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1. Gestational diabetes at the age of 28 with child #2 in 1997 (also my last pregnancy). Gained 96 pounds during that pregnancy and lost 12 so by the time it was all said and done, I was carrying an excess of 80 pounds more that. Would. Not. Stay. Off. 2. Triple negative breast cancer diagnosis in 2009 at the age of 40. Mandatory year of chemo/radiation which completely finished wrecking what little metabolism I had left that the gestational diabetes didn’t wreck. Gained 15 pounds during that year that. Would. Not. Stay. Off. 3. Hysterectomy in 2014 because of complications due to chemo-induced menopause at the age of 40. And at the age of 41. And just for fun, again at the age of 44. Went through menopause 3 times. Gained another 10-15 pounds that. Would. Not. Stay. Off. 4. Bariatric surgery in February 2019 after 21+ years of fighting a losing battle with metabolic syndrome caused by all of the aforementioned issues and yo-yo dieting. When I was 28 and got pregnant with my daughter I was about 140 pounds and a size 8. When I started the bariatric process at the age of 49, I was 259 pounds and a size 20/22. Throughout my years of yo-yoing, I’ve always been a SLOW loser. I was the girl who would diet/exercise for 4-6 weeks before even 5-6 pounds would come off. Then after it would finally start to come off, I could count on losing about 6 pounds/month eating 1200 calories daily and exercising like a maniac. Then the instant I would stop that brutal routine, the weight would insta- jump back on.    Since my surgery date on February 6th (where I weighed 244 pounds) I’ve lost 46 pounds. Honestly it’s been “slow and steady”. Besides the first 2 weeks, I’ve not had a single week where I’ve lost over 3 pounds, but I’ve also not had a single week where I’ve lost under 2 pounds. So if I can lose weight with my history, honestly anyone can

I'm so sorry you're going through all that! I was also sleeved 5/22 and had a few regrets myself - even without complications. Up until today, I couldn't swallow a sip without pain. That's finally going away. But day 2 I really wished I hadn't done this to myself. I still sort of feel that way when I'm hungry and all I can have is clear fluids or protein shakes - sooooo sick of all that. Keip your head up and I hope thing are better for you soon.

I was pretty much the same as everyone else.. 2 days. In on Tuesday, out on Thursday. As long as there are no complications (and I'm sure we are all hoping that is the case) you should plan on 2 days.... 4 if you have to arrange care for your kids. Oh Yeah, and congrats on your decision on surgery and good luck!!!!!

I'm not that well-travelled yet. I'm only about 3 weeks post-op. But I can tell you, the post-op is MUCH harder than the pre-op. It's weeks and weeks where you are tired, you can't eat, you're hungry, you're nauseous, it would be easier to eat something that sounded good than have another Protein shake, you can't get your fluids in, your protein counts are in the toilet, you're in pain, you haven't chewed anything for five weeks...it's one thing after another for a few weeks, and that's with NO complications. And the problem is, a mistake could kill you, cause a leak, compromise your staples, or land you in the ER with some issues. The pre-op is a good time to learn compliance. I am not the best rule follower in the world. But if it's a choice between following rules and dying, I know which one I need to do. I hope I didn't come across as preachy. Opinionated, yes, preachy, no

My surgery was 18K and I had it done in the same city in which I live in the #1 ranked hospital. My surgeon has a perfect record (he has never had a leak and mortaliy is 0%) and while he's kind of full of himself, I absolutely feel like I got what I paid for. I don't have to worry about any type of complications being untreated or unrecognized because his office is 20 minutes from my house. Also, as a self-pay patient I had BLIS insurance which covers any kind of issue I may have for the first several months. When I first found out the price it was a bit of sticker-shock, but I feel like there are some things in life where low cost leadership is not the marketing strategy that appeals to me. There are great surgeons in Mexico, but the personal cost of traveling out of the country for a surgery that could ultimately kill me if I didn't have access to my doctor after the surgery, was not worth saving 10K.

My wife wasn't on board at first. I'm a statistics guy though, so I laid out the research. I don't have the numbers in front of me, but the chances of losing a bunch of weight and keeping it off more than four years are abysmally low. Also, I was at higher risk of dying from weight complications than from the surgery. Lastly, I was 37 when I started. With my weight and comorbitaties I didn't have the luxery of taking 'the high road'. It all pretty much convinced her.

