Search the Community

HI ! I am scheduled for surgery 2/7 so in a about a week and a half. I am debating on changing my surgery to having the RY (Gastric Bypass) because I am worried that I will not be happy with the results. I have severe PCOS, with insulin resistance that is crazy bad I take metformin and 100u of lantis insulin and about 30-60 u of novolog insulin a day. I have tried every weight loss program out there and lose a few pounds nothing substantial and then i stop losing and stay at my weight. I also have mild bi-polar disorder which could be caused by the pcos, diabetic neuropathy, and bulging disk in my back. I wonder if there is anyone out there who has had the surgery who was severely diabetic (Insulin Resistant) and how your weight loss is going because I heard that the Bypass is more promising for PCOS people. Candace in Menifee CA

HI ! I am scheduled for surgery 2/7 so in a about a week and a half. I am debating on changing my surgery to having the RY (Gastric Bypass) because I am worried that I will not be happy with the results. I have severe PCOS, with insulin resistance that is crazy bad I take metformin and 100u of lantis insulin and about 30-60 u of novolog insulin a day. I have tried every weight loss program out there and lose a few pounds nothing substantial and then i stop losing and stay at my weight. I also have mild bi-polar disorder which could be caused by the pcos, diabetic neuropathy, and bulging disk in my back. I wonder if there is anyone out there who has had the surgery who was severely diabetic (Insulin Resistant) and how your weight loss is going because I heard that the Bypass is more promising for PCOS people. Candace in Menifee CA

I have PCOS. I was sleeved august 26th and have only lost 40 lbs. It's been extremely slow and it upsets me. I'm just praying that as I lose my hormones will normalize and I will pick up the weight loss speed....

Okay my weight has been so up and down. Before I got pregnant this last time I got to 174 and I was wearing 14's. The day I found out I was pregnant I was 196 and was wearing a size 16. I kept those jeans b/c the 14's were really my favorites. They were 100% cotton with no spandex or stretch in them. Here's the thing though I'm now 191 and I can't even wear the 16's:( They won't button and I know it's b/c my stomach and my weight is just in a different spot now but it's depressing me. I have some Old Navy jeans that I just bought in a 14 that are now too big but I still can't wear the old stuff hanging in my closet. When I try it on I get dissapointed that it doesn't fit. Should I just donate to someone and stop worrying with it? Or keeping losing and try to wear them again? Don't get me wrong I've lost like 35 pounds and I'm really happy with that I'm just confused as to why I'm such a different size now.

You said that you had found out you were pregnant. I know that, for me, my two pregnancies have totally shifted where my weight is. My stomach is still huge now, even though I am lower than I was when I got pregnant with either one.

I am now down to mostly size 10 but some 8 ,and some 12, but 98 percent is 8 - 10,mostly in 10. Going through my clothes shall i hand on the the size 12's or get rid of so can never never put the weight back on?? i am concerned if put on any medication eg the mirena iud- this contains slow release hormones, and when i was on the pill i put on weight on thighs, and cellulite worsened, and my bust cup swells,or shall i just keep some bras? i have dropped a few sizes am 80lbs down.NEVER WANT TO BE FAT AGAIN,although may decide on boob job at some stage.:tongue_smilie:

wow - this is crazy! I am now looking forward to my feet losing weight!

As for the bypass question. The weight regain is from stretching out the opening from the stomach to the intestine. By doing this, they are able to consume more food because the food does not stay in their stomach. Vsg on the other hand is a normal functioning stomach, just much smaller. It is not the magic bullet though. You still have to control what foods you chose to eat. I can not tell you what is right for you, but I will tell you why I'm doing it. I don't have problems losing weight. I can't keep it off. I know this is my only option to have a chance of losing and keeping it off. I still have fears because I have failed at so many other things on the past. I loved weight watchers but I was hungry all the time. This will give me the ability to change my lifestyle and not feel miserable from hunger. Best of luck!!! Don't let fear make your decision for you.

