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Hi There! I'm back after at least a year away from Lap Band Talk. I had surgery on 10/28/08 and am back at working on getting to my goal weight by 10/28/11. I've spent the better part of the past year dealing with a foot injury that caused my exercise to go from 5 days a week to nada. Of course that lead to poor food choices and I'm now looking at a 10lb weight gain. I'm still down 74 lbs from surgery and 93 from my heaviest, but really want to get back on track. Looking forward to reading this forum for support and finding others who are restarting with the band!

I have to agree with others who have written that the issues causing conflict don't really have to do with the WLS. You should be realistic about this...a support system is what you want it to be. Likely there would be a support group in the area you would be moving to. You can't blame anyone or any life event for your weight gain; that's something you need to be able to accept the responsibility for. There is a psychology behind maladaptive eating patterns, and seeking counseling as either a couple or by yourself would help to identify the reasons why these unhealthy relationship dynamics developed. Your information regarding the time line for qualifying for insurance coverage are accurate for some, not all insurance plans. The requirements vary by policy and insurance company. As for surgeons not wanting to accept another's surgeon's patients, this is primarily based on wanting to limit their professional liability risks. Sad but true, the bottom line there is the dollar... One consideration I want to share with you is that having a band is not always limited to just regular follow up appointments. Sometimes one can have unanticipated negative consequences...I was hospitalized for weight loss related issues, not band related medical issues. Twice since being banded I attended a regular scheduled appointment with my bariatric surgeon, and he sent me directly from his office to the ER. Imagine the logistical nightmare this situation has the potential to create... I know that many others who participate on this forum have opted to travel great distances to their surgeon...even to a foreign country. They usually have positive outcomes. I'm just not comfortable with that idea, and am better off for having my surgeon based locally. Other's mileage may vary...best wishes as you consider your options.

Try sprintec. I was on it for years before my surgery . Then placed on ortho-tri-cyclen lo and it messed my cycle all up after 9 months . I'm back on sprintec again and love it . It's cheap ( no co pay for my insurance ) and it's a low dose one so there's less chance of a weight gain . I've been taking it since January , even through my post op .

How is it that one can go from being skinny and seeing herself as fat to being fat and still see the skinny person inside? When I was a teenager/20-something year old, I was thin and thought I was fat. It makes me sad to realize just how warped my view of myself was. How could I not hear my friends when they called me "Barbie"? They even tried to explain to me, sincerely, why they called me that... How could I not hear the company commanders in boot camp when they called me "Miss America"? I always thought to myself - they are doing something like calling a huge man (tall AND wide) 'tiny'. I was the opposite of what they called me in my eye. How could I not understand and realize and see for myself what my mom always told me. When I walked around a mall - I'd leave men turning their heads. She always thought it was pretty neat walking around with me - because I didn't know I was even doing that. All I REALLY heard was the rest of my family. My uncle told me at the age of 15 I "was getting too pudgy". My aunt slapped him. Harm was done, nonetheless. My dad called me "thunderthighs" because he "thought it was funny". Maybe it was a "joke" but harm was done, nonetheless. My grandmother told me "I would never be able to attract a man if I continued to look like I did" (at 132 pounds which was technically underweight for my height.) Apparently she wanted me to be a waif - which I consider unhealthy. I was smart enough to know then that waifs are unhealthy. I was not smart enough, if you will, to know that I was being pressured into "society's norms". I was an athlete. I swam for miles. I was also in drill team. So when I wasn't swimming, I was marching for miles or dancing on football fields. Between the two activities, I had something going "all year long". And in my spare time I was in choir and drama. And in my "leftover" spare time, I was never sitting down. I look back NOW and I KNOW I was healthy and fit and JUST FINE! Is it wrong of me to just be mad mad mad at this family of mine? Because somewhere in this weight gain journey I began to realize EXACTLY how off base they all were. But. BUT. NOW....I look in the mirror...and I still see my skinny self. I look at pictures and I cannot be deceived in those cases. So I don't take pictures - and if they are taken for some horrendous reason - I DO NOT LOOK AT THEM. Who wants to see a puffed out hideous puff ball when in the minds eye, there is still a waist line? In the minds eye there are still muscular legs? In the minds eye there are still curves where curves are supposed to be. I can still see who I used to be. Don't get me wrong - I'm not entirely delusional. I AM fat! I DO need to lose weight? I DO have fat sitting on top of muscles that used to show through easily. I DO have curves where curves should not exist. I just know NOW that once upon a time - I WAS ok. I'm ok, you're ok, right? I don't want to forget that this thinking has evolved like this. I want to remember when I am at a healthy weight that HEALTHY is what looks best. I want to remember when I am at a healthy weight that I must follow my own heart. Forget my grandmother who worked in the fashion industry. Forget my uncle who thinks that women cannot be athletes and who considered muscle "pudge". Forget my dad who just didn't know better. Forget them all. It's what I think about myself that matters.

