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I don't just feel great... I feel amazing! I have never regretted this for a second! I am 6 weeks out and never had any issues and I'm 40 pounds lighter! You will do great! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App I'm feeling so blah and major regret 1 week and 2 days out. I'm hungry, have heartburn, and still exhausted. Still pulling pain pretty bad. I know you said first few weeks were rough but now ur feeling great. When was the turning point and what was rough for you? Trying to cope with my decision. Thank u!! Revisited you post cause it made me feel better and look to the future. VSG date: 11/22/16 HW: 225 SW: 222 CW: 212

New to the group. So glad I found you. I am 5'10" and weigh 270 pounds. BMI is around 40. I have never chatted online. So, forgive me if I mess up. Anyway, I live around Nashville, Tennessee and wonder if anybody has been banded at Vanderbilt. I'm looking into it. Our insurance will cover it and my husband works for that hospital. I've already seen the nutrition doc and had an ultrasound of my gall bladder. (No stones). I've also had numerous blood tests and an EKG. I couldn't get in to the seminar until the end of this month. I have an appointment with a psychologist the second week in August. I couldn't find any recent Tennessee activity under that listing. I am just giddy about having this done. I've been on every diet and every pill---I'm so sick of fighting it. I'm willing to do the work-knowing that I have a tool to help me stay true and support from you guys.

I'm taking a week off work when I have my surgery, and plan on watching all sorts of weepy chick flicks that my guy won't watch with me!

Yes, I have PCOS as well. I was actually diagnosed years ago - probably more than 15 years. But in the past few years, things have gotten bad, and while I was not yet diabetic, my doctor upped my dose of metformin to 3 times a day. Even taking all that metformin, I was struggling to even maintain my weight, let alone lose it. And I knew diabetes was around the corner because things were getting worse and my dad got it around this age. This is the main reason why I chose to have bariatric surgery. I think PCOS is a very common reason. I did my surgery self-pay, so I did not have to go through the pain of a doctor monitored weight loss regime before hand. However, I have read others talk about it on here. It sounds like there are two point of the monitored weight loss regime. One is to make sure you can follow a restricted diet, since your diet will be very restricted after the surgery. I am 3.5 weeks post-op, and I probably spend more time and energy on food that I did before the surgery - I have to eat more often, and I have to track my food to make sure I am getting protein, and I have to make sure I am getting enough water. Not everybody is up for that, and those people who aren't ready aren't successful long term. The second is to reduce the amount of fat stored in your liver, which makes the surgery safer. It sounds like you are following the advice from your doctor well. He knows you have PCOS and about your medication problems and why you are struggling with weight loss and how hard you've been trying. Your profile says you have lost 26 pounds - so that's not nothing. A 26 pound loss is enough to reduce the fat in your liver, and to show that you can follow a diet. So let us hope that you still will be approved. Also, talk to your doctor directly about this concern - she probably has dealt with insurance companies/patients before. If you're wanting some suggestions on how to get your diet back on track just to make sure you are approved, I wonder if you have thought about low-carb? I'm not an anti-carb fanatic, and I hope to be able to eat reasonable amounts of carbs in the long term now that I've had this surgery. But before surgery, whenever I was having trouble controlling my appetite, low-carb usually got things back on track. At it's core, PCOS is a metabolic problem with your glucose/insulin metabolism and low-carb helps. And doing low-carb pre-op will prepare you for the post-op diet. The post-op diet isn't strictly low-carb, but when you can't eat much and you need to make sure you get your protein, it pretty much ends up that way.

I had my Labpand surgery done in Mexico. I am a cash pay customer and just could not afford the price of the surgery in the US. I do my aftercare with a Doctor from San Antonio, Dr. Steggeman. According to Dr. Steggeman, at the beginning of next year (January 2010), he and 8 other surgeons from Texas will be offering to do surgeries in Mexico. So that cash pay customers can have the cheaper cost associated with surgery in Mexico, but still use a US doctor. These 8 doctors will be doing a rotation in Cancun, Mexico. Lapband patients will stay three days, and Bipass patients will stay five days. They will be using a hospital that has the same standards as a US hospital. Just the labor and materials cost in Mexico allow them to charge much less for the surgery. Just thought I would share:smile:.

