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This week has been a trial to say the least. My aunt, who is my heart and soul, has been very ill and in the hospital for weeks. I visit her almost every day and she cries her eyes out to me telling me how much pain she is in. It breaks my heart because she has a broken back that can only be fixed with surgery, but docs say that she cannot withstand surgery. So basically there isnt much that can be done. I lost my mom to cancer when I was 19 so she and my sis are all I've got (dad hasnt been in the picture since I was a child). To top things off, my sister moved back to Miami from North Carolina and asked me to live with her. Against my better judgement, I agreed. As I expected, we arent getting along. My sister has a very bad temper and gets mad over everything. She is a 39 year old woman and in a matter of 24 hours, she threw a fit at the pharmacy because they were closed and kicked down the products from the shelves. She then yelled obscenities at a plant (I kid you not) because the plant scratched her. Finally, she yelled at me because I went to get a bottle of water and the dog barked and woke her up. That was really the breaking point for me. If I can't even get water without her outbursts... But I am stuck there under a lease for a year. I've basically been at work, hospital, and then in my room without speaking to her for a week. Normally, this would have made me turn to food. I would have pigged out on all kinds of junk. I wont lie, on Sunday I had a brownie. But, I dusted myself off and have been pretty darn good since. I haven't stuck completely to liquids. I usually have a salad or piece of chicken for dinner. I can tell I am losing weight. Haven't weighed myself this week, but am excited to see what the number reads. Anyway I'm proud of myself. I've managed to overcome a huge obstacle for me- depression eating!

I have read so many articles and talked to several Bariatric doctors who continue to tell me that my pouch will not stretch however your brain somehow adapts allowing you to consume more. At about the one year mark I noticed depending on what I choose to eat, I can eat 1 cup of food max. I am now 19 months post op and I still have that same restriction. I can eat 2 to 3 ounces of dense Protein and a bite or two of veggies/fruits and I am almost overly full. However if I eat a bowl of cream of wheat, I can eat almost a full serving. I believe what I have researched, that we adapt, our brains do that. Our stomachs don't stretch. Incidentally I have also learned that I can over indulge in things like Cheezeits! I do eat them but if not careful I can mindlessly nibble way over a portion! I know this because I gained 2 lbs eating the wrong stuff for about 2 weeks. Boy was I pissed at myself. I got back on track and within 1 week I lost those 2lbs eating the right foods and never feeling hungry. Also, I noticed when I was eating too many carbs those 2 weeks I had several episodes of hypoglycemia! It came on so very quickly that it was scary. It became a vicious cycle. Eat too many bad carbs your body will crave it. So now that I know what not to do, I think I will stick to the plan and if I want Cheezeits, I will measure out one serving and watch my carbs the rest of the day!

My Doctor has not mentioned a 7 day or 10 day pre op liquid Diet to me yet. Their was not one when I had a Gastric Band put in, So i'm wondering why you would have to do this for the Sleeve?? I'm sure if you are on this diet it was explained why it is done. Can someone explain it to me. Wish you all well JewelJ

Good for you! The first two weeks you tend to drop a lot of water weight. Depending on your weight, they say the first 10-20 lbs is water weight. It's normal. Then it slows down to about 1-5 lbs per week. Make sure you get that protein in though, and plenty of liquids. You don't want to end up dehydrated and with your hair falling out. I, for one, was getting maybe 20 oz of water in a day (counting 2 protein shakes made with water) and started getting very dizzy and strong migraines...I was getting dehydrated really bad. I upped my water intake using lemon ice tea crystal light, because water tasted gross to me after surgery, and I began to feel better within a day.

Yup. I came home from the hospital at 9 days post-op (I had non-surgical complications) and when I weighed myself a week later I was down 19 pounds. I was worried I wouldn't lose any more weight after I came home, but in my second month I was down another 10 pounds.

I had my surgery om 12/01/08. I can totally relate to the pain. When I went out to take my walks my port area would feel like it was going to bounce out! I tightened up my binder & sometimes even held the port area, but it went away & all is well. Hang in there, you'll be eating a little bit of anything pretty soon. Get yourself an extra protein shake or two, you'll find if you get enough protien & calories and make yourself walk your energy will come back. Good luck

Wondering if there is anyone out there who's had the sleeve and who is type 2 diabetic and was on insulin for 10+ years is now insulin-free after surgery?

