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If you go to the LapBand website you can find info on dr's in your area or you can call LapBand directly and they can tell you certified dr's. I see Dr. Benbrahiem out of Midstate. He also does to go Wallingford. He is a good dr but he doesnt take any crap. It's his way or no way. His rules or none. You have to be in his program for a MIN of 6 months, most of the time thats with any of the dr's because that is for insurance reasons. My surgery was scheduled in November and was canceled because insurance denied it and the appeal days before surgery. Talk about being depressed and gaining weight! My insurance changed and it was approved and I had surgery in December, 2 days before Xmas. I was miserable for Xmas but it is a life long changing event. Just remember to KEEP YOUR HEAD UP! I went into Dr. Ben's program last June (June 08) and expected to have surgery right away but that is not the case. There are requrements that must be met to make sure you are ready and serious. As Dr. Ben says, you didnt become obese overnight so dont expect the weight to come off overnight either. If you want, you can PM me. I'd be glad to talk. Remember, try and stay positve. It's easier said then done, thats for sure, but trust me, it pays off in the long run.

hi everybody i made this account early this month, just to see whats it about and what it offers... But my story is i've been overweight since like about 6th grade and been struggling.. im a young girl(18), just trying to live. i've tried every diet you can think off... weight watchers,low carb diets, to even starving myself for days. i did the requirements so far, seeing a nutritionist and pysch. i guess the pysch thinks im not sable enough, so i can to keep going. but i def. need this surgey as soon as possibile... so i was just wondering some info. about this surgery(Lap band) and the affects after... and maybe i could get some G00D docs' names too. lol... i just need some input i guess, im ready for this. my goal is to get this surgey done before my b-day(sept.) P.s. oh yeah i live in new haven county(Connecticut)

I had the same symptoms as you. I am almost 2 years post op. I had a tightening and couldn't keep anything down and it was about 2 months after my last fill. I had an upper G.I. done, there was no slip, but my docs are very conservative and they took fluid out. I did gain about 10 pounds, had to weight 6 - 8 weeks to get another fill, but have now taken most of the weight off. It may not be a slip, but you may want to get a slight unfill. Best of luck to you!!!

Emmy, First of all congradulations on your successful weight loss journey! From everything I've read and heard from others, the mucus build up can really play havoc with the band. I heard the doctors say warm liquids first to open the band up and drain the mucus helped most of their patients. Stay away from cold liquids. If you are feeling uncomfortable I would go in for a slight unfill. There is no sense "toughing" it out for days only to have to go in at the end anyway. Besides, you can do damage when you let things like this go on. Let your doc do a barium swallow and then you will know if you have slippage or not. Your mind needs to be put at ease. Good luck.

