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I am looking forward to kicking myself in the butt. I will miss the fried chicken, the ribs and the nice pork chops...I looked in my picture album....I gained on an average of 10 pounds per year. At age 39 in this picture of me--I was 176.....I actually was shocked to know I had a good weight.....I was shy to ake off my shirt during that time--at 175....Lord was I stupid... Now--if I am blessed and work hard to get back to that elusive 165-175...:eek: :hungry: My shirt is going to come off a lot--hahahahahahaaha....I would love to go back to the Coast of Mississippi--and show the ex---but she'll say the stupid things---"Oh Lee--you look sooo sick":omg:

I was actually sleeved on August13th. So far no issues at all. I have had no pain or anything. I actually played golf and walked the course 10 days out. As far as liquids no problems at all. Now trying to eat soft foods I just cannot eat that much. 5to 6 oz top's.I found some great info as far as drinking and eating. I guess the issue is if you drink while eating the food leaves your sleeve faster and keeps you less full longer. That is the reason for not drinking during and after eating. Makes sense to me...

Im 5 years in Oct and when i had the endoscopy before surgery i had a slight hiatal hernia.ive always suffered from heartburn on and off but everything was ok.until 3 months ago when i had my 3rd endoscopy and was told i had an ulcer(my biggest fear with this surgery) and my hernia is alot worse.so i was put on carafate for 3 months and had my hiatal hernia repaired 5 days.another endoscopy was done right before surgery and showed ulcer healed but i had a massive amount of scar tissue from acids in my stomach.also my stomach is still very irritated and i just got back from check up today and i have to be on pureed foods for 4 more weeks and still on protonix for 2 months more(ive been on protonix since my sleeve,5yrs!)also have to get another endoscopy in 6 weeks!omgg,this acid needs to stop already!anyone else been down this road??? 10/6/2014-214lbs 7/15/2019-149lbs Sent from my SM-G960U using BariatricPal mobile app

