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I have Aetna and I had to show all my PCP notes showing weight loss attempts from the past 2 years with no weight gain. 3 months of those had to be consecutive. I had to have a letter from my PCP recommending the surgery and listing my BMI and co-morbidities. I was at a starting BMI much higher than you, so I can't say for sure how it will work for you. Aetna does have a few requirements but they are not as tough as some. I have even heard that if the BMI is lower but you have co-morbidities they will take those along with the weight into consideration. Good luck and try not to kill anyone in the process...one day you will look back on this and hopefully laugh?

I am 11 weeks out. I was only weighing myself every few days until I had a couple ounce weight gain. It freaked my out and made me fearful. I haven't experienced any stalls yet (that I know of). I really appreciate the feed back.

Hi, I did see the doc and he gave me a small refill. It has stopped the weight gain but I am not losing either, I am stuck in a status quo. I am waiting to receive an appointment to see him again. It should be next month or september. I think if he says that it needs an operation then I will have it done, as I want to keep this band and I don't want to risk it having to be taken out completely. That is far worse! If you are not confident about your docs diagnosis, ask fora second opinion. kid regards Suzy

So I'm on 3rd week off liquids started pureed like calif lower squash tuna ect nothing high fat ir calories but never mind a stall, why did I go up 3 lbs!! Has this happended to anyone else 1 month post op I'm eating g what's on diet jot cheating

I take 200mg neurontin at night. I take a 50 mg tramadol, 2 x's/day, 1 mg klonopin (sp), and 20 mg lexapro for both depression and pain. I tried Lyrica, but I had weight gain and short term memory loss. Neurontin is a cousin to Lyrica. I don't have the endless muncies that I did w/Lyrica. I also have Chronic Myofascial Pain (CMP) which causes me a lot of grief. Also, I have a heated mattress pad. Sunbeam makes them. I get the best price on e-bay. The mattress pad is a lifesaver! I've seen the neurologist and he agrees w/the meds that my PCM has me on.

I already know i want a TT and Breast Lift/implants . Like you I have 2 kids with the weight gain and loss i have a lot of excess skin around my waist. I too am a little concerened about the pain. procedure in general. From what i have seen and read from others its not AS bad as people think it is ? I have heard the recovery process can be a little long as far as not being able to pick kids up , ect. My kids are older 15 and 6 so I am not as concerened about that. I think what is important in this for you is support from your husband , if your going to do this , espcially with the little ones and lining up care, help ect. I think if he stands behind this , know's your not going to leave him , know's your doing this for your continued self esteem. Last night on the show Big Medicine there was a really good segment. A woman had lost a lot of weight. She had a TT and breast implants. She explained ( very emtionally ) to the show and her husband why she did it . It was not to look like a super model, ect it was to look and feel "Normal" for the first time in her life . I can see if i can find that for you if you want. Anyway good luck ! Mindy

I have been on depo for 12-years-ish, which is notoriously associated with weight gain. I use it primarily for control of my cycle- you never get a time of the month, it's awesome! I can say that in the end it all comes down to how much you eat- the bc itself doesn't make you gain, it just makes you hungrier, especially if you aren't used to it. I have been fat and thin on birth control and I have gone off of it for a few months at a time 2-3 times over the last decade and the only time I notice weight fluctuations is when I legitimately eat more. I've been at goal for about 10 months, but if I don't weigh everyday and make immediate adjustments I start gaining. This week I hit 133, which is the "time to stop eating so much" weight for me, so I dropped my intake, was careful with logging my calories, and this morning, two days later I'm back to 131, which is a weight I'm going with fluctuating around. The best way to maintain is to make is an every single day thing. Also, I noticed the idea of being "fat and happy" when you're in a relationship isn't entirely a stereotype. It's nice to sit at home, hang out with your man, skip the gym sometimes, eat yummy food, go out to nice dinners, and generally be in such a good mood that you don't realize you're gaining weight. You can get back down to where you were- just really start logging all of your food and workouts and hopefully you see the scale start to move.

