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Not to change the subject....I know this friend thing has been discussed b/4 but went through it on the weekend and just kind of set me back. I have been feeling pretty good about my weight lose and can tell in my clothes that there is a big change. Went from a 3X top to 1x and that is not tight on me. I have this friend that at one time (about 5 yrs ago) had a super hot body. She got type 1 diabetes a few years ago and started gaining tremendous amounts of weight. She is a person that always says she does not need friends but she makes the exception for me (I'm her one and only). I have always been sympathetic to her weight gain plight, listening to her complaints and what it has done to her emotionally. I am always right there to encourage her when she goes to weight watchers and complement her when she loses. Well, had not seen her since I started to lose weight in Nov. I have lost 46lbs. I figure if I have gone down a couple of sizes, I must look like I have lost a little. NOTHING out of her mouth and I spend 6 hours with her. I brought up my lap band surgery a couple of times but she didn't bite. Either I don't look like I've dropped a pound or she is being really insensitive and jealous. UGH!!!!!!!!.. Jealousy? or did she plain not notice?

Hi over 50 gang: I am so grateful to see this site. I am prebanded and my tag says I'm 47 but that is when I started this journey and I am still not banded. I have the worst insurance for LB coverage with Cigna and started with a borderline BMI 37/38. I'm going through the arbitration process ..it's been a long road. In the mean time I'm getting even bigger and morphing into a woman I don't recognize and I don't feel comfortable or particular like what I see at all and I feel like withdrawing and hiding. Most of my life I was a very attractive woman with a good figure and a happy attitude. Later age pregnancy and meopause took me to a weight gain I can't manage on my own. Now I don't know who this woman is in the mirror as of the past few years. The hot summers here are particulary difficult. I stilll go to the gym as I love yoga and excercise but I'm getting down about my new appearance and feel myself withdrawing. Though through all of these hormonal ups and downs one of the things that has kept me from feeling too down is the support I feel from woman in their 50s and 60s 70s and beyond ...woman in these decades of age are just so much cooler, less judgemental, kinder, just more supportive of their fellow female folk. I thank all of you for your smiles, kind words and support.

I have a hard time with eggs and any type of bread product. The things I miss the most are sandwiches and pizza. I mourn for them, but I am certainly happier with weight loss and if I have to continue to mourn the loss I will. At my last fill which is always done under fluoro, my PA said my pouch had enlarged a little. Of course I freaked, and she said it was nothing to worry about and on a scale of 1-10 with 10 the largest, it was a 2. I told her I had been PBing still trying to find some protein I could eat besides fish. She said to go on liquids for 2 days and eat really small meals after that ( 1 cup at the most) and she would check it again at the end of the month. Has anyone experienced this yet? What did you do and did it work? Wendy said if it didn't revert she could do a complete unfill for a month or more. This idea scares me to death as I picture uncontrollable eating and weight gain. Help!

Hey bander friends, Has anyone had problems with excessive water weight gain. I mean the kind that has the lower legs so swollen your fingers can press deep dents into them. I usually take a water pill for my blood pressure but have been almost out and waiting for the mailed in prescription refill to arrive so I can take them only every other day to make them last. My body has obviously become very dependent on them because I am at my sweet spot and have gained 4 lbs over the weekend with less than 1000 cal in per day. I try to keep hydrated and get my 8 cups of fluid a day if not more but still am very bloated. My eyes are even swollen in the morning. Anyone have any quick home made remedies? Hopefully will get my prescriptions in the mail soon. I am so depressed that I am finally at my sweet spot and the weight goes up not down. There is no justice in this world sometimes. Ruthi

