Search the Community

Hello all, hope eveyone is well I have been awol a few weeks since the defill, cos it has been horrendous. Terrible pains and trapped wind after eating, many nights awake in agony because of the stomach pains and I have also managed to catch 2 bugs, one sickness and the other down south which I hadn't suffered with at since having the band fitted. I dont remember ever feeling this uncomfortable even when my diet was so full of crap pre the band, and the wind is just awful, my mood has been terrible as well. I have just been a snappy nasty b***h really So I have now put on a stone and feel so uncomfortable so I mailed Freddie and he assures me the weight gain is normal as my body had completely re hydrated, so I feel a little better knowing that, but I have booked in to be refilled next Thursday as I just don't feel in control. He said I can be refilled to a maximum of 6.5mls, (currently have 5mls) as we fly out to Egypt in July and he said I really can't go any higher than that, and defo not back to the 7.5mls as the heat over there will make the band too tight. I just need to get this stone back off, because . . . we have our appointment with the Fertility specialist on 8th August!!!! So utterly delighted that we will hopefully be starting treatment this year and also gutted as had the letter come sooner I wouldn't have had the defill to ensure I was still in or less than the weight range to be accepted for treatment, but hey ho its done now. MMM, thanks for the advise re the diet chef, got myself lots of Soups and porridge so that I am only eating a meal once a day if that, so hoping the weight may start slowly coming down this week any way, as I made the most of drinking alcohol and eating at the IOW festival last weekend and then came on on Tuesday so very bloated and lots of Water retention. Can't wait to get the skinny feeling back again, just hope the 6.5mls gives me enough restriction. Good luck to the newbies and hope the rest of the gang are doing well with losing C xx

Well...T minus 8 hours. I'm surprisingly calm. I've kept myself so busy today that I've barely noticed I've only had Clear liquids. I weighed myself tonight and I'm 6 pounds heavier than this morning. I hope its just all of those fluids. I'll flip out if they cancel surgery because of Water weight gain. I just got my shower and used the Hibiclens antiseptic as instructed by my doctor. I've had a moment with all of my kids telling them how much I love them. I'm ok with this. I just pray everything goes well. I have 5 kids that I want to be around for. I'm waking up at 5 to do another Hibiclens scrub and take my prilosec. We leave for the hospital at 6...its not quite an hour away. I was told that I have to do my hugs and kisses in the lobby and family isn't allowed in the pre-op area. That makes me very anxious. I should mention my husband and my parents are going to be there for me. I'm so blessed to have such a wonderful support system. I feel like this is so surreal. Like I can't believe its really happening. I hope I stay strong and not flip out once I get there. I'm having the majority of my stomach removed...wow. Tonight, when I took my pre-surgery pics it reaffirmed for the 1000th time that I'm doing the right thing. I wish I would of done a video blog. Maybe once I'm home I'll do that. If you are up at around 730 central time, please say a prayer for me or send good thoughts. I really appreciate it. I do plan on taking my laptop though I may not use it at all. Depends on how I'm feeling. I can't thank everyone enough for the support I've recieved here. I'll report back as soon as I can.

I was told they wanted me to lose 5% of my weight before surgery. They feel that those who lose weight before surgery have better overall success losing weight after. 10% might feel like a lot, but let's say you're 250lbs, that's only 25lbs. A lot of surgeons require a 2 week (or 1) liquid protein shake diet before surgery to reduce the liver. So many people drop weight like hotcakes when they do this. I started at 230 and lost 9lbs in my 2wk liquid diet. If you have one year to do this, I think you can do it without being drastic. OR if you wanted to do it fast, I'd suggest the liquid diet. The only other thing is that most surgeons don't want to see a weight gain before surgery, so you'd kind of have to plan that out...or if it's just for insurance approval, go liquid.

Sorry to hear of your struggles. I too appear to be on the up scale of weight gain. I'm going to take the advice of uping my protien and excersie I never had to do much after surgery to lose weight now Its time. Keep us posted on your progress as I will too Taniea

Heyy, I woke up this morning and the 3lbs I gained over 3 days (!!) of Aunt Flo were gone. Still not losing, but I see a light at the end of the irritating, poorly timed, cramp-y tunnel. You all are right, of course! If anyone else is experiencing bloating, weight gain, stalls due to your period, just know that everybody's right: it feels TERRIBLE, but it does just go away afterwards.

