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I am having the sleeve done because im tired of dealing with weight I have 3 small children n am tired of being tired I no my weight gain keeps me from being a more active mom n I am so tired of being told how pretty I am but should lose weight

At a group pre-op meeting, my surgeon's nurse practitioner warned us to not gain weight during our pre-op diets, and to emphasize her point, she told us our surgeon had already postponed three surgeries that week due to weight gain. That statement helped me stick with it.

My blog from today: So I had a few minutes to spare and found myself rehashing all the "what if's" of wls. It almost feels like my health and happiness are hinged on this. I guess in a way it is. In my immediate family there is a history of CAD, DM, CVA's, Colon CA, etc. So the reality of it is if I don't lose the weight, the aforementioned is what I have in my future. Not acceptable. I've lost weight a hundred times over only to gain it right back. I don't eat unhealthy foods, I just eat too much. I exercise about 3x's per week, I drink Water, limit my intake of sodas and I've never smoked a cigarette. I'm 5'2 and about 206lbs today. My belly is about to burst out of my size 14 jeans that are too small, but I continue to wear them anyway (denial). I am sick of painful joints, back pain, being winded with activity, avoiding social events, sleeping all weekend, urinary incontinence and all the other stuff that goes with being fat. So I was desperate... I am refinancing my first home (2yrs into mortgage) in order to pay for this. My employer has an obesity exclusion on our insurance at work... I expect they'll remove that exclusion as the company grows, but for now I'm on my own. I could make a list a mile long of "what if's" as to why NOT to have surgery, but instead I choose to focus on the "what if's" as to why it's so crucial for me to have surgery. What if I have a heart attack? What if I am dx'd with Diabetes? What if I have a stroke? What if I get cancer? Who'll take care of my son, my mother, my niece, my employees, etc. Who will fight for what's right for the patients I take care of? Who will grow old with my BFF? The thought of all those haunting questions are much scarier to me than the "what if's" that go with surgery. When my daddy went in to have an abdominal aneurysm removed he told a friend of his he'd die without the surgery. His buddy asked him "but what if you die from the surgery?" My daddy (always full of advice) simply told him he at least had to try.... and try he did. I do have some concerns about undergoing major surgery in order to lose weight. It terrifies me. Change is terrifying, but oh so necessary. So why should I have surgery? Physically - I want to be able to go for a walk or run, I want to not have huge "cankles" at the end of the day, I want to not be out of breath coming back from the mailbox, I want to be free of arthritic pain in my hips, I want to put on clothes without a struggle. Emotionally - I want to be proud of who I see in the mirror, I want to get off the vicious cycle of weight gain & depression, I want the inner me to like the outter me. Spiritually - I have no excuse for not going to church, except that I feel so ashamed of the weight I've put on. I know they aren't staring at me, but that is exactly how it feels. I want to be able to go to the altar and worship once again... Financially - I love my job, but since I've put on the weight I've stopped scheduling speaking engagements (something I LOVE), calling on new accounts, visiting old accounts, speaking at meetings, etc. It's almost like I've given up on me. So the more of all that stuff I do, the more money I can make Socially - I have no social life anymore. I hate going to anything where there is a crowd of people. I avoid it all costs. My clothes are too small, I feel horrible and I just wind up miserable. I have the most amazing boyfriend who LOVES to get out and socialize and yet he's stuck with me... at home... every weekend. So there ya go... I don't feel like I really have a choice. It's either another yo-yo round of dieting with impending disappointment from the scales or a true lifestyle change... I'm 40yrs old and I have so much living and loving left to do. This is for a better me so I can be a better mom, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, girlfriend, boss and hopefully encourage others to do the same. Here's to the living, loving and laughing that is yet to come!

