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serisla: Every doctor seems to approach the restriction process a little differently. Some are very conservative and take it slowly. Some choose to give you as much restriction at one time as you can handle. The best answer is what works for you. Your doctor is supposed to be working for you. You need to be able to use him and your band to your best dieting/maximum-health advantage. Communication is the key. I would write down my questions and concerns and make sure that they get answered so that you understand why he is choosing to only give you a certain number of fills per year. If he is intimidating, perhaps you could spend some time with his nurse or assistant and relate your concerns and any related problems (like weight gain) to her. She can run interference for you if necessary. If he is filling you to the max every time, that would explain why he only offers a couple of opportunities for fills a year. But he may just be conserving his own time, in which case it may not be the best answer for you. You're paying for his services so you should be able to give him feedback on whether his approach is working for you - or not. :crying:

Not weighing everyday is smart. I didn't weigh once during my vacation - two whole weeks! And I was thrilled to find that I'd lost about 5 lbs. So I definitely see the merit in not weighing so often. But I am trying to learn what foods and exercise cause the best results and when I see the scale move down even a few ounces I consider it a huge success. I've lived for so long either not weighing or when I did weigh, it was nearly always showing a weight gain, not a loss. I've always wondered about scuba diving. It seems like it would be magical. But I haven't felt comfortable in a swimsuit for so long I just never even considered doing it. I know you'll get the opportunity and I hope that it's everything you dreamed it would be. Let's both keep up the good work!!

I'm hearing crickets in here! So.... fasting today... Gained over thanksgiving weekend, but feeling good fasting today. REALLY trying to do it right on fast days. I killed myself with the leftovers.... lucky there was no pie in the house! Shoping today for some good veggies and supplies for healthy meals. Drinking a ton of Water, as i think some of the weight gain is water from all the salty stuff and carbs. Fingers crossed on that! Anyway ladies, chin up... write it all down, if you blew off your fast day today, there is always tomorrow! Lets not let this holiday bet us up! You can do it.

Hi Notorious Novembers! DD - glad you are doing well - like the others said, don't worry about the weight gain, it will come off and even MORE before your wonderful vacation... You have such a great attitude, and I KNOW you'll be hitting the exercise hard once you're cleared - just remember to follow Doc's orders so you don't have any interruption to your healing. Keep us informed - and have a wonderful Saturday!:thumbup:

Caryn do what i did , i looked up food online that had no cal, like popcorn Truly Zero Calorie Foods Water is the only true zero calorie food that occurs naturally. Water is a great addition to your diet in a variety of ways. Eight 12-ounce servings of water every day are suggested as a healthy part of any diet. However, it has an added benefit when you're trying to diet to lose weight: it helps fill you up! Water can be frozen into ice and crushed or shaved in order to add a different consistency to your diet. In addition to water, diet soda pop is found in zero-calorie versions. It comes in name brands and generics and is typically sweetened with artificial sweeteners. Quite a bit of debate surrounds these beverages and whether they are healthy additions to your diet because of the artificial sweetener aspect. Experts offer conflicting claims that artificial sweeteners cause health problems or contribute to obesity and some studies show that diet soda may actually contribute to weight gain. Negative Calorie Foods There are several fruits and vegetables that occur in nature that while they have calories when consumed, are said to actually result in negative calories or a calorie deficit after digested. According to this theory, these foods cause the body to extend more calories to digest than contained in their nutritional content. The result would make them zero calorie foods after digestion. If you believe this theory, then these foods can basically be consumed without feeling guilty. They are healthy and provide nutritional content your body needs, but they do contain calories. Keep in mind, also, that even according to this zero calorie theory these foods only have this negative calorie effect when consumed without extras added to them like butter, sugar or dips. Negative Calorie Foods Asparagus Apple Beet Cranberries Broccoli Grapefruit Cabbage Lemon Carrot Mango Cauliflower Orange Celery Pineapple Chile peppers Raspberries Cucumber Strawberries Dandelion Tangerine Endive Garden cress Garlic Green beans Lettuce Onion Papaya Radishes Spinach Turnip Zucchini Eat Healthy

First off, WOW!!! 30 pounds is so awesome!!! As far as your weight gain... Your body is in starvation mode. Your switch in higher calorie foods has caused your body to hold on to every calorie BECAUSE it's in starvation mode. Your body is adjusting. If you're following your doctors orders, your are doing nothing wrong. It is normal to see fluctuations from time to time, including stalls. You're fine. Keep doing what you're doing. dde09

I was just banded a couple of days ago, and I was one of those who was not much over 200. Of course, define "not much". Our ideas may be completely different. I feel that if your bmi is in a dangerous zone, and you have done what everyone else has done then yes, one should consider and qualify for wls. Why wait until they are any heavier???...and YES, if they don't do something about it now, chances are very great that they will only get heavier, and have more health risks. Should one wait until they are 20 or 30 pounds overweight to go on a diet, or should they work on it as soon as they become aware of the extra weight gain? It's the same with wls. One shouldn't have to wait until they are at a larger weight than they are ready to combat. I have had people tell me that I'm not big enough to do wls, but they don't know me and the battle I have fought all my life.

