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I didn't have much gas pain post-op but I remember walking as much as I could to get things going. 8 months seem so long ago now, lol. Congratulations on your surgery! ???? Thanks. . I'm definitely much better from the gas. But have been having a horrible pain on the lower left side of my belly. At first I thought it was my skin ripping away from staples. . But there aren't any staples. ..and nothing showed up on CT scan...so I'm wondering if there is a small muscle tear. ..bc it hurts like hell when I move! Dr appointment next week to check it out again. ..did you experience anything like this?

I was up walking within 4 hours of waking up and out shopping less than 24 hours Walked a couple miles that first two days. Flew on a plane, drove 5 hours, plowed my driveway, fed horses, more shopping, errands, laundry, etc all within the first 5 days. Back to work within a week.

Can I ask.... which restaurant? And yes - totally agree, that is BS!!!!

I was curious if anyone is exhibiting compulsive behavior. Shopping, drinking, sex,drug use. You don't have to disclose the exact case but I am just curious if you do infact have them. For example I had a friend who never touched a drug become a user she is several years post op. I have found that I am drinking white wine more than I should. Instead of a few glasses I would like to limit it to one glass of red. Maybe transfer addiction? we cannot have a love affair with food so we find something else to gravitate to...your thoughts. I know there have been articles stating there is no valid research there is a link...I think that is bs and s o m e peoplle are just more prone to it.

I'm thinking about birth control post surgery. I'd really prefer not to use hormonal BC, but I'm not sure what other option there might be, since I'm only going to TTA for one year post surgery. Any advice?

What about the Nuva Ring? I'm also interested - I don't really want to go on hormonal bc, but not sure what else to do.

Agreed eggs are great for protein, but if your only a week out. It's still very early to introduce that. From what I've heard it's typically 2 (on a shorter side) to 3 weeks before you introduce anything like that. Especially eggs they say bc se people cannot even handle them early on and end up throwing them up, which would not feel good after surgery.

had my band at age 66, medicare and BC/BS paid 100%. I have had fills for the past 2 years and follow up appts as needed. no out of pocket. I haven't had any complications with my band but hopefully if I do I can have a revision or another surgery . I doubt I would get 80% of my stomach removed but depends on my state of health and mind at the time. I am enjoying a new lifestyle of mobility and good health. I am diabetes free, normal blood pressure and normal cholesterol levels in many years.

Hi guys! I had my band removed about one year ago. Wow. What a horror story. I was banded at age 15. I barley lost any weight initially. Maybe 20lbs. I plateaued for 3-4 years. Eventually my band got infected and my weight dropped dramatically. I started at 220 and dropped down to about 128. The weight loss was amazing. I was unable to eat or drink fluids for weeks. Eventually I had the band removed. I have gained over 45lbs since last year and got fed up with feeling like I was in a prison in my own mind. I applied for a loan, got approved and schedule my sleeve for this Saturday 06/06/15. I am so unbelievably excited and overwhelmed. I currently weigh 180 and can't wait to share my results. I am so overwhelmed with fright after reading people's unsuccessful stories. Albeit, rare, still very disconcerting. I will show you guys a before/after from last year!

@@perk4756 depends on your insurance requirements unless you are self pay. after I completed the required BCBS Fed stuff I got approval letter in the mail and was in surgery within the next 30 days. I had to schedule a pre-surgery appointment. I opted to wait one week as well.

Thanks! I don't see the link or signature. Maybe bc I'm on my phone?

Typically I do not eat breakfast because I'm not hungry in the mornings so I have an early lunch. Often this is a Greek yogurt with some mix-ins (otherwise, for me, the yogurt is a slider food -- it's the chewing and swallowing that gets the brain signal for satiety). I mix in chia seeds, sometimes a few chopped up nuts, a little gluten-free Cereal, sometimes a tablespoon of Protein powder if I'm feeling I need more protein....you get the idea. dinner is all over the place for me depending on whether we are home, entertaining or going out. We love taco night -- I make grass-fed ground beef with stock so it's all broken down and yummy with Mexican spices. I can eat one loaded taco and that is it (old days I'd do three or four plus other stuff!). I like fish a lot, salmon. Steak. I can't seem to do regular hamburger now but that's okay, I cook chicken thighs -- sauces are my friend now, not a no-no. There are a couple of links below in my signature that really helped me understand how the band works. I love my band and have had an excellent experience with it. Still have some weight to lose, but carrying around an extra twenty is so great compared to what I had before. Night and day. I was not prepared to do anything more drastic than the band and so am very grateful that, for me, it was just the right tool to help me lose weight. It has not been difficult. I am not in a diet. I make good choices most of the time and now I can stop eating -- no more going back for more, more, more.

