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Before surgery I was told that I would have to get off carbonated beverages and caffeine prior to the operation. I was on a 6 diet coke a day habit. So I went cold turkey. I suffered through withdrawal for about a week. But because of that change alone I lost 20 pounds before the operation. It is my belief that the carbonation produce miniature explosions in the stomach that slowly over time cause the stomach to expand. As the stomach expands it allows one to eat more and thus results in weight gain.

Hi, 6 days post-op'er. Trying to get those 3 meals a day in. But, barely hitting 100 calories a day, and up to about 32 oz of water daily. Still bloated and achy from surgery. How many calories are too little? Adding protein powder where I can, but ingesting so little can't imagine I'm getting all I need. Scale barely moving. Only 5 pounds down from surgery - 9 lbs if I include the water weight gained from IV.

Pcos I hate you , but thanks to the surgery I finally had the dreaded tom and boy did I hate it but I know it is a must after going 2 years , 4 years and 6 years at a time with no monthly visitor,weight gain, hormones up and down,steroids,birth control nothing worked I hope this works I'm 43 days post op..omg cramps and paranoia of is there a stain ,can you see my pad I hate it but glad it came finally now I hope it regulates bc I can't stand this pcos Bs ... Now to see if this pcos real will leave is to get pregnant in a year or two and see my hair go back to thick versus thin and lose the extra hairs lol ....I wish everyone luck with their pcos I'm 26 now and can't wait to see what wls has in store btw I'm down 42 lbs .... Yay living4myself_gb1-21-13:

I know I packed on a lot after being on Depo, but was off it for 2 years and did not lose much. I am back on it and BOTH the surgeon and Gyno said it has very little to do with weight gain/retention. My loss has been good with band, but I wonder if it would be better without it. I want to switch BC methods, but neither doc wants me on the pill because I am 42. The Gyno and I have discussed some permanent things, but I don't know about going that route either. I have no kids, and probably won't have any, but am just unsure about taking a permanent step. Good job to stop the Depo now and let it cycle out. It takes a long time to regulate after wards. Best of luck,

Don't worry about the weight gain. I came home from the hospital 4 lbs heavier. It is the IV's. I'm so sorry you had problems. You'll get back on track. This board is wonderful for support. We all need each other.

I've been on the depo injection for the last 16 years. I'm 33 now. I've never had issues with the injection and was big before I started on it. I didn't need to come off for the op, and have no side effects. Weight gain has been linked to the fact it can speed up your metabolism, I'm not sure how true this is. I don't want any children and most definitely don't want any accidents so for me this was the most reliable form of contraception. Since my op, I've lost 104lbs in 7 months and I've had the shot twice post op, so I don't feel it is having an impact on my weight. Downside, it can take time for your monthly to start again so if you're in a rush for a baby then that's maybe something to consider.

Wow, so much has changed since I originally started the thread "no help for the wicked." It was 3 months before I was banded, and I was really struggling with my asthma. I mean, really struggling. Death looked like a real possibility. I really thought that by now I would have lost if not all my excess weight, I would have lost a big whack of it. I was sure that I would be a size 16 by now, not still 22/24. But that is not in the cards for me. I still struggle with this. But I suppose I should have clued into the "sudden weight gain" since no one else seems to experience that particular "joy." I've since learned that it's one of the hallmarks of Cushing's, and I've had to come to terms with learning that my journy is not the typical journy. Someone on a recent thread was commenting on how pissed they were because someone told them that by having WLS they were not doing it "right" that they were not doing it the old fashioned way. That somehow having the band was cheating and so any loss woul be less valuable. I personally think that WLS is the easy way, because it makes it makes it possible for so many people to actually lose weight and keep it off for possibly the first time in their entire lives. I have absolutely no problem with this being the easy way, becaus I have no need for people to suffer. I see little value in adding suffering and grief to life. It's hard enough without looking for extra hardness to add.

