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And it is true vice versa. Women also like to see men and women of like attractiveness yoked up. We all like to see a couple evenly matched when it comes to the beauty department and a disparity is always unsettling to the casual onlooker. This sense of wrongness disappears, of course, when you come to know the couple. The superficial impact of looks always disappears when you come to know the people inside the packages. This is just how it works. My own mate is 9 years younger than myself and while I had been a fairly good looking woman in my day, age and weight gain have certainly damaged my allure. *Please insert irony here, by the way.* As for my mate, well, the body gods have been very kind to him. This has resulted in some occasions where my feelings could have been hurt if I was less comfortable in our relationship. We have, you should know, been together for twenty years. I am also aware that I would have made the same judgement calls had I been on the outside looking in. This is something that we are prone to do is all.

I am losing a lot slower than most of you guys (which can be frustrating). I am following my doctor's orders thoroughly. It might be that I am older than some (I'm 55). I'm on several medications that cause weight gain and they may be causing me to lose slower. I did water aerobics before surgery and have continued with that so I know it's not from lack of exercise. I can't up my exercising much without causing a fibromyalgia flare up but I can try to increase it slowly over many months. I use myfitnesspal to record what I'm eating to make sure I'm on track. I'm down 31 pounds and I'm happy with that until I come to this site and read where everyone else is.

Hello fellow Bariatric pals! I am 6 days post gastric sleeve surgery. My surgery was performed April 18th, at St Francis Indianapolis by Dr Shamseddeen. Some Background info on me and my choice to have bariatric surgery: I am male, age 48 married with one adult child and two teenage children. I have been married for 21 years. We have a Noah's ark of pets but our primary pets are two cats, and three dogs (Lucretia a 6yr old female Newfoundland, Freya a 4 yr old female St Bernard, and Vivien a female 5 month old Newfoundland pup) I am a Registered Nurse who had specialized in geriatric/hospice/long term care before having a heart attack in 2016. I switched to homecare and work primarily with special needs and medically fragile children. After my heart attack with stent placement I started to number my health issues and I had a lot, obesity, smoker, copd, sleep apnea, Congestive heart failure, High cholesterol. I began to treat these with medicines, cpap, quitting smoking, light exercise. The one issue I did not really tackle was my obesity. With quitting smoking my weight went up as I replaced smoking with snacking. I had grown accustomed to being larger and just came to accept I was the fat old man, thats just who I was now so no use in fretting over it. Then my primary doctor handed me one more diagnosis... diabetes. I was just taking metformin, and was so far non insulin dependent. As a nurse who cared for older patients I have witnessed diabetes ravage my patients, I have prepped toes for amputation, then parts of feet, then legs... I was 329 lbs at this time and was fearful of dieting turning into yo yo dieting that would lead to greater weight gains. I began to research bariatric surgery. My first visit to St Francis Bariatric Clinic was September 14th 2017 (From first visit to surgery was about 7 months). I started my journey with the monthly meetings, nutrition appointments, pysch evaluation, and getting numerous surgical clearances from my other doctors. I started my preop dieting and got down to 317 lbs. When I started my preop liquid diet I was my worse enemy when my friends would come over to celebrate my surgery.... by offering me "one more for the road" food offerings of pizza, white castles, take out chinese food, etc. I appreciated the sentiments but I should have been stronger in my resolve to say no. But even with temptations, day of surgery I was about 311 lbs. My Surgery Day experience: Pre-Op prep was no problem, no complaints. IV placed, skin scrubbed, some labs drawn. Basic stuff. Rolled back for surgery, again no problem, introduced to surgical team as I was wheeled into surgical suite, moved to operating table and arms positioned at sides. I don't even remember when they administered sedation as my next memory was waking in recovery. Waking in Recovery: I won't lie..I was in intense pain and either due to sedation or just the level of pain I couldn't say how much I hurt, all I could do was moan..loudly and forcefully. I have never given any pain I have had a rating of 10 on a 1-10 scale, even when I had my heart attack, but this rated an 11+ After a minute or so I think i was given something for the pain and I passed out again. I awoke in my hospital room. Day 1 post op: In my room I was greeted by my wife and nurse. The nurses I had over the next 24 hours were great in treating me, as well as caring for my family. I was allowed one oz of ice chips to sip on and I had my PCA (pain medicine pump) to hit every 15 minutes as needed. I was wearing a truss, had a drain ball on my abdomen below the large incision site where my stomach portion was removed. I also had a foley cath placed. I have placed thousands of foley caths, but have never had one myself. I had an intense urge to urinate that made resting difficult. I kept joking with the nurses I was going to swipe a 10cc syringe to empty the cath balloon and remove it myself. Later that day I had two small 1 oz cups of chicken broth brought in for me to try. I was able to down 1 over 20 minutes and couldn't even start the 2nd. I had a 1 oz cup pf ice chips now and then but was not worried about dehydration because of the bags of saline and antibiotics they had running in via my IV. I started doing my inspiratory spirometer and I say this as a nagging nurse who has had many patients post op refuse to do them, now as a patient i can say that the inspiratory spirometer does help a lot. My first day I was walked a short distance, and that night I slept in the recliner as I found it more comfortable then the bed. I had still had pain but between the PCA and re-positioning it was manageable. Discharge day: I was walked again a little farther then before. I had my foley cath removed (Yay!) which led to 48 hours of a burning sensation on urination that eventually faded. I had my IV discontinued, and started on liquid pain meds which about a little less then 1 oz took forever for me to sip. The only notable pain I had that day was when they pulled my drain tube out. I knew it was going to be uncomfortable, but the nurse didn't just pull it out quickly, or even as 1 long pull but did it in 3 jerky pulls that sent pain rocketing from my navel down to my toes. Aside from that all was well, I had moderate pain, was sore and hurt to stand from sitting or to bend but it was all tolerable. Back Home again and starting my new reality: Since being home at first I tried to religiously follow the instructions I was given on nutrition, being on the modified liquid diet, taking my vitamins, and staying hydrated. I ran into several issues. First I had no appetite, you really do have to force yourself to eat, but also to eat properly over 20-30 minutes to get down a 2 oz cup of broth or yogurt. To quickly and I would feel nauseous and full. I would not drink within 30 minutes of either start or end of eating. I had no thirst for the first few days. Even taking small sips I found it hard to get in 40-60 oz's of water a day. I have been struggling to get in 70g protein a day. First the shakes would make using the Premier dry whey protein mix would froth a lot and give me a very full/gassy feeling. The thickness of the shake even after thinning would fill me up quick after a few sips. The taste wasn't good, but not terrible but you won't catch me saying "Ya know what would taste good right now? a protein shake" The vitamins. All of my vitamins right now are chew-able. Only problem I have is I have no teeth so I have to suck on them until they dissolve over time. Again not the best tasting, but they also seem to trigger fullness or nausea in me. I may switch to liquid vitamins, pills (when I can), maybe even the patches I saw advertised here. Some solutions I have found. I was looking over youtube videos and saw some people make Popsicles out of their protein shakes and I did the same with Powerade zero. Doing this I was able to get down at least half my shakes in a day (40g protein) and it really helped top off my liquid intake by sucking on the powerade pops I made but still limited the intake over time so I wouldn't get sick. It is day 6 for me and it is a learning process. I see that we all have many things in common but that everyone's experience with bariatric surgery is very much personal and individualized. The highlight of my week has been actually going under 300 lbs for the first time in many years and passing gas on day 5 (Hey to nurses passing gas is as much a sign of life as a pulse or respiration plus shows our digestion is working) I have been reading many of the forums and have enjoyed the stories and humor, and appreciated the advice given and I hope to read many more over the next year. Good Spring (when it gets here, I am from Indiana after all) to all

