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I'm 8 weeks post op. I've lost 15lbs since surgery. I also lost 15lbs pre-op on the pre-surgery liquid diet. I had my 2nd fill this week. I still feel hungry. I can't wait for the band to start working for me vs me having to weigh and measure everything. I'm ready for my 3rd fill.

Here is a letter I wrote to my health insurance to explain my situation. They told me that even though I was a perfect candidate for the lapband, they would not cover it. Nor would they cover ANY proceedure, medication, therapy, doctor's visit to discuss weightloss, gym membership. I borrowed the money and I had the band in July. At this time last year, I weighed 380. I now weigh 315! Maybe this can help someone.... Obesity is affecting my life in the following ways: Physically Hypertension My blood pressure continues to get higher and higher despite the use of medications. When I must walk any distance I can feel my pulse in my face. sleep Apnea I must now sleep with an ugly cumbersome breathing machine at night. I am afraid I will die in my sleep if I don’t use my CPAP. Caught Variant Asthma When I have an asthma attack, I cough because I can’t breathe. I cough so hard I turn purple, pee my pants and throw up…not nice anywhere, especially in front of a classroom full of elementary kids. Foot and ankle pain The pain in my feet and ankles is so severe, that at night I must elevate and ice them just to be able to walk around the house. I have spurs on many of my foot bones because I have carried around so much weight for so long. Chaffing My thighs rub together. My arms rub my sides. My fat folds rub each other and the tops of my legs. It is miserable! Even though I wash, medicate, powder, use antiperspirant under my belly fat and in the creases and wear absorbing cotton clothing, I STILL rub, sweat, chafe, hurt, and break out in nasty folliculitis. Walking My thighs are so fat; my legs are forced to spread, causing my gait to be too wide. This makes my hips and lower back hurt. I walk like an old fat cowboy duck. Just watch me next time I come into the room. I can’t walk more than a block without pain in my back, hips, feet and ankles. I am out of breath after the first 100 yards. My ankles and feet hurt so badly all day. Stairs? Ha. Going up is actually better than going down. I may be slow ascending stairs and need breaks within a single flight, but descending, well I can’t see my feet to see the next step below me. Each step down jars my huge frame. It is easier if I turn to the side, hold on to the rail and use a side step, using the same foot to lead on each step. I prefer elevators or escalators even if I am going down one flight. Sweating Have you ever been so winded and worn out after taking a trip through Wal-Mart that the sweat rolls down your back and into your butt crack? No? Try being me for a day. Getting Up I have a hard time getting in and up out of cars, chairs, the floor and bed. Fitting I need chairs without arms. Do you know how many chairs have arms? All movie theatres, all theatrical venues, all stadiums, all beauty shops, dentist chairs, office chairs, lawn chairs, waiting rooms, airplanes, trains, and most restaurants (I’m sorry ma’am we only have chairs with arms, do you think you could fit in a booth? HA!) I don’t fit in many cars, non handicapped bathroom stalls, dressing rooms, bathtubs, the spaces between clothing racks at stores, and turnstiles. Bathrooming First I must see if I have enough room to spread my leg wide enough to wipe, then I check the sturdiness of the toilet. I have been on a toilet in the midst of a very delicate maneuver when the toilet has come loose from the floor and made a horrible mess. It is a very embarrassing thing to have to tell your hostess that you broke her toilet and ruined the bathroom rugs. Once all seems to be fit, I do my business and then attempt to lean forward with one arm tucked under my belly. I must balance all of me onto my tip toes and reach through the front. This acrobatic feat is difficult. I do not fit in regular sized bathtubs. If I must bathe, I force my hips into the tub. I had to install a shower wand to clean my self properly while showering. I use hibiclense and other antimicrobial soaps and solutions to reduce the risk of folliculitis, and faruncles. I shower every morning and every evening to keep my fat folds clean and my body smelling nice. Clothing This is a big issue with me. I must be very careful in clothing I select as not to bring attention to my self. One day I bought a very expensive, very cute chartreuse short set. I wore it to the store and I had a very rude person look directly at me and mimic my walk and say, “Look, at me…I am a big, fat lime!” Super sized clothing is hard to find. Once you do find it, it is very expensive. I spend a lot