dinner. Place: Varsity Grill, 1114 Broadway, Tacoma- 1/2 block north of the Sheraton Tacoma Hotel. Phone number: 253-627-1229 8:00-10:00 A special event, in the Sheraton Ballroom, “Talking with the Surgeons”. Includes a non-hosted cocktail party. Saturday: 7:30-8:00 REGISTRATION 7:50-8:00 CONFERENCE BEGINS / ANN0UNCEMENTS 8:00 SPEAKER: Don Mills - Marketing Representative Allergan Corporation, formerly Inamed Corporation. Our inside man at Inamed-Allergan Corporation, Updates Us On New Lap Band Information. 8:30 OPENING SPEAKER: Joanne Godmintz 9:00 The morning starts with a motivational seminar titled: “Hold on to your band, you are in for the ride of your life”, led by noted psychotherapist Louise Pietrafesa, MSW and Randy Brandies, MSW. Ms. Pietrafesa is a graduate of University of California at Berkeley, with a Masters Degree in Social Work. Besides having a busy therapeutic practice in Seattle, WA, Ms. Pietrafesa is a consultant to Northwest and Clinical Nutrition Center, Joslin Institute of Diabetes at Swedish Hospital and the Novartis Nutrition Corporation. Randy Brandies is a graduate of University of Chicago, where he received his Masters Degree in Social Work. He is a cognitive behavior therapist and practices in Seattle, WA. 10:30-10:50 BREAK – Meet with Vendors 10:50-12:00 MOTIVATIONAL SEMINAR CONTINUES 12:00-1:00 CATERED lunch 1:00 LAP BAND SURGEON SPEAKERS SESSIONS BEGIN: SPEAKER: Roberto Rumbaut, M.D. Medical School: Escuela de Medicina, Ignacio Santos, ITESM, Monterrey, Mexico in General Surgery Residency at San Jose Hospital ITESM, Monterrey, Mexico Graduate of Board Certified- General Surgery, Mexico Professor of Surgery: University of Monterey-ITESM, Monterrey, Mexico Past President of the Mexican Obesity Surgery Society 2003-2004 Member of the Medical Advisory Committee for Bioenterics Lap-Band System Member: ASBS Topic: Living With The Lap Band SPEAKER: William D. Neal, M.D., FACS Medical School: University of Oregon Health Sciences Center, Portland, OR Surgical Residency: Keesler Medical Center, Keesler AFB, Biloxi, MS Fellow American College of Surgeons Member: Regular Member, ASBS Staff Surgeon: St. Peter's Providence Hospital, Olympia, WA Chief of Surgery, Mason General Hospital, Shelton, WA Topic: Coencentric Dilatation and Slippage SPEAKER: Dr. Pedro Kuri, M.D. Medical School: National University of Mexico, Mexico City General Surgical Residency: National University of Mexico, Mexico City Board Certified-General Surgery, Mexico Past Senior Professor at University of Baja California Medical School Member of the Mexican Medical Society of Obesity Surgery Member: ASBS Topic: Lap Bands SPEAKER: Dr. Barry Fisher, M.D., FACS Medical School: Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York Residency: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles Clinical Research Professor in the Department of Surgery at University of Nevada School of Medicine, Las Vegas, Nevada Fellow American College of Surgeons Member: ASBS Topic: Motivation for Success SPEAKER: Dr. Ariel Ortiz, M.D., FACS Medical School: University of Baja California, Tijuana, Mexico Residency in General Surgery: Centro Medico Nacional del Noroeste, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico Board Certified-General Surgery, Mexico Professor of Surgery and Clinical Medicine, University of Baja California, Tijuana Member: ASBS Topic: Are you failing the band, or is the band failing you? 2:40-3:00 BREAK 3:00-4:00 PANEL DISCUSSION 4:00-5:00 BREAK-OUT SESSION SPEAKER: Mary Costa R.N., CDE, Diabetic Nurse Manager, Kaiser Permanente, Antioch, California Topic: Cardiovascular Risk Reduction: Weight loss is one step; are you at risk? Additional steps to prevent heart attack and stroke SPEAKER: Dr. Leo Petersen, M.D., Practices with Dr. Pedro Kuri in Tijuana, Mexico Topic: Insulin Resistance SPEAKER: Terry Simpson, M.D., FACS Lap Band Surgeon, Phoenix, Arizona, Author of several books on weight loss including “Losing The Last 30 lbs” and “Fundamentals of Weight Loss”. Topic: How to get to your goal SPEAKER: Dr. Martinez, M.D., Practices with Dr. Ortiz. Topic: Diagnosing Using Fluoroscopy 5:30-6:00 CLOTHING EXCHANGE 7:00 CATERED DINNER Followed by an evening of lively entertainment including: Fashion Show, Jamie's “Famous Slide Show”, bandsters pictures Before and After. Raffle and Bandster Auction. (Save your dollars—something Extra Special is being Auctioned off--it's a secret.) Fun continues with entertainment by the Vancouver-Portland Bandster Group, "The Van Ports" with 80's Disco-Dancing – Dance the Night Away! Prizes Galore!!!! Sunday: 8:30-12:30 PLASTIC SURGERY FORUM Speakers will include a variety of different plastic surgeons, nurses and patients. Cathy Ross, CRT, Bandster, Patient/Nurse, Kirkland, WA Topic: What you want to know before Plastic Surgery . Gavin Dry M.D., FACS, Plastic Surgeon, Kirkland, WA, Medical School: Univ of British Columbia, Vancouver, Gen. Surgery Residency, University of Washington, Seattle, Plastic Surgery Residency U of W Board Certified in Plastic Surgery and Reconstructive Surgery-US, Topic: Plastic Surgery following Weight Loss Lisa B. Stubenrauch RN BSN CDONA/LTC NHA Bandster /Patient/Nurse /Seattle, WA Topic: Total Body Lift- A Top to Bottom Reconstructive Overhaul, From the Patient's Perspective Dr. Alejandro Quiroz, Plastic Surgeon, Tijuana, Mexico Medical School-Universidad La Salle in Mexico City Medicine. Residency: General Surgery National University of Mexico Fellowship specializing in a Plastic Surgery at the National University of Mexico and University of California, Irvine. Board Certification in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Mexico Topic: Total Body Lift

I lost 13lbs in my first 9 days post op! I'm not expecting that every week because of the hospital fluids/water weight, but YAY!

