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I'm 265 lbs, 6 feet tall I wear anywhere from a 16 16W-20Tall, depending on the cut. I usually get into a 16 or 18W, but if its just a tall size I need a 20. Shirts I wear anywhere from an XL-XXL (normal) to 1X (womens) dress shirts 18-20 tall. When I weighed about 190-220 I was a size 14 When I weighed about 175-190 I was a size 12 When I weighed about 165 I was a size 9/10. I've got clothes from a size 20 to a size 12. Can't wait to get into those 12's

Since our bodies are so different.... It's probably hard to tell. My butt is 14 inches bigger than my waist, but here is a pretty good chart of what I remember: 110 -118 - Size 4 120-128 - Size 6 129-134 - Size 8 140-155 - Size 10 160-170 - Size 12 171-185 - Size 14 186-198 - Size 16 200-228 - Size 18 230-245 - Size 20 246-265 - Size 22 266-285 - Size 24 Current - 294'ish and between a 24 and 26 And now I'm like 294 and can still wear 24 in some things, like the jeans I have on right now are 24's, but sometimes I have to get a 26. I still have all my clothes from size 10 and I kept a few things from when I was a 6/8 that were my favorites.

Yup its great....it's just so great that all those people lived and the pilot did a great job..Its so great that my news told me .Its sooo great that cable tv showed me.... Its sooo great that the radio told me as well....And its sooo great that the barrage of shove it down your throat media told me ALL WEEK because we had a slow news week. Instead of informing people of things that truly matter...like OH I dunno..a 6 year old being raped 10 to 20 times a day for 20 dollar's in your own back yard because she's one of the 17,500 children trafficked into the United States every YEAR for the sex trade. GEE I wonder what plans God has for her??? I wonder what plans god has for her life while THEY got to go home and recieve hugs and kisses for the the trauma THEY just went through...:cursing:Give me a break its not a miracle...thats what the pilot was TRAINED to do......land planes.

So as most of you big guys know from experience that it is a pain in the butt to find an office chair (any chair) with armrest that don't pinch your sides. Now im a big guy, 498 to be exact and the biggest issue I always find going out to eat or to the movies is will I fit in the seats they have. But I never thought I would feel like that at home. So before I got my "Fat Man Chair sent from the Gods" I had a very nice La-Z-Boy office chair with arm rest given to use by my mother-in-law. It was a bit snug and as I got bigger it just started pinching the heck out of my sides and leaving marks. Mind you I didnt spend to much time in the chair because I had been injured and used my laptop in bed mostly. So finally I was like ok let me take of the armrest and oh how it was comfortable. Only problem is because of my weight I had bent the plastic legs that connect to the casters and basically the bottom center of the char hit the floor and scrarched it up. I started up at college full time online from home and I was using the desk for all my studies so I was spending 3-4 hours a day on it. So I got rid of the old chair and started using a folding chair, big mistake, I have severe back issues and the hard chair just killed it. I was looking around on livingxl for chair that would work and wow they were expensive, im a stay at home dad and a full time student, so spending a minimum of $400 on a office shair was not going to happen. So i started taking summer school classes and oh man, my days are long. For those of you who have taken a Summer semester of college know how intense and long those 4-5 weeks are. So after the first week I calculated I had spent over 50 hours at my desk and since one of my classes is a computer science Unix class I was hacking away for hours. I finally broke downa dn was like "OK, I need this chair no matter what. your back is killing you and yoou deserve some comfort" So I started looking on livingxl again and found a $399 chair on clearance for $250, oh yeah what a steal...But wait, can I find a Promo code..YUP good ole Independence Day, I ended getting an additional 10% off plus only $4 shipping for a 58lb. chair...Score, I ended up paying less that $240 shipped. Now 4 days into using my chair I am so happy and my back and sides love me for it. Hope you guys enjoyed my little story.... -Carlos

I wouldnt get another fill. Ive been there. I thought the tighter I was the more weight I would lose and that just wasnt the case. I had to end up getting an un-fill. I found I wasnt able to get enough calories in to substain my workouts let alone lose fat. Its been 10 months for me and I just hit 45 lbs lost. For many of us it is a VERY slow process. If you are one of those people you must just learn to accept that. The band does about 15% of the work. 70% is your diet and te other 15% is your exercise. 5 bariatric surgeons told me this in a seminar I went to before surgery. I didnt believe them. I really thought I could work out hard and lose weight quicker. NOT true. I lose maybe half of a pound a week and I do all the right things.