Hi I am being banded March 12, 2010 and the time doesn't seem like it is flying by fast enough, but I know it will be here some day I'm 38, mother of 2 boys, an LPN in nursing school as we speak to get my RN. On November 6th, 2009 I herniated my L4 disc and have been in and out of agony ever since. My doctor suggested I take off at least 100 pounds, but told me that it would all have to be done by diet or at least until I could get the pressure off my spinal nerves, yeah RIGHT!!! Anyways, all I am waiting on now is for my income tax return to get here as I am flying in to El Paso and going into Juarez MX for my surgery to be performed by Dr. Jose Rodriguez as I do not have insurance and his reputation seems pretty good. I am using BeLiteWeight to facilitate my surgery and they are very nice. My biggest problem with my weight seemed to come after my children were born and I had double oopherectomy operations after tubal pregnancies. I just started racking up the weight until I am so out of shape, my metabolism is shot, and I can't seem to get it off. My weight gain is making me hurt everywhere and I am to the point I won't look at myself in a mirror anymore. My S.O. is a little reluctant and thinks I might leave him after I lose the weight, but with reassurance he is actually starting to get excited and showing me a lot more support. My family, who is all in the medical field, are very hard headed and continue to believe that I should just eat right and exercise and it will come off and feel that what I am doing is a bit self-serving and I could use the money somewhere else. I will be very happy to join the March-banders and wish each and everyone of you the best of luck!!

What should you eat to lose weight? How much energy have you devoted to this question? Low carb? Raw food? Jenny Craig? Have you ever considered that it might not be "the diet" that is the solution? Read more to find out! What should you eat to lose weight? How much energy have you devoted to this question? Low carb? Raw food? Jenny Craig? Women spend billions of dollars on weight loss, and create a lot of stress making decisions about which diet or weight loss plan to try this time. It’s ironic, because deep down, we know that diets don’t work. And in fact, many of us have lived out the lesson that diets can lead to binge eating and weight gain and bigger problems with food than we started with. It’s not hopeless. Healthy weight loss and what I call peace with food are possible, but they don’t begin with a diet. Here’s the important truth: The battle with overeating isn’t going to be solved by a diet because the root battle with most overeating isn’t about the food. If you want to break free from overeating cycles and weight loss battles, the critical question you need to be asking is this: What are you using the food for? What’s triggering you to overeat? What propels you towards the vending machine or sends you straight for the comfort food? What role does food play in your life? How does your current way of eating serve you? THESE are the million dollar questions. The truth is, you are smart and resourceful and you better believe that you are turning to food for a reason. The way you are currently eating does something important for you. Maybe your eating distracts you or comforts you. Food might momentarily boost your mood or your energy. Maybe you use it to procrastinate or hide out or reward yourself. Are you eating to cope with stress or frustration or exhaustion? Be curious about your hunger and the reasons that you eat. Understanding the meaning of your overeating changes everything. Understanding the purpose of your overeating helps you move beyond unhelpful self-blame and shame and guilt and into a place of compassionate understanding. From this place it’s possible to start addressing the real root causes. Because it’s probably not about the food. If you are a stress eater, you’ll want some more effective tools for addressing the stress in your life. Comfort eater? With the right tools, you can definitely find a better way. Exhausted? Overwhelmed? Nervous? Upset? There are better tools and strategies to address these feelings. And the truth is, once you have the tools and strategies to feel effective, food just doesn’t have the same appeal. Really. Effective weight loss doesn’t start with the food—and—when you address the root cause of your overeating, you don’t just change your weight. You change your life.

I'm the day after you. Can't wait and also so anxious! It's going to be worth it, tho. To get off any meds you might be on and to feel healthy will be awesome! I'm also doing it for my kids. They have no idea that mom is having surgery. I just want them those what eating healthy can do. 2 of them are almost teens and starting puberty and its such a crucial time with weight gain at that point. I want to lead by example. I'm so looking forward to the future for al of us. Luckily my children are all trim and healthy, but my poor daughter is beginning to struggle and is giving in to the bad stuff behind my back hopefully watching mom make wise decisions will help her. . Good luck on your journey!