Surgery 9/17 weight 204, size 16 Weight today 167 , size 10

Help Center -Department of Managed Care This I my appeal letter to ask that you reconsider and approve the Sleeve Gastrectomy Weight Loss Surgery that was denied by Anthem Blue Cross because they consider the procedure investigational. I believe this surgery is exactly the tool I need to improve my health and the quality of the rest of my life. I have been told by several of Anthem Blue Cross customer service representatives that 43775 is a covered procedure and that as long as my HMO approved they would pay for the surgery. This is not what I am being told now. I have been getting the runaround on this for two months. I received a letter from my HMO dated 2/6/10(copy enclosed) stating this is not a denial of service but Anthem considers this procedure experimental and has to go to the Utilization Dept for a decision. The number to call this department was on the letter. I called this Dept. a minimum of 5 times and was told they don’t know what I am talking about, this dept. doesn’t handle HMO. So I call my HMO and they say “oh you have to appeal” so I send my appeal letter to Anthem on 2/16 and wait the 30 days for a decision. On the 28th day they inform me that I cannot appeal because I haven’t been denied, oh and the people in the Utilization Dept. don’t know that their department handles this?? So they send it back to the Utilization Dept and now I have officially been denied. This part of this process has taken two months, very frustrating. I. PATIENT BACKGROUND My name is Jeani Xxxxxxx and I am insured under group plan xxxxxxxxxx. My member ID # xxxxxxxxxxxxx. I am now 59 years old. I am 5/5 tall and at this time I weigh 233 lbs. I am seeking approval for weight loss surgery. I have been overweight to one degree or another since I was a young child and was advised by my pediatrician to diet at age 10. I have made numerous efforts at weight loss throughout my teenage years and adult life. I dieted frequently as a teenager and young adult. Numerous times I have lost 40-80 pounds or more but eventually the weight returns. Weight loss programs I tried include juice fasts, traditional calorie counting on quite a few occasions, Weight Watchers, Slim Fast, Nurti-system, the Atkins diet, Cabbage soup, Mayo Clinic diet, the Zone, gym membership, lap swimming, weight training, water aerobics, walking programs, various buddy-system diets and individual, self hypnosis, ”Think yourself Thin” “ Think yourself Thin Automatically, tape you listen to in the car” Dexatrim, Metabalite, Hoodia, Green Tea Extract, and numerous other fad diets. In all cases I lost weight but each time the weight crept back, usually with a little more. Eventually I realized that traditional dieting seemed to actually cause weight gain due to increased hunger that seems to occur after significant weight loss. I believe science is only now beginning to understand the reasons for this phenomenon which is consistently reported by clinically obese people. Studies also show that genetics plays a larger role than once thought and there are morbidly obese people in my family as well as slim people. My co-morbidities include high blood pressure, high triglycerides, low good cholesterol, have had abnormal EKGs, borderline diabetes, and osteoarthritis in my hip, which my doctor said weight loss would help significantly. I have also had sever back pain most of my life. I take hydrochlorothiazide and verapamil for high blood pressure which is effective. I take medicine, Niacin for high triglycerides. I have a family history of cancer as well as strokes, heart disease and severe arthritis. I take nabumetone almost daily and ibuprofen to help with severe leg pain related to arthritis in my hip. I have taken ibuprofin for back pain that i have had most of my life even when I was not overweight. I believe I will need NSAIDS even after WLS which is why I need the sleeve as this is the only WLS that you can still take anti-inflammatory medications. I buy over the counter ibuprofen as I can get 500-200mg pills for $10.00 which last over 6 months, whereas when getting prescription I only get 30 -800 milligrams for a co-payment of $10 which only last a month. My excess weight and other health issues makes everyday activities difficult including housework, shopping, standing, walking significant distances, working and recreation. It effectively makes my world smaller limiting the number of things I can do each day. I have lived with obesity for years and strongly wish to change this aspect of my life. I fear the consequences of my high triglycerides especially considering the family history i have of heart disease. Many members of my family died of heart attack and stroke. I was stunned to learn that my weight is in the obese category but heartened to learn of this newer treatment with fewer side effects and shorter recovery. I am highly motivated to succeed with VSG and understand that food intake will be significantly limited for the rest of my life and that I must continue to exercise to be successful. Before I found out about the arthritis, which is the result of a subtle fracture at some point in my life that affected the curvature and angle of my right hip bone (this was found by an MRI that was done after pain medication didn’t help and physical therapy made the pain worst), I used to walk a minimum of 30-60 minutes a day at least 5 days a week. Since this pain in my leg as a result of the hip arthritis I no longer can do that and I am afraid that the weight will just continue to creep up on me. My particular problem is in volume eating. I eat good food, lots of chicken and turkey, lots of fruits and vegetables, the thing is I am always hungry and I eat until I am full. Having a smaller stomach and feeling full sooner seems like exactly the kind of help I need. I had given up on traditional dieting as it always resulted in failure and am pleased to have found the VSG surgical option which appears to be the only tool offering a realistic possibility of lifelong weight control for me. I believe VSG is the best surgery for me because it offers restriction like the lap-band and the RNY but without the malabsorption of the RNY. The RNY is not an option because I very much need regular doses of nabumetone and ibuprofen for the leg pain related to my hip pain and even once I lose the weight believe I will still need ibuprofen for my back pain which I have suffered with most of my adult life. Tylenol is not effective for me. I am allergic to codeine, vicodin, any pain medication of that type I cannot take. Narcotic pain relievers make my head seem fuzzy but do not help with pain. I have the same concern about the lap band. I also understand that as many as 27 percent of