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I am soooo happy to see this thread. I had actually thought of this idea also and was planning on asking the staff at my LAP-BAND® doctor's office about the possibility of doing this with other patients. I just happened to think about checking here today and typing in the words "LAP-BAND® buddy" to see what I came up with. I am in definite need of a LAP-BAND® buddy. I started at about 430 and got down to 379 and after weight gain from the holidays and having to be deflated because my band was too tight, I am back up to 410 and I am absolutely miserable :smile2:. I feel like a complete failure and have been beating myself up over it. Unfortunately I am an emotional eater so that just makes things even worse. I don't want to give up and know that I could use some encouragement and motivation to get me going back in the right direction. So if anyone out there is listening, HELP!! I am a 43 (soon to be 44) year old female in Ft Worth, Tx and was banded by Dr Adam Smith, who I think is an absolute gem. I would love to have a mentor in the Ft Worth area, but a mentor from anywhere would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!!!

I'm not losing either. I had surgery 11 days ago. I actually came to the board today to see if this could be normal. Prior to surgery and the 2-week liquid diet I had lost 42 pounds on my own and then lost 7 more during the liquid diet. After the surgery I knew not to get on the scale for a while due to the water weight gain but I can't imagine that's still an issue 11 days out. I think I've lost ONE pound. Yes, how does this make sense when we're just eating water and protein? I've now added soup for the last 4 days, but I can't believe I'm getting more than 300-400 calories daily at most. I'm also getting in the 64 ounces of fluid daily. I'm exercising on the treadmill as well. It's pretty weird. One thing I'll add is that I've had a very low heart rate and blood pressure since the surgery and I wonder if it's possible that the body just shuts any sort of metabolism down while it doesn't know what's going on after surgery. I'll see my surgeon and dietician on Monday and hope to get some better answers then.

My surgeon highly encouraged yearly followups, but as I am self pay and know what I am supposed to be doing and the last few appts were frankly unproductive for me (paid, charted progress, told to keep doing exactly what I was doing), I am not returning unless I have an actual issue or serious weight gain. My regular doc knows I had the sleeve and can monitor my general health otherwise.

Being supportive will help for your daughter, but I wouldn't make too big a deal out of it so that she starts feeling more self conscious. It is getting to be springtime now and there are plenty of reasons to get out and be active. Perhaps you could make it a family thing. Also, cooking at home can make a huge difference. Convenience foods are rarely if ever the healthiest. Eliminate junk food as well and support healthy eating. I would never make it about weight gain/loss as much as just healthy living.

I was sleeved 2/18/14. My starting weight was around 300, Day of surgery 278 and I dropped down to 198. However, I have been taking care of my dad and working a lot lately and have completely falling off but I don't know how. My weight has jumped to near 230 since February. I'm sooooo depressed. I need help bad.

I realize that even after losing over 60 pounds in 7 months, I'm not going to feel "skinny." I have at least another 60 pounds to go and I also realize that even skinny chicks have their fat days. So, I'm just going to wallow a bit in my fat day. Yesterday my feet were killing me. I have had MUCH less trouble with my feet as I have lost weight. At the height of my weight gain, I could barely get through a normal day of work in crocs or tennis shoes. Now, I am careful with the shoes I wear, but I can wear "normal" shoes to work and I work out regularly. My feet ache some, but I think that is normal. However, yesterday, it was like I was back up to 285. :cool: They hurt throughout the day. At the end of the workday, we received an email that the elevators were not functioning. We were told that we could use the service elevator, but there is only one. The service elevator is the slowest form of transportation on the planet under normal circumstances. For it to service all 22 floors, it would take me an hour to get to the lobby from the 18th floor! I had to get to Jazzercise, so I took the stairs. I have to say that it wasn't as bad as in the past when we have had to do fire drills, so that's a plus. But my legs were a little jello-ish at Jazzercise. My feet hurt so bad at class, I feel like I was at 50-60%. I don't think walking the stairs was the cause since they hurt throughout the day, but I'm sure it didn't help. I was SO internally cranky during that class. I was picking fights with people in my head to the point I had to physically shake it. [sidebar: Do you all do that? I often times find myself picking fights or having arguments in my head. For instance, if I know that I'm going to tell my boss something he isn't going to like, I have the worst case scenario conversation in my head. It drives me crazy! I'm getting better about not doing that, but I certainly did it last night!] I went home and did all the things with my feet that I am supposed to do. They feel a lot better today and I tried to pick out a pair of comfortable shoes. No Jazzercise today, but I'm planning to workout at lunch. I think I will choose the ellypical or the bike so I can limit impact on my feet. Then, because I am a glutton for punishment, I plan to walk down the stairs at the end of the workday. That is my punishment for wallowing in my fatness. :laugh: Oh well, tomorrow is another day!!