I know this is an old thread. Just hope to get this topic going again. Yes i went to an eating disorder clinic...Insurance would not cover. Third year My bariatric professionals program view me as one of their most successful patients. What they don't understand Is I have disordered thinking around my weight loss I'm obsessive in my exercise ( exercise is viewed as a great thing in life) When you over exercise its becoming an issue. The disordered thinking is driven by the fear of weight loss and being happy with the weight i'm at. I acknowledge that its preoccupying my thought and time. I am aware I push my workouts to the point of exhaustion. It's affects my blood sugar, I have brain fog, my hair loss continued. Sports injuries. I feel I have to have control of this...If I let go of maintaining the way I do...I have weight gain. When life get out of control I replaced going to food for comfort to going two plus hours to the gym.

What should you eat to lose weight? How much energy have you devoted to this question? Low carb? Raw food? Jenny Craig? Women spend billions of dollars on weight loss, and create a lot of stress making decisions about which diet or weight loss plan to try this time. It’s ironic, because deep down, we know that diets don’t work. And in fact, many of us have lived out the lesson that diets can lead to binge eating and weight gain and bigger problems with food than we started with. It’s not hopeless. Healthy weight loss and what I call peace with food are possible, but they don’t begin with a diet. Here’s the important truth: The battle with overeating isn’t going to be solved by a diet because the root battle with most overeating isn’t about the food. If you want to break free from overeating cycles and weight loss battles, the critical question you need to be asking is this: What are you using the food for? What’s triggering you to overeat? What propels you towards the vending machine or sends you straight for the comfort food? What role does food play in your life? How does your current way of eating serve you? THESE are the million dollar questions. The truth is, you are smart and resourceful and you better believe that you are turning to food for a reason. The way you are currently eating does something important for you. Maybe your eating distracts you or comforts you. Food might momentarily boost your mood or your energy. Maybe you use it to procrastinate or hide out or reward yourself. Are you eating to cope with stress or frustration or exhaustion? Be curious about your hunger and the reasons that you eat. Understanding the meaning of your overeating changes everything. Understanding the purpose of your overeating helps you move beyond unhelpful self-blame and shame and guilt and into a place of compassionate understanding. From this place it’s possible to start addressing the real root causes. Because it’s probably not about the food. If you are a stress eater, you’ll want some more effective tools for addressing the stress in your life. Comfort eater? With the right tools, you can definitely find a better way. Exhausted? Overwhelmed? Nervous? Upset? There are better tools and strategies to address these feelings. And the truth is, once you have the tools and strategies to feel effective, food just doesn’t have the same appeal. Really. Effective weight loss doesn’t start with the food—and—when you address the root cause of your overeating, you don’t just change your weight. You change your life.

Hi Everyone, My name is Becky. I'm 35 years old and was just banded on February 21st! I'm married to my wonderful husband Dave and have been for nine years this May. I have two cats, no childen. I live here in the City of Brotherly Love: Philadelphia! It's a most wonderful town and I encourage everyone to come visit! I am the Sales and Marketing Director for a Web design company and my husband is an IT Director with a national firm. I was a normal weight, if not downright skinny, child. When I look at pictures of myself from when I was really little, I can't even believe how thin I was. My weight gain started the very moment puberty started, and despite dieting for 25 years (you name it, I've been on it. Too many diets to list here!), I reached my heaviest ever weight a few months ago. One time in college I was able to lose 51 pounds with Nutri-System, but even then I still had an additional 30 to lose, so in my entire adult life, I have never been at an ideal weight. I'd been looking into the LAP Band since I first read an article about it a few years ago. But at that time, my insurance did not cover it. I had vowed to never get a bypass no matter how big I got, because it just is not for me. The second I found out that my insurance started covering the LAP Band in July of 2005, I enrolled in a seminar to get started. So I feel I have been waiting to be banded for years and years! Currently, I am 8 days post-op and starting to feel a bit better. I had a really rough first week. I have to say that without this board, I honestly don't know if I would have gone through with the surgery! I just am so appreciative and thankful for everyone on here. Nice to meet you all!

