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Look at it this way u only have to try for 14 days out of your entire life! to loose 10 pounds that is how I looked at it, I ate 50g of cereal in morning, piece of fruit for break, I had 50g of meat and as much salad as I wanted no dressing!for lunch. then a piece of fruit for afternoon snack. Then for dinner I had 50g of meat and as many veg as I wanted but no carbs! I managed to loose 10 pounds in 7 days. The way I kept myself on line was to think that if I wanted to be thinner this was the way in which I could acheive it buy yourself something nice in a size smaller so you have something to aim for, best of luck!!!!!!

Embrace this time. U were just banded. The stomach gets "angry" when messing with it. So right now u have natural restriction. When I was banded (10/17/2007) I didn't get my first fill till 3months after surgery as I had natural restriction. It doesn't happen like that for everyone. Just drink what u can. Take chewable multivitamins. Don't get frustrated. You will get through it. Take care.

hi just had mine done with wga on the 19 feb 08 everything went well it cost £4950 and that includes 1 free fill and 2 appointments with the doctor, they were great so far i have no complaints.

I also walk, 2 miles most days of the week. I took me months to get into the habit of exercising now I hate when I miss a day. I think your goal needs to be where you feel comfortable, mine goal is about 10 pounds higher then it should be for my height. I never did protein shakes, I think real food is the most filling. Do you journal your food? If you stick with to the basic ( high protein/low carbs) you will continue to lose. Sometimes a shock to your body can be to increase of calories for a day then lower them. Or very low carbs for a day. One thing I learned is our bodies seldom do what we expect it to do. Good luck

I am four months post-op and steadily but slowly losing weight. I have read in several places that we can expect to lose 50% - 60% of our excess weight. The challenge with weight loss is clothes - when do you know you have reached a size where you will stay? I have read in the same literature that after we reach our lowest weight loss point, we regain 10% - 20% back. It is my understanding that initially we lose too much weight but our bodies find a way to find an optimal weight. Apparently we will lose weight for up to one year after surgery. And as time passes, it will slow down considerably, Is this your understanding as well? If you are more than one year post-op, do you find yourself continuing to lose weight? When could you stop buying new clothes? Should I keep some of my new post-op clothes in anticipation of a 10% - 20% regain? The reason I am asking is that every time I hit a plateau, I tho I, "ok, now I can buy new clothes." But a few weeks later I lose 5 more pounds. I have no choice but to buy new clothes because the old pants literally start to fall off when I walk. But that gets expensive. My shirts seem to work fine, though the collars are too big, but suits, jackets and pants have to be altered and/or replaced. Thanks in advance for any insight that anyone can offer. I wish everyone success in his or her weight-loss journey.

I like number 19. :-) SD:8/21/13

I would say I am new here but I am actually not, when I had my band placed 2.5 years ago I was a member but I could not remember my username so this is my new profile. Something horrible happened, I was in an auto accident on Nov 01 and I suffered blunt trauma to my chest and abdomin. Immediately after the accident I was vomiting and had pain. Long story short after 6 weeks of dealing with Workmans Comp (I was driving on the job, running an errand) I finally got to see the right doctor and all the correct tests were done and not only did my band slip but I also have a hiatial hernia! I am just waiting on approval for surgery to fix this and I was left with several options with Dr. Joseph Naim... 1. Remove the band (NOT!) 2. Replace the band 3. Gastric Sleeve 4. Gastric Bypass Although the band has been good to me I am afraid of this happening again as this is a very miserable experience. I am leaning toward the sleeve...any thoughts? Dawn

Some of it can be attributed to a slower metabolism, but if you're realistic with what you are eating and stray calories are not slipping in due to mistakes in measurements or calculations, try doing the calculations for how much you should realistically be losing according to Calories Consumed minus TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). For example, here is my calculation when I started: Height: 5'11" Weight: 265 Exercise level: pretty low TDEE: 2,522 Calories: 800 Deficit: 1,722 * 7 days is 12,054 One pound = 3,500 so expected loss is 12,054/3,500 = 3.4 lbs per week! Surprising huh? Of course, in the beginning excess Water weight is lost, so the rate of loss may be higher. I actually have lost around 2-2.5 pounds per week, but I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, both of which reduce my metabolic rate by about 10% each. Now, here's my calculation for last week: Exercise level: High (5 days of 10,000+ steps including Couch to 5K training) Weight: 199 TDEE: 2,793 (higher because of exercise. If exercise was the same as before it would be 2,162 because of a lower weight) Calories: 1,000 (I'm 6 mo post op) Deficit: 1,793 * 7 days is 12,551 One pound = 3,500 so expected loss is 12,551/3,500 = 3.6 lbs per week! I actually lost 4.5 lbs last week, so I probably had some water loss. Have you tried doing this calculation?

