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That area is where the terminal part of your large intestine is located. With the weight gain and pain in that area, could you be constipated?

When I asked the psych why we had to come see him he said that among other reasons 70% of women wanting the LB have gotten to that point because they had been sexually abused at some point in their lives. That weight could be a way to feel like it won't happen again so they like to make sure there aren't any underlying issues that caused the weight gain. I guess that made sense, I didn't have any weird questionaires I had to fill out......

Hello Lisa’s Hope! I was one of your caring supporters during your darkest days when you first lost your husband. It is so good to see your post today! Most importantly—although it might not feel like it to you, you HAVE made tremendous progress in clawing your way back from your devastating loss. I know sometimes I get so tired of people telling me how “resilient” I am. Do you ever feel that way too? But, I personally believe that our lost loved ones want us to honor them in the best way there is, and that is to live out our lives joyfully in peace, and in the present day, not stuck in the past or in what could have been. OK--about your weight regain. YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE! Thousands upon thousands of people who go through far less traumatic experiences than you have REGAIN much more than 38 lbs. Some people LOSE a lot of weight during major emotional trauma. That’s who we are. Emotional humans. It doesn’t make us failures. I just want to share some of my thoughts with you because you've been through so much and I just wish you future happiness and contentment in your WLS life. Your post was really just venting and you didn't really ask for this advice, so I hope you don't find my post offensive. Have you thought about paying more attention to the negative talk you are telling yourself? It can really keep us weighed down (no pun intended) emotionally. Just a couple thoughts as you try to get yourself "Back to Basics:" The FIRST step to reclaim control of your eating habits is to BE KIND TO YOURSELF. The SECOND step is to focus on TODAY’s eating only. Not what happened yesterday. The THIRD step might be to actually sit down and make a written list of the exact foods that you KNOW are the biggest culprits that are most contributing to your weight gain. (This is a tough get-real moment for a lot of us). It might be that you need to go “cold turkey” and totally eliminate these foods until you reach your desired weight. Get them out of the house. Meanwhile, you find some acceptable substitutes for these foods so you don’t feel deprived. (Write the healthy substitute next to the culprit food.) For instance, you mentioned Fudgesicles—maybe find a recipe for frozen Greek yogurt drops. If you are near a Sams Club or Sprouts market, Fresh N Easy, check out Enlightened frozen bars—a satisfying 3.5 oz bar for Cal=80, Fat=2.5g,Carb=15g, Fib=5g, Sug=3g, Pro=9g. The FOURTH step is to be ready to commit to doing what it takes to consume your healthy 3 meals/2 Snacks per day, within your calorie/protein allotment. Do you have good bari recipes? Maybe visit www.theworldaccordingtoeggface.com for starters. Yep, preparing 3 meals and 2 snacks is a lot of work, but we learn to be smart about it by planning ahead, cooking ahead, freezing portions, etc. Makes it almost painless! It is never too late to get rid of your old unhealthy eating habits and create the new, healthy habits and lifestyle that the long-term WLS patients use to maintain their weight. You most likely did not have the time and dedication to establish those good, solid habits back then because you were in the throes of dealing with your husband’s illness. So, now is YOUR time. (Fad) DIETS don’t work! (No disrespect to those who post on here who use the 5:2. I know many of you find it very useful—I’m not calling it “fad”). We had WLS so we don’t have to be on DIETS for the rest of our lives. I've found that the formula for WLS eating is really pretty simple: Use food as fuel and medicine for the body. Our bodys' cells and systems know how to process real, whole foods to keep our health and weight in balance. It does not know what to do with all the processed junk food that we feed it, and the results are very predictable (weight gain; potential for disease). You mentioned that you thought the sleeve would help you for the rest of your life. It does and it will always, and it is sitting there ready to help you. But you have to hold up your end of the bargain for the rest of your life. I’m four years out, and like you, I can definitely eat as much as I could before surgery. Yes, I am surprised about that. Yes, I get hungrier than I thought I would. No, I didn’t think that’s how it would be. But I also know that if I eat junky carbs (sugar), my appetite goes way out of control immediately for days after. So, it’s just plain not worth it to me. It IS a CHOICE that we all ultimately must make for ourselves. Do we want to consciously control our food choices for the rest of our lives—or—don’t we? You can replace your fear, Lisa, with your POWER, and you can begin to practice removing “I can’t” and “if only” from your vocabulary! YOU CAN. Period. I know there are so many people here for you...

