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Got my band in 2009. It never really worked kept getting unfilled because of issues finally it was discovered the band had dilated my esophagus so I was revised to the sleeve. The sleeve was great in the beginning then in month 3 bad reflux throwing up at night on three different meds for it. Got dilated four times had the bravo test and other so now I have to do bypass. I didn't choose bypass in the beginning because of the rearranging I am nervous and scared but I can't live like this with the reflux I also don't want to lose too much more weight. I went from a size 18 to a 10. I lost nearly 60 pounds and I work out so I've lost more inches. Anyone else in my boat any stories. To share. My surgery is in two weeks it's being done as medically necessary. I have blue cross federal basic

hi jclo , since February this year you have done great , I had my band done 23/11/12 and lost just over 3 stone since then , my weight has not shifted for several months now which is frustrating , stress has also played a part in my journey so far which I was not prepared for really but now understand to be quite common . 6.5ml is a fair amount in a 10ml band but remember we are all different and what works for you may not for someone else , some loose with no fill but I think that is unusual . I would look at your diet firstly , do you feel restriction ? when you eat ; I tend to have only a slimfast shake for b/fast as until lunchtime or beyond I often find eating food difficult , meat/ bread are a problem for me , as with many . Are you in the uk ? have you access to a dietitian where you had your surgery , if so it may be worth speaking to them and/or your surgeon for advice , you don't want to be too tight but if you don't have sufficient retriction for you more may need to be put in , feel free to keep in touch . best wishes , dream x

A Little About Me.. I'm a vivacious, super-bubbly comedian at heart! I love making people laugh and I try to see the glass half full rather than half empty! I'm a recent law school graduate (May 2013) and I just took the NY/NJ bar exams in July and now I'm getting ready for the BIGGEST change of my life! I'm having Gastric Sleeve surgery on 9/2/2014 and I'm super EXCITED and Anxious at the same time! But, I've put my faith in God because he always Delivers! What Else.. I was hit head-on by a drunk driver two months before I graduated law school and as a result I sustained some pretty serious injuries to my knees (both were cut completely open) but by the Grace of God I survived. I have a few scars that remind me of that night but I choose to see the positive.. I'm alive and so grateful to have been given a second chance at life! Why am I having surgery.. Well.. I've excelled at everything I put my mind to but my weight has been an issue since I was a kid. I lost my sister in 2008 and then my mother in 2011. Those were devastating loses for my family and I.. so I've decided that WLS is the best choice for me because I want to live. I'm a work in progress so stay tuned! ~BeenGym'N

Take it as a compliment! And congratulations on the weight loss.

Hi Everyone - I'm getting banded on 8/24 and I must admit I'm really scared. I had a really bad surgical experience in the past - almost died , so this goes to show you how much I really want this. It's a little hard though - husband and sons, daughter-in-law, family members are all thin. Glad I found this site cause as much as they all love me - I'm not sure that they can really understand all I'm in for. I've got about 100 lbs. to loose and fear failure - just like all the past diets. Plus people can be a little tough - told a girl at work about my upcoming surgery - she said "oh yea, I know someone that did that - it didn't work" another girl said "well my husband and I looked into it - but you only loose weight right at first because you are on liquids" Whew - I need some serious positive feed back , so bring it on bandsters! I really want to succeed.:frown: Want2bligter!

Well I weighed 140lbs around Nov 11 2014 had surgery Nov 11 2013 now I weigh 165lbs I am now a 33 waist was a 30 waist but maybe a 30 waist for a man 48 years old is not reasonable I think that might have been to ambitious. I would prefer to stay at a 30 waist but maybe its not possible I have thought of exercising but I'm not sure my body will lose weight around the waist. I remember I only ate meat and vegetable now I have carbs with my meals. The surgeon mentioned that after one year I would gain 15% back. I guess he was right. Not sure if I should drive myself crazy over the increased waist size.

I have gain how star back losing

How can I find that forum? I looked for it with no luck. Could it be because I u a e my phone not a computer? At the top of the page, go to Forums, General Weight Loss Surgery Forums, Clothing and Goods Exchange. I am not sure if you can see the tabs at the top from phone or not. I use my computer! Hope this helps!

Thanks for the suggestions. While I do kettle bell cardio at cross fit, it is not very consistent. I just got 2 home kettle bells of 20 and 30 lb. how are these weights for achieving good results? And I am interested in hearing about the videos you use for getting ripped with kettlebells.

@@2feelgood @@Inner Surfer Girl is exactly right. I had RNY bypass and it controls how much I put in my body but certainly not what I choose to put in it. I can eat around my surgery all day long if I choose to. Trust me, there are days when I have only to find out that I had either stalled out or gained weight. I got to goal and have remained there so far because I choose to follow the rules at least 90% of the time every day. Why not try resetting before heading for another surgery? Go back to the basics. Start as if you had surgery yesterday and go on a liquid diet for a few days. Use the 5 day pouch test which you can google. Then follow the rules and see if the weight starts coming back off. The most important this to do is track every single thing you put in your mouth. Leverage something like Myfitnesspal to do that. Best of luck to you!