I was banded in 2005, lost some weight but not all I wanted to, and now have started gaining again. Banded in Mexico, so no support in the US, and I think that is part of my problem. Trying to get back on track before gaining back before I gain back ALL the weight, and start losing until I reach my goal. Will appreciate advice from anyone with same experience or anyone that can help. Thanks.

Chanda, I think the Kirsti Alley, had some type of surgery....She might of had gastric bypass....she sure lost her weight really fast...She may not have, but she sure did get the weight off fast...that is why I am thinking gastric bypass...

Khaliah is Muhammed Ali's oldest daughter and was banded awhile back, I'm not sure exactly how long ago. I just bought her new book yesterday and started on it last night. It's really good so far. It's called Fighting Weight: How I Achieved Healthy Weight Loss with "Banding," a New Procedure That Eliminates Hunger--Forever. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking into getting banded. She wrote it with medical professionals so it is partly an autobiography about her own struggle with weight and her experience with the lap band but it also has a lot of medical information as well.

Wow this was awesome to read! I'm in a similar boat! I have insurance now to begin the new year but my job will be offering it as of the first of the year so it may change. I think my insurance requires six months of dietitian meetings. I have pcos and really struggle knowing when to stop eating and losing weight. I hope to hear more of your journey! Glad we are at close to the same steps!

