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Hi ! I am Bonnie, 59 years old and live in IOWA. Married 41 years with two daughters and 4 grandchildren.They are everything they are cracked up to be. I had a Realize band 8/24/2010 and have lost 62 pounds to date. I am at a weight standstill for a couple weeks and getting frustrated. I had a fill about two weeks ago and am pretty tight at 8cc in 11cc band. I really really need to eat slowly and chew. I can get "stuck" on yogurt in the am, but loser in pm. We have two golden retrievers, treated like children. I work three days a week, I am an RN and manage a medical office. I started at 266 and a size 22 and now able to wear a 14W. We are going scuba diving in May in Florida, something I have not done in 8 years due to a big weight gain during stress. Nice to meet you folks. I know I come to this sight daily for help and inspiration.

Congrats!! I can relate to the weight gain after having back problems. Sounds like you're doing great now!

i decided to go get an unfil. And then go back and get a fill. And just kinda start the whole process over again. As I have been stuck for a few years now, in this rut, where I cant lose any weight, yet my band is really tight, I eat Cookies and drink chocolate milk so the calories and fat get thru.... and I choke on real food every day... and I have been afraid to get an unfil because I have lost 100 pounds and I dont want to gain any back. So I decided to just TRY this, at least its SOMETHING... I figured if It doesnt work, i can always go back to being overfilled (in order to not gain weight) So how long do I stay unfilled.. What if for just that ONE or TWO days, I realise how normal It is, how free it is and how I been living in misery all these years.. What it I come to my senses and I dont allow my self to be overfilled any more.. and what if that leads to weight gain, BUT I choose the weight gain over ever going back to living this way... I kinda tell my brain right now, that Im just sick and there is no way out of it. Ya know, like an unfil is not possible and I just have a sickness I will have to live with... and well, thats what I do, I just live with it... I HATE EATING FOOD. I LOVE NOT being able to eat food. I LOVE how I always turn down going out to eat, and I always so NO to all food that is offered me and i never eat in front of anyone. I LOVE how I am not a slave to fast food, and how I just dont care about pizza and Chinese food any more. YEA I still feel like a slave to fruit juices, flavored milks and cookies and chips.. (BUT NOT CANDY!! I gave up ALL candy 10 months ago! I made it a rule one day and I never touched candy since, I used to eat it all day long, cuz even if the band is tight, it can usually go down) I wish I could make a rule about cookies now, and milk.. but I feel like I would starve, im already hungry constantly as it is. So. I think I am gonna do it. I SURE HOPE the fear doesnt get the best of me. I wish I could say the right thing right here.... BUT being honest, my goal is to get another nice tight restriction. I DO NOT WANT TO BE ABLE TO EAT.

I currently have the Implanon, had it now for almost the 3 years. I can say that I thought it was perfect for a long time untill I started noticing that the little bit of stray facial hair that I did have started getting to be more and more. The next year when I went to my OB/GYN, I asked her about it because I thought it was suspicious that it happened after I got the implanon. She told me that it has nothing to do with that and I took her work for it because I thought that she wouldnt lie. Recently, I started researching it because I was having really irregular periods (none for 6 months- a year, then having one for over a month) and I saw alot about the irregular periods (of course) but I also saw that alot of people had difficulty losing weight or weight gain, FACIAL HAIR GROWTH, and also a sensitivity to viruses. I can tell you after reading that, I could really see that stuff being true after reviewing my life for the past 3 years. You don't really put two and two together because it seems like such an insignificant thing but I kind believe it has been a source of problems for me. Back when I had it put in I did read on the pamplet that it had not been tested on people over a certain weight so I don't know how much that had to do with my problems. I would definately do as much research as you can online and talk to your doctor before deciding. Hope this helps! Best wishes! Monica

