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Well I'm still sick. I'm hacking up green stuff now (sorry don't mean to gross anyone out). It's not bronchitis yet I know when it's bad enough to get in the doctors with it. I'm also tired because it's keeping me up at night. I'm trying not to panic about any weight gain but I'm a bit depressed that I can't work out. I contimplated going to the Y tonight but I don't know if that would really help me. Anyways gratz to Daddy for 100 pounds. Wow you lost so fast. So cool. Also JM why you wanna give up the dairy? Maybe I missed that somewhere.

What's really weird to me is how different I feel just those 3 little pounds of weight gain. I feel fat again. I know its completly mental cuz I couldn't possibly look any different but I can't shake the feeling. So I have cut more calories and exercised harder. Any other ideas to get over this now over 2 month stahl? I knew stahls were going to happen but everything I read said it would last a week or two weeks. Not only has mine lasted this long but it happened only 3 months out. Am I alone in thinking there must be something wrong? I go for my 6 month check up on the 21st. It will be sad if I weight the same that I did at my 3 month check up.

Hi all, I was diagnosed with PCOS in 1989, and have only taken birth control pills to control the cysts. I tried Glucophage, but it made me very sick so BC it was. I have all the typical symptoms of PCOS, excessive hair, weight gain, little if any menstrual cycles. BCP have really helps but I have steady packed on the pounds. I also have HBP, and was taking two different medications until last week when my blood pressure stabilized and am not not taking anything now. I had LapBand surgery 12/13/07 and am down 15lbs. I am elated. Now if I can just not over do it.

Hi ladies! My doctor will not perform surgery if there is a weight gain, no matter how slight, during the pre-surgery diet. I am vey scared--I meet with him tomorrow to go over details, but with PCOS, weight gain just seems constant no matter what I do. How has the pre-surgery diet worked for you with PCOS? Was weight loss possible? Any gainers out there? Thanks!

Hi I am going to be banded on Dec 22 and have been reading through these posts to be fully informed of all the bad as well as the good. I am trying to understand why there are so many people who are complaining about constant vomiting, PBing, being stuck yet still GAIN weight. That somehow doesn't seem to make sense to me. Obviously, they must have some restriction with the band to be having eating problems, but how can you be gaining weight when you are unable to keep anything down. Can anyone explain this phenomenon to me? Thanks

Hello there DESTROYED! It;s going to be OK.... take a deep breath, relax.. now try to focus and remember why you started down this path in the fist place. I am in your shoes so I understand. I am pre-op too and haven't even been given a surgery date because they thought I was too depressed to have surgery... I on the other hand didn't think I was as depressed as they said. ANYWAY... back to you. I think what you are experiencing is normal we are such creatures of habit and WE OBVIOUSLY LOVED FOOD! It is hard to think we are going to have to give up stuff we love, but I am trying to tell myself by giving myself this pep talk.... Hey look, you need to do this, you need to get this weight off, It's only food, and the food will be there when I am on my path to my new healthier life, you will be able to eat some of the thing you love, just less of them Lol. I didn't think I could do it either but to tell you a short story, back in 2010, I made up my mind to get the weight loss surgery after I met someone that lost 90 lbs in 3 months (by the bypass) at that time my insurance required 6 months on a diet seeing a Dr. I made it through up to a few weeks of my 6th month and final dr visit before they would approve me. I starting this weight loss adventure thinking well if I have surgery I am going to have to be able to do the 2 wks of liquids so needless to say over this 6 month struggle I rotated every 2 weeks on eating a liquid diet, and then I would eat regular foods but just less. I lost 80 lbs within that 6 months times on my own LOL!!!! BUT here is the bad part of my story... I was so close to surgery, then I was diagnosed with CML (Chronic Myloid Leukemia) and was not allowed to have ANY SURGERIES!!! until I was in remission. The big side effect of the chemo pill I take is (drum roll) rapid weight gain and adema! so I have gained it all back, the first 10 lbs within 3 day of treatment. It is only within the last year and a half that I am able to have surgery, and I restarted my bariatric journey last Nov but the clinic held me back because of depression) and PTL I am in remission and waiting for approval. My point is that I kept trying ... you see nothing is perfect, you are going to reach road blocks, but just keep your car somewhere between the white lines on the road, and moving in the direction of your goals!!! YOU CAN DO THIS! Please don't give up...the pinto Beans will be waiting for you and for me in our new lives. Stay strong