Hi, I am having my lapband removed, had lost 30 lbs but gained it back, The lapband really never worked, I lost most of the weight through starving my self and drinking shakes. I have done a lot of research and the mgb seems like the best approach since it is reversible, which is very important to me and has great results with the least complication rates. If you had the mini gastric bypass, what was your experience after surgery? got sick? recovery length? how long after the surgery where you able to go to work? how much can you consume (portion size) 3 month,6 month and 1-2 years post op.? Are there any foods you can't eat? Did you lose more weight then you intended or resulted in under weight? what is your height, start weigh and end weight? Your responses will be appreciated. Thanks

Hi Folks, I posted at this site originally in late October (at the beginning of my 6 month waiting period for insurance purposes). As I'm going through all the major hoops I have to jump through to get this surgery, I'm starting to have serious reservations. I spoke to my NUT yesterday and confessed that I quit smoking for 3 months then at the end of December beginning of January I started slowly again. I'm on the patch again today and know this will be a battle for me. I can't even be on the patch a month or 2 prior to surgery. My other problem was that I gained 4 pounds in those 3 months I quit smoking and it's my impression that my team of experts expect me to behave as if I'm having the surgery next month. I'm not. According to them I should be eating several small meals a day. I work Sooooo much and have Sooooo many doctor appointments, I'm exhausted already. And don't have the time to focus on food continuously I could lie and tell them everything they want to hear, I get the impression they feel as if their doing you a favor by being ball busting big brothers. I feel my life is invaded by this team. I told the nutritionist that I might not be ready for surgery come Spring, I might need a few more months to get my mind wrapped around this and focused on living a completely different life. Finally and most importantly once this is done, there's no turning back. I have stomach problems as it is, IBS, had Diverticulitus and had it surgically removed. If I fall into the 10% that has complications.....I'll hate myself forever for doing this to myself. I weigh 230 lbs and if I lose 100 lbs I'll probably look like a cancer patient. How does one prevent too much weight loss? I'm struggling with this...any input would be appreciated. With a 6 month prep period, when did you all start taking it serious and strictly change your habits? Thanks Robin

First off, I have to say: eating foods that your stomach is not ready for is a huge no no. Especially things like rice, that can get stuck in your new incisions and cause a life-threatening infection. Honestly, puking and dumping is the least of your worries when it comes to eating things your recently-cut up stomach is not ready for. Mashed potatoes I have seen on many people's pureed diet plans, though I was told not to eat them for a few months as avoiding starches was one of the goals of my post-op diet. I'll be 11 months post op in ten days, and the answer is YES, it does get easier! The absolute best thing you can do for yourself right now is to follow your meal plan and teach yourself not to give in to cravings, so later down the line when you're at goal or near it, you can slowly reintroduce certain foods that were a no-go in the beginning, like rice and potatoes (which should still be kept to a minimum), and then eventually be able to eat a varied, healthy diet that nourishes you and satisfies you. Now is the time to establish these good habits, as well as the time you must focus on healing. I can honestly say that a good chunk of people I've met who had complications had them because they gave in to their cravings and ate things they shouldn't have, or took nsaids, or ingested caffeine while their stomach was still healing, etc. These rules and guidelines are in place so that you can be the safest and healthiest possible. Follow them! How are you feeling otherwise? My first few weeks were completely terrible, but it really does get exponentially better. As someone who is far past your stage, I can truly say that dealing with being bored with what you eat is 100% worth it in the long run. In a few months, you'll be eating like a normal healthy person (albeit less and smaller portions) and you'll be feeling great. Hang in there.

