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I love short hair on me but with all the weight gain my face is too round for short hair right now so as soon as I feel my face is slim enough (my sx is in May) I am probably cutting it off again. The first time I did it I wasn't sure how it would look as was afraid since I had hair just past my shoulders all my life but I looked and felt amazing with short hair and knew regardless it would grow back if I didn't like it

I gained weight during my pre op thanks to the inept nutritionist. I lost 18lbs the first month on my own diet and he insisted what I was doing (low carb) was wrong and not sustainable long term. I followed his plan to a T and just kept gaining and gaining. My surgeon told me I could stay the same weight but not gain, so I ended up going 1-2 days a week with zero food just to be sure I’d keep my weight the same for weight ins for pre op. It was a horrible experience and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. I was accused of lying about my food intake, had my phone ripped out of my hand while the nutritionist went through my fitness pal trying to find something to throw in my face on what I was doing wrong. He concluded my weight gain was due to the protein bar I was eating for breakfast because he didn’t know the macros (it was on my tracking app and I showed him the physical bar in my purse). Instead, he said I must eat quest bars that were higher cal and less protein. Talk about an eye roll. My last visit with him ended in him telling me I was lying about having a surgery date and me almost leaving in tears.

I experienced weight gain pre op and it was because I was mourning the future loss of food. I ate things I shouldn’t because I was worried I would never be able to have them again. I did manage to lose the extra weight really quick on the pre op diet but I probably could have lost more had I not had all the food funerals. One thing that may be helpful in avoiding that is that if there is a food you have an intolerance for post op most likely you will also develop a taste aversion for it so it’s not like you will be craving it and never be able to eat it again. I didn't realize that so I wanted to eat everything I loved one last time before surgery and I packed on the pounds.

Hi! I'm in my 23rd week and my baby boy is doing good! So far he is right on target and he gets checked monthly for size and weight gain. So thankful everything is going good. It was scary at first. Now to keep praying his weight gain continues. as for me I've only gained about 6lbs and haven't lost any so I think I'm doin ok.