I had my final class today and my pre-op testing. i just have an echo to get done tomorrow (born w/heart valve issue & they want me to be cleared for surgery) and then the covid on sun then my surgery next wed. i've gained some weight since covid (stress/hopelessness/depression) and my doc said no more weight gain from here until my surgery next wednesday or she'll cancel it. i get it, but i plan to start my liquid diet earlier (just bought a bunch of protein drinks/crystal light/jello from walmart to pick up tomorrow) and plan to walk 2x a day w/my dog if i can. a mile each time, more if i can swing it in w/my work schedule and appointments. It's gettin' real real ya'll.. i cant' have anyone w/me because of covid (not in the hospital to stay overnight or to visit..) but its ok bc ive been doing this journey by myself (not married/living alone) so it's only appropriate that i do this final step alone.

My obgyn says the anesthesia during surgery can throw off our periods. I'm due again around feb 10 and I'm hoping I don't get the heavy clotting and dizziness that sent me to ER on jan 13. Nuts!!! I'm on Iron supplements too 27mcg 1x a day -- metabolic weightloss doc put me on Vitamin k for one month due to all the menstrual bleeding and OB also gave me aygestin to help slow down extra heavy bleeding next month if it happens for more than 6 hours I'm so hoping I never have to go through that again it's so scary and worse than dehydration for me Wouldn't want to go on any birth control pills either due to weight gain and the bad experience I had with them 6 years ago with rapid heart beat (I was on yasmine) I'll be 7 weeks out tomorrow and feeling so much better these days

I am right where you are in that I had surgery the same day and am currently on pureed food. The only things I would ask is are you (sorry) pooping well since backed up poop can cause weight gain and are you drinking plenty of water. You will retain fluids if you are not drinking enough. On the pureed front, I am only doing chicken, cottage cheese, cauliflower and greek yogurt so far so basically only a few carbs. Not adding fruits or any other carbs for a while. Hang in there!!

it wont fail! As long as you consume the propoer nutrition and exercise if possible. The stalls are expected.. I suggest you weigh no more than once a week.. Our bodies fluctuate with water weight too often and will drive you insane. I have weighed once a week on the same day since surgery and have always experienced a loss even if it is 1 lb.. The ont time i weighed in the middle of week it showed a 1.5 weight gain. I jumped off the scale so quick it was like I was standing on fire LOL.. but when I weighed again on my normal day, it was 1 lb loss.. whew..