I was banded on June 21/07, and am nearing my bandiversary. Unfortunately I might add ... I have lost only 44lbs, and a difficult 44 I might add. For some, that might be a great milestone, however for me, it is not. I came into this believing that 100lbs in a year was achievable. Um .... if I do the math, I'm a little off from 100. Anyway, looking over the last year, and all of the challenges that I faced, I guess all I can do it learn from those situations, and go forward. That is exactly what I plan to do. So, for all you bandsters who have any advice, have at er. I'm ready for whatever you got. I like to be tight. I tend to stay very restricted. My caloric intake would average at around 700-800 calories a day. That is good for me. Focusing on Proteins, and then filling up with a bit of everything. Even though I am quite restricted, I am able to eat numerous times throughout the day. As long as I eat VERY slowly, and just a little at a time. I believe I have this part down ... not to say I don't cheat and enjoy the odd milkshake or pudding, but I know what I need to eat to make this work. My problem is THIS ... I do NOT excercise at all. Not one little bit. I get up in the morning, head to work where I sit at my desk for 8 hours, and I come home. That's it. No suprises, no variety. The same thing day in and day out. Now I know that excersice is important, but tell me ... is it absolutely necessary ... Is that what I am missing in trying to figure this out? How many people actually excersice faithfully, and please ... tell me ... how many people were right where I am, and found sucess with excercising. I really want to know if any of you were sitting stagnant like I, started to excercise, and found that the weight started to come off. I have never excercised in my life, and obviously it contributed to why I was banded in the first place. Tell me please, where do I start. And what do I do. Do I do 100 sit-ups each night, and run on the spot for 20 minutes, and do 50 jumping jacks? I might mention that I have the most beautiful $1000.00 treadmill sitting in my basement collecting dust. What do I do ... walk for 20 minutes ... try to run, and last 30 seconds? PLEASE PEOPLE ... help me out here. PLEASE!:tongue2:

I know the financial concerns are a huge factor & goodness knows I couldn't have had the band surgery if my insurance didn't pay for it BUT I think the most important factor of which weight loss surgery a person selects needs to be life & eating style. What are your biggest food issues. For instance if you are a huge ice cream or milk shake junky the band will do little to stop you from over doing it on them where bypass adds a sugar reaction component. I do understand some banded people have "dumping" reactions to sugar but not a big number. Either surgery requires much user work so our head food issues need to be worked on no matter what. It is a very tough choice, I agree with a previous poster about the seminars attend several if needed until you feel comfortable with a choice. I wish you luck!

Lately I have had some setbacks. Gained a few pounds after a 1cc unfill. Making poor food choices. But I have been back at it 100% for the last week. So at night after I've worked out and finished eating for the day I usually go online. I come here, facebook, and most recently pinterest. Pinterest is my new motivation spot. I go to their Fitness Boards and "Pin" different things that keep me motivated. Sayings, healthy recipes, exercise tips, snack tips. All sorts of things! Have you tried Pinterest yet? I will warn you it is addicting. It is also loaded with everyday tips and recipes (I stay away from the sweets recipes). So here a few of my favorite pins that keep me motivated: I would love to hear what you use to Stay Motivated?

I met with my surgeon on Friday for the first time. I settled on the sleeve after discussing it with him. It seems the surgery with the fewest behavior adjustments and the most normal eating. He said that I'm supermorbidly obese at 296 lb. I've always had to watch the calories but it wasn't until my early 40s that the pounds piled on and wouldn't come off. I decided to have bariatric surgery this summer when X-rays showed that I'm bone on bone in my knees and can't have knee replacement surgery until the weight is in a normal range. Dr. Hirai of St. Francis will do my surgery, but he wants me to lose 30 lb before surgery. I want to have the surgery in December, so that doesn't leave me much time to lose it. Is there anyone else who has had to have presurgical dieting and succeeded in getting it off fast. Right now I'm looking at using a protein drink a couple of times a day in place of a meal and cutting out the simple carbs.

The physicians assistant does my fills. I've only seen the surgeon once since surgery and i'll see him again jan.30 for another checkup. I'm not sure about the weight restrictions tho... But if your uncomfortable with the nurse or whoever, I would request the surgeon also

I can totally relate! I've tried everything in the past to lose weight, and nothing worked. Now I've been sleeved. I can go for days and not lose any weight (Yes! I weigh myself every day!) I guess I'm still at the stage where I worry that even THIS will not work... Fear and doubt is all it is, I hope :-(

I'm 3 weeks out and I "gained" about 1.5 lbs and haven't lost anything in almost a week. It's not possible that I've gained any real weight, I'm not consuming more than 500 calories a day. I guess I'm just rolling with it, see what happens over time!