Hey there Loralei & JJ Welcome to LBT and the 50+ gang... As to the pre-op diet - I was lucky only had 7 days of it - but during that 7 days I had to do my colonoscopy so that was one day clear liquids and cleansing :eek: and the day before surgery was clear liquids - I was allowed one small meal - meat - salad - oatmeal for bf & soup or shake for lunch - and oh ya some great protein bars for snacks - so all in all mine wasn't too bad - My doc supplied the shakes, soups & protein bars - and I had 4 oz fish & salad for dinner.. Post op I was on full liquids for 10 days then mushies for 10 then soft for 10 and finally regualr - ck out the food thread there are great ideas there. You will find the longer you are on this site that EVERY Doc is diff in what he tells his patients - some have no pre op some have it for a freakin month - some have liquids for 2 days after surgery and move right to reg food. 1st if all you need to follow your doctors orders - the reason for the liquid is that they stiched your stomach around the band and they don't want that distrubed until it's all healed up - and digesting food make the stomach move so the band can slip and you don't want this. On full liquids I was allowed sf pudding fudgecicles creamed soups of course protein shakes - dannon light & fit yogurt to name a few - I found that potatoes soups were a lifesaver for me - you can find them in by the instant mashed potatoes or soup section. Also homemade broth is so much better than canned or boxed - I found homemade soups the best. I make what I call cream of pinto bean soup - make a pot of pinto beans just like you normally would - after they have cooked spoon out the beans and put them in the blender and puree them - then add them back to the broth - wohla cream of pinto bean soup - you can do the same with navy beans or any bean you like - since you are both in the 50+ club I assume you cook (the younger ones now a days don't - they got fat on fast food - where as I got fat on home cooked foods) The band is a great tool - but that's all it is - it does require will power - the will power to be committed to making a lifetime lifestyle change in your eating habits -(low fat - sugar free - low carb) and adding some kind of exercise into your life (phyl who post here - has bad knees - she does water arobics) Me personally I follow a Weight Watcher type eating plan as I feel its the most balanced - you budget your calories/points for the foods you want to eat. I could never be an atkins girl - I have to have some carbs. I keep a food diary - it is statistically proven that people who do - do better in their weight lost - it's real easy to forget this bite of this or that... I count calories & protein grams - I go to the gym 4 days a week I eat healthy 98% of the time and allow 2% of my eating for treats - not cheat - I am not dieting - I am just eating healthy - I won't always keep my food diary - once I get to goal - I will quit -but the second I gain 5 lbs - I will start logging my food again - Once I get to goal - I will never and yes I mean never allow more than a 5 lbs weight gain - I will never again say oh it's just 5 lbs - then next month - oh its just another 5 lbs no biggie - well before you know it - you are 250 again:eek: Ok - I guess i have lectured enough :thumbup: don't mean to sound preachy - but I LOVE MY BAND - I LOVE ME FOR DOING THE WORK - I FEEL 10 YRS YOUNGER..

Glad you are doing well. I was back to work after a week with GB surgery. alot of gas, fluid, and meds add to the weight gain after surgery. My PS doc said not to weigh for a few weeks as the fluid build up would be high. Walking is always a good first exercise. I went back to work for 4 hours today. at about hour 3 I was feeling the strain of sitting for that amount of time.Right now, home with my feet up relaxing..

Jody, I hate the temporary weight gain from the TOM, but since I usually drop 3-5 pounds after, it always works out in the end! You're doing great, keep up the good work!!!:scared2::thumbup::thumbup: I got another Couch to 5K session in tonight. Have a great night everyone!!!

im so glad i found this post i too have aetna pos II and i have actually gained weight since my initial visit..im on the 90 day thing, but since i started and in dec 08 but skipped jan im having to do my final appt tomorrow.....but when i went to the initial visit on 12/21/08 i was 244 a bmi of exactly 40.0 so yea i aint gonna lie i knew that if i followed that 90 day thing with eating right and exercise daily i would loose and fall below 40 so i got on a "i will never get to eat like this again" binge and i have gained about 6lbs...since 12/31 to the present, which puts me at a bmi of 41 so im praying they approve me even with a slight weight gain in 4 mnths...and for the fact that i missed a month....but made it up by extending to april. Also my case mgr told me that aetna didnt require psych eval...that was up to the surgeon...i read on the aetna website that only if an individual has a history of psychological mishaps is when they would require a psych eval. and so far the surgeons office told me dr. marsden doesnt require it also.....so my last visit is tomorrow....and hopefully i will know something by 5/10/09!!

