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Hi, I am 10 days post op and I was wondering if anyone has used Mederma on their inscisions or if it is even needed. Trying to minimize any scars. Thanks, Deborah

Hello VST gang!! Yay! I've been lurking between 2 and 5 pounds off goal for the last couple of months, and I'm thrilled to report that I'm finally there--and I'm sure about it, since I've been at this number for a few days now with no "bounce" back up! The last coupe of weeks, I've been trying hard to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, and I think that has made a difference. As you may know from my numerous posts on the subject, I have a really picky sleeve--to this day, I feel like it's pretty tyrannical about what it will and will not allow me to eat, but most of the time, it works out well for my weight loss goals. I do wish I could tolerate certain healthy Proteins (fish and chicken, for instance!), but I now appreciate its inability to tolerate fried foods and sweets, so it all balances out. It was a huge challenge in the beginning to discover what would work--and I still find new foods that my sleeve will or won't tolerate, so I'm still learning. Next steps for me include getting my exercise on--I haven't really gotten into a habit of regular exercise yet, and I fully intend to do that. I am also still experimenting with getting my nutrition optimized and being sure I'm eating as wide a variety of foods as possible, including vegetarian sources of Protein. Now that I'm "at goal," I can see that I want to lose a bit more, although I'm not sure exactly how much; I still have a bit of flab around my middle and on the upper thighs that's not just loose skin--not sure how much of that will go away with exercise! Thanks to all posters on this board who continuously provide support, encouragement, and answers!! I seriously would never have done this if I hadn't been able to read all of your experiences beforehand, and I would have missed out. For me, the sleeve was 100% the right choice. I'm updating my ticker right this second!! Short story: Weight surgery morning 306. Weight today 190. (I'm 6'2", so while 190 looks really high, that's really normal weight.) Size surgery morning 3X-4X, tight 26/28. Size today L, comfortable 12 heading to 10--I pulled off my size 12 Eddie Bauers yesterday without unbuttoning--yay!! Biggest NSV: Being able to work as a conductor without getting all hot and sweaty!! I like that I can now wear elegant concert clothing, work like a fiend, and not end up drenched with sweat. I can hug people after concerts without feeling self-conscious and icky and unfeminine. Oh, and the shoes!!! I can wear cute shoes without my feet hurting!! Worst comment: From a lady at work: Oh, I see you've lost a lot of weight; me, too, but I did it the hard way (followed by me, startled, saying, "Well, congratulations on your success!" and moving quickly away). Best comment: From a female friend/colleague: I was sitting in the audience for your concert, and I was thinking, "Damn, her butt looks great!" (followed by me giving her a big ol' hug).

Me, too! I had my surgery on 12/26 and have lost 64 pounds but am stuck on a plateau for a long time. I am exercising at the gym 5 days per week and have lost 10 pounds of body fat in 2 months but the scale is just not moving at all. I am wondering if I have stretched out my stomach because I can eat quite a bit before I feel the restriction, depending on what kind of food I am eating.

Opt out is one thing. Choosing to not go thru "hoops" is something I will do considering my cost per year for premium is close to $2000 a year. So if it's covered I find out the guidelines and make sure I meet. Then I pay my deductible and coinsurance And yes it's more expensive than Mexico but I can go 10 miles and see my surgeon whenever I need to.

I pay $3600/year for my health insurance. Thanks to Obamacare that is a lot more than I used to pay, much less coverage and a higher deductible than before insurance became so "affordable". And unfortunately the state I live in opted out of WLS under the ACA, so despite my insane premium, I was on my own for this surgery. I took all the money I had been saving for two years for a down payment on a new truck, put about $1000 on a credit card, and headed to Mexico. 10 months later I happily drive my 15 year old truck to work everyday. Money WELL spent!

Here's my story, I've lost 76 lbs this includes weightloss prior to my surgery. Now that I've reached 180 lbs I'm wearing a size 10 which I'm sure this is due to vanity sizing but I don't care I love telling friends I wear a size 10. Since surgery I have not stalled in my weightloss and I was ready to stop lossing weight when I was 185 lbs but I get up this morning and I'm 5lbs lighter. Does anyone know how I can stop lossing? So I can start maintaining my current weight. I welcome any advice anyone can offer. Thanks

I've been told by my doc to not drink Protein shakes because liquid passes through the stomach rather quickly and as a result there isn't a prolonged feeling of satiety. So I stopped drinking Protein Shakes completely and I am doing much better, especially in the mornings when I would find myself starving to death at about 10:30 AM. What Proteins do I like? Low fat cottage cheese has plenty of protein. Low fat cheese. eggs. Any meat (cooking methods chosen to accommodate what works for me), such as lean ground beef patties grilled (no more done than medium rare for me) but no bun. Greek yogurt (I don't like regular yogurt). Solid protein takes a while to be digested so it stays in your pouch longer, so it makes you feel full longer. Ditch the shakes. I was hooked on them, especially for breakfast because of the convenience. But taking the time to prepare solid food pays off by you being full longer.