My first fill was 10ccs in an 11cc band. I felt NOTHING. It was tight for a couple of hours after the fill, but once that feeling went away, I felt the same as I did before the fill. I was also able to eat anything I wanted- Pasta, bread, rice, steak- all with no hint of sticking. I was freaked out because I was thinking- 'he can only get one more cc in this thing- what if I'm one of those people that the band just doesn't work for?'. Well, yesterday I went for fill #2. He put in 0.5ccs. I had to wait for 10 minutes in the office to make sure I wasn't uncomfortable. I felt a little like I had heartburn and felt burpy- there was a definite difference with that tiny amount. But I didn't really feel totally uncomfortable, so, I left and hoped on the subway. I got about 3 stops away and decided something was wrong. I had a sharp pain in the middle of my back and in my chest. I called the office and they said it was the sign of too much fill. They gave me the option of coming back and getting a little out or letting it settle for a couple of days. I decided to get some out, so I headed back and as soon as they took a little out, the pain went away. The moral of the story is don't give up! It just may take your band being almost full to get you the restriction you want. My doctor is pretty agreesive with the first fill and has me coming in every 2 weeks to check my progress. You're gonna get there, it just takes a little patience and a little more saline! (oh! the weight gain might just be muscle building from the exercise- use body measurements and how your clothes fit to help gauge your progress when the scale discourages you!)

Thanks for the advise, it will be hard to find a new Protein drink. This one is pre-made and not thick it goes down so smooth with no after taste. My stomach is very particular, if something smells funny, I'm nauseous. If I look at food that is slimy or bloody ect, I'm nauseous. If food has a bad taste or is gritty or leaves a bad after taste, I'm nauseous. These nauseous feelings have led to throwing up, hart burn, & the sweats. My parents stopped saying "just try it" along time ago. Lol The Protein drinks I've tried are: muscle milk (both powdered & pre-mixed), EAS Advanced Edge, EAS Myoplex, ensure , Special K, stuff from lifetime fitness, pure protein ready to drink, boost, Isopure all of which made me nauseous & threw up after one. If anybody knows of any Liquid Protein drinks that are real good, please let me know. As for the weight gain you were right I just weighed myself & I went down to 205lbs. Also I'm taking your advise on the home made Soup, problem is I'm not a cook, but I have a crock pot & the will to try. Thank you so much.

I eat carbs but I am careful with the type. I had this surgery in order to live a life that is enjoyable and satisfying. I love fruits and vegetables and not having them is neither enjoyable or satisfying. My focus is Protein, and I always try and eat that first, however, this is a life-long journey and the minute I tell myself something is off-limits, the cravings begin. My carb intake slowly increased the longer I have had my sleeve but I try and make sure they are ones that are healthy for me. Old fashioned, but I believe the real truth is about the calories. All macronutrients have calories and it is the measurement of energy used for cell metabolism. Anecdotal evidence points to the increased number of calories verses the actual type of macronutrent being the real culprit of weight gain, and more and more scientific research is finding this anecdotal evidence to be true. Do not misunderstand me, certain foods can trigger dopamine receptors in the brain and various other pathways of central nervous system chemistries increasing cravings and decreasing chemical signals to the brain that help register satiety, but by and large, if calories in is less than calories out, weight will be lost. There are those who will argue that stalls are a result of "eating too many carbs" or "not eating enough calories" etc, but I don't buy it. We underestimate the number of calories by as much as 50% in the US population-can't speak for my mates across the pond, but this underestimation is pretty considerable. If "starvation mode" existed, why did concentration camp victims continue to lose weight when their captors/tormentors stopped supplying food? <jumps off soapbox> In short, I got this sleeve to use as a tool to help me control portion size and help me make healthier choices without restricting what those choices may be I weigh my food and measure everything, including carbs, and thus far, 6 months out, I have NEVER stalled. Live the life you choose and understand everyone has a different biochemistry and metabolism, some do well to limit carbs, some do ok with carbs, but it is all based on individual needs.