Last night out of the blue Russell asked how I felt about my weight gain during pregnancy. Surprised me, because he normally doesn't bring up things like that. I told him I don't like that I'm gaining, I know I'm eating too much, but I feel like I haven't eaten in a week.. 24 hours a day. He just asked if I planned to commit back to it post-pregnancy, and I said of course. Right now it's my body being hungry all the time, it is NOT head hunger. I have evaulated that, to make sure it's not just me wanting food. I am truly hungry all the time. But the head part of me controlling myself, well.. that is lacking. I am hoping post-pregnancy with whatever I gain (sigh) I will be able to diligently get it back off. I just hope I don't continue at this rate, kind of wished I had morning sickness up to now so I'd have continued losing since it says many women lose weight beginning of pregnancy and 2nd trimester is when they really pack it on.. joyous. Today is our employee appreciation lunch & dinner.. where sales & management cook for them. I just finished helping set up the buffet and room, and it hit me again. I am absolutely starving. My stomach is actually in pain from being so hungry. I took a piece of pumpkin bread--only thing I can actually munch on, as everything else is outside getting cooked. It has done nothing, my stomach still hurts from hunger. I've had 2 bottles of Water this morning already, not helping at all.

I find it facinating that the stats are just like alcoholism only 5% percent of us (I am one) stay sober for the long haul I think it is frustrating tht Star won't talk but Hey! whatever... I, sadly- am an open book.. I don't tell everyone my stuff but enough. I have given up etoh 10 yrs then nicotine 5 years and now my final and most daunting addiction FOOD. There are other ways to keep it off other than mechanical but for me its about my addiction and anything I can do to help I'm up for it. I went to AA for ETOH I did the patch for nicotine and now I did the band after years of rebound weight gain. I am okay with that but when I was heavier I had to give myself some self esteem and believe I was beautiful INSIDE just so I would not go insane. Right now I have been banded since Oct and have only lost 17 # mostly in first 2 mth. The scale has not budged I am down one --2 sizes but ouch. I see Star and think DAMN I am work ing hard at least I think I am had 2 fills exercising 4-5 days a week.. ARGGG anyway I don't think Star is as pretty now I think maybe a little more weight like a 12 or 14 and she'd be hot. I still want to be full and huggable I don't wan to be fragile Shoot I wan to be able to see my private parts and tie my shoes wear a nice dress and show my arms. Thanks guys I love reading you you make it bearable Elda

Dear Jeter2: Thanks so much for your reply. I have actually talked to my dr and he gave me the instructions for weaning myself off the Paxil. So, I am in the process of doing that SLOWLY - I get VERY ill if I cut down too much at a time or too fast! My biggest obstacle is that I used to work for my family doctor - the one that prescribed the Paxil 3 years ago. He INSISTS that, if anything, it will have a weight LOSS side effect - but NOT weight gain. And because I can't find weight GAIN as a documented side effect - he refuses to admit that that is even a possibility. I haven't tried any other anti-depressants in the past; but may get up the nerve to ask him for something different - if I can't make it without anything. Thanks again! As for the bc pill - I quit taking it. I see my "girly" doctor the beginning of December so I'll talk to her about other options; however, that one does have documented side effects of weight gain.

Hi Frustr! I had a transoral bariatric surgery in 2009 that wasn't approved by FDA, as it was not working as they thought it would. I lost 100 lbs on my own! Working out and cutting out all the fried food i used to love and working out 6x a week. I was taking about 30k steps per day. Walking everywhere all the time. I maintained my weight loss for about 6 years....began fertility treatment which contribute to lots of weight gain, became pregnant and have struggled since, gained back almost all of my weight. HW 291=8, lowest 162, currently 250. Stopped working out, which doesn't help. i am doing revision to a surgery that gave me zero restriction. I am currently debating on going back to my original surgeon or a new one. I have a scheduled appointment with a new surgeon for consultation. Very excited to see him. Hope that helps! my surgeon suggest i do the bypass and i suggested he takes my suggestion of DS lol, which he agreed lol. The second surgeon is well known for DS and SIPS, so I am certain he will agree as well.