of time, effort and money covering my body in a tasteful way. I must be very careful in selecting clothing. I cannot fit in any clothes from regular plus sized shops. I surpassed the sizes at Lane Bryant 5 years ago. I am now wearing the largest size at the only two mail order clothiers available. I will have to resort to having “tents” made for me if I don’t loose weight. Sex Sex is very difficult because of my large stomach and large backside. This is a very difficult topic to discuss, and an even more difficult topic to endure. My sex life is not what I want it to be because my fat makes sex very difficult. I also feel very self conscious about my body. Mentally Embarrassment I do not like the way I look. I feel embarrassed about how I look to other people. I feel that my fat makes me ugly and undesirable. It is embarrassing to not fit in a $120.00 Chicago theatre seat and have to ask the manager if there is any where else he could seat me. I am embarrassed when am winded from taking my students out to recess. I am embarrassed when I must lift my fat belly up over a turnstile to fit through it. Compensating I feel I must be better, smarter, funnier, cleverer, and more charming because I am fat. I have developed quite a sense of humor to mask my hurt at being left out of many things over the course of growing up. Sarcasm is one of my compensating tools. Sadness- I cry often because I am overwhelmed about my weight. It make s me feel so sad to think about all of the things I miss out on because I am fat. I hate myself for getting so fat and out of control. I am angry at myself for not being able to stick to an eating plan and exercise regime. Fear I do not want to develop heart problems because of my obesity. I fear going to the doctor each time, because I am expecting to hear the words “heart disease.” My blood pressure scares me. Anxiety then takes over and I feel overwhelmed with guilt and fear. Self Consciousness I cover my body with big baggy clothes. I cover my belly with a pillow to “hide” my fat when I am sitting on a couch. I am always very aware of how other people are looking at me, and the remarks they make. This horrible habit puts a strain on my marriage. Self Worth My self worth is in the toilet. I feel disgusting. I hate being fat and I hate not being able to control my food intake. I feel bad about not being able to lose weight. I feel like a failure because I am not able to stick to a successful diet or long range exercise program. These and many more mental obstacles must be overcome daily, even hourly. It is emotionally draining to have to prepare my self mentally for a day, not to mention the actually endurance of the emotions through the day. I am tired and disgusted with being so emotionally tied to this weight. Socially As a child I was ridiculed and left out of peer activities. In middle school I had a handful of friends, but the fat jokes and ridicule over shadowed me and made me feel worthless, ugly and unwanted. There was a rumor that followed me through all of 6th, 7th and 8th grades about me looking pregnant and every week it the big joke was to ask me whose baby it was. Ha! So funny! A three year “gestation period” was more than I could endure. I sought help from the school counselors. They told me if I lost weight they would stop bothering me. High school was miserable. I was never asked on a date, never held a boy’s hand. I was always overlooked. College was no different. Either were my 20s. No boyfriends, no dates, nothing…and I DID try. I tried 2 dating services; I spent 3 years in a huge singles group at my church. While my girlfriends were on dates and getting engaged, I was alone and depressed. I finally put a personal ad on yahoo. I did find a loving man who I fell in love with and married. I love my husband, but I wish I didn’t have the lonely rejection filled past. There are many social opportunities that I must turn down because of my morbid obesity. Camping, swimming, hiking and traveling are too difficult at my size. When a friend asks me to go out, I must consider all of the possibilities (Will there be room for me, is the restroom big enough, is her car big enough, will the chair support me even if I do fit?) There worries are enough to make me want to stay at home, and often times, I do because of worry and shame. Financially It is expensive to be fat and even more expensive to yo-yo diet. I have done both since I was 16. Specialty clothing costs twice as much as other clothes. My medical needs are very costly, even with health insurance. I spend lots of money on my favorite hobbies, eating and cooking. I need help. I want to be successful in losing weight. I am ready. I want to be able to walk with our pain. I want to be alive for another 35 years, at least! Please help me by considering me for weight loss surgery.