Wow, so much has changed since I originally started the thread "no help for the wicked." It was 3 months before I was banded, and I was really struggling with my asthma. I mean, really struggling. Death looked like a real possibility. I really thought that by now I would have lost if not all my excess weight, I would have lost a big whack of it. I was sure that I would be a size 16 by now, not still 22/24. But that is not in the cards for me. I still struggle with this. But I suppose I should have clued into the "sudden weight gain" since no one else seems to experience that particular "joy." I've since learned that it's one of the hallmarks of Cushing's, and I've had to come to terms with learning that my journy is not the typical journy. Someone on a recent thread was commenting on how pissed they were because someone told them that by having WLS they were not doing it "right" that they were not doing it the old fashioned way. That somehow having the band was cheating and so any loss woul be less valuable. I personally think that WLS is the easy way, because it makes it makes it possible for so many people to actually lose weight and keep it off for possibly the first time in their entire lives. I have absolutely no problem with this being the easy way, becaus I have no need for people to suffer. I see little value in adding suffering and grief to life. It's hard enough without looking for extra hardness to add.

Since its only a half a pound, I wouldn't worry. That could just be a little water retention, and if it is "weight" gain its more than likely not "fat" gain, but muscle. If you're building muscle thats good, it means you'll start burning more fat. I'm sure you've heard before that saying that muscle weighs more than fat. Don't freak out too much!!

I originally posted this on the message boards and I thought I could reuse for my first blog: Hello everyone, So this is my first post here and here is my story… I am 29 years and I will hit the dreaded 30 next month. Not that I think 30 is old, I just can't believe that I am gonna be thirty and after all these years I have not be able to successfully manage my weight. Right now my scale is tipping at about 250. I haven't always been this fat. I would say that back in my high school days I was a little chubby. The last lowest weight I can last remember was 165 lbs in 2001. So I have gained 85 lbs in 8 years…wow. I have been happily married to my high school sweet heart for 6 years now and he is absolutely wonderful to me. He loves me as I am, no matter what. We have a awesome 18 month old son, who is the center of our universe. I was diagnosed with a under active thyroid (hypothyroid) when I was 16 years old. Both my mother and grandmother were also hypothyroid and overweight as well, so my all of issues are definitely built into my genetic make up. But I will admit that I have contributed to my 85lb weight gain by eating improperly and being lazy. We moved away from our family and friends right after we got married, so I have spent the last six years some what isolated from our loved ones. We happily spend every weekend lazy, in love and alone on our sofa. Fortunately my husband has been blessed with a amazing metabolism, and he is the same 160 lbs that he weighed on the day we got married. Now I will admit that I do have a food problem. But I am not a emotional eater. I actually lose my appetite when I am really upset. I am a 'bored' and 'lonely' eater. I snack when my husband isn't around. And I have no shame when it comes to making poor food choices…buffalo chicken, cheese burger, fries, pizza, chinese food…none of them any good. I have tried to lose weight in the past but always became easily discouraged and distracted when I didn't see any immediate results. I have always simply blamed my failed thyroid for holding me back. Although I know that is not 100% true. My life style certainly contributes. I saw a new endocrinologist a few years back and asked him if he had any insight on how I can approach weight loss while living with hypothyroidism. I mean, obviously he has seen plenty of patients with my condition…he must know someone who has had success. I just wanted him to share their secret with me. Should I give weight watchers another try…should I try jenny craig…should I see a nutritionist…can he give me a magic pill?!?!?! And then he gave me the old diet and exercise talk…as if I was stupid and never heard of it before. Ugh, whatever…thanks for nothing! I then decided to start seeing a new endocrinologist just because his office was closer to work and it was convenient. I asked him if he knew what the secret to weight loss was. Now before I tell you what he told me, I want to paint this visual for you. My endo is a 5 ft tall chinese man. He is straight from china and I really have to focus when he talks so I can understand his words clearly through his accent. He speaks very abrubtly and to the point. So when I told him that I don't believe I eat a lot but I just wanted know what he thinks I need to do, he told me…"it doesn't matter what you eat, just eat half! If the only thing you eat all day is a peanut, then only eat HALF a peanut the next day!" What?!?! As if that was even possible. I felt defeated again. But he actually seemed to take more interest in the health of my thyroid. He gave attention to a 2 cm nodule that my last endo identified and did nothing with. My new endo conducted ultra sounds and a biopsy. The biopsy results revealed that my nodule is non-cancerous but it was also not begin. My nodule cells are just irregular. They could remain irregular for the rest of my life or there is also the potential that they can become cancer at some point. Thyroid cancer is very, very slow growing. Regardless of what they are or would be, the option of having surgery to remove that part of my thyroid was completely in my hands. I could chose to monitor to the grow or I could choose to cut it out. So this is the part of my story that brings me here today...the whole idea of any type of surgery scares me. I don't want to be put to sleep and I know it is vain but don't want the scar on my neck. But I know that I want to live the rest of my life free and clear of the potential of cancer. My thyroid is sick to begin with and hasn't been working probably since I was 16 years old. I already take 224 mcg of synthetic thyroid replacement medication. I came to the conclusion that my thyroid is useless and they may as well remove the whole thing. My total thyroidectomy is scheduled for Feb 3rd. So I have been thinking about my endo's "half a peanut" theory and began to seriously consider lap band surgery. My mom has gastric bypass surgery a few years back and it has given her a new life. She has no regrets other than not doing it sooner. I want to live the next 30 years of my life differently from the way that I currently do. I want to run and play with my son. I want to look good standing next to my hubby. This posting is long enough, I am sure I don't need tell you guys everything that I want because I am sure they are same things that you want from life. So spoke to my husband, my mom and friend and I think I feel good about pursuing this. I am going to attend a Introductory Bariatric Meeting on 2/13. I know that this isn't the going to be the final resolution I was searching for. It is not a magic pill. But I believe that it a tool that will put me in the rigth direction. Thanks for your time!