This is all so very confusing to me. I am 5'3 and weighed 230 last May at my initial appointment. At my last pre-op I weighed in at 213. I've already been cutting back on my food intake to the point were I am still hungry all the time but telling myself I can do it until I get the band. My surgery date is October 11. From what I understand, my Doctor is only using the large size band. I work in a building w/5 other lap-banders and they all had the size 4 and have had very good results. I go to a support group meeting at the hospital and have been going weekly for months. From what I have hearing, the restriction is much better in the size 4. Some have had much success w/no fills at all. The newer, larger band patients are experiencing little restriction even after 2 or 3 fills. I emailed the support group leader who is also my surgeon's wife, by the way. Here is part of the response I received: "Dr. M will be the one deciding which size band you will have. It will most likely be the larger band. I know it must sound out of control to hear Linda being hungry. You will be ok and if you are hungry, you do have options to help you feel betrter without the weight gain. You can have thicker Soups. You may not be hungry, you just don't know. The advantage with the bigger band is that you have less of a chance of the band coming up through the stomach if you have too much fill. You will have more flexibility with the fill. We have had less complications an good weight loss esults so far." (By the way, Linda is good buddy of mine and has been very, very hungry since her surgery on the 22nd of September) I've been waiting for so long to finally get here - probably shouldn't worry about band size but can't help thinking that the smaller band is more effective.

I use the depo shot. I love it. Go in every 3 months, for 15 mins and you are done. I haven't noticed any weight gain and I don't get periods anymore. I would recommend it but check with your Dr.

I weighed myself in the morning and I had a hystorectomy so I cant have a period. I know some are thinking I gorged myself on halloween candy but I actually got rid of it all so I wouldnt eat it. I have not started any new meds. I wonder if I could have some water weight for some reason I hope thats what it is but thats ALOT of water. My butt doesnt even fit in my computer chair as well as it did before so I can really notice the weight gain. I wonder how many people have had a fill actually take several weeks to work and maybe mine will kick in soon or maybe I just need another fill.

This is going to sound harsh but please believe me - it is meant to be helpful. A calorie is not a calorie, different foods have different effects on the body, for example in encouraging insulin spikes and fat storage. But, however you look at it, if you take in fewer calories than your body is using, your body has no choice but to use stored energy - fat. That's is! That's how the body works. Some of use calories more or Jess efficiently, some take meds or have a condition which predispose them to weight gain, so some may lose on 1500 cal a day, some may need to drop to 800. But the basic equation holds true. So to stall for six months, you are taking in at least as many calories as you are burning. Exercise is excellent but unless you are training at the level of an elite athlete, diet counts for 80% of loss. Have you spent a week measuring and recording every singie thing which passes your lips? The only reason being too tight causes stalls is if oeople resort to soft slider foods which are often higher calorie.

You'll have some water weight gain from the carbs, but it's not the end of the world. Just stick to protein and watch those carbs going forward.

I just joined this forum last night. I just put a post in the intro section http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f18/need-go-back-fill-after-3-yr-absence-weight-gain-rhode-island-64424/ I too have been off the "wagon" for the last 3+ years and wondering if I was alone or if I could restart the whole process. TS, thanks for your post, It really helps to know that not everyone has a sucess story. I ready to do whatever it takes to get down to my ideal weight but I need to levage this lapband since i went through all the work of getting it. Chris

Babs you are probably gaining muscle. Also, Chinese sometimes causes Water weight gain. I wouldn't worry about it so much right now, wait for a few days and try again. Maybe your body is telling you that this is the perfect weight for you also.