I am just wondering if a person starts at less than 200 lbs. therefore maybe having less to lose than some others, is their rate of weight less than heavier folks? I want to appreciate my progress and know that is better than wishing for perfection. But I do get frustrated when I seem to eat so little yet lose only one pound per week. I read about so many who lose so much weight in a short time. I do feel happy that I have lost 50 lbs in less than 3 months but it isn't exactly dropping off lately, I still have huge problems with getting enough Fluid and wonder if this is affecting my lack of loss AND.. I am so constipated all the time. I have finally started exercising and expect that I am going to have to be serious about exercise to lose my last 25 lbs. It is hard to be patient and hard to read about people losing 75 lbs in the same time that I have lost 50. My nutritionist told me that I wasn't eating enough or on schedule so I am trying to ensure that I do eat Breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is hard to believe that I should eat more in order to lose weight. It sure is a challenge to adjust my thinking after having tried so many diets etc. I guess it has left me with not the most sensible approach to eating. I still have so many issues that I struggle with: - getting enough fluid - eating three meals per day especially when not necessarily hungry - finding the discipline to exercise - being patient with weight loss - feeling confident about my success thus far. Oh well, I will catch on eventually. It is difficult to be patient and I am anxious to reach my goal. I know I have to be patient. It is just hard to remain hopeful and believe that I will reach my goal, I suppose after so many years of dieting that I probably am looking for the end of a diet as they always have ended in the past. Oh, ended with eventual failure and weight gain. That's where the new thinking must kick in. That this is a life long new way of eating. I haven't been reading the forum lately and realize that it is so helpful and offers such good support. Perhaps I just need to spend some time reading through the helpful advice and experiences of others. Thanks for listening!

I go to my 2nd dietician appt. on Thursday. I'm certain I've gained weight. To make it worse, the scale at the doctor is always a few lbs more than the one I have at home, so I'm quite certain it will be ugly. Is this going to blow the whole process for me? I know I have several more months of pre-op left. My (starts with -H-) insurance requires that I have to do 6 months cumulative, 3 of which must be consecutive, of medically supervised weight loss & exercise. Is a weight gain this early in the game going to reset the clock? This happen to anyone else?? Thanks.

So I had a few minutes to spare and found myself rehashing all the "what if's" of wls. It almost feels like my health and happiness are hinged on this. I guess in a way it is. In my immediate family there is a history of CAD, DM, CVA's, Colon CA, etc. So the reality of it is if I don't lose the weight, the aforementioned is what I have in my future. Not acceptable. I've lost weight a hundred times over only to gain it right back. I don't eat unhealthy foods, I just eat too much. I exercise about 3x's per week, I drink water, limit my intake of sodas and I've never smoked a cigarette. I'm 5'2 and about 206lbs today. My belly is about to burst out of my size 14 jeans that are too small, but I continue to wear them anyway (denial). I am sick of painful joints, back pain, being winded with activity, avoiding social events, sleeping all weekend, urinary incontinence and all the other stuff that goes with being fat. So I was desperate... I am refinancing my first home (2yrs into mortgage) in order to pay for this. My employer has an obesity exclusion on our insurance at work... I expect they'll remove that exclusion as the company grows, but for now I'm on my own. I could make a list a mile long of "what if's" as to why NOT to have surgery, but instead I choose to focus on the "what if's" as to why it's so crucial for me to have surgery. What if I have a heart attack? What if I am dx'd with Diabetes? What if I have a stroke? What if I get cancer? Who'll take care of my son, my mother, my niece, my employees, etc. Who will fight for what's right for the patients I take care of? Who will grow old with my BFF? The thought of all those haunting questions are much scarier to me than the "what if's" that go with surgery. When my daddy went in to have an abdominal aneurysm removed he told a friend of his he'd die without the surgery. His buddy asked him "but what if you die from the surgery?" My daddy (always full of advice) simply told him he at least had to try.... and try he did. I do have some concerns about undergoing major surgery in order to lose weight. It terrifies me. Change is terrifying, but oh so necessary. So why should I have surgery? Physically - I want to be able to go for a walk or run, I want to not have huge "cankles" at the end of the day, I want to not be out of breath coming back from the mailbox, I want to be free of arthritic pain in my hips, I want to put on clothes without a struggle. Emotionally - I want to be proud of who I see in the mirror, I want to get off the vicious cycle of weight gain & depression, I want the inner me to like the outter me. Spiritually - I have no excuse for not going to church, except that I feel so ashamed of the weight I've put on. I know they aren't staring at me, but that is exactly how it feels. I want to be able to go to the altar and worship once again... Financially - I love my job, but since I've put on the weight I've stopped scheduling speaking engagements (something I LOVE), calling on new accounts, visiting old accounts, speaking at meetings, etc. It's almost like I've given up on me. So the more of all that stuff I do, the more money I can make Socially - I have no social life anymore. I hate going to anything where there is a crowd of people. I avoid it all costs. My clothes are too small, I feel horrible and I just wind up miserable. I have the most amazing boyfriend who LOVES to get out and socialize and yet he's stuck with me... at home... every weekend. So there ya go... I don't feel like I really have a choice. It's either another yo-yo round of dieting with impending disappointment from the scales or a true lifestyle change... I'm 40yrs old and I have so much living and loving left to do. This is for a better me so I can be a better mom, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, girlfriend, boss and hopefully encourage others to do the same. Here's to the living, loving and laughing that is yet to come!