1. First question may be a bit silly and I know everyone has their own unique experience, but I'm wondering what to expect on the actual day of surgery. For some reason the surgery itself doesn't make me nervous because I know I have an excellent doctor, but being put to sleep makes me a little nervous. Also, I'm nervous that I'll wake up into excruciating pain.. Is this the case ? Either way I know eventually it will all be a minor detail but I'm just curious to see how others have reacted to surgery. For my surgery, I was wheeled into the operating room, had a few pleasantries with the staff, then bam woke up in the recovery room. No mask being put on my face, no slow fading out . . . I was just there chatting with people one second, then the next second woke up. When I woke up I did have pain in my shoulder (from the surgical gas) but I wouldn't call it excruciating. My team did an excellent job on pain control the whole time I was there. It wasn't a big deal. 2. My second question has to do with hair loss. Is there anything I can do from now to prevent my hair from falling out/ thinning. I know getting in my Protein is key, but is there anything else I can do? No, there isn"t anything you can do to prevent it. Don't waste your money on massive amounts of biotin or some sort of special shampoo. It will either happen or it won't. There are good ways you can cut and style your hair, as well as cosmetic tricks, to hide hair loss if you get a severe case of it. Usually the hair loss starts around month 3 and stops and the hair starts growing back somewhere around month 6. 3. My third question has to do with excess skin. Again I know each person is different and there are many factors to this. My question is did anyone find that toning exercises or any kind of body butters/lotions help at all? No. If there were some sort of magic trick to prevent excess skin, no one would need plastic surgery because word would spread and everyone would do it. The thing is, you already have the skin you have. You can't prevent it, it's already there. If having excess skin is going to bother you a lot, start saving your pennies for plastic surgery now. 4. My fourth and final question has to do with pregnancy after being sleeved. I don't plan on starting a family for another 4-5 years but I'm curious if the sleeve has affected anyone's pregnancy.. Did anyone find it hard to take in the proper nutrients ? Was it hard to bounce back from pregnancy? Did any complications that may not be obvious arise due to the sleeve? I haven't had personal experience, but my sister (a physician) says that pregnant women require an extra 300 calories per day to nourish the fetus, plus a prenatal vitamin. It's not hard to get 300 calories per day. Make a protein shake with whole milk and a tablespoon of peanut butter and you are just about there. Or eat a handful of nuts twice a day. Instead of having yogurt for breakfast, have scrambled eggs with cheese and avocado, plus eat a couple slices of dried mango for an after-dinner snack. Trust me, once most sleevers get a year or two out of surgery, they don't have trouble adding in 300 calories. They have trouble *not* adding in 300 calories when they don't need to! You'll be fine

It has been a while since I was posting regularly here. I had vsg in May 2013, reached my goal weight and a healthy BMI in about 16 months, and have had no trouble maintaining. I've been very happy with the sleeve overall. But I have had some trouble the whole time. Basically I dump (severe diarrhea and sometimes severe hypoglycemia too) after almost every meal. We are talking agonizing, clear-the-ladies-room, stuff. I actually experienced it right after surgery in the hospital and they said it was normal and would go away. It never has. I've worked with my surgeon, dietitians, other gastroenterologists, I've had all kinds of tests including numerous endoscopes and colonoscopies. I tried going dairy free, gluten free, low carb, low fat. I had my gall bladder removed after a severe attack and hoped it might help. I took Questran at 4x the normal dose. I tried calcium. I tried eating g things that tend to block other people up. I ate 120+ grams of low fat Protein a day. Nothing helped. Now I have another problem too. Despite being on nexium since surgery, I have severe acid reflux and bile reflux that have caused my stomach and upper bowel to develop severe ulcers. The acid reflux is a relatively common long term complication of the sleeve. The bike reflux is often genetic and doesn't cause a lot of trouble with a full size stomach apparently. My current gastroenterologist is going to revise my sleeve to a bypass, which will eliminate both types of reflux because it will be impossible for the acid and bile to reach the pouch from the blind stomach. He also thinks that the bile reflux is causing the dumping because it is impeding the break-down of food, which is passing through me only partially digested. So I will be having the revision Monday morning and I get to re-experience the joy of the 6 week post-op diet. My surgeon is confident that any weight I lose will only be temporary, since I really don't need to lose more. I may actually gain a bit because I will be absorbing more nutrients. I don't know how many sleeve to bypass revisions there are, so I wasn't sure where to post this. Hopefully it is helpful to someone.

