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The best: Getting my life back!!! I feel 20 years younger and am doing things now that I haven't been able to do for decades. Rode 15 miles on my bike today and felt great! Hiking hills, riding my mule, climbing stairs, swimming (in a size 10 suit!!!), getting down and up off the floor, no more sleep apnea, no problems with asthma or reflux, no fungal infections in my skin folds this summer, no joint pain, normal BP and blood sugars (ie: no more metabolic syndrome!), wearing cute clothes, feeling "normal" in a crowd, more confidence, not having to size up the furniture in a room to decide which I will fit into, the list just goes on and on. I took a "Biological Age" test, and I am 16 years younger than my stated age! Hurray!!! The worst: Can't think of any. This is one of the best decisions I have ever made for myself. I LOVE my new active lifestyle and lifelong way of eating. Yes, there can be temptations, but they get easier and easier to deal with as you see the benefits of healthy choices. Sugar and desserts have no appeal at all any more. Neither do processed foods, coffee, soda, or alcohol. I do not even see those as sacrifices - not when I get to eat so many other healthy things. I guess one thing might be that when I go out to eat, I can only finish about 1/4 of the meal. I take the rest home, but the left overs are really not that great past a day, so I end up giving the rest to the chickens. So that's a waste of money. I am learning to order off the appetizer menu and to not let my eyes get bigger than my stomach. It's a process. Another thing might be that I feel a bit self conscious about my face, which I think looks old and wrinkly now. Others tell me differently and that I look younger, but I just don't see it that way. I am trying to be more out going and cheerful so that the wrinkles look more like smile lines than grumpy lines. That's just a matter of building confidence and learning to accept a great new body, but one that looks a little funny in places.

I'm 62, had the sleeve on 10/24/17 and no issues recovering. The dry mouth is awful right after surgery and sipping is hard at first due to swelling but it improves quickly after that. Use biotene mouth swabs. For nausea ask the anesthesiologist to give you a scopolamine patch before surgery - works like a charm. For pain ask for acetaminophen 1000mg in the IV - I would have called anyone a liar if they told me tylenol would work that well but it really did. You will be tired for about 4 weeks and the biggest hurdle is getting enough fluids - stay on top of that from the beginning. Sometimes you can be confused about the difference between acid reflux, hunger pangs and an empty stomach - acid reflux can feel like hunger. Good luck - and see you on the other side.

Hey everyone!! I recently finished my options class through Kaiser. I’m scheduled to see Dr. Kim in West LA in a few weeks for my surgical consultation and I was just wondering if he was a stickler for weight loss prior to surgery. I’ m only 4lbs away from my 10% weight loss goal but I’m struggling. I’m just curious to know if I may be turned away from surgery and asked to come back in a few months for 4 lbs. Please help. Thank you

I just bought a variety of protein water on Amazon. Delivered in less than 48 hours. Now let's cross our fingers and hope they taste good. Sent from my XT1635-01 using BariatricPal mobile app

Thank you to all of you! I currently see a psychologist twice a month and he assures me that my symptoms will improve greatly once I start to lose weight. I am hoping he is right because I feel like a monster now and would love to go outside and not be starred at or laughed at. I'm already on a liquid diet (Protein shakes) and after 10 days I'm just now starting to tolerate it without being super negative and depressed. I have hope for the future for the first time in my life and that scares me a little because it would be devastating to have something go wrong and lose that feeling. I have lost 18 lbs since I started this journey and that is motivating me but I still cry when I see a Carl's Jr. commercial. Here's to leaving it up to fate and not freaking out too much!

Congratulations on your progress. VSG 10/11/17 HW = 360 SW = 292 GW = 220 3/7/18 CW = 206.6 @ 6'5" 153.4 pounds gone! [emoji256]

I was also only one night. My night in the hosptial was bad as my room was right outside of the nurses desk and they forgot to turn up the heat when I got to my room, so I was cold all night. But I walked almost every hour. I don't think there was another sleeve patieint so I had the hallways to myself. I was released by 10 am the next morning, My DH and I went directly to walmart to fill my prescriptions. I went home and took a nap then we went to a park and did a small walk. Since I had no complications-no gas/nausea-One day was fine for me. I also had a hiatal hernia repair.