Look, The body is an amazing machine. It will allow us to abuse it and use it and continue to work when it is run down and give us the energy we need to go on when things have tired it out. It has the capability to adjust if you are injured so that no matter what you will still see the horizon...Those are just a few things it does.... i call it the perfect city! One piece goes wrong the rest of the city starts to change to either accommodate it or shut the system down for repairs. Our bodies will go into rest to protect us from what it considers a possible threat to its well being. It will hold off weight loss if it thinks that it is being harmed in any way. Or it feels it does not have enough to continue to keep the city running smooth. It will hold on to fat if it thinks these things. I call it going into a rest period. We have put our bodies into so much stress over the years with weight gain, then weight loss, then gain again. It has constantly adjusted to keep us going until it cannot handle the changes anymore and we begin to see unhealthy conditions creep into our city. You are doing something to fix your body and your body is confused. that is normal. How long has it been since you fed it good quality food like Protein, Water, vegetables and fruits..It is doing the happy dance! But it still does not trust you so it rests and waits to see if you are going to continue to care for it.....When it feels that you are okay, the weight will start to drop off again......If you look at it this way you will see the body the way I do...A marvelous machine or city that will protect itself from serious harm..... You will drop weight again..Your body just needs to catch up... This is how an Osteopath explained the body to me and I loved the examples!!! Made me appreciate the human body more!

I had zero weight gain in about 9 months. Then i gained like 10lbs but was still eating correctly and working out like crazy. It was my body adjusting.. Ive sinced taken that 10lbs off plus another 6lbs and reached goal weight.. SO IT IS NORMAL!!! Keep going. Chris

Hello all, I have aetna insurance and when I started my journey I weighed in at 233 first app. I was under until the last two. I went up to 238. I have one more app till they submit paperwork and currently at 229 so I'll definitely be under my starting weight but I'm wondering how they look at net gain My doc said it's first weight to last so I should be fine..but I'm paranoid. Anyone experience gain but then lost it by the last app. Sent from my SM-G935T using the BariatricPal App

I also feel sorry for her but like they say, it is only a tool and you need to be strong enough to change your eating habits and keep up the exercise. I hate it when people use pregnancy and an excuse for weight gain. Yes, you do gain weight but you can keep that to a minimum if you eat correctly... not for two! I only gained 25 lbs with my pregnancy and he was 10 lbs!! I was also 200 lbs when I got pregnant so I wasnt slim. I was in my regular clothes the next week. I know everyone is different, some have bed rest and all but I feel exxesive weight gain with a pregnancy is completely avoidable if you work at it. Best of luck to you Carnie!

I was banded on 12/21/2010. Since that time, I've lost about 30 pounds and I have 7cc in my band. In all honesty, I was doing well for a while but then began going back to my old eating habits. I am not trying to make excuses but during that time I was sexually assaulted and began to suffer from SEVERE anxiety and depression. I was focused on just surviving on a day-to-day basis. Weight loss wasn't my top priority. However, I didn't gain any weight despite my eating habits. In fact, I lost a little bit of weight and I have generally held steady since my last fill. I feel some restriction (very little) but I can continue to eat what I want in somewhat smaller portions (but definitely not a 1/2 cup). I guess what I'm wondering: 1.) Did I stretch out my band/damage my band? I realize only a doctor can diagnose that, but wouldn't I have gained weight if that were the case? Would I feel anything different? What are the symptoms of lap band damage/slippage? Yes, I can eat more, but aside from that, no weight gain or side effects have taken place. 2.) If you fell off the wagon, how did you get back on track? How was it going back to the surgeon? 3.) If someone slips/damages their lap band, what is the treatment? Would I need to get the band removed? Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated. I want to get back on track but I'm a bit scared.

I have Aetna insurance and they require a 90 day supervised diet. I go tomorrow for my 3rd visit with the nutritionist. I am not having any luck on loosing or maintaining my weight. I have gained 3 pounds and I have been documenting in a journal daily my food and exercise. I am getting my daily water in and walking 30 minutes daily. The last couple of times I have seen the nutritionist she's only given my advise on portion control and chewing 20x per bite. She has never set any calorie ranges or other goals to work on to help me loose. However even with portion control and walking I am gaining, now I am terrified that Aetna choice POS II will deny me. My BMI is 45 and I have diabetes, high cholesterol, and PCOS. Can anybody tell me their similar experience with weight gain during 90day diet and insurance approval. Thank you.