Just shy of 5 months post-op... Down 40lbs, when I was down almost 80... my doctor says "Don't worry Yvette, this is normal. Especially in people with your body type, your weight gain is muscle not fat, don't be upset." Ok so I'm not gonna lie, I'm a lil' upset. I KNOW I build muscle really fast, and I KNOW muscle weighs more than fat.. I get all that.. I KNOW my weight is down and so are my clothing sizes and inches. I'm just I dunno.. a lil' skewed on all of this. I finally got to a fill point where I was almost "too tight" but it was working.. I missed my follow up fill because I was traveling.. and so I went to my month appointment yesterday and although I was down 8.8 pounds which I know I should be happy about and I am.. I'm just like shouldn't it be MORE... I don't even know why I'm complaining.. I shouldn't be. I guess I'm just feeling the pressure of my 6 months and then my year coming up and my own personal goals in there.. relax Yvette...slow and steady wins the race...

I have taken anti-depressents for 10 years. True, I did gain weight but in hindsight I don't think the meds are responsible at all. The fact that my diet was not balanced, I aged 10 years and didn't exercise is much more likely that I gained about 10 pounds a year, doesn't everyone agree? People with anxiety/depression, even when controlled with meds, tend to be less energetic, which is another factor that contributes to weight gain. I am still taking my meds and still losing weight so my advice, try the meds if you think you need to, they might help. But have a psychiatrist prescribe them, Family Practice MD's don't know enough about mental health meds and might end up giving you a dosage too high or not the best med for you. Good Luck!

I'm 2 years post opt however, I've done really good. I gained 6 1/2 should I really be alarmed? I know that I've made some bad eating choices. I've invested in a treadmill. My weight lost has been between 98- 105, pounds. I have a Pannicelectomy back in November 2013. However, I still have some anbdominal swelling could this cause weight gain also? I refuse to go back to the old me...