@@Inner Surfer Girl I agree with what you're saying in part. Insurance in relation to weight loss surgery definitely needs a total rehaul. In my "track" composed of the people I was grouped with also seeking surgery, for six months of classes, I personally know of two who ran into insurance firewalls even "after" having jumped through all of their mandated hoops. One was laid off a week after graduating and lost her coverage. The other was told in JULY just before she was to get her date, that her husband hadn't worked enough hours in May & June to cover the premiums, so her insurance was deemed inactive. During class one gentlemen had to drop out because his company was changing insurance. And another had to postpone hers because she couldn't arrange time off for the endless pre op appts and surgery recovery time. In a very real sense they're hoping to wait us out. Make us give up before we ever even make it to the OR. We, the obese, aren't treated as second class citizens. We're treated as disgusting blights on society. That premise is what has to change first. When I was growing up, smoking was still in fashion. They unabashedly showed cigarette commercials on TV, and they were even sold openly in vending machines. It took decades before worldwide change came about, when lung cancer was undeniably linked with tobacco use. Initially there was a lot of push back though. Change never happens without a fight, without sacrifice, especially when bottom line profit and big money is involved. It took a very long time before big corporate tobacco was made to bear the brunt of blame and reform. Only then did things start to noticeably change. Well the same thing is happening now, with the so called "obesity epidemic." And in the exact fashion that tobacco head honchos tried to shift the blame to the smoker, saying their product wasn't addictive, today, fast food, sugar additives, and the like, along with the diet industry would rather zero in entirely on the fat person for being fat, as opposed to accepting any part of the blame themselves. They produce addictive products that are scientifically proven to cause weight gain. Then they price it low enough to keep you coming back for more. And after you're completely hooked, then they try and sell you a cure all in the form of Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers. It's the very definition of an endless cycle. I'm not saying that everyone's obesity is solely caused by junk food, as we know better. Genetics is a major factor as well, among others. But it being our fault entirely is the prevalent outside notion, isn't it? If we'd all just eat less and exercise more we'd all be thin right? Well, that's the misconception that has to be changed first, before we'll ever have widespread reform on more easily obtaining WLS. If WE, the obese are entirely at fault, than why should other people, thin people, have to put their insurance or tax dollars towards our fat? Personally, I think we need more and more obese people to come out of the shadows and demand WLS, not less. We need more medical studies done showing the medicinal cost savings between patient care pre and post op surgery too. In the same way that all those who began the process before us, by first seeking out a surgical option, who underwent the experimental procedures in the past with less than desirable results - we have to keep it alive too. In this forum and in other places. Only then will the proof that the demand far exceeds the supply of knowledgable surgeons and center of excellence facilities. Only then will real changes begin to be made. Our surgical wait time today can be measured in long arduous months, sometimes years, before we ever even get a bypass, sleeve, band, or whichever procedure chosen. But the fact that the numbers, the obese people, who are seeking it out are growing exponentially gives me infinite hope that those who will come after us will benefit from what we've done today to further promote the monumental need.

I'm right here with you I have a 36 BMI and my co morbs are hi cholesterol and recently back troubles. The weight came on with the last pregnancy 10 years ago and hasn't budged no matter what I do. Live at the gym eat only healthy but alot. At my age tho 48 I can see where this is going and with menopause on the horizon more weight gain is coming. I almost feel like I did when I was pregnant lately with these hormonal changes. I feel that hunger I get when I PMS but all the time. If Cigna denies me for not having a serious heart condition (that's what they said when I called) I will have to pay $24,000 out of pocket here in NY...OUCH. I hate to go back into debt. Then I worry that the band won't work as well on a women going through perimenopause. My blood sugar is all off. Thinking of HRT but scared. Thanks for letting me post my silly thoughts that rattle through my silly mind.