first off i want to say i know this is similiar to the thread "the "voice" is back". i didnt know if i should post this there or start my own, so i started my own just in case. i have another fill scheduled, but its not for a couple weeks. i am just out of control. i cant stop snacking. i tell myself stop! no more. and i throw whatever it is away. but then, shortly after i find something else in my hand on its way to my mouth! it is driving me nuts. i feel hungry all the time, even though i know i am not. i had a hysterectomy in october. i am now on replacement hormones. would/could these be having an effect? i am also on an antidepressant. it used to be if i forgot to take it i could tell because i would want to eat everything in sight. maybe it needs adjusted now too? this is all so frustrating and upsetting. i was a slow loser, but at least i was a loser. now i am a fast gainer. and its making me more upset and frustrated which in turn makes me want to eat more...its a bad cycle i have fallen back into. and on top of that my back is killing me again. is that from the regain too? i dont know! but i know by the time i get home from work i can barely move some nights. and then its take care of the kids-dinner, boxing practice, baths-i just have no energy. i collapse on the couch when i get the baby into bed! my house is a mess, i am not cleaning like i should. i barely exercise anymore. and i know all this is part of if not the problem with my weight gain. but what do i do? instead of getting up and doing something i sit and whine. i have an appt for the regular doctor this thursday to see about adjusting my meds. i hope that will help. anyone with any advice please please respond. even if its a kick in the butt, i need that too!

I can really relate to your post. My husband became the food police, and started offering me little bites of his ice cream or other junk food while I was in the losing stage. I always declined, and then the comments would start. We had to really sit down and talk about my issues. He does NOT understand the need for surgery, even though he was supportive and knew that I was going to lose weight he was NOT prepared for me to get so small. He wanted me to quit losing at around 175lbs, and felt that was small enough. The comments about leaving him after you lose weight are directly tied to his own insecurities and there's nothing you can do but reassure him that you'd leave due to his behavior whether you were fat or skinny. My husband got really possessive, and would make me uncomfortable in public with his constant need to touch me and "claim" me as his property. He pulled some major b.s. on me once when a man came up and was just being polite by saying "hi, how are you?" He rushed over, slid his arm around my waist, and kissed my forehead. I looked right at him and said "Stop hiking your leg on my thigh!". He was so mad that another man would even speak to me, and it did cause a lot of conflict. What he failed to ever recognize is that I got hit on before even at 270lbs yet he was never intimidated or threatened by other men when I was fat. It was a long road for us, but we communicated and worked through it. Once I reached goal weight, I continued to lose another 25lbs. It got even worse, and we really had to sit down and talk it out. I had to remind him that I was healthy, that I was not starving myself, that I was eating double the calories and carbs that I ate during my losing stage, and that I was under direct care of multiple doctors. He still to this day tries to get me to eat more because my surgeon believes I need to maintain around 140lbs instead of 125lbs, and that I would not look so thin. So, I made the mistake of taking him with me to an appointment where my surgeon addressed my maintenance weight. I've never been able to live it down, and now with the 30-33lbs weight gain in the pregnancy, and the urging of my ob's to keep my weight around 140lbs once I deliver, it is even worse. He's hidden the scale, he's back to being the food and medication police, every day I hear how much did you eat today, did you take your meds, and Vitamins, did you drink all your Water? Every day it is a battle. At this point, and being over 2 years out, it's a lost battle, he's lost a lot of his possessive tendencies, but the fact that my face and neck has plumped out in the pregnancy, he likes it better. He has a preference for me to be a bit bigger, and a little more fluff, it's just so difficult. I have no magic answers or solutions. I just want you to know you are not alone, and I wish I had some fabulous solution, but alas, it's a struggle for us even being this far out. It spurs a fight/argument a couple times a week because he knows that I plan on getting back down to my original maintenance weight. He's so mad that I have moved my pregnancy clothes out of the closet and have pulled out all my "tiny" clothes in preparation to wear those again.