Via Mary Jo Rapini’s Food Addiction Group Karen Askins Nov. 17, 2014 It all started out as another lie, not one intention to ever try- Once again I wanted an easy fix, because I was up to my usual tricks. I knew the words I needed to say, for her required signature to start me on the way- This time surgery would be the lucky charm, hopefully there would no lasting harm. She probably knew as well as I, that I was sick and would probably soon die- If I didn't get myself together, and start making me a whole lot healthier. I wanted to believe that it was only about food, not about everything that was affecting my mood- But she said I was eating to not deal with life’s pain, adding up yearly to a significant weight gain. I have always latched on to some current craze, the other surgeries, pills, diets, and starvation days-Maintenance was the problem that was never addressed, it would always come back quicker than I confessed. Just twelve steps, how hard could that be? I decided to try and just kind of see- So the first month I did as little as I could, of all the work I was told that I should. Step two was the first time I wrote in the book, I thought I'd write anything- who was going to look? What I found was not what had been expected, instead of a diet plan, it was like church resurrected. Higher Power this and surrender to that, what did that have to do with being so fat? Be of service, have faith, and listen to the call, meditation and prayer were suggested for all. What was the problem? I did all of that, lots of pretty feathers sitting in my hat- This would be a breeze once a month to meet, I could do this group and not miss a beat. The women there were all nice enough, but they had problems that were really tough- And then there was the tiny psychotherapist Mary Jo, what in the world could she possibly know? The irony of it all was that I already knew in my heart, the two words I resisted from the very start- After time was wasted denying the fact, I finally admitted that I was a Food Addict. That in itself was enough to make me blue, but there were also my legs and hands severely cramping every night like on cue- One doctor said vitamin deficiency, one RLS, and still another dehydration, all I knew was I couldn't take the horrible, all night sensation. The doctor had me try several medications- finally Flexeril, it would dull the pain, and he said, “As needed, just refill”- It didn’t get better on 10 mg. once a day, but he finally got it right when he said with 40 they’d go away. I didn’t hear any warnings about side effects, my other medications were not really checked- My mind became a blur and life started getting worse, I blamed everyone, God, and mainly the step study as my curse. For months I thought I was going to be like my grandmother, who had dementia worse than any other- She was functional one day and not lucid the next, that was me all because I didn't want my legs and hands to flex. When I could think straight, I was really on top of it, doing what I could to get my mind and body fit-But it was up and down around and back, my emotions were like a roller coaster track. I felt so depressed and couldn't always comprehend right, but I was sure that I still had pretty good insight- Still trying to believe it was a food issue and really wanting to win that battle, to try and not make every plate, fork, and spoon rattle. The “win” was bittersweet as my “perfect” life fell apart, and I hurt everyone I loved with all of my heart- There was no satisfaction with me as the boss, and my peace and happiness were at a complete loss. Beating myself up and causing more pain, literally drove me completely insane- It was all I could do to survive. I hated the way I was living; my husband kept saying that I was just barely existing. I was brought to my senses several times along the way, obviously though, I was still there to play- Panic attacks, totaling our truck, being paralyzed by fear, weren't even enough to see my way clear. I think I knew that the medicine wasn’t good but kept taking each prescribed dose, and it turned who I was into someone different, someone very gross- It made the original goal to deal with food addiction, a journey that was more like science fiction. Here I am in Mexico where I was forced to stay, mortified to wake up in basically a “detox unit” yesterday- Where everyone must have thought I was a long time street druggie, until they figured out it was a legitimate prescription written just for me. The doctor took away the Flexeril, allergy, asthma--all of my needed prescriptions, and the pain started back much to my aggravation- They brought in food- a lot of fattening Mexican stuff, and when I refused, the nurse threatened to get mean and tough. She gave me IV’s and a bottle of Ensure, and yelled, “You eat or you drink this!” as I tried to keep my composure- It was bad enough this mess I was in, no way was I going to eat that junk and screw up surgery once again. Doing last minute planning just two weeks before my son’s wedding I was forced to get aid, my family cried and yelled that I should I have known better, but mostly they prayed- And within 24 hours of passing out cold, my mind felt almost clear, and I had to get bold. With plenty of time here to sort it all through, I asked myself, “What in the world am I going to do?” Then there on the table left by my husband in plain view, was Mary Jo on Facebook clearly coming through. Yesterday, Sunday, Nov.16, her post spoke loudly and went straight to my heart, that is what made me decide I needed a fresh start- The picture screamed, “Be still- I’ve got this.” It was a message from God, and her added words stung like a lightning rod. She wrote what I knew but needed to hear, it was hard for me to swallow, but I gave her my ear- How could I ever have been so remiss? Her lecture ended with, “… trust God to be God, he’s got this- his promise.” I am pretty sure that I have been given a choice, self-destruct or stop and listen to His voice- It is now or never, and now is looking really good, for me to be honest and deal with what I should. All the fertility treatments, my children being my husband’s family blood and not mine, my mom’s death, my friend Barbara dying on Flight 77 on 9/11--all of that and more over time- To be strong for everyone else I always pushed away pain, and sucked down the food with no way to abstain. For several months I was crying most of the time and not actually comprehending what was making it so tough, but I think I kept trying to get through it because I was afraid of even more bad stuff- The confusion in my head sometimes made me think I wanted to die, but I had enough snap to question if I would get the chance to look God in the eye. So I read and studied when I could, but I would lose sight, I was in turmoil, and it was like I was in a life and death fight- To be truthful the cause