That is a load of horse puckey, he's full of crap. They should know to expect weight regain. I had a slipped band that was removed. I went from about 280 (at removal, up from a low of about 215) to just under 350 in 7 months. It is not realistic to expect no weightloss to occur when you're waiting on a revision. For one, your body is wired to want to gain weight, especially if your complication resulted in extreme restriction. For two, no matter how hard you try, it's going to be really easy to slip back into bad behaviors eventually -- just because you can. I started eating a Breakfast sandwich every morning even though I wasn't hungry, because the novelty of being able to eat breakfast was just so awesome... and then it became a behavior. Here's my take. Maybe you can use some of these points to reason with your surgeon. regardless of weight, being banded has given you some tools that should help with success with the sleeve: core behavioral changes, and understanding of what the whole WLS process is like; an idea of the mental road coming; an ability to find balance rather than short-term deprivation, etc. with nothing in place to restrict intake, how are you supposed to maintain weight? It is proven that when you stop losing, your body makes it much harder than normal not to gain. So you're in a more volatile gain period, and have nothing to help you (mechanically speaking). You lost weight because you had a band, so what's his rationale for it not being OK to gain when the band is gone? When my band came out, I gained almost 20 lbs in a week. But I still felt restriction, and I was not eating much more than before surgery. What I gained was not fat. It was weight. I'd been so fricking dehydrated that the Water weight just packed on. Most people who have their bands removed are fairly dehydrated because of it. You're going to gain some weight, and it's a healthy gain (not fat gain, weight gain - hydration in this case) Instead of seeing it "if you can't do it on your own, you can't do it with the sleeve" (which, if that ws true, no one here would be anywhere near goal because I can pretty much guarantee that everyone here tried to do it on their own, yet here we are...) he should be seeing it as "you're that much ahead of someone doing this for the first time, so let's get you some help and get you healthy."

Well as much as I hate to admit it and I know it's not what you are supposed to do, I had that mentality for the first few months of the 6 month diet. I didnt have an exact amount of weight to lose, but was terrified that insurance wouldn't approve if I didnt get my act together! Overall I gained 8 lbs from my first weigh in with the surgeon. Then I decided I needed to start mentally and physically preparing for my new life so although I would treat myself maybe once every 2 weeks or so and within limits, I started doing a high lean protein very low carb, no more wine diet. My insurance papers were submitted with the 8 lb weight gain and I was still approved for surgery on April 4. Have lost about 10 lbs since the healthier eating though. So to answer your question, I think the last meal mentality shouldn't be an everyday occurrence but for me if there was something I really wanted I had it but not night after night like I did in the beginning. Hope that helps; good luck!

I have been on psych meds off and on since I was a teen, been on more than I can count on fingers. About 4 years ago I started Effexor XR with no weight gain but when I started Seroquel I gained 30 lbs in 3 months. Nothing had changed in my exercise or eating habits so not sure why I gained. After 4th month on Seroquel I tried a new set of meds that had helped me lose in past, but did not work and had to back on Effexor/ Seroquel and just watched my weight increasing. After being off meds for 10 months for pregnancy, I had a hard time finding a right combo. Dr would not do seroquel again because of worry of more weight gain ( I was already too heavy and having back problems). Now I am on Lamictal/Pristiq and am doing okay with it. My PCP does not think that my meds have anything to do with my current weight gain. He also feels that if I lose weight will help with depression. Any thoughts on all this?

If the diet pill worked so well in the past, then why did you need the surgery? Diet pills don't work and there is always bound to be weight gain after stopping them. You know what you have to do to get the weight moving again in the right direction. Eat protein first, drink lots of water, moderate exercise, etc. Maybe start tracking your food intake again. Don't waste your time with diet pills. My sister took those pills and lost 50 pounds and guess what? she gained it all back and then some. My friend was taking another diet pill and now has heart problems from years of using them. She lost a lot of weight while taking them but guess what? Now she's gained back all the weight and then some. She's heavier than ever now. Diet pills don't work, hell if they did I wouldn't of needed weight loss surgery.

I was stuck for 2 straight weeks at the same weight about a month ago. I felt like a complete and total failure and loser. I got so depressed and annoyed that I didn't really know what to do. On the 12th day, I said "screw it... this isn't working, i'm going to binge". I told my wife to get some wings from wing zone with a bunch of sides. I was ready to tear into them and completely give up. I was able to eat one and a half wing pieces and half of a potato wedge. It was the funniest thing ever and completely lifted my spirits. That's when it became clear to me that the sleeve was not the answer to all my weight problems, but was an extremely useful tool to help me lose weight. My binge consisted of about 250 calories...total. lol 3 days later was weigh in day and I was down 3 lbs. I've lost another 15 lbs since. All you can do is make sure you are getting all your Protein, Water, exercise and Vitamins. If you are stuck in a workout routine, change it up. Do squats. Squats are super easy to do and they workout the largest muscle group in your body and you can get away with doing them daily. The more muscle you have, the more calories(fat) can be burned while resting. In any case, don't agonize. Be patient and understand that this is part of the process. Plateaus happen with weight loss, weight gain, muscle gain, etc.