How is it that one can go from being skinny and seeing herself as fat to being fat and still see the skinny person inside? When I was a teenager/20-something year old, I was thin and thought I was fat. It makes me sad to realize just how warped my view of myself was. How could I not hear my friends when they called me "Barbie"? They even tried to explain to me, sincerely, why they called me that... How could I not hear the company commanders in boot camp when they called me "Miss America"? I always thought to myself - they are doing something like calling a huge man (tall AND wide) 'tiny'. I was the opposite of what they called me in my eye. How could I not understand and realize and see for myself what my mom always told me. When I walked around a mall - I'd leave men turning their heads. She always thought it was pretty neat walking around with me - because I didn't know I was even doing that. All I REALLY heard was the rest of my family. My uncle told me at the age of 15 I "was getting too pudgy". My aunt slapped him. Harm was done, nonetheless. My dad called me "thunderthighs" because he "thought it was funny". Maybe it was a "joke" but harm was done, nonetheless. My grandmother told me "I would never be able to attract a man if I continued to look like I did" (at 132 pounds which was technically underweight for my height.) Apparently she wanted me to be a waif - which I consider unhealthy. I was smart enough to know then that waifs are unhealthy. I was not smart enough, if you will, to know that I was being pressured into "society's norms". I was an athlete. I swam for miles. I was also in drill team. So when I wasn't swimming, I was marching for miles or dancing on football fields. Between the two activities, I had something going "all year long". And in my spare time I was in choir and drama. And in my "leftover" spare time, I was never sitting down. I look back NOW and I KNOW I was healthy and fit and JUST FINE! Is it wrong of me to just be mad mad mad at this family of mine? Because somewhere in this weight gain journey I began to realize EXACTLY how off base they all were. But. BUT. NOW....I look in the mirror...and I still see my skinny self. I look at pictures and I cannot be deceived in those cases. So I don't take pictures - and if they are taken for some horrendous reason - I DO NOT LOOK AT THEM. Who wants to see a puffed out hideous puff ball when in the minds eye, there is still a waist line? In the minds eye there are still muscular legs? In the minds eye there are still curves where curves are supposed to be. I can still see who I used to be. Don't get me wrong - I'm not entirely delusional. I AM fat! I DO need to lose weight? I DO have fat sitting on top of muscles that used to show through easily. I DO have curves where curves should not exist. I just know NOW that once upon a time - I WAS ok. I'm ok, you're ok, right? :smile2: I don't want to forget that this thinking has evolved like this. I want to remember when I am at a healthy weight that HEALTHY is what looks best. I want to remember when I am at a healthy weight that I must follow my own heart. Forget my grandmother who worked in the fashion industry. Forget my uncle who thinks that women cannot be athletes and who considered muscle "pudge". Forget my dad who just didn't know better. Forget them all. It's what I think about myself that matters.

Hi everyone, My name is Tina and i am new to the board. For the past month I have visited the board and love the type of community that is here. Since my decision to get the Lap Band I have felt very alone until now. The few people I have told have not been very supportive. I have decided not to tell anyone if I am approved and have the surgery. To tell you about myself, i am 5,9 and 320 lbs. My BMI is 49. I am in the process of getting approved for the Lap Band in New York with Dr. Christine Ren and Dr. Fielding. I have been referred by primary doctor and my insurance company Oxford said that the surgery is covered if medically necessary. My doctor says its medically necessary because i can barely move without pain due to fall during last year's winter. I am in the process of getting my medical records from childbirth until now, my gym memberships and all other documents. I have photos at various stages of weight gain and loss. Does any one have any suggestions on what other information i should gather? Is Oxford a pain to deal with. Dr. Ren said that her office usually handles getting the approvals and provides me with a copy for my records. I have to be honest with you, I am afraid of what will happen in the course of the next few months. Does anyone have words of wisdom of dealing with their Lap Band decision and surgery? Thanks for your help. Tina

I have Aetna and I'm in Missouri and my policy said no net weight gain buuuuut at my very first weigh in my weight was recorded wrong they had me 35 lbs lighter then I actually was so by the end of my 6 months it looked like I gained 35lbs but it didn't get caught til after my documents was submitted for approval so my patient advocate was in the process of getting ready for an appeal because we thought it was gone be denied but I was approved in less then 24 hrs and my surgery date is February 10!!!

