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Hi Bella, welcome to LBT. Turtles, Turtles, Turtles... You have asked a very good question. But unfortunately, we don't have the answers. I don't know that anyone really knows if they are going to be a Turtle until they are one. I have been diagnosed with Cushing's, a condition where I produce way too much cortisol. Right now I'm in the middle of tests to verify the diagnosis. One of the symptoms of Cushing's is the inability to lose weight, and another is unexplained and rapid weight gain. I have to wonder how many other Turtles are also Cushing's folk. But the think is Bella, I have a very strong suspicion that Turtles will be Turtles even if they are converted to a malaborptive technique, like the DS or one of the other bypass flavors like RNY. But we make up a very small percentage of the banded population, if LBT is any indication.

So I've finally caught up, took me 3 days to do it but here I am. No questions about it, I'm an addict. Not just to sugar and carbs but to food. FOOD still tastes good to me on a daily basis. I haven't given my sleeve anything that it didn't tolerate just fine. As I have gotten further out it has become harder to stay on track because now I don't have this list of like 4 foods that it is okay for me to eat. I actually have to choose to eat what I should, and for the most part, I do. I have days that I fall off the wagon, but each day is a new day. I get up, brush myself off and start again. I am from Louiaiana. Not just from the south but from one of the most obese states in our country. You know there are "starving kids in China" so we don't throw food away, or at least that's what we were told growing up. My grandmother was a feeder. Everyday after school (after finishing off a big grab bag of flaming hot cheetos and a large icee) she would have cookies or cake or fried chicken fixed and just hanging around. We got to eat what ever, when ever we wanted. This was all before the age of 13. It didn't stop. When I was in my early teens my parents did a dieting program through our church and lost weight. I didn't lose weight. I ate what they ate but I ate as much as I wanted. When I was a junior or senior in high school, I went through the program with them and lost 30 pounds. When I started college my freshman 15 turned into my sophomore 60 and stuck around for my senior 70. I seriously gained around 80 pounds in my 4 years of college. I lost some while working on my second degree but then got pregnant just before I graduated. When I went in to have my son I was 286 pounds (I had gained somewhere between 50-80 pounds during my pregnancy). I lost about 20 after I had him but within 4 months put it back on. Fast forward 5 years and I can't get pregnant. We think it's because of my weight gain (I'm now about 320) so I decide to go for a sleeve. A month before my sleeve was scheduled to be done, I find out I'm pregnant. And you know what, I was SAD!!! I wanted this surgery. I wanted to be healthy for my pregnancy but here I was super morbidly obese and pregnant. Gross. I only gained 23 pounds during my second pregnancy and the baby weighed almost 10 pounds so not too bad. That weight came off pretty quick and then I was sleeved when the baby was 4 weeks old. It was the best decision I have ever made. I have learned a lot already. I know that I have limited will power. My will power stops when I take a bite of anything. I can resist any food all day long until I take one bite and then it is all over. I can't stop myself. Carbs are a nightmare. If I start the day off with them, I'm hungry all day and wanting to eat. Same goes for sugar. But it isn't just those. Like Cheri, it fried goodness, burgers, savory, spicy, chips and salsa, FOOD! I have eaten out of bordom, I ate when I was happy and when I was sad. Something good happened, "Oh, lets celebrate! Where do you want to go eat?" Something bad happened, "Oh, bless your heart. What can I get you to eat?" It was never ending. I haven't been a big food sneaker but there were times that I did. I could, and probably still can but have not tried, to polish off a pint of ice cream in a single sitting. I never ate a whole pizza but I sure could eat half a large by myself. I was the one who finished my husbands food, and the kid's. I was the same as someone before who would go to McD's and get a large value meal and get chicken nuggets to go with it. I was out of control. Now I am not a slave to food. I don't think about it all the time. I enjoy it but it does not rule my life. I have an amazing support system and my hubby is happy to finish my left overs So much has changed about me in the last 8 months, on the inside and the outside. I am liking this new person I am becoming. I used to tell people that people liked me for the same reasons they like Santa Claus, cause I was fat and jolly! I'm still jolly. My joy is dependent on far more than the weight I carry or my circumstances but people are going to have to find a new reason to like me!