Cheryl Ann Borne hit a high weight of 285 pounds, and got the gastric bypass surgery in 2003. She maintained her weight loss, but the extra skin didn’t go away on its own. In 2013 she began a series of plastic surgeries including a tummy tuck, total body contouring, and facial surgery, and is now a size 2. Cheryl is an obesity health activist who writes as My Bariatric Life on Health Central and PM360 Online. She recently launched her new site, My Bariatric Life, and you can follow her on social media, including on Twitter @MyBariatricLife and on Google+. Weight Gain, Gastric Bypass Surgery, and Lasting Weight Loss Cheryl was an active teen, but she went from “fit to fat” as she turned to processed food. At 5’7”, she got up to a weight of 285 pounds and a size 24W. Cheryl got the gastric bypass surgery in 2003. She had diabetes, celiac disease, depression, acid reflux, asthma, and hypertension. She lost over 100 pounds, managed to get off of 9 of her 10 prescription drugs, and does not have chronic back pain anymore. You can see before and after pictures documenting her transformation by watching this video. A Typical Day in Cheryl’s Life As proof that you can follow a diet without red meat and stick to a high-protein weight loss surgery diet, here is a sample day’s diet in Cheryl’s life. The following day has 1,789 calories, 165 grams of protein, and 79 grams of carbohydrates. Breakfast 2-egg omelet with homemade creamed spinach (dairy-free) and turkey bacon Snack Coffee with coconut milk, roasted coconut juice, and egg white protein powder Mineral water Vitamins/supplements Scivation Xtend intraworkout drink with branched chain amino acids Lunch Tuna salad Baby spring mix and grape tomatoes with lemon vinaigrette Terra Real vegetable chips Dinner Smoked turkey leg, no skin 1 cup turnip greens Snack Egg white protein powder in water Getting Rid of the Traces of Obesity After losing over 100 pounds after the gastric bypass surgery in 2003, Cheryl had a lot of extra skin. In 2006, she met a plastic surgeon whom she really liked. In 2013, she decided to get a tummy tuck. The extra skin hadn’t gone away after weight loss surgery, and she wanted to get rid of it. As she describes below, she was delighted with her surgeon and the results of the tummy tuck, and decided to go further. I went from a size 14 jeans being tight to a perfect size 8 in just 4-months. I was so thrilled with the transformation that I decided to do "all of me." In October 2013, Dr. Joseph F. Capella revised the tummy tuck to a lower body lift, and performed a medial thigh lift, extended arm lift, and breast lift. Dr. Capella removed 11 pounds of skin and one liter of fat, and this enabled me to get active in ways that I was unable to with my hanging pannis and inner thighs that rubbed together. I ran my first 3k with my daughter and granddaughter and eventually I was running 5k. What's more, the muscle plication from the tummy tuck placed renewed constriction on my pouch so I am full with less food, as well, I tightened up on my diet by doing Whole30 [a strict 30-day low-carb diet] and going Paleo. In total, I lost 50 inches and 50 pounds after my body contouring plastic surgery. Today I am a size 2, down from a 24W before my gastric bypass surgery. You can go to HealthCentral to read about Cheryl’s decision to get total body contouring after her tummy tuck. She describes the emotional rollercoaster of the experience, the surgery, and her long road to recovery. She is still dealing with complications from her brachioplasty, but stresses the end goal and her luck in finding a fantastic surgeon who cares about her. She didn’t stop there, and instead decided “to reach for the stars” and see a facial plastic surgeon. In one surgery, Dr. Catherine Winslow took about 15 years off my face, restoring the once pretty face that I had when I was thin. I had a total of 10 procedures: deep plane face lift, neck lift, upper eye lid lift, SMAS (superficial muscular aponeurotic system) to tear troughs and lips, lip lift, chin implant, 35% TCA peel, Botox and filler. I go back from time to time to Nurse Triste at Dr. Winslow's practice for filler and Botox. I look at this maintenance routine along the same vein as maintaining my hair cut and color. Destined to Be a Healer Do you believe in fate? When Cheryl visited Guatemala in May of 2011, a Mayan shaman told her her Mayan symbols showed she was a healer. She could, he said, heal herself and others. As Cheryl tells it below, she wasn’t so sure at first. Then she figured it out. I visited a Mayan Shaman when I was in Guatemala back in May 2011. He said my Mayan symbols told that I am a healer. I can heal myself and I can heal others. He said that I needed to heal others, to not keep this gift to myself, or else I would experience sickness or pain and that this was the only way to cure my chronic back pain, which I had suffered with for years. The Shaman said that I need to realize my true self. The Shaman also said the symbols revealed that I am creative — that I knew for sure, but I wondered was he right about me being a healer? So I tried to heal my beloved mother who was stricken with a rare disease. And I tried to heal my beloved boxer dog, Cindi Lu, who was stricken with an aggressive cancer. But I could not save them and felt that I had failed my destiny. Then in 2012 during a personal development training, I discussed this matter with the instructor. And he replied that maybe I was meant to heal people with my words. I did not give much thought to it after that until one night in 2013, I bolted up from my bed and realized that both the shaman and the instructor were right! Healing with Words Cheryl’s work has exploded. She describes the growth of her writing and advocacy career since finding her voice. I began writing as My Bariatric Life for the HealthCentral Obesity vertical in March 2011, nearly eight years after my gastric bypass. I started out writing just a few articles per month as a health guide -- a patient who would share her real world experience in defeating obesity, diabetes, hypertension, asthma, and GERD. My work grew legs. I now write 18 articles and develop two recipes per month for HealthCentral where I have a following of roughly 75,000 unique monthly readers. I also write a quarterly patient advocacy column for PM360 Magazine under my name, Cheryl Ann Borne, and I am a long-standing member of their editorial advisory board. Cheryl also makes her voice heard by posting as My Bariatric Life on social media, including Flickr, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest. She is active on BariatricPal and a site for cosmetic procedure patients called RealSelf. Her goal is to provide fair and trustworthy reviews. And this month I will begin writing a monthly opinion piece as My Bariatric Life for BariatricPal. I also am exploring opportunities with the Obesity Action Coalition, and in the past have partnered with Obesity PPM and the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). ! Daring Move to a New Career as a Digital Health Strategy Consultant Cheryl has been in the health industry since before her surgery. She explains her career as a digital health strategy consultant. My career has been as a promotions strategist, writer, and designer in the healthcare space with the last 12-yrs in digital marketing. I’ve worked with pharmaceutical and biotech companies and digital health ad agencies and non-CME medical education agencies. I help them to understand the evolving digital health ecosystem and, based on their unique market circumstances, specifically how to communicate with patients and physicians in meaningful ways via digital channels and to ultimately achieve better health outcomes. Cheryl is determined to help people improve their lives. Transforming healthcare is important to me. It's is all about the patient. I want to make a difference; I want to help people live healthier lives. When her company cut her position in 2013, she took a positive approach and decided to focus her energy on fighting obesity. She developed a business plan as a digital health strategy consultant with an emphasis on growing My Bariatric Life, her obesity health activist brand. Paleo Follower and Recipe Developer Cheryl believes in the benefits of the Paleolithic Diet. It is a high-protein diet that you can follow after weight loss surgery. It emphasizes meat, fish, poultry, fruits, vegetables, eggs, nuts, seeds, and oils. It forbids grains, processed foods, dairy products, and potatoes. She plans to help others follow this way of eating. One aspect of my business plan is to launch the brand Borne Appétit in order to teach healthy eating habits and show busy families/couples/singles that it is easy to prepare real food, real simple, and break the cycle of time starvation and over reliance on convenience/processed foods and obesity. To truly understand what it means to eat healthy and break this cycle was something I had to achieve in my own life, and I want to share with people what I have learned through years of experience and experiment. I find the Paleolitihic Diet works best for me…and I enjoy the art of creating delicious recipes within those constraints. I also eat no red meat, only fish and fowl, so this adds an extra level of complexity, which I find stimulating to develop recipes that are not mundane or repetitious. Valuable Life Lessons You can be sure Cheryl has learned a lot of valuable lessons from her weight loss surgery and plastic surgery experiences. She knows the value of maintaining her results, living life fully, and challenging herself to live a life she loves. She also recognizes she has gained freedom and an ability to grow. Beyond the physical transformation are (very unexpected) emotional and spiritual transformations. I’ve returned to some of my roots: ideals and philosophies around the nature of existence that I had walled off (or perhaps ate to insulate myself against) when the emotional pain became too much for my sensitive nature. Plastic surgery was very freeing for me; it freed my jailed spirit. I’ve never been a wallflower but when it came to my body I was timid because I lacked body confidence. And this trickled over into other areas of my life. There were parts of my life that I hid, or situations in which I could not share my feelings, because I was inhibited by the fear of being rejected or judged. And that’s no longer true. I am now able to be my true self, comfortable in my nakedness both physically and emotionally. I am still learning and growing in these areas, particularly in understanding soul relationships and the expression of real love. We are here to play and experience as much as we possibly can. We are here to grow. Often it is through times of adversity that we grow the most because these times force us to get out of our comfort zones. I have come to understand that there are only two emotions. We are either acting out of love or we are acting out of fear, which is the opposite of love. All other emotions are a derivative of love (compassion, forgiveness, self-sacrifice) or a derivative of fear (selfishness, retaliation, deceit). From now on I choose always to act out of love. Do I let go of control and trust my intuition and follow my heart even when it defies my rational faculties or can’t be proven? If I am to act out of love, then yes. Otherwise I return to acting out of fear. As well, I have learned that I need to protect myself from the negative energies of toxic people — those emotional vampires who can turn my love into fear. An Exciting Year to Come Cheryl is expecting a big 2015 in addition to growing her presence as My Bariatric Life and working on Borne Appétit. At the Pharma Marketing Summit in Palm Beach in May, she will be presenting as My Bariatric Life and sharing her story of defeating obesity and its co-morbidities. Also new for this year, I'll finally launch my websites, a dream I've had for a couple of years. I've already launched MyBariatricLife.org for transformative information on defeating obesity and co-morbid diseases. I'll also launch my healthy recipe site BorneAppetit.com and my eating healthy on-the-road travel site BorneVoyage.com. These sites will help a lot of people. It definitely looks as though the Mayan shaman was right when he said Cheryl is a healer. She has come a long way toward healing herself through weight loss surgery, plastic surgery, and healthy living, and she is dedicated to helping others become healthier. Don’t forget to follow Cheryl on social media and through her channel on HealthCentral, and watch for her new monthly opinion piece to be published on BariatricPal! Please click here to read My Bariatric Life's articles in BariatricPal's Weight Loss Surgery Magazine.

