Search the Community

Thanks Julie. I have an appointment for a fill next Monday and I'm going to share my concerns with the PA. I'm just hoping I'm not denied a fill b/c of my weight gain.

I am curious if anyone out there have Health Net Insurance and have ran into difficulty with qualifying for the Lap Band Surgery. Whether you've had a good experience or not so good, please let me know. I'm deciding whether to stick with them or try another approach. I'm dealing with increased health problems due to recent weight gain while waiting through the long qualification process. -Prebander:help:

The meds I was taking before surgery did not include any antipsychotic or mood stabilizer only gabapentin for nerve pain and anxiety (separate issue) and an antidepressant Wellbutrin. Physically the pills were hard to swallow after surgery but as far as affecting weight loss there was no affect. Six months later I have a car accident, am diagnosed with traumatic brain injury and go thru 9 months of in and out hospitals with doctors trying to put me on all these different meds I had never been on before, antipsychotics that were not even needed in the first place and were causing really bad side affects. I’m not sure if the side affects were so bad becuz my stomach was cut down 80% or what or if becuz they switched to a new med so quickly every couple weeks or month either way bad experience. It also caused in the end within 2 months a 25lb weight gain which then started me picking up old eating habits and gaining another 8 lbs. now I feel stuck. Not sure if that helps or not. I’m against antipsychotics or mood stabilizers after surgery!

For all you single ladies out there, or ones in relationships that could be better... And even the married ones. This topic applies to all of us women who may have lost touch or never understood how to value ourselves. I've been doing a lot of thinking about self worth, what to look for in a potential partner, and how to make sure I respect myself and demand respect from others. When is was younger, I settled for men who were not good enough to be with. I did have standards for myself and I knew what I wanted in a man, but I never went for that. After a series of boyfriends who didn't respect me I settled for the first man to get serious about me. And that led to years of an unhappy and abusive relationship. Being overweight young, or simply struggling with insecurity, sets us up for bad relationship choices. As I gained weight my standards for myself and what I would put up with only got worse. There is a fear that one is not worthy of love from a high value person. Only the broken men made me feel comfortable because I was so insecure. I'm setting out to change this. I recently got into a relationship with a person far below my worth and dropped my standards for myself almost immediately for him. After surviving my 8 years of hell with my kids dad and losing all this weight, here I was again in the same situation!! This needs to end. I am creating a list of "standards" for myself based on how I want to be treated, what i will and won't do in a dating situation, the values I must have in another person and the reasons I deserve these things. I'm building a framework for my own worth and self confidence to keep myself reminded that in my search for a partner, there is a destination in mind. After losing so much weight I feel like a different person. I won't repeat the patterns of insecurity that ultimately led to my unhappiness and weight gain. I want to set the bar high and this time, no settling for less than Im worth in love and life. I know it's up to me to set the standards by which I'm treated!

This is a very interesting topic. There are so many factors that come into play with excess skin. However, one thing to keep in mind is to tend to it all of the time not just after VSG. Now, anyone who knows me personally knows I do have excess skin under my arms from weight gain and I know that is quite possibly the first place that will sag. However, I like to think that I can reduce the amount of sagging with proactive measures. Lubricate, hydrate, and nutrition. With lubrication most swear by cocoa butter but a cheaper way is to use of egg white washes. Obviously the attractiveness of egg white is because it is made of collagen and amino acids that absorb rather quickly into the skin. Once the egg white dries, (30 minutes) it flakes off and you are good to go. This is good for burned skin too to lessen burn scars. Cocoa butter is nice in that it is a creamy consistency that can be rubbed into the skin. Whichever you use, being proactive may minimalize the amount of excess skin.

