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I am 18 months post-op from RNY surgery. I lost my weight in the first 7 months and then entered the maintenance phase. I was diabetic prior to surgery and it has gone into remission right after surgery. Because of the diabetes, I exclude sugar from my diet. I get my sweet tooth satisfied with natural sugars found in fruits and milk, and with Splenda and Stevia. Generally weight gain in the maintenance stage is associated with grazing which causes the pouch to get bigger. Weight gain follows. Grazing on carbohydrates does not satisfy hunger. It is good to graze on Protein. In my case, I have included fats back into my diet because they satisfy hunger. If you must graze on sweets, I would recommend using Adkin's treats. They contain some fats that will satisfy and should not elevate your blood sugar levels.

Enjoy your alcohol. It definitely makes a ton of sense for morbidly obese adults trying to lose weight to drink empty calories that additionally impairs their judgement. cheers! I liked this app because everyone was so supportive pre-op and answered my questions honestly. Not sure I belong here anymore. I understand why the veterans don't stay. @@ShelterDog64 My final thought, we have all allowed ourselves to eat and drink ourselves obese - it's gluttony and addiction. That's why we are here. We deserve to be scolded when we go off plan, just like anyone else with an addiction would be scolded for going back to their drug of choice (mine is Pasta & wine). I understand that YOU are not going off plan for YOUR program. My comment was for the OP, but I don't take anything I said back. If it offends you that alcoholic beverages are empty calories that cause weight gain, then there's not a lot I can say. It's factual information. On a side note, I rescue dogs and your name implies you do too. I support that Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Congrats to everyone! I have not had the time to do my fills and I guess that is my big problem. I went from 220 to 172 in about 6 months and didn't get a fill until I started to gain back weight. The fill didn't really do much. I gained more weight and went up to 194. Granted, I only had 2 fills this whole time and I am in the VG band which I understand you have to be a little more aggressive. I was embarrassed to go back to the doctor b/c of the weight gain, so I lost 14 pounds in the last month on a low carb/low calorie diet. I have an appointment to get an adjustment next Friday and hopefully I can get back on track. Currently, I have 5 cc in the large VG band and have little restriction right now. So, hopefully I will be re-committing myself to the band once again next week. I wish I could be a success story (by now) like everyone else here!

Yay!!! Congrats butterfly!! How exciting!! Eh. That 15-25lbs weight gain is for "normal" pregnancies. If I may say... We aren't normal lol. We are modified. My doctor saw no issue with me gaining the 65. She had the bypass years ago and I thank her for recommending the surgery to me!! The surgery is permanent.. We WILL lose the weight, it's just a matter of when! My appetite has already started to go back to the way it was before the pregnancy. What I want to know is....when does it go back to the way it was completely and how does breast feeding facto in? Helpful or hurtful in the weight loss process? Enjoy the pregnancy! hoping someone replies who has had the sleeve and a baby and Is back on track

Hey there Kaz, I was actually thinking bout you today and wondering how you were doing. Ahhh mazing by the way!- .5 is still .5 take that and add it to the rest it will all add up in due course. I've learnt early on to remember not every time i overate or ate wrong foods did I see immediate weight gain but sometimes I did and sometimes it came on slowly but eventually it did of course - therefore on the flip side, I expect I should see some immediate losses, some slow ones and some stalls.... Just coming out of a stall and slow loss these last three weeks. Keep going strong - and remember all the good advice and support you give to everyone else :-) Thanks, I needed that. Yes, slipped off the bandwagon into a chocolate lake again. Not the answer! Have to keep reminding myself of the money and pain I've put myself through for this; I'm determined again! X Hi Kazyy! I think we are both walking the same path but we will not be defeated! I know stalls are frustrating but we have to push forward. One of my tools is to only weigh myself once a month or I just wait until I go to the doctor. I took someone else's strategy about getting more Protein in. I also let my clothes tell me if I am losing. I bought a dress on 4/25 that was too small for me (it was bulging on all sides, lol). Yesterday was my second time wearing it and it is now too big. I didn't realize how big it was until I saw myself in a photo my friend took. So although the numbers on the scale aren't necessarily going down, my body is obviously getting smaller. So.....take it slow, keep eating healthy, exercising and getting in your Water and protein and you will do just fine.</blockquote>Thanks Miss B! I put a dress on today and was tripping over it with less boobs and bum to keep it up lol. You're right, I'm clearing out clothes already. Lost a couple of pounds, probably just the stress of doing school reports haha. Thanks for the encouragement! We will succeed! Hi Kazzy, I just wanted to check on you to see how things are going. I'm down to 165lbs. Working hard to get to 130. I hope your weight loss is going well. Take care.Nia