Sleeved 12/27 and weighed 246 that morning at home. Yesterday I weighed 253 so still have hospital weight gain.

Good thread. I always sit on the fence about labeling myself an addict, but whatever you call it (or don't call it) the behaviors were destructive enough to allow me to get up to 300 pounds. I used to say cake is like crack to me, and it still is. I weighed 140 pounds when I met my husband, and he enabled me to gain that weight. He would offer and go get whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted it. Now he enables me to lose weight by not doing that, and encouraging me every day to stay on track. I never blamed him for my weight gain - that was all on me. He couldn't stop me from gaining now if I wanted to. So I know I have to monitor myself and my habits and intake all day, every day, forever. I'm not perfect, and don't even care to be, but at least I know what I'm consuming. If I had to point to just one thing that I've learned and feel has contributed to my success so far, I would say that it is tracking and being honest with myself about what I eat - ALWAYS. Even when I don't want to, and even when I've eaten too much, I force myself to face it.

globally yours, I am jaw dropping amazed at how much success you've had with your weight loss. Keep it up!!!! Although, my expections were different with what I wanted to have lost by now, I am still very happy at the loss that I've had this year as a whole. I am just going to keep praying for some patience and understanding with how to utilize this tool in me. I'll get the hang of it. As long as I am not gaining, i will be thankful and grateful.....so you won't hear anymore griping(well, not alot) from me. Oh, i forgot to mention the reason behind the weight gain.... I have edema and have been instructed to stop taking my water pill for 4 weeks now. I started taking them again on my own and within 4 days dropped 7 lbs.....it was all fluid stored in my limbs(fingers, legs, ankle, feet). I've never used the bathroom so much in the last 3 days. I'll let the doctor know at some point that I've made the decision to start back taking the pill and why.

that's great ur doing good after breast reduction. I agree with u on the HCG diet, I don't think anyone should do it unless they are totally commited, it's very strict and any wavering from the diet can cause weight gain. It took me a lot of research and an article I read is what convinced me to try it. It wasn't the article itself, it was a negative article but it was all th comments after the article. Hundreds and hundreds of comments disputing the article. It convinced me to just try it. The first 10 days were he'll, lots of carb withdrawals, but then it got so easy. There us no way I can do it over the next few months because of all the traveling we are doing, so I have ended it and now on a maintenance phase. I am really restricted now too, I am finally to a sweet spot - I love it! Tonight we went out for Mexican and I could only eat about 1/3 or less of my meal. I got very full fast. My band will keep me from over eating during the next few months while I'm doing the maintenance phase. Now I must get back to my exercise routine and hit it hard!

Cindi - So happy you popped in! You hit the nail on the head, the band is the one that continues to work, its "ME" that quits working with the band. I find that I eat more junk when I get comfortable and the weight creeps back on! I am the one that causes the weight gain, not the band. So good that you are still exercising. I'm become lazy lately at that. I know I need to get back into the groove, I set my alarm this morning to get up, but just couldn't do it. I will be going tonite! Keep posting, we miss u!

OK where is everyone. Hope everyone is doing well. I'm having weight gain issues. I'm exercising like heck and not getting enough calories. What are you guys eating. I'm supposed to be on 1200 calories. 72 proteins, 35 fats and 50 carbs. There is no way I can get in all my calories and not go over my carbs. I only eat between 700 - 800 calories HELP

Blarg. I've started weighing on the scale at the gym because it has the bodyfat% readouts and whatnot. The first day I weighed it said this (10/12): Weight: 222.2lbs Body Fat%: 43.3% Fat Mass: 96.2 lbs Lean Mass: 126 lbs Yesterday it says: Weight: 226.8lbs Body Fat%: 39.8% Fat Mass: 88.6 lbs Lean Mass: 138.2 lbs So I have gained 12 lbs in muscle, lost 8 lbs in fat, which of course shows a 'weight gain' of 4 lbs. At first I was happy about this. Now i just want to LOSE WEIGHT. Of course, if my lean body mass is 138, that also means that at 25% body fat, I'll still be around 180. I'm hoping to at least get to 160, but who knows. I'm just ranting, lol.