Well i got approved with some extra documentation. i ducked out of here because i had gone on the 2 shake diet, lost 14 lbs and then they told me I was going to have to do weight watchers for 6 months. So I compleatly wigged out because the surgery planner told me to just maintain that weight for six months. They said if; lost too much more, i wouldn't be covered. I have to be over 40 Bmi even with all my medical problems. I have never been a weight I needed to maintain...so no surprise, I now have 10 lbs to Lose again. Once my doc faxed over the proof of weigh once a month at his office, they approved it. Sooooo my pre-op class is Friday at 8 am. They are calling me back to schedule a surgery date. It could be this month, I will have to waiting and see....but I am approved. I am mad at myself for the weight gain...now I am back to shakes starting tonight since I already ate lunch. I am feeling very nervous now. I am worried I won't lose it in time...I am going to have to be close by Friday.....how am I going to lose 10 lbs by Friday? Any suggestions? I know it is my fault for reacting in this way and I know it is my responsibility to lose this weightl but I am seriouse about this...please help it you can.

To not have any follow-up care and gain only 15 pounds in two years is verrrry good. But now you're back and ready to dive in again - good for you. I totally agree with Cathy. Get to the doctor. You're not the first person to go missing for awhile and definitely not the first person to have weight gain. I stopped going for follow-ups and gained, too, but I'm back on track. When the nurse gave me a little bit of a rough time about not eating right, etc, my response was a casual, "I know I've not been doing everything that I needed to do, but I'm here now. At least I came back." I got back into the good habits by following the post-fill instructions to the letter. By the time that was over, the cravings were gone. Good for you for getting your head back in the game. Good luck!

Hi, I will be seeing a bariatric surgeon this week. I've always been at least 10 or 15 pounds overweight. But I am now at least 70 pounds over ideal weight. I thought it was only going through treatment for colon cancer, that caused me excessive weight gain. The surgery and the chemo wore me out, the steroids I had to use to treat the chemo side effects also affected my weight and I was not making good food choices. My oncologist raised bariatric surgery as a possible treatment for the obesity. My primary care doctor is ok with the idea, she just wanted to make sure that I was mentally and physically prepared for another surgery. My BMI is about 36. That BMI level, plus having at least two competitors, high blood pressure and sleep apnea, will qualify me for insurance coverage. I've found some studies that suggest excess weight increases the risk of developing certain forms of cancer. But I've also seen a study that suggests that those who have had bariatric surgery have a greater likelihood of colon cancer after the surgery. Ann Surg. 2013 Dec;258(6):983-8, Increased risk of colorectal cancer after obesity surgery. I have records of my weight and I see that as far back as 2012 I was at least 60 pounds overweight. So this weight problem has been with me for awhile, both before and after cancer treatment. I've tried calorie restriction and exercise in the last few years but it hasn't helped. In the past I've used slimfast, Atkins, weight watchers, etc. They all worked, but I gained the weight back. I am an emotional eater. What will happen if I continue to eat based on emotions after I have bariatric surgery? I recognize that surgery will not cure the emotion based eating. I am considering either lap band or gastric sleeve. I would like to know anyone's experience with these surgeries. Were the side effects really difficult to deal with? How did you decide which surgery was better for you? Do you think that the reduction of the likelihood some cancers outweighs the potential increase in colon cancer likelihood? Finally, I am aware that bariatric surgery is not a quick fix or a cure all.