Congrats girl :-) Now you are gonna feel like crap for a few days, but not too long! So just be prepared for that. Dr. Almanza rocks! I had my sleeve with him 03/18/11 and everything has been going good and getting better each day. My story was the same as yours except I couldn't blame my initial weight gain on birth control LOL. I gained a significant amount of weight soon out of high school and once I gained some more with the birth of my first son......it has been a roller coaster ever since. Struggling in the 200's for so long and with my third son who is 3 months old, I got way up into the 300's!!! After that, I'd had enough!! Schedule my surgery when my son was one month old and went when he was two months......I mean I wasn't wasting anymore time or life for that matter. So I know how much of a nightmare it can be. Good luck and keep us posted. :-)

Hi all! Great topic since I'm sure we see people come and go on this board; it's nice to know a little bit more about those who are currently active. My name is Carrie, I'm 35, and live in Shawnee, KS, which is a suburb of Kansas City. I grew up in St. Louis (Go Cards!), and my family is originally from New York, so I have a crazy weird Midwestern/NY accent. Some things I say make me sound like I'm straight out of Brooklyn and I talk very quickly. I went to the University of Missouri (Mizzou) with a BsED in Secondary Education English and taught high school English for one year. My husband's job transferred him to Kansas City in 1999, and I followed. I've been married for 9 years, and we have a little girl who just turned 2. We also have two dogs: A 4 yr old black lab mix and a 12 yr old yellow lab mix - coincidentally Mizzou colors I was diagnosed with PCOS in 2001 after gaining 40 lbs out of nowhere with no changes in diet or exercise since college. I was always athletic with cheerleading and track and field. I probably had PCOS in high school since my periods were very sporadic but the extreme workouts I did for my sports held off the weight gain. I went through four years of infertility treatments before being successful after rounds shots and IUIs. When I turned 35 I kind of freaked out about it and realized that I'm lucky. I have no issues with blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, etc. I knew I wouldn't be lucky for long carrying around 100 more pounds than I'd like. The PCOS, even with Metformin, made it frustrating to lose weight and almost impossibly no matter what I tried. I decided the band was drastic but necessary. I was banded on 2/17/11 and don't regret it at all. I quit teaching for numerous reasons when I moved to KS and started doing Project Management. I'm now a Quality Assurance Manager for a software company that does software for smartphones (iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, etc). I actually get paid to play with the latest mobile devices; very sweet! Nice meeting you all! -Carrie

Hello JulyBride; Are you able to check with your surgeon to see if he has any guidelines for you to follow? As a previous professional dieter, I can remind you that if you eat too many calories and do not burn off those calories that equals weight gain. So you state you are still loosing weight and also eating Protein first (good choices ) which sounds right. Here is one to look at: http://www.gastricsl...leeve-diet.html for post op sleeve patients. Here is one without caloric information but does have a food log with protein grams for most foods. This would be good for newbies. http://www.cornellwe...gastrectomy.pdf Hope this helps.

I have a question for anyone that may know. Even if we are taking a medication that can inhibit weight loss such as beta blockers.....when we've had approx. 85% of our tummies removed, how can we stop losing weight? This is a serious question. I don't see how that is possible, it may come off a little slower, but slow and steady is not a bad thing. Weight gain with these drugs is approx. 4 lbs. They are prescribed for high blood pressure, usually when diuretics haven't been successful, or for migraines when other migraine medication hasn't worked, or in conjunction with other migraine meds. Maybe try something else, if possible.

Glad to hear you broke your stall. I find that if I just keep going it breaks. I have also found significant (about 3-5 ibs) weight gain my TOM and a short stall during ovulation. It is like clockwork for me.

I lost 22 pounds in my 2 week liver shrinking diet and in the hospital I noticed I had gained back 3lbs. I am 4 days out of surgery and have gained and I was following everything perfectly. I am also frustrated because I expected to at least lose not gain. I talked to my surgeon and he told me that before surgery and during your hospital stay, they pump you full of fluids in your IV. So some people experience swelling of the ankles, feet, hands, and arms that is from the fluid. The fluid makes them have weight gain. However, once the fluid is urinated out over a couple weeks you will notice the weight loss. I'm not saying this is what is going on with you but it's something to consider that could be the problem.