I can't remember if it was my anethesiologist or my surgeon who came into my room before my surgery and mentioned that they had just read a study the showed artificial sweetners actually contribute to weight gain. Interesting.

Hi everyone I had my surgery 1yr and 3mths ago. I am wanting to talk with other post surgery people to get some help and guildance. I have had trouble losing weight and have had major swelling issues leading to having most of my fluid taken out. This has led to weight gain. I have lost and gained. Very depressed.

The check list is the most important thing in starting on the journey with insurance.. With out it you may miss something, and not be approved. They usually want to make sure your not gaining weight while on the diet, and see that you are making the effort to loose or maintain whichever you are able to do. Through out my 6 months I was loosing weight till I hit the 5th month. I had a 3 pound weight gain even though I was on the same 12-1500 calorie diet with 30 minutes of exercise a day. I do hope it doesn't affect my approval, but it's like I've told every doctor that I have seen I loose and no matter what I do it starts coming back. I am just pushing myself extra extra hard over the next couple of weeks to insure I maintain atleast.. Best of Luck!!

Hi i have been up and down with my weight loss while during the 6 months weight managment, anyone been denied insurance for this, next Tuesday i have my last visit and then my paper work will be submitted im so nervous i will get denied because of this please advise thanks

I unfilled my band completely in October last year for cancer surgery and chemotherapy and I had very little trouble with weight gain. I really have patted myself on the back for a job well done, loudly and publicly, lol, but in truth, on reflection I think I had some assistance, what with being so sick. I remained unfilled for seven months and gradually over the last five have refilled my band up to decent restriction (althoug h I've not found the sort of restriction I had before, I've got what I can live with, thanfully as my band is 0.2cc from full). I found it very easy at first, I still couldnt eat a lot, and stuck to very small meals and healthy foods. It took months for my appetite to expand, I began to notice that dinner would leave me wanting, becuase I always restricted through willpower what I ate between meals fill or no fill. That sort of head hunger stuff was just the same. I kept running and going to the gym right through treatment. But I did gradually begin to eat more. Now with fill going back in, I dont feel any "different" like I was expecting to, but my meals are much smaller again. I might feel the same, thinking I had toast for breakfast, but then I realise that once again, the idea of two pieces of toast like normal people eat is like a major pig out, absolutely excessive and I realise yes, that restriction is there. Restriction really isnt a tangible thing that you can feel, it just subtly changes how much you eat, and you have to listen hard for it, and ignore the head hunger - that isnt real hunger. But its interesting to see what its like when restriction has gone isnt it? I think it has made me a better bandster, I kind of needed a kick in the pants after six years.

Hello fellow weight loss pals, well im in a bit of a dilemma.. to start off I had a gastric banding done in the year 2008. Since then I have lost about 660 pounds. I was happy with the banding until last year when I was diagnosed with a hiatus hernia. Now to fix the hiatus the docs here suggest that I have to take out the band else the hiatus can always reoccur. My fear obviously is the weight gain once the band is out, to which the doctors have suggested to do a gastric sleeve. Now my apprehensions for this are: 1) Gastric banding is a reversible procedure however a sleeve is permanent. How does it affect the life in future 2) I don't have any children yet, but would a sleeve be a hindrance if and when I do get pregnant in terms of the diet I need to follow, the nutrition required for the fetus and the quantities???? 3) Is the sleeve same as having a band in terms of eating habits. the reflux?? or is there a difference??? 4) I have read that even with the sleeve there are chances of putting on the weight again?? is that true??? I would really appreciate if someone could throw some light on these issues Await your help and suggestions. Love, Gia