Hey there Kaz, I was actually thinking bout you today and wondering how you were doing. Ahhh mazing by the way!- .5 is still .5 take that and add it to the rest it will all add up in due course. I've learnt early on to remember not every time i overate or ate wrong foods did I see immediate weight gain but sometimes I did and sometimes it came on slowly but eventually it did of course - therefore on the flip side, I expect I should see some immediate losses, some slow ones and some stalls.... Just coming out of a stall and slow loss these last three weeks. Keep going strong - and remember all the good advice and support you give to everyone else :-) Thanks, I needed that. Yes, slipped off the bandwagon into a chocolate lake again. Not the answer! Have to keep reminding myself of the money and pain I've put myself through for this; I'm determined again! X

Hey there Kaz, I was actually thinking bout you today and wondering how you were doing. Ahhh mazing by the way!- .5 is still .5 take that and add it to the rest it will all add up in due course. I've learnt early on to remember not every time i overate or ate wrong foods did I see immediate weight gain but sometimes I did and sometimes it came on slowly but eventually it did of course - therefore on the flip side, I expect I should see some immediate losses, some slow ones and some stalls.... Just coming out of a stall and slow loss these last three weeks. Keep going strong - and remember all the good advice and support you give to everyone else :-)

Hi everyone, I have not been on the forum much in the last two months as I have been busy with seasonal work. In many of my posts along the way, you might have noticed I was always waiting for restriction and the right fill amount. Well, I had nine fills and 9cc's in my band and still had hunger and lacked restriction. Had an x-ray last week and the Dr. believes my band is unlocked! I don't know if it has been unlocked the entire time or came unlocked along the way. I have a surgery date for him to go in and lock it. Hate the idea of being opened again and recovery etc. He says recovery should be easier as no port incision or stitching, just lock it and get out. Fingers crossed he's right about it all when he gets in there. At least I know why I was struggling to lose any more weight and I know it's not my fault. Fortunately my walking has prevented any weight gain and I have been able to maintain what I lost previously. I guess I will have to start all over again with the fill process however and that I am not looking forward to. I will discuss the option of at least one fill with floro with the Dr. I have been checking new posts on the forum, so I am kind of following along with everyone still, just haven't had a lot of time to reply to many.

I've always felt really sorry for Oprah. Not in a pitying way of course! What I mean is, it must be really hard to be Oprah. For example, I could always find myself a walking partner and meet up for a walk wherever I want to go, whenever I want to go. There would be no expectations placed on me by the world at large, and my partner could be a friend or could be just a walking partner - a relaxed relationship. Oprah, on the other hand, can't have casual relationships like that. She can't be friends with "just anyone" because (A) most people can't see passed her name, which would NOT be a comfortable relationship for her, and (:thumbup: she's probably paranoid that everyone wants a piece of her (and she's probably right). The only "friends" she can have, then, are other celebrities like herself - and they are a bit competitive with each other, and can't always be trusted. And she can't just put on her shoes and go for a walk by herself because she'd attract a crowd (except on her ranch, but that's lonely!). So, if Oprah wants someone to work out with, she needs to hire trainers. But for her to hire a trainer is not like for us to hire a trainer. Whoever she hires has to be discreet, because you never know if they're not going to go blab their mouths off to the tabloids, spilling all of Oprah's weaknesses and "secrets." So she can't open up too much to them, and she can never completely trust them. I'm sure she has cooks to cook for her, and that would be very convenient for helping someone like me to stay on a diet - but if you were Oprah, wouldn't you be paranoid that they're not going to go spill your Beans? She probably has to wonder if they're not going to go tell the tabloids, "Oprah started Weight Watchers, and you'd never believe how many zero point recipes she asks me to make in one day..." Her life is an open book! She has all the comforts of life, but it can be a lonely life. Why else do you think she admits to being clinically depressed? Heck, she won't even get married! Probably she's afraid that whoever wants to marry her is after her fortune - not many men make more than her, after all. So she continues this relationship with Stedman or whoever he is, but she never marries, and she has said she plans to never marry. Anyway, that's why my sympathy and respect for her go hand in hand, inseparable. I know this is a bit long, but it just so happens to be that I gave Oprah a bit of thought today in the car when they announced on the radio that she's clinically depressed. See what I mean? This is a classic illustration of what I wrote above. Oprah says she's clinically depressed, and suddenly it's broadcast about in all the news. How uncomfortable for her. I wish her only success in her weight loss and in her personal life, and I hoep she finds the happiness she's seeking. P.S. Anyway, part of me thinks she announced her weight gain and depression as a PR tactic to soften her public image - rumors had begun to spread that she's trying to start a religion around herself, so these announcements help humanize her. Sadly, the need for such announcements and PR is yet another consequence of living under a microscope.