I've been flamed many times in chat or with a post....some just feel that me saying I don't use Protein powders....or diet foods....or go to a gym....or count calories....or go on a diet....is so wrong. Look, it's simple. Get the band. Get the adjustments. Get restriction. Get a reality check. Get smaller clothes. Get real. Get the band. Won't work if you don't have it. Plus, the band makes the most common sense. Cut off the pipes and you'll lose the weight...not a maybe...but will. Get the adjustments. Won't work if you don't get adjustments. Decide on a fill doc before surgery. Make sure you see 'em at 6 weeks and every 4 weeks after. Don't need a followup...cancel. But always make sure you have the appointment every 4 weeks til YOU decide you've got restriction. Get restriction. Don't be a baby! You are going to have to cut down on the quantity of food - that's the point of the lapband system. Don't want to cut down on the amount of food - don't get the lapband. So what if you slime from time to time....it's all a learning process and you need to allow yourself time to re-learn how to eat. But this isn't saying that if you vomit that you shouldn't see your doc, quite the contrary. Vomiting isn't good. But sliming, as long as you are in the process of re-learning how to eat...it's a tool. Get a reality check. This time to relearn how to eat is crucial. Eat a few bites and walk away from your food - it will always be there...you don't need it all now. Want something sweet- have it. But only a bite or two. If you can say..."nah, I'll skip that"...you are already on the right track. This is about choices. It's not easy during this time. I remember thinking I was going to DIE because I was so weak from not eating (massive amounts of food). Your body will go through withdrawal symptoms....you can bet on that. But you prevail! And remember, it's not forever. If you are hungry...eat! Get smaller clothes when you reach goal....it's a motivator as well when you walk around in potatoe sacks...makes you want to go faster. Get real. You know how you got fat, you now KNOW it doesn't take much food to fuel the human body. You now are amazed at the difference in the amount of foods you eat. You go to a buffet with your family, you get a teaspoon of everything...a sampling if you will. And you are so satisfied to finally 'taste' something...instead of inhailing. Keep your scales, pay attention to your new clothing. Weigh weekly, then every two weeks. But step on those scales at least 2x a month. And if you see weight gain, or your clothing getting tighter.... modify your diet. Maybe that soda pop put you over the edge...or you found you ate 2 pieces of your mom's sweetpotatoe pie. No worries, just modify things. Your new life is about nutrition, not dieting. Ensure you get the fuel to run your body like a well oiled machine.

Is your doctor concerend that you can still drink liquids at 3.5cc's. I'm at 2cc's and if the liquid is too cold or too thick I cant drink it. I can not imagine what I would be like at 3.5..probably all closed up. 2cc's is hard enough. Does he do your fills under fluoro? Do you drink the barium so he can see your restriction? That makes a big difference for me to be able to see it for myself , to know he hit my port and to see the barium trickling down through the band... The Wellbutrin will help like the prozac did but without the weight gain, be careful, you may feel nauseas the first week or so and with the band you do not want to be throwing up. I took wellbutrin( pre band) but the nausea was so bad the first 10 days I had to stop taking it, I knew it was going to get better as it got into my system but I could not hang on for that too happen. I had no appetite what so ever..I'm glad I was able to make you feel a little better..hang in there!

I was banded March 2nd and was on liquids for two weeks and started mushies yesterday. I was dying for chinese food and I had it finally yesterday. I had steamed moo shou with sauce on the side. I was fine when I weighed my self.. i stood the same 25 lbs down since surgery. Today, I had liquids all day and had a little of the left over chinese food before class. Than six hours later I ate a little more and still have plenty left for tomorrow, but I have gained six pounds. I am so upset and I feel so guilty for eatting! Is that normal? I am so discourage and I do not know what I did wrong. Should I wait to eat until I get my first fill.. even though the first two weeks were tourcher..

This has been my experience on who to tell? I just had my lapband done May 25th and initially told just immediate family members and two close friends. I was reluctant to tell a sister who quite frankly, has been condescending relative to my weight gain over the past ten years. To my surprise.... my two close friends were more than supportive and did have the capacity and sensitivity to understand the weight struggle (they both have weight issues but are not considered morbidly obese as I am.) My point being, I for one, am glad I chose to take a leap of faith and tell them because I do have thier support and it helps a lot, with one caveat, do not tell people that you know are not supportive or opportunistic in trying to sabatoge your weight loss journey. Just my two cents.