Hello, I have been banded for two years and have a oneyear old. It was four months post-op before finding out we were expecting. MyDr. told me they encourage women who are trying to have children, to do so at ahealthier weight and/or a year after surgery. My little one, was a surprise:)...the only thing I suggest is getting an un-fill for the band so you areable to eat (once that baby starts getting bigger, she bumps your tummy and youhave 0 room to eat anything.) Also, there will be a good amount of port discomfortas your abdomen stretches towards the last few months of pregnancy, since theport is attached to the abdominal wall. She is probobly curious about weight gain during pregnancy, I maintained the entire time, fluxuating 5 lbs at most. If you or your Wife have any more questions, feel free to message me! Good luck and take care! Stephanie

Not sure on the truth of this one, but,,, my Old Surgeon Told all of us "that if you eat to much Protein, it can be hard on the Kidneys, and it can cause weight gain ! So you can believe that I stayed between 60-80G a day.

Please don't feel alone, my friend. I have had some of the very same thoughts. "Why is everyone else losing and I'm not?" "What am I doing wrong?" I felt like everyone else was losing right after surgery, even without a fill, and I didn't! Most everyone will agree that each experience is different. I think that most of us have failed so many times on diets that we are expecting to fail with the band, too. Stop that thinking! Stop it right now! It IS going to work this time. Here are my thoughts on your weight gain: Since you are gaining, you are taking in more calories than you are burning off. What could you be eating that is high in calories? What could you be drinking that is high in calories? Are you able to exercise? Even a little can help. How about talking to a nutritionist? Or, if you are not satisfied with your doctor, how about a second opinion? I just got my second fill and I am feeling anxious about starting to eat. How's that for a strange feeling? Never in my life have I been shy about eating. This "band thing" is so different from anything we've experienced before. We all feel our uncertainties. But I'm with you, and so are all of these other bandsters. Right, gang?

I started my weight gain and life at 18 when I graduated highschool and met my husband. We dropped school (college), got a apartment, it didnt work out (no good food) and money, so we went back to our parents, and then he went into the navy, we got married and I followed him. At 18 I graduated from High School as a varsity cheerleader, 5'10" and 185 pounds. When I got married at 21, I was 250 pounds, felt pretty good with my life, but went through birth control changes and 1 abortion and 4 miscarriages. From 21-24 I stayed at 250 pounds. Then I got pregnant in January 2009, I was 276 and only gained 14 pounds of baby. At time of birth I was healthy for the most part and 300 pounds. I dropped 50 pounds the first month, from breast feeding and then gained it all back because I couldn't anymore. So I have been bouncing from 298 to 310, I have continued to have 3 more miscarriages, and am now at my highest at 315. I do not snack during the day, mostly at night, and mostly during my frequent acid reflex/heartburn episodes. I had a hard time dieting because of heartburn. Exercise is hard since I have high level of asthma, a heel spur, allergies, knee arthritis, and a bad back. So where I am at now is very up in the air. I have my consultation in 2 days. I want another child, but tricare (military insurance) will not approve testing to find out why I am miscarrying until I have lost weight. So I am doing lapband, which is not my first choice...I would rather have a child then lap band, then (military approved tummy tuck). But my husband also wants me to wait, so his choice is lap band, child, tummy tuck. I am confused. I just turned 26, and I want another child before 30. I may just end of with just one child. Any advice is wanted.

Dry crunchy food goes down so easily because it doesn't bind together. Foods like Pasta, potatoes, some veggies, egg, meat, etc. will clump together if compressed. Grab a handful of tortilla chips and squeeze them hard, they'll crumble. Now grab some pasta (cooked) and squeeze - several pieces will stick together. Which is why, with pasta, you have to grease it up to stop the starch from sticking together. But, when you eat it, that coating is dissolved and the pasta sticks together - especially as it's forced through a small hole. Same goes for potatoes, etc. If you can't keep solid food down for three days, chances are you're eating sliders to get some food in you - hence the weight gain. Keep a food diary and you'll see what you're eating and why you're gaining.

How many calories are you eating? You may not be eating enough. Undereating and over-exercising will lead to weight-gain; not fat gain (there is a difference) but weight gain. This has to do with hormones, Water weight, and cortisol levels. I disagree with the posters above in the fact that you're building muscle. Everyday bodybuilders maybe put on .2lbs of muscle a week; there's no way you're seeing muscle gain. Gaining muscle takes eating above your caloric maintenance as well. If anything I'm gonna say you're not eating enough and water retention may be the culprit. Give your body another week to get used to the new exercise, maybe reassess where your calories are. I had to bump mine up again recently after seeing that I was burning upwards of 2400 calories a day. Good luck!