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!

I was fat because I ate more calories than my body burned. That simple. But in all honesty, it all started with a brain tumor (on my pituitary gland) which basically wreaked havoc on my hormones and adrenal functions. But once that got treated I still found it difficult to lose because I'd developed all kinds of bad habits when going throguh the terrible depressing 200+ pound weight gain in a 6-month period from the tumor. Anyway, that's behind me. It's up to me to lose the rest and, with the band, I know I can!

I started gaining weight in my late teens early twenties, just a little bit at a time. As an early mid teen I did some modelling, and wanted to become a model. At 5'9" I was just 135lbs. The modelling agency I wanted to sign with wanted me to drop 10lbs and 3 inches off my 37" hips. I decided I didn't want to model, since I felt Ideally I actually needed to gain 5-10 pounds at that time, and definitely didn't think I could lose and still be healthy. I was a loner, I was shy, I was unpopular. Kids, particularly other girls used to tease me a lot, they used to call me a lot of names, stuck up, slut, whore, - I didn't know what I had done 'wrong' - my family constantly reassured me saying they were just jealous, they told me I was beautiful and smart. I got good grades, and modelling offers didn't I? and a lot of attention from boys and men, which when I ignored the cat calls and 'attention' - I got those remarks again - stuck up, bitch... the reaction from guys who don't have their attentions returned. Hell, I was a kid, I was shy. I wanted to be liked. I was smart... I decided to try being less smart, less pretty. I started gaining weight, the less smart I seemed, and the more weight I gained, the more I seemed to be accepted. In college the girls were less catty, I didn't seem to stand out so much, I started to feel a little more normal somehow. I still wasn't obese, I was plump, I still felt pretty. I don't think any of it was a super conscious decision, at least with the weight gain, I did 'dumb myself down' intentionally on occasion. I was torn in two directions all the time, I wanted to be smart and pretty, and I didn't. I was torn between wanting to please people, and wanting to strive for perfection, I was pretty mucked up. I got into a relationship with a not so nice guy, he didn't treat me very well, my self esteem took a turn for the worse, and I gained a little more weight, I had crept up to about 175, It's funny, because I felt fat then, now I would be unbelievably thrilled to be 175!. I broke up with him, plateaued for a while, got together with an unbelievably wonderful man, who I've been together with now for 13 years. After a couple of years in that relationship my first episode of depression hit me, I gained during that, and found myself around 200 or so pounds. My weight stabilized when I came out of that depression, and then fluctuated up and down around 30-40 pounds at a time. I got involved in martial arts, kickboxing, worked my way up to a high blue belt, just two belts away from a black belt, I was teaching lower belt levels and working at that dojo, and training with my hubby all the time, I was down to a lean muscular 190lbs for a lot of that time. I had a number of crises happen in my life then, some deaths of very close loved ones, a lot of loss. I spiraled into depression again, this one extrememly severe. I was suicidal, made several attempts over the course of a year and a half, and spend weeks, sometimes months at a time hospitalized. I went on disability from work, and we entered into bankruptcy because of it, it kept the cycle of depression kicking for a while, it took a long time for them to find a chemical cocktail of anti-depressants that worked for me. Having spend months at a time doing nothing but laying in a hospital bed curled up in a little ball, basically bedrest, no activity, completely unable to do anything at my worst times, my metabolic rate and my cardio and my physical health deteriorated rapidly along with my mental/emotional health. All the medications I take are ones linked to weight gain, they lower your metabolism, they cause you to feel hungry all the time, crave carbs, overheat easily making excersize difficult, they make you tired and lethargic, still 100 times better than me without medication though. I've tried many many meds and med combinations, the one I'm on now is the best. I'm still unable to work, I still am depressed, but I feel functional, I get some enjoyment out of life, I'm able to do somethings, it seems it's about as good as it gets for now. Most people on the type of meds I take, according to my psychiatrist, gain 50-150lbs... I topped out at 295. I went from teaching kickboxing, to not being able to walk a block without struggling. My blood pressure skyrocketed, I'm on meds for that, and my cholesterol creeping higher all the time. I felt so physically ill from carrying this weight, pains in my joints, my knees and back, tired all the time, and feeling like I'm dying bit by bit. I consulted with my family doctor, my psychiatrist, and the lap-band surgeon, and got the opinion of a second psychiatrist as well, the consensus, the lap band is a good choice for me. It may take me a little more work to contend with given my medications and things, but it has given me something that is the most valuable gift to any depressive person... hope. I'm just two weeks past surgery now, and I feel healthier and more energized than I have in years. Thank you everyone for sharing such personal stories about yourselves, it's helpful to read. XO Leila

