your breast cancer and blood pressure. Would you believe I'm in the same boat!! Was diagnosed Nov 06 and had double mastectomy in the City Hosp in Sept 07! Waiting on reconstruction now. So I have had the band done for the exact same reasons as you!! You are extremely young to have this - I was 49! Another bit of useful info about Prof McMahon is that he was a cancer specialist before doing this!! :frown: Thats another reason why I went to him and he said he had a good look inside during surgery at my liver and everything was fine. I thought he might not carry out the op because of the cancer but it was never a problem at all. :biggrin2: I know I made the right decision about the band and I cant wait till I loose the weight and buy normal clothes! Another thing I should mention is if your BMI is under 50 the op costs £7450 - I had to pay the extra because mine was just over. You can check out what yours is on The Hospital Group website - its works it out for you. Dont be afraid to ask me anything else you want to know - I'm happy to help. Good luck for the future!! Wriggle :wink2:

I keep losing. It is a lot slower now, and I have periodic maintenance periods, but still lose about .5 lbs a week. I really don't want to lose much more. I'm 2lbs from goal and have loose skin. At this point, my concern is that if I continue the pattern that has been playing out over the last many months, I will be losing too much weight. I've seen people on the forums fuss about this as if they are doing an eye roll that it isn't a real problem or that the solution is just to eat more. Just like when someone says, "If you are fat, eat less and exercise more. You don't need surgery." ...they are over simplifying a complex problem and don't really understand. I eat lots of junk. I eat Desserts and bread. I drink beer. I eat and drink anything and everything I want. But, believe it or not, I'm still losing and it has not stopped. I may sustain a weight range for a month, but then it drops. No, I don't exercise at all. This may not be the norm, but is a legitimate concern and a reality for some here.

I am still rather new but thought i would chime in since I also researched this..... my research of the two showed you would only loose overall10% more weight with the bypass , in the big skeme of things that is not much weight depending on what you started with. I started at300 so that is 30 lbs more I would loose iwth a bypass. not worth all the side effects... my sister got the by pass and she is two weeks ahead of me so far we are loosing wieght at the same pace..... i keep thinking she is gonna pass me by but has not yet.... so happy I did the sleeve and dont have her issues.... again just my thoughts I am almost 2 months out 63 lbs down... she is 2.5 months out and down 75

I understand there is no MAGIC when it comes to loosing weight, no magical pill or magical surgery. The only thing that makes you loose weight is less food and exercise:scared2: I've finally realized it. But if the band is going to help me and keep off the weight why not. From what I've read in here its a big help and that what we all need.

On the diabetes front, I have a fellow lapband friend who went thru the surgery on the same day as me. She has had diabetes her whole adult life. Since surgery and loosing 25+ lbs. her sugars are already significantly better and once she gets to her goal she will likely be free of insulin. I"m very excited about this for her. Her specialist is very impressed with her progress! The outlook is very promising for her! I've never made a better decision in my life by choosing the Lap Band. I feel a 100% better already in just 2 short months and I'm now down 40lbs! I wish you the best of luck getting started in your new life!

I've never eaten them, but the concerns with foods safety-wise while advancing your diet are (generally speaking): hard/sharp edges & seeds can damage a healing incision - I don't know how hard/sharp pork skins are, but they look like the consistency of chips, so if you're not cleared for chips I wouldn't want to try them. For example, I was cleared safety-wise for saltine crackers pretty early on because even though they're hard out of the package, they convert to mush VERY rapidly, even before you can swallow them if you chew well. (The carb content is another issue entirely.) But Triscuits I wasn't cleared for until I was released to a full diet because the hard fibers don't convert to mush rapidly, and remain tough with sharp edges and fragments break off easily. And while I wouldn't choose chips during weight loss anyway, they are kinda in the middle safety-wise, and I wouldn't have wanted to risk it until I was cleared for all foods. foods that swell up in the stomach can damage the healing incision - I don't know if they swell up or not, my best guess would be that they don't much? digestability (based on moisture content and density, mainly) - denser and drier foods are harder to digest, so they can cause discomfort. Not usually a safety issue, but the discomfort can be intense, and some foods that are particularly hard to digest (like the Triscuits mentioned above, or fruit rinds, or fibrous vegetables) can have fragments break off and damage the healing incision. It's always safest to check with your doctor or team for any foods that aren't on your specifically approved lists, up until you're cleared for a full diet. But at least safety-wise, those are the general things they're looking at when they answer the question.

