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It is sooooo worth it in the end, so be patient. I had trouble with the pre 3 month weight loss program my insurance required. The PA was not nice, was shaming and critical. One session I told him he had never told me a certain thing and he lambasted me saying the other three ladies in the group that day would tell me differently - I reminded him I had never been with this set of ladies before as they had stuck me with a different group each time I came. He always made me cry. They kept mixing up appts and times. I came for an hour visit at the assigned time to find out they had moved me to a 3-hr group from an individual hour appt. The group wasn't to start for another over 30 minutes later, and they hadn't notified me about the appt changing to three hours either. I had to work following the scheduled hour appt. It was a mess each time I went. I kept telling myself it's only three months, only three months like a mantra and I would never have to see these people again.Whew! thanks for letting me vent, too. Soon it will be all done, with some followup appts, but after surgery it is really about YOU, your program and you using this wonderful tool of VSG well. Don't let the turkeys get you down.

There are many causes of diabeties, and that can determine, to an extent, your success with either controlling it better or even seeing remission. http://asmbs.org/benefits-of-bariatric-surgery/ The above is an older article, but the site it is in, ASMBS is an outstanding resource but it is not geared to quick plunk-down points or facts. I suggest taking some time and really looking through the site. You might find this important also: http://asmbs.org/mbs-aqip/ Talk to your Diabetes Specialist, and seek out a doctor to assist you that is up do date on information related to type 2 diabeties. http://www.diabeteseducator.org/ProfessionalResources/accred/ Everyone has different issues and no matter what surgery you have there are no guarantees. I was diagnosed with type 2 diabeties going into emergency surgery after a hit-and-run (texting and driving and hit me on a bicycle). They think I had been diabetic, given the issues I had and when I began to develop them, for probably 5 years or so before that, but I had been going to lukewarm doctors, and they did only the basic tests. I was an 'atypical' diabetic and the other doctors did not catch the patterns and investigate further. I spent years with compromised quality of life risking infections, heart damage, kidney failure and more due to this. Once diagnosed I went from a +8 A1C to a -6 A1C in less than 9 months, and maintained a a1c of 6 or less until my VSG. The last time I took medication for my diabeties was the week prior to surgery. By then I had began to experience lows so frequently I was already off all but 1 medication. That was late December 2011. My surgery date was 1-4-2012. I went into full remission in Feb/march of 2012, although the true test of that would come in the following months as my a-c stayed in the 4's. I am not diet controlled or medication controlled. My pancreas functions fully, my liver is working and my kidneys are healthy. My immunity has regulated itself and I maintain regular levels of gut bacteria which I also accredit to a almost fully raw lifestyle (Gut bacteria is HIGHLY underrated for mental stability and health, our gut is our 'second brain'). The consensus seems to be my aggressive control of my condition led to my body being in a position to heal faster. http://lubbockonline.com/health/2013-09-06/right-bacteria-may-help-fight-obesity This is a good starter article, you can decide how to proceed if you want to look into it further from there. Unfortunately a majority of the original papers and research are available in limited forms, either in memberships to accredited and certified organizations, or by purchase. I have spent 6 years in active advocacy for diabetics, and I would be glad to assist in helping you find any answers you need.

Hey everyone, Tomorrow is my last appt. before I can get surgery date. I'm so nervous right now. I have a few ??? 's... lol 1. I am 212lbs( some ask me why do I need the surgery) but how long would the pre and post op diet be for? 2. How long does it take for insurance to send approval ? 3. Is there a lot of pain. I'm so stressed. My boss ordered me some new uniforms that were extra tight. So I have Atleast a month to try and get in them. I'm hoping that the Gastric Sleeve suits me..

Have to be on shakes til nov2 and a week after lapband but I got a snow cone maker so I'll have ice coming my way

I've been reading so many success stories with the lap band and I notice some lost a little weight and some lost a lot of weight for the first 3 months. Does that depend on your size or your diet after the procedure?

Thanks everyone for the well wishes. I’m doing really well. The surgery was complicated. The surgeon discovered a massive hiatal hernia grown all around my lapband. Also the lapband was growing into my diaphragm. It took 3-1/2 hours just to remove the band and hernia then another 1-1/2 to do the sleeve. However my recovery is going great. I was able to come home the day after so got some decent sleep. My only real pain right now is in my neck - probably was cranked back so long with a tube in it. Otherwise doing well. Sip sip sip!

I was only eating sugar free jell-o and sugar free popsicles for the 1st week. And Frankensleeve didn't like either one!