wasn’t really food, nor 100% the medicine, and definitely not liquor, I know now the actual battle was over control between me and my creator. Realizing way too late that I am ready to begin, the opportunity of a lifetime that is quickly coming to an end- Wanting what I had started the step study for- a plan of action, to keep myself from eating even if it means being in traction. Mary Jo sent the answer to that and much more- what an idiot I have been, the wife, the mother, the one who everyone knew to be the “wonderful Christian”- Knowing much better, I had tried on my own to run the show, thinking I would eventually win- I guess like at a Las Vegas casino. She told us that she had felt God’s love. Not me, I went to Hell, but both had experiences we can surely tell- Grateful I didn’t make it my final destination, because I was given a chance for a needed transformation. Being as old as I am and with the “good life” I have led, no way should I have gotten so close to being dead- The truth is I did it to myself trying to go solo, sending life as I knew it down to practically zero. Mary Jo’s near death experience was a blessing to us all, she was sent back with a mission and accepted the call- To share God’s love, mercy, and grace, I can tell it’s authentic by the glow on her face. She told how it changed her own way of thinking, prayer, surrender, service, and love all linking- How she helps people and how she really cares, has inspired me to want to spend the rest of my life in His care. I feel that now I have a new purpose for which I must live, with love unconditional to receive and more for me to give- I have to let go and to be sure of my intention, and not just use this experience and God as a brief intervention. It's the gift of relearning what life is really all about, that the 12 step study journey gave me without a doubt- Something I never thought I would ever need, because I was always living “perfectly” I knew indeed. My inventories and amends were minor to compare, I needed a transplant or a full heart repair- May Jo said she pleaded with God not to send her away, but if He hadn’t, I would have never had this day. To know with 100% assurance, that I do have it in me for the endurance- It's really about how I used to live but more recently kept struggling to concede, the hardest thing for me was “the faith of a mustard seed.” The food addiction thing will be for all of my time, always aware of why I eat and on what I must dine- But that’s not the triumph of my battle when all is said and done, it is that I waved the white flag and allowed God back as number one. I am thankful from the bottom of my heart, for the group and Mary Jo’s words that guided me toward a new start- The path I took was awful to trudge for a year, but the journey gave me my wings and brand new flight gear. I took the long road with all the pot holes and detours, but I finally get it I know for sure- There is a sense of clarity and my mind is peacefully at rest, I am only going forward and will give it my best. The replay button has to go; it has to be left behind, in order to get through each new day with a clear, sane mind- I have done some stupid (mostly recently) things in my life, but the worst thing I did was cut God out with a knife. It is hard to believe that just a few days ago, I was so bitterly miserable from my head to my toe- Feeling horrible to be imprisoned that way, but now I am free, because I was reminded that there is a better life with the one who really cares for me. Strength and help for everyone else has always been there, but I never took time for myself to receive care- I don’t have all the answers nor can I say I’m not afraid, but I know I can trust that His loving hands on me are laid. I truly believe with all of my heart and soul, that our group was brought together each one with a role- Dana, Kathryn, Anita, and I came with one common thread, to learn to keep food from running our head. I learned a lot about them; sometimes more than I thought I needed to know, but God used them all to show me the way I should go- And that life is uncertain and forever changing, and that He is the only constant with love and forgiveness so amazing. Kathryn with her wit, humor, and wisdom to share, already knew there would be so much more for me there- She’s successfully been in recovery for an impressive amount of time, a real testament to me that being an addict is no crime. Anita Joy was given the perfect name, her face and her smile allude to why she came- To help bring that joy and light to the darkest place I could know, because she shares His love wherever she goes. Dana sat beside me just beautiful to see, ten years younger but way ahead of me- She shared her heart’s burden and taught me a lesson, about judgment and compassion sending me straight to confession. We were a small group. I’m sure there could have been more, but God’s plan was for there to be only four- Who would have guessed that the answer to managing an addiction to food, would be to relearn from all of them that God is so good? They never had a chance to know who I really was, since for more than half of our time together I was totally buzzed- They were too nice to say what my children and husband told, that for the definition of a fool I had broken the mold. I can’t believe I didn’t stop what was happening and see, the very thing many of my friends have asked for help for their loved ones from me- To steer them away from what could destroy their mind, the only difference was theirs were bought on the street and prescribed were my kind. I didn’t have an actual near-death experience, but as far as genuinely living, from that I was the farthest distance- The painful lesson I learned which I want to share with all, is that everything will fall into place, even managing a food addiction, when your life is lived listening to the Higher Power’s call. Writing this all down was for my often annoying, analytical brain, attempting to make sense of it all and understand that my suffering doesn’t have to have been in vain- It will be here to remind me just in case I ever forget, and going backwards suddenly becomes a major threat. I don't know what the future will bring, it’s too late now, but I wish from the beginning I had taken more advantage of this 12 step group thing- We are going to disband. Each one will go her way, but I will remember and thank God daily for them as I pray. I wish there was a way to make the ones like me who will come through this group understand from day one, that the only way they will conquer the food addiction thing is to give the program and their Higher Power their all even though it may not seem like much fun- Mary Jo, please tell them for me that whatever it is on their journey they may face, that their life is worth the fight and for them not to wait like I did to claim God’s marvelous grace.