I was diagnosed with PCOS last year, I am taking Actos and back on the 'ol pill,(which is ironic since I have been tubal ligated,)the meds relieve it somewhat, but i feel that the weight is more to blame for my symptoms now. I don't have menstration without the Actos now. I know it is due to my obesity, never had a problem with this before my weight gain. I quit smoking two years ago, I gained most of my weight since then. Bottom line for me, weight loss will help me tremendously.

I was told not to have caffeine at all as it can slow your weight loss (that's all it took for me to give it up completely). I started walking in the hospital and regular exercise after 8 week check-up. The other questions don't apply because I do not drink or smoke. My advice is to adhere to the guidelines your NUT and Doc give you so that you can reach your goal quicker. Don't look for reasons to break the rules. I've seen people not follow the guidelines post-op and I've seen "slow" weight loss as a result. I've even seen weight gain in those that went back to old habits. We all loose quickly at first, you have to work it to keep it going. The sleeve is merely a tool to make it easier for you Think back to the motivation you had when you went into this and don't loose sight of your goals because you are focused on getting back to "normal" your "normal" is what got you here to begin with.

Hi all, my deal isn't stress it's the last supper thing. I am going to be banded on 01-06 and I can't stop eating everything! I am right there with Travelinsnorkel. I have no pre op diet and I didn't even get a raised eyebrow from the doc at my 10 lb weight gain in the last month. I am really looking forward to the surgery and then the liquid diet so I can finally stop eating! I hope it all goes well.:party:

Aww Penni We all can relate..seems we all are sturggling this Hoilday Season with weight gain or no weight loss, the stress of doing all the shopping, wrapping, cooking, decorating..Like I toild lisa when she told me she gained 6 lbs, that if just "fluff " weight. Don't sweat the small stuff. Soon this time of year will behind you and all of us and we can then focus on ourselves and bands again. Oh and Beautiful Tree!

I tell everyone as well! I figure if they see you losing weight and keeping it off then they are gonna talk anyhow because everyone knows that 99% of people who lose weight gain it right back with out some kind of help. Don't want to be another Star Jones that was a no brainer watching a fat all of your life woman go down to nothing and lie about it on national TV.

Also throwing it out there, muscle cramps are very frequently caused by dehydration. Sodium levels play a big part in cramps. More so than potassium issues. Another thread we were discussing how a few sips of pickle juice helps with the dehydration and sodium deficiencies. It really works. And there is mounting evidence to support it. Like a shot glass full - not a lot. But rhabdo can have less shocking symptoms than tea or cola colored urine. Decreased urine output (oliguria), muscle soreness, stiffness (especially if you're not upping your workout and you're staying sore), fatigue, muscle stiffness, unintentional weight gain (likely edema) and joint pain. Treatment involves upping the fluids, but also adding sodium bicarbonate. Hospital it is given IV. Sodium bicarb is found in many antacids. It protects the kidneys from the byproducts of muscle breakdown that can damage them. Severe cases of rhabdo can cause acute renal failure. Nothing to play with. The combination of severe muscle trauma (including from workouts) with suboptimal hydration can cause rhabdo. A mild case can cause damage to the kidneys. Hydration is ssoooooo freakin' important! edit - Don't try to treat yourself if you suspect rhabdo. They are trying to flush the kidneys. But outside of a clinical setting you are risking Fluid overload if your kidneys start shutting down. You may not get the alarming symptoms until irreparable harm has been done to the kidneys. It only takes 60-90 minutes of decreased blood flow to the kidneys to end up on dialysis.

Absolutely they can! Be very careful not to gain weight for that reason. If you do end up gaining weight be sure to wear lightweight clothing and weigh without shoes when you weigh in at your Nutritionist appoinment. If you have gained weight while on your menstrual cycle be sure your nutritionist puts that in the notes as the reason for possible weight gain. I had gained 2 or 3 pounds and my NUT made sure to notate that because she said that insurance companies are using weight gain as reason for denying or at least forcing you to delay your surgery.

I had a very bad episode on vacation last year. I passed out in front of my grand daughter and worse the tide was coming in on the Bay of Fundy. As much as I am now used to this condition it can still rear up even when I am properly maintaining my Protein intake and everything. I find that if I get too excited about something happening it can happen anyway. My count goes down below 2 which 5 is normal. It has caused some issues with my over all health and some weight gain. It is just another symptom of the choices we make regarding what we feel is best for our overall health. Even with this nasty part of it. I am still happy I did it....