Great to hear from you ! Tomorrow night I am going to the Tufts Med Cntr for their intro program and I have 2 more scheduled also. I would prefer the Brigham...but I need a referral after all is said and done. Where did you have your procedure done? I am 240 lbs..the most I have ever been in my life. The more weight I try to lose, the more weight I gain. I can overeat on a head of lettuce! The lowest weight I can remember is 156 and I was a pre teen. 2 Years ago I had breast reduction because of the back pain and ..yep...they grew back because of weight gain! Hello back pain. Last evening I watched You Tube Lap Band procedures and was shocked at all the fat inside our bodies!!!!(I don't think I can clean a Perdue roaster out for a long while after those videos LOL.) This morning I woke up asking myself if I am willing to go to any lengths..even the Lap Band surgery...the answer was a resounding 'YES'. You appear to have a positive experience with the LB..and I like that. You are losing and more importantly ,you are feeling well as you reach toward your goal. Congrats on the 200 mark. Keep up the good work. You are an inspiration.

Hello - I was sleeved on 9/10 and so far my recovery has been right on par. Everything I expected to happen, happened (THANK GOD FOR THIS WEBSITE!!) and every day I saw drastic improvements in how much Protein I was able to get in, fluids, etc. Small victories, but exciting nonetheless. In addition to quitting medicine for Diabetes Type II and Hypertension (yea, kicked them in the a**)... I've quit smoking and quit caffeine (I am also a recovering drug/alcohol addict with almost 3 years sober). So, I have a LOT to be grateful for and proud of. But, I have a lot of fear and anxiety that "it wont happen." Anyone else have this post-op? I even gained 3 lbs when I switched from Clear liquids to full liquids. I'm still getting less than 600 calories a day, 70+ grams of protein and as much Water as I can. Is this normal? How can I not focus on the # glaring back at me from the scale? Thanks!

I think stress makes you gain weight. My job is very stressful and I gained a lot of weight over a very short period of time. My eating habits did not change so I can only think it was the stress. I was converted from band to bypass 4/3. My surgeon was able to do it in one surgery which was the only thing I was stressing about prior to surgery. She warned me ahead do time that often there is so much scar tissue that she cannot safely do the bypass. You have to heal and they do it at a later time. My insurance has a dollar cap on bariatric procedures so if I did not get it converted in one surgery I was not going to be able to have a second due to costs. After all the worry she was able to do it but the surgery was very long. It took better than 4 hours. Do not worry about the weight gain and try to desires as you are able. I go for a walk or listen to music or read to help with the stress. Good luck to you!! Jennie

In summary from reading these and other articles (my conclusion—please draw your own, I am not an expert and still awaiting to be sleeved!). I am having a bit of pre-surgery jitters, so re-researching to be clear I am making the right choice for me, for the right reasons and my expectations of self and surgery are realistic. The long term percentage rate of dieters regaining most or all weight back does seem to be much higher (up to 95%) than those that actually have bariatric surgery . HOWEVER, WITH THAT SAID, SOME STUDIES SAY UP TO 5% OF BARIATRIC PATIENTS GAIN IT ALL BACK. 2-3 years after surgery 80% of patients regain 5-10 pounds and approximately another 20% keep creeping up (unclear how much and if you look at other stats it appears most of them most get a handle on it). I am having pre-surgery (April 10, 2012) jitters and was having moments of wanting to back out but the stats seem to favor using the tool of surgery, but it is obvious bariatric surgery is no magic wand and one still has to ; PORTION CONTROL (YOU WILL EVENTUALLY BE ABLE TO EAT ENOUGH TO REGAIN WEIGHT—IF NOT CAREFUL!) EATING THE RIGHT FOODS EXERCISE SUPPORT SYSTEMS (FOR BOTH EATING & WORKING OUT HABITS AND OVERALL MENTAL HEALTH support for dealing with the daily stressors in life!) Dieters-Weight Gain Stats http://magazine.ucla.edu/exclusives/dieting_no-go/ http://www.livestrong.com/article/438395-the-percentage-of-people-who-regain-weight-after-rapid-weight-loss-risks/ http://www.lvrj.com/health/weight-loss-hard-to-maintain-121986554.html Weight Gain Stats for Gastric Surgery Patients; http://www.livestrong.com/article/407343-a-regain-after-weight-loss-surgery/ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1856611/ (very medical stat type of doc) http://livingafterwls.blogspot.com/2011/05/understanding-weight-gain-after-weight.html (a blog discussing stats but not referencing…so okay article) http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Fitness/story?id=4444057&page=1#.T3syJ_mUUq4 (a good and concise article) http://www.bariatric-surgery-source.com/weight-gain-after-gastric-bypass.html (Excellent article on regain stats, how not to regain, what other tools needed for success)