If this type of exercise is not what you are used to doing. I would say that 5 lbs gain from building muscle is very realistic. It does vary per individual. Most people will see an initial weight gain within the first 4-5 weeks of intense training and then will drop the pounds and inches within the next 4-6 weeks. Again depending upon their body and what level of training they are participating in. When I started interval bike training sessions, I gained 5 pounds within 3 weeks and did not see weight loss / inches lost until week 6-8. From various reading, research and observations of other's trials and challenges, there is not one way that will work for any one person...You have to experiment to see what type of changes (dietary, exersising) works for your body. Some folks increase / decrease their carb intake, some their fat, and some their Protein, some their overall calorie count is increased or decreased. For myself, I have found that carbs are not my friends and exercise is to be experimented with. For my loss to continue...I have to exercise at minimum 90 minutes for at least 5 days/week of some type of vigorous exercise and then walk for the other two days of the week. I increased my fat and protein intake and keep my carb g down to approx. 60g give or take a 10g lee-way and maintain (for me) between 1,000 - 1,100 cal / day intake. Anything higher and I stop losing weight. Good luck John.

Good Morning New Friends, I am so grateful to have found this forum! I am a 50 year old relatively healthy married female. Nine years ago I had lap gastric bypass. When I began my journey there, I was 274 lbs and a size 22 about to be a size 24. I got down to a size 10-ish (I really am big boned!) Anyway, I find myself at size 16 and I really loathe my body....I am ready for lap band because I see the results seem FAR better than what I got out of gastric bypass. I don't know what I am more disappointed in...me or the procedure. I gained a TON of weight after I had knee surgery and the doc told me to basically sit down and be hold. I got FAT. Then I needed a 2nd surgery and was "grounded" again....but he told me it was OK to exercise...so I am slowly coming back....but the 40+ weight gain is brutal. In the past, I did Lindora, Weight Watcher, Alli, all that stuff. No long term results. Anyway, I have different insurance now and live in a different city. I am in Huntington Beach, CA and have an *** (Blech!) which is Tri Care Prime. I am scheduled to go to my new primary on 6/20. I come from people who die in their 50's from heart disease complicated by type II diabetes. I do want to be one of those. I don't smoke, I work out 4 days a week...I eat fresh fruits & veggies and little red weight. I take a bunch of supplements but not on any meds. My questions to my new lap band friends: 1. What do I need to tell my new primary about lap band. I am determined to get it approved but your input will help me fast track it as much as possible 2. Are there certain Tri-Care Prime doctors in the OC who are likely to help a patient get lap band? 3. What's the difference between lap band and o-band? Is one better than the other? 4. Who are the best surgeons for this procedure? I genuinely look forward to all your informed input and advice. Thank you. APRPro4U

I agree with both Sandworms and Rachel you get out of the band what you put into it. Unless the band has slipped or their is some type of malfunction, it will do its job, but your job is still the hardest. It is was determines significant weight loss from plateaus and weight gain while having it. I've noticed a trend over the last 6 months on blogs, forums, youtube etc. from bandsters who are having trouble shedding the pounds and aside from band malfunctions, they are all cheaters. Whether that be with alcohol, not exercising, or poor food choices. If your drinking alcohol on weekends, or fruit juices high in calories, snacking on cookies, ice cream and other high calorie items you were told to stay away from, you are NOT gonna be successful losing the weight. If you put in the work and follow the diet, you will lose the weight you want. I've also noticed a trend in those who lose alot, and who are most sucessful at keeping it off over time, and that is, they've become alot more physically active. They take gym classes, do workout tapes, 4k runs, etc. Lapband isnt a magic pill, its just a tool to help you, but you've got to be willing to put in some work if you want to be successful. Good Luck, I'm sure you can do it. I intend to work my butt off to lose all the weight I want to. If you are too, you will.