So far, I am actually the opposit. For years when I was in my teens a hundred pounds soaking wet, I felt like I was fat all the time. Our minds have a way of playing tricks on us. Then in my 30's I started to just ignore the weight gain to the point my joints started to really bother me and I hated to go out with friends because I knew I had gained weight, but still never really did much to control and change it. I guess I just got to a point where I didn't care like I used to, now after 40# down I get really excited that I can look good in a pair of jeans again even if in a few weeks or so, I have to shop again for a different size and I still have a ways to go. Thrift stores, Ebay and yard sales have been my friend lately to save money. Plus it helps that I have an awesome husband and friends that cheer me on. Looking back at photos prior to surgery, I can't believe I let myself go like that. I think that is the hardest thing for me to see. Good luck on your journey, it will eventually sink in I'm sure.

hi there sleeping beauty. this might be my second post in reply. lol.. who cares?? lol. I didnt have any fill either when i had the band put in. it was strange because it sure does feel like its got some. i did ask my dr about it and he said no. but, it feels like restriction. im wondering how much swelling would be still in my stomach after just over four weeks?? i had a nasty episode this morning which i posted about earlier so i cant take anything for granted at all. i certainly cant fool myself that i can eat anything anyways.. it just doesnt happen for me. Im pleased about that though. having said that... im wondering about my first fill. im assuming that i will have some fill put in on the 7th when i go back to the dr. Have you been very hungry these last couple of weeks?? what do you think your hunger has been for?? ive found out it was for red meat. last night i had my first plain hamburger... and it was just sooooo good. lol. im having another one tonight. just mixed in with some sloppy veges and some gravy. I never ate a lot of read meat... but obviously my body was missing it a lot. i have had some chicken now for the last week... it was the red meat that really did the trick. ... i havent lost anything in at least a week. not since my food has been more substantial anyway. how many others experienced a loss of weight gain when their diet was changed from liquid?

So i went in for my pre op appointment today..... I gained a pound... I was supper pissed but my doctor say my intake of meds STAROIDS are the reason... HE was soo cool.. Ihave really heard of surgery cancalation for a pound of weight gained....

Reading the comments is scaring me. I am getting banded on May 17th. It was my understanding that you will basically always measure food and the lapband helps suppress the appetite. Reading this, it looks like everybody is really hungry and struggling with weight gain. Does the band not help???

I agree with people who said not to starve or overly restrict yourself. It's great if you are not going to have daily food funerals til September and avoid weight gain; dropping a few pounds would be the icing on the cake, but honestly, you cannot even begin to compare the amount of work needed to drop 5 lbs pre-op vs. post-op. However, I think it's a good time to start exercising regularly, if you are not already doing it - you'll have an easier time recovering and won't be as affected by the post-op muscle loss as you are rapidly losing weight.