I had my sleve surgery December 10, 2013. When I had my surgery I weighed 445 lbs. as of today 3/11/15 I weigh 282. I am shooting for goal weight of 200 lbs. So have about 82 more to go. Have stalled and not really losing anymore. Any suggestions?

I've been down too; I swear if it wasnt for this app, I might've lost my mind already. It really helps to hear from others going through this. My husband tries to be susupportive but he really has no idea. I was sleeved the 14th and honestly was not as prepared for this life change as I thought I was. I know that my 23lb loss is great, but Ive already platoed for like 4 days and feel like I should be down another 10 by now atleast! I mean really i'm not eating like anything!!

I've been eating an apple or orange (sometimes both) every day for a few weeks. I'm just at 7 months post op and am around 10 pounds from goal. I lost 5.8 pounds last week so adding fruit hasn't affected my weight loss. I firmly believe that in order to have long term success it is important to eat a balanced diet. No one can ever tell me that eating fresh fruit in moderation is a bad thing. Compared to the crap I used to stuff myself with eating an apple is nothing...carbs, sugars and all. I've seen too many cautionary tales on here of folks that didn't lose all of the weight or regained much of it. I think in my case, being too restrictive with certain foods isn't sustainable long term. I can tell you what I don't eat...fried foods, pasta, chips, fries, Pizza, pop, etc...all the stuff that led me to surgery in the first place. Fruits and vegetables didn't make me fat.

:thumbup: I felt no pain with the 2nd fill YAY! I have lost 4lbs since returning from L.A. I am incorporating more exercise into my program. You would be surprised to see the amount of exercise that can impact your weight loss. I climb 7 flights of stairs at the office M-F, on the weekend I just walk about 2.5 miles. It quite easy (for me anyway). You don't have to do insane amounts of exercise just get moving. You can break it up too if you don't have 30 minutes to spare, you can do 10,10 and 10. I am not preaching to anyone, just sharing what I know. I went to a support group meeting and met amazing women and men. Some have lost extreme amounts of weight, 150lbs, 90lbs, 65lbs etc. But the best news for me was seeing folks who had kept it off for 5+ years. That makes me happy:thumbup:. I felt so supported in the group setting. Its a powerful thing.

Before and after my VSG surgery. I can't believe it's DONE!!! http://youtu.be/UEKb6UsFhvg

Hi my name is Kelly and I am 33 years old. I am having a Rouxen-Y on October 19, 2012. I am so nervous and excited. I started this process back in Febuary. I guess I thought it would take a long time. But my experience has been very different. It seems to gone very fast. Don't get me wrong I am happy about this just need to take a few deep breaths. This journey has not been without a couple bumps in the road which included a broken ankle and wrist. I am finally out of the walking boot and I trip and fall and break my wrist( so please excuse any typos still have a cast on). So to make a long story short I get my cast of Thursday the 18th. Then I meet with my surgeon for my preop appt and then with the life coach. ALL on Thursday!!!! Then Friday is the big day!!!