If you can take a few weeks. Your body needs the rest. You can adapt to your new routine, exercise, nutritional guidelines and liquid intake. You dont realize how tired your body will get during the day. My original plan was 2 weeks off and work remote 2 weeks. Right after surgery i decided to take full 6 weeks. Having the sleeve wsd the best decision I've ever made. Listening to my body abd taking the time to recover was the 2nd best decision. I recommend it 100%. I too have a management position that in most cases is a desk job with 7 hrs of meetings a day lots of stress and fast pace. All of which is not conducive to a successful healing. In addition to my sleeve i also had hietal hernia repair. I have had zero complications. Also the time gave me time to deal with all post op without having to field questions from folks in the office. I decided to keep personal business to myself and husband. You will have so many dynamics and changes going on. Good luck

I was banded at TLBC June 8th 2006 and have already reached goal. The best advice I can offer is follow instructions.....Lapbandtalk can offer simple suggestions through experience, however.....when it comes to advice about fills, staying on liquid or other diets, etc...then talk to your Dr....they know best. I have never had an issue with TLBC...they treated me well and professional at all times, I had no complication pre or post surgery. My husband is a chef. I do not like cottage cheese so for the pre-op diet my husband was mixing 1/2 cup low fat yogurt with 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese, 1/2 cup of ice cubes, 1 package of sweetner and liquified it through the blender...every day he would add different flavourings...such as 1 - 2 tablespoons of sugar free jam, or 1 tablespoon of plain cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon of real vanilla, etc. It was like drinking liquid cheesecake! Don't say you can't take the pre-op for 14 days....it will be tough but think of your priorities.....1) not following instructions and compromising your surgery....or 2) weight loss from your surgery which will bring you better quality of a longer life that would otherwise be compromised from your obestiy. I took the second choice and am now enjoying life as I never knew it....I also wear a size 8.....from a 24/26. Good luck Carol

I had mine with Dr. David Treen and Dr. Todd Bellott down here in New Orleans. My entire surgery, hospital stay, 1yr post op and bliss insurance in case of complications was 13,658. I had a private room with excellent care and a very proactive doctor in treating nausea and vomiting. If you google david treen he has a video that dateline did on him and this type of surgery. shop around and you will find what you are looking for.

People who’ve never struggled with weight never understand the eternal battle. I have one brother who knows the struggle & one who doesn’t. I didn’t tell the one who doesn’t about my surgery but he recently found out I had it and has been hassling my mum about it & being very critical (not me yet but I’m waiting for it). I was fortunate. My mum was supportive of my decision but she has since told me she was very worried at the time. Does your mum’s negativity come from her fear that you’ll lose weight when she can’t or the loss of something you currently share (eating and being overweight)? All surgeries have their dangers but not having the surgery and not losing weight has major health complications too. @rjan is right you still eat food after you have surgery but if you want to be successful you change the type of foods you eat and choose healthy, nutritious options in much smaller portions. Over time you will work out new favourite foods, what foods you can or can’t tolerate and if you can have an odd treat like @catwoman7 said. Do your research. Talk to others who’ve had the surgery. This has to be your decision. Good luck.

I am sorry to hear you had all the problems. I have been fortunate so far and haven't had any complications. I was too tight briefly after I had my hysterectomy in Dec. Being too tight was extremely uncomfortable and I ate Cereal until it passed. I couldn't get an unfill, because I had an incision from the hysterectomy where my port is. I definitely didn't want them poking or feeling for it. You are correct that the weight loss can be done without the band. What the band has done for me is help me not be STARVING while losing the weight. I have lost weight before with the lower calorie diet and exercise, but I was hungry most of the time and then returned to eating bigger portions after a while. Hopefully this won't be the case this time. I have lost 72lbs in 7 months. This is a lot, but basically it amounts to about 10 lbs per month which is doable without the band. It really isn't recommended that you eat soup, because it defeats the purpose of the band. Soup can't stay in a pouch, it goes right through. If you are having to eat soup all of the time, you may be too tight. Think about how you feel when you eat foods like chicken or fish. If you are chewing it well and it is uncomfortable, or sticks, you are too tight. If that is the case, consider going for a slight unfill. Sometimes all it takes is .5ccs out to make a huge difference. If you can't eat healthy foods, you won't be able to fuel your body properly to exercise effectively and losing the weight is going to be difficult, if not impossible.