In defence of TurnThePage - I've been thinking about this thread a lot today, having read through the posts last night. It strikes a chord with me as sugary food (including chocolate) is one of my big problems. I'm not an 'eat one or two chocolates and put the rest away' type of person, although I have tried many times. So, I exclude sugar from my diet knowing how addictive it is for me and how it increases insulin which lays down more fat (in layman's terms). Since seeing my Dietician last week and realising that I really do have NO restriction and I'm not losing weight, I hit the 'oh sod it' button and let sugar back in. Ok, let's get some persepctive, it's only been ten days and I haven't binged on sweet stuff but it's right back in there, when for me, it is a huge contributor to my weight gain. So, I read the posts and can relate and whilst some people have mentioned that TurnThePage's reply was less than helpful and I do have to agree that tact is perhaps something she could improve upon - it has actually been her words ringing in my ears today. Regardless of what happens about my lack of restriction, I have just spent £11,500 pounds on a bypass. I was lucky enough to sail through the initial healing period and this isn't only a second chance, it's my last chance to solve this problem - and I do really want to solve it! I realised she's right, I am sabotaging and once I'd realised that, I relaised why I hit the 'oh sod it' button and let sugar back in. And from there I realised that this behaviour only takes me further away from my goal of losing the weight. So, it's her post that may have got me back on track and for that I can only be thankful.

Hi everyone. I've been snacking and sure enough I am 4 lbs. Heavier. I can bearly eat anything at meals, but have been eating a lot of yogurt. I bought desserts and I'm ashamed. Do any of you know of anyone who has done this. I had lost 31 lbs. In 1 month and I was so proud. I know what the weight gain is from, but I am constipated, too. I did not have this surgery, just to gain 4 lbs.back. I'm so sad. I was doing so well. I'm so sorry to whine. Will I be okay???

Wow, thats amazing (maybe there isn't as many problems with the sleeve as with other WLS). . . with the sleeve the death rate isn't that big, head hunger of course but then you would get that with ordinary dieting as well. . . that is the reason most folks are not very successful doing it the traditional way. . .the weight gain, sure if your not careful and eat everything your not supposed to. . . this is JUST a tool, not a miracle thing! As with a hammer, it won't bang the nail into the post without you doing the work. . . the sleeve is the same, it won't MAKE you lose the weight, it helps you lose the weight but you MUST work on it. . . you have to watch your intake all the time! it's just easier having restriction to HELP you not overeat. . . my DH is an occupational therapist and hasn't seen the problems with all your sister says. . . so this must be different areas. . . I am out 15 months and the only problems i battle with at times is head hunger. . . but who isn't. . .you have to be able to combat it. . . obesity is a health problem as well as a psychological problem, you need to work very hard to help yourself with it. . . and the other is a problem that may have already been there but was never tested prior to the WLS is Vitamin D deficency. . . we're working on that now. . . but other than that, I've lost 150 lbs of fat that i will never gain back UNLESS I will it and don't work on it . . good luck to you on your future endeavors

Welcome, Ohio. I am an RN and only 2 people know I have been banded. It's been a good decision for me to keep it private. Don't worry about the weight gain. If you lose too much on the supervised diet, they will deny the claim for surgery. Collector, you're entitled to copies of ALL of your medical records.

I live in the Richmond area. I am seriously considering the lapband. I am 5'7" and weigh 278. I've struggled my entire adult life with weight. almost two years ago my husband died after a two year battle with lung cancer (he was only 40!!) and my mother six months after him (colon cancer, after beating breast cancer!!), leaving me with a beautiful little girl who is now five years old, that we adopted from China (got her, and five mos. later he had cancer). I am trying to get my life back together but am frustrated with my weight and finding time for ME to get it off. My blood pressure, which was always excellent (even when I'm heavy) steadily rose during his illness and my weight gain. My GP said if I lose weight I can get off the meds for sure. I also take stuff for anxiety, depression, thyroid, and am wondering how much of that I can ditch once I'm in shape. I hesitate at doing any surgery because there is no one to help me take care of my daughter while I recover (much less take care of me :cry ) but it looks like the lap band has a really short recovery period. I am going to get a consult with one of the surgeons in town who do this, but was wondering if there was anyone out there in my area who can share their experience? I'm 48 now and all my docs keep telling me I need to take care of ME so I'll be around to raise my daughter. I'd like to have enough energy for her as well! Anyway, my clinical psychologist suggested lap-band to me last week and I started looking into it. I'm starting to think it makes sense for me. thanks for any input. I plan to read as much as I can in this forum. We belonged to a very similar styled forum for lung cancer and it was wonderful - really got us through a horrible thing. So I was tickled to stumble here.