That does not surprise me in the least. I found a picture of me from 10 years ago. There are not very many pictures of me at my highest weight. I am so glad I had WLS and even more glad that I had the band removed and got the sleeve!

hello all! I had my band done on 2/19 and I am experiencing the same pain on the left hand side. I think it is gas because when I take gasx and move around it seems to go away. Does any one who has been recently banded feel like when they get up out of bed that their stomach feels like they did a million situps? Oh- and I am hungry too! I tried creamed soups last night- only a few tablespoons. I started having a protein shake about 1/2 hour before I go to bed becasue my stomach was growling and aching beacause I was so hungry! Tomorrow I am going back to work! How's everyone else doing?:w00t:

Sleeved 10/10 down 62 pounds

Sleeved 10/18, down 52 pounds as of today!! 4 months out.......not too bad........had a rough 4 week stall that just broke with upping the protein and water. If I get enough protein through shakes, food and get my water in I have NO ROOM in my tummy for carbs! LOL. The carbs and low protein got me all stuck. Back on track now, I know what to do. I thought because my portions are so small that the carbs couldn't hurt as I wasn't eating enough to matter; however, I have since learned that our metabolism slows down about this time from the small amount of food intake so the carbs do affect us in a negative way. Exercise, exercise, exercise, which I am falling short of - that will raise our metabolic rate.

The taste was ok for the cheese sauce. Just like some Protein powders are only ok. But I actually found it was more calories than I wanted to use on something that's just ok. I gave it to a relative that has a toddler that is currently not eating meat. She mixes in with other cheese stuff and says the whole family doesn't notice. But again that would prolly be more calories than I would want to eat. For the poster that said the chicken broth was salty, I found that if I mixed it with 10 oz of Water (or even veggie broth) instead 8 oz I didn't notice the salt. I also used it as a broth base for other Soups and as long as I didn't add any additional salt I thought it was fine. As for their chewable Vitamins, you're not going to get around that taste. They have a lot of Iron and that is just gonna taste like a Vitamin no matter what. But of all other comparable vitamins, I still think they are best in taste and offer the most vitamins.

Well, after your 6 months is complete, your surgeons office will probably take 2-3 weeks to do some pre-pre-op testing and review the results. Then it can take 2 weeks for processing, then they'll submit the claim. I heard back in 3 weeks. So while my 6 months was up Jan 4, nothing was submitted till Jan 29. Then I heard back Feb 19.

Hello, been a roller coaster of a ride this week re: gastric sleeve journey. Good news: my husband has come around, and said he will fully support my decision to have the sleeve. So relieved! Bad news: After I've accepted the changes, mentally, and invested a lot of time w/lab work, Upper GI, psych eval, and meeting w/the dietician....there may be a snag with insurance! So, apparently, Aetna has a requirement that you have had a BMI of 40 for at least 2 years. Currently, I have a BMI of 40. However, my BMI for the last couple years has been between 33-35, well, actually as I'm thinking about it...probably 37-38. I asked the gal at the Dr's office who schedules the surgery if we could go back to 2002. She said we could try, but most likely, Aetna will want the weights from more recent times. Awaiting Dr's records from OB/gyn after having a baby in 2010---but I think it will fall just shy--like I'd have a BMI of 39. Now, am I backwards in this logic? Wouldn't showing a BMI of 40 from 2002 give more credibility to the fact I've been struggling with weight this long, have been able to lose it, but I gain it back, which is why I need something this drastic??? So, my question is...have any of you with Aetna had luck submitting BMI/weights from 10-11 years ago? Or, anyone with Aetna have luck submitting a current BMI of 40 but in last couple years, records showed a BMI of 38 or 39 (no comorbid conditions---just asthma and immune deficiency which I don't think they consider)? Thanks!

It will definitely get better. I was sleeved on 10/25/18 and dealt with extreme nausea and taste changes too. One thing I learned to do was drink my water regardless of how I felt. If vitamins are bothering you then you can try vitamin patches. Gas, discomfort, nausea, vomiting and irritation are part of the healing process but its worth it. It will get better just hang in there. Oh and please follow the diet take your time.