LADIES, BEWARE: Depo provera can cause GLUCOSE INTOLERANCE, which is a type of pre-diabetes -- which is why so many women gain ridiculous amounts of weight on it! They call this an ultra rare side effect, but anecdotally, most women I know who have taken depo have commented on their tremendous weight gain and then said something like "but it was probably because I ate too much." IMO, that is too pat to ignore! new_beginnings, my husband & I use condoms because I am never going to take hormonal BC again after what depo did to me. When I'm thinner, I am going to get a non-hormonal IUD. They are very effective, tho not perfect, however, no nasty hormones to mess up your body. If you tolerate hormones well (tho, to me, it sounds like you don't -- you maybe just don't believe those are side fx you're having)... have you looked into 'the ring'? NuvaRing is the name. It is a tiny amount of hormones that are "local" (allegedly) because you insert it into your vagina. One important thing is to check if there's a "weight limit" above which the drug is not concentrated enough to work (but I bet there isn't since it is local).

SOunds like you have been dealing with some hormonal shifts and that can TOTALLY cause weight gain / stall. I woudl recommend that you start getting some more Fiber in your diet to get the bowels moving regularly. Eat a 1/2 cup of oatmeal every day if you can. I am also really bad about Water intake, but it doesn't seem to stall my progress. I also find jusy changing up what I eat can keep my weight moving. I was eatign the exact same thing every day for the first couple of months - since I started to change it up, I have been losing more every week. I would also go back to the doc and talk about the dysmennhoria (no periods). It is not normal to have that for a long time. At this point in your weight loss journey, you should be getting back to normal. You might have to go on a hormone suoplement (birth control pill) to get the periods under control until your body can regulate on its own. Good luck!

I'm 18.5 weeks pregnant. I won't have any issues losing the pregnancy weight. I'll just low carb it again until I get the weight off. I gained a few pounds over the holidays and dropped those pounds in a little over a week just by cutting alcohol and carb consumption. As for the breakdown of weight gain with a pregnancy, this is what they've outlined for my weight gain: Maternal Fat- 7lbs Baby- 6-8lbs (average is 7.5lbs) Increases Fluid (blood volume)-2-4 ( a mother's blood volume typically doubles during pregnancy) Amniotic Fluid- 1-1.5lbs Placenta- 2lbs Breast tissue/mammary system weight increase - 1-2lbs Watch out for the ROSE procedure, it has an 85% failure rate. This is also discussed heavily on the obesityhelp.com Revision forum. ERNY (extended RNY, where they remove more intestine to start malabsorption again since intestinal adaptation has taken over at this point for you) is also an option. They will shorten your common channel by another 50-100cm. You definitely want to know before you agree to a revision if you have a pouch or stoma dilation because if you have actual mechanical failure with your RNY even a band over the pouch isn't going to do much because once the food passes through the band pouch into your RNY pouch, you will still be able to more food, and your malabsorption is gone. As for Jerusalem clinic, honestly, out of over 3 years on weight loss forums, I have never read of one patient having a RNY take down and revision to the VSG being performed there and honestly that is possibly why they are recommending the band over the bypass pouch to give you restriction again. Seriously, I can name 4 surgeons worldwide that are experienced with these surgeries, and with self-pay patients the cost just for the surgeon run upwards of 20-30k because it is such a complicated and exhausting surgery to take down an old RNY. I promise I researched revisions for months once I knew my band had to come out. The risks for complications especially leaks from scar tissue and adhesions literally quadruples with revisions vs. a virgin, unaltered stomach/intestinal tract. I had a leak with a band revision to VSG after only having the band for 8 months, and actually lost more stomach tissue because of the damage the band had done. My surgeon was experienced with revisions, and I happen to be a statistic of his that I'd like to take back. I was his first and only VSG leak so it can happen even with really experienced surgeons. I'm not slamming Jerusalem Clinic, but revisions are super tricky, complicated, and I would hate to see you fork out the money, get a surgery that is as high maintenance as the BOB procedure and then continue to struggle with your weight and be looking at or for another surgery. There have been RNY to VSG revisions performed due to reactive hypoglycemia symptoms and diagnosis after RNY, but again, it's a very complicated surgery with high risks. Just choose carefully, and continue to research your options.

I am five months out and so far have been losing pretty consistently. I lose around 2-3 pounds every week. The last two weeks, I've had some odd changes on the scales and am unsure of the reasons. I lost 1 pound in a day and the next day I put on 2 pounds, which took me almost a week to lose again. In the next week I lost nothing. My periods have stopped for ten months because the GP said it was due to sudden weight loss and weight gain but I'm sure I've been having premenstrual symptoms for nearly two weeks now. My abdomen and fingers are swollen, which makes me think it may be fluid retention, as nothing else can explain a pound weight loss and then a sudden one day weight gain. I'm eating mainly proteins and today was very constipated, even though I take stool softening tablets. I was in agony this morning. In terms of my food, I eat from around 800 calories to 1100 and have started an exercise routine the past two weeks of one hour a day on the epilictical machine and treadmill. I also walk a lot but I don't drink enough water! I know it's terrible and I find excuses but I'm pretty forgetful I suppose. I have a litre a day, if that!