OMG! Yo are AMAZING!! Do you have any before and after pics? You are such an inspiration! And I am sooo glad to see that you did it at the ripe ol age of 53! I'm 63. You are 10 years smarter than me. But it is never too late. Your life must be so totally different. Do you have your story somewhere? Supe congrats!! And thanks so much for being such an inspiration! Keep up the amazing work! You sound so casual-- was it a relatively "easy" journey for you? It has been for me so far-- but I still have a long way to go.

So I Went to an amusement park yesterday. I shared a frozen lemonade, a cotton candy, n about 10 French fries with my hubby. Back on track today though. Don't judge me. Lol

Where are you in KY? Who is your doctor? I am shceduled to be sleeved on Sept 19 with Dr. Oldham at Baptist East.

For those that I have seen have lost like 60 ,70 even more in a year, did you lose quick since day one? Or did it just kick in one day? I am one week post tomorrow which I know is still really really, but I'm only down 1lb. I've seen several others who are already down 10+ by now. Just wondering if this is an indication I'll be a slow loser.

Hey, BariatricPal Members!We’re turning the corner from winter into spring, and it’s about time! How did the winter go for you? Did you make progress toward becoming the healthy person you want to be? Just before you look ahead to spring, take a look at this month’s BariatricPal newsletter, and spend some time on the boards for further motivation and ideas. Here is what you’ll find in the newsletter. Member Poll: Governor Chris Christie and the Lap-Band Member Spotlight: Meet cindymg! New Jersey Governor Chris Christie: Bariatric Success or Disappointment? Come Chat on BariatricPal We hope you enjoy the newsletter and then you log into BariatricPal to talk about it and everything else related to weight loss surgery. Get tips, share stories, and find inspiration on the boards, and don’t forget to tell your surgeon and support group members about BariatricPal. Thanks for your membership! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal Member Poll: Governor Chris Christie and the Lap-Band New Jersey Governor Chris Christie quietly had lap-band surgery in February of 2013. As you can read in this month’s BariatricPal newsletter, recent political events have made the topic resurface, highlighting his 100-pound loss and his current weight of 320 pounds. What do you think about the issue? He failed because his BMI of 45 keeps him in the morbidly obese category. He is doing great because of his 100-pound weight loss in a year. It’s too soon to tell. He’ll fail if he doesn’t lose any more weight or gains it back, but the surgery will be a success if he keeps losing weight. I really can’t give an opinion – I do not know anything about him or his diet, and I would not want people to judge me if they didn’t know me. Other – Read my answer in the discussion! Click here so you can mark your answer and let us know what you think in the discussion on BariatricPal! Our Latest Newsletter Sponsor: Insure Nutrition! We are always thrilled to welcome a new newsletter sponsor into the BariatricPal family, and this month, Insure Nutrition is giving us the pleasure of doing just that. Our latest sponsor, Insure Nutrition, is an online company that specializes in getting health insurance coverage for nutritional supplements. Its Post-Bariatric Surgery Nutrition products includes Premier Protein shakes in chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry flavors and OptiSource High Protein drinks in caramel and strawberry flavors. Checking if you are eligible is easy. Insure Nutrition encourages you to use its online form to find out if you qualify. Our sponsors help make BariatricPal newsletters and other services possible. We encourage you show your thanks by considering them first for your bariatric needs. Member Spotlight: Meet Cindymg! This month’s spotlight is on cindymg from Chicago. She is a 59-year-old computer consultant who says she has been dieting since high school. In those 40 years, she tried every diet program and calculates that she has probably gained and lost 2,000 pounds in yo-yo dieting. The diets seriously harmed her health as she developed diabetes, high blood pressure, and coronary artery disease. When she started to lose the feeling in her feet, she knew that she would lose her feet soon if she didn’t do something drastic. After some serious investigation, cindymg chose the vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) because she felt it would be effective without having the side effects of gastric bypass. Cindymg’s surgery was in May of 2013. Her starting weight was 258 pounds, and she is just under the 200-pound barrier en route to her goal weight of 175 pounds. She had no complications from surgery, and her family has been largely supportive. Her main challenges now are her excess skin and her hesitation getting rid of her oversized clothes! Since getting surgery, cindymg says that she has been able to cut her medications to one-quarter of what they were. She exercises now and feels much better “without lugging around that extra weight.” She does not get hungry, so she is saving money on food in addition to losing weight! She also notices a change in attitude. Cindymg says she now “eats to live, rather than lives to eat,” and does not feel guilty over food. The gastric sleeve feels like a permanent solution, not a temporary fix. Cindymg says BariatricPal keeps her mindful, and she enjoys reading members’ stories. She hope to provide them with advice and humor. Her advice for members struggling with weight loss is to avoid beating yourself up. Just get up and try again, and “keep coming back to the forum!” Thank you, cindymg, for being in our member spotlight! We are excited to be a part of your journey to mental and physical health, and are proud to be part of that journey. Do you have any members whom you want to see in the BariatricPal newsletter? Do you want to be featured? Let us know in the Member Spotlight Forum or by sending Alex Brecher a private message. Thank you! New Jersey Governor Chris Christie: Bariatric Success or Disappointment? A year ago, New Jersey governor Chris Christie got the lap-band. At the time of his surgery in February of 2013, Governor Christie, who stands at 5’11,” weighed over 400 pounds. Since then, NBC News reports that he has lost 90 to 100 pounds and now weighs in at 320 pounds. The speculation surrounding Governor Christie’s weight loss journey has led to opinions as divided as the political views of those who follow New Jersey politics. Critics maintain that he has failed in this weight loss effort. They point to his current BMI of 45, which places him in the morbidly obese category, and claim that he will be unable to run for president in 2016 because of his weight. Supporters point out that he appears to have lost 40 to 45 percent of his excess body weight, which is right on target for most lap-band patients in the first year after surgery. Governor Christie himself has kept relatively quiet about the issue from the beginning. He did not reveal his surgery until months had passed, and provided few details. In September, he said that he is more than halfway toward his goal, although he did not specify his current or goal weight. What do you think? Is Governor Christie’s surgery a failure? Will his weight prevent him from making a serious run for the presidency in 2016? Is he on the right track? Or, maybe it is too tough to judge because it is too soon to tell or because we, as outsiders, do not know the whole story. Let us know what you think on this thread! Come Chat on BariatricPal Where do you go when you need a pep talk, information about your weight loss surgery diet, or a celebratory high-five? The BariatricPal chatrooms, of course! In-person support groups might only be once a week or month, you need an appointment to see a doctor, and nurses are only available by phone. Family and friends are encouraging, but they might not understand what you are going through. The BariatricPal chatrooms are open 24/7, so there’s always a chance that you can find people to talk to. When you chat with BariatricPal members, there’s a good chance you can find someone who is sympathetic to productive burping, or who can suggest a WLS-compatible snack to satisfy your munchies. The chatrooms have been updated to better serve members’ needs, so come check them out! That’s it for this month’s newsletter. We hope it brightened your day after these long months of winter and gave you some inspiration to look forward to a healthy spring. Thanks for reading it, and we’ll see you on the boards!