Shwans chicken is the only kind I can eat and with a marinade. Deli meat if I chew well goes down I just chop it like toddler food. I don't do so well on iceberg lettuce but spinach and spring mix work better. I can't do tomatoes unless it's skinned. No on cucumbers!!!! Nathan's skinless hot dog on if chopped like toddler food.

I will be seeing Shawna, Dr. Morton's nurse for a fill on the 11th. She seemed very nice. I hope she is good because having it done in the office without x-ray is a little scary. She said Dr. Morton puts his ports right under the skin and that is not so with mine. Although I can feel it, it is pretty deep. Good luck with your support group. I had surgery in Mexico but live near Dalton, GA and I do believe there is a support group here but I have never been. Sounds like a good idea though.

I had my surgery on 08/20/07, I lined up one of the best doctors of Bariatrics in Missouri. 5 weeks later I awoke from a medicinal induced coma in ICU. My Laproscoptic procedure failed when my surgeon accidentally cut my colon and didn't know it. I was in recovery when my wife asked a nurse if the drainage bag was supposed to be red like blood. Yes yes she answered, at three the next morning my surgeon called her and said I was in trouble and he doesn't think he'll be able to save me. However I suppose it wasn't my time, I kept right on breathing, my wife said my blood pressure got down to 60/32 but it was there. The surgeon, of course, had to open me from sternum to belly button and for five weeks they just used some kind of hose to temporarily close me up, because they packed and changed salt packs in me about three times a day the 5 weeks I was out. After sewing me up the final time, I developed leaking fistulas, meaning I could drink a glass of Water and see it leak out of my tummy after it's trek down my gullet. My surgeon sent me to a rehab facility soon afterwards to die. Even the most seasoned doctor was surprised I hadn't kicked the bucket. One young dynamo told me they had just gotten back from a large doctor gathering in Phoenix the night before, and I was the topic of conversation! Anyway, the rehab hospital had never had a bariatric patient before so with my leaking fistulas they had me eating the same thing as everyone else. I got stronger, they pulled the god awful trach thing out of my neck, I must've sounded like a monster to my children! However, the fistulas continued to leak my bile from my innards and being horizontal, the bile kept my skin from healing. Two emergency surgeries at a large famous hospital next door (w/out) my wife's permission or knowledge led her to talk my original surgeon to transfer me back to University of Missouri Med Center. While there I was visited by Dr James Kraatz (my absolute hero), he said he thought he could fix me up, stop the fistulas, 50/50 chance. Okie dokie, when do we get started. This was in December of 2007. He transferred me to the Burn and Wound ICU (wonderful place!). I had my first surgery in December, stay in hospital thru January. He sent me home with intravenous feeding, (nothing by mouth for 5 months), and a drain (nasty). Lots of great medicine!! In June of 2008, he operated and fixed my fistulas and sent me home with a wound vac, I never leaked again but was fearful for months and uber careful. (He had to wait for 6 mos. for the final surgery because of the trauma inside me from the previous 25 surgeries.) I never had the dramatic weight loss that most people experience with gastric bypass. Today I weigh 280, 100 pounds lighter, no diabetes, but hypoglycemia. No joint pain, reminders are a big honking scar on my gut, I've thought about tattooing it as a tree of life. People ask me if I'd do the surgery again, of course I wouldn't knowing how it turned out, if I told you it wasn't hell I'd be lying. Am I satisfied today, I'm satisfied with living.