Okay I'm getting worried that I might not loss anymore weight. I'm currently 6 weeks out and I intake about 800 calories per day and I get all of my Protein in (like 70-90) and I get all of my Water in (80-120 ozs) and I work out every other day burning 700-800 calories on the treadmill. My question is will this 10 day plataue ever end. I'm scared I've might have messed up by getting this surgery and it don't work for me. I've only lost 20 pds since 2/15 and 15 pds on a 14 day pre-op diet. Here is my eating schedule: B: Protein shake S: Low Fat Cottage cheese L: 2-3 oz Tuna with 1 oz lowfat string cheese S: Protein Shake D: 2 oz Salmon, with 1 oz broccoli S: (2) SF popsicles before bed. Help any one! Sheka

To me the band is forever. I could always loose weight. I lost 100 lbs 3 times in my life only to regain. I'm 43 and pre and post op have lost about 170 lbs. I do have another 50 to go but I don't have hanging skin.

My family eats what I can eat just more if they want junk they go out to eat and no doggie bags. Family outs in the beginning I didn't go but explained and asked for their support. As time went on I learned to not breath with my nose around food I love like the bakery. My daughter did all the food shopping for the first 3 mos ...Its hard to learn to put yourself first but once you get the hang of it people understand and help out so stay strong you are worth it.

Hi there and welcome. I am from Maryland too but I had my surgery at GW Hospital in Washington, DC by Dr. Fred Brody. I am 3 1/2 years out and am feeling great. Good luck to all of you guys. We should plan a Maryland lapband get together sometime. If you have any questions or anything, don't hesitate to ask and I'll do my best to answer them for you. Good luck!

Hi everyone I just have a few questions 1- im on lexapro,lamictal and seroquel. Would i need to crush all of themup post surgery? 2- i took the venous duplex sonogram today. Just out of curiosity did anyone have edema pre surgery? 3- im worried about getting denied. Does anyone have bcbs ppo? I live in ny..how long till u actually got approved? Thanks!

Good luck.... My surgery is 3/6...many emotions!! We got this!!

I had hoped my first posting on here I'd get to say - yay I got my surgery date!!!! But unfortunately, I got disappointing news today. I called my surgeon's office to see if they had received the notification from my insurance that I was approved and they HAD, but the surgeon got injured somehow over the weekend and she was in the process of rescheduling all the surgeries for the next six weeks. He is not doing surgeries until June 13th. So that means my surgery won't be until 6 weeks after June 13th I feel even worse for those who were scheduled for say, tomorrow, that have been doing their liquid diet for past two weeks only to find out their surgery is postponed until June 13th. That would be horrible...I guess I will count my blessings. My surgery has been approved and its just a matter of time now...

Like some others have already said, he is no longer family. It might be weeks or longer before you can reschedule your surgery. Unless you are getting TREMENDOUS family pressure to be there, go forward with your surgery.

All my paperwork was submitted to insurance on monday to BCBS-Fed, which included a 6 month supervised diet I did last year....well they told me today its too old and I need it 3 months prior to surgery!!!! So I now have to do a 3 month diet with a nutritionist?!? I'm so frustrated!!! I tried calling the doctors office to see what my options are and of course didn't get a hold of anyone!!! Please, any advise or words of encouragement would be appreciated!!!

I do concentrate on getting in Protein with every meal. I just think that perhaps I'm not eating the amount of protein that I need. I'm doing as much liquid as I can, but I don't know that I'm hitting at least 64 ounces a day. I know I get my supplements in; I'm very good at taking my Vitamins and supplements, as well as my medication. I guess I will put at least one shake back into the mix and see what happens. I am walking/exercising at least 30 minutes a day, and I plan to start some strength training this week. Thanks for your help. I appreciate all suggestions and comments.

Hi all, I am still researching this LapBand stuff. My consult is 3/13. I hear many of you talk about fills-what are they? Do they make you less hungry? And as for the scarring, does that ever go away? Or just fades? Thanks!

Hi. My procedure went well on July 26th. The gas wasnt that bad. Now Im like 3 weeks out and I feel miserable after I eat. All I can take is 3 small fork full of anything. Im not trying scrambled eggs again. I still cant get in all my fluids because I always feel full. My protein shakes are tasting too too sweet.

Mari, congratulations on all your progress!!!! I'm also trying to get to 125lbs. I always share on this board that I've been one of those people that have stalled and dropped, stalled and dropped.... even thought I keep consistent with food/exercise/fluid. I think some of us are like that. For me the main thing is that I am losing the weight!!! It's soooo HARD when I am stalled though! But I just tell myself it will pass and I focus on what I need to do. Don't let it discourage you. It looks like you are doing GREAT! Keep up the good work kiddo! Oh, BTW, like you, there are some foods that I just have an aversion to. So I just don't eat them. I eat the ones that feel right. So it could be that the eggs and bacon are just not for you right now. It may change as time goes by.

Some have it worse than others, but personally my gas pain was pretty intense. What happens is when they "blow" your stomach up with carbon dioxide so they have room to work, they do deflate as much as possible but there is some that is left behind that your body has to work itself out. Most people complain of extreme pain in the left shoulder, and sometimes in different areas of their abdomen. Some only have it for a few days, others say it lasts off and on for a couple of weeks as was the case for me. Honestly, it does hurt, but it's not anything you should think about in terms of making the decision of whether to have the surgery. It will pass, and before long it will become a distant memory.