If you really think about it, and I’m not being sarcastic, you couldn’t physically gain 5 pounds of fat in a week right? So it had to be fluid. Every person who panics about weight gain after surgery needs to remember that it’s not possible to gain fat if you’re not eating and if it’s that rapid (5-10 lbs in a week)

Esophageal dilatation (I don't know why they couldn't just say "dilation," but they had to throw in an extra syllable) is, in my experience, pretty much as described above. But, be careful when you "interpret" the words "overeating" or "pouch packing," or the like. It is difficult to blame overeating when not much is bieng eaten and the weight keeps coming off, as it did early on in my case. I wasn't eating more than my doctor recommended or more than I needed to eat to lose weight, I was just eating more than my esophagus could process, once its function was hampered by the presence of the band. And that "more than my esophagus could process" amount might be as little as two spoons of Soup. So, we would go out to an early dinner (we do that on a VERY regular basis because I'm a lazy woman), order off the lunch menu, have two or three spoons of soup, and then decide to "save room" for the fish entree. When it arrived, I'd take one bite and get that deer-in-the-headlights look. More often than not, I was off to the restroom to bring UP what wouldn't go DOWN. Turns out, I wasn't "packing" food into the esophagus as a result of eating more than my stomach could handle...what I was doing was eating food that never made it to my stomach, but bounced around--down the esophagus and then back up--because the band was keeping the esophagus from doing its job. Finally, three weeks before my band was removed, this was captured on video with two MD's witnessing it, but that was LATER.) Then I'd get an unfill. And then a fill. And for two years this went on, until I decided I needed to do SOMETHING. And I had one band doctor who wanted me to join his support group so I could learn how life with the band was supposed to work. (I already knew...just like it HAD worked for me for eight months or so, until the band did its damage.) After over two years of HORRID restrictions--and the weight gain that went with an emptied band and the infamous "soup and ice cream diet"--with the band, I finally decided to have a revision to the Duodenal Switch (aka Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch) because I wanted a stomach, not a "pouch," and I didn't want Dumping Syndrome like some of my girlfriends have, and I wanted to eat a more normal diet. I had that revision surgery a year ago. The surgery--band out and DS performed took less than two hours--and I was in the hospital four days. It took TEN weeks before I lost all of those band-related symptoms, but once I did, my life began. (And during those ten weeks, I lost about 55 pounds, so it wasn't ALL misery.) For some people, the dilated esophagus (picture a funnel, upsidedown) goes away once they learn to eat smaller amounts and to eat slower. For others, it may be a signal that this is not going to be an easy ride. I hope you find the cause of your problem and are able to reverse it. It would not hurt, however, to have a Plan B in the back of your mind, because taking over two years to figure out what to do next was not my most brilliant move. Sue

Oh wow, I feel your pain! My parents came to visit me, after I had lost 200 pounds, and my mom saw me mixing the essential amino acid supplement that I take daily (as recommended by my PCP). She looked at the label and said, “You know that has CALORIES?!” Five. It has five calories in a scoop. And thanks, mom, I lost 200 pounds without your help but I still need you to micromanage my calories. I guess some moms just can’t help themselves. Most of the time — and I think this is true in your case and mine — they have good intentions but no idea how harmful they can be. My mom put me on the path of yo-yo dieting from my pre-teen years. I’m sure she just wanted me to be healthy and never anticipated that the yo-yo dieting would contribute to long-term weight gain. So I feel free to ignore her comments.