Lap-Band System After surgery, it is extremely important to follow diet guidelines to assure proper healing and to obtain adequate nutrition. Your pouch that is created by the Lap Band needs to heal, so you must sip fluids slowly and avoid getting overfull. Once your pouch has healed, you need to continue to keep portion sizes small to maintain your weight loss. You will progress through the following phases of the Lap-Band diet after surgery. Liquid diet. For the first two weeks following surgery, you will consume only liquids. For one to two days after surgery, you will need to sip only clear liquids or fluids that you can see through. Clear liquids include diluted apple juice, chicken or beef broth, sugar-free gelatin and artifically sweetened, non-carbonated beverages. If you tolerate clear liquids without difficulty, you may add full liquids to your diet. Full liquids include the broth of low-fat, creamed soups, protein shakes, milk, yogurt and sugar-free puddings. Most people require two high-protein supplements daily. Your dietitian will calculate your individual protein needs and provide examples of how to achieve this amount. Avoid carbonated beverages as they may cause gas, bloating and pain. Pureed diet. You will need to puree your foods for approximately two weeks. Your meals will be small and should focus on high-protein foods. Regular diet. By 5 to 6 weeks after your surgery, you will be incorporating foods with more texture to your diet. You will always have to chew your foods thoroughly, avoiding tough meats, fibrous vegetables and doughy breads. But your diet should ideally include low-fat proteins, fruits and vegetables, healthy carbohydrates and heart-healthy fats. Protein. Getting adequate protein in your diet promotes proper healing and also helps your body to maintain muscle and lose fat. It is important to choose lean protein foods because they are lower in calories and will help ou maintain your weight loss. Also, high-fat foods can cause dumping syndrome and make you sick after surgery. Protein is made up of amino acids. The body can make 13 amino acids, but nine amino acids are essential, meaning they cannot be made in the body and must come from food sources. A food source is said to be complete if it contains adequate amounts of essential amino acids. The following types of protein products are readily available: Whey is a byproduct of the dairy and cheese industry and is a complete source of protein. <LI class=copy>Whey isolate has virtually no lactose in it. Lactose is the sugar naturally found in milk. Some people become lactose-intolerant after surgery and experience gas and bloating after drinking dairy. If you are or become lactose-intolerant, whey isolate would not cause intestinal distress. Lactaid milk and soy milk are great alternatives for people who are lactose-intolerant. Whey concentrate may contain some lactose in it; however, most people can tolerate this product without problems. [*]Soy products are made from soybeans. Soybeans contain all the amino acids essential to human nutrition and are a complete protein source. [*]Hydrolized gelatin or collagen. These products do not contain all essential amino acids and are not recommended for weight loss surgery patients. Protein Shake Recipes. Protein shakes are needed to get adequate amounts of protein after surgery. We have specific products that we recommend, but remember that if you do not like the taste of your shake you are less likely to drink it. The following recipes and tips may help you improve the taste of your shake. Simple Shake (28 grams protein) 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder (20 grams protein) 8 ounces fat-free milk Mix well in shaker cup or blender. Banana/Peanut Butter Shake (12 grams protein) 8 ounces fat-free milk 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter 1/4 - 1/2 banana Blend until smooth in blender. Orange Dreamsicle (28 grams protein) 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder (20 grams protein) 1 scoop (individual serving) sugar-free Sunrise Orange Crystal Lightâ powder 8 ounces skim milk Alternatives: substitute 4 ounces orange juice for 4 ounces milk; substitute 4 ounces yogurt for 4 ounces milk; add 1/2 tsp. orange zest to shake. Hot Cocoa (13 grams protein) 1 tablespoon Splenda 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa 2 tablespoons dried milk powder 8 ounces non-fat milk Dash salt Blend Splenda, unsweetened cocoa, dried milk powder and salt in large mug. Blend in milk, stirring until dissolved. Microwave 1 minute on high or until hot. Can also heat in saucepan on stove. Tips for Protein Shakes. <LI class=copy>Use flavorings such as vanilla, almond and coconut extracts to improve flavor. <LI class=copy>Coffee added to chocolate-flavored protein powder makes a mocha-flavored shake. <LI class=copy>Bananas, strawberries and peanut butter add the most flavoring to shakes. <LI class=copy>Unflavored cocoa powder can be added for a deeper chocolate flavor without adding fat. <LI class=copy>Freeze milk in ice cube trays to make milk cubes. Blend these with your shake to make it icy cold and to add protein without diluting your shake. <LI class=copy>If you are lactose intolerant, you can use Lactaid milk or soy milk to add protein to your shake. Yogurt can be added to shakes to increase creaminess and protein. Long-term Tips It is important to make healthy food choices throughout your weight loss process to be as healthy as possible while losing weight. Healthy food and lifestyle choices are critical to maintain your weight loss long-term. These tips are recommended for people who are in the maintenance phase of weight loss. <LI class=copy>Eat three meals a day. Have a healthy snack only if hungry. Skipping meals does not promote weight loss and results in overeating in the long run. <LI class=copy>Eat lean proteins first at each meal. <LI class=copy>Include fruits and vegetables with meals. <LI class=copy>Avoid drinking fluids with meals. Fluids may force foods through your pouch too quickly. This may cause dumping syndrome in gastric bypass patients but may cause all patients to become hungry quickly and eat more food throughout the day. <LI class=copy>Strive to drink 6-8 cups of water daily. Artifically flavored drinks are fine, but we recommend that you avoid carbonated beverages, even diet soda. The carbonation in diet soda may contribute to enlargement of the small pouch. <LI class=copy>Chew foods thoroughly. Your small pouch will not be able to physically break down foods that have not been chewed to a liquid consistency. <LI class=copy>Avoid problematic foods such as tough, fibrous or overcooked meats; doughy breads; pasta; rice; skins and seeds of fruits and vegetables; nuts and popcorn. <LI class=copy>Stop eating when you begin to feel full. It is critical that you do not eat to the point of feeling overfull. People have stretched their pouch by eating too much and have regained weight. <LI class=copy>Take daily vitamin and mineral supplements. Have labs checked annually. <LI class=copy>Weigh yourself weekly. It's much easier to correct a 5 pound weight gain (physically and psychologically) than a 25 pound weight gain. <LI class=copy>Attend support group meetings. Don't "forget" that you have had weight loss surgery. Staying in touch with other weight loss surgery patients is a great way to reaffirm your journey and stay on track. Exercise. Many patients know people who've lost weight without exercise, which may be true for a single individual, but most people who do not exercise have a more difficult time reaching and maintaining their optimal weight loss. And exercise has multiple benefits in addition to controlling weight such as decreasing risk of cardiac disease; lowering blood pressure; improving mental function; improving blood glucose levels; reducing risk of some cancers; and improving immune function. Try to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day. Physical activity is defined as activities in addition to normal daily activities such as work, shopping or housekeeping. Hope this helps! Audree :clap2:

innotu, I'd like to throw out my opinion, and perhaps it'll make sense. I hope this help. Please, anyone that disagrees with me, please, please, please, post your concerns. I too would love to hear them.... ....anyways, here goes..... I've always had a dislike for complete Meal Replacements, instant breakfasts, soya powder, weight gaining powder,slim fast, etc. Why? Because they are awefully expensive and I feel that I'm getting ripped off when I'm paying top dollar for 'calories added'. lets face it, it is extremely easy to find clean and healthy calories to add to you drinks. Additionaly, in some cases, like slim fast and instant breakfasts, you don't even get enough protien. the average soy powder is only 60% protien. So here's my suggestion: make your own meal replacements( at least make as many as you can, and save the canned meal replacements for convenience only) 1- start with a protien powder that is 90% pure or better( dont waste your money on the more expesive 'whey isolate'. the main advantage to a whey isolate is that it's supposed to be easily absorbed because it is missing an ensign that is in milk.....I plan on using milk, so I'll be adding that ensign back into the drink. Hence, whey isolate is a waste of money) 2 - add your choice of milk ( mine is skim milk) 3 - add an apropriate quantity of healthy oil ( Omega 3 oils like olive oil or flax oil) 4 - add a health source of carbs like fruit ( I have type 2 diabetes, so I find that strawberries or apples work well for me)

I think it does cause weight gain

Thanks for getting back on track all you May bandsters! I think the farther I get out of surgery the harder it becomes. I tend to lose some of that rigidness and can become softer in following the rules. Listening to your stories/successes/struggles help me out tremendously. After all, we are all going on this journey together. I, myself, just had a 1 pound weight gain following vacation. I could look at it as a failure that I didn't lose weight but I can also look at it as it could have been a lot worse. Back in the day, I would have had the mindset that I could eat anything because I was on vacation. I didn't this time, or rather, I couldn't. Did I make the best choices? No, not 100% of the time but I did make much better choices than I would have had I not been banded. Thanks to y'all for your support.... Katie