I have a blog, but am looking for more people going through the same things as me. Www.adorkabletreasure.wordpress.com November 13: The Major Decision Within the last month, I've decided that I needed a change in my life. This change could potentially change my life dramatically-for the better. I am terrified of what will happen, the long term effects and the process in general. However, I need to do this. I need to do this for me. I need to do this for my son. What is this change? What could possibly change my life so much? Weight loss. Yup, this is another one of those blogs. I've always wanted to lose weight. It just never happened. I think I really packed it on when I was about 12 or 13. I remember coming home for Christmas break and my mom calling my school to ask what they were feeding me. I don't remember when I passed 200 pounds. I remember passing 300 at the end of my pregnancy and being so so grossed out. I've lost about 30 pounds post pregnancy.....4 years ago. My insurance covers bariatric surgery 100%. That was a shocker. I've gone back and forth with considering this as an option for some time now, but I haven't made any progress on my own. It's time for some professional help. Hey, after the year I've had (divorced, moved to a new state, multiple family deaths, new job etc) I need to do something positive for me. And I need to do everything I can to make sure I'm around to see my son grow up. The first step that I took was finding someone who took my insurance. It's new in my area, so not many people are contracted with them. Calling my insurance didn't help, they couldn't find anyone within 50 miles of me. I did find one though! I'm set up to do the seminar on the 30th, and the first appointment with the doctor is December 3rd. I am most interested in the sleeve. Here's to a new, terrifying adventure. December 1: Today, I F-d Up. Well, yesterday and today. Yesterday, I was so engrossed in decorating the Christmas tree that I completley forgot about the WLS orientation. 6:30 came around, and so did my memory that I was suppossed to be somewhere. So it's been rescheduled. For the 10th. Maybe I won't fail at life and forget again. Todays screw up: I totally ruined my brothers Christmas. I forgot to take his Christmas present out of the car.....anndddddd he got in the car today. So his wonderful "big" surprise of an Xbox One was completley ruined. I'm thinking about putting a pair of slippers in the box instead..... On another note, my kid is back!!! December 9th: The Insurance Drama Begins.... So - I just moved to Nevada a few months ago. The insurance that I have is through Amerigroup. According to the receptionist, Amerigroup will only approve a surgery if I am on medication for high blood pressure or diabetes - no matter what the BMI is. I am on neither. Although, my doctors appointment on Wednesday, my blood pressure was 143/107. Maybe I should have that checked. My insurance that is offered through my work starts on January 1st. With Cigna. Cigna only covers 1 doctor in Las Vegas, and it's not the one I am scheduled to go to the seminar for tomorrow. So I am in a bind. Do I go to the seminar tomorrow anyway or should I just say screw it and start with the Cigna doctor? (Who has a seminar on the 15th). So many decisions!! December 11: Seminar = Completed I went to the seminar last night. There was a lot.of information given. The surgeon seems very straight forward, no bullshit kind of guy. I kinda want to know if he takes my insurance, you know sometimes the insurance sites don't list all the doctors they actually cover. I have an appointment with him on Tuesday, so hopefully I will hear good news. It did leave me debating between lap band and the sleeve though. His results from people who have had lap band are great, unlike all the horror stories I've read about it. I troed talking to my mom about it, and without a beat she said "its not like you're going to change your eating habits anyway". So I guess I can count her out for support, even though she suggested it in the first place. I'm going to try and go to the other seminar for my new insurance on Wednesday night. December 13: Officially In The Program It's official. I am on my way to VSG. I'm scared, nervous, excited, and overly cautious. I so want this, I've wanted this for years. Walking into the back office, I was shocked that I had gained 25 pounds since moving to Vegas. I had done so well, and worked so hard to lose it, and it's all back. Starting Weight: 295.2 pounds. What. The. Hell. Meeting with Dr. Teng, he told me that I was basically almost three persons. For my height, I should weigh a max of 140. Ummmm, that's only 155 pounds...no big deal... He asked me what my heaviest was - 310 at the end of pregnancy. He asked what my lightest adult weight was, from 21 years and up - lightest was 270 (I had my son when I was 20). He looked a little shocked. Then he asked what my lightest was at 18/19, which was 210. He said some things I already knew. What I am doing at home isn't working. I have to make the commitment to change. I have to work for it. Surgery is not a band aid, it's a tool. Then he told me that lap band will get me down a hundred pounds, but not much more. He is recommending the sleeve. My next appointment I make a final decision. Overall, it was just a short visit. Information gathering I suppose. The lady at the front desk, who happens to also be the dietician, said that she would discuss more about what happens at the next visit (for nutrition). My insurance (Cigna) requires that I lose 10% of my body weight before surgery. That's 30 pounds. The doctor also told ke that Cigna requires 4 months of nutrition counseling. He said that if everything goes well, I should be able to get the sleeve in March. I don't think he accounted for this being mid month, so I am going to guess April is the correct month. I am going to a nutrition appointment on the 28th. I am pretty sure she said that these were 28 days apart, but she also said something about some class being 1 or 2 times a week. I am not entirely sure what that is. Each nutrition class is $40, that my insurance does not cover. I go back to see the Dr. Teng on January 31st. That is 7 weeks into this program. By then, I should have lost at least 17 pounds to be on track for insurance approval. Here's to the most dedicated I've ever been. Last meal: chicken pot pie, ceasar salad, and lemon cream cheese pie at Marie Callendars. It was fantastic. December 21: Weigh In #1 Welp....it's been a week. I have been overly aware of what I have been eating, and how much. I've gone out to eat and ordered a salad when I wanted a burger. I stashed away the chocolate bars that were bought for me while on my period. I even went into a bakery with my mom and didn't have anything. I got on our tiny, old, hard to read scale. Its past 285, but not 290. So I'm just gonna call that a 287. Which is 7-8 pounds. Ish. Not too bad for the first week. When my new insurance kicks in, I will be able to get a wireless scale for free. Hopefully it ships quickly. I'd like to actually be able to tell what my weight is.

Hi, I am new to VST and have been looking around for a few weeks. I find everyone so helpful and nice. It is very uplifting to see so many people willing to share their stories and help those who are in need of some encouraging words. I am just startin out on my journey ( I have my initial consult next week) but I am interested in so many things in the "Sleeve" world. As a girl in her mid 20s I am so ready to start my life and feel that in order to do that I need to be happy with not only my body but my health. I have genetics going against me on both sides and can't remember a time where I was not overweight. I try to picture myself thinner and it just is not something I think I have ever seen. I am so looking forward to all the healthy benefits of being at a healthy weight. I don't want to worry my life away with diets anymore. I have already started exercising more and drinking nothing but Water (ohhh I hate water!) but I am so ready for a life style change that will stay with me forever. Some questions I have are just little things... How long from initial consult till surgery is normal? Is there a required amount for your pre-op diet weight loss? How is the liquid diet post-op? Do you feel like you are getting enough or even too much? Any encouraging words for someone who is ready to start this journey with bells and balloons!!!!???? Thanks Brooke, Charleston,SC