Hello all- I had my lap band done on 10/27/03, and have yet to get a fill. I have lost 60 lbs, and still have quite a bit of restriction. There are days when I can eat whatever I want, and days where I can eat very little. Has anyone else passed on the fills thorugh 4 months or more? I'm beginning to wonder if I will ever need one!! Thanks. 363/303/219

Ok everyone here is the thing, I'm being banded on 1/25/07, and I just have a few more questions to ask. Ok on the two week pre op diet should I A. Stop smoking until after surgery, and B. should I go on this 10 days or 14 prior to surgery date, because all I am allowed is glucerna weight loss shakes *very expensive* juice broths teas lowfat or plain yogurt not very exciting haha. Ask your surgeon. Each has their own pre- and post-op guidelines. Also what kind of anasthesea do they use is like gas or is it like the liquid valume stuff they pump in your iv. In the prep area I was given some kind of liquid thruogh my IV that made me a little loopy. They called it "happy juice" and "milk of amnesia". In the OR I was given gas. The last thing I remember before waking up was them putting the mask on... it was a little crooked on my face, and I thought - "All the gas will leak out and I'll never fall asleep..." Then I was waking up. Or does it depend. Also what I want to ask is some statistics like how many ppl have their band after years of having it in, Well, then you'd have to know specifically what you want to know. "How many people after years" is impossible to answer. I know two sisters banded in 2001 and both still have their bands. or how many have died from it None to date, that I'm aware of. Refererring to the band itself. or how many bands have eroded etc. The erosion percentage is something like - less than one percent (if that's now inaccurate, someone please correct me). So find some literature and get a number of how many people have been banded, and multiply by .01 and that's your worst case scenario. Just a few scary thoughts. One other thing guys I can't sleep on my back I have to normaly sleep on my somache is this going to be a problem? I doubt you'll be able to sleep on your stomach, at least in the first week. It took me (I think) 2 days to get into my own bed. Until then I was sleeping in a recliner. Once in bed I slept on my back propped up on about 5 pillows, or on my side with a pillow under my stomach to support the port incision. How much pain medecine do they give you is it all liquid, how much pain are you in when you wake up from sugery? When asked to rate my pain on a scale of 1 - 10, which they asked me before I was fully awake, I answered "like a half". I just didn't have any pain. Within the first 45 minutes of waking up I was given a dose of hydrocodone. And upon release they have me a rx for a week's worth. I took about half of it, then went to liquid Tylenol. I didn't have significant pain unless I was standing, sitting, coughing, sneezing... or hitting potholes in the road.

Hi everyone! Glad to see that you are all doing well, well done on your weight losses! I had gained 2 pounds after starting on food again but I have lost that now so I am pleased. Julie, I know what you mean about your fears. I too have had that horrible stuck feeling pain in the chest when I have eaten something too fast or not mushy enough and then I worry that I have done some damage or made my band slip etc. I also worry that my port has flipped because I have been sleeping on my side! Weird I know but I think the only thing that will settle my mind is seeing it on an Xray but that's not going to happen! I will know when I go for my first fill on 9th March if it has flipped or not. Is anyone else managing to sleep on the sides yet? I am but only for short periods of time and then only on my right side, not my port side. Also I am still getting twinges of pain, well not quite pain, but discomfort, from my port site and my band and I wonder if anyone else is still getting this? I still have some tenderness to the upper left of my navel when I touch that area which is the same place I was having that awful pain shortly after surgery. I am managing to eat soup for lunch mainly and then in the evening I eat fish and veggies well cut up and chewed well. I am still having problems with overeating and need to slow down and stop when I am full. The trouble is I stop when I feel full and then over the next 10 minutes I feel even fuller and then bloated. If I eat too late I can feel bloated all night and end up having a terrible night's sleep. I think this is caused by eating too quickly and too much. I am not exercising yet either but will definitely start soon!:thumbup: Anyway guys, it's great having you all online and sharing our journeys together. Keep up your good work!:ohmy: Jacquie

Hi all! Sorry it's been so long. I have been holding steady at about 25 lbs and waiting for a fill. I had my first on 3/10/09. I am a little worried because I don't feel much restriction even though he put in 5cc's...anyone else not feeling much?

Hi, I am getting banded on 10/10/08, and I am looking for a cost effective Protein replacement. I did Optifast for 6 months, to qualify for the band, and I am tired of the flavor. It was also costing me $100.00 a week for the shakes. I am looking for alternitives for my liquid stage after getting banded. What was the best value you found out there?