It might make you feel better to know that I didn't find out I was pregnant until around 4.5 months the last time. During that time I: 1) was on Jenny Craig and getting only 1200 cal. per day 2) drank like a fish for a week when I was on vacation 3) took provera (a hormone) to kick-start my period and my kid turned out fine! :wink2: Also, I was still overweight so my doctor told me to keep my weight gain down and not gain as much as a thin person would during my pregnancy. I didn't count calories at all. I counted RDAs. I had a list of what I had to get in each day -- so many servings of Calcium, so many of Vitamin A veggies, so much of Vitamin C foods, etc. So many servings of Protein, etc. If I got that in, I was happy and didn't worry about how many calories it was. My baby was born 9 lb. 1 oz., too so it's not like she was deprived.

There are plenty of weight gaining powders out there that will allow you to up your calories without filling up too much or putting a nutritional balance out of whack. Here is a link to livestrong that has some of these powders. You can get them at GNC or amazon. It should be very easy for you to arrest the weight loss. Best of luck. http://www.livestrong.com/article/36839-weight-gaining-powders/

Regarding weight gain... I understand your concern. Most of us have failed at keeping weight off in the past and have regained more than we lost most times. I want you to know that the band requireds hard work on your part. The difference with the band is that the hard work pays off...A first for me! Even when I've royally screwed up a day of eating, I either plateau, or lose anyway. Quite a change...... I've sometimes wondered if I would have enjoyed gastric bypass more----that sudden big drop inw eight that happens almost in spite of yourself. But I know that there's something about working and succeeding at wieght loss that is so good for my soul. I've needed that experience all of my life.

I'm trying to decide between lapband and gastric. My concern is erosion and slipage. I'd like to know how many people suffer from either of these. I have to pay cash for my surgery so I want to make the most educated decision I possibly can. Also, does anyone who had the lapband regret it and wish they would have had the gastric instead? Another concern I have is that I live 150 miles from the doctor so I'd like to know about how many times I will need to make the trip for a fill. Finally, is their less chance of weight gain with lapband then gastric in the long run? Thanks for the advice and info in advance.

OK lately I've been hearing that A LOT of wls people have gained or are gaining a lot of weight back after wls. I actually just met a lady in my panni class a few weeks ago that gained 50 lbs. back in a 2 year period...hearing this is TOTALLY freaking me out. I go up and down between 1-3 lbs. and that's the MOST I've gone up. Are there any sleevers out there that have gained 10, 15, 20, and up??? If so, how long did it take for you to gain???? Also, by any chance do you drink with your meals??? I use to be really strict about waiting the 30 minutes to drink after meals, but I'm finding that it's easier to drink sooner than the 30 minutes, and I'm wondering if that will contribute to weight gain. Right now I'm really trying to maintain (difficult stage to be in) and not counting or watching every bite I eat, because I really don't want to lose any more (for the MOST part I do make healthy choices), but on the other hand I'm freaking out about gaining my weight back after hearing about all these other folks. Any feedback would be appreciated!

So basically, it's normal for me to see weight gain with doing muscle work out?

I totally forgot about TOM! Well, I didn't really forget, she reminds me monthly... ..I just forgot about the possibility of weight gain. Thank you for the reminder, now I can go back to being my happy self. I thouhgt I had done something wrong...lol...

I had lost a bit before surgery like 50lbs which put me a little under i beleive 37. My docotor just asked me if I was sure I wanted this and I said yes for future weight gain. Im in NV so I think your safe as they say loose 10% before surgery!! Kepp up the good work !

For the first time in a very long time I am paying attention to my own needs and my own stress responses. It feels like I'm more sensitive to it than before. For years, I just buried it and keep pushing through. I'm working to find a balance....I can't bury / ignore the stress like I used to b/c I know that was a big contributing factor to my weight gain. I'm glad to hear that others are having similar experiences. Hope your situation improves.