Hello! I have my final meeting with my nutritionist on January 19 and then meet with my surgeon again on January 20. Unfortunately I have recently gained about ten pounds. It happened very quickly, during the last month. Part of this was due to overeating at the Holidays and part of it is because I have been on prednisone for a pinched nerve. If I don't lose the weight, they will not go forward with the surgery. Starting today, I will do Protein shakes. Can I please have advice on how many a day, whether I should eat anything else at all, etc. Is my goal even feasible?

Yes the XR will be an issue, easily rectified. Please bear in mind that Effexor is widely known for its weight gaining side effects! Good luck

I decided I didn't want to keep my surgery a secret from my closest family but I also didn't want to have to keep explaining it over and over and I certainly didn't want to argue or debate with anyone (something my family is known for, including me! ) So I sent out an email in advance and the results have been great. No one argued or disagreed, at least, not to me. I received some well wishes before and after surgery. And while there may be questions when I see them over the holidays, my hope is that I've cleared up a few things in advance. Here's my email: Subject: Do you know what Lap Band Surgery is? (Warning: this is long!) It's a procedure in which an inflatable band is placed around the upper portion of your stomach. There is a tube attached that runs to a port that is placed just below the skin. Saline is injected into the port to inflate the band. The idea is to create a pouch of the stomach through which food initially passes. When this pouch is full, you feel full and so eat less. I am having this procedure on Thursday. I have researched it extensively and have visited the surgeon, a nutritionist, a psychologist, and my own family doctor. All have been supportive but I was especially pleased with my own doctor's opinion, since he has no affiliation with the others, though, coincidentally, he knows the psychologist. (She has a regular family counseling practice and does not work for the surgeon.) My doctor said that he has about half a dozen patients who have had the procedure and all of them are doing great. He was very positive about me doing this. Also, he performed all of my pre-op tests and I am in excellent health. I have about 70 pounds to lose. The Lap-Band will not cause me to lose it especially quickly. However, it should help me keep it off. You may recall that I lost 70 pounds four years ago, too. I fought to keep that weight off with continual dieting and exercise. Unfortunately, diets don't work, and 95 percent of people who lose weight will gain it back. People tend to be blamed (or blame themselves!) for this regain but there is more and more evidence that our bodies are programmed to regain this weight. I read a recent study with rats: two groups of rats were given the same amount of food. The rats who had previously lost weight GAINED while those that hadn't stayed their normal weight. Of course, those of us who have struggled with our weight for many years don't need these studies to convince us this is true! Here's what's going to happen to me: I go in for surgery at 7 a.m. at Austin Surgical Hospital. It's a laparoscopic procedure that should take no more than an hour. After I've recovered, I'll go home the same day and I'll go back to work Tuesday. For the first week or two, I will be on a diet of Clear liquids. Then I'll be on full liquids (anything that can go through a straw) for another couple of weeks. Then I'll be on soft foods (foods that can pretty much be swallowed without chewing) for a few weeks. Finally, I'll be able to start adding normal food. I will need to chew thoroughly and slow down the eating process. I will also not be drinking with my meals because liquid just pushes the food on through. Eventually, I'll be able to eat most foods but more slowly and in smaller quantities. The process is slow in order to allow my stomach to get used the band while I get used to learning to eat differently. After six weeks, I'll go in for my first adjustment, called a "fill." My surgeon is conservative about filling the band, one of the reasons I chose him. I want to take my time and adjust to each change. I am not in a hurry about losing the weight, especially knowing that this will be the last time! The perfect amount of restriction is being able to eat almost anything I want in small quantities without being hungry but still losing weight. While some people get exactly the right amount of restriction with no fill at all, it is more typical to get three or four fills, or more, several months apart. Also, as one loses weight, there is less pressure from fat on the outside of the band, so the band can loosen up, requiring a fill. The band can be unfilled a little or completely if I ever get too much restriction or have a medical reason for needing more food. Also, the band can be removed completely in a similar surgery and my stomach would return to normal. However, this is only done if there is a medical reason for it. It's considered permanent like a knee replacement or defibrillator. This is a big difference from gastric bypass surgery, which is a permanent reconstruction of the stomach and cannot be reversed. One of the best articles I read that summed up the procedure is an ABC news article about Khaliah Ali's book, "Fighting Weight." She is Mohammed Ali's daughter and she had the Lap-Band surgery. An excerpt from her book is in the article and she does a good job of summarizing: ABC News: Excerpt: Khaliah Ali's 'Fighting Weight' I have other links if you would like to learn more about it. Mr. Longhorn and the girls will be taking care of me after the surgery, though I shouldn't need much. The surgery is considered comparable to gall bladder surgery. I'll be up and walking a lot that weekend to get rid of the CO2 gas that the surgeon will pump into my body during surgery to create room to work. Many people have very little pain afterwards. I'm getting the latest version of the band, made by Allergan/Inamed. While complications have been rare, this band has improvements designed to address those complications. I'm sorry this is so long but that's why I decided to let y'all know in an email. I didn't want you to confuse what I'm doing with gastric bypass surgery. I also wanted you to know what to expect when we're together for meals in the future. And I didn't want to have to repeat this "lecture" over and over! :eek: Love, Longhorn Feel free to use any part of my email if you find it helpful.