lap band patients require band removal and weight loss is often unsatisfactory (I think the number is even higher now). Most importantly, the VSG removal of a large portion of the stomach removes many of the cells that produce the hormone ghrelin which is known to cause hunger and appetite. The RNY and lap band don’t have this advantage. At age 59 I am concerned about the side effects of the RNY and do not want to spend 6 or more months with dumping syndrome and feeling rotten. I also worry about the ability to take and absorb other medications I might need in the future as I age. The VSG appears to offer the fastest recovery, weight loss similar to the RNY and the least amount of side effects. One recent publication, “The Best Bariatric Operation for Older Patients “ by Drs Lee, Cirangle, Taller, Feng and Jossart, 2005, concludes that “These data suggest that the best bariatric operation for older patients may be the laparoscopic VG because it achieves the greatest weight loss with the shortest operative time and the fewest complications”. I have investigated this procedure very thoroughly including attending support groups and talking with others who have had it. I have completed most of the preoperative testing and strongly believe this is the best procedure for my circumstances II. THE VSG SHOULD NO LONGER BE CONSIDERED INVESTIGATIONAL The only stated reason for denying approval for the VSG is that it is investigational and …” current available medical studies do not show that this service improves health outcomes, is as good as or better than standard alternatives, or shows improvement outside the research setting”. It is respectfully submitted that this conclusion is incorrect. The conclusion ignores the 36 studies now available on the effectiveness of VSG which indicate that excess weight loss is similar to the RNY and that complications from surgery are actually lower than RNY. It also ignores the fact that the VSG is now widely performed and is routine for many bariatric surgeons and has long been performed outside the research setting. Anthem’s policy on Surgery for Clinically Severe Obesity is set forth in a document with an effective date of April 22, 2009. This document reviews the various forms of bariatric surgery and explains when weight loss surgery is considered medically necessary. VSG is excluded from ever being medically necessary because it is designated as investigational and that “…there is insufficient convincing evidence in the peer reviewed medical literature, in terms of safety, to support the use of …sleeve gastrectomy…other than biliopancreatic bypass with duodenal switch, in individuals with clinically severe obesity.”. Nevertheless, the lap band and Realize band procedures are approved as medically necessary in this same document based upon what appears to be two three year studies involving 219 and 352 patients respectively. There is now a considerable body of data and studies supporting the safety and effectiveness of the VSG as a primary procedure for weight loss. The June 2009 Supplement to Bariatric Times reporting on the Second International Consensus Summit on Sleeve Gastrectomy (available at www.bariatrictimes.com) includes 10 papers pertaining to the safety and effectiveness of the VSG presented by leading bariatric surgeons. In Reducing Risk in Bariatric Surgery: Rational for Sleeve Gastrectomy, Dr. Eric J. DeMaria concludes that “A growing body of evidence suggests sleeve gastrectomy may be an appropriate primary bariatric surgical procedure primarily due to low risk and ease of surgical revision when required.” In the paper presented by Drs Jossart and Cirangle, four years of data showed a 68% excess weight loss by VSG patients, a figure not largely different than RNY patients of the same time range. Most significantly, in Debates and Consensus: a Summary by Dr. Michael Gagner, important questions concerning the VSG were debated and conclusions reached by the 400 conference participants. Question 6 was as follows: “Question 6: In your opinion, is there currently enough published data to support the sleeve gastrectomy as a primary procedure to treat morbid obesity on par with adjustable gastric banding and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass? Several groups presented cohorts of patients with follow-up periods of 4 to 8 years the day before. Jossart and colleagues in San Francisco presented eight years’ experience including 1,200 cases, whereas at more than four years, weight loss resulted in a similar curve to gastric bypass. At higher BMI (greater than 55kg/m2) a plateau of nearly 40kg/m2 demanded a second stage, but below a BMI of 55, the operation was terrific. Schauer and colleagues assessed the literature from 35 reports, studied more than 3,000 published sleeve gastrectomy cases, and found an extremely low mortality rate (near 0.12%). Results have shown excellent weight loss and co morbidity reduction that is comparable to or exceeds other bariatric operations and that the sleeve gastrectomy is safe and efficacious. Himpens of Belgium analyzed his patients from 2001 through 2002(sic) to attain six-year follow-up. Sixty-five percent of 46 patients were considered a “success” (%EWL greater than 50 ) at two years. At six years the success rate was maintained at 59 percent. Weiner from Frankfurt and MacMahon of Leeds, who started in 2000, also had similar results. *** Certainly, the audience thought there was enough evidence published to support the sleeve gastrectomy as a primary procedure to treat morbid obesity on par with adjustable gastric banding and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass with a yes vote of 77 percent. This is perhaps the strongest contribution to this second consensus conference.” A review article entitled “Systematic Review of Sleeve Gastrectomy as Staging and Primary Bariatric Procedure” was recently posted on the web site of the American Society of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgeons dated May 26, 2009. The authors are Drs Brethaur and Schaur and Jeffrey Hammel M.S. of the Bariatric and Metabolic Institute of the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio. Thirty-six studies involving 2570 patients who had the VSG procedure were analyzed. Their conclusion was: “From the current evidence, including 36 studies and 2570 patients, LSG is an effective weight loss procedure that can be performed safely as a first stage or primary procedure. From this large volume of case series data, a matched cohort analysis and 2 randomized trials, LSG results in excellent weight loss and co-morbidity reductions that exceeds , or is comparable to, that of other accepted bariatric procedures. The postoperative major complication rates and mortality rates have been acceptably low. Long-term data are limited but the 3- and 5- year follow up data have demonstrated the durability of the SG procedure. “ To date ten thousand patients have had the VSG surgery with good success. Many are going to Mexico or other foreign countries because their insurers refuse to pay for the VSG even though it is less expensive than the RNY procedure, the so called “gold standard” of weight loss surgery which takes several hours and requires a hospital stay of 3 or 4 days. The VSG can be completed in one hour by a skilled surgeon and most patients stay only one night in the hospital. While there is certainly follow up care, the repeated fill and unfill procedures required by gastric banding are unneeded for the VSG. Nutritional supplements are much less of a problem than with the RNY. Many insurance companies are recognizing the value and cost effectiveness of the VSG and have approved the VSG for at least some patients, including BSBC Federal, Tri-west Tri-care Prime, United Healthcare, the Veterans Administration, Aetna, Blue Care Network HMO, Healthnet, Anthem BC of Connecticut, Definity Health/United Healthcare, PPO, Empire Blue Cross Anthem, and UHC. The VSG sleeve gastrectomy is now routinely offered by Kaiser Permanente to all patients that qualify for Weight Loss Surgery and would not do so if this surgery was not proven to work. I don’t think it is fair that if you have five people, one with Kaiser, one with United, one with Aetna, one with Cigna and me with Anthem Blue Cross of California, the other four will be offered the sleeve and I will not. The California Department of Insurance has recognized that VSG is widely accepted by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery as a standard procedure at medical centers for excellence. In Decision #EI09-9645 the physician reviewers reversed the health plan’s denial of the patient’s VSG request and concluded that VSG was the most appropriate option for the patient. The same conclusion was also reached in EI06-5882 though the patient had significantly more co-morbidities. That decision noted the important fact that the VSG is nothing more than the first part of the duodenal switch operation which includes the second step of intestinal modification and as such, the VSG portion has been performed for many years as part of the DS procedure. Some patients have the VSG first as part of a two stage procedure and find that they do not need the second stage. Thus, the VSG is not as new and investigational as Anthem’s conclusions seem to imply. Anthem does cover the DS procedure which includes the VSG as one part. According to an article published in the Detroit Free Press on August 17, 2009, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, in conjunction with the University of Michigan, has been compiling a large detailed data base on bariatric surgery in order to improve surgical outcomes and provide cost savings. In three years of data collection, it appears that the VSG now accounts for as much as 12% of all bariatric procedures. This percentage indicates that the procedure is far beyond investigational status. This data base indicates that 10,000 VSG procedures are known to have been performed. My Anthem group policy excludes investigational procedures and defines that term as procedures: “ 1) that have progressed to limited use on humans, but which are not generally accepted as proven and effective procedures within the organized medical community; or 2) that do not have final approval from the appropriate governmental regulatory body; or 3) that are not supported by scientific evidence which permits conclusions concerning the effect of the service, drug or device on health outcomes; or 4) that do not improve the health outcome of the patient treated; or 5) that are not as beneficial as any established alternative; or 6) whose results outside the investigational setting cannot be demonstrated or duplicated; or 7) that are not generally approved or used by Physicians in the medical community. It appears that the VSG, based upon the articles cited above, has been performed on thousands of patients, has been accepted by a consensus of participating members of an international conference devoted to this subject, is widely accepted by the ASMBS, does not require FDA or similar government approval, is in fact supported by at least 36 studies analyzed by highly respected physicians, is as effective as the RNY and more effective than gastric banding in terms of percentage of excess weight loss, has fewer complications than the RNY, has as good or better reduction of co morbidities as other procedures, and has results that are similar in studies by both United States and foreign physicians. The VSG therefore no longer falls within the definition of investigational procedures excluded from coverage. The conclusions stated in the previously cited Anthem Policy on Surgery for Clinically Severe Obesity are simply no longer correct and that policy should be updated to include VSG coverage or disregarded. With the VSG patients lose about 68% of excess weight and lower BMI patients like me often do much better. Weight loss will most certainly help my back and hip pain and improve ability to exercise. High triglycerides, high blood pressure, and borderline diabetes are corrected in about 76 percent of WLS cases and I am hoping for this result. It is therefore highly likely that my health will be improved by this procedure and I respectfully ask for your reversal of this denial. I am a mother and soon to be a Grandmother and I want to improve the quality of my life so that I will be healthier and able to help raise my grandchildren and be able to take an active role in their life.Thank you for your review of this matter. I greatly appreciate the fact that the state of California has a procedure to help insured patients who find themselves in disagreement with their insurance companies. I strongly believe this decision will greatly affect the quality of the rest of my life. Thank you for your time. I eagerly await your decision regarding this. I can be reached as indicated below if further information is needed. Enclosed is a copy of my denial letter from Anthem Blue Cross My HMO is Healthcare Partners Primary Care Provider is xxxxxxxxxxxxx Gastric Surgeon xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sports Medicine xxxxxxxxxxxx who ordered MRI and diagnosed arthritis Cardiologist xxxxxxxxxxxxx did my last EKG and stress test All these doctors agree Weight Loss Surgery is a good option for me. Respectfully yours, Jeani Anderson xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (xxx) xxx-xxxx Work info: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx CA 91101 (xxx)xxx-xxxx ext. 244

Hi! I also have PCOS and Graves' disease, which is a thyroid issue. At my highest, I weighed 291, and I now weigh 220. I am just past my one year mark of surgery. I do consider this a success, although I would like to still lose 10-20 more pounds. My biggest issue is that I am a sugar addict. Literally. I'm struggling to keep it out of my diet because if I let it in, I cannot have it in moderation. However, I'm not sure if that's related to PCOS, or just my makeup. I wish you the best on your journey! Keep us posted!

Thanks for the article @Matt Z. I saw this study a while back and was convinced that daily weighing could stay. I think it really helps me. It can be a head-trip when the scale makes me its little bi*ch, but I just have to suck it up and get on with life. I do think it holds my feet to the accountability fire though and for that I'm very grateful! https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4380831/ @Green_Tealael, this study used men and women... Methods Study Design As previously stated, we present a secondary analysis from the WEIGH study. A detailed description of the study design, intervention and report of the main outcomes has been previously published.9 Briefly, eligibility criteria included adults aged 18–60 years, body mass index (BMI) of 25–40, Internet access, and no medical conditions that might affect participation. Participants were recruited predominantly from the Chapel Hill, NC area. Following eligibility screening, informed consent was obtained and baseline measures were collected. Participants (N=91) were then randomized to a 6-month daily self-weighing intervention (n=47) or a delayed intervention control group (n=44). All participants were reassessed at 3 and 6 months. Data collection occurred from February to August 2011 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill institutional review board approved and monitored the study. Measures Demographics At baseline, a variety of demographic variables were collected to help characterize the sample including age, sex, race/ethnicity (American Indian/Alaskan Native; Asian; Black or African-American; Hispanic, Latino, Portuguese, or Cape Verdean; White; Other), and education [Grade School (6 years or less); Junior High school (7–9 years); High School (10–12 years); Vocational Training (beyond High School); Some College (less than 4 years); College/University degree; Graduate or Professional Education].

im the same way ive only had one fill and i stalled for four weeks with no loss but my sizes went down i was a 24/26 when i started now im 18/20 but ive lost 40 pounds total i was banded june 30th but this week ive lost 4 pounds yahoo i go for a fill 10/21

I was sleeved on 10/26 and for the first week I had issues with water and protein intake, but you get pass it.

UUGGHHH!!! THE HEAT!!! THE HEAT!!! Its been record breaking heat here in northern nevada for quite some time now. We had over 10 days in a row of triple digit heat!! That is crazy! I hope you are all sip sip siping your water and lounging by your pools with popcicles and iced teas. remember the sunblock to ward off nasty sunburns. Leatha....I am prouid of you for opening yourself up to that man to try to help him. even though in the end it was you who recieved the help..yes you did...he showed you that he is shallow and has unrealistic goals for himself. maybe the advice you should have offered him was to look for his perfect mate in a kennel. ALL humans have flaws, they are what make each of us individuals. It sounds like he wants a 20 year old. Point him in the direction of the nearest college.

Well, honestly I didn't have "fuzzie" feelings (for lack of a better term, lol) from the get-go. I felt very rushed through my consult - he spent maybe a whole 10 mins w me - I even had a list of questions I wanted answered that I didn't get done with because he kept trying to wrap it up. He didn't even ask about my weight history, if I was having any problems because of it, NOTHING... very inpersonal... which is fine, I don't expect my doctor to be Mr. Personality... maybe it was just a rushed day, I don't know. My appointment was at 1 and they didn't take me back until 2 o'clock, even though I was the very first person there in the waiting room (arrived at 12:30) when they opened back up after lunch - they actually took back about 6 people in front of me that arrived AFTER me... I grew up in medical offices, my mother was a Pratice Manager for many years - and this is just poor office management IMO. On the other hand - his help was really great - they seemed compassionate and honestly concered. My co-worker has nothing but good things to say about them. Maybe I just had a bad experience, idk. I don't want to slam anyone or any doc's practice. :smile2: He's obviously more than qualified, experience wise. I just chose Monterrey because of the awesome reviews former patients have given me of the hospitals and services - and #1 was the price... can't beat it with a stick, especially since I am self pay!!

Hi All! My name is Jamie and I am having surgery on Sept. 10 *GULP* that is in 1 day!!!!! YIKES!!!! I am excited and nervous and scared and everything else all at the same time. I am the 'burbs of Chicago. I am 37 so does that make me the old lady of the group?

I make an iced Protein coffee. 12oz chilled coffee (so Protein Powder doesn't clump) 1 scoop Syntrax chocolate milk shake 2 minimoo creamers (1/2 and 1/2 version so they have 10 calories each) Mix them all in a shaker bottle and add ice to fill the rest of the way. 20g protein and tastes like iced mocha. Going to get some vanilla bean torte and the mint chocolate cookie version too.

I am same haven't been loosing anything at all I'm so depressed I am in verge of giving up. I eat nothing like I used to eat my op was march 19 I weighed 106kgs and today I weigh 94.7kgs haven't lost anything in weeks I face put on a kg. my dietitian says to watch my sugar intake and up the protein but with my time of month I'm even more bloated im so down

Nope no fills yet and I was banded 5/14/10. I'm scheduled for the first one on 6/29 and I think that's 6weeks postop which seems to be standard. My doctor was going to push for 5 weeks but I will be out of town the following weekend and I didn't want to risk complications when I'm in a different state. I've been losing weight post op but that comes with some effort. I don't think I need a lot at my first fill for it to help me along.

I was at a 40 bmi when I got a surgery date, lost 10 pounds in the two week pre-op diet bringing me to about a 35 bmi. I've lost another 14 pounds since surgery four weeks ago, so I'm creeping closer to a healthy bmi. Total I want to lose is 75 pounds, and so far so good. I understand it might not be so fast, but slow and steady wins the race-this is absolutely a marathon and not a sprint!!! I also have PCOS so this is an important lifetime support for me to control something I otherwise can't. Very happy with my decision and looking forward to finishing the next two weeks and getting back to Orange Theory for a more intense workout! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

It's so crazy how everyone's body and VSG differ. I had mine 10/03 and am down 15.6 lbs since the 1st. 9 of those lbs. are after the procedure. I try to get at least 5,000 steps in from my daily 10,000. I get too tired to do anything else. I cannot wait to get in the gym. Sent from my SM-G920P using BariatricPal mobile app

I have been obese for about 10 years....now that I have lost 81 pounds..22 more to go to get to my goal...when I look st myself in pictures, I still see myself as not “thin”. I realized that this Valentines Day when my husband and I took some pictures before going out. My sisters all said that I look great etc but when I looked at the pics all I can see is that I still have big legs. Body dismorphia I don’t know but it’s very real feeling and view of how I see myself when I look at my pics. When I look at pre surgery pics I can see how much larger I was but for some reason it doesn’t translate when I look at the new pics I take.

Hi all! I definitely can eat more but I make sure that I measure everything I can. I follow the philosophy "just because I can doesn't mean I should". I can probably eat 4 oz of dense protein but I don't want to stuff my new tummy. Do I still overeat at times? Yes. Do I still eat too often because I "think" I'm hungry? Yes.There are days when I eat closer to 1400 calories because I tend to eat out often for my business. On those days I try to work out a bit more. Please remember that I had a Lapband for almost 10 years prior to plication so I've had a lot of time to get used to measuring, chewing and eating this way. It takes time. I have been very interested in how naturally thin people live and eat. Some of the things I've noticed are they almost always keep a loose track of their calories, if they are going to eat out or eat a large meal then they cut back on calories in other meals and they are active on an almost daily basis. I am trying to live this way as well. My goal for the plication is to not only lose weight but to keep it off forever, something I didn't do with the band.