So I lost my first 45 lbs pretty fast. At 6 weeks I started working out. I’m 8 weeks out and I’ve been stuck between 233-239 every time I get on the scale it tells me a different number. I have lost inches though 5.5 inches last week and 5 inches the week before so 10 inches but no weightloss. Here’s what my weekly workout looks like m- swim Pilates t- water fitness w- HIIT class am yoga pm Thursday - swim Friday- yoga Saturday- yoga Sunday- off and here’s what I eat daily breakfast- 30 G protein shake Snack- light cheese stick lunch- 1 oz protein of choice and quest protein chips dinner- 2 oz chicken snack: protein shake 64-80 oz of water 90 g of protein daily as my medical team has advised. ok help what am I doing wrong here. I’m not snacking I’m not cheating I’m working out and feeling discouraged. This is why I always quit at diets because I do everything right and I feel like it’s not enough. many advice will help.

Depends on what it is. The softer stuff (eggs, ground meats, etc.) disappear fairly quickly for me. How much of an effect it has on my stomach depends on how fast, but the food is usually gone in about 10-15 minutes, depending on whether or not I'm distracted by something at the time - i.e. right here at the computer. But I still keep up the 30+ minute separation of drinks, even if a small tidbit happens to go down the wrong tube for whatever reason.

Google "7 minute workout" or get one of the free apps that do it, it's a quick bodyweight workout that will get you moving. If you want to go to an actual gym, see if there's a Planet Fitness near you. They're cheap - $10/month. Also they have a great section for their "Circuit training program". It's 10 machines that work all major muscle groups. There's a light that turns green for 1 minute and red for 30 seconds. When it's green you work out on one machine. When it's red you stop and move to the next one. They also have steppers there to do some cardio between every machine. If you follow it exactly you'll do a 30 minute workout that includes 10 minutes of cardio and 10 minutes of weight training. If you want to mix things up every day, try the playing card workout - http://lifehacker.com/5849412/wednesday-deck-of-cards-workout Lifehacker also has a full workout routine if you want to try to commit to a regular sustained workout: http://lifehacker.com/5849409/the-lifehacker-workout-exercise-for-normal-people Good luck!