Here are some more Iron and vegetarian types of resources in case red meat is an issue: healthy fats nuts seeds vegetables fruit grains wheatgerm flaxseeds soya mustard seeds avocado coco It’s easy to add fat to your diet simply by eating a healthy mix of the foods listed above. Try adding coconut oil to your porridge, adding flaxseed oil to your Soup just before serving, or eating an avocado sandwich. Run if you see ingredients like hydrogenated oil, high fructose corn syrup, and MSG. The difference between a vegan and a vegetarian is that vegans eliminate all animal products from their diet, including dairy and eggs. Those following a vegan lifestyle generally do not wear leather and avoid products made from animals such as wool, silk and down. Vegans' tremendous compassion for animals is an abiding, overriding conviction in their lives. Vegetarians do not eat meat, fish or poultry but they tend to consume dairy products and eggs. Lacto-vegetarians consume dairy products but not eggs, ovo-vegetarians eat eggs but not dairy products and lacto- ovo-vegetarians eat eggs as well as dairy products. Vegetarians also do not eat products that contain gelatine or other meat-based products. The vegan point of view is that animals are not here to be exploited by man, and that commercialization of animals necessarily involves a fundamental, inhumane component and lack of respect for basic life. From a nutrition standpoint, the only difference is that vegans need to take a B12 and amino acid supplement, since they have no dietary source of these nutrients. You can get all the nutrients you need on a lacto- ovo (eggs and milk) vegetarian diet without supplements. A vegan diet also minimizes food allergies or intolerance since it eliminates the most common allergens like shellfish, eggs and dairy. VEGETARIAN: Vegetarian is a blanket term used to describe a person who does not consume meat, poultry, fish, or seafood. This grouping includes Vegans and the various sub-categories of Vegetarian; however, it generally implies someone who has less dietary restrictions than a Vegan. SEMI-VEGETARIAN: The term Semi-Vegetarian is usually used to describe someone who is a vegetarian who consumes dairy products, eggs, chicken, and fish, but does not consume other animal flesh. OVO-LACTO-VEGETARIAN: Ovo-lacto vegetarians are Vegetarians who do not consume meat, poultry, fish, and seafood, but do consume eggs and milk. This is the largest group of Vegetarians. OVO-VEGETARIAN: Ovo-vegetarian is a term used to describe someone who would be a vegan if they did not consume eggs. LACTO-VEGETARIAN: Lacto-Vegetarian is a term used to describe someone who would be a vegan if they did not consume milk. VEGAN: Vegan is the strictest sub-category of Vegetarians. Vegans do not consume any animal products or by-products. Some go as far as not even consuming honey and yeast. Others do not wear any clothing made from animal products. Important: Take some time to figure out for yourself, what group you will belong to when you become a Vegetarian. You will want to consider both dietary and ethical reasons for choosing this lifestyle. Vegan and Vegetarian lifestyle leads to weight gain for many It is hard to imagine that anyone following a lifestyle filled with healthy, whole choices would gain weight as a result of that decision. But they do. Here’s (usually) why: *Starchy foods – Vegan and vegetarian diets consume higher amounts of natural, whole plant foods. In addition, most include greater quantities of other nonmeat/seafood products like Pasta. Whole foods and food products like pasta are higher in calories and carbohydrates requiring more energy spent when consuming more calories. *Low Protein – Most natural foods contain lower amounts of protein than other food resources (example - dairy, meat, poultry and seafood/fish). Protein provides many benefits, including slower digestion, leaving us feeling full and satisfied longer. *Excessive calories – Anything consumed needs to be ‘burned.' Food is fuel and exercise is the way our body utilizes and burns the calories we consume. When we consume excessive amounts of fuel – even healthy fuel – our activity level must increase to offset consumption. *Activity level – Our body breaks down carbs consumed into ‘glycogen,' later utilizing it for energy. Glycogen is stored to muscles, brain, liver and other tissue. Excess carbs are stored to fat tissue. If we are not building muscles, exercising regularly (aerobics, yoga, weight lifting, etc.) then our body will naturally store excess carbs (and calories overall) to fat. Building muscles naturally gives our body a location where glycogen can be stored and used when needed. The lack of muscles = increased body fat. Excessive consumption without matched calorie burning exercise = weight gain. *Balanced diet – 60/20/20 = Carbs/Protein/Fat. Regardless of nutritional lifestyle choices, balanced nutrition is required to help our body survive and stay healthy. When those ‘numbers’ (60/20/20) are out of balance our body follows suit in several ways (i.e. weight gain, muscle mass loss, increased body fat, etc.). Complex versus simple carbs Carbohydrates are complex and/or simple. Some carbohydrates are from natural resources while others are ‘refined’ (processed). Natural carbohydrates are beneficial to our overall health. They