Thanks for the tip about having fruit with dinner, Susanbee. That seems like it would be a very good way to "wash" down food. I'm so glad that you're having such great success. Good luck, Regang. I hope you hear back from your insurance soon. I have some good news. I went to a seminar with a different surgical group and had a completely different experience. The doctor was very positive and gave a more balanced view of the lap band procedure. I also went to the seminar equipped with a lot more information after spending hours reading this site. I'm going to call their office in the morning and schedule an evaluation and cancel the appointment I made with the other office. I do think that if the doctor that actually performs the lap band surgery, rather than the gastric bypass specialist, had presented last week's meeting it would have been much better, at least for me. I'm glad, now, that it pushed me to find another office.

Kiz, Lucky you to live in VA! My younger brother and his family are in Lynchburg - I have 4 of the most beautiful nieces and nephews in the entire world. We get together two weeks a year with them - summer and Thanksgiving - and I have to say, going to that part of the country is the highlight of my year. I'm glad you are going to go to another lap band seminar. I hope this one will be more positive for you. As HarleyGirl says - the end result a year or two from now is about the same for both. It'll be interesting to hear what they say.

Hey all! Woah, I didn’t mean to make this so long, but I’m a rambler. This is my first post and I'm not sure if it belongs here, but it’s going here lol. I’ve been battling depression and obesity since I was a child. I hit 200lbs when I was 12, and although I was an active dancer in highschool and walked so so so much (my friends and I were mallrats with no cars) and saw a nutritionist in my junior and senior year, I was probably around 215 when I graduated. For a 5’2”, 17 year old girl, that was already morbidly obese and it just went up from there. I was definitely in survival mode for the next few years, on a few antidepressants, working and going to school, just trying to live. The earliest data I have from my FitBit and MyFitnessPal has be at 275lb in 2016, and I know I went up to the 290s in 2017, because 2017 is a blank on my trackers, and knowing me, I was too ashamed to record it. The next I have is 273 in 2018. I went off my antidepressants around the end of 2017, and while I was mentally “white-knuckling” it, I started losing weight. But it was very much a lose 10lbs, gain 15-20 cycle. Then my birth control made it worse. At the beginning of this year, I was stuck in a plateau of 231, and I talked to my doctor about my disordered eating, and she got me a therapist and I got myself a personal trainer. At that doctors appt, I almost asked for a referral for surgery, but chickened out and asked for a therapist and a nutritionist instead. Love my therapist, but the nutritionist wanted me on a 1200 cal diet that didn't mesh with disordered eating at all. An important note here, is that my mother, who has passed, had the RYGB circa 2002. So surgery has always been in the back of my mind. After a series of unfortunate events in March, I lost 10lbs rapidly and realized my bmi (40) was at the cut off for surgery with no comorbidities. At the beginning of April I asked my doctor for a surgery referral. She offered me Wegovy or Saxenda, but I really can’t see myself using injectables for the rest of my life, so she went ahead with the referral. Had the first consultation a little over a week later, did a few zoom classes, completed forms, did the psych eval (actually awful), and today I got an email saying my insurance approved me and my program would contact me soon for a date. My reasoning is that I see my trainer twice a week and my therapist and I are working on my relationship with food, but I’m getting older and I have that historic lose/gain cycle, and my weight has been a source of unhappiness literally my entire life. Surgery isn’t going to fix everything, I know that, I’ve talked to my therapist about that, but she and I agree this would be a great tool for me in conjunction with the other changes I’m making. My trainer, who is a family friend, doesn’t like the idea. But she’s only known me as an adult, she doesn’t see that a lifetime of yo-yo dieting and trying to stay active isn’t cutting it when I’m still carrying an extra 100lbs. A close member of my family wants me to do keto again, because that was my biggest diet win, but that also didn’t mesh with my disordered eating in the long run. Since my consult, I’ve lost about another 6lbs, firmly putting me where I was when I was a teenager, which is a surreal feeling, but it’s being used as proof that I can “do it on my own.” Honestly, my mindset is that I’m eating less in preparation for surgery. There’s been memes shared on instagram stories of people who I know must know I want to get wls done, calling the surgery “body mutilation” and how “surgeons regret performing bariatric surgeries because it's unnatural.” It makes me doubt myself, like is this just my depression wanting to “mutilate” myself, or is this me trying to overcome my depression and finally do something for myself? What was it for my mother? I was too young to ask her these questions and now I can't. This is a very long post to ask; I’m doing the right thing, right? Am I being rational and making sense? I know I can lose the weight, but keeping it off is constantly clawing and if I slip now just a little, the lose/gain cycle could catch up, and I'm so tired of it.