Bigger from Birth…And Then College Hit Michele was always big. She was at the top of her height and weight charts from the time she was an infant. She remembers times in her childhood when she couldn’t or wouldn’t participate because she was so big. She didn’t like physical education or sports, and the other children teased her. Food was a comfort. Michele describes the situation as a vicious cycle. The more kids teased her, the worse she felt. The worse she felt, the more she ate. The more she ate, the more she weighed. The more she weighed, the more she got teased. College was a disaster in terms of her weight. Forget about the freshman 15. What about the freshman 40? And the sophomore 40? Add to that the junior 40, the senior 40, and, for good measure, the super-senior (fifth-year) 67, and you now know how Michele Elbertson got to be 427 pounds at the age of 22 years. A Young Weight Loss Surgery Patient with New Relationships Michele made the decision to get the lap-band on her own. She needed a tool to help her control how much she ate, but understood that it was up to her to control what she ate. She only told her parents about her decision after she was sure about it. They were supportive, and have been since then. Michele has taken full advantage of and responsibility for the band. She has lost 260 pounds – 260 pounds! – in less than four years. As she says, she’s a determined person who will accomplish anything she sets her mind to. Michele began to “eat to live” rather than “live to eat.” As her relationships with food and exercise changed, so did her relationships with some friends. She lost some friends whose relationships centered only on food. She gained many more, though, through her new activities. She says the friends she’s gained through running and fitness far outweigh those she lost by changing her lifestyle. An Athlete Is Born Michele ran her first 5k after losing 100 pounds – when she was still 327 pounds. She was hooked. She loved the training, the atmosphere of the race, and the accomplishment. She has never looked back. Since then, she has run countless other races, including 38 half-marathons, 6 marathons, and a 50-miler ultra-marathon. She has also competed in triathlons. Now at an athletic 159 pounds, Michele has her sights on even greater challenges. In the near future, she wants to run a 100-miler and complete an Ironman. Both are feats that most people wouldn’t even dream of. Marathons, Ultras, and Ironmans Now, not everyone’s a distance runner or triathlete, so to understand Michele’s accomplishments, here are a few facts about these endurance sports. A marathon is 26.2 miles. All marathons are 26.2 miles. An ultra-marathon is anything over 26.2 miles. Michele’s recently completed ultra-marathon was 50 miles, and she is training for a 100-miler. A triathlon includes swimming, biking, and running. An Ironman triathlon consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile marathon. Fitting It All in Every Day Michele works out 6 days a week. Currently, she’s training for an ulta-marathon and is running 5 days a week and lifting weights 3 times. She also does Zumba classes. She takes a rest day once a week. Michele has built her life to be able to accommodate her training schedule. She recently quit her teaching career to focus instead on helping others achieve their fitness and health goals. She is a personal trainer and group fitness instructor. Working at a gym is pure genius – it leaves her with no excuse not to get her workout in! Eating Like a Bariathlete How do you have energy to train like an athlete and work full-time while losing over 200 pounds in 4 years? Ask Michele. Here’s how she eats and works out in a typical day. 7:00 a.m. breakfast: almonds and yogurt or eggs/romaine lettuce 9:00 a.m. snack: protein bar Workout, such as running, lifting, or group fitness class, such as Zumba or bokwa Noon. lunch: soup or salad, usually the largest meal of the day 2:00 p.m. snack: cheese and crackers or something small, equivalent to 200 calories (may include a fruit or vegetable) 4:00 p.m. snack: hot tea 6:00 p.m. dinner; lean protein, veggie, possibly a carb 7:30 p.m. snack: lemon water/hot tea. The number of calories Michele eats during a day is 1,800 (her resting metabolic rate) plus half of the calories she burns through exercise. So, if she runs 10 miles and burns 1,200 calories in exercise, she’ll eat 1,800 plus 600 calories, or 2,400 calories. She allows herself an occasional treat meal with junk food, but still counts those calories. The Accolades Michele is more than your typical bariatric patient, and she’s been getting the recognition she deserves for her extraordinary achievements. These are a few recent examples. Runner’s World magazine Cover Contest Finalist. Makeover on the Rachel Ray Show. Local feature on 6ABC Action News in Philadelphia. Dealing with Negativity – Don’t Worry About It One of the most striking things about Michele is her drive. She has worked very, very hard to get where she’s at today. She’s lost 60 percent of her body weight through being very disciplined every day. And, she has run marathons. Anyone who has run a marathon can tell you that it is was harder than they had ever imagined. Anyone who hasn’t run a marathon cannot imagine how difficult it is. But with all the publicity, Michele has receive a lot of nasty comments. How is she supposed to react when people slam her? They say she hasn’t accomplished anything, that the band has done it all. In fact, they basically say what a lot of weight loss surgery patients hear all the time from people who don’t know any better. So how does Michele react to negativity? She doesn’t want to respond directly and add “fuel to the fire.” She knows they don’t know anything about her, and she’s probably done more exercise and worked harder than they ever have. So, she just goes about her business. Leading by Example Michele says she hopes her successes and story will give others hope. She describes herself as a “real person” and “very down-to-earth,” and she hopes others will see that they can accomplish what she has. In the future, she would like to travel to seminars as a motivational speaker. In the meantime, we congratulate her on her amazing story and wish her well in her 100-miler this spring!