also provide antioxidants which aid our body’s natural ability to restore, renew, and replenish. Simple carbs = Comprised of one or two molecules, digest quickly impacting the way our blood sugar rises and falls. *Sugar, high fructose corn syrup, molasses. Some fruits and vegetables are classified in both simple and complex catagories. Complex carbs = Contain starch and dietary fiber. Dense and digest slowly with less impact on our blood sugar rising and falling. *Nuts, legumes, seeds, fruit,s vegetables, fruit and whole grains, barley So how does someone follow their passion for staying healthy, eat whole food and live a Vegan or vegetarian lifestyle nix the worry about weight gain? *Eat more complex carbs – Beans and peas are small ‘jewels’ packed with natural protein and fiber. From Soups to side dishes, both leave you feeling fuller longer. According to the USDA, they’re essential in living a healthier lifestyle and useful in receiving what our body naturally needs: “Beans and peas are the mature forms of legumes. They include kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans, lima beans, black-eyed peas, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), split peas and lentils. They are available in dry, canned, and frozen forms. These foods are excellent sources of plant protein, and also provide other nutrients such as iron and zinc. They are similar to meats, poultry, and fish in their contribution of these nutrients. Therefore, they are considered part of the Protein Foods Group. Many people consider beans and peas as vegetarian alternatives for meat. However, they are also considered part of the Vegetable Group because they are excellent sources of dietary fiber and nutrients such as folate and potassium. These nutrients, which are often low in the diet of many Americans, are also found in other vegetables.” (http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/vegetables-beans-peas.html) *Eat healthy, protein rich grains – Quinoa is a seed, an excellent source for protein (approximately 9 grams a cup) and perfect when added to rice, soup or other vegetable dishes and salads. *Limit pasta – A cup of pasta can net almost 400 calories, 80 grams of carbs and 14 grams of protein. Add the sauce and other vegetables to that meal and you are probably reaching over 700 calories real quick. *Limit starchy vegetables (but don’t completely avoid them!) – Potatoes, corn, yams, and squash are very healthy food, but they are higher in starch (and calories) than other vegetables, causing our blood sugar to rise. The below "Vegan Food Pyramid" (www.veganfoodpyramid.com) helps to visualize the balance of a healthy lifestyle. Quick Tips for Wellness: Just remember....a calorie still needs to be utilized through exercise or else it will turn into excess weight gain. That’s because beans and green leafy vegetables?which vegetarians and vegans tend to eat plenty of?are loaded with iron. And many other foods are iron-fortified (breakfast cereals, for example), as you’ll see on their labels. A 1-cup serving of green vegetables provides 1-3 milligrams of iron, depending on which vegetable you choose. A 1/2-cup serving of beans provides 2-3 milligrams. A bowl of a typical iron-fortified Cereal has 18 milligrams. How much iron do you need? The recommended dietary allowance for adult males and for women over 50 is 8 milligrams per day. For women aged 19-50, the RDA is 18 milligrams per day (it’s higher to compensate for menstrual losses). So, with all that iron in everyday foods, how could a vegetarian run low? Several reasons: First, some people eat everything veg except those healthful, iron-rich vegetables and beans. In that case, it is easy to run low. Also, dairy products interfere with iron absorption: if you have a glass of milk with a meal, it reduces the iron you absorb from the other foods you eat by about half. A young woman’s menstrual flow leads to iron losses every month. Distance runners lose iron too, both in sweat and through the repeated pounding of their feet, which breaks up red blood cells. Q: Is there a difference between the iron in vegetables and the iron in meat? A: Yes. The iron in plants is called nonheme iron. Its absorption depends on how much iron is in your body already. That is, if you are low in iron, your body absorbs more of it from the foods you eat. If you already have plenty of iron in your body, nonheme iron is less absorbable. That’s good. It means you’ll get the iron you need without overdoing it. The iron in meat is called heme iron. Its absorption does not change. You may have plenty of iron stored in your body already, but like an uninvited guest at a party, heme iron barges in whether you need it or not. As a result, many meat eaters end up with too much iron, which is dangerous because iron sparks the production of free radicals?molecules that can damage your body tissues. Think of it this way: iron rusts; that is, it oxidizes. The same chemical reaction that turns an old nail rusty red can occur with the iron inside your body. In the process, iron releases free radicals that are linked to aging, cancer, and heart disease. Q: Should I take an iron supplement? A: No, not unless your health care provider has diagnosed an iron deficiency. In the past, iron was promoted as the answer to life’s problems. If you were dragging