I've been exercising regularly for years. It really hasn't helped me lose much weight, but probably helped me from packing on extra pounds (that's what the NUT said anyway). I started easy cardio, like the elliptical and walking on the treadmill (even tried jogging a bit once I was comfortable). Then I got bored and started going to spin and zumba classes. I like group X classes because I feel more accountable for showing up on time and having to commit to the full hour of exercise vs. coming and going whenever I want. I hate weight lifting. I've been told it's good for toning, fat burning, etc. I just hate it so so so much. I don't feel like I'm doing anything and I hate waiting in between sets. I would encourage you to try both and see what you like.

But with that being said, I mentioned increasing weights and intense cardio, that was referring to later on, definitely not right away. Sent from my XT1254 using the BariatricPal App

I'm almost 10 weeks post op. At about 4 weeks i started going to the gym 1-2 times a week. Then I incresed it to 3 days a week by 6 weeks. By week 8 I was up to 4 days a week and last week I worked out 6 days. I come in and stretch for about 5-10 min I start with an ab machine and do about 3 sets of 10. then I do 30 min of cardio. Treadmill, elliptical, bike, arc whatever I choose. I may do one machine for 30min or 2 for 15 min. Then I do machines. I rotate and mix and match body parts like ab day or abs and arms or glutes etc. I may do 3 sets of 15 on a weight that i can handle with effort. Every since I've been doing that (increasing my workouts ) I've noticed steady movement on the scale. Some days i just do stretching and 30 min cardio. Some days I just do weights. I'm starting to really get into it and I have to remind myself not to overdo it. Sent from my SM-G900P using the BariatricPal App

Congrats on the weight loss! I am 6 weeks out and 40lbs down! Praying to be under 200 soon!!

My 5th weight in is Nov 2 I will be sleeve in 60 days or less. I read all the bad stories post up and my anxiety goes up. I wanna kno what to do now to have a successful recovery. Hw 291 soon to b surgery weight 273?? Sent from my LG-M210 using BariatricPal mobile app

I am now 4 months post op. I am down 61 pounds since surgery. Weight loss has slowed down but I am still losing, so I'll take it. I am 32 lbs. away from my goal weight. I am so happy! I am able to wear cute clothes and not hide all my fat all the time. Yes, I still have fat to lose but I'm feeling more comfortable in my skin. Best decision I have made was to get the sleeve. I drink 1 to 2 premier protein shakes everyday. Try to get at least 60 oz. of water a day. I eat 3 to 4 meals. Meat being the biggest portion (3 oz.) then a couple tablespoons of potatoes, or veggies. I take 2 multivitamins a day and 1 biotin pill. Hair loss has started Not horrible but I can notice it. So I am hoping the biotin will help.

I wonder about extra skin once I lose my extra weight. Can I ask what your stats are? I'm starting at 250lbs. Do you exercise much? Sent from my SM-G930V using the BariatricPal App

@Goodlife1206: My apprehension has abated some, now that I've talked to my psychologist. The more I think about it, the more I realize that my positive attitude and determination will give me the strength to help me see this journey all the way through. I cannot let the fear of the "unknown" or fear of "failure" stop me from doing what I know is right in my heart, which is living a healthy, successful lifestyle. I, like you, have tried a 'gazillion' times only to tell myself, "This is just too hard, can't do it." But I have come to the conclusion that if I can quit smoking cold turkey after 30 years of putting my body through unnecessary sickness, then I can spend the next 30 years trying to make up for it by treating my body right. Attitude is everything, my friend. Thank you for your post and good luck with your journey. I am here if you'd like to talk further. Well, I went for my psych evaluation today and just as I suspected...I am certifiably crazy lol. Actually, It wasn't quite as bad as I thought it would be. Dr. and I talked for about 30 minutes, then I took a computer test and two short paper tests, which consisted mostly of common sense questions, my opinion about myself and basically making sure I had the good sense to follow instructions and maintain my weight and health with serious dedication. After all was completed, Dr. let me know after evaluating all my tests that his recommendation is "I am a good candidate for this surgery". Again, the only apprehension I have is the fact that 85% of my stomach will be permanently removed and I just want reassurance (especially from previous patients) that, provided I follow instructions and recommendations, there won't be any "ongoing, major complications". After all, once I do this, there's no turning back. I believe in my heart and soul that I have the desire, determination, will power and support to make this a successful journey. I've done my homework through research, reviews, asking a lot of questions, weighing my options, etc. I quit smoking cold turkey on May 27, 2014 and have lost 17 pounds from 06/25/14 through today's date (07/17/14) simply by following the 'pre-pre diet' my bariatric clinic recommended to help me get used to the upcoming pre/post surgery diet. So far, so good. I plan on keeping a journal and updating everyone so that if anyone has questions, just as I have, maybe my personal experience can help them through and make their transition experience a little easier for them. I will post pics soon. Again, feel free to question or comment on your personal experience so I can get a "heads up" on your trials and tribulations of the sleeve surgery. Thanks for all your input!

i am sorry, i didn't mean that ALL my weight loss was moving slowly..in fact the first 50 lbs practically fell off! what i meant is that it seems like these last 25 lbs are going very slow. i am just looking for some support or tips to keep that scale going. thanks!