Betty...WOW 4 pounds... Thats fantastic. Cyber hugs to you (squeezing tight cause I need some of that to rub off on me). This is the first time that I have not had a weight loss over a weeks time BUT I am not complaining. I'm rejoicing cause my present weight is one I haven't been at in over 17 yrs so I think my body said "Lets stop and smell the Roses". Also we had a dinner party here Saturday night and some fool bought Pumpkin Pie and I kknow personally how that topped with whip cream can put weight on so I saved few friends from a weight gain buy eating their share. So to not have gained is actually a MAJOR victory. Plus it was the first time I have actually went outside the Meal plans I have and I have learned not to do that again until the next 68 pounds come off. LOL Oh my another 68 pounds off and I'll be 195 pounds.. Last time I was that weight was my second week home after being born. Ok I'm pulling your leg I was one year old. Anyway I'm still an extremely happy camper with everything so next week I'm hoping Betty"s Hug will help me. Making a real effort this week. Good luck to every one else. PS Lisa. Looks like Vegas for me is Dec 6-10. Hope to get a chance to meet you. Will be staying at Harrah's with my son.

Hey Guys... Just a quick hello... thinking about y'all! Just got back from working with another adorable pup at the humane society... *sigh* if only I could take them all home! Mandy... So sorry about your sweet kitty... I have three and even thought they are all a little whacky their cute little noggins... it would be very hard to lose one of them. (((Hugs))) Kat... Oh man... the coughing would having me a little freaked too... hope RIck feels better soon and that his facial hair returns soon! My hubby started to grow a mustache at one point... it looked funky so I begged him to stop the process immediately! I still love the van... but they haven't called yet with the solution for the problem... it's still driving me crazy so I hope they call soon! Eileen...How's the back girly???? Hope you are on the mend OR... enjoying pain killers and muscle relaxants. Patty... How's the hip today???? I used to get sciatic nerve pain that sounds a lot like you are describing... Advil 800 mg every 6hrs, rest and a heating pad were the only things that helped. Hope the pain has taken a hike as I know you have a very busy life to attend to! Dianne... GLad you found some reading that is helping you find a little peace. Life isn't always a picnic... but most of the time it is a pretty big gift. (((hugs))) I am always more restricted when I am stressed and find that I PB more often during stressful times... when that happens I go back to a soft diet with foods similar to the mushy liquid stage and give my esophagus a little break. Beanie... Slow and steady is the way to go but I sure understand the frustration! Keep up the fight girl... you are doing great! Betty... Girl... I really think you are going to have to consider surgery... I can't imagine that having surgery would leave you with a worse situation then you already have with your foot. I would rec. that you get a second and maybe even a third opinion. It never hurts to see what othere options another Doc my offer. I'm feeling good... wishing I had a cig to puff on about now...lol... no worries... after this long I wouldn't dare relapse! I go in to have my thyroid hormone levels checked in Nov. We'll see if then if the radioactive iodine is killing off my gland. Mary... Sorry about the fish... hope it recovered! Giving me a fish is pretty much like signing their death warrant... gauranteed flush city...lol. Chris... Glad your port site is healing up well... it's never a good feeling when one has an open draining wound. Sounds like you are taking good care of it and I'm sure it will be all healed up in no time! How's everything else going now that you are in Bandland? SHerry... I think a lot of peoples bodies respond to stress with weight gain... guess it goes back to the days when stress was generally coupled with a decrease in food availability???? I should live a stressful life because mine seems to do the opposite??? I have always been backwards...lol. I sure hope that you are able to find a way to decrease your stress load at work... and the sooner... the better! Cindy... You are doing awesome... I think 4 pounds a month is darn fabulous! I can hardly wait to put your next set of before and after pics up! Pat... Where are you???? Miss ya! Sorry if I missed anyone... gotta go! My daughter will be home any minute and then we head off to piano lessons! TTFN!

I've hap pcos for decades....all the female and related problems, weight gain around the middle, and ultimately type II diabetes....most of the female problems were resolved through surgery or menopause, but the diabetes is now under control with the surgery....I was on 5 meds for diabetes, and am now down to 2. I've lost 31 lbs since surgery 9-21-07...it's probably more, but each doctor I go for my various other problems, shows different numbers on their scales so I don't get too excited about it... Was supposed to get my 1st fill 2 weeks ago but still have some restriction since surgery so we decided to come back in a month, but the surgeon stated that if I'm losing a minimum of 1 lb per week, come back in 2 months...which is what I'm going to do... Good luck with your weight loss program, just remember, we all lose in our own ways, but if we follow the program, we lose !