My name is Brian at my heaviest in my life I weighed 360 lbs I currently weigh 295. Since graduating High School in 1986 my weight has been up and down ( sound familiar) out of high school I weighed 250 lbs so I've never really been a "small" guy and have never seen a doctor that was satisfied with my weight. Now with type 2 diabetes and blood pressure issues (which both are controlled) and the dreaded sleep apnea machine. I was faced with the fear of possibly shortening my life and not being able to spend the best years to come with my wife and family. Also watching what I thought were healthy people around me not much older than me kick the bucket was weighing in on me (Nothing like a funeral to make you do a little soul searching). So I had been talking to my primary care Dr about the surgery for about the last year and a half, but didn't have the courage to admit to myself that what I was doing wasn't working and I needed something "MORE" than just pushing the plate away. Then love of my life stepped up to be ( unaware to her) an inspiration to me and had the sleeve surgery because she was fed up with the chronic low back pain she was having. After seeing the amazing results of her weight loss September 22 2014 on her 40th birthday I sprung the news that I had made an appointment to go to my first lecture and module one for weight loss surgery. Little did I know the long journey ahead and that it would take almost a year later to actually get on the surgery schedule. Along the way I've had several hurdles to jump (as I'm sure most everyone does) all the conversation my DR and I have were not exactly what my Insurance was looking for we DID NOT have enough conversation about "diet and exercise" for it to count for my 6 months D&E counseling they required. So back to the drawing board. No matter how pissed it made me that all the discussions we had didn't count it really worked out in my favor. For at least the last 8 months I have been blessed with the knowledge I received from the 12 support local support group sessions and the awesome insight that this forum is making available to all that is open to reading and supporting other patients posts. (Drum roll please) if your curious to my date (since I've been rambling on) it is June 15th 2015 and it can't get here fast enough. As I am typing I'm doing my 2 week pre op diet, and thoughts of changing my mind run rampant through my head. It doesn't make a person feel and better when "some" people you talk to about your surgery don't get it. For some reason it's like they think that this is something that you've just woke up one morning and decided I'm going to have weight loss surgery because it's so "easy" (yeah right I've seen what my wife has gone through I assure you it's not) or some doctor is coercing you into it. Here what I say to you not under standers " Drink a big glass of shut the HELL UP!" This is my life, and this is for ME and only ME to make my life better. I say there are two kinds of people out there that don't understand our need for the surgery. Those are the people who have never had issues with there weight and the people who haven't realized they have issues with there weight. I WAS one of the latter but no longer, as of June 15th 2015 my wife and I will be able to start a new long life together. That is my story thanks for caring enough to read it. God Bless to Everyone having Weight Loss Surgery and Great Things to You All in Your New Beginnings... Thank You for Your Support in Advance...

Well, to be honest, there isn't a rule I haven't broken bc the surgery was done on my stomach not my brain. That being said, I'm REALLY trying to control my mistakes. I'm not perfect and I don't beat myself up anymore. I just improve my habits daily. Yesterday I ate Weight watchers Protein chicken Pasta for Breakfast an Asian salad w/chicken for lunch Fig newton and a Krispy Kreme donut for snack (please don't judge me. I had a weak moment and I know it). Piece of pita bread with caramelized onions for dinner I don't drink enough Water (I'm working on that) but I drink 2 cups of coffee a day.

I feel I like a failure bc I'm back to eating my carbs and sugars. I don't know how to stop but today is a new day and I'll do my best. I need advice. How does one go back to the good ol'days?

My name is Tina. I am 42 years old and a mother of 3, grandmother of 2. I am currently an OB nurse. During my recent mandatory annual physical I found out I am diabetic, high blood pressure and specifically high triglycerides. I was already suffering from lower extremity edema and plantar fasciitis making it extremely painful to do my fast pace job. My cw is 248, hw 252 ht 5'6. I am currently in the process of having my 4 nutritionist visits which must be 30 days apart. All other pre requisites have been completed with an anticipated roux en y sometime in September. I am doing this in secret but turned to my work family for support due to so many of them already having the surgery and simply because they would know when I went out on medical leave bc no matter what laws are supposed to protect your privacy, there will always be that talk in the workplace and I just figured it would sound better coming from me. The ones that have had the surgery are very supportive, however the last 2 days I feel as though I have been cornered and bombarded by a couple of the physicians. I was told today I was taking the easy way out??? What is easy about this?? I was told this was not normal or natural and there would be long term effects from it. I am already scared to death, but I am equally as scared not to have the surgery. Why must people say anything if they can't say things to help? What's worse is it's SKINNY people with all the advise!! How can you give advise about something you have never lived??? I don't see this as an easy way out, it's one of the hardest decisions I've ever made so why do I feel like I'm losing respect from ones that used to respect me? I am so thankful for this site. When I'm feeling down or confused I come here and get my head back on straight. So, thank you to every single person that shares their experience. You ARE helping others whether you know it or not.