Hello I have been reading stuff on internet about weightloss. I am very interested in this lap-band surgery. But it is not cheap...I have alot of questions. I am 340 pounds 5'7''. 43 male. My knees have been hurting and hips too. I tried walking,riding bike...I work a physical job.. and when I lose weight I which takes along time..I gain it all back plus some...I was seeing a doctor who tried to help but it was hopeless. I need some serious help. I have a 3 year old daughter and need to keep up with her. I do not want her to be ashamed of her heavy father. This all makes me very sad. I work for one of the big 3 (not so big anymore) and have some coverage. what will OHIP cover when it comes to this type of procedure. I also have green shield through work. I am going to see my benefit rep and see what kinda coverage we have. Well this could be the start of my journey and I will be glad to share it all with you. I was born in Windsor Ontario and I currently still live in the area. I started gaining wieght a few pounds a year since puberty. Being heavy is no fun. People would never call a person of colour or race any names but they sure like to pick on peeps who are heavy. It seems to be acceptable behaviour. With our population becoming heavier all the time it seems to be a growing problem. I am no wimp I can stand up for myself..( I tell em I am big boned)..hehe but it gets to me sometimes. To be judged on how you look, it really sucks..anyhow thats it for my venting. anyone have some similar thoughts on the subject. I hope to here from some of you peeps that are on same page and have some info for me....have good day. Fordguy8193

@@2feelgood @@Inner Surfer Girl is exactly right. I had RNY bypass and it controls how much I put in my body but certainly not what I choose to put in it. I can eat around my surgery all day long if I choose to. Trust me, there are days when I have only to find out that I had either stalled out or gained weight. I got to goal and have remained there so far because I choose to follow the rules at least 90% of the time every day. Why not try resetting before heading for another surgery? Go back to the basics. Start as if you had surgery yesterday and go on a liquid diet for a few days. Use the 5 day pouch test which you can google. Then follow the rules and see if the weight starts coming back off. The most important this to do is track every single thing you put in your mouth. Leverage something like Myfitnesspal to do that. Best of luck to you!

Hand in there the first 2-3 weeks were very hard for me but this is my 4-5th week and I'm feeling much better! Praying for a quick recovery!!

Hey Kay, Yes, I have had 2 fills already and I go tomorrow (Tuesday) for my 3rd fill. I have a 9cc band and I already have 5cc in it. I have probably stretched my pouch, but from what I read below, I am assuming that if I start eating normally (3 to 4 ounces) that it will shrink back down. Don't get me wrong I don't gorge myself when I eat, but I slightly go over the 4 ounces my diet call for because I don't feel it is enough for me. I just hope I haven't messed things up with the band.

That sounds like far from enough fluids. Where was her surgery? Does she have a doctor nearby she can talk to? Dehydration can be dangerous. If your description is literal, that sounds like less than a cup of Water a day, that's very low. Please contact a doctor. She may need to go in and get IV fluids if her stomach is too swollen to hold enough. She should be getting 6-8 cups of Fluid a day. I know some struggle with that the first week, but it sounds like she's drastically below that. Agree with above - warm liquids can be better. Some also have an easier time getting water with crystal light rather than plain. Good job coming on here to ask for tips! I wish your mom the best.

I couldn't get fluids in either, next to none. She may need to be put on iv's until she can tolerate them. I was on iv's for 5 days. I am just over 3 weeks out and am not even close to what I need in water. I am lucky to get in 16-24oz but it is getting better. Dehydration is nothing to mess around with. See a doctor asap and best of luck to her.

My nutritionist said I could drink at 3 months. Have tried wine, mixed cocktails even some carbonated drinks and everything has been fine.

For about the first week everything I put in my mouth made me burp. And I don't mean just one little burp. My stomach also made alot of noise. It still does at times. But I am 11 days post op and the burping has almost stopped.

Im 4 weeks out and Im so proud to do this. You cant eat like before but you are not hungry anymore. Thats wonderful for me. I have no problems at all.

thank you, crystal. you might be right about the band induced bulimia. i never threw up before i was banded and haven't felt the need to throw up since i've had all the Fluid removed from my band. i do know i always had a hard time knowing when to stop eating. my stomach told me to stop but my brain told me to keep eating. i usually listened to my brain. i weighed 145 consistantly for 2 years and then in December my weight started dropping. i was down to 114 which was not healthy for me but i couldn't gain weight no matter what i tried which is why i went back to my surgeon the beginning of August to find out my band had slipped... which could be why i made myself throw up too. since having all the fluid removed i'm back up to 125 pounds but really should be about 140. my surgeon said i have about 3-6 months to make up my mind... i too am worried about half my stomach being removed. it's so... final but i was told that getting rebanded left a very high risk of slipping again. i know if i just have it removed i'll gain the weight back. there is no question about it. now i just have to find a surgeon in Mexico that i trust since i'm self pay!