I found this about hitting Plateaus, thought there were some some good points/advice so I thought I would share. By Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS When you're trying to lose weight, the question isn't whether or not you'll hit a plateau, it's when. Plateaus are like bad weather on a long hike: it's inevitable that you'll run into it, but knowing that in advance won't make it one bit less frustrating or annoying when it happens. Cheer up! Since plateaus are as common as rain, we have a pretty good idea what to do about them. At least one of the following techniques should help you break through a plateau and start losing again. 1. Be a Calorie Detective When clients tell me they've stopped losing weight, the first thing I ask is this: how many calories a day are you eating? Calories have a way of creeping up while we're not paying attention. Be brutally honest with yourself: food diary for a while is a great way to monitor this. And yes, sodas and alcoholic beverages count! A good calorie goal for dieters is your target weight times 10. 2. Change It Up When you're not making gains in an exercise program you change your routine. Same holds true with your eating plan. Low-carbers could go higher carb for a few days, high-carbers might switch to a plan like shake things up. 3. Try a Temporary Ban Food sensitivities can cause weight gain and bloat, and the frustrating thing is that most of us don't always know which foods are the culprits. So play the odds. Highest on the list of "usual suspects" are grains (wheat in particular), dairy and sugar. Temporarily ban all three and see what happens. 4. Take Your Workout Up a Notch Forget the "fat burning zone." High intensity intervals -- 30 to 60 seconds -- are the wave of the future. If you're accustomed to level three on your cardio machine, ramp it up to level 6 for a minute then slow down, catch your breath and repeat. Ever see a sprinter with love handles? Protein Studies show that higher protein diets make it easier to lose fat. Protein boosts the metabolism (in one study as much as 100 percent for 24 hours), and increases satiety, making it more likely that you won't overeat. A higher protein diet could be just what you need to break that plateau. 7. Try a Detox Unsupervised fasting is a really bad idea, but the idea of giving your system a rest makes sense. Try a "smart fast" of nothing but fruits and vegetables for a couple of days. The added Fiber is always helpful, and the massive amount of nutrients and phytochemicals is like "spring cleaning" for your sleep or medication. Take a look at what else is going on in your life that might need attention. Sometimes when you clean up the problems in one area of your life, problems in other areas just naturally take care of themselves.

You mentioned your calorie, water, protein intake but what is your average meal ? To gain 7 pounds in 3 weeks time your consistently doing something for the weight gain. I've come to realize that this sleeve is a tool to HELP the process not the KEY. Exercising would definitely help your weight loss and improve your sleep. Unfortunately just eating right can cause you to maintain and not loose. Eat right, exercise, get rest they go hand and hand to weight loss. List a daily menu that you eat and possibly we could help see what the culprit is. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I had my sleeve done 07/07/2015. I am 9 lbs heavier today, 07/08/2015, than when I was weighed immediately b4 surgery...... is this normal?!??!

Diovan HCT 320/25 mg It's bp and waterpill all in one It really does help with the bp and doesn't give me the cough or massively swelled ankles. None of the other bp meds I tried helped. I was still at stroke levels. I'm sure it's only a small part in the recent weight gain.

So, I had my surgery back in 2008 and have lost 170 lbs. I've lost consistently throughout my journey and then once I got to a weight where I was comfortable, I've stayed there. I go up and down a few pounds, but as long as I stay within what I call my "safe range" then I'm good to go. Here's why I'm writing. Back on April 30th I went to see my surgeon. I had decided that I was going to ask to have a tad bit of Fluid removed, just to be a little more comfortable. I don't think I was too tight, but I figured I'd see what happened. My doctor took a little bit of fluid out and he did tell me that I might feel like he had taken out too much. I wasn't worried though. Boy was I wrong. Since I saw him, a little over a month ago, I've gained 10 lbs. I'm not eating any differently, but I am constantly hungry. I go back to my doctor on the 25th and am definitely asking to have that little bit of fluid put back in, but I never imagined that a small unfill would contributo to a 10 lb. weight gain. So, I was curious if anyone else has gone through this?? I'm very concerned because I've NEVER gained. I want to get as much of that weight gone before I go back to my doctor on the 25th. My clothes all fit, but I suddenly have a muffin top above my loose skin. Plus, I feel bloated and miserable all the time now. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can do to get this weight back off?? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!!! Thanks so much :0) Liveforit