Wow, as I read through these threads, my heart goes out to those of you who suffered abuse at the hands of those who should love you most...your family. I am proud of you all for making the strides in life that you obviously have...AMAZING!!! My "why am I FAT" story is different. I was raised in a loving environment, was catered to with my eating, if I didn't like what was for dinner, my Mom made me something else. I remained thin my entire childhood. My Dad struggles with his weight, but nothing like where I am now, he is 6'4" and has topped out at 250 pounds, and he exercises, and watches what he eats, and keeps it under 230. He has serious health issues with his arteries and heart, so he is very into keeping it under control. My Mom is a little heavy, nothing extreme, has never had to buy plus sizes! My only brother is stick thin, and well over 40 yrs. old. he was injured in a car accident when he was 18, and is mentally challenged now, although coping and living independently, and self supporting (more than many "normal" people seem able to do!). Now me...as I say, I was very thin, through my childhood, first marriage, having a child, back down to under 150 lbs, and at 5'9" that was fine. Then I made a massive mistake, and married my 2nd husband. He was abusive from the beginning, he broke both my bones and my spirit for awhile. People always ask why I stayed. When my ex would get in a rage, he would threaten my family...not just me. He would say things like maybe it was time to pay my brother a visit, or go tell my Grandparents a thing or 2. So I stayed and took it. THEY did not marry him I did, I could not be responsible for getting them hurt. And he would do it, he threatened a friend, and hospitalized him. So I beleived. Well, into the marriage a couple of years, he wanted to move to TX, I saw it as my way out, I had no family in Texas for him to threaten me with, so we moved. One day as I was biding my time, we were in the laundry area of our apt. complex when this overweight woman come in, and he tells me, "if you ever gain weight like that you are GONE!" And the mold was set, I did everything in my power to gain, I ate butter straight out of the Country Crock tub! And then I found Weight Gain through GNC........well true to his word, he hated it, and the beatings got worse. I finally made arrangements for my daughter (from the first marriage--who's Dad had now also moved out of state) to go visit Grandma back in NM. And I was ready to make my move to leave. Things did not go real well, he went into yet another rage, and did his best to kill me. 7 stab wounds, and 3 broken bones later, I finally managed to leave...albeit by ambulance, but he was on the run, and I was OUT!! I was elated! I flew home the day I was released from the hospital. But my eating to be "unseen" had just begun. I no longer trusted my judgement in men or anything else for that matter. I did not want anyone to look at me. Being fat was fine. I found a friend in food. And so I ate, ate and ate some more!! Meanwhile they finally found and arrested my husband, and I had to go back for the trial. But they locked him away for awhile on an attempted murder charges. He eventually got out, and come back to New Mexico and harrassed me, but has finally been locked up again for assault on a P.O. and an armed robbery and shooting with the intent to kill, which was his final felony strike, so will not even be eligible for parole until 2036. I feel safe. But habits had been born, and nurtured, and still I ate. A lot!! I love potatoes...fried, mashed, any way... chips, comfort foods, are (were!!!) my big downfall. But also finances played a part. When I was struggling to restart after all of this, I knew a nice lean piece of meat and a salad was healthier for my daughter and I, but macaroni & cheese out of a box and hot dogs were what the budget allowed. And ill fitting teeth following mine being knocked out, made pasta and potatoes much easier to eat. Well way back when between husband #1 and husband #2 I met a man and I do mean a MAN...made of what ALL men should be made of! We dated, even lived together for awhile, but he was off to school in the big city, and I could not go (divorce restrictions on leaving the state with our daughter), so we went our separate ways. I continued through the years to be in contact with his family. Well one night he called me out of the blue. We talked for 5 hours on the phone. For the first time I felt ashamed about my looks. I told him, he seemed to be unconcerned. He come to town, and once again took control of my heart. He has never, ever said one negative thing about my weight. But he is of normal weight for his height, and is quite active. He loves his motorcycle and wants me to go with him to ride, and I feel like everyone is looking at me. He wanted to buy me leathers for the bike, I told him it would take 10 cows! We have been married now for 7 years, and I am finally happy again, and trust him, and eventually my own judgement, and I no longer feel the need to hide behind this. Now the decision was easy.....doing it will be much harder. Hubby supports the decision, and will be right by my side as I go through it on the 24th of this month. He has changed his own habits to help me along already. He has begun making lunch while at work his big meal, and therefore we have a light dinner. I feel ready for this next step, and look forward to feeling what you all have talked about as you lose the weight. As I go forward with this I look forward to the support I am sure I will find here!! Kat