I think many of us feel the same way! I think it is common for the band fills to kick in, even 1-2 weeks after the fill. Also, I think it is common that once you PB a few times, the stomach is swollen, thus tightening our band. Not to mention, hormones, time of day, etc. My motto with fills is...if more often than not you are too tight, then you may need a slight unfill. I HATE being too tight. Also, with the quick weight gain. Sometimes, if I am too tight (low calories) over time, then bamm I am loose and can eat more, my weight loss slows or I even gain a pound or two. I attribute this to my metabolism slowing, due to low calories/starvation mode. Then, once I can eat more my metabolism is still on "slow speed" and takes a while to speed up. Your body want to conserve the food (energy) it is receiving. Give it awhile, those pounds will come off. Shawn

Well, I am now eight weeks post op/revision. I must say, I physically feel better. But that is where the good news ends. I have managed to eat my way up 12 pounds and climbing. I have walked (3-4 miles) every day, worked out 3 days per week, journaled my in take and still gained. I am eating larger portions and yes, I am eating CRAP. I can't make myself stop. I went on the detox and did fine, then got down when the scale went up and had a cookie..It has been non-stop since then. My naval still hurts and so does my mid-section. The doctor says I am just healing and to relax. Don't stress about the discomfort nor the weight gain. It will calm down and this is expected. Posh, Posh, Poo, Poo. The B-12 shots have my thighs bruised and I have had enough of those. Weight gain is weight gain is weight gain any way you want to look at it. I can't control myself and as much as I hate to admit it..I almost don't care at this point. My band is gone..there is no alternative on the horizon except "self-control" and we all know how well that works - that's why we had WLS in the first place. I have met with the NUT and a dietician..my GYN and my PCP...no luck, they all say, you look great, you can do this, just say NO...HAHA..They are skinny and haven't dealt with obesity their entire life. There is an evil gene inside me and it wants to be fed..the little sucker was alseep for 2 1/2 years - the band had choked the life out of it...but as soon as the band was gone - surprise - here it came again. I know I still have the plication but that is not the same...I need that tiny little pouch that sent the burping message to me to "put the fork down and walk away". I had a good relationship with my band - the slippage was not my fault - I want it back. The surgeon says I can't have it back because my stoma had formed scar tissue around the top and therefore it can't be put back. OK fine, I am intelligent, I understand...but what can I put in it's place????????????? How about "fat gene removal"??? As hard as I try to focus on something else..anything else..it call comes back to FOOD..For those of you reading this, you now think I am a "head case" and only a shrink will help me..well, maybe so, but in the mean time..I am snacking and munching my way back to being "chunky" all over again. I am still in contact with the doctor and I think he realizes that I am on a downward spiral...I hope he can help me out of this funk before I gain anymore poundage. I have little faith there. Have a great weekend to all..I hope you don't mind that I had to vent..I had to vent somewhere and this blog seemed like the best place. One thing for sure...many of you understand where I am coming from..you have been there and have the T-shirt to prove it. Melinda in Florida