I know exactly what you mean. It is like a switch has been flipped in my brain that just had it makes sense very suddenly. I've only been overweight/obese for the last six years (gained 100lbs in a single 12-month period, very rough year). The last 30-40 pounds came on over the subsequent years being frustrated with the initial weight gain. Joints hurt every time I tried to get into a routine again, I could not find sports bras that fit me in my new large size. It depressed me, so my eating habits actually got much worse after gaining that extra weight. Funny, I had to gain weight to eat worse than I did before. Not to mention hitting my 30's and what that does to hormones and metabolism. I wasn't really eating differently than what I ate when I was 28 years old, but I wasn't exercising at all and I was older. It was terribly difficult to see that I needed to adapt. Even the year or so before surgery, I was eating so healthy. Salads, lean meats, no soda, avoid fried foods, etc. -- except I wasn't journaling and even healthy foods in "too large" quantities can be high in calories. I know the healthier eating habits staved off getting any higher than I was (I stayed at 265 for a long time), but I was still working myself like crazy 60+ hours per week and not getting active. I have two very healthy doctors in my family, many friends who are trainers or do triathlons, and yet I just couldn't get it. I had the knowlege of "calories in/calories out" and nutrition, sleeping well, killing soda and avoid refined sugars and carbs. But I wasn't always applying it. The other odd thing is that even though I went from buying 4/6 and XS clothing all the way to buying 22/24 and 1-2/X clothing, I never perceived myself as fat. I always saw the skinny me when I looked down. Then I'd look in a mirror and it felt like I was looking at another person. Or I'd get in an airplane seat and the belt wouldn't fit. Or some innocent kid would ask me if I was having a baby. These little innocuous events seemed weird to me, like I truly thought the airlines were making their belts shorter and taking away legroom. The brain is really funny that way, how it can be your worst enemy. Now that I've had the surgery and dropped nearly 55 pounds, I get it. I totally see what I was missing. Now that I journal and measure my foods, I see how the large portion sizes eating out are not smart. I understand how staying hydrated helps the body shed. And it's amazing how much I want to tell other people now what they're doing wrong. I see it in their eyes when they're ordering in restaurants how they are keeping themselves unhappy. They see surgery as extreme, but I see it as having on of the healthiest relationships with food I've ever had in my life!

Don't give up. You do not need to go on a liquid diet. Have you had any adjustments? I know how you feel I had done great for over a year and now I have been bouncing with my weight gaining andf loosing 5 or 6 pounds. You can do it!!! As you get adjustments there yo will see that your body will not let you eat but so much. When you feel you are full STOP AND WALK AWAY!!! I have been doing this on my own since the start. I had to tell my family that I can not go out with you to eat or when I do I woi=uld only order an appetiser. It is difficult but you m ust take small steeps t change what you have been doing all of your life!!! Hang in there. :D :D :D

Hi there. I was banded May 2008 and initially lost 85 lbs. I am 5'-4" and started out at 228. I got down to 143 and hoped to get to 135. I am 62 years old. I was doing well and then I was T-boned in an auto accident when a young man ran a red light. I sustained some back injuries. Then 5 months later a woman on a freeway on ramp rearended me when the car in front of me came to a dead stop. I sustained another spinal injury. Needless to say I have been dealing with lots of pain and mobility issues and many spinal treatments. I have slowly gained back 15 lbs due to decreased activity and exercise and then not following my "lean and green" program. Anyway, I am making a new start today with baby steps. I will start a light walking program and adding a protein shake meal a day. I haven't been on this site for three years and thought this would be a good place to look for support. I haven't been back to see my surgeon in a year because I am embarrassed over my weight gain. I feel like my port is okay but I should check in just to be sure. Any positive words of advise will be greatly appreciated. I don't want to hear any negative posts. I want to hear from others who have overcome challenges and helpful encouraging stories. It is really not all about the weight loss but how we feel about ourselves and how to improve our health and wellbeing. I know that I felt so much better when I was in my 140's. I want to get back to that weight. I look forward to hearing from you. Maybe we can help each other on our journey to health and happiness. P.S. My ticker is really out of date since I haven't been on to log in my weight loss. I tried to edit it but forgot my PIN. I can't figure out how to set up a new PIN and new information...any tips????