http://healthland.ti...etic/?hpt=hp_t3 New Genes IDd in Obesity: How Much of Weight is Genetic? By Alexandra Sifferlin @acsifferlin July 19, 2013 Two studies zero in on DNA-based drivers of weight. Is obesity written in our genes? In two separate papers, published in the journal Science and in the Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI), researchers describe new genetic factors that could explain weight gain in some people. In the Science study, researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital studying mice found a rare genetic mutation that prevented the animals from burning off fat calories. They also found the same gene was mutated in a group of obese people. And a team based at University College London reported in JCI that a specific form of a gene previously linked to obesity, FTO, can increase craving for high-fat foods. The discoveries add to the growing body of knowledge about the biology behind weight, and the results confirm that while it’s represented by a single number, weight is the complex combination of a multitude of different metabolic processes, from brain systems that regulate appetite to enzymes that control how efficiently calories are turned from food into energy that the body needs. Making matters even more confusing, these factors are also likely influenced by environmental contributors such as diet and lifestyle. In the mouse study, the research team determined that mutations in the Mrap2 gene led the animals to eat less initially but still gain about twice as much weight as they normally would. While their appetites returned, these mice continued to gain weight despite being fed the same number of calories as a group of control animals. That led the scientists to figure out that the mice with the mutated gene were simply sequestering fat rather than breaking it down for energy. The mice, like people, possessed two copies of the gene, and mice with even one defective copy experienced significant weight gain, although not as much as those who had two mutated versions of Mrap2. The scientists found a similar pattern among a group of 500 obese people; they detected four mutations in the human version of Mrap2, and each of the obese individuals possessed only one bad version of the gene. In the British study, the researchers divided a group of 359 healthy men of normal weight by their FTO gene status. The majority of the men had low-risk versions of the gene, while 45 of the participants had mutations that have been linked to greater appetite and caloric consumption. To figure out how the altered genes were affecting appetite, the team measured levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin both before and after meals that the participants ate; the men with the mutated form of FTO did not show the same drop in ghrelin levels, signifying that they were full, as the men with the low-risk form of FTO. Genome wide association studies, which compare genetic makeups of obese individuals to those of normal weight, are making it easier to flesh out important genetic factors contributing to weight, and researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health say that to date, these studies have identified over 30 candidate genes on 12 chromosomes associated with body mass index. “Thus far mutations in about eight genes are known to cause obesity in humans. But these mutations account for under five percent of the obesity in our society, and certainly are not, by themselves, responsible for the current obesity epidemic, since the mutation rate in these genes could not have changed dramatically during the past twenty years,” says Dr. Joseph Majzoub, the chief of the division of endocrinology at Boston Children’s Hospital and an author on the Science paper. “However, mutations in these genes have led to the discovery of pathways that are important in energy balance in humans, giving us hope that drugs can be developed that affect these pathways to prevent excessive weight gain, either by curbing appetite or increased burning of calories.” Here is a round-up of some recent genes, and their products, that have been linked to obesity : Leptin: Often referred to as the “obesity hormone,” leptin is made by fat cells and acts as a thermostat for the body’s energy needs. Each individual has his own leptin threshold; if leptin levels fall below that amount, the brain understands that the body is starving, and needs more calories. If leptin levels are maintained or surge above that amount, the brain knows that it doesn’t need to take in more food. Unfortunately, while mouse studies showed that overweight mice had lower levels of leptin, the same wasn’t true of obese people, who generally show higher levels of leptin in their blood. Somehow, researchers how believe, these people are not getting the signal to stop eating, which is referred to as leptin-resistance. Ghrelin: This gene makes an appetite hormone that can make foods look more desirable–especially high-calorie ones — by influencing the brain’s reward system. Some studies have found that people who are sleep-deprived have increased ghrelin levels, which may explain why lack of sleep can contribute to weight gain. Neuropeptide Y: One of the brain’s many chemicals, neuropeptide Y may trigger eating by manipulating appetite, possibly resulting from changes in mood and stress levels. It may also contribute to an increased deposition of fat from food calories.