Hi All! Its been a while since I posted anything or been active. I found out in November that I was pregnant. I was 8 months out of surgery when I got pregnant. My fiance and I had just gotten engaged a few months before and were planning our wedding. So it was definitely a surprise! I was really nervous about proceeding with the pregnancy. I just knew I would be ready in just one more year (I've been saying that for the last 5 years!) BUT I was pregnant now, 33, in a great relationship, with a stable income, healthier then Ive been in a while and all out of excuses not to start my family. So my journey began... I am currently 23 weeks pregnant! This is my first pregnancy so I have nothing to compare it with but this has been my experience in case any of you find yourself in my situation. Its hard to find doctors who understand how VSG affects my pregnancy. They understand that I need to be monitored more but don't really get the nuances. One example; I was given this HUGE jug to collect my urine over 24 hours. When I returned it, I was told that they need AT LEAST 4X more urine than I had collected. They were convinced I didn't collect all my urine. I told them that was everything I had to give! They told me to drink more water. Now this community knows how hard that task is. I still can not eat and drink at the same time. I also cant just drink a gallon of water in one go. It feels like a herculean task. I have tried 3 times and have still not filled this jug! I've learned that drinking tea increases my urine output so I have hope for my next attempt. I was really sick throughout my first and second trimester. I already had bad acid reflux before and after surgery and was taking omeprazole to relieve it. Turns out you can't take anything stronger than Tums while pregnant. So on top of the normal nausea, I felt the need to throw up to relieve my indigestion and heartburn. I started really hating food when everyone else kept trying to feed me more! I've been feeling better now though. I was allowed to take pepcid and it actually helps. Now, I have the desire to eat more but still cant eat more than a few bites of anything in one sitting. My food also takes forever to digest so I have to be really picky about what I eat. Fruits are my best friend! I kept my surgery a secret. My fiance and sister are the only ones I told about my VSG. So no one really gets why Im having a hard time eating more. They also keep wanting to see my belly but Im not sure how to explain my incisions. It feels too late to say anything now... so its awkward and more isolating than it could have been. But my family can be SUPER judgy so I think they would just find a way to make me feel bad about it and I don't need the added stress. I get to do more sonograms than your average mom to be. Because of my VSG and previous hypertension, I'm monitored more and have more doctor visits. I really don't mind! I love getting to see whats going on in there! So far so good... mostly. I keep expecting the docs to say my baby isn't growing or Im malnourished but that doesn't seem to be the case. Everything is progressing normally and baby looks good. They did mention that one of babys kidneys is not eliminating waste as it should. The other kidney is fine but they want to keep an eye on it. Of course we are worried but its actually pretty common and generally resolves itself. If it doesn't, there is a small procedure to fix it after birth (if necessary) so we are trying not to sweat it. I got Covid. I'm a teacher and as soon as the mask mandate was removed, I got COVID. Never mind that Ive been vaccinated, boosted and was still wearing my mask! Im actually recovering now. (SIDE NOTE: We seem to be having a second surge at my school. I wonder if any other teachers (or parents) have noticed that?) I was EXTREMELY sick the first week. I was lightheaded, coughing, full of mucus, achy and just couldn't get out of bed. I also couldn't take any medicines because of the pregnancy. My mom kept sending me home remedies but when I looked them up, there was always a warning for pregnant people. I just had to ride it out. Baby seems ok but I'll know more at my appointment next week. As far as my VSG goals... I was 195-200 lbs when I found out I was pregnant (SW:267) and had been stalled there for almost 2 months. I was getting a bit discouraged because my whole weight loss process had been so slow and felt harder for me than it seemed like it was for some people here. I also had a friend who had her VSG after me and had lost almost twice as much weight as I had so I knew it wasn't in my head. I started drinking again and sneaking in more cheat snacks. When I found out I was pregnant, I cut out all alcohol and was really strict about making sure the little food I ate was good for baby. I dropped 20-25 more pounds. Im currently 175 lbs. I havent really gained any weight. Part of me is happy about that and still trying to get to my goal of 155 while pregnant. But I know I have to put on weight for baby. It's really a mind f**k. Doctors say the baby is growing normally so there isn't much to worry about... yet. Technically I'm still overweight and they don't recommend as much weight gain for overweight moms. Im entering my third trimester now and am supposed to put on 1-2 lbs a week. We'll see how that goes. Im still trending downwards... If you made it to the end, thanks for reading through this entire post. I hope it helps. I hope to update you with only good news in the weeks to come! Last note, I'm having a girl! So exciting!!! My VSG has definitely complicated things but I think we made the right decision and I am really excited about entering this next chapter of my life healthier than I have been in years!

Allright I know my Doc told me that it might happen but why I havent changed anything as far eating goes and I have been loosing really well. I droped 40lbs since june 3rd only to wake up today and notice 2 pounds back??? I havent eatin any thing more than before? So why, I know its not alot and Ill loose it again but why? hmmmm :thumbup:

Hello, I am Scot, I am about 10 days from my surgery and wanted to start this log of my journey. I have undergone a psychological review, Dietary consult and had my initial Surgeons Meeting and consultation. I am now waiting for my Surgeon to schedule my Pre Op surgery appointment and have my Pre Op appointment with the hospital. This blog will be my way of talking about the crazy thoughts going through my head as I travel this... So this is real... I am really going to do this! (as long as my insurance don't get all stupid.) I have been overweight since I left the Military 18 years ago. I have diabetes, high blood pressure, and high Cholesterol. I have had Sleep Apnea most of my life (even when I was not overweight) but it has been exacerbated by my weight. My wife is scared to death that I am going to die soon. I guess what made me seek this out is that I am not ready to die. My family has a history of being a bit chunky but not to the same level as me. I teeter from 300 to 320 depending on my constant battle with weight gain. I attribute my weight gain from my experiences in the service. I don't blame the military, I did this to myself but, my military service did not help. Let me explain without going into too much detail. In Boot Camp, while the meals were somewhat balanced, they encouraged you to eat at breakneck speed. I learned how to scarf food at record pace. This habit is perpetuated all throughout my career because of commitments we have to our command, to the schedule work needing to be done, to emergent situations. Many times I would go to the galley and mess-decks to eat quickly and get back to work on something. always dreading the phone on the deck from ringing and being for me. If it was, it meant I cut my mealtime short. Exercise on a deployed ship is haphazard at best. PT in the service back then was not very directed or mandatory for a deploying unit. Physical readiness tests were held every year and it gradually got worse for me because I Think I was too dependent on directed exercise instead of self directed fitness. I became a workaholic and some things in your life suffer when you become so fixated at one facet of your life. I had a few incidents in the service that left me with PTSD, Anxiety and Depression. While it was easy to identify the depression and get that treated by the VA, it would be nearly 14 years later that I was diagnosed with the PTSD and Anxiety to receive the help I needed. I have been working with Psychologists and Psychiatrists on the PTSD and Anxiety issues and I have gotten them (somewhat) to a dull roar in my head. One of the factors of my weight gain has been identified as my use of food to dull and cover up the anxiety and stress I have on a daily basis. Once this dawned on me, I realized that this was a huge contributing factor of my Obesity. My wife has watched me grow since 2000 from the slightly pudgy man I was, to this gigantic bellied man that waddles when he walks. I know I have been discounted at work for my appearance, although I have proved my value time and time again. I need this to stop. It took nearly a year of my wife coaxing me to investigate the process and we finally have the means to cover the costs. I am 110% onboard with this process. I used to be a confident, charismatic, and healthy young man. I want to regain that confidence and health back so that I can begin to enjoy my life instead of constantly fighting my weight all the time. Is this surgery going to fix me?? Not likely on its own, I have no illusions that this surgery is going to be the magic process in which I regain my health. This surgery is a tool for me to use to win the fight against my obesity. the surgery will cause irrevocable changes to the way I live. I have been spending the last month and a half working on breaking habits and removing some of the most difficult issues from my diet. in 10 days, this will change drastically insomuch that the current things I am doing will need to be stopped and I will need to start taking care of me, feed myself correctly, listen to my body on such a different emotional level than I have ever needed to. This SCARES the hell out of me. If this process doesn't scare someone, then they need to sit down, read about the changes, and realize this is such a drastic change in their life. This isn't about going to get a tummy tuck or liposuction, This is a complete reworking of your digestive system. don't drink before or after meals. Eat SLOWLY. No Sugar. These actions are what I do all the time, and I have to stop. This is going to require drastic measures. I believe I am ready. Step one is making the Decision. I went to a seminar put on by my surgeons practice, and it was very informative. there was a full room of people. The one thing I noticed in the crowd that I felt like I was different than these people. I listened to the seminar and watched people around me. I felt like I was in a room full of people that felt it would be completely different than what the speaker was saying. I heard lots of scoffing from people that are in a worse position than I am. I know this isn't for everyone. But the sheer lack of consideration from some of these people. I had done about a week of research and I read a lot of stories, both good and bad. I think most people do read as much as they can about the procedures. Many of the people in the room seemed to have their opinions formed prior to the seminar. Many of them had false information that was corrected by the speaker (She was a saint dealing with a couple people there) I worry about one thing... delaying the surgery because of insurance. Insurance is the evil right now. I fear that is what is holding up my next appointments. We shall see over the next few days what happens. thanks for reading. I will be back.

