Hello Everyone! My name is Miriam, I am a 28-year-old from NYC. I am getting banded on February 24th and am both excited and nervous! This will be my first surgery ever, but my surgeon, Dr. Fielding, seems extremely capable and encouraging.

I am so happy that I am able to do this before my husband and I consider having children, I hope to one day be an active parent! Currently, I'm finishing up my first week of a liquid diet and trying to get all of my work done in the next week so I can go into this experience with a clear head.

I have enjoyed reading other people's experiences and look forward to sharing more stories. I also have a few questions if people are willing to share:

1. How is the whole anesthesia experience?

2. After surgery, is there a specific kind of lotion or creme people use to help firm skin during weight loss?

3. What is the average weekly weight loss people experience in the first few months?

Thanks!

Hola Miriam,

I'm just out of surgery myself (this past Wednesday) so I can't help with questions #2 and #3 but as far as the surgery/anesthesia went, it was pretty uneventful. I had never had surgery before so to say I was nervous was an understatement! I asked "what if you put me to sleep and I don't wake up?" The anesthesiologist was super nice and explained that except when a patient was already in bad shape (like a heart attack, car crash, etc), he had never seen that happen. That made me feel a lot better.

I don't remember anything from the time I went from the gurney to the operating table until I woke up in the recovery room. They told my significant other that I had come to and was breathing/responding fine but I don't remember any of that.

Good luck to you!!

Hi Miriam!

I had my surgery at NYU with Dr. Ren in early January. So far so good! Just had my first fill a few days ago, and, although I haven't changed my ticker I am down 26 lbs! I don't know the average weight loss, but I am thrilled with my progress.

The anthesiologist at NYU are fantastic, and really put me at ease. While in the waiting pre op area, the various members of the team came to see me and it was great to meet with the actual Anthestiologist, mine was Dr. Jaine. I really felt comfortable with him, and once in the OR, I did become nervouse, and he and his colleagues kept talking to me until I was 'out'. I had no adverse reactions to the surgery or any part of it, and recovered quickly.

I am now going to the gym 5 times a week and feeling great and more active for my young twin boys then I ever have been! Today, infact, I went to the gym for 90 minutes, then later did a 2.5 hour hike with one of my boys and later took the other one to the YMCA to swim from 5-6 pm.

I can't believe the quick changes in our lives, and look forward to continued activity and fun!

Good luck and perhaps we'll 'run' into each other in the waiting room!

Thank you both for the feedback and encouraging thoughts!