Karan: Thats great news on possibly getting things scheduled soon. And lexapro, worked well for Kristen a couple of years back. The doctor prescribed it for her specifically because its one of the only anti depressents that doesn't cause weight gain. Kristen has weaned off of it now...and I think all her moody stuff is normal teen stuff. Anyone want a teen? This morning her dad joked at her and she snapped...or growled "I'm not in the mood" Uh hello? Diane I started the one over in the Journal section....I can go there and talk to myself all day long...LOL Karah's doctors office had new murals all over the office when we went the last few times and it made me think of you...you have did any peds offices recently have you? Kim, how is curtis? Is he feeling better today? I hope the little guy gets feeling well soon. Angie, you feeling back to normal yet? And no popping anymore staples do controlled cheering for the panthers. :eek: Karah did something totally funny yesterday, apparently they started teaching them about nutrition at school. They brought home a really nice kit with flash cards, a video and workbook. Well she went and watched the video, while watching it she kept coming and asking for food. I figured she still doing her restock thing from not eatting much for two weeks. I go and check...and she has carrot sticks, apples and peanutbutter crackers all lined up in front of her two favorite stuffed animals. She was telling them if you don't eat this your lungs will be sick like mine. I laughed so hard I caused a coughing attack. Of course she ate so many "snacks" herself yesterday afternoon that she didn't have to eat the "intersting" stir fry Kristen made. LOL Oh and I talked to Dr. Baumans office...I so love them. They told me I wasn't likely to hurt my port by the coughing...but I could actually hurt the band if I had gagging coughs...which I don't. She recomended Mucinex that will help disloge the crap and let me get it coughed up. And if I still hurt after I'm better from the cough then they can check my port if I'm concerned. So if the cable repair guy ever gets here, I'll go to the drug store for some Mucinex. Melissa

Aha! You, too, have been on the weight gain train. I needed to lose 130-150 pounds. Twenty or thirty came along with a very early surgically-related menopause. And then there were Prednisone pounds...about forty of those. And then there were Prozac pounds, p'rolly around thirty, and then there were the twenty or thirty from the Effexor/Paxil/Zoloft months. Which explains the lion's share of my weight gain. PLEASE, PLEASE tell me how the Wellbutrin works.

Hey Sultana don't get down..getting off the Prozac will help. I was on Paxil for a year and a half and gained 65 pounds. I weaned myself off it after my doctor told me a side affect was weight gain and that it slows down your metabolic rate ( wish he would of told me this before he prescribed it for me) Once the prozac is completely out of your system you will notice a huge difference. You are not a faliure.. losing 30 pounds the first year is better then gaining 30 pounds ...would you have lost the 30 pounds without the help of your band? I'm sure the answer is NO or you would of never gotten the band right? You're doing great! The way I see it...any weight loss is better then any weight gain! Keep it up and try not to get discouraged

It all depends on where your stretch marks are, and how much they remove. If your stretch marks are limited to below the belly button, then most of them will be removed. I only had a few stretch marks from pregnancy, but had developed some through the years from weight gain, which made me bigger than any pregnancy did!! And now I have none at all. What I do have is a scar! So......it just depends.....some people have serious stretch mark issues, all the way around the side, and those would most likely not be dealt with, with the TT. I am smooth....unbelievably so!!! I have swelling still, and it is way worse on my left side.....but I am still totally thrilled with the result of the TT! Kat

What is it about a builder that they cannot manage to buy trousers that cover the crack in their a*se? Builders bum (definition: the top pf the buttocks showing when a pair of trousers is worn too low or when the wearer is bending over). Can't their wives buy a bigger pair of trousers? Have they all gained vast amount of weight since their trousers were purchased? Why can't they wear clothes which protect their dignity (and my sensibilities)??? Anyway, the sheds have been demolished and the game is on. The canine culprits (culprits for what? just everything) have enjoyed extra walkies and no doubt I am burning a few extra calories by taking them out for all those "comfort breaks". The back garden no longer has a lawn (oh well) a shed (errr) or a garden door so it is well and truly open to all comers. Never mind! Within 8 weeks we shall have a functional ground floor bedroom and bathroom for my boy - and life will be a lot easier. Does anyone else have junk food Thursday? We try to eat healthy, but on the grounds that if you are good most of the time you can be less sensible occasionally, we have junk food Thursday. On Thursday, when I am ebbing from the stresses and strains of maintaining my busy, noisy, psychotic (did I really say that, that can't be right) family through the week, but haven't quite reached the haven of the weekend, we relieve the tension by lessening the stress of preparing the evening meal. We have junk food. Well, lets be a bit more honest: they have junk food. I can't eat enough of anything to make it worth the extra calories and I don't like the salt resultant Fluid based weight gain inthe morning weigh in so I abstain. Arern't I a good girl? But basically anything froma packet counts. Favourites are noodles, chips (translation from Uk to US: french fries), supermarket pies, crispy pancakes, veggie burgers, veggie hotdogs (for the uninitiated: we are vegetarians - you'd never have guessed would you?) and occasionallly a take away (translation; take out) in the form of pizza, a curry or even a Chinese! I would strongly reccommend this practice. It results in kids who don't feel deprived but don't expect it all the time, which results in healthier bodies - and wife and Mum who is marginally less frazzled. Happy kids, happy Mum - husband eats everything - rather too much of everything but what are you gonna do? Somehow, knowing that Thursday is coming makes eating healthier through the rest of the week (including the weekends) less of a chore. Useful tip?