Well of course she did... After all... I am the good twin!!!! Kewl on the eDiets charts... I used mine from the last number of years there as well!!!! Hey... are you still a member there??? There is a support group under the WLS heading there that a gal named Sanda started and it was ALL about GBP/RNY. I barged my way in there and said that I thought it would be important for people to know that there is a safer option for those that can't "stomach" the idea of GBS. I whined when she went to other posts and did a promo for the support group without mentioning the Lap Band and she nicely added to the info. (o: I would love to have another pre-bander there... the dynamic pre-band duo!!!!!! Lets let all of those folks know that they have a safer option! I promise to be the evil twin if ya come and join me! Good luck with re-submitting the "proof" ... I didn't have all of my booklets from WW but I was able to get my old info from Jenny Craig and of course the LOOOOOOOG print out from eDiets showing my huge weight loss and then my HUGE weight gain. I am keeping my fingers crossed for you and hope we can still manage a bandarama with dates that are close! Okay... can only hold out another hour before I call... pretty soon I'll just be able to tell them my name and they'll be like... OHHHHH you again. (o: Darcy

I'm surprised. I've been lurking for a while and I haven't seen anyone with a low BMI be blasted. 2 cents: How many of us wish we would have stopped the weight gain at 190 by getting the lap band? I think if any one of us who would have known what we know now, would have gotten banded. I firmly believe in my own case, the issue is not about getting a measly 50 pounds off, it's about fighting for the rest of my life to get it off. If it were a perfect world, I'd come to terms with my eating and what causes it. But it's not perfect and I may never really master it. I just need a tool that will help me cope with the ramifications of it while I deal with the emotional aspect of it. I think the band is a great tool for anyone who may be spiraling out of control. To say I wish I was that BMI is pointless because when YOU WERE you didn't stay there or take care to stay there right? I think it's a brave thing when someone sees where the road is heading and takes measures. If I could back to when I was 190 lb. and the band was around I would have gone for it...

HI! I just found the board tonight and am glad I did. I am in the process of gathering information for a band. I had not heard of them until about 2-3 months ago while trying to find another "diet" and talking to a friend of mine (who is a nurse). I'm tired of dieting (not to say the bad influences that they have had on my five daughters! with me yo yoing for the last 10 years). The more I read the more I feel this is the best way for me to go. I have fought weight loss/gain/loss/gain problems from the time I was in Jr. High. I lost a bunch of weight just before I met my husband (went from a size 18 to a size 9 in a year) and then got pregnant. I gained 65 pounds with her. That was 21 years ago (she'll be 21 in June). I then waited (and didn't care about my weight gain at that time, I wasn't "too horrible" and besides I had a new baby) two and a half years and got pregnant with my 2nd daughter. I didn't wait between kids, I had four babies in less than 4 years. They are 11 months apart, four times with the exception of the last one who is 18 months from the one just before her. I was losing weight and exercising when I discovered the surprise pregnancy of the last one. From there I have just kept fighting weight. :help: My family history is that of obesity and I lost my mother in 1998 when she was 56 years old. I am now 42 and looking at either facing the facts that I won't live to see all of my grandchildren OR taking ahold of what the obesity has done to my family and fight it like H***. Well, I guess since I'm here, you all know what choice I have made. I think I can say I"m the only one I know of who has GAINED on several of the diets following them to a "T". So trying another one of then at this point is NOT an option. I fight depression, severe osteoarthritis in my feet, knees, back and hip. I have had two knee surgeries on my left knee and one on my right. I have GERD as well as pre-diabetes (which is also another family hand me down!). I am looking for as much info as I can to take to my GP on the 26th of this month. He is a great doctor and I have before brought him information about other medications/ideas and he listens and helps me with either deciding they are good and moving forward or bad and directing me to another source/help. I think he will be happy that I want to take control of my weight and my life! He has been telling me to exercise and eat less. Why is it that people cannot understand that if I could exercise I would? I have a hard time walking long enough to get groceries, but I will say that I REFUSE to ride the little cart and have only used wheelchairs if there is absolutely NO possible way for me to walk. I want to LIVE, LAUGH and ENJOY my up and coming new grand baby and to watch him/her grow up as well as any other's my girls may bless me with. I want to WATCH my girls as they marry, succeed in college and move on with their lives. But I also want to be able to WALK down the aisles as the mother of the bride and NOT roll down it. Thus, I need help! And at this point the Band is the source of what I feel will keep me on the help line for the rest of my life. I LOVE healthy food, but I am hungry ALL the time....and thus, I eat. At this point my 5'4" frame is holding up (barely) 310 pounds. I KNOW that there is a small sexy woman under all of this fat....but I only see the fat lady at this point. And as I have always said, it ain't over until the fat lady sings...well this fat lady will hopefully be singing this fall when they roll my stretcher into surgery and I can begin a new life! Can't wait to hear from you all and your stories! I need lots of support too! My brother's all live out of state. My parents are gone, my in-laws are gone. I have my husband of 22 years and 5 girls and my best friend in Canada that will be support. But they will never (except my best friend as she has weight problems too!) totally understand the hurt when someone looks at you and points, or a child makes fun of your child because you are fat. The world is mean and I want to survive it now more than ever! I want to be ME! Finally! sorry, i have a lip problem (well, lol, finger problem when typing), family calls it diarehha of the lip. Hugs!