I hate to say it but with all the fills I have gotten, which I am at 3.9cc in my 4cc band I have always been able to eat more than everyone with no feeling of being full. I have found that it is up to me, not just the band to do the work. I think to many people think this is the magic bullet that is going to do all the work for them, even though we are told that it takes hard work I don't think people believe that. You sound like maybe you want the band to do the work for you. SORRY, if your waiting, its not going to happen. Your young you have only yourself to take care of right now, CHANGE NOW, it only gets harder as you get older and have more responsiblilities and even more excuses to give yourself. Trust me, I have taken a long time to lose my weight and am still not there. I know what it means to make mistakes. I make them on a regular basis, but I never make excuses or lose focus of my big picture. Which is health and strength just as much as weight loss. Which takes exercise. DON'T BEAT YOURSELF UP, WE ALL SLIP. REGROUP! My favorite quote is "NEVER CONFUSE A SINGLE DEFEAT WITH A FINAL DEFEAT." YOU CAN DO IT! We all like how the "forbidden foods" taste. You just have to eat more of the good than bad. Truthfully, if I exercise my 5 days like I'm suppose to I let myself have a day that I can have something "naughty". It gets me through the week. If you need anything even want to just chat private message me and I will give you my phone number. I really believe in you, now you need to start believing in yourself. GOOD LUCK

A month out, I had my first fill...4cc's....after which I started to, and did gain weight. I went for my second fill 4 weeks after that weighing more than my first fill visit.... Dr. was not surprised, he actually chuckled at my frustration....tried to explain to me that the band does absolutely nothing (in my case) until it gets properly adjusted...and that can take months.....It IS as though I have no band...all they did after all, was install it....they did not turn it on yet. Until then, if I wanted to loose, it was the old fashioned way...the way I tried...and failed...before I had surgery....that 4 letter word DIET In other words, I was in Bandster Hell.... BTW, everyone looses something post op, then eventually you start back on real solid food.

Some people gain weight in the first month or months after surgery until their band is properly adjusted, so the fact that you're losing is good news. I echo all the other posters' sentiments: great job and make sure you're in communication with your doc to get filled as you need it!

i am in 4th day PO .. i have less gases still the pain in the area of the port and i cant walk totally upright i eat veg soup( only fluid) and nonsweetened apple juice .. also clear fluids and strawberry +yoghurt shake i ll go to the dr on saturday but is there smthg i am doing wrong? is there a tip to follow to lose more like no milk or no yoghurt or no juice? when am i supposed to start losing weight ? please any help ? also when can i return to work i am a ophthalmologist i work in a clinic :smile2:.. and i have to work long hours

I've stuck to only getting weighed at my bariatric follow ups and PCP visits. So, I really only see my weight every 3-4 weeks. It's sometimes more if I'm sick. I'm actually anxious now about my current weight because I want to know if I've dropped below 200. However, I'm going to hold off until my three month follow up on Thursday. When you don't weigh yourself as often, then you aren't even aware of the stalls. It's not like you can do much about them anyway. Just keep following your plan and it will happen.

STEP. AWAY. FROM. THE. SCALE It is not your friend and will make you nuts. Work your program and the weight loss will happen.

Please stop weighing yourself every day. It will drive you crazy. I am a victim of the scale. In the beginning, I didn't bother weighing myself and was very happy . Then I decided I wanted to see how many pounds I would loose over night. That's when I noticed that I was in a stall. I have a hard time staying away from the scale now. I am trying to not weigh myself until Valentine's day which is next week. Eat alot of protein, drink alot of water, and just focus on enjoying today. You will do fine with your weight loss! Trust me. You will lose it.

I'm the same way! All I've been able to think about since I got sleeved is all the stuff I want to do now that I either believed I was too fat to do or actually *was* too fat to do. Ride a horse, ride a bike, go on a cruise, do more travelling, go to High School reunions, start doing Pilates again -- alll alllowed after two three or six months. I blew off the surgery emotionally entirely. But now that it's past me, recovery and weight loss both seem like they're going to take FOREVER. Hey remember something for me. When you switch up eating stages, curb that enthusiasm. Seems like every time I moved up a stage I started having problems, but they were my own fault. More Impatience!