I am exactly the same way and was nervous going into surgery thinking it would be yet another 'quick fix' and I would eventually gain all of my weight back. One of the reasons I chose the RnY was because I figured it might give me some negative feedback when I ate things with a lot of sugar or fat. That didn't exactly play out because I'm one of the lucky ones who does not experience dumping syndrome...but the fear of getting sick carried me long enough to get through the cravings and carb/sugar withdraw. I'm only a little over a year out so I can't speak to keeping off the weight long term but when I start to see bad habits creep back in I am much quicker to stop them right away. Mainly because I put so much effort into this surgery - it's not like a diet that I can just quit. My insides were cut apart and rearranged and sewn back together and I can't undo that. If I "cheat" not only am I risking weight gain I'm also literally risking my health, especially during the first several months. And that extra motivation (or fear) has kept me from falling off the wagon so far. I also recommend looking into therapy to address the food issues. That way when you are a few years out you have other tools to fall back on instead of the food.

@chubrub Congrats! I'm glad your feeling better and doing better with the N/V. Did you have weight gain at first? I'm po day 3 and I'm 6#s up! RN stated it was normal since they pump you full of IV fluid to prevent dehydration once your home. But it was a bit disappointing to see the scale go up not down.

Yesterday, Mon, Nov. 4 Maintenance : 5'2" / 1yr PO Sleeve / 114.4 lbs ...am such a rebel. I put my vinaigrette back on my salads out of cranky defiance of all things that suck. Day 5 smoke-free and counting...and I KNOW that it is not related at all, AND that there are a gazillion reasons for this, BUT my inner crank is annoyingly pointing out that since I quit smoking again, my weight has steadily increased by fractions of lbs daily (a whole 1.5 lbs since, the HORROR). So its all like "See?!?!?! you need to go buy a pack and stop this explosive weight gain ASAP!!". Shut the eFF up, Crank. 10:30am - coffee with Stevia 12:00pm - salad greens + vinaigrette (❤️) + carrots + 1/2 avocado + 1oz salted Herring 4:00pm - salad greens + vinaigrette (❤️) + cucumber + 1oz salted Herring + 1.5 oz turkey jerky + 1 fl oz pumpkin seeds 6:00pm - 2 tbsp crunchy almond butter 7:00pm - salad greens + vinaigrette (❤️) + 1 tbsp corn kernels + 2 tbsp green peas + 1oz Parmesan cheese + 1/2 avocado + 1/2 slice bacon + 1 can smoked oysters w/ seafood sauce + 1 oz grilled octopus 9:00pm - 1 fl oz almonds + 2 squares dark chocolate + 1/4 cup blueberries Totals: 1480 cals - 86g Protein - 58g NET carbs - 95g fat

Hey has anyone ever heard about a link between coffee and weight gain or difficulty in weight loss? I'm gonna go google it right now but I heard from a friend of mine that there is a correlation. I think I'm going to stay away from coffee this week and see what that does to the scale. Gotta go get more water. I've got one liter down and two more to go...

LL ~ before I admit this I must let everyone know that I am a man who is at peace with his manhood. In fact after this post I am going to pre-tend to drink a beer, get in my truck and go shoot a couple of small animals from a moving vehicle... A redneck at heart. -=chuckles and nods=- I understand, CanMac...your masculine side is safe with Us... right girls? -=runs out and shooooes all the small animals off the roadsides=- -=leaves the goffers cause I really don't like them anymore! (there is a story there... grrr little buggers!)=- but I have to say LL I also went to Dracula the ballet and loved it... I took my wife as was only her second time at a ballet... first was a couple of weeks ago with kids at Cinderella. Dracula was great but I had to remind my wife that the men dancers attire was padded in certain regions!!! -=smiles softly and thinks of all that padding.... sighes=- they sure do have big shoulders..... Anyway I am a big Anne Rice fan and it was great to see another person appreciate her. Anne Rice is quite a talented lady and really was the first that I read who put a human side to the vampire. I have read others since that have , but Anne was the first and so she remains very special in my heart. Have read all her vampires CanMac? I also loved the Tale of the Body Thief... lol reading the antics of Lestat in the body of a human was for me a real treat. I laughed a lot and shook my head more than once. I have this picture of Lestat trying to shallow orange juice with the pulp in it. I imagine the look of complete disgust on his face and chuckle. I can see you are doing great and have started your journey. One thing that worked for me was using a Diet and Excercise software to record weight, food and excersise to graphically show my progress. I admit I weigh everyday but know that small weight gains or plateaus happen and shrug them off. Thank you for noticing I have started, Can you tell me more about this software you and the Mrs are using? I would be interested in it. I have seen it for palms but I think I would rather use it on my laptop. My wife is even using the software know for herself... thin as she is just for health reasons. Anyway rock on and good luck CanadianMacDaddy ~ on his way to Home Depot and Canadian Tire to look at some power tools and car parts.... manly stuff not Ballet !!! -=hops into her car and heads down to Home Depot and then Canadian Tire with a trunk full of Alberta Ballet gear all kinds of padding and such to tuck in between the hammers and wrenches... (not to be confused with wenches) ties ballet slippers on the power tools and then smiles and big smile=- THERE!! much better now! -=crosses arms over her chest and then remembers to put out some Waxing stuff... strips of muslin.... spatulas for spreading the nice hot Wax and of course some powder for those extra tender bits=- My work here is done!!