When the dr asked me that question at my first consult In my mind I recalled being 175 and comfortable once after a liquid diet... He said that was too high. I am 5'9". He suggested 150 and I freaked out. We settled on 160... Insurmountable really since that was either 217 or 227 lbs I had to lose. So I decided to take it 10 lbs at a time and see what happened. Well today I am 157... And while the race to 150 isn't imperative I would like to get there one day...just because. But don't get me wrong I am thrilled to be in a size 8 and happier with myself than I have ever been in my life.

:biggrin1: :biggrin1: I just wanna say a big thankyou to everyone for their support I have done it! got banded at 3pm on wednesday I was a little sick after and the wind pain wasn't very nice but I got up and walked around for ages! had a good snooze then came ut of hospital on the thursday morning all glued up and ready to roll!!! This is the first day of the rest of my life I thought you only live once and I am goona make the most of it! Lost 10 pounds on my pre op which I was impressed with!!!!! Thanks fellow bandsters:clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

i was banded a week ago... i got to the hospital at 630 am, went into surgery at 715am, and i woke up from my anestethia (spelled wrong, sorry!) at around 9-930. i made two trips the the radiology floor (shoulda been one, but it was two due to the incompetence of some "doctor" who didnt even no what he was looking for om my floroscope...*sign*) took a nap in recovery for 2 hours, and left at around 5pm. it was a one day deal, but o man.. i still feel it! yesterday and today are really the first time ive felt even remotly normal again. got up, walked around, drove a bit.. the first week will be rough, but after that every day you will feel better and better. ...just make sure you have someone to help you get up when you need to, your going to be sore. on a scale from one to ten, one being effotless, 10 being a major what the hell did i just do pain in my ass, id rate my surgery and post op week at a 7. coulda been worse, also coulda been alot better.. hope this helps, and dont be scared!!!! the first day is the worst, once you get through that, youve gone thru the worst part (pain wise) and remember, the doctors give you pain pills for a reason! no point in suffering when you can just sleep the pain away. thats what i did o, and good luck!

ALERT!!! This company is in Mexico but scheduling from the United States! If anyone is contemplating surgery with WeightLossAgents.com/Sleeve and it's affiliates you need to look on the web and on YouTube to find out about the allegations that patients are dying who have had WLS at this clinic! There is a video of Angie D. Stidum, from San Diego California in a coma who died in January of this year and three others who have died before and shortly after leaving this facility. They themselves or the families of the deceased have expressed to the channel 10 team, that several other patients from the United States who say that they have been left at the border on their deathbeds! Please go on YouTube and punch in the owners name, Jarred Cohen, his wife Alexis Cohen as well as Dr. Almanza and others affiliated with this clinic! This is a scary prospect and people need to have the full story! I don't have all of the facts but this is the report rendered by the news team at channel 10 in San Diego California. Be informed, be diligent and please be wise! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hello, all! I’m Alice, and I’ve just discovered this app! I’ve just begun my bariatric visits and am so excited to be on this journey. What I say next might surprise you: I’m 19 years old with a BMI of 62.5. Sometimes I can’t help but ask: how did it get this way? I’ve been overweight all my life but at this level, its hard to imagine any life at all. It’s very difficult for me to walk much, which poses an issue with the fact I work in retail. I heard about this surgery (the gastric sleeve) from a close family member, and was so excited! I understand this surgery is not meant to be a “quick fix,” but rather, allows the patient to lose with ease and get a jump start on their new life. While I’m very excited, I must admit I’m a bit nervous for this whole experience. I’m the type of person who avoids going to the doctors at all costs, and now I’ll be seeing them at minimum once a month. Any tips for a beginner?