I had gastric sleeve August 18th 2015. Currently I have already gained weight back and I wanted to know if a revision this early as possible.? I'm very upset with the weight gain I lost very slowly since August 18th. I had only lost about 48 pounds and then I started to gain. I'm considering making an emergency appointment with my nurse practitioner of my Weight Loss Center to discuss other options or to ask what could be wrong I know I'm doing everything right I'm eating great portions and great meals I have snuck a few sweet drinks in every now and then and honey bumn, yes don't reply with any bad messages please cuz I know I've done wrong but every time I had one of those sweets... I worked my ass off to get the calories worked off. I have accomplished over a mile of walking, I do Weight and I do spinning but no more weight is coming off its just gaining what do i do, what do you think?.

Hello Everyone, I am writing to you because I needed to get some advice. Last week I had my lap band removed due to some complications and thus decided to have it removed. I got my band 6 years ago and have lost 60lbs and was able to maintain it for four years. However, now that I have the band removed I have forgotten how life was before the band, which is a bit scary. Thankfully, since the removal I have lost weight, but I ams still nervous to eat too much because I may gain weight. With that said, my question is it possible to lost weight after the lapband removal, or is weight gain always going to happen? Sorry if this is all over the place. I appreciate any advice that you can provide. Thank you

I did not take Zoloft but did take Paxil..same anti depressant family. The paxil is why I'm here today. I 'm 38 yrs old but when I was 29 yrs old I had lost 100 pounds all on my own with hard work and determination...at age 35 I was put on Paxil & Xanax for depression/ panic attacks & anxiety issues when I had MAJOR tragedy hit my family. While on the Paxil, nothing in my daily routine changed, I ate the same exercised the same, my activities were the same, but I was gaining weight, now after keeping the 100 pounds I had lost for well over 5 years I was baffled as to why I was gaining weight. I know they tell you a womans metabolism changes when she hits 35 but that could not be the reason for me to put on so much weight. SO I went back to my doctor and he told me anti depressants will slow down the bodys metabolic rate to almost zero. *sighs* wish he would of told me that before putting me on the paxil. He then prescribed me the Phen Phen, he said alot of women are now doing the Pro (for prozac) Phen (for phentermine) diet. Many women put on weight with any kind of anti depressant and no matter how hard they try it is very difficult for the weight to come off. I finally told the doctor to ween me off of the paxil, the weight gain was making me more depressed then the depression I was taking it for. I also took xanax for anxiety also, since being banded and losing some weight I have only taken it maybe 1-2 times in 4 months which I used to take it daily. Now that Im feeling good about myself and have some self esteem back I do not get my panic attacks or anxious moments. Good Luck to you Audrey.. I hope everything works out for you.

Jeff, I think you'll find that most bandsters have a lot of things in common. We've struggled with weight gain (physical and emotional). For a lot of us, serious health concerns are present. We're tired of sitting on the sidelines. We want to enjoy our lives and not be controlled by the flavor of the week. We've found a tool to help us in that journey. A lot of what I'm doing now is sensible, common sense things that I should have been doing all along. This forum is a great source of information and encouragement. Best of luck on your neurologist visit. I hope you can get back to your garden, walking, and biking soon!

Hi Trish, I've heard nothing but good things about Dr. Kuri, so I think you've made a good choice. Let us know how you are and ask anything you'd like to know here, everyone is so supportive, and caring. No subject is taboo here... (see previous thread titles) NOTHING band related is too sensitive, nor too gross, nothing weight gain or loss related is attacked. Nothing presurgery is considered a dumb question, hell nothing post-banding is considered a dumb question. We're all here for each other, welcome aboard, and good luck on your upcoming banding!

I have the japanese symbol for "eternity" on my right ankle and a thingy with a gem in it on my left ankle. Fortunately neither of them changed much with weight gain/loss, but they are a little faded and need a color touch up. I'll probably do that with an addition of something new when I get to goal or something..