Melody-- Thank you for being so positive--I've had people post me that pretty much made me feel guilty for getting pregnant so close after surgery, but I know this baby is God's will for my life, so I rejoice in that. I also believe that God lead me to get the lap band, so I'm confident that all will be well after the baby's born, and I'll resume my weight loss then. Sparkling, I know what you mean about the fatigue and lack of exercise. Before I was pregnant, I was jogging up to 2 miles/day and walking 2. At about 6 weeks pregnant, I was so tired, I couldn't do it anymore (and I have three children under the age of 5, so that makes me tired in itself ). Don't worry about your weight gain--just eat healthy foods and do the best you can... I think there are some signs to look for when dealing with a slipped band--more or less restriction (which I don't have much of at all because I have no fill), heartburn--I think that's the most obvious ones. I don't know. I just hope my band stays in place and works. I hope that I'm not stretching the top part of my stomach out too much...we'll see. Did you get a fill before you found out you were pregnant. I never made it that far...

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:

Oh, that's SO true. Me too. I was always always always going to become obese. I managed to hold it off for a long time, but having a couple of babies was the final straw for my body, the weight really began to pile on after that. As it was I really DID get banded to prevent future weight gain but this little band would have been a big help to me earlier on. I just dont see it as "so extreme" the way others do. I just cant understand why its OK to have fake tits and cut your face to bits and inject yourself with botulism, all in the name of looking better but a lapband is suddenly EXTREME. There's pills to lower our cholesterol and our blood pressure and its OK to take drugs all your life to prevent health problems related to those, and to start them when you're not already so far gone that the damage is done, but to get a lapband at a BMI of 35 is EXTREME? It does the health prevention job of about six drugs in one drug free solution! One can never be sure, you dont know what's round the corner, but in all probababily getting on top of this problem now will improve the quality of my life for 50 years to come. I'm going to be that marathon running granny! I just think its completely blind not to be able to see the virtue of preventing really serious obesity in the first place.

Hi All It has been a long time since I have been here. I have lost a lot of weight and now I'm trying to keep it off. my band was to tight my doc took out 2cc and I started to eat like I didn't have a band gained 10lbs in one month trying to get back on track. When the band was to tight I couldn't eat hard foods and eat a lot of soft or ice cream and this went on for 5 months before I told the doc because I didn't want to be unfilled I lost 40lbs doing this it was not good weight lost and now for the first time since getting the band I have weight gain I'm trying not to think about it just get back on track but it is hard to stop eating the way I was when I was tight. The doc will only put back a little at a time so now I can eat and not feel full. I should have good eating habits after 2 years but I don't I now must write down what I eat and no more sweets. Thanks for listening I'm still down 150lbs and I want to keep it off. I was banded 01/07/08

I'm actually up 1.8 lbs. I've been jogging 12 miles a week for the past few weeks (after finishing the C25K program), and I've definitely put on some muscle, but the weight gain makes me crazy! Went shopping yesterday, and I've gone down two dress sizes, so I am more toned at least. But the scale needs to start going in the other direction again!! I think I might be approaching a plateau, because I've kept my calorie intake under 800 cals per day. Maybe I shoud add a couple hundred calories of protein and see what happens...