Anyone else gain weight for the first 2-3 days postop? I am thinking it is water retention. Is this common? Was 282 day of surgery Tues today Thurs I am 286. I know i shouldn't be stepping on the scale, but it is impossible not to be curioous.

darlingkassy welcome gotta tell you girlfriend .....don't misunderstand, but........... you are "everyones" worst nightmare!!!! seeing a fellow sleever gain back their weight but.........its good to confirm/show us that it is possible to gain the weight back!!!!egads :ph34r: many/hopefully most people realize weight gain back is possible we tell ourselves it can't happen - but most of know better we have to work hard with all the rules we followed earlier so we can maintain i think its good to hear stories like yours, because it makes me/most of us realize that working with the sleeve is a must for the rest of our lives we always knew that - but i think many/some NEWBIES think once the weight is off - its permanent well it IS permanent - as long as we follow the lifestyle with water/protein et al that we've been taught I think many/most VETS are more aware/scared of gaining weight back knowing that there is/could be a prob with weight gain, is half the battle I/us most/all of us have always yo yo'd not able to keep the weight off now we are finally being given theis "tool" of the sleeve - we must abide by all the rules forever and a day!!!! guess i'm just repeating this to myself - because its so important - and i'm trying to convince myself of something i already know (about the possibility of weight gain) we've all gone through so much to lose this weight - KEEP it off my meds, comorbities are gone - i never want to go backwards!!!! I can't physically/mentally afford to go back to my old lifestyle I have in the past said this "spiel" to myself - to remind myself to stay on track!!!!! we/me still goof up sometimes - but hopefully/usually bounce back soon now............to finally answer your question darlingkassy :wub: my suggestion to you/and any of us in the future who fell off the wagon,,,,,,, go back to basics with the Protein shake drink as much Water as you can maybe stay on liquids only for a week - full liquids for another week this will give you that push, to start your weight loss again when back on solids - chew everything to death, eat very very slowly stop drinking about 30 minutes before you eat never drink with meals don't drink for about 45 minutes before you eat again drink at least 64 oz of H20 a day!!!! i'm repeating these essential rules in case you don't remember them, since its been a while since you were doing things correctly do some exercise - walking is great if you are just getting back into the groove glad you came here - we all do support each other, thats the name of the game the first step is the hardest and you made it by coming back here, realizing you have a problem, and wanting to go forward you can do this!!!! come back with any and all questions i'll be on the lookout for you glad you are here good luck kathy

I'm Laura, a low bmi self pay who's decided to give myself a tool in my arsenal in my lifelong battle against obesity. I'm just tired of fignting so dang hard and never feeling satisfied no matter how much I eat. All of my siblings are at least 100 lbs overweight, and I'm close to being there myself. I know I could wait a few years, gain 25 lbs, and get my insurance to pay for everything...BUT...this is not how I want to live my "one wild and precious life" I'm turning forty in a few months, and feel 40 years of scratching and clawing in a constantly losing battle of weight loss and weight gain is just about enough. My surgery is the day before Thanksgiving, and I'm nervous and excited. Mostly nervous because I'm afraid that once again, I'll blow it. I know the band is not a handful of magic beans, that it is a weight loss aid, and I still have to eat right and exercise. That said, I'm so comitted to doing my part. New lease on life. New stomach, new me. hee hee.