Dolphin Dreams, did you even have to prove weight loss attempts, medically supervised? I am on plan 3, the supposedly best one, or at least most expensive. Here is what they asked for from me: 1)History and physical info incl. height, weight, and co-morbidities 2)Initial Evaluation 3)Documented history of morbid obesity (5 years) 4)evidence of at least 12 consecutive months of medically supervised, non-surgical methods of weight reduction with documentation that such efforts failed. the supervion must be provided by an MD, DO, or Nurse Practitioner. The weight reduction methods must include nutrition therapy, behavior modifying exercise or increase in activity, medication therapy and maintenance therapy. 5)psych evaluation 6) Documentation of willingness to comply with pre-op and post-op treatment plans 7)Documentation of procedures to be performed, with pertinent CPT codes. #4 is the tough one. the doctor in the network, Dr. Davis does provide a medically supervised weight program that costs for 6 months....$3800. I called and asked BCBS if they would pay for this (spoke to Meriah on 6/27/06) and she said "NO". hooboy:faint: Then I spoke to Janis, supervisor who Meriah transferred me to. I told her I had been to one doctor or another almost every month for the past year. I asked her did it have to be every month. Janis said no. Janis can look at their records of pay outs and see when I went to the doctors. Did they ask you for all this too? It is true I have been to doctors alot b/c I'm sick and worried about this metabolic problem and continual weight gain...:sick I'm sick and tired of being fat, sick and tired. OK this tirade is over:clap2: If you are still with me thank you for reading all this mess.