Finally, my consult was today. I have been a little blue lately; my boyfriend and I of 6 years are currently broken up, I haven't been going to class 100% of the time, and I have been spending a lot of time in bed - having trouble getting up and going to the store even. Well today I had the consult I have been waiting months and months for. The doctor was amazing, he didn't talk like "you can be a size 6/8, you will be." He was like..."We can get to you probably a 6/8, 155, does that sound good to you?" UH YEAH! :omg_smile: I just remembered I really have something exciting to look forward to, thta this state I am in is just temporary and I am about to do something that will get me out of this slump. So happy. I knew it would help, but I've just been on waiting lists, it's been hard to accept it. He said they'd call in 2-3 weeks and let me know if I am approved through my insurance!! More of a waiting game, but I hope this cloud 9 lasts. Hope everyone is well.

What are you guys eating after 6 weeks from bypass surgery? Would you guys share a typical day? I struggling with food, or shakes, I don't have any strictures or problem, just my stomach can take certain food, and I get full very fast, I'm not taking 60gr of protein. I'm feeling very discouraged.

Normal. Weight fluctuations happen during this phase. Most of the weight we lose shortly after surgery and even before on the pre op diet is just excess Water. It will take 4-6 weeks to wring out much of this type of excess weight. So, during this phase sodium, TOM, allergies, stress all can make you hold back fluids. Once you get some fills and can work on finding the green zone and satiety, you'll start to see the fat disappear along with inches. tmf

Yeah see what this brings. Praying for my surgery date. Thanks for the message. Worked out at the gym today and walked Saturday. Working at staying positive and reading post. Really hoping to hear some good news this week.

I was on a 4 week plan following surgery. 1 week clear fluids 1 week full fluids 1 week mushie foods 1 week solid foods then into "normal"foods Tom, Toronto Banded July 6 06 Wt. Loss: 156 lbs

Chandra, I had surgery 4 weeks ago. I had such faith in my surgeon I really didn't have much anxiety. I arrived at the hospital about 6:00 am and waited until almost 10:00 am to go back to surgery. I was so full of anticipation that it really went pretty fast. I knew I couldn't have anything to drink so I just didn't think about it. Good luck to you.

I was fortunate to have a great team at the Kaiser Options program beginning last September 2011 - classes once a week with a group, 6 sessions with the nutritionist and 6 with a behavioral therapist to help us uncover the emotional components of our eating habits and getting us ready to deal with many life situations and life after surgery. The nutritionist guided each of us in our pre-op weight loss (10% loss expected prior to surgical approval) I was started on 1400-1600 calories for 4 weeks, 1200-1400 for the next 4 weeks, and then 1200 from that point forward. It helped alot to do the tracking and at that time keeping a manual log, eventually I moved over to myfitnesspal.com, it's easy and the database has tons of values already there for you to just click the button. Today I'm six weeks out from surgery and from last Fall, I am down 60 pounds. The weight has come off slow but steady, even after surgery, but I am making subtle changes that I hope will increase the rate of my loss, mainly cutting carbs and increasing physical activity. Mostly I was doing daily walks on my breaks, and I bought some resistance bands to use at home, and a couple of exercise DVD's including Richard Simmons - Sweatin to the Oldies. Anything to get that heart pumping and burn some extra calories. You sound like you have a good attitude. Keep that up and try hard to follow any plans your medical team has for you. Good Luck!

My doctor requires that I see the nutritionist once prior to surgery, 2 weeks post op, then once a month for a year after surgery. I was a little annoyed at first about that, but now I'm happy and can't wait to share my progress with her each time I go in. None of the nutritionist's fees are accepted by insurance so I have to pay out of pocket ($550 covers the year), but it already seems like it's worth it. Good luck at your group meeting. You never know, you might like it and meet some interesting people. I was not thrilled about the nutritionist, either. Hopefully it turns out well for you! Let us know how it goes!

by the way...doctors sure are different for all these procedures. I can eat the night before (anything I want) and can drink up until 10 p.m. Someone else mentioned having to have a laxative for three days prior to surgery day and only clear fluids for three days prior....not me! (thank goodness, that would totally ruin my vacation prior to surgery!). Tracy

I'd be interested to hear about that too, I hadn't heard about that. I don't use them in place of protein from food, but I do keep them on hand for when I come up short in a day and just can't eat any more. I use maybe 2 or 3 per week of the 26 gram bullets.