@Marissa37 Congrats on fighting like a girl. In the end, this is too serious not to follow your doctors' advice to the letter. Risk of recurrence is very real, and I'd want to do everything possible within my power to keep that from happening. You might want to call insurance. Mine won't allow WLS until 5 years cancer free. When I was at 5years, my onc started talking WLS to me. But I wasn't ready for the change. It took me about 18months later to get my head in the game and to start the process. From start to now, it's been about 10 months. I hope to have surgery 2.20.18. As for having DIEP (autologous tissue transplant from your belly fat) flap reconstruction, you do have to be careful not to lose too much weight, so that there is sufficient grafting material. I lost down to 218lbs during chemo/radiation/double mastectomy/expanders. My PS, told me we had to do the bilateral latissimus dorsi flap procedures and implants because I didn't have enough fat left in my abdomen to do the transplant and he felt I would not like the results. He also said that even with a partner doing the other side, it would have been an 11hour surgery and he felt I wasn't strong enough to withstand it. So I would make sure you thoroughly understand the process he's suggesting to you and do your research and make sure you won't have any surprises. I hope they at least put tissue expanders in during your surgery? Hang in there and study. You'll find your way! Here's some research I compiled. I made the decision to do RNY because it's more effective against metabolic disease. Hormone positive breast cancer is an obesity mediated metabolic disease that some refer to as Diabetes Type 3. ResearchWLS_MetabolicReset.pdf

Thank you Ladies! I decided to go with INT, I definetly like the video idea. I will be there May 10!

I'm excited yet I'm nervous 10 days left

I was told no more than 10 pounds for the first 6 weeks! No house work for the first 2 weeks. Yes!!!!

Hi Pete, thanks for sharing your story. Mine isn't EXACTLY the same, but pretty dang similiar. I had that lapband for 10 years and it was awful. I think I realize now that it is gone just how awful it really was. It was so embarrassing to be morbidly obese AND have this device that made my eating weird. Anyway, I had all the fill taken out about 3-4 years into the nightmare and it got better after that but it was still an albatrosse and reminder of my failure. I only lost 70 pounds after being banded, regained it plus a TON and then lost 85 on weight watchers later... kept much of it off for years but then was on t e regain train big time by the time I ws sleeved. So, I had all the fill removed like you did but the docs hardly believed it and kept trying to take more out - like just in case some had been missed. I thik the band that they used back then was too small because I had symptoms like that even with no fill. I had all of your skepticisms and fears. I am 10 months into the sleeve, loving it, it is so much better then the lapband, however, I still have fears about failing again. Here is what i would say about the sleeve and eating right. This is my personal experience, and I think shared by many but perhaps not all who revise. These comments refer to months after surgery - so when you are completely on solid foods and healed up. I can eat dense Proteins with no pain. I can eat salad and veggies no problems. I even had a couple of bites of rice, just because i could! (10 years, i could never keep down even a forkful of rice even with no fill). Is the temptation to eat slider foods still there? Yes. It wasn't in the early months, but my hunger has definately returned and there is something about those carb laden foods that gives us comfort and it does continue to call my name. HOWEVER, the sleeve gives me a tool that actually works. I have a fighting chance to overcome those old demons with the sleeve and last night was a good example. I went to an event (I was actually hosting) that started at 6:15. I wasn't hungry enough to have dinner before, but about an hour into it I was hungry. There were Cookies and donuts and even a cake! I didn't have a single one even though I felt hungry and it was because I knew that it would not make me feel good and not really satisfy me so it was easy to say "no" to myself and have some decaf coffee and just be fine until I got home. I could have NEVER done that presleeve. Bottom line, you sound like a very committed and disciplined person, and have learned alot from the band so I think you have a good chance at doing really well with the sleeve. When I was banded, I had almost no education. Now I totally "get it" and the ONLY way you will have long term success with the sleeve is tiny portions, Protein first (preferably dense protein) followed by greens and healthy veggies and perhaps some fruit. Really, need to minimize carbs (I do eat some whole grain bread) and eliminate junky carbs like crackers and chips etc. The long term stats on the sleeve are still a bit unknown, so that is a gamble. I personally could just never get comfortable with the gastric bypass - there was a heebie geebie factor that I can't totally explain. I had that with the sleeve at first too, but then I started thinking of it like "my stomach is too big and I am just having it reduced" which I was able to make peace with. You should know that a significant minority of people (probably 30%) experience ongoing issues with acid. I don't experience it as reflux like I did with the band, but do get an acididy tummy. Would probably help if I quit coffee, but what I do is go on a round of proselec when it acts up. This may be problem forever.... and just because you don't have it at first doesn't mean it won't show up later so be forewarned. I think fear of failure is probably the biggest issue for me, even now after having all this success. I remind myself what a doctor I saw said "You will be successful because you never give up no matter what". It sounds to me like the same could be said of you,.