While I have not experienced this my cousin has & I know she to is struggling with wt gain I think u almost have to give urself a lil mental "check" and tell urself u r going to recommit & that it is worth it! Don't beat urself up to bad about the weight gain. Remember that u have kept 30 lbs off! Way to go! R u still tracking ur food? If not start. R u exercisin? If not start. I hope the fill helps u...

Sandworms is correct. He has to make the effort. Nothing you say or do will motivate him but everything you say about the old 50 lbs lighter him and his current eating habits will encourage him to rebel. It may seem childish but it's what we all do. Instead of longing for who he was becoming accept what has happened and start to make changes for both of you. Try a new recipe. Grow a small garden to get fresher food. Ask him to go for a walk with you. No agenda, just a walk. Do not talk about his weight gain. He knows he gained weight. He knows he's eating crap food. And he knows it makes him depressed and upset. If it is still bothering you, then you should go see a counselor and learn how to live with this situation. When your husband asks why you're doing it tell him the truth. You want to be supportive but don't know how and the changes he's making affect both of you and you need to learn how to cope. All of which is true. Once he sees you making an effort to better yourself to help the two of you, he will either do the same or your relationship will get worse. Be prepared for the worst. That way you can be pleasantly surprised when things work out.

Hello. My name is Shannon (moeandez1) and I am 29 years old and I currently weigh about 280 pounds. I have struggled with my weight most of my life but didn't start having major problems until after high school. I had a sudden weight gain of a hundred pounds in one year and since then it's got worse. It took over ten years of problems..thinning hair, no periods, weight gain...until I was FINALLY diagnosed with PCOS in about 2009. Unfortunately I have only been diagnosed and not treated. In 2008 I started having issues with feeling like I had a flu all the time. If someone touched me I would yelp. It hurt so much. Eventually my pain got worse and worse and early last year I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. I have been off work for about a year now. I am still in the process of trying to get the pain under control and finding the right medication. My weight keeps going up and up. I have recently started having issues with low blood sugar but haven't been treated for that either. I've tried a number of very expensive diets and I have been semi successful but then I end up gaining all my weight plus some back. I have made a decision to go with the lap band. I don't want my health getting worse and I really want to go back to work. Unfortunately in BC, the lap band is not covered and any other surgery is about a five year wait. I cant' afford this but I can't afford not to. My husband loves me the way I am but knows that I am unhappy. I have become very reclusive because of my weight and RA and I don't want to live like this anymore. I have my surgery date...June 27th! I am so excited but at the same time I am so scared. I spend time every day reading about the band. I have read a number of peoples blogs and for some reason every link I clicked on in the past day or so has been a negative experience with the band...I have to admit, it doesn't raise my confidence...therefore, encouraging words are defninitely welcome! lol. My husband and dad are super supportive and know this means a lot to me but the few friends I told have accused me of taking the easy way out and told me it's a dumb idea. Of course, all those people are within a normal BMI and have never had a weight problem in their life. I l love hearing about other peoples experiences and would love to hear from people who have had the surgery done or are waiting to have it done. Are you as nervous as I am? hehe.

Ok, so I hopped out of bed at 5 a.m. this morning, got to the park by 5:30. Power walked 3 miles (not so power for a few laps -- talking to a fellow walker), got home, did my morning ritual and dressed for work. I was happy and singing and playing music all the while. Well, I put my gray slacks on with a purple top and a gray sweater, gray shoes ... nice combination ... silver jewelry ... everything was going fine. Then I looked in the mirror! There standing before me was the dreaded "fat lady"! She said "you look like you're gaining weight ... aren't these pants fitting a little snug?" I told her to shut up and finish getting ready for work ... but then I got to thinking ... do these pants look as good today as they did when I wore them 2 weeks ago? hmmmmm All of a sudden I am obsessing about whether I have gained weight or not; but I dare not get on the scale ... no, getting on the scale could derail my whole day if I saw weight gain. Geeeez I wish there was a "band" for the brain! The truth is, just like 2 weeks ago, I could actually wear a size smaller in these slacks. But have decided that as long as they are not falling down I will not buy anything new for a while. I tend to turn into a shopping maniac, and since I am trying to get my youngest off to school in Missouri in a couple of months ... all the shopping has to be for him.