Hey everyone! I am getting sleeved tomorrow and I'm as nervous as all get-out. This will be my 6th surgery over all- when I was a kid, I had open heart surgery. Then I had a lap band in 2009. Two skin removal surgeries in 2013. And I had a lap band removal in 2014. Now, I'm getting the sleeve. I have this nervous feeling that my body wont be able to handle anesthesia for a sixth time. I know there are a lot of people who have had more surgeries than me, but my anxiety has to manifest somehow, I guess. I'm also excited, though. Here's a little bit about my back story: I was 385 lbs at 21 years old when I had the lap band in 2009. Lost 170 lbs and ended up being around 212 lbs at my lowest, after skin removal. I was a size 10/12, down from a tight size 28. In 2014, I had weird abdominal pain and swelling they couldn't figure out (turned out to be a kidney infection) so as part of the testing, they did a CT on me. When they did the CT, they found that the lap band had moved from its position. Explained the year and a half of upper abdominal pain I was ignoring and my weight gain. I had gained about 30 lbs by then. They removed the saline from my lap band and I instantly gained 10 lbs. So when I met with my surgeon, he gave me three options: (1) fix the band, (2) remove the band, (3) convert to a sleeve. He was pushing for the last option, but I was sick and incredibly gun shy about having another surgery. I was not ready to have them do anything else to my body. And my husband and I also wanted to start trying to have a baby, and I would have been postponed by at least a year. So I told him to just take out the band. I knew how to work out and eat right and I had worked my ass off before, so I didn't see why I couldn't do so again. Probably the worst decision I have ever made. I experienced injury after injury that led to more and more weight gain, compounded by the depression (triggered by a lot of things, not least of which was losing one of my biggest life accomplishments, weight loss). Two years later, I'm 322 lbs (as of today- my highest pre-op weight was 338, pre-liquid diet), I'm on a CPAP, my knees creak all day, I have a bulging disc in my back, I can feel my skin stretching around my plastic surgery incisions (which is another huge worry of mine- the plastic surgery recovery was far worse than the lap band itself, so I really don't want to have to redo it), I'm prediabetic again, my PCOS is back, and my life is basically on hold. My worry that I would postpone trying for a baby for a year became 2 years of weight gain that will lead to at least another year, if not longer, of postponing the baby. That's 3 years, instead of the 1 if I had gotten the sleeve 2 years ago. But hindsight is 20/20, I guess. And if I wasn't ready for the sleeve, then I wouldn't have done well on it. So I'm glad that I'm doing it now. And I already feel better after losing 18 lbs on the liquid diet. My clothes fit better, I don't hear myself breathing as loudly as before all day. It's only gonna get better from here. I can't wait to get back to working out 6 days a week. Besides the clothes and the confidence, the thing I miss most is being strong and working out. I was doing an hour of cardio 6 days a week, yoga 5 days a week, and strength training 4 days a week. At 212 lbs., I was fit, pain free, with a flat stomach and probably no more than 30 lbs to lose. I need to get back to that, and continue down to a lower weight. If you pray, please pray for me tonight. If you don't, send out good vibes into the universe for me. And if you need a prayer, I'm happy to pray for you too. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Many smart women struggle with their weight and many busy, successful professional women resort to food to cope with the stress. Are you looking for solutions? Many smart women struggle with their weight and many busy, successful professional women resort to food to cope with the stress, uncertainty, and other emotions that occur in a full, high-pressure life. Unfortunately, for many, these battles with food become vicious cycles that look something like this: “Fresh starts” and plans that don’t work or don’t last, followed by feelings of defeat and inadequacy, followed by overeating and a period of trying to generate motivation (again), followed by another “fresh start.” This vicious cycle leaves women feeling bad about themselves and ineffective. It also often leads to weight gain instead of weight loss. If you are a high-achiever—a woman who is successful in many areas of her life who finds herself stuck in this cycle—there is a way out. Here are three tips to start breaking the yo-yo diet emotional eating cycle: Let go of the belief that you are alone and the only one struggling like this. If you are caught in this cycle with food and overeating, you’re in some great company. One of the most self-defeating actions you can take is to continue to struggle alone, heaping on self-blame and even shame. Find someone to talk to. Open your eyes to the possibility of support. Ask other women what they do when they struggle. Consider investing in yourself the same way you invest in your career and your family and your home and pursuing emotional eating solutions that can help you. Take control of perfectionism. You’re human and you’ll never be perfect. Perfectionism or all-or-nothing thinking is common among women who expect a lot of themselves. It can get you stuck in a pattern where making a poor choice is interpreted as “blowing it.” Women trying to lose weight fall for this all the time. Instead of continuing forward and allowing the next choice to be a better one, the tendency is to cash in all your chips and start down a road of overeating because you’re upset with yourself and you “failed.” Plan for imperfection. Train your mind to notice your progress and not just your missteps. Stop relying on willpower. This is a biggie. You are a high-achiever. You probably have a lot of willpower and stick-to-it-ness in other areas of your life. You may be lost in a mindset of beating yourself up over this cycle you are stuck in. If so, you probably tell yourself things like: “What’s wrong with me that I can’t get a grip on this?” “This should be easy.” “I’m just not trying hard enough.” “This is an embarrassment and I need to stop being lazy and just take a tough line with myself.” If you are still feeling stuck, read my first two tips again. The truth is that you’re stuck because your method isn’t effective. You’re missing something. Start with compassion for yourself for how big and deep and exhausting this struggle is. Try holding yourself in the same positive mental light that you’d hold a dear friend. Take a deep breath and allow yourself to treat this issue as a legitimate problem. Allow yourself to respect that you are in a tough spot. Instead of blaming yourself, give yourself permission to take the situation seriously. Now ask yourself what you need that you don’t have that could help. You may be tempted to choose some kind of judgment (“I’m lazy”), but instead, focus on identifying the outside resource or concept that could help (“I'm overloaded and I'm at a loss about how to feel better without overeating. I need some new tools.”). I find that high-achievers who are stuck in this overeating cycle hesitate (or don’t even think to) ask for: Help with finding motivation Help with creating time for themselves Help with accountability Help developing new skills and strategies Help with getting to the root of what’s triggering their overeating Help. Period. Approaching the problem with respect and allowing yourself the resources you need to be effective can make a world of difference. Are you stuck? Are you tired of spinning your wheels and feeling like you are wasting your energy? What small change could you start making today? Leave a comment and share your thoughts