Still in the process myself but I think it's safe to say that both my husband and I were scared and skeptical for years when it came to talking about me possibly having it. And we both only really thought about it because my family doc kept suggesting it after years of seeing me trying everything under the sun and nothing working. When we first got together in our teens (he was 19 I was 16 and now......I'm 48 now and he's 53) he was under weight and I was at a nice normal weight but I always thought I was heavy. Despite being able to wear sexy clothes and fitting in a size 4, I still thought I was heavy. I guess mostly because I WAS heavy growing up but sorta slimmed down between the ages of 12 and 16. How and why, I have no clue. It just happened. But come age 19, that's when the weight gain started for me along with the other health and hormonal problems (i.e., PCOS, Endometriosis, Insulin Resistance). Anyway, over the years the weight just kept creeping up on me despite trying many diets, exercise programs, etc. He gained too but did not become overweight. His weight gain actually resulted in him finally being at a normal weight. LOL But either way, he NEVER EVER said a harsh word to me about my weight and as for sex, even despite having gained all this weight over the years, you wouldn't know it. The dang man STILL wants it ALL THE TIME. At least like once a day!!! LOL Me on the other hand my drive is non existent. And I blame the weight on that. Despite him telling me every day that I'm beautiful, he loves me, and that I "turn him on", I just don't feel that way about myself. I am so damn self conscious that I NEVER let him see me totally naked. Well, at least not standing up and walking around. LOL I don't want to say those words he says mean nothing, cause they do, they actually mean the world to me, it's just that they still don't change my own mind about myself no matter how reassuring they are. Ya know? I still feel like I look a mess regardless of what he says. Not in the face but in the body. IMO Anyway, he is totally up for me doing whatever it is I need or want to do to make myself feel better about myself and more importantly, to keep me healthy and around for a long, long time for him. So, that's pretty much where we are. As for the sex part, I surely do hope this sex drive of mine comes back once the surgery is done. I think and feel the world of him too, and find him highly attractive as well and I hate that I keep turning down his advances a lot of the time when this sh*t sex drive of mine has NOTHING to do with him. It gets tiring constantly trying to convince him it's truly NOT HIM and that it's totally all me/my body/hormones (and sadly my last blood work showed that I'm not near menopause yet so can't blame that either....lol). I seriously feel bad that he feels at times that I don't find him attractive cause that's really not the case. I LOVE that man!!

Hi. I had the gastric sleeve on July 18, 2016. I was on hydroclorothiazide for over a year before surgery. By October 2016 my bp dropped so on November 8th (2 weeks ago) my primary doctor told me to stop the hydroclorothiazide because my bp was so low. Since the surgery I had lost 55 pounds. I was steadily losing weight. My surgery weight was 297 and my lowest weight so far is 241, 3 and a 1/2 months after surgery. I am no where near goal. After I stopped the hydroclorothiazide, I gained 8 pounds in two weeks!! I only eat about 800-900 calories a day. I literally cry because I don't know what to do. I even walk between 1 and 2 miles a day to try and keep the weight away. I went back to the doctor to see if he will put me back on the hydroclorothiazide but he won't. Please, anyone has experienced this, how much did you gain and when did you start losing again. I'm thinking about lowering my calories to 500-600 a day to see if that will kick start my weight LOSS again Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I have a week left. A week until I leave for home, and a week until I also get defilled. I’m too tight, I know it, and have been for a while. When my plane lands, my parents are going to bring me to see some fill nurse I’ve never met before, and get either totally, or almost totally defilled. I have 1.3cc right now, and the clinic suggested I go down to 0.5cc, but if I felt more comfortable, I could get totally defilled. It’s nice to have that option, because I know the consequences (weight gain) will be a little less if I keep a 0.5 in my band, BUT… this is being done to try to reverse anything ‘wrong’ with me, be it a slip or stretched pouch, or maybe nothing at all, I’m doing myself a disservice by NOT going totally empty and giving myself the maximum repair time. I think I WILL go totally empty, and get refilled a bit, 3-4 weeks later. I gained 10lbs in 2 weeks last time I was defilled… this could be scary. But then again, maybe now if I CAN eat the healthier things for me, I WILL. You know? I will try my best. But for now, I don’t know if I even want to get to goal just to have to say goodbye to it again. I haven't quit my job yet. I will definitely wait until after Christmas. Don't get me wrong, it's not all about her... I don't want her to have THAT satisfaction. I don't like my job... it's not what I wanna be doing. I despise it. It just doesn't help having to work with someone who thinks that way about you, and SAYS it to other people. There's no way getting around working with her, it's gotta be that way. Dan and I had our Christmas tonight, since I'm leaving next friday, and we won't be able to have Christmas together. :huggie: I got lots of goodies, but most notably, clothes from THE GAP. Yeah, that's right. Up til now most of my stuff has come from Old Navy. That's because it's cheap, and with how quickly I've been growing out of stuff, it's just worked. I've gone into some nicer, more expensive stores to just try things on, but never bought anything. Anyways, he got me a nice, super colourful (and itchy) striped (freakin' HORIZONTALLY!) sweater, in MEDIUM, and some size 10 jeans. I looked at the sweater and said no way it would fit... but it did. The jeans... I dare to say they could probably be a size smaller?! They're very roomy in the hips. That's the latest from me. I'm going to bed now. 'Night.