Is it time for your lap band to be adjusting? Source: http://hubpages.com/...-to-be-adjusted Video included Getting a lap-band and undergoing lap-band surgery isn't your typical weight loss surgery. You must follow very strict measures set forth by your doctor in order to continuously lose weight and recover properly. Non compliance with these orders may result in unfortunate results or further complications. One very important aspect is knowing when it is time to adjust your lap-band and communicating this to your doctor. Some factors that will aide in lap-band adjustment are the following; how long ago you had the surgery, your gastric band size relative to your situation and your diet to name a few. After you get a lap-band, your band will need to be adjusted periodically to bring about weight loss. This will depend on your newly acquired eating habits. You will be given specific foods to eat, foods not to eat, amounts of food/water and signs to look out for. Once you begin your new diet suited for your band you must monitor your body closely. This is the only way you can determine if it's time to adjust your gastric band. Primarily it will take some time before your first adjustment takes place under most circumstances. The early stages normally deal with healing and getting used to your band. Overtime your eating habits should begin to change and a loss of weight will follow. If you are following your new diet plan and exercising and still gain weight, you may need an adjustment. Speak with your doctor first about your liquid intake along with the amount of proteins you are ingesting. If you drink more liquid, you will feel fuller sooner and in turn, eat less. This may be a solution to weight loss instead of an adjustment. You could eat four pounds of unhealthy foods and four pound of healthy foods and gain the same amount of weight. It isn't the amount you eat but what types of food it is. Eating four pounds of certain foods may bring about weight loss which is the desired result. You have to watch and see how your body reacts to certain food and drinks. If you don't feel hungry after you eat a plate of salad but still fill hungry after you eat a plate of the same amount of another kind of food, salad would be good to eat regularly. If you are experiencing side effects after your lap-band surgery you should contact your doctor immediately. This may be caused by diet but it very well may be a sign that it's time for an adjustment. Other things to watch out for are acid reflux, stomach cramps, vomiting and weight gain. They are possible signs of needing a band adjustment. Spend some time doing further research and don't hesitate to seek medical attention when needed. Everyone's situation is different and these tips should be viewed as a general guide to lap-band adjustment.

Nykee - The purpose of the unfill is not only so you can eat more - but eat more healthfully. If your variety of foods is so non-existent at this point, but the purpose is to provide you with the ability to make better CHOICES by introducing more variety into your diet. Elfiepoo and the others have given you good solid advice. Honestly, I think your mental issues far exceed the physical at this point. I'm not trying to say it in a hurtful way, just that seeing a qualified professional therapist that specializes in addictions/food issues would help you get to the bottom of what's causing your self-sabotage. Do not equate an unfill with weight gain. That is something many do. It is a way to allow you to make better food choices, drastically eliminate any pb or vomiting episodes and take responsibility for your journey. The idea is to have this band long-term. I am a firm believer that with your current mindset, gastric bypass will not do you any good. Sure - maybe for 18 months or so - but then as your body adjusts to the "new" reality and malabsorption subsides, you will start gaining it back. I wish you the best, you truly do need help. But you have to be willing to do the work it takes to get there. Please keep us posted on your journey.

Yes, I am on Tricare. I have been put on things like child-safe weight loss supplements and such all during my childhood and teen years (My weight gain all started by a doctor's misdiagnosis and mistreatment when I was about 6/7 so I have been trying to lose weight since that all started). But living overseas my whole life I was never "old enough" to go to the gyms on base or able to drive to a gym or anything. Even now, I currently live 10 miles out of my town, and was in an almost fatal car accident where my car flipped and turned over about 4 months ago. So the concept of getting to a gym is impossible (my father also commutes 50 miles to the base). I have been a yo-yo dieter in the past, I've tried many fads, bought countless books, etc. I really do worry about my health. I'm about to be put on blood pressure medication before I even turn 19. All of my attempts at a life style change have failed and I think it's time to get REALLY serious about it.