Every insurance plan is different. My annual deductible is 2,500(for the family). And then they pay 90%. I had already met the majority of the deductible so on the day of surgery I had to pay $300. And then I was billed for the 10% which was around 2,500. And then $1,200 for the nutrition and psych fee. Total I paid right around $4,000 for my surgery.

I'm 43 and was told I looked a lot younger. They may have been pulling my leg when they said 19 and 23.

I have a pretty reliable cycle...10-12 days of fairly rapid weight loss, then 10-12 days of "adjustment period". I tend to lose between 6-8 pounds per cycle, and lose inches (or parts of inches) when I'm not losing weight.

Has anyone had a fill done by a radiologist? I saw my surgeon today and he suggested this. I had my surgery on April 22, 2009 and have lost 30 pounds. I am at 7.5 cc's in my 10 cc band, and after not losing any weight in the past 12-weeks, today at my weigh-in I had gained one pound. My surgeon said the radiologist will empty my band completely and then completely re-fill it. Then, I will drink some liquid while the radiologist slowly removes the saline from the band. I guess it will be a good way to ensure the band has not slipped and is still working correctly. Just wondering if anyone else has had this done. Thanks everyone!!

I've replaced my entire closet about four times since starting this last December. I decided early on that my new life was too important to continue to wear clothes that didn't fit right. As things began to get to be too large, I set them aside. When there was enough to fill a trash bag or two or three, I took them to Goodwill, or to a homeless shelter in my town, and even to a coworker whose father and brothers are big guys. Donating them made me feel good, because all my stuff was in great shape and had a lot of life left in them. I told the coworker to do what she wanted with whatever her family couldn't use, including putting them in her next garage sale. She was delighted, because guys used clothes at garage sales tend to be stained or ripped or worn out. She was happy to get nice stuff from me. Then I bought new stuff on sale in various places, most often JC Penney (their online site has the best selection and some killer sales.) When THOSE clothes got to be too big, I started over, and did the same thing, donating what I didn't need anymore. I've gone from 3XL and 4XL shirts down to size Large, and my 44-46 waist pants are down to a 34 inch waist. To justify the cost of buying more clothes, I started figuring out how much money I WASN'T spending on food. Groceries, restaurants, junk food and Snacks, soda, beer - the repetitive costs of that much food was enormous. After banding, my food expenses are SO much lower, I have a lot more disposable income. I figure I can spend that money on new clothes. They make me feel right, I look great in them, and it helps me adjust to my new life. Now that my weight loss has slowed way down, I'm not needing to shop like I was. So it's all tapered off, and I had a great journey along the way. And as for those jeans you're waiting to buy? WalMart has great jeans that wear well and cost less than $10 a pair. Check them out. Dave

I too had to lose 10% and it took me 7 weeks to get it done. I was beyond vigilant with my diet and drank a TON of water daily. I haven't had any fruit since June, no bread, cereal, or pasta and no potatoes peas or corn. I am 1 month post op and very leery of even trying fruit and approved veggies. If you are close to the goal they set for you go online and read how athletes make weight. I had it printed and ready to go but didn't need to use it. Good luck and know it can be done. Hang in there.

I can sympathize with you! I lost 10 my first week...then only like 4 lbs over the next 4 weeks! I was shocked because I was hardly eating. I felt horrible but after week 5 I got into a steady loss cycle. I only get on the scale every 7 - 10 days and I stay away all the other days. I was obsessing about the scale and it was not good. Now 12.5 weeks post op I am down 63 total from my highest weight. Hang in there! Don't get discouraged it really has not been that long. I know it feels like that number should be moving faster - I do know! Keep drinking water, get your protein, exercise...take your vitamins!