My surgery was yesterday. They pushed me back frommarriving at 6 a.m. two arriving at 8:30 a.m., so that's what I did. They had me taken to pre-op at 8:40, where I was supposed to get an IV and all of that and then my husband would come back and hang out with me until they move me to holding and then he would head for the waiting room when I headed for the OR... But I ended up in pre-op until sometime after 10... without my spouse.. because I had a complete and utter meltdown. :-( I have no idea what happened but the minute they came at me with that IV, I thought about what my husband said as we walked into the hospital which was "last chance ... are you sure you want to do this?" And I just started bawling! Sobbing and sputtering& scared to death that I was going to end up regretting doing this! And it took four different nurses, my surgeon and his helper, Amy anesthesiologist to come in and get me calmed down. I have no idea what came over me. One of my best friends had this surgery about a year-and-a-half ago ... and she works for a lighter me ... so I called her and she helped me a lot and eventually I did sign everything get my IV and agree to go into surgery. I was out of recovery and in a room by around 3:00 pm. My husband and my son came to visit me after I got into a room. They stayed until 8 p.m. and then headed home. Around 6:30 I had them help me get up and I sat in a chair for a while which felt better I hadn't really had a lot of pain at that point... but man was I bloated and that gas is very uncomfortable! I have not had my week test yet, so I haven't been allowed anything to drink... I keep getting a headache off and on it feels like a dehydration headache even though I'm not dehydrated because I'm on IV fluids. Maybe it's a lack of food headache because I haven't eaten anything since the day before yesterday. I walked one time around the ward, felt very tired, and decided to lie down. Around 9 or 10:00 last night the gas became very very painful... at that point they had given me Toradol around 6 p.m. and I had a pump for morphine that I had not used it all yet. I used it like 3 times and it did not touch the pain so I had them get me out of bed. Once I was sitting up in a chair it was better and then I decided I needed to walk to start getting this gas moving... I walked around the ward twice, took a break, walked around the ward three times, took another break, walked around the ward twice, and didn't really get back into bed until around 3 or 4 this morning. (I I'm unable to sleep without taking my Seroquel and I'm unable to have my Seroquel because I'm unable to swallow anything). I dozed off in a straight backed chair for a few, then slept in the bed, partially on my right side, until about 6 this morning... it is 7 a.m. now and I'm hoping to go for another walk very soon. The only gas I have moved has been a few very small burps... and they won't take my catheter out until after I've had my leak test. I am using Gas-X strips they're just not helping much. At this point the gas is uncomfortable and a little painful but the only pain I've had from my stomach has been when I cough which I've done, thankfully, just a couple of times. Also a stomach sleeper so my back and hips and butt are killing me :-P That's about it for now I'll come back and update more after my leak test which hopefully will be in the next few hours. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using the BariatricPal App

It boggles my mind that for all the people who go to Mexico, we could PAY for the surgeries at the waste that is in here. Just sickening. I'd go for people paying for the plane fare, but we could pay for the costs of surgeries, including plastic surgeries down there. That would take some punch out of "surgery mills" up here. Bet they would get their act together too, some of these ones are just money hungry here in the states. Jumping into it for the money. Really torks me. We could support good docs across the border, our own American people, and get them healthier. Any one else agree? I feel a better use of our dollars is giving that and say a limit on plastic surgery after bariatric surgery ($40K limit, must be 1 time for loose skin removal). http://www.realitybase.org/journal/2009/10/12/the-dysfunction-and-corruption-of-our-healthcare-system-its.html

:thumbup:Went to the dr. on the 31st and we had a lil trouble getting into port, i thought I would go up about 2 ccs and he only put in a half. Thank GOD in heaven, I haven't been able to eat since, can't keep anything solid down...I can pretty much keep the shakes and water down, and I am very grateful. I have had heartburn, which is unusual for me. I also had told him that while everything seemed going great, I seem to have some unusal hair loss, so I started Biotin. I am off my bp and cholestrol meds! I have lost some more weight and this weekend went hiking with my family for the first time in 10 years! I will trudge through this rough spot! total loss 70 lbs!!!! :biggrin:yea for me!

I stalled in week 4, 5 and 6 until week 7 and then I lost 10 lbs. I guess everyone is different but it seems normal to stall around weeks 4-6. Just be patient...it will come off.