Feeling glum when you have been brave enough to put yourself through SURGERY in order to try and manage your weight and health better, and you have strived hard to follow your diet plan, and you have been admonished by your doctor (!!!! how dare s/he!!!!) for your pre-op weight loss, and you are being deprived of all the ways you soothed your moods with food previously, well feeling glum sounds absolutely normal and acceptable to me! And so you reached out and asked for support....well done. What all this says to me is that you are being human, normal, acting in your best interest, are persevering, are trying to cope with temporary disappointment, and are going to be ok, because you have the self-caring to ask for support. Well done, but not because of the seven pounds but because of your honesty and dedication. You now need to look at yourself and glow with pride at your courage and tenacity mixed with vulnerability and authenticity. Time.....healing.....getting there....and you will, I am sure. Thanks for sharing. I for one have felt glum, angry, despondent, wondered why on earth I submitted my otherwise healthy body to surgery, why I can't just get on with it without all this, felt helpless, bordering on hopeless....then elated, proud, happy, energised....and then bored, forced to look at my weight gaining behaviour, forced to be brutally honest with myself....and accepting that a body is a body and has its own means of rebelling, doing things its own way, being complex and difficult to comprehend...and still having faith that in the LONG TERM it is going to be ok and it will work. It has been 23 days since surgery and I have stagnated, but this WILL change because this is how I have previously given up on dieting, and with a lap band implanted in me, well it is drastic, and I can't give up....so I won't...and that is why I had it put in me, because KEEPING GOING is what has always defeated me. Thank you so much for your honesty. Lynda

I finally got the nerve to take an e.p.t yesterday and was positive x 2!! I had my IUD removed Jan 24 th, my DR said "it will be 3 months or so before you get your period".....I got my period Feb 17th!!! and then nothing in March. I started having breast tenderness a couple weeks ago but didn't think much of it. I'm going this morning for testing with my Dr. As for my band, I had 1 cc removed recently due to throat burning and have managed to gain 8 lbs. I know weight gain/loss should not be a big concern right now.....however! I have been eating way to much and want at least 0.5 cc fill. I have no restriction at all.... I would like to know, how much weight have others gain thus far or throughout their pregnancy in general......

My surgeon was Dr. Jeffrey Genaw. Chief Surgeon at Henry For Bariatric Center, Center of Excellence. This guy was a Genius when it came to surgery. I too had Hernia Repair, and Lymph Node removal from the Groin. (VERY PAINFUL) They thought it was cancer but it was not. The operating Room, the table was covered in Down filled white cotton sheets, about 4 inches thick. I was extremely comfortable. I asked about the bedding on the table, and he explained that we just throw it all away after every surgery. That way there is no infection. I spent 3 hrs. on the table, and it took 30 minutes to do the band. Surgery wise I could not asked for a better surgeon to do the surgery. But his follow up care stinks. He over filled me, sent me home,when I got there ,I tried to swallow Water, and it came right up, so I tried again, and same thing. I called up, they said you must come in I did. He stuck the syringe in my port, and the plunger shot clear up to the top of the syringe. I heard WOWWWW ! I asked what's wrong? He said when that happens, it usually means the band is blown. So he said your to swollen I will UN fill you. Even though I begged please don't he emptied. then they called me and said he isn't in town he's out of the country. So I finally get to see his P A, and she threw me out for weight gain. I tried to tell her I want to see him, not you. To Bad! He doesn't want to see you ! Don't you get it ! ! ! I said I do now.... So She escorted me out, and they deny everything. I had my stuff sent to Hurly, and Linda called me up and said you no we really only want success stories, and according to them you live off of Cookies, cakes, pies, candies etc. What? How do you think I lost over 120 lbs.... She said I wonder why they didn't include your weight notes. I said yeagh me too..... you wonder!!! So they new one of us was full of s**t. So they took me in under their care, sent me to the hospital for fluoroscope to see the broke band, and then see about replacement. The Band was never broke ! The P.A. did a better job then he did... She put in 2cc of saline, and 1/2cc of acrylic in case there was a leak. I am fine. But I have t start all over again. But this is 3 yrs. later.. No one will touch any-one's screw ups. You must go back to your surgeon. He wouldn't touch me. So this place is giving me a chance. The catch 22 is this Dr I named was trained by my surgeon. I hope he has better class then him. Because he is one arrogant S.O.B... So I'm hoping they are a better place. Sure the other place is bigger,better (THEY THINK) They don't deserve The Center of Excellence. Even though they are Michigan's' Elite Bariatric Center. Like he told me, they don't have time for all this aftercare. He is a surgeon ! He moves em in,,, and moves em out. Then next in line. Speaking of line you should see them come from CANADA. He takes there Ins.. He is making a killing. So when people talk about National Health Care, I have seen part of it, and they have it made. This was 5 years ago. They are in line to see him. Did you know that somehow Hurley is affiliated with Henry Fords? I'm up in Saint Helen, Michigan. Hurley is in Flint, and Henry Ford is in Detroit. I call H.F to try to get in, they say no were not going to see you, You would have to be evaluated all over again, and he would change you to the By=Pass. Where are you living now? Northern, Michigan. Call us if you want to start the paper work with Psych.... Now mind you once you had the surgery at H.F., you are a member for life (YEAGH RIGHT) About 2 days later Hurley calls, and Say's this Dr. wants to see you. So I'm thinking he called him in Flint, and said do me the favor and see her. That's how I think I finally got in.../or perfect timing you figure that one out and let me know what you think. Anyway I will ask him next week. But I have to do it carefully. He is my last chance at a surgeon.