The original article can be found HERE A mouthful of chocolate candy, a sliver of cake, a chunk of cheese...give into those insistent urges, and before you know it, you've eaten everything but the kitchen sink. Even worse, those little urges can also add up to a large weight gain. For example, if you take in just 100 extra calories per day -- that's one ounce of rich cheese or a fistful of potato chips -- you can put on ten pounds in one year. So, when the urge to eat strikes, stop and ask yourself if you're really hungry. If not, then you're merely eating out of habit, and the urge will usually pass if you can wait it out. Overcoming the eating urge can be compared to riding a bucking bronco. You can fight the horse and be thrown or maintain your balance and "ride" the horse until it settles down. Being a good "urge rider" involves identifying your urges early and using skills to ride them through. One skill to "ride out" your urges is to distract yourself for at least ten minutes with an activity that is incompatible with eating. The goal is to "buy time" and choose an activity that meets several criteria: It must involve you, be readily available, and give you pleasure or fill you with a sense of accomplishment. Here are some activity suggestions to get you started, but it's important to create your own list of personalized options: Call a friend (don't use the phone in the kitchen) Chew a wad of sugarless gum Brush your teeth Take a shower Paint your nails Water your plants Ride your exercise bike Organize your closet Meditate, pray, or think pleasant thoughts (but not about food) File papers or balance your checkbook Grab your mate, not your plate Work on a crossword puzzle or a jigsaw puzzle Do not use television as your alternate activity. Studies show that obesity is almost twice as common in people who watch three to four hours of television daily as in those who watch less than one hour. This fatty connection may be due to the decrease in activity and the mindless snacking that tends to go hand in hand with watching television. If you watch four hours of television every day, that adds up to 1,460 hours each year. Just think of all the useful or enjoyable things you could do with those hours-or all the calories you could burn through more physical activities -- instead. Another way to ride out your urges is to change your environment. If you're alone, visit a friend (who won't offer you food.) If you're working overtime, take "seventh-inning stretches" in hallways. If you're in the kitchen, go to the bedroom or living room with a good book. Once you leave the environment, especially if it contained food, your desire to eat will eventually weaken. When you just can't resist an urge to eat, simply satisfy it with a low-calorie food or beverage. This is easy to do if you have an emergency stash of low-calorie items on hand, such as fresh vegetables, fruit, diet soda, and air-popped popcorn. Finally, ask yourself if your urges are simply a sign of fatigue. Many people feel like eating when they are tired, run-down, or sick. Once you recognize when you're tired, you can take a time-out and give your body what it really wants -- a little break. And don't feel guilty taking the extra time. If you ride out urges productively, you'll be surprised at the free time you have that once was filled with mindless eating. As your losing weight, or even before you begin, you should set up realistic goals for yourself to stay motivated. We will show you how in the next section. This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide ®, Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.

I wonder that sometimes when I am on track and doing well like I am now. I think "what if I made these life changes before" I don't think they would have stuck. Eventually I would get sick of whatever diet or change I made and revert back to my old habits. With the band, it is there to protest. It won't let me over eat. There are plenty of times where i had to stop eating physically because of the band, where otherwise I would have kept going because something tasted good, willpower be damned. The band is a constant reminder of my goal. And when I do fall off the bandwagon now, my weight gain is slower. I came around waaaay before I would have had I not been banded. So I definitely know the band is more helpful than just dieting alone.

I'd definitely ask for a pregnancy test, just in case. Then, if that is negative, I'd start exploring other options like thyroid issues (because of the weight gain) and premenopause. Good luck!

I choose the Lapband it was safe and losing the weight Would be a slow for me. I witness several of my friends who did the evasive gastric bypass and it has been couple of years now. Three out of seven are happy with their Decision. The rest are having a hard time with their gastric bypass medically. As for me I am at 11 cc from 300 lbs down to 272 lbs currently. I have to remember losing the weight takes time. It's a new way of life for me. I know My reasons for the weight gain a mixture of medical and personal but I know where I at each day. At times I forget during myself a sense so to speak I get frustrated with myself and I go into my self pity mode. I guess I need this now and then for a reality check. Lol I have lost my clothes size which tells me I am ln the right track lol Excess skin gets in the way lol oh well. It's been two years of having the Lapband and I am so very grateful. I look forward when I reach my goal. I would appreciate people to give their input where I am at its hard to get to any support group meetings. The nearest place would be by plane!