You may have been able to fight off muscle loss. You may have been able to maintain and strengthen existing muscle fibers. But for substantial weight gain from increased muscle mass, there is just no way at 6 months out. I'm talking about lifting and causing muscle tissue to tear and split, then be repaired stronger than before. The only way to do that is with max lift reps and then lots of Protein. 6 months out, you should be at about 1300 calories, max. That is not a weight lifters diet. That is a weight loss diet. At best, the only thing at this stage anyone will be able to do is strengthen existing muscle. To gain muscle, he would need to take in about 1 gram of protein per pound. If the OP currently weighs 250, that would be 250 grams a day. Multiply that times 4 since there are 4 calories per gram of protein. 1,000 calories a day from just protein. Considering a steak is about 30% protein, he would have to eat 105 ounces of steak to hit that goal. So as I said before, focus on maintaining your muscle for now. Tone it up as best you can, but wait until at least a year out before trying to pack on the bulging muscles.

I was convinced that my obesity would end my life prematurely. do you feel like you can live a normal healthy life span at the weight you currently are? because honestly, most people who loose weight gain it back and more. this is a powerful tool to give you an edge with those odds. the thing I hear consistently is that people only wish they had done this sooner. You are at a fork in the road, and need to decide which way you want your life to go.

OK, what an old subject! I mean, its obviously old to those of you that are pleased with your results so far. (that sounds tacky, but I dont mean for it to be) Its the weight thing again.... I just dont understand it! I weigh every morning (and please PLEASE dont suggest for me not to do this). I lost 12 lbs right after getting the band (on liquids) and didnt lose another ounce until my first fill (fortunately I didnt gain -due to diet pills). Then it was down another 10 within 2 weeks. You didnt hear me complain about that; but now things seem to be on the up - again - like 5 pounds up. And I HATE taking those diet pills, but Im ready to get them out again. Im really getting aggravated with this band. And for the most part, the weight gain makes me WANT to eat. If I starve - I gain. So why not eat and gain... at least Im enjoying myself. And NO its NOT pms stuff. That was 2 weeks ago when I lost the 10 pounds (I know, this is crazy). And then there's the fill. Let's see... Saturday was the last time I pb'd from getting the hang of having the first fill. I called my doc today and "they" told me to come in next Tuesday for another fill... but is that the answer??? Maybe I should try the "liquids only" for a couple of days.... maybe that will help. Delarla, Theresa.... what did YOU do to get back into losing???

So I was watching these videos by one of the WLS Surgeons and he isn't pro-sweeterners! He thinks it can also spike Insulin by your body responding to the sweet taste in the mouth. And can also cause weight gain! I do have medical knowledge and Insulin is only secreted in response to Glucose molecules attaching to the receptors in your Pancreas, so him extrapolating Insulin release to the taste itself kinda doesn't make sense to me! May be Slpenda, aspartame etc may not be the best alternatives but natural sweeteners seem safe so far especially how Keto diet is revolves a lot around such natural sweeteners! Thoughts? Are you a fan? Whether or not sweeteners are safe to be used in your weight loss journey esp cause many of us may not tolerate sugar well for life! https://youtu.be/DTIK8n0WTBU

G'Day Stacy I gained back due to meds and also a very bad hiatus hernia which had the better part of my stomach and band above the diaprham ? and putting stress on all my organs due to the stomach being where it shouldn't be my band had also slipped slightly due to this. And as I had no insurance at the time and no way to have it repaired I just lived with it, Last year I had 7 operations which also stressed out me and my body more so weight gain was also caused from the stress.

Gonna get sooo flammed for this but : Ankle weights? Gain 15 + weights for the rest? Eat tons of salty food& take psuedophed right before your blood pressure test? Manipulate the test. Think of ur babies getting hit by a car, or other stressful situations during test? Eat sugary foods after midnight on the days of your glucose test. Hey- insurance wants to play- fight fire with fire! Not advocatibg this but, iit an option ifyou can still sleep at night knowing you gamed the system.

I got stretchmarks when I was a teenager (just from growing), and I know lots of people who did, too. It's not just a weight gain or pregnancy thing.