I talked to my surgeon about this option and he said in the U.S. most insurances don't cover it. He also didn't recommend it, as it adds more unnecessary risk for complication by inserting a foreign object, also it can wear out, slip, be too tight, etc. So he feels it is not worth it. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I had a cold before surgery and still had a slight cough the morning of my surgery. My anesthesiologist heard me cough and measured my oxygen level it was at 94. He asked if I wanted to reschedule or go ahead. He said if I'm not breathing at full capacity they would have to monitor my breathing differently and there's a greater risk of complications. I said I would rather go for it. I was originally scheduled for July but my dad passed away the day before my surgery so I had to cancel and my insurance company made me go through the whole 6 month process again. I would just talk to your anesthesiologist. Mine agreed with my decision to move forward but had he recommended otherwise I would have postponed it

Hello all! I'm researching getting the VSG surgery but I don't have my gallbladder. I had it removed about 4 years ago. While watching some YouTube videos I noticed a few people that were having complications simply because they no longer had their gallbladders. If I remember correctly, it was something about bile getting into their sleeves I think. It was giving them complications and some were told their only option was to have a revision to Gastric Bypass. Just wondering if those were just isolated events or rare events even. Has anyone who has had the VSG surgery after having their gallbladders removed either have/had complications as a result of that or haven't had any complications at all due to that? Thanks so much! mallymaven

So I went through the exact same thing. My surgery was 10/12/16I didn't actually quit till 10/5/16 and felt horrible for it. I started reading on the possible side effects from smoking too close to surgery and I thought to myself that I'm doing this so I can be healthier and live longer and have a good life.. so why wouldn't I do this one last thing for myself too and not risk all these scary complications during and after surgery. I have not had a smoke since 10/5/16. I'm not saying I don't crave them.. especially since my husband smokes.. but I didn't pat all this money and go through all this work and sacrifice to be unhealthy - hope this helps HW 368 SW 324 CW 288 Sent from my SM-G870W using the BariatricPal App

It's really important you figure out the cause of the reflux, stuck episodes, and vomiting before getting the Lap Band. All these things can lead to band slips and erosion so it's important they are addressed before surgery so you don't put yourself at heightened risk for complications. It's also important to make sure there isn't an underlying medical condition that would be contradictory to the band. Best wishes.

Hi Miker1, I had my sleeve done in Montreal in November and I had all of the same fears you mention in your post, with of course my largest fear being death and leaving my two young children behind. I went into the surgery at almost 300lbs and I am 5'8", so my BMI was 44. I did mine privately in Montreal and I only spent 1 night in the clinic and was then moved to a hotel where I had round the clock nursing care for another 2 days. Everything went very well and so far no major issues. I also found out after my surgery that I had severe sleep apnea that I was completely unaware of and despite that everything went well and no complications with the anesthetic. I am currently 3 months out and have lost 70lbs as of yesterday. No one can predict what your outcome will look like, and nor do I have an understanding of what your comorbidities are and what type of risk factors you have, however, just know that I was petrified as well and deeply concerned about the surgery even up until then brought me into the OR and yet everything worked out just fine. It's natural to be scared because it's such a big decision. So far I have had no regrets and am extremely happy I did this - for myself and for my children with whom I am more involved with now because I can move better and because I am happier. Where are you having your surgery done?

Point taken Mo. Everytime I think of adding cheese to something, I say to myself "pointless useless fat" and avoid it. But not the cottage cheese, I guess, huh?! LOL I can pretty well live without cheddar and american. Once I measured just how many ounces the chicken breast on my plate weighed. Just so I'd know how many ounces what I wanted was...(isn't it supposed to be the other way around? Weigh first and THEN want that much? heh, not me) Well, it was 3 ounces. That's a perfect bandster portion! I was very happy. So, since I can't do the counter at Starbucks "working from home" I'm going to TRY making my own. coffee, 1% milk, splenda and ice in the Magic Bullet. Oh, how do I get the vanilla flavor? Syrup? OMG this is getting waaay too complicated. sigh.

I had mine removed 5 years ago and just got sleeved on 1/13. When my surgeon found out that I had it removed already he was happy about it, same with the nurses. I have literally never heard of these complications involving the lack of a gallbladder and the sleeve. If anything I've heard that it's preferable to have it already removed, otherwise you're going to have to do it anyways.

I think you made a good choice! Don't do anything you are not emotionally, mentally, and physically ready for. I am also 265, but my BMI is 50. I thought I wanted Gastric Bypass about 10 years ago, but it didn't work out with insurance and I felt as though I just needed to give it go on my own as well. Now here we are ten years later and I still haven't been able to keep the weight off. Plus with gastric sleeve being less invasive and having less complications, i felt as though now was my time. I wish you well on your weight loss journey! Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App