Lynda, you are TINY! And you don't look 5'6" either! Your goal weight is really low and by the chart I looked at 1 lb below ideal! You go, girl! Makes me wonder if I had "stuck" to losing instead of going to "maintenance" (and I say that tongue in cheeck!) at 150 what I could have gotten down to. ha! Quote: Typically, adults tend to gain weight in their mid-twenties, and this trend further continues with increase in age, due to reduction in the metabolic rate and physical activity. In contrast, the height remains constant during this period. In fact, according to the Gerontology Research Center (National Institutes of Health), some weight gain after 35 years of age is essential for good bone health. Well, I accomplished that! ha!

Hi Cheri - first of all, congrats on the new addition to your family. Second, congratulations on the weight loss. I reached goal quickly, five months to reach my doctor's goal and a month later to reach MY personal goal, five pounds less. 145 give me that 5 pound pad! I THINK more like Lynda though. MY goal is 145, but I don't wait until I hit 150 to cut back a little, if I weigh 147 in the morning, I know I need to 'adjust' my calories, just for a day or two. I've been maintaining for 2.5 years now and although like you, it's been easy for me......I'm like Lynda, I am vigilant. The fear of regaining keeps me a "little" obsessive. I weigh every morning, and I know that I should weigh between 144 and 146. I also weigh again at night, it's kind of a game I play, then I guess what I will weigh in the morning! I do not let the scale dictate my mood though, it's more like a "dashboard" for me, it lets me know if things are 'running' right, kind of like the dashboard in my truck!! lol At night, I will weigh between 146.5 and 148. I am not a exercise guru, but I have made 'life style' changes that are second nature to me now. Like I said, I weigh every morning. I weigh or measure my food when I'm home. I log it all on line. (MFP) This is not what I just do, it isn't a chore, it isn't a choice. It just is.....it's how I stay in check. I am accountable to ME and after 30 years of dieting, I know how quickly eight or ten pounds can sneak up on us. Losing weight has never been a problem for me, keeping it off has been. Not this time and now I'm equipped with the knowledge of what works for me, I really can't imagine this 'routine' wouldn't work for everyone. I am missing 85% of my tummy, self control is much easier now, at least it is in my case. I don't feel like I have sacrificed anything. I make choices. I do not skip extra cups of coffee, there are line to draw Cheri!!! About two months ago, since fear of weight gain seems to never leave us, and I personally think that is a good thing.....I just wanted to 'test' and see if I could still lose weight if need be. I need 1300 to maintain, give or take 50 calories. I cut that back by 100 calories and in 2.5 weeks, with just one hundred less calories, I lost 2 pounds. I was happy, I know I can do it. I don't get hungry, so cutting back and/or resisting when I should or when I want to....is not difficult. You and I are lucky. I don't do what Lynda does, but I am soooooo glad to see how SHE is. I thought I might be the only one who is a bit on the obsessive side, I love it!!!! I do not have everything planned down to how much protein, veggies etc per meal. I track and plan ahead, but not quite like that. I get in between 65 and 100 grams of protein a day. During the losing phase, I had NO bread, but now, if I want my tuna fish on a piece of bread, nothing but cokes are off limits, although there are thngs I choose to avoid most times. When I did my "test" a while back, I did make sure I was getting at least 85 grams of protein a day, I know that helped. You will do fine, don't stress out, just be diligent with tracking your food, that is something I personally believe we have to do forever, track and weigh/measure. The things I do, are MY keys to success. I don't ever want to forget what it was like to shop for size 20's in the ladies dept. Been there, done that and I don't want an encore!!! It keeps me humble, and keeps me motivated. Good luck, I predict you are going to do just fine!!

I don't know if this is common, but I see huge weight swings depending on my carb intake, even if it's higher fiber carbs (like Quest bars). I can see gains or drops of close to 10 pounds over the space of 7-10 days depending on how I'm eating. I think it's very much like the rapid drops most of us experienced on the pre-op diet, because super high protein, very low carb flushed fat out of our livers and changed the way our bodies retained fluids - you simply need more fluids on board to process carbs is what I've always read. So most of my up and down swings aren't really indicative to me of weight gained or lost, unless I've been consistently eating the same diet, more or less, as far as carb / protein / fat balance. Long term trends, yes, I'm most definitely up. (a lot, unfortunately). But day to day the scale's pretty meaningless. I think that's actually become a problem, because when I'm bingeing, and my weight starts to climb, I deceive myself into thinking it's not "real" gain. Uh huh..... Tell that to me with a straight face now that I can't wear last year's cute clothes. Sigh... Anyway, my point is, if your carb percentage is very different from day to day, I'd guess for many people that's going to mess with your scale number and you'll see swings like I do.