The subject of Psych Evals comes up here every once in a while , and I am always amused while reading the responses and reactions people have. And, I sometimes get a little angry as well, because of some of the comments I see people making. The “psych” component is one that is REALLY overlooked and downplayed by people when they are getting weight loss surgery. They complain about having to do it, and I think that is a BIG mistake. So….I have a few…(ahem)….”comments”. I think that many people are missing the point entirely when it comes to the Psych Evaluation portion of the Lap Band (or any WLS) process. While it varies from person to person, the problem of obesity comes down to a very simple equation: We eat TOO much of the WRONG stuff. And most of the time, we do that not because we are physically hungry, but because of the “head hunger” that so many of us experience. And, simply because it gives us physical pleasure to eat good tasting food. Sure, there are segments of the Obese population that have some form of metabolic disorder, there are absorption issues, and some other elements that play a role in the path to becoming Obese. But MOST of the problem lies in the fact that we simply eat too much of the wrong food. And, of course, we don’t exercise our bodies nearly enough. The fundamental mechanism of the Lap Band is to restrict our consumption of food. Plain and Simple. If you eat too much, you’re gonna suffer. If you don’t chew properly, it’s gonna hurt. It’s a valve. It’s a Spigot. It’s a throttle whose job it is to keep you from eating TOO MUCH (note to those engineer-types out there: I know it’s not technically a”valve”…it doesn’t open/close. I know…but you get my point…lol). There are some theoretical elements to the Lap band experience such as reduced appetite and hunger, but that does not occur in all people….it is more the exception than the rule. The point here is that a HUGE component of the weight loss process is the MIND GAME. It is psychological in nature, and if that particular part of the puzzle is not dealt with, you will not be entirely successful in your weight loss efforts, with or WITHOUT the Lap Band. Some people get lucky and the band is all they need to lose all the weight, but they are really the exception. And, if the band stops working or needs to be removed, then you have a big problem if you have NOT dealt with the mind/emotional issues relating to obesity. So many Lap Band patients see the Band as some magical device that is stuffed in their stomach and Voila! ….they’re not hungry any more. Nothing could be further from the truth, for MOST Lap Band recipients. It takes discipline, self control, patience, and a strong personal commitment to the process to make it work properly. And THAT is why they make you go through the Psychological Evaluation. To make sure that you are up for it emotionally. For those of you that are complaining about having to go through the process, I would say that your attitude is sorely lacking…big time. Particularly “Shonette”, who doesn’t seem to want to do ANYTHING to help herself in this process. She wants the band to do everything for her, and it’s too bad, ‘coz that AIN’T how it works. You don’t want to do the 6-month diet? Here’s a news flash for ya….the Lap Band IS a diet,,,one you’ll be on as long as you have it in you. So get used to it. Personally, I feel very strongly that regular sessions with a Psychotherapist that specializes in bariatric issues (and I mean SPECIALIZES, not just as part of the practice) should be a requirement of getting a Lap Band, not just a single session before the surgery. This should be an ongoing process, designed to support you in your weight loss efforts, and help you identify and manage the issues that have driven you to overeat in the first place. Now, on the other side of this, I do think that SOME of the consultations ARE a joke. The insurance industry really needs to do some “housecleaning” with regard to how they handle these evaluations. Some of it really is “going through the motions”, and that, honestly, doesn’t help anyone at all. But that doesn’t keep the PATIENT from taking a proactive stance and seeking out quality behavioral therapy to assist them in this process. So, as a prospective Lap Band patient you should absolutely NOT be rejecting the idea of psychological intervention in your quest for better health,,,,you SHOULD be wholeheartedly EMBRACING the idea that your problem with obesity is multi-faceted, and needs help from multiple resources, and NOT just a noose around your stomach. Some comments on what some of you have said here: Cwm812: “I can't imagine any other demographic group having to have a psych consult to get corrective surgery.” Sorry, but what you are having is NOT “corrective” surgery. There is probably nothing “wrong” with you physiologically. You EAT too much, of the WRONG stuff. It is a CHOICE you have made. The surgery will NOT “correct” that. It MIGHT keep you from eating as much as you do, but there is nothing “corrective” about it. It is NOT the same as someone who was born with one leg shorter than the other, or someone who has a faulty hip. Or a bad heart valve. This surgery is about preventing you from following through on the Bad choices you are making. In your case, it looks like you have lost most of your weight with just the use of the band, and that is terrific. But for