I am really depressed. Why do I let men rule my moods? I met this guy and we were getting along great and then last night he shows up 2 hrs late for dinner, completely drunk. Now Bill won't leave me alone. We never had anything in common that we both liked and yet he thinks we need to get back together. My weight is driving me nuts, just like all of us. I talked online last night to someone sleeved right around the same time as me. She lives in AZ. She was freaking out bc she is gaining weight. All I can say is I am glad I have you guys to fight the fight with me. It really helps to know we're all going through this together and it's not just me. Where is Sheryl? so good to hear from all of you. Please don't desert this group!

@djmohr Thanks so much for your encouragement and words of wisdom! You are so right about it getting harder as we age, and it seems that in the past year my body has finally gotten fed up (pun intended!). sleep apnea, horrible arthritis in my knees, increased problems with degenerative disc. Your story is an inspiration! I'm sorry that you are having to have surgery today and hope it goes well, but wow! Look at how much you've accomplished!! In addition to the boost with weight loss, I think one of the things that is most appealing to me is the long term support via the doc, nutritionist and support group. I tend to be a lone ranger when it comes to my weight, but I'm learning I really need community and support. @jane13 Thanks for the reminder to follow my heart and mind!! Wishing you both continued success!!!

Hi ladies I have a tmi question. My surgery was April 16th. I could start birth control a month after surgery. About 2 weeks in after taking BC I started AF. The first day it was red/brown and today is day 2 and it's dark brown. I read it could be from rapid weight loss. I've lost 57 lbs. Have any of you experienced this ? Just curious. Thanks

Well welcome....I'm pretty new as well....in fact I heard about the site sitting in the Dr's office..."ease dropping" on someone else's' convo (well they were just talking really loud). lol....and its been awesome! Well don' t know what I can add...I had to do 15 days of a pre-op diet. Each surgeon is completely different....I had to do complete Meal Replacement Protein shakes (Bariatric Advantage)....which it took about a week to get used to it..,and get in my flow of what fruit I wanted to add to it. I purchased a strawberry and an Unflavored...and daily I would add 1 scoop of each with 1/3 cup of a mix of strawberries and blueberries to 8 oz of Water. Although I hated them..I got used to them...and thankful...bc I lost 20 pounds in 14 days. I have my surgery tomorrow...and will be back on Protein Shakes afterwards....I'm running from BA...and bought "Premier" at CVS...a lot of people on this forum have been recommending it (30 grams of Protein, 1 gram of Sugar, 160 calories)...and I spoke to my dr about it today and he said it's great! I'll have to let you know how it goes...I have surgery in the morning...and will have the shake next week. KIT....I'm 33....and used to live in FL....(Jacksonville....Duvaaalllll)....now in the Chicago suburbs!

30/30 for my WLP too, but I take barely enough to moisten my mouth while eating. Two to three times bc if not everything feels harder to go down and I find I don't want to eat then. I have been fine and certainly don't over eat bc of it.

Hi all I actually just asked the same question in another post. I was hoping some more veterans would tell their stories of what it's like after the yr to yr and 1/2 mark. I'm losing but it's slow. My surgery was 12/9. Sw: 318.8 cw: 253 I'm 5'5" so I have just over 100 more to lose. I've also been measuring and I've lost 13.5 inches (at last check, I'm due for another) from my waist. Almost 8 in from my hips. So I'm seeing movement but it's very slow. I don't mind working my butt off until I get to goal weight, I just want to know what happens when you hit that timeframe. It concerns me bc any slower weight loss and it will come to a halt.

Omg....I'm with you!!!!!!!. ...my poor hubby. .bc every time he cooks, I get mad, every time he brings food home, I get mad ...lol. ... I know he has to eat but it just smells so darn good!!!! I've just had to push through. ..we're almost there girl!

I'm three weeks post op. It's been amazing to me how much hunger is in my head!!! Even when I'm completely full, my head is saying just take one more bite... try to distract yourself, get up, move around, find something to do. When your head is focused on something else you'll forget about it BC you really aren't hungry. Hardest thing for me has been grocery shopping!!! Although I am on a hugely restricted diet, I still have a family that has to eat! Either I want to buy everything, (BC it's in my head) or I want to buy nothing. It's def a struggle but it's getting better every day. Good luck!!

I had to laugh. I was reading that article while eating dark chocolate with some unsalted peanuts. I did have just Protein for breakfast: scrambled egg, a piece of bacon, and a few bites of tomato. But for lunch I had a spinach salad with a homemade bean salad made with salsa and 3 kinds of Beans, fresh mushroom, yellow pepper, cukes, tomato, and carrot. For dinner tonight I am having baked eggplant stuffed with lean ground beef and veggies. In a days time, I don't eat as many carbs as I used to, but I will eat enough to stay out of ketosis. I call BS on that article, too.