Hi, thought I would chime in with my story. I too have been overweight most of my life, definitely since high school - LOL 33 years - wow time flies. I have dieted, lost some, gained back more - the usual story. My wakeup call was ending up in the hospital with Atrial Fibrillation. I have had HTN for 10 years, borderline diabetes, not too much joint pain luckily. Since the hospital last October, I really had to look at things for real. My cardiologist basically told me I needed WLS or I would probably die. My heart valve is enlarged due to the weight and if it gets much bigger it will mean uncontrolled A Fib. My PCP suggested a Lap Band, but I am Miss Allergy personified and I felt that having a foreign body left inside was a really bad idea. Besides I did a lot of research, I am a Medical Technologist and I understand all of the medical jargon etc. So, I decided on the VSG. Lo and Behold, my insurance has an exclusion for WLS. I did not even get my sleep study done in a very timely manner as my cardiologist wanted it in Nov, and I had to wait for Feb - it was excluded under last years policy but allowed this year. The sleep study results were if anything scarier than being in the hospital. I have complex sleep apnea - stopped breathing 34 times an hour and oxygen saturation dropped to 66%. My brother went into respiratory arrest with a Sat of 80 - he has very bad asthma. I really did not expect the sleep study results to be that bad, I don't even snore unless I have a cold!! But, got put on a VPAP Adapt, and have actually gotten more than 4 hours of sleep at a time - YAY!!! So, I knew a girl at work who had gone to Mexico for a Lap Band, and I talked to her about her experience. I have lived overseas, so the prospect of going to Mexico was not too daunting. I did some research on doctors on this site and at Obesity Help, and decided on Dr. Kelly. As I am self pay (am going to use my FSA) I knew I needed to go outside the US. So, saved my tax refund money, and with that and my bonus from work I am scheduled for 3/25/11. I am going alone because my options for travel comapnions, brother and father, both hate hsopitals. My mother was not an option - she can darken a room with her negativity. Last thing I need at this point, she knows I am having the surgery - but has so far not commented. My brother and his daughter live with me, and he is very supportive. His girlfriend had RNY maybe 5 years ago. She lost the weight, but also a lot of her hair, and is constantly struggling with the whole vitamin deficiency thing. She has been a really good example of why you do not overeat after WLS - I have seen her in misery after too much consumption. Unfortunately, my atopic dermatitis has been going crazy - and I have been on prednisone since March1st. So, decided to just deal with very little weight loss on the pre-op diet - probably will lose a ton of water weight when I am off the prednisone, but I need my skin - especially the belly to not be rashy and inflamed before the surgery. It is looking good right now - everyone keep their fingers crossed for me - only 5 days to go. You know, the weight kinda creeps on and you think - well I'm doing OK - I will get around to dealing with it - at some point in the future of course. Then you get that wake up call - I was really mad at myself for a while. But I am going to counseling and need to focus on the positives - this is a tool that can help me acheive better health. The pre-op diet (2 weeks) has not been too bad. I rarely get hungry now, so hopefully my liver is nicely shrunken, and the surgery will go well. My PCP, is in favor, but a bit leary about the Mexico aspect. I saw her last week and she was supportive, but concerned that she would get to deal with the complications. I told her I did not plan on having any complications, I know she is watching to see how it goes - maybe they will refer people. I did have to educate her about the VSG, and she understood my reservations about the band. So, my journey has begun. Highest weight 335, current weight 315, pre-op loss so far 9 pounds - with no excercise beyond work at the moment. If I get hot I get itchy and start scratching...bad bad idea. But, the skin really is much better and I will start excercising again post surgery. I am trying very hard not to stress, because that can cause the itchies as well. Got to have a very quiet week - it is spring break ending here and my brother went to his girlfriend's and my neice went down to her Mom - they are back tonight. I should be able to cope, am off tomorrow - work Tues and Wed, then fly on Thursday. Have an appt with Rorry (counselor)on Wed before I go. Sorry I know this is long, but the venting has been good. I have really enjoyed reading about everyone's stories so here is mine. I will keep you posted on progress.

I was banded Feb 16 and didn't even weigh myself unless I had a doctor's appointment. My first follow up was in late March. I had only lost 15 lbs at that point and knew it bc I couldn't eat as much as I did pre-band but could eat whatever I wanted and more than anyone that would/should be dieting. I wanted to let the band do the work. I don't eat much junk food anyway but I really wanted to let the band do it. It wasn't until the first of May that I got an aggressive fill and it started to work where I could feel restriction. I lost another 10 lbs in less than two weeks and since then it's been a battle and struggle but definitley coming off better. I am at about 50 lbs lost now and trust me I wish it was more. I am a slow loser compared to others. My weight also can fluctuate 5 lbs up and down depending upon the time of day that I weigh myself. The morning it's 216 and in the evening with work clothes and shoes it can be 220. Crazy I know but my clothes are finally getting too big. I am so freaking fat and need to lose at least 100 lbs total that people can hardly notice hopefully that means they haven't noticed how much I had gained. NOT! Also getting to this point has not been easy...fills...unfills...even the dreaded ER visit bc I was throwing up hourly but it was all saliva. Awful. It has been a battle and it's a tool. I used to think about doing this as the easy way out. It is so not the easy way out. Try to stick to healthy food choices and relax. It'll kick in and then you will have to work with it. I kept searching this site for clues, answers and support. I am addicted to it and appreciate all I have read about. I don't have a support group - this is it. I hope this helps you too.

Omg im sorry to hear that, were there symptoms or did you just wake up one day in pain? I also had surgery on 10/3..... Im praying for you....