Current thread from a poster with complications, surgery done in Mexico. http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/297213-i-had-a-small-leak-now-all-hell-has-broken-loose/ Her surgeon, who has done a lot of folks on this board, is in touch with her and is trying to mitigate things, but what a mess when you have different teams in different countries trying to sort things out. This is the atypical scenario for Mexico sleeves, but, it is a real possibility that complications will happen, and the ability to deal with the complications is hampered when the original doctor is in another country. Just something to think about and frustrating for everyone all around. I feel for this woman.

I was given a gift card to Dress Barn for my birthday. I went in thinking I'd grab a pair of slacks and a blouse for work. My currant pants were on the loose side so I grabbed the next size down. To my disbelief they were also too big. I grabbed the next size down and Walla they fit perfectly. Are you ready for this? They are a size 12 a freaking size 12!!!!! I cried right there in the dressing room. [ATTACH]44876[/ATTACH]

That's such a great feeling!! Congrats on your weight loss! I only have one suggestion....don't resize yet! I quit wearing the rings on my right hand right away for fear of losing them. Wedding ring still fit because as a child I broke my finger at the joint above the ring so it's a little bigger and helped to hold it on. Anyway, it got too loose, took it in to resize and didn't get it small enough, don't know if it was cold/hot that day or what happened but sized it tight and when I got it back it still twirls like crazy!! My jewelers suggestion was to get a spacer or just put a little medical tape on the back till you lose all the weight. Congratulations again, and keep up the good work!

I've read some of the threads about loosing weight before surgery "getting rid of the fat on the liver'??? does anyone know if you qualify for the lap band if you have Hep C? i know they require blood tests - how about biopsy's? i haven't seen anything about quitting smoking either? i have come up with some other questions... 1. what is this "programs that insurance doesn't cover? gym membershiip and such? 2. why do you have to loose 10% of your body weight before surgery? at my weight that would be 35 or more pounds. 3. Pre Op liquid Diet? is this something the doc prescribes? what does it consist of? or do you just blend everything in a blender? 4. have any of you experienced the shakes/dizzy feeling, from being on the liquid diet? 5. although i have "tried" to eat better in the past, I haven't really went on a "diet" for any length of time. will the doctor refuse to do the surgery because of this? 6. I have an HMO through Medicaid (NJ) Horizon NJ Health. Does anyone know if they cover the post-op procedures such as "Fills" or anything else? thanks susan

In a previous article I introduced the concept of getting the most from what you are eating, in particular, feeling satisfied after eating. Whilst the purpose of weight loss surgery is to help you feel satisfied on a smaller amount of food, the type of foods you choose is important to help maximise this. There are two key ingredients in helping you to feel satisfied after eating: 1. High fibre, low glycemic index carbohydrate-containing foods 2. Protein-containing foods. The previous article explored the glycemic index, or GI. This article focuses on protein. Protein-containing foods help us feel satisfied for longer after eating, which is helpful in managing our weight. Protein is also involved in many bodily functions including: building and repairing body cells such as bone, hair, skin, nail and muscle producing hormones to help us burn stored energy, including body fat making enzymes to help digest food helping to protect our body against colds, hair loss, muscle weakness, and fatigue. Not eating enough protein can result in: a weaker immune system muscle loss hair loss inadequate weight loss. Why am I at risk of inadequate protein intake after weight loss surgery? As indicated in the protein counter (on my website), meat products contain the most protein per serve. An Australian study from The St George Upper GI Clinic in Sydney, Australia, found that those with a gastric band often find red and white meat difficult to tolerate whilst fish was tolerated more easily. Some people who have had sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass also reported difficulty eating these foods but it was far less common than it was among those with a gastric band. Red meat and chicken breast can be more difficult to eat if they are dry, overcooked, stringy, or if they have been reheated. Any meat can be difficult to tolerate if you are not using the correct eating technique. Some people will then avoid these foods, when working on improving eating technique may allow them to eat these foods comfortably. Food tolerance varies from person to person and is found by trial and error. Tolerance of all foods can be improved by following the correct eating technique as I have discussed previously. Following all surgeries, you will be eating smaller amounts of food. A reduced intake of food causes a decrease in protein intake. In the early stages following surgery, people who have had a sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass are likely to tolerate only very small quantities of food. When you eat your meals, eat the protein-containing food first to ensure you have room for this important nutrient. How much protein do I need? There is no one exact recommended protein intake following weight loss surgery. A range of 60-120g has been suggested, however your individual protein needs will vary depending on your age, gender and your particular stage of recovery. It is best to speak to your dietitian about your protein needs. You can then use the protein counter below to see how you can achieve this. It is easy to confuse the weight of food with the protein content. For example, some may assume 100g of meat provides 100g of protein. This is not the case. Head to my website for a simple table on the protein content of common foods. Lean protein foods are the best choices, as they are lower in fat, particularly saturated fat. Meat should be trimmed of fat and chicken should have skin removed. Low fat milk, yoghurt and reduced fat cheeses are recommended.