I didn't feel like going out for about 3-4 weeks after surgery. Everyone is different though

Sounds like you're doing great. I hope to be at that stage in a few more weeks.

Welcome gprice. This is a good site to be at. I also was researching and found this site. Hung around for a couple of weeks and then said hi and haven't left yet. I was banded in May. I am a slow loser. Remember if you get the LB that everyone loses at a different rate. So don't get paniky. Just ask away and good luck on your research. If you get the band let us know.

I was banded on 5.22.12, had first fill om 6.13.12. The last few days ive been having stinging pain around my port, Im familiar with the pain that I had in the port area after surgery, however this pain occurs when I sit down, stand up, or twist a certain way. My thoughts are that is stinging pain is occuring for one of two reasons, but I am open to any reasons that any fellow bandsters may offer. My reasons are that maybe its because I have very little belly fat, or maybe because the the swelling that was in that area pretty much has disappeared over the past week. I will also add that most of my port pain was gone after week 2, and this pain is some what different its like someone is sticking u with a safety pin x 10.

Well, I did it! I started on this site yesterday and today I scheduled my surgery with Dr. K. I'm saving $10,000:thumbup: Yeah!!!!! The hospital here at home was charging me $20,000 for self-pay. I am soo nervous about flying to Denver for my surgery. Can anyone give me some advice about this Doctor and having surgery away from home? What about follow-up visits? Do you get fills at home? I hope I made the right decision. How long did you stay in Denver? My surgery is Feb. 13 which is the day my (late) husband and I had our first date. It would have been 21 years. I can't believe we would have been married 20 years in May. Since I am new, here's my scoop. My husband died of pancreatic cancer on June 1, 2005. He was only 46. I have three children at home: 17, 14 and 3. My mom just died in July and I have had a hard time lately. My mom's death brought up painful memories of my husbands death. I don't have a lot of people to talk to about this and that's why I am glad for this site. My kids are afraid of losing another parent so that is why I am ready for a change PLUS at 45 years old, I need to be healthier for my little one. Sorry so long!

Hi everyone; I've been "lurking" for the past week, gaining valuable information! Had my first consultation, and today scheduled the psych eval and other tests. Can't get in until late in August which is a bummer because I WANT THIS RIGHT NOW!!! Patience isn't a strong suit, but the weight didn't come on overnight so I guess I'll have to be patient a little longer. I'm truly convinced this is the right path for me. I've been overweight for most of my 36 years of married life. My husband has been wonderful; never complained about my enormous weight gain (90#'s) and has always put up with my crazy dieting patterns. I guess that's what true love is. But now I want to get thin and healthy for him as well as for me. Lulu Dr. Engstrand

Hey ladies, I'm just two day post op. Now the nurse in me must step up and in. Remember they pumped you full of gas which your body must slowly get rid of. On top of the bloating and swelling and any number of things going post op with in your body. It is very tempting to think that you are going to have instant wt. loss, but we all know that's not the case. It is very unhealthy for the spirit to weigh yourself prematurely, very unhealthy. Start looking as if you did this for health and not to instantly loss weight. Weighing yourself often or even in these next 2 weeks before your Doctor's visit and true weigh in should not be done. Instead, concentrate on health, staying healthy, getting healthy, eating right and all the the other post op blahs, rather then your immediate weight. This should all be temporary, give your body time to do what it needs to do to heal without added pressure of how much it weighs now.

I just started my liquid diet a few days ago. My cousin said she will follow my diet for 10 weeks to lose weight. More power to her! I wouldn't have the motivation to do this if it wasn't not for surgery. Sent from my SM-G900P using the BariatricPal App

Im 38 days out and still stalled from week 2. Eat right and exercise and scale doesnt move. I am staying positive and keep doing what Im doing

Sounds like we're basically at the same stage of foods. I'm feeling pretty good but sure I'm lacking getting all my proteins in as well. Hit a stall about a week ago & haven't lost weight since then. I'm down a total of 25 lbs. hopefully this stall won't last long.