Okay so I have Aetna insurance and I am doing the three month program. I am currently on month 2 (about to be on month 3). In November (first month) my nutritionist weighed me in at 270lbs. I have also been seeing an exercise therapist that also weighs me and in November she weighed me in at 271lbs. At the very beginning of December my exercise therapist weighed me in at 271lbs. I just had my second nutritionist appointment today 12-22-10 and she weighed me in at 280lbs! I've gained 9lbs in December! Yes, I am definitely going to blame it on the holidays. I have been to SO many Christmas parties and it's just hard. Now, I know I can lose that 9lbs by my next and final nutritionist appointment which will be in January. However, I am just a little worried that my insurance company (aetna) will see that 9lbs weight gain and deny me. I mean, I AM going to lose it by my next nutritionist visit and be at my original 270lbs. I am just worried about insurance. So my question is, has anyone gained weight during their weight-loss program but then lost it to be back down to their original level and still got approved? Thanks!

Hi All!! In preparation for my plastic surgery consult (and hopefully procedures) this spring I've upped my workouts to try and get into the best possible shape. I hate that even after all of my successes, I still let the number on the scale dictate my moods and my actions. In the past, when I've started working out harder I gave up because the number on the scale actually went UP. Logically, I know this is inflammation, Water retention, possibly not getting enough calories and going into starvation mode...anything but "real" weight gain. BUT, I let it get to me anyway and would stop working out (which of course didn't result in losing a bunch of weight, lol). Currently, I have about 5 more weeks until my consult, and I've just decided to stay OFF the scale. I don't really care what the number is (for the first time in my life I'm happy with my weight) and I know that working out and eating right will get me where I need to be. Right now I'm working out twice per day: waking up at 5am and working out doing either light cardio or strength, and then again when I get home from work, usually more intense cardo training in the evening. So far, I feel great. This is my third week into it...and I haven't given up!! When I go in for my consult in April I'll be looking to do a 360 lower body lift and breast lift. I've gotten some good advise about the lower body lift, and have learned that the better shape your core is in before surgery, the better your recovery will be. I'm going to give it all I've got, and hopefully I'll continue to see positive changes!