Please don't think that you're alone. I was thin (5'7"- 110-125 lbs in high school) and although I gained weight in college, I lost it and stayed at around 150 most of my adult life. My mother has had weight problems all of her adult life, and when I was younger, I would get so frustrated when she would constantly say, "Am I as big as she" when we were out in public. I now find myself constantly comparing my size to that of other women. My sister and I would get upset with Mama because when it was time for her class reunions, she worried for months before the event, scared about the fact that she gained weight. Now, I can relate to with what she's had to go through. I have moved away from my home town and if my high school reunion was this year (it's next year), I wouldn't go. I've had people that I was close to in high school not recognize me. I'm a Social Worker and was working at a dialysis center when I began to put on weight (I've put on probably 50 pounds since I quit in 2008). The patients and staff would say the rudest things to me about my weight gain. I started trying to get pregnant in 2004, but have never been able to. I remember once, I saw a dialysis staff member that I had not seen in several months. Her comment to me was, "Meg- are you pregnant or are you just fat?" At that time I probably weighed 180 pounds, which was big, but not morbidly obese. I cried for an hour afterwards. I remember we had a Priest who would provide various services to our patients. He came into my office after I had been crying and asked me if I was ok. I told him that somebody had hurt my feelings and went to pieces again. He asked if he could pray for me. He stood behind me (I was sitting down) with his hands on my shoulders and as he prayed, I completely lost it. I couldn't understand what possessed someone to say something so hurtful. Since that time, others have made similar comments. My mother says things because she knows what I'm going through. But what she doesn't understand is that sometimes her comments are hurtful. I know how big I've gotten. I see myself naked everyday. I don't need anybody to tell me how much weight I've gained. In addition, my health has gotten completely out of hand. I had my mind set on gastric bypass, having read a little about the sleeve and deciding that it was not for me. When I attended the Seminar, the surgeon went into detail about it and I knew then and there that this was the option for me. Since I haven't been "morbidly obese" for 3+ years, insurance won't pay. Bypass is more expensive ($12,000.00 more if I had gotten it from this surgeon) and my insurance won't pay for Sleeve since it is considered a new procedure. I'm glad that I have to pay out-of-pocket because I don't have to jump through insurance hoops, but mainly because I am able to choose an option that is right for me instead of settling on something just because insurance pays. I've really been considering weightloss surgery for several months, but when I found out just how bad my health is, I kicked it in gear. I am the type that when I decide on something, whether it's to get my hair cut or to have weight loss surgery, I want it done immediately. My initial consult is on Tuesday, 6-7-11. I honestly feel that this is a great decision for me. The money isn't a problem since I will be able to get a personal loan. I figured that would be the biggest obstacle for me and since I was able to get past that, I'm hoping and praying that everything runs smoothly. Please don't hesitate to send me a message if you need support or just vent. I can relate to how you feel and know just how important support is from those who understand. You're in my prayers.

Hi everyone, Is anyone out there struggling to maintain their weight loss? i was 86.5 kilos when I had my surgery in Feb 2008. I had reached 92 kilos prior to that. In 6 months I got down to 63 kilos and loved it. It was so easy as I never get hungry. However, I now am fighting "head hunger"more than ever before and am up to 78 Kilos which is very scary for me. I have had top ups as I need them and think I am about right. I am very restricted in ths first part of the day and once I start eating I find by night time I can eat quite a lot. I am starting to eat wrong foods and getting anxious. I suppose there are no magic answers other han making wise choices etc. Anyone else struggling like this?? gaylene

I just saw this, but I highly advise against Depo. That shot was the beginning of my nightmarish weight gain, horrible periods, and other side-effects. Plus, I've seen way too many women go on it after WLS and A) their weight loss stopped They gained weight so I'm absolutely against Depo. As for what I would do if we hadn't been TTC, I would have gone with the non-hormonal IUD. I'm kind of weird about having stuff in my body after the band, but at the same time, my husband nor I are huge fans of hormonal birth control. We were a strict condom couple until I was cleared for TTC, and while I know it kills the mood, makes it so unfun, I wasn't willing to put my body through something else. We also used the spermicidal inserts, and those worked really nicely until he developed some sort of sensitivity to them. So, back to condoms we went. Again, I know it's a hassle, takes away from the experience, but pregnancy and having a baby before we were ready would have been very traumatic for us LOL.