Well for me, being fat has been a life long struggle. From childhood to age 17 I was VERY active, on soccer teams, dance, tap, cheerleading, gymnastics, then when I was in 7th grade my school started a swim team. I always loved to swim and I thought I was pretty good, so I tried out, and I made it, from 7th grade until when I dropped out in 11th, I was a competitive swimmer. I worked out 6x a week 2-3 hours a day. And guess what? I was the second biggest girl on the team! I wasn't consuming huge amounts of food besides the night before a meet when we carb loaded. After I dropped out, that's when things went downhill. I started realizing that there was something wrong, like why couldn't I be a normal size when I was working out so much. Well then came college a few months later, and being such a shy person, I didn't ever want to go to the gym alone, so I rarely went. Then I left that school, got a job, had no means of working out really. Then I was back in school, but still didn't work out, and basically I haven't really worked out since I left high school. I did discover that the constant weight gain was due to PCOS, and that I was almost fighting a losing battle. Finding out about the PCOS was such a breakthrough it explained a lot, like dark black facial hair, yeah, how embarrassing. Late 2008 I finally decided to look into weight loss surgery. Now I'm STILL trying to get surgery, having difficulty due to stupid doctors who are big babies, or assholes. But I'm close.

....and WTH?!?!? i totally forgot about the weight gain after surgery (fluid i guess, plus air) i almost had a fricken heart attack when i got on the scale this morning!!!!!