five years out, My maintenance calorie range is 1200 to 1400 calories. I eat mainly clean/healthy. I indulge within reason. Calories/carbs look different when I’m distance running (1500 to 2000+ depending on the event) I keep my weight in the 130’s - When I have a slight weight gain, I go back to bariatric weight loss calories. (1000 to1100) to work it off.

I just went to my obgyn on Monday and she put me back on NuvaRing. Didn't want to do an IUD because I haven't had children and didn't want to do Depo because of weight gain. I have taken NuvaRing before and she thought that was the best option for me post surgery. HW 344, DOS 320, Surgery Date 2/20/13, CW 279.8 Sent from my iPad using RNYTalk

Hey Everyone, Just thought I would start checking in again on LBT. I have had a busy 6 months since I have really been able to log on. Its time for me to turn to you, my fellow bandsters for support and inspiration. I swear I will be reading all the "new posts" I have missed for the next week, Boy you have been a busy bunch hahaha. I managed to keep my weight off and do quite well over the past year, I was down a total of 140 lbs and feeling great. once the holidays came around I started to struggle with weight again, those pounds started to creep back on (I only gained 8) but it was enough to scare me into getting a fill. So I had my most recent fill on Dec14, 2006. The Dr seems to think I may have a leak in my port or perhaps somewhere in the band which causes me to slpwly lose restriction. The fill was wonderful for a while then hunger becan to rear its ugly head again about 2 weeks later. Yup just in time for christmas ahhh all the food and parties again. so I ate and I gained then I went to aruba the second week of January while there of course you go out and have fun, eat drink and be merry right???? Well I was sick, nauseaus, couldnt keep a thing in me, vomiting at least 6 times a day and generally not feeling myself. I did a little counting in my head when I got home because I was still feeling ill and realized I was LATE! Well low and behold my december/january weight gain was due to being pregnant! NOW.... not only am I just pregnant I am pregnant with TWIN BOYS! wow, now that explains my hunger from christmas on, my excessive vomiting (I had my fill removed in February to be able to ingest enough food for the pregnancy and to generally feel comfortable) Of course also to reduce the tightness and lessen the risk of a slip from the morning noon and night sickness. I am currently going into my 5th month of my pregnancy, I feel GREAT although I am having a hard time emotionally seeing the weight come back on.... up 24 pounds but the babies are doing great and I have to keep telling myself I am gaining this weight to give my twins a good start at a healthy birthweight when they are born. My other 2 little boys are awake now, So much for free time (its going to be less in about 4 months) hahah so I better tend to their needs and enjoy my time as I know I will be busier than ever soon. Take care xxooxx