Hi Susan, you are an august sleever right? How is your sleeve treating you? I was sleeved in TJ Mex 10/8/12 and I have lost about 30lbs since surgery I'm so happy I was sleeved.

What's your sign? My sign says "Stupid," but I'm told that I am a Cancerian. How would you rate your physical recovery post op (1-10, 1 being miserably long healing, 10 being fast & easy healing) A 10. I was horseback riding after two weeks. No pain meds after the recovery room and then I only gave myself one dose. How would you rate your emotional state post-op (1-10) 10. I was on an emotional high. I was so glad to have gotten it done. How would you rate your food tolerances? Can you keep things down r do you find that many food 'don't agree with you' now? 10. I can eat anything. I don't though. How would you rate your general success with the sleeve. Have you made goal or are you on target to do so? (1-10). 9. There are probably faster losers out there and people who stay on track better, but I rank. I am 30 pounds from goal. Please if you had complications, etc please give details. N/A

I am 19 days post and only have a little bit of glue left . . .

I am not the OP. But oh how I wish I was a candidate for something like that. Regretfully I get blood clots from BC pills. I got them when I was only 19, was only about 15 pounds over weight and was never a smoker. I just can't take the chance with my history. OP- I have read that since the body stores all kinds of hormones in your fat cells that you can wind up with heavier periods during your rapid weight loss phases. I have read of people that were newly menopausal when they had WLS surgery getting Aunt Flo back for a bit.

Called insurance today and they said not showing where my paper work was faxed in but my doctors office has confirmation. Does anyone know how long it takes to show it was faxed in? They faxed it in Monday the 12/01/2014