MOST people, but problem is a little deeper. And you have to keep in mind that there may come a time when you will have to have the band removed. There is increased incidence of erosion, slippage, and other problems that can happen with the band. These problems are surfacing in people who have had the band longer than 3 years, and it is happening with greater frequency, and more people are having to have their bands removed. So, while you may have solved the “physical” component of your obesity by using the Band to limit your intake, based upon what you have said here it is unlikely that you have addressed the psychological component; and there may come a time when you will have to live without the advantage of the Lap Band and the restriction it places on your eating. “I have no problem with psychologists. I have even gone to them for various problems throughout my life, but as a condition of this surgery, it's demeaning to have to prove that you are competent to be of normal size!” The Pysch Eval has NOTHING to do with “proving competence to be of normal size”. What an absurd statement. What is has to do with is to make certain that you are aware what the challenges are post-surgery, and that you are capable of sticking to the rules, and willing to do the work that is necessary to reach your goal. And a GOOD therapist will want to work with you to help isolate issues in your life that might get in the way of doing so. THAT is what it is all about. Cwm812 and 4Sammy: "I hate when we waste our medical resources in this country." So, you guys see obesity as merely a PHYSICAL issue? Something that just “happens” to you? Something you didn’t play a role in? It’s nothing that you had a CHOICE about? That’s how you see it? You know…there is a significant percentage of people who think that Weight Loss Surgery IS a waste of “Medical Resources”…..Many people think that we, as obese people, simply have no self-control or discipline, and that WLS is a waste of Surgical Talent that could be used on more “serious” maladies, like heart disease and cancer. As a Weight Loss Surgery patient, I do not entirely agree with that notion….but I UNDERSTAND it. I understand what they are saying. I recognize that obesity IS a self-inflicted wound. For the most part, we do it to OURSELVES. And wouldn’t it be great if we could find a way to solve the problem WITHOUT tying up Surgical Theaters and other resources? We all know that it is not that simple….BUT proper counseling and psychotherapy CAN make a world of difference to people who are struggling with weight issues. I have personal acquaintances that have been able to lose significant amounts of weight by seeking out a properly credentialed psychotherapist, and getting to the root of life issues that have contributed to large amounts of weight gain. Regular Psychotherapy played a HUGE role in my own transformation. Christiemr: “Just one more benefit to being self pay I guess, no psych consult! Woohoo!!! In medicine we call it CYA (cover your a--) medicine. I'm sure there's one person out there somewhere who had the procedure expecting the magic quick fix, didn't do what they were supposed to, got stuck, slipped band, etc and then tried to sue their doctor so they all freaked out and started requiring the psych eval.... Just a theory. “ Wonderful. “just one more benefit”….meaning just one less thing you HAVE to do that might very well make the difference between your being successful or failing in this process. Shonette: “Why in the world do someone need to tell me what my thoughts or feelings need to be concerning my over weight condition. I know that am over weight and that is why am doing something about it. “ You really don’t get it, do you? It’s not about “telling you what your thoughts should be”. It’s about finding out WHY you feel how you do about eating and then coming up with methodologies to deal with those issues. And there’s other stuff involved too, but for you to discount something very fundamental to weight loss (and ANY behavioral Psychologist will verify what I am saying) is to dramatically decrease your chances for long-term success with ANY weight-loss procedure, surgery or otherwise. “Am willing to do only those things that I have to do and nothing more.” That is the purest recipe for failure that I have heard in a LONG time. To kagead: It sounds like you have a Dr that’s “gets it”. I hope you keep Psychotherapy as part of your “band lifestyle”….I can guarantee that it will play a role in your success. Ok, I have spent far too long on this. If anyone who is reading this thinks that I have been insulting or something else, that is NOT my intention. But understand that I have been involved in weight Loss surgery-related areas for nearly a decade. I have undergone multiple Surgeries, have made many mistakes, and I have learned the HARD WAY what it takes to be a success at this. And one of the most important elements of this whole process is to pay close attention to the MIND element of this. Because THAT is where the success begins and ends. So, when you are sent for your Psych eval, I would heartily suggest that instead of seeing it as a waste of time, think of it as another component of a successful Lap Band experience….embrace it, and consider making Psychotherapy a part of the process of becoming a Healthier person. It might be the difference between success and failure.