Hey guys how is everyone. I haven't been on here in a while nor have I been to group. Things are not going great for me at all. : ( I got sick back in Oct. I caught the flu and had to go into the hospital which meant STEROIDS which is not good. I then got sick again in Nov and had to go on them again this time a larger dose and a longer time on. I had an asthma attack in Dec and once again was in the hospital on another round of STEROIDS through IV. So if u haven't guessed by now I gained back alot of my weight. I got frustrated and stopped trying b/c I felt like I was once again fighting a battle I could not win. I didn't get a fill for about 4mos. I cut myself off from group which was BAAAAAD. I really think I needed u guys but I just could not bring myself to come to any of the group meetings. I went in for a fill last week and am proud to say that I think I am back on track. I talked to Lisa and told her that I was on the verge of giving up and she told me NO that is what they are all there for, TO HELP. I will hopefully be at group this month. Please keep me in ur prayers b/c I really need the strength to make it through this. The steroids scare me b/c that is where alot of my weight gain came from and haveing to continue to be put on them to better my breathing scares me into thinking that I will never lose my weight and be able to keep it off.

I'm 6 weeks post op and have gained about 6lbs. I'm thinking its from not reaching my water goal but not really sure. I get about 2/2.5 16 oz. bottles down a day. Which I know is definitely not enough. Anyone have any ideas on how to get more water in? I use the flavor packets but its still hard to get down.

All I can say is WOW after reading pages of this amazing thread! I hope the people who originated this thread back in '05 still come back to read our stories. Ok, I have kinda hesitated about putting my story out there, but here goes. I'm the youngest of 3 daughters, and in high school, both of my sister's had various but undocumented eating disorders. I thought of myself as lucky because I never had a chubby phase like my older sisters, and I was always lazy, but surprisingly athletic. I don't think I would go so far to call me a high school "mean girl", but I was definately headed in that direction. I was HOT, lol, and I loved it. I continued to live in a perfect size 8 world at around 125 pounds until I was about 25ish, I'm 37 years old now. Up until I was 25 I had my fair share of family issues, un-documented depression, sexual harassment, anxiety, etc, and I remember where is standing at the time I said these words to my husband "I honestly feel like my body wants me to be at this (125) pound weight....I think I would have put on a bunch of weight by now due to all those struggles, but I guess not." OMG how wrong was I! Next thing I know, I am working at a crappy job where I was being sexually harassed, living in a state that I detested, and falling deeper into depression. I honestly think I put on like 30 or 40 pounds in a matter of a couple months! I'm still upset that my then doctor never took that severe weight gain as a sign of depression, but at least I'm medicated now As you can probably tell, I have never had much of an issues with self esteem, lol. I knew I was gaining weight rapidly, but didn't really think I had been eating all that much more then in stressful times before, but I was putting on weight.....How dare that happen to me, lol! I finally began treatment for depression once I finally moved to California, and was incredibly happy, but could just not lose the weight. Over time, I eventually gained 20 pounds here, and 20 pounds there, but my body hides it surprisingly well (If you click on my picture and check out my photo album, you will be able to see for yourself). It was also during this time (around 2000) that I flatly refused to be weighed at any doctor's appointment. I figured that there was never a way I would ever weight over 200, so I was fine with not knowing. I just could not deal with hearing the number, and was "blissfully unaware" of how much I weighed for many years. My friends and family were concerned because they never really saw me eat huge amounts of food. I do love my chocolate, and I don't think that will ever change, but there never seemed like I had one clear issue as to why the weight kept adding up. Also, each time I visited my family I would be overcome with anxiety at seeing my older sisters. Although they both had their issues as teens, their weight finally stabilized. My middle sister is about 5 feet tall and weighs less then 90 pounds after having 3 kids, and my oldest sister is about 5'2 and weighs around 120. I remember them thinking I was huge when I was younger since I'm the tallest at 5'4, but if they thought I was huge at 125, what the hell must they have thought of me once I gained all that weight!!! This past may, I began working out in earnest and really watching my food intake. You guys, I serioulsy almost fainted when I stepped on the gym scale and it read 223!!!! I always thought that I could be relatively healthy and happy if I stayed under 200 pounds. Afterall, that is a full 75 pounds heavier then I have ever been. I went to a fat doctor, who tried every weight pill out there on me, and none of them worked. There was also nothing wrong with my bloodwork to indicate I had a thyroid or other metabolic issue....I was just a fat fatty! So I worked out almost every day, eventually biking up to 60 miles a week, but my weight predictibly stayed between 208 and 216. I finally broke down on my birthday, and decided that I had to surrender myself to the fact that this issue is bigger then something I can do on my own. Gaining the weight hasn't been the absolute worst thing in the world for me. It has managed to take a "mean girl" and turn me into a sympathetic and less judgmental adult. Whew, that's alot to write so I'll end it here.