I seen a lot of people on this forum not receiving family Support and getting called weak well i have a confession to make i didnt get any support i was laughed at and made fun of called weak called will less was told its all in my mind and was told several time I will fail most of the people were so called friends and family who themselves are not in perfect shape but have a lot to say . I feel it is your strength that you are taking this step also all you are getting is a tool to help you win this battle. I went to hospital with one of of my friends cause family wouldn't support me and thought i am wasting time.Guess what Surgery weight height 6 ft wt 287.5 in 5 days ( my surgery was on 8th of this month) today weight 264.... With ought this tool it's a very hard battle something I read at New York Times..... Shows Why It’s Hard to Keep Weight Off For years, studies of obesity have found that soon after fat people lost weight, their metabolism slowed and they experienced hormonal changes that increased their appetites. Scientists hypothesized that these biological changes could explain why most obese dieters quickly gained back much of what they had so painfully lost. GETTY IMAGES But now a group of Australian researchers have taken those investigations a step further to see if the changes persist over a longer time frame. They recruited healthy people who were either overweight or obese and put them on a highly restricted diet that led them to lose at least 10 percent of their body weight. They then kept them on a diet to maintain that weight loss. A year later, the researchers found that the participants’ metabolism and hormone levels had not returned to the levels before the study started. The study, being published Thursday in The New England Journal of Medicine, is small and far from perfect, but confirms their convictions about why it is so hard to lose weight and keep it off, say obesity researchers who were not involved the study. They cautioned that the study had only 50 subjects, and 16 of them quit or did not lose the required 10 percent of body weight. And while the hormones studied have a logical connection with weight gain, the researchers did not show that the hormones were causing the subjects to gain back their weight. Nonetheless, said Dr. Rudolph Leibel, an obesity researcher at Columbia, while it is no surprise that hormone levels changed shortly after the participants lost weight, “what is impressive is that these changes don’t go away.” Dr. Stephen Bloom, an obesity researcher at Hammersmith Hospital in London, said the study needed to be repeated under more rigorous conditions, but added, “It is showing something I believe in deeply — it is very hard to lose weight.” And the reason, he said, is that “your hormones work against you.” In the study, Joseph Proietto and his colleagues at the University of Melbourne recruited people who weighed an average of 209 pounds. At the start of the study, his team measured the participants’ hormone levels and assessed their hunger and appetites after they ate a boiled egg, toast, margarine, orange juice and crackers for Breakfast. The dieters then spent 10 weeks on a very low calorie regimen of 500 to 550 calories a day intended to makes them lose 10 percent of their body weight. In fact, their weight loss averaged 14 percent, or 29 pounds. As expected, their hormone levels changed in a way that increased their appetites, and indeed they were hungrier than when they started the study. They were then given diets intended to maintain their weight loss. A year after the subjects had lost the weight, the researchers repeated their measurements. The subjects were gaining the weight back despite the maintenance diet — on average, gaining back half of what they had lost — and the hormone levels offered a possible explanation. One hormone, leptin, which tells the brain how much body fat is present, fell by two-thirds immediately after the subjects lost weight. When leptin falls, appetite increases and metabolism slows. A year after the weight loss diet, leptin levels were still one-third lower than they were at the start of the study, and leptin levels increased as subjects regained their weight. Other hormones that stimulate hunger, in particular ghrelin, whose levels increased, and peptide YY, whose levels decreased, were also changed a year later in a way that made the subjects’ appetites stronger than at the start of the study. The results show, once again, Dr. Leibel said, that losing weight “is not a neutral event,” and that it is no accident that more than 90 percent of people who lose a lot of weight gain it back. “You are putting your body into a circumstance it will resist,” he said. “You are, in a sense, more metabolically normal when you are at a higher body weight.” A solution might be to restore hormones to normal levels by giving drugs after dieters lose weight. But it is also possible, said Dr. Jules Hirsch of Rockefeller University, that researchers just do not know enough about obesity to prescribe solutions. One thing is clear, he said: “A vast effort to persuade the public to change its habits just hasn’t prevented or cured obesity.” “We need more knowledge,” Dr. Hirsch said. “Condemning the public for their uncontrollable hedonism and the food industry for its inequities just doesn’t seem to be turning the tide.”

In a number of posts lately, opinions have been expressed that some people are gaining or at least not losing weight due to a lack of carbs in their diet. I've spent the better part of my spare time for the past three days trying to find any scientific proof of this theory. All I could come up with was a discredited study from some years ago. If any one has proof that this theory has some basis in fact, could you please present it on this forum so we might have a new reason for lack of weight loss.

Researchers generally determine Protein quality by using the protein efficiency ratio (PER) or the protein digestibility corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS). They determine the PER by evaluating the weight gain in growing rats fed a particular protein compared with a standard protein, egg whites being the gold standard. The higher the PER value, the greater the protein quality. The PDCAAS was introduced as a more accurate way to evaluate protein quality for humans, because it uses human, not rat, amino acid requirements to calculate the amino acid score. It compares the amino acid profile of a protein with the essential amino acid requirements for humans according to The food and Agriculture Organization. When a protein meets this requirement, it gets a score of 1.0. PDCAAS has now been adopted as the official method by the World Health Organisation, the US Food and Drug Administration and the US Department of Agriculture. Although the PDCAAS method is the internationally recognised standard for comparing Proteins for human consumption, it does not allow for differentiation among proteins with a PDCAAS of 1.0, so proteins can have different PERs while still having a PDCAAS of 1.0. This is significant, because researchers are now exploring how variances in specific essential and/or conditionally essential amino acids, as well as the availability of various peptides and micronutrients, affect human physiology. Claims of consumer-relevant superiority or inferiority, when performance of physique modificaitons are concerned, have yet to be supported by population-specific evidence in humans. Protein PCDAAS PER Gelatin/collagen 0.08. -- Beef/poultry/fish 0.80-0.92. 2.0-2.3 Soy 1.00. 1.8-2.3 Ovalbumin (egg) 1.00. 2.8 Milk protein 1.00. 2.8 Casein 1.00 2.9 whey 1.00. 3.0-3.2 Bovine colostrum. 1.00. 3.0-3.2 Table 1 Table 1 (above) lists the PER and/or PDCAAS for the major types of protein used in nutritional supplements. The following discusses the relative strengths and weaknesses of these basic types of proteins that are often used as starting materials for nutritional supplements. Of course, adding deficient amino acids and other nutrients to these proteins may increase the PDCAAS, nutrient value and/or functionality of the protein. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> As you can see above collagen/gelatin is nearly useless to the human body. This is what is in almost all protein shots. Always check the ingredients. Many makers of protien shots are giving them names that have Whey in their title but are still using collagen/gelatin as their primary protein source. Also keep in mind that ingredients on labels are listed in the order of amount used. So if collagen or Gelatin is listed first then it is the primary protein source for that product.