Really great points BTB! You always have such great insight! I especially agree with not all calories are equal and our bodies respond differently to different fuels. And I also want to add, and maybe not all will agree, but if you notice a lot of the people struggling with weight gain, or gain weight easily are women. It is true and it is just plain crappy. It is harder for us to lose weight and easier for us to gain weight. And our hormones have a role as well. Not only as we age, but from month to month. Hormonal cravings are very real and not just a "sweet tooth", and bloating and Water retention are common in almost all of us. I can gain weight very easily, within a week if I do not watch what I am eating. That being said, could I always gain so easily. Probably, but I just never paid as close attention and just quit weighing in the past if I started gaining (I actually did not even own a scale for a long time). And like Puja said, it is too easy to gain weight, and it is very scary. But it is reality. And Puja, you are beautiful, you really need an after gallery at least!! Congratulations!

Congratulation on your surgery! No worries. All normal. Weight gain immediately after surgery happens--lots of excess fluids are in your body.

I weighed on my one week post opt day and had gained 4 pounds. I have had nothing but liquids, I believe it may have been because I had not had a bowl movent after surgery, I have now, will weigh at surgens on Friday. I am expecting some loss.

I can agree, I dont like or think artificial sweetener is good in any sense of the word good. With that said, lots of stuff like medicine I take that I need (blood pressure etc.) is not good for me in one sense but it is better for me than the alternative. (heart attack, stroke). So for me that is how I think of the sugar free is that as an obese person, when I feel I have to eat something sweetened, it just has to be sugar free because the alternative to it is more sugar and more weight gain. We absolutely should eat it in small amounts and learn to cut it out or greatly decrease the amount and while we are in that process the sugar free is what helps us get there and loose weight in the meantime. I hope that made sense, Colleen

You have to find what works for you. That is what allows you to maintain your weight, be healthy & enjoy your life. You don’t want a diet that is so restrictive that it limits you doing the things you enjoy or affects your health. It’s as simple as that & also as hard. Lots of trial & error over time. Do your own research. Try recommendations from people on this forum. I still don’t eat rice, pasta or bread or bread alternatives like wraps. I did try a soybean pasta that others here recommended a couple of months back but even the tiny bit I had didn’t sit well & was too filling. I was surprised though at how well it cooks & it tasted similar to wheat pasta. It’s way better than vegetable pastas were years ago. I have tried cauliflower rice but I don’t like it very much. I enjoy zucchini noodles a lot. I used to eat quite a lot of bread, rice & pasta but I avoid them now cause I think they contributed to my past weight gain. I don’t really miss them. I also avoid them because if I can only eat a cup of food, I’m going to make sure it’s nutrient rich. I get my carbs from fruit, vegetables, rolled oats & some multigrain crackers. It’s working for me but it may not work for you. Good luck.

I would suggest meeting with a dietician/nutritionist to get a good idea of what to eat and with a bariatric therapist to work on the eating disorder. Also, make sure whoever is prescribing medication for anxiety and depression prescribes medications that don't cause weight gain, as many do. Have you had surgery yet? Your profile says you are pre-op.

I was on insulin injections twice daily and had become 'insulin resistant'. I also had ballooned up to 373 #. Through madness and desperation I eased down almost 20#. Went to the Band clinic, consulted, went on pre op diet, lost another 20 #. 8 months after Band surgery, I was completely off insulin. Started Metformin. A1c dropped to below 7 for the first time in years. Other blood values normalized. Metformin doesn't do anything to decrease weight for me....but it does moderate my blood sugar without insulin injections...which after all is a hormone that produces weight gain among other things. By the way, after 10 years on CPAP, I tossed that out 7 months postOp as well. I continue to live the Happy Bandster lifestyle....and I'm still "35# from goal". cheers on your journey