I grew up with a romanticized notion of love: One day my prince would come and life would be perfect. I still have my vision of him: A big, tall, dark and handsome dominate male, the stallion, who would rescue me, worship my feminine traits, but not possess me (except in the bedroom). Aside from the attributes in parenthesis, my fantasy man came straight from the Disney Princess movies of my childhood. Love is the deepest and most fulfilling connection to the world. Yet it is sadly ironic that most of us don’t know what love is. Storybook Love I grew up with a romanticized notion of love: One day my prince would come and life would be perfect. I still have my vision of him: A big, tall, dark and handsome dominate male, the stallion, who would rescue me, worship my feminine traits, but not possess me (except in the bedroom). Aside from the attributes in parenthesis, my fantasy man came straight from the Disney Princess movies of my childhood. That’s not true love, although I admit I still long for this fantasy man of my dreams. Thanks a lot, Disney. I’ve been “in love” a few times. I met John when I was 15 years old. He taught me what it was to be loved. John was my protector, my knight in shining armor who rescued his princess many times. Joe was three-years older than me. He swept me off my feet on his white horse (a Chevelle) and ultimately shattered my illusion of love. And then there was Bob who cherished me. He called me his beautiful Czechoslovakian doll and wrote me poetry. Bob is the closest I’ve come to my Prince Charming and I married him when I was 19 years old. But life has not been perfect. There are two other men I have loved but our relationships were never consummated. My storybook love ideal caused pain in these relationships. I was looking for someone else to make me feel complete, to satisfy all my needs, to make my life perfect. These precious men truly were deserving of my love. But I did not know how to love myself. And I did not know how to love them. That’s not true love. That was me being selfish. Truth is, I ultimately shattered my illusion of love, not Joe. It took me a long time to understand that love is an “inside job.” Finding Myself Decades pass and thorough them I go from fit to overweight to obese, then back to overweight and finally back to fit. And it was not until recently that I was able to love the person who was: That obese woman who used to look back at me in the mirror. Late last year I began a spiritual journey toward finding myself. I believe this important step in our transformation after weight loss is often overlooked. It took a series of catastrophes within relationships with people who were very important to me, to bring me to my knees and ask “what is the meaning of all this?” Fate delivered a spiritual guide to me. I stumbled a lot at first. Jen, a weight-loss surgery/plastic surgery friend, during our interview about love after obesity told me “change requires being open to being guided and looking for the lessons and messages in that guidance.” I remained open to the messages the universe was sending. I kept searching for what I was supposed to learn. I counseled with Rev. Mark, who also is a metaphysician, one of the most enlightened spiritual leaders I’ve met; I read a few books (good read: Return to Love) and countless articles; I did guided meditation and visualization; I did the course on YouTube and journaled; I watched documentaries (good watch: Love); I prayed (and still do) for the Holy Spirit (G_d's love) to allow me to see only through the eyes of love. And around Christmas my heart was broken open. That's when miraculous experiences began to happen. I reacquainted myself with my spirituality and my philosophy on life from a time long ago when my heart was filled only with love. It was the time before I became overweight and had used food to insulate my quiet inner voice of love from the frantic assault of the outside world. Finding True Love Finding true love is an inside job, means we must establish a sense of wholeness and intimacy within ourselves, first. Once I had unconditional love for myself, I was able to stop beating myself up for past failures. I was able to love me even though I made mistakes. And then… I was able to love others even though they made mistakes; even though they did not live into my fantasy of Prince Charming. I saw past the shell of these men and recognized their love given me through acts of service, gifts of quality time, and physical touch (good read: The 5 Love Languages). I was able to see the love given me because I had accepted myself as someone who could be loved. Previously I had seen myself as unlovable and therefore had doubted and tested the love given me. I saw their vulnerabilities and their faults and accepted these men just as they were, without judgement of how I thought they should be. Loving your idealized image of someone until they disappoint you with who they really are is not true love. That’s possessive love: I love you but only if you behave in the way in which I think you should be. That’s love with strings attached. I was able to love them with their flaws because I had accepted the flaws within myself. I was able to see their pain and how they had been hurt by me, whereas in the past I only could experience my pain and how they had hurt me. In doing so, I experienced what it is to love unconditionally, to experience self sacrifice for the good of another. Rev. Mark told me that is the deepest love there is. He called it soul love. The Resurrection of Love I had been reaching outside myself to men for the wholeness and intimacy that I was missing inside myself. Before expecting to find wholeness and intimacy externally, we must love ourselves as we are rather than trying to find someone to make us feel complete, to fix us, or to be who we want them to be rather than who they are. That is not what love is about. Every person in the world was born with the same incredible gift: the ability to love oneself and others unconditionally. We can resurrect that love at any point in our lives. I believe that forming a loving connection with another person (not necessarily a sexual relationship) is one of the most rewarding of life’s experiences and a crucial step in our growth into wholeness. If you don't know how to do that, how to really love someone else, then you will ultimately shatter the love that you have with anyone else, including with your mate. According to Maddisen K. Krown, M.A., “When we establish this awareness and loving connection, we establish a wholeness and intimacy with ourselves, which will very likely be projected and reflected back to us by others in the form of the loving, whole, and intimate relationships we have always longed for.” What have you done to discover true love of self after weight loss? Please share your story in the comment section below. Want more love? Read about soul mates and twin flames in Soul Relationships or learn to manifest your heart's desire in No Fear. No Regrets. Living larger than ever, My Bariatric Life Visit My Bariatric Life on MyBariatricLife.org,Flickr, Vimeo, Twitter, Google+ View my Borne Appétit recipe collection on Pinterest

Just tried on and bought size 10s. Cackle cackle cackle. :-)

My Dr. says I have to do all liquid diet for 4 weeks....broth, water, G2, Protein shakes. This is day 10 I just hope I make it 4 weeks of this. I have read where alot of patient only have to do this liquid diet for 2 weeks not sure why......

Update! My surgeon and primary physician went to "peer review" with Aetna's medical director and won! The secretary in the office told me that Aetna denies some 40% of patients. Keep your head up! I am sheduled wed Oct 10.