I'm struggling to not eat all the things in these weeks pre-surgery. I don't have my date yet, but probably some time in May. My surgeon didn't require any weight loss pre-surgery and I almost wish he had. Anyone experience this? It's like I'm saying goodbye to large quantities! Help! Sent from my SM-G900V using the BariatricPal App

Hi there, my name is Lesley, I am starting my journey in the hope that I may get lap band surgery on the NHS. I have just turned 44 and have been a large girl for as long as I can remember, more so in the last 11 years after being diaganosed with clinical depression, in that time, my weight zoomed from 13st to 21-22 stone and I cant do a thing about it. I have tried Orlistat medication through my g.p. I swim frequently, but the weight gain has left me with intollirible lower back pain and crippling leg aches, I have a history of diabetes and heart attacks in my family, so my concern is that I need to get the weight off before I fall victim to the same. In around four weeks I am to go and meet Mr Woodcock at North Tyneside General Hospital (Rake Lane) of whom I have been referred to, if ANYONE PLEASE HAS ANY INFORMATION ON THE PROCEEDURE AT THIS HOSPITAL, PLEASE LET ME KNOW, I guess like everyone else, I just want to know if I will be funded and how long the wait will be, many thanks.

I'm the opposite of Jacqui, I carried most of my weight in my tummy and torso and still carry most of the last 20 pounds I want to lose there. Do I NEED plastic surgery? No. I had a PS consult early this year and the cost ($20,000 Australian for a lower body lift) just wasn't worth it, it was purely cosmetic and vanity driven for me. I don't wear tight figure hugging clothes because I have a few lumps and bumps, but I don't know that I would if I was smooth anyway. I don't have loose skin as such, but I could use a little tightening all over to be perfect (but then, who is perfect??). I guess the best way to put it is that while some weight loss leaves a person looking like a fully deflated balloon, I'd probably be at about only 10-15% deflated. I got out of this as one of the lucky ones I think. Weight gain/loss take different tolls on our bodies and each journey is SO unique, it would be SO hard to even fathom a guess at what some body's body will look like after a massive loss.

Congrats on a successful surgery. The weight gain post surgery is a bummer, fortunately I had read other posts of people ranting about it so I knew what to expect. What helped me with the burp relief post was looking straight up stretching my neck and taking deep breaths. Sometimes through my nose worked better but sometimes through my mouth was. It would let that know feeling in my chest escape and I felt much better after. Good luck on your recovery!!!

My BCBS of Illinois required 3 meetings with the NUT & NP, beginning, 3 months and 6 months with weigh in. They also required an EKG, Psych evaluation, sleep Study, and a REE Test. I will be finished with my last visit on October 23 (First visit April 17). On October 23 I meet with my surgeon for the second time. After the initial deductible was met and out of pocket was paid everything has been paid at 100%. The surgery will be $0.00. My policy is a 6 months mandatory. It has been a true test of my patience. The anticipation is building and I am truly excited. I have been chipping away at the llbs over the last 6 months because of the weigh ins. My Blue Cross specifies no weight gain while in a Bariatric program. My company must have bought the BCBS policy with ISSUES of CONTROL~

What do you consider a (melodramatic) Emergency these days? Late to work? 2lb weight gain? Bad date? Spilled coffee? Sour yogurt? Budget due? Teens? How do you combat it? How do you process your emotions now instead of letting them eat away at you? Or you eating them into submission? What tools & (let's be honest) foods are on your emergency bag to keep you from going into shock?

Anyone who is in maintenance - how long did it take for your body to get past the ups and downs of carb weight gain when you added them back in at maintenance? I am where I would like to maintain but as soon as I add in carbs, even staying well within my calories for maintenance I gain 3-4 lbs! I am sure this is a blip but it completely freaks me out and sends me straight back to a strict low carb diet.