Thanks everyone - I've been thinking hard on this all morning, and I've come to the conclusion of 'what will be, will be'.. Yes I'm still a little hurt, but I will get over it - I think some of you are right and I can see now it may be a trust issue.. The guys he is going with, we haven't heard from in 10 years - and there is a lot of history behind it all - These guys swapping girls, sharing girlsfriends, threesomes, orgies basically... no, neither myself or dh were involved - not my thing! If John really values our marriage, as he says he does, he won't be swayed. And if he does he knows we'll be straight to the divorce courts. A bit of boob doesn't worry me, don't get me wrong, but fruit and veg acts do! And tonight will not be just a bit of boob. So instead of sitting at home thinking about whats going on, I've invited a few friends over for a bbq... I've decided that I can't control everything in this world, but I can control the way I deal with things.

Yes, this Pre-Op diet has NOT been easy. I'm on week 3. I started week 1 with 2 shakes a day and a lean protein, veggies and salad for dinner. And that was during the week of the holidays. I did good! No sweets or anything. Then for the past week and a half I've been doing 3 shakes a day. Yes, I'm hungry. But I made this decision on my own to have this surgery. So I must do what is required of me. It's all for a better me in the end and I believe will be well worth it. 4 days till my banding! I'm anxious and really looking forward to it. I'm down 10 pounds already pre-op so I think I'm doing good.

Wow, I have 10 points and I'm off the scale!!! What does that mean, LOL! Also, I don't have the little triangle thing to report bad posts. I feel soooo left out, LOL!!!

The nausea stopped right around the 24 hr point. I tried to walk two laps everytime my vitals were checked but I was tired and slept most of the afternoon away. Sunday morning, Dr. Kelly came by and checked me out then Cecy took me around noon for my swallow test. That facility is very nice, though the roads are quite bumpy on the way there. Thank goodness I still have cushion on my backside lol. The drink is disgusting, like aspirin Water, but it goes quickly and I brought sugar free mints for afterwards. Dr. Kelly recorded the test and Omar emailed it to me. My tummy looks so widdle on the video. They also gave me xray to take home. It takes like 10 minutes total. Cecy took me to the grocery store to get some cold beverages and my meds. The grocery store had the most gorgeous mangoes I wish I could take home and was sooo clean and colorful. Once I got to the hotel, Omar and Dr. Kelly came up to go over my diet and Cecy made me some rice water. I'd never tried rice water, but it has a nice cinnamon flavor. Omar went to get the other two couples then came back to get me. I took a big gatorade and headed to the bull fight with another couple. It was $20 for premium seats and $1 for a cushion (concrete seats). The food they brought by looked delicious, dried meat, fruit platters, but I sipped my gatorade. It was very...authentic. Beautiful bulls and horses. We stayed a little over an hour. Omar picked us up and we all went shopping at Avenida Revolución. You have to haggle for prices, but I yard sale every weekend so this is totally up my alley. I spent $33 on 3 luchador masks and some maracas. We stopped at Caesar's Restaurant which is the birthplace of the Caesar salad. It is made tableside with ground anchovies, dijon mustard, oil?, garlic, worchesterchire sauce, egg yolk, pepper, parm cheese & croutons. It looked really good. We then went out to eat at a mexican restaurant that has the.best.chicken.broth.ever. I don't remember the name of the place but I've never had broth that good, full of cilantro goodness. I chewed a tiny bite of rice with it. It was my first meal since Thursday night (3 days). I sipped too fast as about 5 minutes after I finished eating I felt way over full. You know how when you eat like a jumbo cheeseburger and fries then feel ugh? I felt that way after drinking 1/2 a cup of pineapple juice and maybe 3/4 cup broth. I kinda couldn't believe it until it happened to me. We got back to the hotel around 9pm. I showered, changed my bandages, took my meds, went on the balcony to check out the city at night, then online way too late. I got up this morning around 5am and had a drinkable yogurt. Omar brought me some thin oatmeal Cecy made me around 8am. I'm sipping on it very slowly. I'm chilling in the room this morning watching HBO. I have no nausea or pain. I get a free broth and popsicle from the hotel daily so I'll be checking that out later today. So far I've had a great experience in Tj. You don't get this kind of personal service in the US. Good luck Reese! It was nice meeting you yesterday. I'm sure you'll do great! Thanks thinmymind, I had a lot of fun yesterday.

19 days post procedure and 25.1 pounds lighter! I haven't been hungry hardly at all and my stomach pains from the hernia repairs are much better. I am sooooooo glad I did this. I get my 1st fill in two weeks. I realize that the weight loss will slow down to 2 to 3 pounds a week once I get in my rhythm, but it is sure exciting for now.:wink2::thumbup::wink2: