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Yeah, that's why I thought it was very strange. I certainly remember cottonmouth from "back in the day" (I say that like I'm old, but I'm not, lol). I took a single hit off a dab. I didn't eat anything after smoking because of the vomiting... I started getting nauseous from all the spit within about 10 minutes. I actually quit many years ago because pot would make me hypersensitive to my arthritis pain. It would feel like my joint pain was amplified times 100, which I know is also unusual. Regardless, never doing that again! lol. Everrrrr.

I don't know whether to laugh, cry or raise my fists to the heavens. My story is I had a lapband in 2009 in Australia which never worked. I have/had Type 2 diabetes so my Irish diabetes doc referred me in 2016 to Irish Bariatric Doc to look at having revision surgery. Long waiting list (Ireland only does 150 bariatric surgeries on the public list, a year) , but I finally got at appointment with him in Feb 2018 (two and a half hour drive to see him) and he suggested revision to sleeve and put me on waiting list for surgery (I even have that letter that says I am on the waiting list for SURGERY in capital letters!!) In the meantime, I try again with lapband although fills bring on reflux. I hear about the EU cross-border directive (EU law says any EU citizen can get needed medical treatment and home state reimburses cost) and think yippee. At June appointment with Irish Bariatric Doc's junior team member I ask them to write referral for overseas and they say no they don't do that. Disappointed I do bit more research and discover if I'm already on waiting list I can use that as my paperwork. Because Irish medical system is so bureaucratic they make it seem like you really need prior referral from your Irish doc (even though EU law doesn't require it) I google Irish Bariatric Doc's email and email him directly to ask if he will sign prior approval application. He rings because email got garbled and I should send it again. On phone, he cryptically replies he doesn't think overseas surgery is "best way forward for service" (what the hell, does that mean? I can tell you what it sounds like: "I don't want to lose all my patients and funding for our research projects to overseas because its quicker and cheaper"). But he never replies to my email request. So I give that option up and decide to have the surgery and just put in the paperwork for reimbursement and hope it works because I fulfil all the EU law requirements even if the Irish want to make things hard. The Belgium experience goes off without a hitch ONE MONTH LATER (up yours waiting list) and my diabetes instantly resolves, I am 16 kilos down and counting. Loving getting thinner, can move more easily etc, helloooooo better health. Didn't bother telling Irish Bariatric Doc because he never got back to me. I put in a Freedom of Information request to get all my medical records from Irish Bariatric Doc so I can show I needed to have the surgery and I was already on waiting list etc etc etc. They give them to me, lots of lovely referral letters and discussions about lapband not working and reflux problems etc and being referred for sleeve etc. So, today I get a letter from Irish Bariatric Doc to say he is not going to fill in the prior authorisation form because he doesn't even know whether I need surgery, I'm on waiting list to see bariatric surgeon for appointment to discuss but that's a very long list, and let's talk about it at our next appointment (which will be June 2019). What. The. Hell? Seriously. I don't know whether to laugh uproariously or spit in rage. AYAAA! Sent from my SM-G930F using BariatricPal mobile app

🙋🏼‍♀️ I had the band in 2008 but didn’t loose significant weight until 2013. I stopped thinking of it as a solution and started using it as a tool as intended. It was hard but I lost 100+ pounds, kept it off for 3 years and had my tummy tuck. Late 2017 I had a full slip and it had to be removed. I chose not to revise at that time because I thought I could maintain on my own. I couldn’t and I gained most of my weight back. 10/22 I had the sleeve done. I am down 36.6 lbs so far (20.22% of my excess weight)

I am really hoping the ulcer will be cleared by my next appointment, January 7th. I'll give it another month from there before I test my luck on even mild stuff. I am getting a little tired of being on bland, unseasoned puree. My life is greek yogurt, broths, and cottage cheese. But... if I can conquer 10 weeks of puree, I can do anything. hahaha.

Was sleeved 10/2 and I'm feeling pretty good! Went from 228 the day of surgery to 192 (today). I'm happy with my progress. I've been meeting with a personal trainer once a week and have been trying to go to the gym to do cardio every other day (I usually go every 3 days, I need to be better about it) my biggest accomplishment so far has been being able to go out to social gatherings, parties and other food oriented places and not eating anything there! I honestly dont really even have cravings when I'm out anymore. That was my biggest downfall pre surgery. I have never been the type to keep food at home but I always gorged myself when out somewhere. So now that I am not eating while out, I just eat my healthy food at home. I admit though that my home menu is not that extensive. I was cooking every night for awhile but it got overwhelming fast. As someone who lives alone, it doesn't make sense to be cooking every night. Next hurdle will be winter break where my whole schedule is messed up. Sent from my SM-G960U using BariatricPal mobile app

Your body is doing a cleanse. It's not enjoyable, but it's not harmful. Hope you don't have to remain far from the throne. Just keep with the program while your bowels continue to shake and bake. We'll be here for the good, the bad, and the not so pretty sounding. Starting weight: 400lb (understandable) Current weight: 400lb (understandable) Goal weight: 400lb (Are you sure about this one?) I see that your surgery is Dec. 19. How did you decide on the sleeve, if I may ask? And are you really 141 years old? (Check your profile page)

Hello everyone! I had my sleeve performed on 10/23 and as of 12/3 I am down 44 lbs. Took me awhile to finally decide to do it. I had lost 60 lbs. 5 years ago on my own, but gained it all back plus some. I was not big growing up and I just didn't recognize myself anymore. So glad I did it. I feel so much better already. My wife had the gastric bypass 10 years ago and a really good friend of mine had the sleeve in June which is great because I ask a lot of "Is this normal?!" questions. LOL! Anyway, thought I would pop in and say hi. This is my 1st post here.

Good idea. Day 10 preop liquids. 5 more to go

You have really done a GREAT job within those 10 months, that is so Awesome!!

For me it was 10 days but talk to your Dr ask him about this

I received the call from my surgeons office late yesterday, notifying me that I have been approved, we scheduled my surgery for January 23, 2019, I cannot explain how excited I am. I am so ready to start this journey!!! Any other January 2019 sleevers out there yet??

Nurse Nattie - We are surgery twins! I had revision from sleeve to bypass 9/10 also, and i am also a nurse! How is your progress going?

I had mine over winter break (teacher) so 10 days including weekends . Just be careful to not lift anything too heavy Wasnt about pain at all past day 3 or 4 (gas pain only) ... was about learning and getting routines around eating and hydrating

I went back one week after the sleeve, 10 days after bypass.

Checking in! Challenge Starting weight: 200 Current weight lost:: since starting the this challenge 8 pounds, down to 192! Losing or maintaining weight: Losing Fitness/exercise goal: Exercise every other day, been doing cardio and weight training with a personal trainer Total weight loss at the end of challenge: (Post January 1st 2019) Check in: Tell us how you are doing - How is your diet and exercise plan going? Well. I have pretty much stuck within the limits of what I should be eating. I ventured out a couple times (once on Thanksgiving and once on my mom's bday) My restriction is very string though so i could not venture far. I definitely need to pick up my game a bit with going to the gym. I attend all my schedule sessions with my personal trainer but I'd like to be doing more cardio on own on days that I do not see my trainer.

I would probably be considered a hybrid, too. Lap band in 2014, conversion to sleeve 10/10/18. I didn't have hair loss with the band, but am concerned with the sleeve. I am locked, so losing locs would be weird for re-growth because there would many baby locs with long, mature locs. I have over 500, so I should be able to hide it, if it occurs (not if the locs fall out in the front😒, YIKES!). I have been taking biotin and trying to swallow the L-lysine horse pills, but it is definitely a challenge. Even when I cut them in half, it is difficult. They get stuck and scratch going down. I am successful with 500mg 3-4 times a week. I hope these attempts are helping!

I work for an Insurance. I work in a department that specifically handles prior authorizations and well as appeals. We don't drag our feet, even though it may seem like it. But boy do we get busy as all hell. Especially around this time of year. I don't know the rules for you particular insurance company but for mine when a member or provider requests an urgent prior auth we ask them a few questions first. Is the patient's life in jeopardy if they don't have whatever they are requesting done urgent? Can they go to the ER? If there life isn't on the line we then ask if they are in unbearable pain. If either one is a yes we process all urgent within 72 hours. Some stuff we have to process same day like chemo treatments and fertility procedures. We don't fight the provider or patient's usually. If they answer yes to the questions we take their word for it. So remember folks YOU CAN ASK YOUR INSURANCE PROVIDER FOR YOUR CASE TO BE EXPEDITED. You DO NOT have to ask your provider. Just remember to answer those questions correctly. Again I don't know the rules for every company but in order to even get an urgent you also have to ask for it within 10 days of the case submission.

you are not the only one. It drives me totally bananas as i can smell everything LOL.. from like 10 ft away.. Whether its food or what not, i have super sensitive smell now.

I was sleeved 10/29 and I’m also down 23 since surgery, 35 since liquid. I feel great - when is the last time you lost 23 lbs in 5 weeks? That’s an average of over 4.5 lbs/week? You’re doing great. Everyone has stalls - it’ll break eventually. Just keep working the program.

Challenge Starting weight: 148.4lbs / CW 151.2lbs (+2.8lbs) Current weight lost: 135.8lbs WLS Starting weight: 287lbs Losing or maintaining weight: Losing but just barely!!!!! (slowly) Working on Goal#2 - 140lbs Fitness/exercise goal: Exercise 6-7 days per week with 3 days being strength building with bands Total weight loss at the end of challenge: (Post January 1st 2019) To Come Check in: Tell us how you are doing - (How is your diet and exercise plan going? Any struggles? Stress level? What have you overcome? Any strategies that have helped)-- Stress level is pretty high, trying to satisfy everyone's needs and get a million things done in time for Christmas while not feeling that great--and having to do 5 days of medical tests and a few more doc appts. Sigh. I also don't want to "be good" and on a diet. I want to have treats. I want to imbibe at all our social functions and eat what I want. But I can't. And things are now "getting old." It's time to put a new spin on things and get excited about reaching Goal #2--not just accept mediocrity cuz I feel great in my clothes and I'm getting compliments! Notoriously bad about follow-through on challenges. And let this be a lesson to all of you...the chickens DO come home to roost and we eventually WILL be penalized for bad behavior! Bahahahahaaha! Two things happened during my "Fatsgiving Break". I got off ALL my BP meds (the last one was a diuretic). And I ate and drank bad bad bad bad things. I'm very carb sensitive. So I blushingly came back at 158.6lbs. Yes, you read that correctly. One hundred and 58.6 forking dorking pounds! A ton of that was fluid. I could see it everywhere! So consequently, it's December 4th today and I am STILL jacking with the Fatsgiving regain debacle. Don't let this happen to you.

I was sleeved 10/30/2018, I’ve lost 23 since surgery and 39 since my liquid diet. I’ve been at a stall now for 5 days. I know we aren’t supposed to compare ourselves but I feel so disheartened when I see others who are around my time losing 30+ pounds. I’m doing absolutely everything to the letter, Protein is well over 80 a day, carbs less than 30, I easily get 70 ounces of Water and Powerade zero a day and I eat around 700-800 calories most days (the others I fall a bit less than that.) I know I shouldn’t be weighing everyday. I’m literally driving myself nuts. I just feel that I’m on the lower end of the weight loss train and that bothers me. I guess it makes me question whether I’ll lose a lot long term or not. :/

I was sleeved 10/30/2018, I’ve lost 23 since surgery and 39 since my liquid diet. I’ve been at a stall now for 5 days. I know we aren’t supposed to compare ourselves but I feel so disheartened when I see others who are around my time losing 30+ pounds. I’m doing absolutely everything to the letter, protein is well over 80 a day, carbs less than 30, I easily get 70 ounces of water and Powerade zero a day and I eat around 700-800 calories most days (the others I fall a bit less than that.) I know I shouldn’t be weighing everyday. I’m literally driving myself nuts. I just feel that I’m on the lower end of the weight loss train and that bothers me. I guess it makes me question whether I’ll lose a lot long term or not. :/

Challenge Starting weight: 199 Current weight lost: 30 Losing or maintaining weight: Lose Fitness/exercise goal: 5-6/week Total weight loss at the end of challenge: (from Dec 5 through Jan. 1)- 10 pounds Check in: Tell us how you are doing -I am doing well with small portions and have started running again, which I love. I used to like things which were pretty healthy for me- grilled chicken, eggs, etc. Now I have a really hard time with certain meats (chicken, turkey) and can't stand eggs. I also do weight watchers, so I track everything.

That's great. I didn't know you needed "tits to hire a trainer" lol. Youtube has some great instructional videos. Keep up the good work. Training for that muscle ache the day after each workout is perfect. I was never much of a runner (torn meniscus in each knee), so I can't offer much advice other than secondhand. Some say you can get past that side "stitch" pain by increasing potassium and fluids, but again, I've never been a runner, so you'd probably be better served asking the runners. What is a desk elliptical? I have a private office with a desk and that might be a good way for me to burn additional calories. My doctor didn't really set a pre-surgery weight loss goal for me other to say to follow the instructions of the nutritionist, and that I was doing well. My nutritionist gave me different ways of looking at what I eat, offered some recipes and advice. She says not to look at it as dieting, to have the viewpoint that the new me is a healthy me, not the other guy who didn't pay attention to proper nutrition. So I've listened to her, and no longer think of it as dieting and cheating. I look at it as my new eating habits with splurge days every now and then (if needed). If I have a splurge day, I go right back to my healthy eating the next day. I find her to be very supportive, and am happy to work with her. She told me that once i had hit the first 15 lbs, the insurance didn't require me to lose any more weight pre-surgery as long as I didn't gain. But I'm in this to lose, so why not get a jump on developing good habits and lose what I can beforehand? So this week I'm down 34 lbs total one month out from surgery. I'm guessing I'll probably lose another 5-10 once I start liquids. I'm not looking forward to that, since I'm a "meatatarian". For me, the secret to gaining muscle is short intense workouts (30-40 minutes, every other day), with slow deliberate reps, and little rest between sets. I've found that I can either train hard, or I can train long. Sprinters have large muscles, marathoners tend to have long lean bodies. So I guess my workouts are more of a sprinter. Let me know how you progress.

So, just weighed in at the doctor’s office for my medical clearance -I loss 13 pounds since 10/11!!! These small changes are going to aid in my recovery for after the sleeve procedure! Excited !