I'm preop. There have been a couple delays in the process but I can deal. I've done the orientation session and started attenging a support group and have been hanging out with all you lovely folks here. So, back in October, I decided to start tracking what I'm eating in preparation for both my RD appointment and my postop life. My goal wasn't to even pay attentiion to whether I was gaining or losing, but simply to track as honestly as I could, every choice I made about food, good, bad, or indifferent. And my other goal was to pay attention to when I was comfortably full, and stop there, instead of continuing to eat simply because something tasted good. This morning was my RD appt. I stepped on the scale - and I've lost 8 lbs in 6 weeks. Three of those were over Thanksgiving weekend. Go figure! So I went to my RD appt. and handed her a printed copy of my journal notes. She was very happy to see what I've been writing, noticing, aware of, etc. Cool! And then I called my surgeon's office. I had to change surgeons before I actually saw the first one. The first one wouldn't see me until after both the RD and psych appts. (my health plan doesn't require this, but the Program does). The second surgeon is happy to see me first. I have my appt. 12/22. Cool!

I'm trying to get an estimate for how much weight I might have to lose to go to a size 16 from a size 20. My wedding dress alterations appointment is September 18. I am 5'6" 239 lbs at the moment. I am going in for a fill Aug 6 but have been trying to eat healthier already. My band hasn't really been much help since I had to have an unfill months ago. All of my fills after don't seem to do anything anymore. Anyways, I thought maybe some veterans who may have been in my shoes may have some input or personal experience that might help me out. I do know body composition is a factor.....I think I'm an apple shape.....but any guidance or realistic estimates would really help me. Thanks in advance.

@@Christina.Rose have you already ordered your wedding dress in the size 20 and think you might need to take it in up to a 16? When is your wedding? 4 sizes is a lot to take in alterations at some point you will end up reconstructing the whole dress. Depending on the time frame for your wedding your gonna want to try and stay pretty consistent in your weight if you can the closer and closer you get. If you plan to lose a lot of weight right before, try to order the smaller size but maybe an 18 so you can always take it in to a 16 if needed. Wedding dresses can have complicated sizing depending on the material and the style Aline, Mermaid, etc. Always best to check with the seamstress doing the alterations they know and trust me they won't lie to you just to make you feel good I got married at my highest weight ever...but I couldn't have been happier and I still love my photo's even as hubby and I have lost over 60 pounds each

I used them while recovering but not really sure it helped. More of it was walking that helped the most.... I use em now tho! While I am proud of my post op weight loss the gas after surgery is nothing pretty ..as u will find plenty of us talking about noticing post op :/

Are you guys tracking your calories and measuring your portions, if so and still losing and gaining, I would talk with you Nut, have them go over your food tracking and see whats going on. If you're not tracking, I would try that and see where you stand . Good luck, I know it has to be frustrating!

I am 53 years old and Bmi of 63. Very heavy indeed biggest I have ever been. Feeling worried about the gastric sleeve as had a band for 13 years and it didn't work. Learned to eat round it and just don't want to be able to do the same with the sleeve. I need to lose this weight as hate the way I feel and look. It's going to be a long journey just hope I get to the end of it.

i am getting a bit worried that i am starting to obsese over losing weight i dont think i am but i have been told by my mum and grandparents that i am and when people keep telling me that it starting to make me think that i am. in april it will be my first year being banded and i have lost 10 stone and still got a lot to go but i am very happy with what i have lost so far, to me most the time it dose not feel like i have got a band and i worry that i might slip back into old habbits has anyone else been though this and have and advise to give me