Hi Dr Jossart Some of the medical literature seems unclear on this point; does ghrelin return 3-5 years after surgery? Is that a possible reason for weight gain? I understand that this procedure is still considered experimental by some and there is paltry information on long term effects, but when can we expect to see studies that aren't just anecdotal, that include quantitative information?

I am wondering for those who needed surgery to try to combat PCOS or just trying to get pregnant, which surgery did you decide and why? Are you pregnant? Have you had weight gain that you can't loose after pregnancy? Any struggles?

Lor-coherent! Yes I understood everything....all too well! Good luck with your fill. And hearing from someone banded helps me to be all the more determined...as you are with your new fill! Thank you. Big As Life-....okay....you are now my official "poster child" for the Lap-Band!....no......seriously....I want to be just that way! The doctor seems to say that but as you know....everyones experience is different! Thank you for your inspiration! Lynne....I am so sorry! Yes that stress would be tremendously. Stress I have not had to deal with yet! I'm praying for you. And what a success that now you don't have to start back with a weight gain of 20 plus pounds. I know that must've been hard. Mol.....message me!!!!! Anxious to see how it is going....just 3 days ahead of me! Good luck!

Well I did my first day of mooshies! Everything went just fine. I am nervous to see the scale at the end of the week though. I am being very careful but it only stands to reason that eating food instead of liquids should produce some kind of weight gain. We shall see. I have been told that this is the limbo stage for banders and it is easy to gain during this phase if you are not careful. God willing I won't. I am excited for my first fill.