just want to remind you that one of the pitfalls i have heard about is drinking your calories. drinking things high in calories will not promote the weight loss and can even bring about weight gain. I know how you feel about missing something you loved. I loved icecream and it is one of the few things that still tugs at me saying "eat me".. i haven't given in and i hope not to.. not yet anyways.. still have lots of lbs to lose! good luck!

Me, too. Me, too. The psychiatrist who prescribed Zoloft for me a few years ago warned me that she wanted me off it by the 2 year mark because, if you take it longer than 2 years, you can expect weight gain. So, with therapy and stuff, I was off at the 2 year point - gained weight, though. I think it was actually that last bunch of pounds that put me into the WLS mode of thinking. I had been hovering at about 30 pounds less than now for several years. But I think it may actually have been the Zoloft that sealed the fate of my already sluggish metabolism. Darn, that Zoloft really worked well. I could have stayed on it forever if not for the side effects.

Boy what a battle. Started out with the turkey being stuffed in the morning and me being stuffed at nite. BUT I won...I'm still here...poor turkey. I refuse to peek at the scale. Afriad it may put me in a tailspin. Plus it takes a few days for food to sometime register on that darn scale anyway. SO its intense time on treadmill for the weekend. If I can come out of this with no weight gain on Monday it will a miracle. (Becky is snickering lol)

When I met my husband of 8 years ago I already had RnY surgery...and was at my lowest adult weight at that time and looking and feeling fabulous! But about 4-5 years ago I started gaining weight and I can tell although he does not say anything he does not like the weight gain. I decided finally to seek a revision of my previous procedure and I am currently in the preop surgery process with all the tests and appts., we have talked about it and he is happy either way with my decision to do the revision surgery or to continue trying to lose it without surgery. People's inner self can manifest at any time,so for some the weightloss was their catalyst sadly!!

I really don't know what it was yesterday....but it happens once or twice a month.... guess near PMS.... but I'm back to normal today.... but I'm gonna try to focus on protein from now on.... I got a problem with getting chicken & meat down.... but I focused more on milk, cheese & eggs..... snacked on dates.... the crunchy ones, don't know if you have these..... I always drink coffee with skimmed powder milk & fructose instead of sugar....hate splenda.... cook my food with olive oil only.... I hope I get back on track.... I don't mind stalling, cause it happened before, but I get terrified of weight gain....

Hi PEvette- I actively sought therapy prior to getting sleeved for resolution with my food issues. Like you, I had been heavy since I was a child but I managed to drop 80 lbs. on three different occasions and then promptly gain it all plus 10 lbs. back. I wanted to figure out why I have done this, why food had such a hold on me and whatever I needed to know to finally be successful. The therapist I choose helped me with all aspects of my life because, really, all aspects of my like contributed to my dependency on food. She then helped me discover where my relationship with food went wrong, what my triggers were for poor choices and how to change my behaviors. The work we did before surgery was huge in prepping me mentally for life with a small stomach. I continued to see her for the first four months post-op as I found that I needed a sounding board as I worked out my new lifestyle. I stopped seeing her for about 6 months and just last week popped in for a "check up". It seems I am hung up at 205 and I am making poor choices keeping me here. I actually have anxiety about what life will be like once I get under 200 (totally weird, I know). Anyway, having that pre-established relationship allowed me to drop in and work on getting my head right. Basically, she helped me recognize that I fear that once I hit goal I will start to gain again like in the past. Long story short, I am big fan of using a therapist in this journey. I believe our head/emotions are big part of what lead to the weight gain and this tool will not be effective unless we get those right. I figured that if I was willing to permanently remove 80% of my stomach, then I better be willing to talk with someone to make sure this tool worked forever. But, this is just me and my experience. Others may feel differently. Best of luck to you on your journey! Amanda