I am writing this for all those who are struggling with the idea of "am I too tight?", "I'm hungry but I can't eat anything...". I just spent the worst 2 weeks of my lapband experience, suffering from the "too tight" affliction, and let me tell you, NEVER AGAIN! Up until my last fill, I've had a pretty dream run of things. No great post-op hassles, first 3 fills of 1ml each were space 1 month apart and came in just at the right times. 4th fill of 0.5ml 2 months after that also went well - great restriction but not too much. After 3 months, when my appetite was starting to rage again, and I was eating 1.5+ cups of solid food at every meal and fighting the urge to snack in between, I knew it was time for fill #5. The doc put in 0.5ml again and warned me to do liquids for a couple of days and ease back into solids after that. Unfortunately, that night I couldn't even manage thick Soups and ended up PBing half the night, till I remembered my emergency anti-nausea pills. I went back to clear consommes for Day 2 and creamed soups for Day 3 but couldn't move past them for a while. By Day 6, I was managing mushies but had to fly back to work and that, combined with getting my ToM a couple of days later set me right back to clear consommes again - anything thicker and I chucked my ring up. I lived like that for the next 8 days but could never get past soups and on a good day, mushies. Let me tell you folks, that is NO WAY to live! I booked the unfill before I came home (got home last night) and just had 0.25ml taken out today - ahhh sweet relief! This morning, I was gurgling and burping over a cup of coffee. This evening, I had a small chicken & vege thingie in filo pastry - delicious, and FILLING and no burping, no sliming, no pain! Best of all is that now I've eaten it, I'M NOT HUNGRY ANY MORE!! What I noticed more than anything with that overfill, was that even when I was gurgling and burping, sliming and PBing, I was HUNGRY in between and kept trying to push past what I was capable of eating. It was so hard not to just get in the habit of eating slider foods and saying to myself "at least I'll lose weight". Of course, the only solid things I could eat in all that time were cheesecake and Cookies... but healthy solid veges and lean meat - not a chance! If any of you are thinking to yourselves "I'm really uncomfortable, but I don't want to take the fill out in case I start to gain", please PLEASE take a leaf out of my book. When you are too tight, the only thing that goes down easily is crap and you won't lose weight eating crap! Life on the band is not meant to be not eating at all! It's not meant to be living on soups and mushies! You need to eat solid, healthy veges and meat and you won't feel hungry! Stay too tight and you'll be miserable, eat fattening non-nutritious foods and will be HUNGRY all the time! Don't do it!!!

sooo... i recently went to the doctors and they did this test on me... they put a sticky bandage on my arm and my foot and found out how much water was in my body, how much of my weight is fat and how much is muscle and gave me a weight that i should be at according to my body structure and muscle mass... and when the reading came out, it said that according to my specific body, my healthy weight would be 196 pounds. Im a pretty tall girl, and my entire family is naturally a little big boned.. so it made me think about those charts where u find out how much "your supposed to weigh" according to your height... and how wrong they were... it made me feel pretty good because now i dont feel like i need to fit into this chart , which i thought would be too skinny for me anyways... just letting you guys all know because if any of you were feeling like me.. ask your doctor to do a body composition test.. is what i think its called... its more personal and accurate for YOUR body :thumbup:

Well. I've been unfilled now since June 14th. 2 weeks this past Monday. Amazingly, I've maintained my weight loss. There was a few days where I went up 3-5lbs, but since I've done a pretty good job of reminding myself to eat like I have been prior to the unfill. I've also started back to Curves because I need it to maintain the weightloss, for one, but I think I need it mentally and emotionally as much or more. This slippage and waiting to see new doctors and getting ready for all those tests etc seems to be bothering me much more emotionally than it ever has. My life is just so frustrating at times. I had so looked forward to having this fixed and being on the road to recovery starting today and being ready to get back on the road after the holiday weekend. Now, I don't even see the doc until then and this means if he feels surgery is necessary I'll have to be off during a time that my team members need me. I feel pretty guilty about that, especially since I'm sitting here doing nothing this week. Anyway, my biggest concern was that I maintain what loss I've had and so far I'm doing much better than I thought. You get used to having those training wheels, then you find out you can do it all by yourself, if you try. So.. YAY for me Leatha

I felt the same way. I have a new surgeon now. I had a band fill this week and will be seeing the nutritionist. Time to reset. I have already lost weight. Resetting can be done Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Hi there, the links in my signature below really helped me understand how the band works and how to work the band; maybe they will help you, too. Congratulations on having the surgery behind you. This is an exciting time. I'm actually still really excited and it's been almost two years for me -- wonderful getting my life back. I'm having so much fun and did not realize how much I had been hiding out before, embarrassed about my weight and generally discouraged. Not anymore! Good luck with all that is ahead. Keep those appointments and keep listening in to your body.......