through the day, iron pills and various tonics promised extra iron to perk you up. That was a mistake, because iron overdose is as dangerous as iron deficiency, and is much more common. So if you think you might be low in iron, get tested. It is quick and easy. And because high levels of iron can be risky, doctors are quite happy to see your blood tests come out at the lower end of the normal range. But if you really are low in iron, your health care provider will look for reasons why. The first concern is bleeding, as can occur from normal menstrual flow, or from abnormal conditions, such as an ulcer or colon cancer, that require more detailed evaluation. If you do need to boost your iron intake, the answer is to fill up on “greens and beans,” as well as Vitamin C-rich foods, such as fruit and fruit juices, which increase iron absorption. Avoiding dairy products also helps (and don’t worry about calcium?green vegetables and beans provide a healthful source of that too). Only in rare cases is an iron supplement necessary. According to the CDC, heme iron is absorbed two to three times better than non-heme iron. To make matters worse for vegetarians, many sources of vegetarian iron also contain chemicals called antinutrients. These antinutrients can block the absorption of iron (as well as other nutrients). One common antinutrient is oxalic acid, which is found in spinach. Because of how poorly vegetarian iron is absorbed, the Institute of Medicine recommends that vegetarians consume double the recommended amount of iron. The current RDA for iron is 18mg/day for adult females and 8mg/day for adult males. Based on the Institute of Medicine recommendations, vegetarians and vegan women and men should respectively strive to consume 36mg and 16mg of iron daily. 36mg of Iron on a Vegetarian Diet?!? There are a lot of vegetarian and vegan foods which contain lots of iron. Rice bran, for example, contains 11mg per half cup. It isn’t the tastiest food in the world, but you can sprinkle some into your cereal or add it to baked goods. Beans and lentils are also rich in iron, with about 2-4mg per half cup. You’ll also find iron in foods like whole grains, dark leafy greens, and seeds. Even if you are chowing down on only these healthy, iron-rich foods, you’ll still realize it is pretty hard to get your iron intake to add up to the 36mg per day recommended for vegetarian women (vegetarian men definitely have it easier than women here). Don’t worry! You don’t necessarily have to consume massive amounts of iron just to stay healthy. There are some tricks which can help you absorb iron better. Easy Ways to Increase Iron Absorption One super easy way for vegetarians and vegans to get more iron from their food is to add some Vitamin C to the meal. This is as simple as topping your bean burger with some tomato salsa or even squeezing some lemon juice into your Water. A lot of vegetarian sources of iron, such as leafy greens, are already high in vitamin C, which helps counter the whole oxalic acid anti-nutrient problem. If you are worried about iron levels, you’ll also want to lay off the coffee and tea – at least for an hour or so before and after meals. Natural chemicals in coffee and tea block the absorption of iron, as well as several other important nutrients. You can always take an iron supplement if you are worried that you aren’t getting enough iron from food alone (you’ll probably want to check with your doctor first and have a simple blood test done to check hemoglobin levels; iron supplements can cause overdoses of iron!). Your body can’t absorb a lot of iron at once though, so it is best to space out your supplementation. You can break your supplement in half and take it in the morning and evening, or you can get a time-released iron supplement. http://plenteousveg.com/vegan-coupons/? utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=vegan-coupons Kale is an especially good source of these nutrients because it has a high bioavailability of iron. If you can’t fathom the idea of eating greens (which is lame because greens can taste great if you cook them right), then maybe consider drinking green smoothies or incorporating some green superfoods like spirulina into your life. What are good vegan sources of healthy fat? Avocado, nuts, seeds, olives, and flax oil are the big ones. Even some foods which you wouldn’t suspect also contain healthy fats, like raw wheat germ and dark leafy greens. The good news is that all of these healthy vegan fats often also contain other nutrients you might be lacking on a poorly- planned vegan diet, like zinc and vitamin K. http://www.uhs.wisc.edu/health-topics/healthy- lifestyle/documents/Iron.pdf Vegetarian Resource Group http://www.vrg.org/ http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-HealthProfessional/ Iron http://plenteousveg.com/ Nutrient Guides, Food, Nutrition http://www.vegkitchen.com/nutrition/iron/ How to get enough iron in your diet http://www.vegkitchen.com/vegetarian-tips/ hints tips http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/nonheme-iron-foods-4268.html nonheme ir on foods http://www.dietitians.ca/Nutrition-Resources-A- Z/Factsheets/Minerals/Food-Sources-of-Iron.aspx Food Sources of Iron http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/03/vegetarian-breakfast-protein- yum-filling-_n_5418578.html