Sorry to be so late in responding to this. IMO you did right to measure the chili in a measuring cup rather than weigh it. And you're right in the thought to weigh solid Proteins. And MOST of the time, I measure my veggies in a measuring cup (my doc says 1/2 cup lower carb veggies). I've started weighing them too, just out of curiosity, and different veggies weigh different amounts. I know some bariatric surgeons say it's really more important to go by volume than weight when managing food intake. Your doctor or nutritionist may have other ideas, but when it comes to weighing food, I don't worry if it's 2.7 or 3.2 oz.. as long as it's close to 3oz, that's fine. And if I've been working out extremely hard or if the Protein is a very low calorie one.. like fish, I will sometimes have 4oz. I try not to increase my protein very often though as it could be a slippery slope back to weight gain. It can be a very confusing thing to try to decide how to measure your food, but you, your doc and your nut or dietician should be able to come up with a method that works for you, the individual. Remember the band "rules" aren't really all that rigid.. they can be modified to work with the individual. That's why I much prefer to call them guidelines. All this is based on my experience.. others might have differing views and that's ok too.

Thanks for the good wishes, Pricipal Shad! Wow, got on the scale this morning...up 5 lbs!!!! :scared2::cursing: Yikes!!! Yes, definitely time for a fill. Of course, I go looking at LAP-BAND sites and read that erosion's biggiest symptoms are increased appetite and weight gain, and happens after the 2 year mark. GREAT. Just had to scare myself. I have identified one contributing behavioral problem, that will now be corrected. I have been enjoying some Mike's Hard Lemonade lately...yummy, it's summer!! :smile: Looed them up online, EACH contains 220 calories! :tt2: Holy Moly!! They will be moved to the 'rarely enjoyed' list. Being as they are not really on my surgeon's list of approved items, that is probably a good idea. Anyway, otherwise, life is good!

1st fill if it happens. I have lots of troubles getting so many pills about 20-27 pills a day 4-5 x's throughout the day. It fills me up with luquid and takes awhile before I feel like eating then there are days I can't hardly eat at all but not losing weight too much because some pills are weight gaining meds. So we'll see how much I've lost in since preop and guess at what I might lose if filled.

Well, I am feeling a bit discouraged today. But I am right on track (according to my bandster way of losing). I haven't lost in ounce in almost 2 weeks. It seems that I will lose a couple of pounds then nothing for a couple of weeks. Go figure!! I was out of town again this past weekend and as usual happy to report no weight gain. That's a miracle in and of itself. I use to always gain weight when I went out of town. Glad to see so many of you doing great. Melissa Lea

Merry Christmas Everyone! Had a lovely visit with my friend in from N. Carolina. All too short. I'm still shy a few gifts, but I may have to fake it! I've had some slips with the seasoned nuts DD and I made. Not as bad as years past, but it is what it is. No weight gained so far and I am thankful to stay under 195. Two more gatherings and I'm home free! All the treats, etc get tossed or sent to my son's lunchroom at work Didn't make my Christmas weightloss goal, but I did manage to get into the size 14 jeans. The smaller top is a ways off. At least I won't be hiding from the camera this year. Thanks for all the support, stories, laughs and a few tears. Your victories inspire me and your down times help me feel "normal" in this crazy band world. Have a safe holiday.

Hey Socalgal! Hang in there. I think you are doing great. Some of that weight gain is most likely fluid from your cycle. Keep doing the things that got you to your goal and you will be just fine. Pinky --sounds like things went well at your nutritionists appt. I hope that he/she is able to offer you the accountability that you need to reach your goals. I am treking along. I lost another pound, finally!!! But I have lost many inches. I have had several NSV that I have noticed. Last week I pulled out an old XL concert T-shirt thinking this should fit just fine. It is actually too big. I am also wearing a blouse I bought last year, only 10 pounds heavier, and not able to even button it. It is now fits with room to spare. I had a set back in my running as I kind of re-injured my ankle. Or I should say...the ankle is lettling me know what it will and will not let me do for right now. I have been trying to just walk several times a week and I hope by the end of march pick my running up again. Not that I was doing that much running. I hope everyone is doing well. I am off to my life on the highway. Have a great day! Melissa