Good morning everyone, I'm originally from Boston, currently reside in Philadelphia, been here for almost 5yrs now. I'm a single mother of a beautiful 3 year old girl; she is my sunshine and an inspiration to turn my life around. Currently in school, take care of my mother and work full and part time. I was told to join the website because the members on this site keep it real and any question's I may have, I can most certainly find the answer's here. About myself, I'm 30 yrs old and about 5'9...weighing over 300lbs :smile2::rolleyes2::drool::crying:I can go on endlessly on how I feel. I've been battling with the weight gain for almost 10yrs now. My goal is to weigh 175lbs or fit into a size 8!!! I am sweets and a fast food eater :w00t:...dislike veggies and fruits, even water! :thumbup: I've tried, weight watchers, Ediets, Medifast, Cookie Diet, over the counter meds, you named it I've tried it!! I strongly feel by submitting myself to the Lap Band and join a great support group I can shed these pounds for good. I really can't do this alone; I've failed doing so for 10yrs. I really look forward being part of this site and hope to speak with those that can relate to me. :glare: Chika

I've used MyFitnessPal for almost two years now and highly recommend it. It's quick, easy and makes you accountable - to you. I have found that it establishes an irrefutable link between what I put in my mouth and what I see on the scales. That link is reinforced every day. And perhaps more importantly, the control and confidence that my log gives me is beyond priceless. Enjoying those special occasions in life that involve food will often result in a little weight gain. I simply adjust my calorie goal down by 100-200 calories for a day or two and my weight comes right back down. I've done it not just once or twice but many times. You don't have to do that too many times before your confidence goes right through the roof. You don't think you're in control, you know you're in control. You no longer stress or worry about enjoying a special occasion because you know you can correct it. Food logs/apps/photos are an enormously powerful tool that should be in everyone's toolbox!

I originally was hoping to have an RNY when I first started researching bariatric surgery 4 years ago, but my insurance didn't cover it and after spending months, daily, on an RNY board and seeing just how many people had major complications afterward, I couldn't justify taking the chance on going self-pay, and then not having insurance coverage for any complications afterward. The sleeve was new then, and I just didn't look much into it at the time. Fast forward to this past December, when I started looking into WLS again, hoping that our new insurance that kicked in January 1st might cover it. Well, of course it didn't, because the creature who owns our company continues to specifically exclude it from our policy to save a few dollars (he's a multi-millionaire and a horrible excuse for a human being, truly, and I don't say that lightly). But I digress.... so now, suddenly there's all this new info and data about the sleeve, and so many more people sharing their experiences and successes, and much more in the way of complication stats--well, compared to the RNY, they were practically zilch. BINGO! For those reasons, in addition to all the facts and comparisons made by the posters above me, I knew immediately that the sleeve was for me. I saw my family doctor for blood work, EKG, and clearance, saw the surgeon a week after that, and had my Sleeve 12 days later and it's been WONDERFUL!!! I don't remember if anyone noted this above, but so far studies show weight-loss stats from VSG as equal to the RNY, with less chance of rebound weight-gain since our sleeves really don't stretch, but the RNY pouch does. My surgeon expects the VSG to become the go-to, preferred WLS sometime soon, and I've seen other people say that their surgeons say the same thing. In the end it was really a no-brainer for me, and I couldn't be more thrilled with it.