One month ago today. February 5th... Thank you for the suggestions. I found that coffee went down fine this morning. I was allowed coffee after my second week but even being the coffeeholic I am, I had no interest in it but today it went down well. Thanks guys.

I am 4 weeks post op and use Bariatric fusion. They come in multiple flavors. Dh prefers cherry and I prefer Wild berry or strawberry. I buy them at my surgeon's office. http://www.bariatricchoice.com/bariatric-fusion-bariatric-vitamins-172.html

He told me to crush my pills for the week post op. Yick! I'm sorry. I am always so amazed by all the different directions given. Good luck!!

I was at 42 BMI and was told if I Dont loose 10%of my overall weight as a sign of good faith and intent I would not be approved. My doc didn't care but insurance would not pay so I lost the weigh and more. I am 2 weeks post op. I can tell you I have lost multi pound a gained it back and then some in the past. This is more permanent if you are dedicated and that's what team wanted to see. I have just been losing these days lol

I'm doing really well. The first 4-6 weeks were tough for me realizing how insanely dependent I was upon food. It was just an emotional time learning how to eat again. I have no regret though and am down about 60 pounds from my highest weight in a relatively short amount of time. I am losing about 2 pounds a week now that the loss has stabilized and my skin is doing pretty well. Most importantly, I am eating so much better and feel SO MUCH better. No more meds, snoring or chronic fatigue. No regrets at all! Good luck to you! I hope everything goes perfect for you!

Yes why so long? When I was on liquid stage my dr said I could start with pureed..I'm 3 weeks out and eating soft foods...

You have had a rough go of it! Let us know what the doc says. When I had shingles, I was 6 weeks pregnant and also had Strep. I took the antibiotics for strep, but couldn't take anything for the shingles. Went away on its own after 6 weeks or so. It's amazing how these things come in clusters! Sent from my SM-N920R4 using the BariatricPal App

Don't worry about that two pounds, it could anything...perhaps Water gain or maybe muscle gain from exercise (doesn't mean you are not still losing fat). Small fluctuations at times are very normal. Weigh yoursel first thing after your morning pee and don't weigh too often if such fluctions will get you down...once a week max. As for your weight loss so far...you are doing just fine. You haven't even begun using your band until you start getting fills. Any weight loss at this point is fantastic! Be patient it will happen before you know it!

Yay! I got my surgery date today! I have to go in for my pre-op appointment next Monday and my surgery is scheduled for Thursday, July 19. I am so happy that they were able to schedule a date so soon. I want to be off of my modified liquids diet before I go back to school (work). I will be 4 weeks post-op by then, and 12 weeks post-op by my brother-in-law's wedding. I can't wait for my body on the outside to match my personality on the inside. I am so excited! I am motivated to get as much weight as I can off before the wedding. Wahoo!

Lmao well I had 3 kids all natural and 9 to 9 1/2 each sleeve hurt more coz the pain lasted longer

I'm 3 weeks out and still have to take pain meds for my big incision on the left. Not all the time, but before I do anything like go to school and stuff.

Try some of the clear Protein drinks. GNC has a really good protein coconut Water out now - Cocotein. Isopure clear protein is great and got me through those first couple of weeks. Lots of flavors - and Amazon will deliver a case for you for free. unjury has a good strawberry sorbet which is better when you mix it with a pack of Crystal Light lemonade. Some of the Matrix fruit flavors are good too... Whey 2 Go - 50 calorie protein water packet. Available on Amazon Hope some of these help...hang in there! I love my Protein Drinks. I miss it when I don't have one in the morning.

I don't think it's a normal "sleeve" issue at 4 weeks post op. Perhaps you're coming down with a bug of some sort. You may want to give your doctor a call. Good luck and I hope you feel better soon.