Actigall (Ursodiol generic name) is the name of the drug. There are also contraindications for this medication if you have liver issues. My surgeon only has 1/4 of his patients that need their gb out after WLS. I opted to NOT take Actigall. #1 Our livers work double time when losing weight rapidly especially when we're in ketosis. I didn't want to task my liver anymore than necessary. #2 The gb helps break down fat. During my losing stage, I ate full fat foods because light or fat free food had more carbs and sugar counts. #3 I had my GB out at 8 months post-op, and a lot of my food choices were nixed because my body would not process fat the same it did before losing my GB. I struggled with a lot of foods post gb removal. I can't imagine not having my GB during my losing stage. I would have been miserable. It's a hiatal hernia repair, and it is not the "norm". I didn't have one, and I had a band as well. Hiatal hernias often go undiagnosed until surgery, and they are repaired simultaneously as the sleeve surgery. These particular hernias can cause reflux, and repairing them can prolong recovery. The esophagus sometimes has spasms for several weeks to months post repair. It's not related to the sleeve at all. I researched so much that really I had zero surprises. I was a revision, and I walked in knowing my risks, complications, and that recovery would probably be extended. Of course, no amount of research prepared me for my specific complications, extensive recovery, but for the actual sleeve life I was well equipped for the ins and outs of surgery, and life post sleeve. I completely agree with buying samples of Protein, don't get hung up on a flavor because more than likely your tastes will change post-op. Don't buy any tubs, or large quantities of protein mixes/shakes until a couple of weeks post-op. If you do, more than likely, you'll end up with them being dust collectors. I bought only samples, and found one that I loved. But, 2 weeks into drinking it(4 weeks post-op), I started puking. Lovely, lactose intolerance hit me, and hit me hard. All whey Proteins were out for me. The soy and veggie proteins were horrible tasting and textured. I gave the one tub I did purchase away to friend. I never experienced a true stall. I always lost weight, every week. Some weeks I only lost 1-2 pounds, but I never the 2 full weeks without weight loss. BUT, stalls happen, and I would say 98% of WLS patients experience them. Our bodies really can't lose a pound a day forever, and it has to adjust. Start instilling better habits NOW. I had the learning curve with the sleeve pretty much beat because of my band experience. I had already quit drinking with my meals, already ate small bites, and always set my eating utensil down in between bites to help me slow down on eating. If you start these little changes now, as a pre-op, you'll find the transition to eating with the sleeve much easier. Also, eat your protein first, take at least 20 minutes to eat your meals, stop bringing a beverage to the table with you when you eat. Learn to identify your trigger foods, and avoid them, or enjoy them in moderation. Go ahead and start sucking down Clear liquids on a daily basis. If you're not a Water drinker, you might want to learn to start liking water now. If you hate water, find something that you can add to it. Clear liquids are essential in your recovery. Also, try to prepare yourself mentally for all the changes. If you have food issues such as emotional and compulsive eating, tackle those demons now. Don't think the sleeve will resolve these issues alone. They operate on our stomachs not our brains, and conquering the mental aspect of WLS is 75% of the battle. Best wishes, and keep reading, researching, and preparing yourself emotionally, mentally, and physically.

Self Indulgence Vs. Self Kindness Self Indulgence is: -Continuing to do what is harmful to you after you realize it's harmful -Loathing yourself -Getting lost in fantasies about how great your life is going to be, while you continue doing the same old self-destructive things -Not asking for help when you need it -Breaking the commitments you have made to yourself. Self-Kindness is: -Calling a halt to doing what is harmful to you -Defending yourself against anyone who attacks you -including yourself -Telling the truth -Asking for help -Resting when you need rest -Believing that there is a good reason for what you are doing, even if you aren't aware of it at the moment The only way to learn the difference between self-indulgence and self-kindness is to experience what self-kindness feels like. Ultimately YOU are responsible for what goes into your mouth. McDonald's has healthier options than two quarter pounders. You can't blame your friends for that. Have you ever asked them if you can go somewhere healthier to eat? Try sushi, try vegetarian, go to funky in-vogue "green" restaurants. And then MAKE GOOD CHOICES. You do sound like you thought the band would just stop you from eating. Only you can do that. Give yourself credit. 20 pounds is a lot of weight to lose. I walked around for a LONG TIME only needing to lose 20 pounds and could not bring myself to do it. 20 pounds matters. Get out and walk. It is a beautiful time of year to be out of doors. Practice thin behaviors now. Don't wait until you are thin. Ask yourself what you would do at McDonald's if you were the "you" you picture in your head at the end of this weight loss journey and make the choices THAT girl would make. When sitting home watching TV or listening to music catch yourself and ask how long if you were thin you would envision just sitting there, stay for that amount of time and then go do whatever the "thin" you would be up to. It isn't going to just happen sweetheart. Realign your thinking. You hold ALL the power here. That is the good news. Nothing can happen to you without your permission in regards to your weight.