I know what you mean regarding control. I think that was a significant factor in my weight gain. When I got married at age 23, I was slim and fit - @125lb, 38-23-34. I made the mistake of marrying a man I didn't know as well as I thought I did and he turned out to be an incredible control freak as well as a violent drunk (he's now an EX ). Our lifestyle changed drastically after the wedding (no more going out dancing all night, full meals every night, etc) and I started to gain a little weight. He used to berate and belittle me every time I ate, so of course I rebelled by eating more and even sneaking food when he wasn't watching. Within a few years, I had gained about 20-30lb and his favourite refrain when slapping me about was "You FAT UGLY PIG!!" (This was at about 140lb!) With my self-esteem crushed, I turned to food for comfort (yeah I know, lots of other issues there, but that was significant). By the time I got out of the marriage 8 years later, I was about 160lb - overweight but not huge. I can clearly remember the first four years of being single again, when I did things like hang out in the refrigerator at night saying things like "Haha! Watch me eat this!! You can't stop me now!!" I deliberately put on the fat suit, partly because of that "defiance" aspect and partly because I wanted to keep men away - both were desperate attempts at taking a measure of control in my life. By the end of 4 years of single life, I had put on another 60lb and was around 220lb. At that stage, I sought therapy for my issues with self-esteem, the marriage and how I had managed to get myself into that situation. The therapy helped a lot and I really came to terms with who I was and how I had arrived there, but unfortunately the fat suit wasn't as easy to take off as it was to put on. Since then, I went through various stages of dieting and failure, and thinking I had accepted the weight and settled for being a "fat person" forever. I slowly yo-yoed my way up another 55lb until I hit my all time high of 275lb last year (15 years post-marriage). Now that I have made the change and been banded, I realise that I had never really accepted it and I am now finding comfort in having the control to be able to take the weight off. I'm looking forward to finding the "real me" under this fat suit.

Aubrie... did the endo look at whether you have PCOS? I was diagnosed almost 30 years ago and my daughter has it too. One of the problems with PCOS is that you gain weight, seemingly for no reason. Coupled with this I had terrible sugar cravings. My doctor at the time told me 2 things: "lose weight" and "when you want to get pregnant we can help you." Not much help really. I couldn't stick with a diet long enough to lose and I got pregnant without his help. LOL Anyway, last year I saw a TV show about a woman who gained no matter what she did. Turned out she had PCOS, but now days they actually try treating it with medication. I finally asked my current doctor about it and she prescribed the same meds for me. I cannot say it made me lose more than a couple pounds but it TOTALLY helped with the sugar cravings and I stopped gaining, which is at least something. Between the lack of cravings and the band I feel like I finally have the tools for success available to me. I'm going for my band May 2nd. Woohoo!!! :clap2: One last thing. I found out yesterday at my psych eval that there are antidepressants that CAUSE weight gain. Don't know if this is a factor for you or not... but I was sure surprised to hear it. Good luck with everything.

I most closely relate to the reason Jack said hewas fat. It is about control for me. I first started gaining weight consistently since 1997 when I moved in with my now husband. It is the first time I was away from home, and away from a controlling and abusive family. When I moved into my new place I had ULTIMATE control. I could eat when I want, what I wanted, and as much as I wanted. That is exactly what I did. Also, my husband is a huge eater. I would sit with him and think that he would eat everything if I didn't take it first. So, I ended up eating more than I wanted or needed. All that plus little exercise=weight gain.