Lol. Omg. Youre out to get me. It hurts to laugh n you just cracked me up with the "chicharrones" story and the drs look at pork skin inquiry. Lol. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using the BariatricPal App

I read this other posting somewhere, and this other bander didnt loose hardly anything the first 3 months, then all the sudden the weight dropped like flies! She was thinking that maybe her body had to get used to her not treating it has she always did. ALWAYS eating the wrong things, eating way more than she should, AND yo-yo dieting. Maybe that is what you are going through???? Just a thought... Hang in there! You can do this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok new to all this so will take all advise...Low BMI 35...Just want to know from folks that have been there what the journey will be like. Starting on medically supervised diet on Monday. I have reall blood sugar problems and trying to get them to go away. What are the best vitamins to use?? My understanding you really do not start to loose on a regular basis until after the fill. What are some things no on ever told you were going to happen. Very nervous and excited at the same time. Any help suggestions support etc would be great. Thanks again. seeing a Dr. Price (was from LA) anyone seen him??

1 year ago I was 390 lbs at only 5' 3" that gave me an BMI of almost 70. I was type II diabetic, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, under active thyroid, and taking testosterone. I couldn't walk to the mailbox without stopping to rest each way. I had to rest while taking a shower because I couldn't stand up for more than 5 minutes without my back hurting. I couldn't tie my shoes or put on my socks without positioning myself a certain way on the bed. I was miserable, and my quality of life sucked. I started my pre-surgery diet about one year ago and I was banded on January 20th of this year. I am now 135 lbs lighter, my blood sugar is normal with no medication, my cholesterol is normal with no medication. I still take blood pressure meds, but that should come to and end soon. I still take the testosterone shots but they actually do something now, my wife can attest to that. I am a lot more active in everything and am enjoying my life again. Remember though that the band is not a magic device. It will not loose weight for you. It will not take away your craving for food and will not keep you from eating sugar or a lot of other foods that are bad for you. It is a tool the will help you accomplish your goals, but it will not accomplish them for you.

The term starvation mode is misleading and people use the term to describe totally different things. When relating to eating very low calorie diets I think a better description is that it creates a dysfunctional or depressed metabolism. As auntielle indicated, someone with a depressed metabolism can't rely on calculations by programs such as MFP or FitDay because they just aren't accurate. Their bodies have slowed down and their metabolism is depressed to the point they don't burn anywhere near the calories those programs calculate. (Another arbitrary calculation are the ones from fitness equipment - they are in some cases not even close to a ballpark figure) ... The way to fight against a depressed metabolism is to increase activities - especially dedicated exercise, while at the same time slowly increasing caloric intake. It's like taking a turbine from a slow lethargic revolution and adding the jet fuel to it. There seems to be the lack of LBT posters who indicate "I lost 100% of my excess body fat while eating 1000 calories a day with no exercise and wow is my skin tight and firm." Kinda sounds like a lot of infomercials that are too good to be true - and that's because it is. As far as Anorexic's, lets not confuse people who are having difficulty losing fat to people who are typically already underweight and force their body to remain in a catabolic state. People with Anorexia Nervosa are on the extreme side of calorie restriction, but in addition have a high incidence of comorbidities which complicate their situation. Anerexia also has a mental illness component so it's comparing apples to oranges. Brad