Hi all just checking in. I am feeling much better. I do need to share one tibit with ya'll on the weight gain though. Even though I have gained between 10-15 lbs back in the last 3 months, I HAVE KICKED THE SMOKING HABIT!!!! I have not had one in 2 months now. So now I have that gone I need to concentrate on getting my weight back down. Just for some accountability I am going to list here all the things I am doing wrong and need to change. Here it goes, boy bad habits creep in fast: - not taking vitamins - not exercising - eating junk food (chips cookies etc) - not drinking water - not getting protein in I do not have restriction but that is no excuse, so i am going to try to add stuff back in a little at a time, starting today, getting my water and moving more.... I have been doing these bad habits for a while and since my health problems last year and my weight lost I have not gone to a doctor and had a physical or blood done or anything. I think I need to do that because my immune system sucks. Ok guys I know I have lost more than some but remember I haven't lost a pound in a year and I need some motivation and support from my lap band friends here!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!

Good morning everyone! I am gonna try to post the same thing (copy it) on both places so I do not have to remember what I said, lol. I wish the members did not have to get approved before they can post, sure would make the transistion easier. I sent Debbie and Angela the links to both places so they can find us. I wish I knew Shars e-mail address. Who else? Today dd comes home from my sisters house. she recieved a gift card for walgreens (her fav store. she says it smells good when youfirst walk in there, lol). So, as soon as she gets home I am sure she will want to go shop. We have a walgreens right around the corner so it makes it really convenient. There is a Criss Angel Magic kit she wants from there but i told her that santa will prob get it for her. Gosh I hope they have one tomorrow when we get paid. lol I looked yesterday and they still have about 4 so I am hoping there is not a rush of folks looking for them today. I am NOT getting on the scales for about at least 3 or 4 days so I wont have to see the weight gain. Time to get back down to business! Have a great day friends.

Ok! LOL. I'm trying really hard to get it. TY for your comments, they are all really helping me reframe my stinkin thinkin brain and SOOOO sorry to take over this thread. I am gonna go work on it and quit posting so much here. Swearsies!!! And I can't take much credit. It all goes to the PS on the foobs. He did a great job on my 3 reconstructions from BC. Double mast, they stay that size regardless of weight gain or loss. But they do look pretty bodacious in a smaller body than they did at 287lbs. That's for sure! (maybe one of the only perks of it. LOL!! hahahaha)

Hmm.. for MY weight gain it was this: I was too tight. I couldn't eat more than 2-3 bites of anything without pain. No matter how small the bite or how much I chewed. I could eat about 3 bites, wait 10-15 minutes, eat a few more, etc. That was frustrating emotionally and mentally. Not to mention, I am just not into pain with my food. So I was LIVING on things that went down easily - ice cream, candy, cookie dough, Pringles, cheese puffs. It's weird, cause I couldn't eat yogurt (maybe 1/2 container when pain would set in) but I could eat pudding fine. Anyway... So living on sugar for 6 months doesn't help weight loss.... BUT. Now I'm down from 8cc to a more manageable 7cc and feeling MUCH better. I can eat REAL food for the first time in 6 months and it is amazing. I can probably eat too much... I think I was at a good spot several months ago when I had 7.5cc, but I screwed that all up... I go back in 4 weeks to see where I"m at and how I"m doing. I might get a slight fill, we'll see how I feel in 4 weeks. But hopefully eating protein instead of sugar will help my body feel better. It sure as heck is more mentally and emotionally satisfying!!

Happy Fat Tuesday y'all. Decisions, decisions. Do I eat the Paczki or the Coldstone Peanut butter Chocolate Ice cream cake I got for Dan's birthday???? I just can't decide. Polish heritage or Coldstone deliciousness? Both? 10 pound weight gain this week? Maybe I will just have a salad.