I have been over weight my entire adult life. I am 24 and feel like i am older than that lol. About 4 years ago i had a knee surgery that would lead to my weight gain and ultimatly to the lowest self esteem of my life. I struggle day to day with my body image and i hate being the Fat girl that has a "great" personality. I want to feel better and to look better. I have a wonderful friend that is a godnsend in my life. She is my best friend and sister. Next Saturday we are going to duluth to go to a seminar on weight loss surgery. We are looking at both getting the lap band. I am both excited and nervous. Part of me feels crappy that i have to have this surgery to loose weight but part of me is ready to change. I am waiting on insurance but i should have no problem with getting aproved by my insurance. I also have had the recomendation to have this surgery done. I will be posting on here about my personal journey through weight loss hell and too the ideal that i will be. I cant wait to begin my journey! Im jsut glad i am not doing it alone!

I have been over weight my entire adult life. I am 24 and feel like i am older than that lol. About 4 years ago i had a knee surgery that would lead to my weight gain and ultimatly to the lowest self esteem of my life. I struggle day to day with my body image and i hate being the Fat girl that has a "great" personality. I want to feel better and to look better. I have a wonderful friend that is a godnsend in my life. She is my best friend and sister. Next Saturday we are going to duluth to go to a seminar on weight loss surgery. We are looking at both getting the lap band. I am both excited and nervous. Part of me feels crappy that i have to have this surgery to loose weight but part of me is ready to change. I am waiting on insurance but i should have no problem with getting aproved by my insurance. I also have had the recomendation to have this surgery done. I will be posting on here about my personal journey through weight loss hell and too the ideal that i will be. I cant wait to begin my journey! Im jsut glad i am not doing it alone!

I'm not sure about the liquids for some reason Iv never been a big drinker of anything so the band just increased what was already a struggle with the whole don't drink and eat thing and wait 30 mins. I didn't revise only because of reflux, It was managed with Prilosec well enough but more so because of just sick of the whole lifestyle that came with the band. Yes I could have loosened or unfilled but only with weight gain. Iv not had even a slight bit of reflux since removing the band but I also had a hiatal hernia repair during the revision. I had many barium swallows over the years since I worked in the surgeons office, a few dilated pouches that I would refill for about a month to correct but they never fully corrected. My esophagus is still dilated even in my recent X-rays.

O dear i can only imagine how u must be feeling…at the loss of you're child…its the hardest thing any parent can go through…my sympathies…as for you're weight gain maybe a therapist would not mind doing a phone in and have a few sessions over the tele…i wish u all the best...