I don't consider it "cheating" I consider it living. Think of what you used to eat. I could eat 2 corn dogs, probably all the fries, frozen lemonade and want desert later. You might have eaten a 1/10 if that. We have to get past feeling guilty, we can't live with that for the rest of our lives. As long as you are eating as prescribed (high protein, low carb) 98% of the time and exercising I say go for it. Have a smidge of junk. You can't stay so rigid for ever, that's what makes us snap. Remember all our other "diets". Don't know about you but mine usually failed when I had been depriving myself for so long and I just snapped. I broke my cycle and no longer think that way.

I saw my cardiologist yesterday. He was thrilled with my progress and agreed that I can be weaned off my High Blood Pressure medication! He is hoping that my leaky aortic valve with stablize too in the next few months! Don't have to visit him again for 6 more months! My weight loss is slow and steady, averaging about 10 pounds per month. I am feeling SO GOOD! Yay for me!!!

This might sound like a dumb question but does anyone know when the stomach after having the sleeve starts to only produce enough acid for our little tummies, or perhaps it just keeps producing at normal rate??? I still have a little reflux at 10 mths, never had it prior just in my throat...

Having an incredibly stressful day. On a 1-10 scale it's a 47. And I swear I'm smelling donuts. I don't want to eat them. I have no appetite today, but I'm smelling them everywhere. The aroma is so strong and seems so real. I hate this.

Hello, I am 6 months out from surgery and have lost 70+ lbs so far. I am 10-15lbs away from goal weight. I am asking a question here NOT to be criticized, but just for suggestions. If you do not agree with drinking after surgery well than thats your life style and my question is for someone who does. That being said,, It's my birthday and my husband and I planned an all inclusive get away WITHOUT the kids. Havent been away since before kids were born 5 years ago. I have no problem making healthy food choices while away. I know Protein first and all that. My real question is what drinks I should have. Again, I know Alcohol is not healthy so I dont need a lecture. But I do like to have a few drinks, especially by the pool. But problem is margaritas and all those frozen drinks are loaded with sugar and will surely make me nauseous, I cant drink carbonated beverages so diet coke and rums or vodka sodas are out. And I dont want anything too strong like martinis b/c I dont want to over due it or be sick. Wine is always safe especially watered down. If anyone has suggestions that I have not thought of id like to hear them. Thanks!!