Weight gain is fairly normal. Most people's weight fluctuates up and down by a couple of pounds. It is usually to do with hormones, Water retention or the like. As to the lip, it could be an allergy, or maybe an insect bite, or you walked into something, someone hit you, you could have a cold sore coming................................... basically it could be anything! Sorry i'm not much help!

I'm 15 days post-op and I've managed to gain 0.9 lb to offset my post-op 17 lb weight loss. It's frustrating to no end, you'd think that by drinking less than 600 calories a day I'd be shedding pounds consistently- but the human body doesn't work that way. *sigh* I've managed to pack on the pound. I'm afraid I've screwed my metabolism, and put my body into starvation mode (even though I'm not hungry). I hope this stall (and weight gain!) will end.

One other thing - I have a number of problems after the surgery and one it didn't fix. I was hospitalized for malnutrition badly enough I got told I ws going to die. I still tell people get the surgery. Because 98.5% of people have no problem and the biggest issue they have is weight gain. I would rather enjoy the quality of life that I had in swimming, running, etc. and the memories of that then sitting on my can doing nothing. I don't regret the surgery. If I can say that, isn't giving your life and health worth the chance? My stuff is rare and I had GI problems to begin with. If you can get the surgery DO IT! It is worth it.

To regain some how about going back to tried and true yet healthier things. Fat and carbs are an awesome weight gaining combo. How about Protein drinks mixed with milk and Peanut Butter. Eat nuts a few times a day. Drink milk, eat some Pasta covered in cheese some times. Your type 2 diabetes is not improved by your weight loss? If I were you I'd get some medical tests done. You got to goal really fast by my standards. Really fast for a woman. I'd want to know why since good health is key.

Hello to all! Just attend an orientation meeting last night with the Memorial Bariatric Center in Michigan with Dr. Tomita’s staff. I found it very informative and with all the research, that I have done it satisfies all the criteria of what you should look for in a surgeon that performs LAP-BAND surgeries. My concern is INSURANCE. My BMI is between 35 and 36. I have one documented co-morbid condition, which is hypertension. I have conditions that may or may not be considered a threat currently in my life. Meaning classified as a co-morbid condition. My mother had breast cancer, which increases my risk for breast cancer and is increased greater because of my weight. I became a diabetic during my pregnancies (18 - 20 years ago) each time I delivered my babies. No longer, a diabetic, but was told this could re-occur again with weight gain. This has not happen yet, but the writing is on the wall. At this point, I am setting myself up for this disease too. I have Mito Valve Prolapse. My heart flutters at times. I am sure extra weight does not help this condition. Medication is not needed for this, but I think my high blood pressure med helps. I am on Paxcil not for depressing but for anxiety attacks. All though I feel depressed because of my weight, which I am sure, you all can relate to. I am also on thyroid medication. Due to a hypothyroidism condition. Cancer and heart issues with parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. I am not sure what the insurance will say. I sure do not like the insurance companies deciding what is best for me. I have tried so many diets through out my life. The only success I have had is losing about 13 pounds and gaining it back and then some. With this track record I am 100% guaranteed to die early with an aliment that can be contributed to my weight. At this point, I do not want to wait until my BMI is higher or faced with an additional “better” co-morbid condition. I am already feeling poor health at my current weight. I am going to continue on this journey. I am sure there will be many obstacles for me to face and overcome. No one said it was going to be easy. I just do not want to hear “NO - YOU ARE NOT APPROVED”