Why am I so fat... okay.... I'm the youngest of 7 children. Mom & Dad (poorly educated) always working. Dad was a happy lovabe drunk, always worked but had no time for us kids. Mom (who can't read, write or drive) struggled with two jobs just to keep us fed. My Mom know's what starvation is and never wanted her kids to ever know that feeling. Our dinner table was always full of breads, potatoes, Pasta, rice, starches, anything that stuck to 9 hungry bellies. Never abused physically as a kid but emotionally negelected, okay, totally ignored. Never encouraged, never complemented. If I was noticed I was mocked for being fat. I wouldn't dare open my mouth because no matter what I said I was shot down and called stupid. food became my best friend, my love. It never put me down and it was always there by my side, It was my way out and it felt so good, still does. Lived with alot of people but grew up very lonely. Still to this day, I can be in a room with 100 people and still feel alone. My Weight Chart: Age 0 - 7: Skinny kid. Age 7: moved to a new town, very shy, no friends, started gaining weight. Age 7 - 20: Highest weight was 300+ Age 20: My Father died of Cancer. Shortly after I met the love of my life (so I thought), he dumped me and I was so heart broken I couldn't eat for months, I mean this man loved me, all 300 lbs of ME. So the depression and starvation process began. Age 22: I weighed 150 lbs (starvation). Age 23 - 25: Met new boyfriend, fell in love, got married - weighed 160 lbs Age 25 - 33: Kept weight between 175 - 185 lbs (but notice it rising). Age 33: Sister died unexpected. Rapid weight gaining started 100 + lbs. Major depression starts. Age 36: Weighed 226 lbs (got pregnant and swore I wouldn't get any bigger). Age 37: Had DD and at the end of the pregnancy weighed 260 lbs, lost 38 lbs and gained it back same year (postpartum depression is why I lost the 38). Age 38: Weighed 250 lbs. Age 39: Lost 30 lbs with Atkins Diet Age 40: Gained back 30+ lbs lost on Atkins Diet Age 40: Diagnosed with ADHD Age 40: I weigh approximately 254 lbs. Age 40: Tired of losing the battle, tired of the struggle, TIRED! Age 40: Seeking Lapband I have arthritis in my knees since I'm 12 (and in my back). Bone spurs and DDDisease in my spine. I have gone to psy doctors for therapy time and time again...sigh. My entire life I have been on every stinkin diet there is, tried all diet pills. Last diet pill tried was this year, May, 2005, Merida (still some left in my purse). July, 2005 - Researching Lap Band Surgery August 2, 2005 - Going to Doctor for medical lap band referal. August 9, 2005 - Going to Surgeons Seminar on lap band. This is me..... Eileen

Bandiva: four pounds in three weeks is a healthy weight loss. Losing weight too quickly can stress out the body and can lead to an equally quick weight gain further down the road. In fact this seems to be why many diets fail: the weight comes off quickly without the body having a chance to adjust to a lower set-point and then when we ingest a few extra calories those are converted instantaneously into unwanted fat!! The end result is that your metabolism becomes even more efficient at turning anything you eat into personal lard. Remember that 4 lbs in 3 weeks is 8 lbs in 6 weeks and that they say that this biz of getting to your target weight the lapband way is a two-year project. IMHO you are doing very well, grrl!

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.

Ok feedback from my visit to the doctor, thank you for your support. I am now able to eat again, my surgeon was good this time and i didn't have any problems with her, but that was because my body was in starvation mode, she took out all Fluid and there was 4mls in there, i thought it was only meant to be 2.2mls so idon't know where the rest came from, she replaced 1.5mls and now i feel as though i have no restrictions, it is so good to be able to eat again and not spend my time feeling so awful, i go back in about 3 - 4 weeks to get a top up and in that time giving my body a chance to recover, i still have NO energy and i am trying to replenish the fluids. So bottom line i was overfilled and there was no way things were going through. my fear at the moment is the weight gain, but i just have to work through that and get back on top of things. So thank you from a happier me Cheers Jane

I want to join. I knew going in that I would not loose as fast as most people because I was not a big eater on a regular basis, I just would splurge on the weekends, thus causing weight gain. I am happy, I just need to make myself exercise and eat healthy (most) ALL the time!!

I would recommend using a calorie tracking program such as Myfitnesspal, or whatever you find easiest to use. It will give you a better picture of your calorie consumption. Using McDonald's medium carmel frappe as an example: 550 cal, 9g Protein, 23g fat, 79g carb (71g is sugar, and you can divide that by 12 to get the equivalent tablespoons), and no Fiber. So, I'm guessing getting diarrhea was more likely due to the 23g of fat and roughly 6 tablespoons of sugar you consumed than drinking through the straw. My guidance is to aim for 25-30g protein in each meal, and 9g just isn't enough. I would highly recommend you find a healthier alternative for these drinks if you are going to have something like this with any regularity. I'm not one to recommend cutting fat and sugar too far, but you are really not doing yourself any favors here. WIth your described weight gain and diet, I would think that your sodium consumption would be an unlikely culprit, you are probably not exceeding the sodium recommendations. Best of luck and congratulations on your weight loss so far!

Challenge starting weight: 107 Goal: 107 Labor Day weight: 104 I did not achieve my goal, but I have learned a great deal by following my weight and food intake. I know that I'm under eating out of fear. I believe that as time goes on, I'll get used to being thin and will become less fearful of weight gain.