I have no idea why I am fat other than too many calories and not enough expenditure? That should be a DUH answer but it is not that easy is it? I don't have any history of family abuse, abnormal relationships...anything which could triger unhealthy relationship with food. I have always been just under 140 lbs at 5'4" and when I hit that 140 mark it would trigger a panicked and rushed attempt to lose 5 pounds. My comfort zone was anything below 140. THAT was more than a decade ago. I did have one breakup ten years ago that I know hurt me and made me sad for a few weeks(normal??). I did notice a weight gain. I crept up to 160 and just didn't care. This next part will sound unreal but it is the truth for me(and some others??)--- I realized a year later that I was over 200 pounds. In 98 I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, my levels were within control after about six months. I had no significant weight loss while playing with my dose of Synthroid. A year or two later I was diagnosed with PCOS. Tried Glucophage and after six months of terrible bathroom visits I stopped taking that. The two diagnoses at forst gave me relief....therewas a REASON I was fat....a reason why it had become so friggin hard to lose weight. I know I eat well and do belong and actually go to a gym about 3 times a week. (I have to shake up my routine though because I only walk the tread and do some weights). In the last 9 years I have lost and gained the same 50+ pounds. I will not let either of the diagnoses be my reaons for failure. Do they make it harder to lose and keep weight off, YES. Do they make it impossible, NO! I have journaled(and been told I must be lying) my daily food intake. I have been away with friends and they see what I eat....and no loss. I think I eat too uch of the right things..I eat too fast. I'm thinking about LB I still don't know... Thanks for reading Susan

100lbs!! That is great Christine! I just checked out the website you recommended and I think will start trying to use that daily. It will keep me from kidding myself about how much a cookie is! Long2B... wow 92.5lbs! You should be very proud!! You let us know as soon as you get to 100! I have lost 75!! I am very happy. I did gain a couple of pounds in the last 2 weeks, however, that is nothing compared to weight gains in the Christmas's past!! Happy New Year Y'all!:wink_smile:

Yea Shawna!!! Can't wait for that day myself! Ballparks can wreck your eating habits can't it? My kids played ball and I think that's what contributed to my weight gain. Cheesy fries were my downfall. That and a lot of other things. :wink: Deb

I have a couple of reasons for being fat. As a child I was very scrawny. When puberty hit so did the weight. I didn't know at the time, but my eating as a response to hormonal changes was due to sexual abuse when I was very young. Then at 13 I also developed PCOS which didn't cause the weight gain, but did keep on what I was putting on and made it almost impossible to lose it again. Also at 13 I developed Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) which again didn't cause me to be fat but made it so hard to eat sensibly or exercise in winter. I had a lot of emotional pain and rage that I felt I had to stuff down my throat with food because my own home wasn't a safe place to express them. Later on, what added to the weight problem was all the crash dieting I did. My first diet attempt was starvation. I was borderline anorexic at 15 (before they had a name for it) but brought myself out of it before it became an issue. After that I tried just about every crazy diet going.