@ PDXMan....you're not just cute....you're smart! I would like to say one thing in defense of men.....poor guys; they often do say things that come out wrong; but how many men out there have been supportive of us through this weight loss journey and loved us through all of our weight gains? Speaking for myself; I was very defensive in the beginning and very much in denial and had every excuse in the world for not losing weight (some of the valid mind you). Still, my guy stood by me and loved me at 223 lbs, and was there every moment on the way down (with some really really intense talks along the way). Does he love me more now that I am thinner? I'm not sure, but I do know this experience has brought us much closer because we are so much more open now than we ever were.....I guess I'm just saying, that we're not perfect either and that opening up to each other in a loving, non-defensive way is a good thing; men and women are wired differently, but look at the big picture.

Thanks for the responses! I will definitely have to think about it - there are two Bariatric centers in my area (Ann Arbor, MI), The University of Michigan and a Barix Clinic in Ypsilanti. The U requires the six months in the last two years regardless of what insurance requires. I don't know much about the Barix clinic, but I will post something to see if anyone has gone there. I am still leaning towards a week or two of weight gain or slamming a gallon of water before weighing in.

I am just going to give you a big hug. Tell him you've only gained a few lbs and he must be a moron. I am sorry, but you have to tell him the truth. Let him know you have NOT gained "a lot of weight". I personally feel strongly about this. This is what causes eating disorders. Once he realizes he's an idiot, he will probably shut his mouth. I am almost as mad as you and it didn't even happen to me! Bless your heart, seriously! You have done a fantastic job with your weight loss and your husband obviously is being an idiot in this situation. Seriously I think he must be a bit insecure or something. Maybe he thinks putting you down will keep your self-esteem a little low so you won't go looking elsewhere. I really don't know. I just know you need to tell him he's dead wrong about a big weight gain ! OK, I will stop ranting. I wish you all of the best. I know how it feels to be hurt by someone you love on this sensitive subject.

I'm so sorry that you are hurting right now. I can only imagine the emotional pain those words have caused you. I'm sure he does not even realize how deeply he's hurt you and you should definitely (when you've have a chance to calm down and vent) talk to him about how it made you feel to hear him say those words. I'm sure once the light bulb goes off he will apologize and realize that the best way he can help is to be possitive and supportive and not tear you down. A few weeks ago my boyfriend of 3 years tod me that on of the reasons why we are no longer as sexual as we had been in the past was because of my 40 lb weight gain since we've met. I met him when i was around 250 (not thin by any means) and am now around 296. To hear that it was hard for him to be physically attractive to him hurt beyond words and I thought that i would never get over it. I did though and after many talks have learned that even though his delivery could have been better he did not say it with the intention of hurting me but rather wanted to work on it to get us back to where he knew we could be. It took alot for me to try to see it that way but we are now stronger than ever and as I get closer towards my surgury date I trust that he's got my back no matter what. I wish you all the best trying to get rid of the few extra pounds that you want to loose but please make sure you are doing it for you an no one else. At the end of the day your health is the only think that matters...not money and certainly not numbers on a scale. XOXO Cat

Hello, I am 2.5 weeks post op and currently getting in anywhere from 45-65 grams of Protein...depending on the day I noticed on the days that I am in the 60-65 protein range I tend to get constipated. I also noticed that the days when I only get about 45 grams of protein, I don't have this problem and after a couple of days of "low protein" I will lose about 2 to 4 lbs. When I am able to get in the 60-65 grams there is no weight loss. Any ideas on whats going on?

OMG your weight loss is awesome. Based on your profile picture you would never imgaine that you needed it. Anyway, I'll admit that I have alot going on in my life. Although things have gotten better with my husband, they arent the best. I work 10 hour shifts and when I get home I am a single mother (hubby works nights) of 3 trying to get things done in 1 1/2 hours (before bedtime for kids). By the time they are out, I'm burned out. However, I do walk/run on the treadmill (2-3 miles a day). I also have a few medical conditions that I think may be contributing to my pause in weight loss (Thyroid & Hormone problems). Grrrrr, honestly I just wish that I had someone that I can talk to about this whole experience that can provide input. My family is a hispanic family that loves to eat (with no weight gain) and always call you out in front of others about your weight, pant size etc. Tried to post profile picture but something seems to go wrong each time. SMH.... lol