I empathize with weight gain

I was banded back in 2007. I have a 4 cc band. I did good first few years lost over 100lbs and had a tummy tuck back in 2010 I was doing great. Then in 2011 I was having some issues with depression and a bad marriage. I was in the hospital twice and not able to keep anything down. Long story short I was very ill and had dilated esophagus and my band was emptied. It took 6 months before fills could start again and I'm currently at 2.5 cc for last year and a half. Since this happened...I divorced and remarried.. and am much happier except about my weight. When I was sick I got down to 143 but I wasn't healthy now I'm up to 186 and healthy but I am struggling to loose weight. I'm happy at 165. You'd think loosing 21 lbs would be easy seeing my highest was 319 but it isn't. Has anyone else experienced weight gain? I just feel sick about this weight.

I am feeling better.. Thank you.. Haven't had a chance to talk to the doc.. Hope you lost something.. And yeah that's true as long as no weight gain.. I lose about 2lbs a week..

Below is what you posted yesterday, when you go off plan and advance your diet to foods that aren't Protein dense and that are high in sodium weight gain should be expected. Evidently you felt bad enough, as you did say you wanted to confess what you did. Or maybe it's like you said it's just your period. Posted March 22, 2013 - 4:37 PM Im 10 days post op and I've been sneaking in soft foods..broccoli and fish oh and a pickle (no skin) I haven't eating a lot but I just had to confess. Im actually 19lbs down! But I haven't lost anything in the last 2days just wondering if I may have caused a stall ..remember I was losing 2 1/2 to 3 lbs a day!

I'm about a month and a half out from my surgery, and I've lost 43 lbs. My scale number on Friday morning said 315 lbs. This morning, it was 317-318. Think this is just normal fluctuation? My diet hasn't changed, and I'm getting in my 60-80 grams of protein a day and all my water. I did try something this weekend that I ordered from the bariatric pal store, the guilt-free brownies that have 22 grams of protein in them per brownie. (Could only eat half a brownie at a time) I still ate under 700 calories per day. Weight gain makes little sense to me at this point unless it's just fluctuation or retaining a bit of water

I just posted this in another thread but it mostly applies. PLAN. FOR. IT. Most of us are food addicts. We have no self control when it comes to food. We will under estimate what we ate and then be surprised when the weight gain happens. I strongly advocate keeping a food diary. It's not to obsess over calories and how low we can keep then and stay healthy. It's to keep ourselves accountable. I use myfitnesspal. I have it set to also include carbs, sodium, fat and sugar. There is a maximun level of carbs, fat and sugar that works for me, so I monitor that. I used to have a problem with my feet and legs swelling so I monitor my sodium levels. I fill out my diary in the morning and add or subtract in the evenings according to what I actually ate. They also have an app for on the go changes. I do not allow anything in my house that I cannot eat without bingeing. I don't care is it's Suzie's favorite thing. It's not allowed because I am an addict and have no self control. If you have family members who miss their favorite food, tell them to buy a single serving portion and eat it. Sabotaging foods are not allowed in the cabinets.If you were an alcoholic would they insist on keeping that 6 pack in the house? EXERCISE - I don't care if it's taking a 30 minute walk each day or Leslie walk away the pounds DVDs. Commit to something on a regular basis.

Here's a bariatric-friendly recipe you could try at home! One of the things I've been really proactive about doing while I'm still on liquids is trying to find recipes NOW that mimic foods I used to have but are healthier swaps. These are things that my whole family could enjoy in their portion size but at the same time allow me to eat without fear of weight gain. There's lots of great books and websites out there! Spend an hour or two just browsing google and amazon and you're sure to find some awesome stuff.

This right here. I shouldn't have even posted but I do feel like we need to be honest with each other. Yes I have yo-yo'd and all the things with increasingly more weight gained. Yadda yadda yadda. But surgery is a very traumatic experience.