I had my surgery on Feb. 18 and flew on Feb. 29. The surgeon had said it should be safe to fly 7-10 days after. For me, that flight was torture. I could not even sip Water. It was so bad that I cancelled my flight home and won't be flying back until the 17th. I'll get my first fill on the 18th and then have another flight scheduled for the 20th. The surgeon said that I shouldn't have any problems after the fill as long as the nurse filling is careful not to have any air in the needle. He said that people have had issues with flights when there is air in the band which can get there during a fill if the nurse is not careful. I guess I'll know for sure when I fly on the 20th. Sent from my SM-G920P using the BariatricPal App

I was banded on March 26, 2008. I had my first fill in April (2 cc in my 10 cc band). If I do not carefully chew, food gets stuck. I stay full after a meal for 4 - 5 hours with no problems. I have lost 28 lbs in 3 months. I am scheduled for my 2nd fill today. I don't really feel like I need a fill. I am going to the doctor anyway, since I have only been back 2 times since my surgery. Anyone else feeling restricted with so little in their band ? :thumbup:

Hi...I was banded in Monterey, MX by Dr. Sanchez. I could not be banded in the US at that time because I was not considered "morbidly obese". I did the yo yo with my weight most of my adult life and was never able to maintain a constant healthy weight. At that time the lap band was very new and a lot of people were going to MX for placement. I have not had a fill in over 10 years and still have restriction. I still have to eat slow, chew well and am not able to eat certain foods unless I have had a drink or two (which loosens the band...relaxes me). I still have a difficult time eating out .... I eat much better at home. I can't eat in the mornings and have carnation instant usually. I try to get my protein in with cottage cheese, yogurt, organic chicken and eggs (eggs don't always do well). I juice occasionally to get my veggies and fruits. I am considering removing my band this next year because I would like to be able to eat salads and fruit naturally and I do have to work at getting my nutrients in. Unfortunately, ice cream, candy and white russians go through very well, lol. I know I would lose another ten pounds if I would cut out the sugar. I still slime a lot and that concerns me. Im not really sure what I will do. I am not being followed by a doctor and have not been for 10 years. I do have a lot of heart burn and am sure it is because of the sliming. I am going to see a doc to get checked out this year for that. I do not regret getting the band as it has helped me in the long run. The band is the boss as you all know. Any questions, feel free to ask. Also, I had a tummy tuck in Monterey with Dr Cardenas about a year after my weight loss and that was the best thing I ever did for ME....

I'm always confused by terms people use. When I attempt to follow the 'feeling full/feeling restricted' range of thought, I never seem to find any behavioral control or meal satisfaction. What has worked well for me, is the notion of "hunger" means 'eat' and 'not hunger' means 'NO eat'. Whether one bite or 10, when I'm under 'good control' and 'being Bandlike' in my meals, the absolute most meaningful management tool I could rely on, was my newly learned skill of recognizing when I was actually 'hungry'. In the bad old preOp days, I NEVER knew what 'hunger' and 'not hunger' were....cause I was always eating so I wouldn't become a dreadful 'hungry' person.

Hey everyone... Okay so I'm getting nervous now... My surgery is 10 days away and I start my Pre op diet in 2 days... Can all the veterans or people on their Pre Op diet give me some tips, and also brands or ideas of protein shakes or broths they made. Thanks I appreciate it

I have started after 3 weeks but I guess I am very much deconditioned. Felt tired after 10 squats, could do 50 when I was 25ibs heavier.

Yes! I have the exact same situation going on! My surgery was the 27th of March. I feel a sharp pulling pain when I try to sleep on my side, so for 10 days I have been sleeping on my back. I have a bruise the size of a luncheon plate around my belly button. It is huge, dark, and gross!!! I think the pulling pain will just take time to go away. Best wishes! Sent from my SM-N960U using BariatricPal mobile app

I recently went on vacation and thought that my sleeve was on vacation too. It wasn't. Please don't do what I did. You will be in pain and you will regret it. Learn from my mistakes. http://www.scrapbookoftruth.com/2013/10/17/your-gastric-sleeve-doesnt-care-about-your-vacation/

@@lauraellen80 I'm finding myself doing that with a size up now that I'm pretty much in maintenance. I know statistically people gain 5-10% back within a few years, so I think I'm mentally preparing for that "what if". What are your guys' thoughts about that? Get rid of them or hold on?

Unjury makes what it calls Nectar protein powder that you can mix with water. Very light and you can order a sample box that has maybe 8-10 different flavor packets to try. My favorite two are peach and lemonade.