I am getting ready to leave work. I'm anxious/nervous and feel silly about feeling so but I can't help it. Today is my post op appointment and 1st fill... as in go into the sorest incision scar I have with a needle appointment . It's the unknown part that is getting to me... I mean, I haven't had this part done before and it involves a V. long needle in a sensative spot so I'm being a baby. I am having to talk myself out of bringing my stuffed moose to cling to desperately as they jab a super long needle into my innards.. Instead, I shall cling to my hubby for dear life, then feel like a two year old when it's over and I discover it wasn't that bad to begin with.:rolleyes I really NEED this appointment because I can EAT:hungry: I really misbehaved this weekend and though I'm still not totally at the quantity of food I can normally have, I'm still ate more than I should have and I had BREAD. I had two biscuits yesterday and perchance a slice of brownie....ok.. I had two hunking big pieces of brownie followed by a glass of milk.. ANYwho... As I sit her typing this my stomach is screaming for me to throw it some food and of course.. I can't. I'm not supposed to eat four hours prior so I ate 'brunch' at 10 a.m. to make extra sure my tummy was empty when I got there. Did I remember to ask if I could drink... NNNOOOOO:huytsao . ok.. assuming I survive and don't faint :faint: and break my neck.. I shall report in more detail than you could ever hope for as soon as I get back. tootles, Tracy

I am two weeks post op (1/4). Over the last week I have developed a lot of back pain. Is that normal? I also lost about 10 lbs the first week and now nothing. I know that is normal. Pain is minimal other than the back pain (where the port is). I have been trying to only use liquid tylenol or a crushed tylenol pm in the evenings to help with the back pain. Any suggestions on how to manage the back pain?

Hi everyone I had my surgery 12/7 and I am 4 days post-op and feeling better each day. The first night after surgery was ruff because I woke up with all sorts of drains and tubes and was still under the affects of the anesthesia. I was able to get up and do one lap around my floor. I had some dry heaving and vomiting but the nurses were quick in giving me meds that stopped it. The next morning I had to get up early to drink some nasty blue substance to check for leaks in my JP tube and then I had to go to radiology for the leak study and everything was clear. After the nurses removed my catheter I was able to do two laps on my own. It took me most of the days to be able to use the bathroom but I was able to concur that to and after a few more hours I was discharged. The worst part for me has been the gas, GasX has not really helped but walking and trying to drink warm liquids have. My stomach has been making the most incredible noises and sounds I have every heard. Today the gas has not been to bad but I have been walking at least 10 minutes each hour and sipping very slowly. Yesterday is when I started my full liquid post op diet and it took me 4 hours to finish 8 oz and that was all I could handle. I sip slowly on water in between and do feel tightness if my sip is to big. Each day the soreness is better and I have a little more strength. I know this is going to be work and take time but so far so good. I got on the scale this morning have lost 8 lbs since surgery. I hope all my other December sleevers are doing well.

If you pick a good shake that's has lots of vitamins and minerals I think it shouldnt be a problem. But again I'm not a Dr. I had to do a two week 4-5 shakes a day plus clear liquids. I started that around 316 and the morning of surgery (12/10) I was 300.1. So almost 16lbs in 14 days. The shakes they put me on were Bariatric advantage and I had to purchase the through my center. They were ok. They got kinda thick upon blending and yiu could doctor them up with fruits and sf syrups. But Dr said it definitely did my liver some good Good luck to you and always check with surgeon first.

thanks everyone (: Mia26, i too chose not to tell anybody and i think im going to keep it that way. im not ashamed either but sometimes i feel like "i cant believe i'm doing this, i could of done it myself" but i know i couldnt. haha me too good luck to you too, and same for you, keep us updated :biggrin: SuzanneG, i thought about it, i haven't really seen any for 18 year old's but 19 and up, i think i'll start a thread in the age specifics (: i also heared so many say this wished theyd did this my age, haha indeed thanks! (:

I know how you feel when you say you want someone close to your age. I'm 26 and feel that way sometimes too. I have made the choice not to share my decision to have surgery with anyone and at times it can be very lonely not having someone who may understand what you are going through. I'm not ashamed of my decision by any means, I just don't want to be starred at or observed as I am going through this process and have people feel the need to ask me if I am okay 10 million times! Things will get better! I am still waiting to hear back from insurance, doc office assures me they will hear something today and then I can begin the countdown to Lap Band!! Good luck to you! Be sure to keep us posted!!