Talked to Carmen at work today. She had bypass and lost 110 lbs. Wow, that's alot. surprised she spoke to me about it though. I'm still nervous. Hate the anasthesia. Eric is making me crazy. Last night he said he will just drop me off. Not his problem I'm doing this he says. What a jerk when he drinks. Oh but what abut how great I'll look later on and how much mor energy I should have. I should be healthier too. I want to be able to have energy and play with Nicholas more God I hate being fat. I can't wait until this is over. But the liquid stage maked me nervous. Think of it as healing not weight loss at first they say. Mom and dad leaving for Florida on Friday morning. Stopped in by dad to say have a nice trip. Mom is working of course. Will call her before she goes. Also will keep in touch while they are away. Wish I could go with them!! Gonna clean the office now. Want everything clean before I go to hospital because I know I won't be able to do it later on.

Congrats !!!!! Yes.....most of us have delays in our weight loss at different intervals. 3-4 weeks is a fairly common time for the first one to hit. Stay strict with your plan and keep exercising and the delays will pass and weight loss will continue. I find that hopping on the scale every morning helps to keep me focused on avoiding the pitfalls that can derail weight loss.

I did both. I would do a cardio warm up for 10 minutes before my aerobic drumming class then I'd do 20-30 minutes of weights after. I need to get back to doing that. I lost 40# in 6 months pre-surgery but the gym membership is pretty steep. Sent from my SM-G925V using the BariatricPal App

After a history of surgeries including gall bladder, female issues resulting in a hysterectomy appendix and a few others I though I was gong to be ok. I went back to college after a 20 year hiatus as well as working full time. Then in December of 2011 during finals week I awoke with the worst pain ever. I was rushed to the ER only to find that I had a soccer ball sized mass wrapped around my left kidney causing it to just about rupture..thankfully the doctors and the grace of God saved the kidney and then removed the mass. After a week of being home is when the disaster actually started. you see my colon perforated which caused everything in my intestine to fill into my abdominal cavity and then rip my incision open..in short I ended up with a colostomy then a reversal and then several hernia repairs. Sadly this past February my full abdominal mesh became infected resulting in 2 majors surgeries to remove. I needed to lose weight before the mesh could be replaced however after all my surgeries the surgeon was very reluctant. I went on phentermine and it did help however you cannot stay on it forever. Then I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, the my numbers hit diabetic type 2 levels and with being in menopause it was so hard to get the weight to stay off...Finally my surgeon agreed to the gastric sleeve. After 6 months of of going through all the insurance mumbo jumbo I had the sleeve done on August 8th 2016.I started in March of 2016 at about 241 ponds and right before the surgery was 199 pounds.I just came home yesterday after having the surgery and was put on a heart medication due to my heart rate unable to stay at a low and healthy number. I feel ok but this Jello diet is already old...lol..after my colon perforated in 2011 I was on broth and jello for 2 months..so you can see those 2 things are not my favorite. I think the hardest part right now is the drinking..I am not a huge drinker so staying hydrated is a challenge..I do like popsicles so my husband is on the lookout for sugar free ones which will definitely help. Once I get to the stage of yogurt I think I will be ok.. As you can see I have had a long hard road and I thank you all in advance for offering me a group to look to for help. I am so afraid that going off the phentermine is going to make my weight increase quickly and I do not want that. any advice is greatly accepted and appreciated. God Bless to you all

Hi holly! I'm 27, It was April 2016 when I had the lap band fitted and I weighed 20 stone. I'm now down to 11 stone and it's the best thing I've ever done!!! For me it was a really difficult journey as the band was sat on my diaphragm causing me pain in my shoulder but the more weight I lost the more the pain went away! I questioned why I done it to myself the whole first year of extreme pain, but mine was a rare case! Now it's gone and I'm fitter and healthier I could not be happier and I would recommend it to anyone!!! If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me!!! Good luck ok your journey!!! You can do this!

I'm new to the group and just had my surgery March 7th. I have been on a waiting list for at least 5 years. It took me 1 whole year to apply after the doctor gave me the papers. I was so scared. I got the call to start the liquid diet. The day of my surgery I thought I would be stressed seeing as I wasn't really ready for the Surgery when I aplied as well as its a life changing operation. Surprisingly I was crazy calm. I don't understand it. I get anxiety from time to time so I thought I would need someone to hold my hand through it. I guess I was truly ready to change my life. Pre-op I lost 15 pounds and to date (9 Days post) I have lost 27.8 pounds. It's so exciting. I'm now in the 200's that I have not seen in 3 years. Gained almost 50 pounds after deciding to quit smoking. [emoji377] Getting my protine intake is a struggle and truly hard work. Just never hungry and hiccups 24/7. Even in my sleep. [emoji99] NO regrets. I see a huge difference already and this is just the beginning of my new life. #Healthymindhealthyhearthealthybody [emoji307]MelissaEC[emoji307]