I would love to find a mentor too:) Had my surgery last March down 57# wish more I have tough time food choices & meal planning trying new foods.Mother of 8 would prefer quick easy meal for brkfst & lunch I don't know....started curves to get moving more. I have daily back and hip pain on meds that cause weight gain. Having trouble getting protein in don't like fish some meats tough going down.Could use some help please )))

I am a Physician Assistant with over 12 years of experience in internal medicine and gastric band management . I am a certified provider in band management and have done thousands of fills. I believe in the band because I have seen, first hand, how well it works.....if the patient has been taught how to use it!!! Too often, the patient is rushed in and out of the office for a fill and the provider doesn't address what the patient is doing right or wrong. The weight log does not tell the whole story, far from it. Unfortunately, most providers put far too much "weight" in the weight log. For instance, the patient comes in for a 2 week follow up and has lost 3 lbs, great right? Not quite, If the provider doesn't ask the appropriate questions he/she may not know that the patient is too tight and vomiting daily, surprisingly, many patients won't offer this info up to the provider because they are losing weight. The provider MUST spend time withe the patient to determine if the band is too tight or is the patient making mistakes that cause vomiting. This vomiting is risky for band patients because it may cause a slip or erode the mucosa of the esophogus as well as many other potential problems. Believe it or not, there are plenty of "band bulemics" out there and most aren't identified because the provider doesn't spend enough time with the patient. On the flip side, some patients come in with a weight gain, yet their band is very tight. This is actually a common dilema and again if the provider doesn't ask the right questions, the patient will end up getting a fill when in reality, they need a small defill. Most patients want their band as tight as possible because that equates to more weight loss, right? When the band is too tight, the patient knows that most foods will cause vomiting. Ironically, its the food that they shouldn't eat, that they end up eating, thus weight gain. In this patient, with a small defill, the vomiting will resolve and their weight will drop. I am available to answer any questions this community has via this forum or email at jvmed@me.com.

So, I've been fat for most of my life. I've been fat ever since I was roughly 10 years old, but what I considered fat then is nothing compared to the state I am at now. After I got sex reassignment surgery, my metabolism went straight to hell and my energy levels fell. I didn't make any lifestyle changes afterwards, but the fact that I didn't was a part of the problem that resulted in the state where I am now. And gaining so much weight, I likely contracted sleep apnea due to my weight gain and also contracted plantar fasciitis, which makes it harder to be out and about without my arches screaming at me. I've tried so many diet and exercise programmes, from Bikram Yoga to Weight Watchers, from marathon training to calorie counting, from parkour to South Beach. In fact, I would have continued trying if not for someone in a chat room. They told me that I should get a lap band... to which I said "why? I can exercise, I have the discipline to diet, why the hell would I need a lap band?" We had a long discussion about bariatric surgery and I decided to do my research. I first considered the programme at Denver Health. After all, I didn't know about the programme just north of me in Fort Collins (and to be quite honest, that's kinda okay given the support network I've built up there) and I thought Denver Health was the natural place to go. That and UCHealth has had... issues with serving employees of the State of Colorado. So, I went to their support groups/medical weight loss classes (which were combined), attended sessions with their psychologist and saw their nutritionist only to get rejected because I had clinical depression. I feel the problem was that since the psychologist was not my regular psychologist and did not know me nor my support network well, that made her more skittish than she should have been. I then contacted the programme at Northern Colorado Surgical Associates (which is a part of the Poudre Valley Health System and their combined programme is called the "Bariatric Centre of the Rockies") and started attending their medical weight loss classes, their patient education seminar, got my regular therapist and prescriber to write my letter, and as of Tuesday, had surgery with them. Unfortunately, I don't feel that I can attend their support groups often (as their support groups are in Fort Collins and the transit back down to Longmont after 8pm is dismal at best), but the good news is that I have found other practices in the area which have support groups that I might be able to attend. I have a therapist that I really mesh with and I have a support network from both my church and my political party (Green Party of Colorado, FTW!) And I look forward to the future. I look forward to wearing all those cute goth/steampunk clothes I see in my Facebook news feed, I look forward to finishing up my transition by having facial feminization surgery/breast augmentation (which can only happen once I get to my goal weight, if my concern is having the best results), and most pressing, I look forward to the day I can waltz into the Denver Health support groups, look into the eyes of the nutritionists, psychologists, and that bariatric coordinator and tell them where they can stick it.