I don't feel like I've lost fast but I've lost pretty consistently over the last 10 months. Just this morning, I went through my journal from the date of surgery to present. I noticed that I didn't lose that much the first week. The second week, I had a pretty strong weight loss and then week 3 - 6, I hit that 3 week stall and everything shut down. I remember at my 6 week visit, the doctor was concerned that I hadn't lost as much as they expected. From then on, my weight loss has been pretty steady. I agree with previous posters that you have IV fluids in you and not to mention that pain meds can shut down business in the bathroom. All sorts of factors there. These early weeks are no indication of how you will lose long term.

I am an oncology nurse and going back after 2 1/2 weeks. But I am doing Triage which is mostly sitting, phone and computer. My main concern is the fatigue because I work four 10-11 hour days!! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I've been doing weights since the day I came home from the hospital. I got permission for 10 pounds or less. I walked for the first two weeks then went back to the gym but was told no twisty moves (like elliptical or dance classes). So it's been walking or treadmill mixed with light weights until I got clearance for full workouts (4 weeks? 6 weeks? I can't quite remember).

I had my surgery on a wed. (may 2nd 07) and went to work on Friday for 2 hours to check email. Then on Monday I went back and worked a full 10 hours, and for that week I had more than 60 hours. Make sure when you go out you buy gas x strips and liquid tylenol. I didn't use any of the hydrocodone they gave me post op, but used Tylenol instead. It took me about 2 full weeks until I started feeling "normal", back to my normal sleeping pattern, etc. etc. You will do great. It is so much fun to go to the doctors now and get on the scale.

Yes you are correct. The group decided not to meet in May due to Memorial day. Hope to see you there. email me if you like timsax @ yahoo.com Tim DOB 10/04/06 435/375/250 Dr. Alberto Aceves

For what it's worth, my Dr. was interrogating me once about my exercise routine, and I could not come up with a answer he was satisfied with. Finally he asked me, "Are you sweating when you workout?" I said yes, like a pig, and he said that's perfect! As far as plateauing, it happens and there is no good reason why. best explanation I've heard is that without knowing it, we fall into routines with our eating, and exercising. We need to change things around. 25 minutes of elliptical at a "Steady State" can become routine real fast. Along with steady states, you need to mix in hill climbs and sprints. I would aim for 45 minutes also. A good program I use when on the elliptical or treadmill is called "Cardiac Coach" http://www.cardiocoach.com/ They are programs you can purchase and download for your I-pod. They're great workouts. You do need to wear a heart rate monitor. There are 10 programs, but you only need the first one to get started. I've been using them for 2 years and only own 3.

As some you know, my Lapband slipped. On Friday April 19 was my revision surgery. I go home thinking I'll just better over. Stayed home for a night checking my temp every so often. I had a fever just about every time I checked.I go to my hospital on Sunday morning, they found an infection so I left my hospital via ambulance and when I get to the hospital where I had my surgery, took a cat scan and it showed up on that so I went into surgery ): I had a serious infection and absess? It was so bad one of the best things for him to do was to take my band out. So I have been here since Sunday. My fever is slowly going down, my heart rate is still a little high, took the fully tube out (the one for your bladder, and got the tube that was Hooked up to my stomach.got plugged today. I am getting closer and closer to getting out of here, this just sucks ):

Well, I can relate to what you all are saying. I wish I could have had this surgery 20 years ago - it would have been very interesting how my life would have progressed! I'm 56 now, had diabetes for 15 yrs, hypertension for nearly as long, and recently they also diagnosed me with apnea with associated A-fib (paroxysmal - sporadic) the sleep study that caught the apnea was a prerequisite of the surgery. Does a person need any other reasons to have the surgery? Plus being menopausal and thus with a metabolism that is ramping down, there is totally no reason to wait any longer! Been single all my life and know that being heavy all my life as well really cut down on the number of guys who wanted to date me. I'm also very picky - a deadly combination! Had my surgery on June 19 - very successfully and seem to be down around 20 lbs. I'm looking forward to a new lease on life!!