Hey to Everyone.... Linda...your bro's health problems break my heart. I cannot imagine how you are feeling. When you posted about jumping when the phone rings....Hang in there. You are always so positive and upbeat. I know you are processing everything and doing what you can at this time. I just with you would be able to go see him. Not saying that to put the pressure on you...saying that because that's what I wish for you. Jessica...what wonderful photos. That little Jake is such a cutie...you are so beautiful and hubby also is quite photogenic. What a pretty family. So sorry you are feeling the pressure. Love your idea of sending DS to GM so you can have a weekend to concentrate on your studies. Maybe some time alone with DH would give you the opportunity to talk to your DH about needing a little extra from him. Speaking from experience here......I had a plate FULL for many years, expressed my feelings to DH and you know what he says now? Why didn't you put your foot down and make me see what I was doing with being a workaholic?...I thought I was trying to get through to him. We made it work but I now know I should have done the ultimatum. LISTEN NOW....not 25 yrs later. A lot of stress on me and contribute most of my weight gain to that stress. I can't go back to live it all over again....just advice from an old lady. Just try to take some time for you and DH that you can try to meet half way on responsibilities. Julie...so happy you have come to the realization (and your doc too) that your pain was most likely caused by your band. You did it, you hung in there during the tough times and now you just have to figure out a plan that will work for you. You need some kind of support system. First, try to see if you can get some kind of support or someone to talk to that will be covered by your insurance. Even if it means going to your LB support group...it's someone to talk to.

I'm having surgery next Monday (4/11) with Dr. Almanza. I know that if my lap-band is eroded that he won't do the sleeve. So what are the symptoms of an eroded band? I am super nervous because I will be driving all the way from Arkansas to San Diego to do the surgery. I don't want to get down there and be super disappointed because I can't have the sleeve done... I have had weight regain in the past few months. I have regained about 35 lbs in 3 months! It started when I went in for a fill and the doctor dug around and dug around before taking me to x-ray to see why he couldn't access my port. He informed me it was turned around backwards and he sent me home. That was on a Friday. By Sunday I realized I could eat absolutely anything and everything in huge amounts. I've also had minor port pain ever since this happened. So can anyone tell me what might have happened? Could this weight gain be erosion or did my dr do something?

I agree with everything already posted and I also believe that so many people are on antidepressants that cause weight gain that it is also a big factor in the higher weight that seems so prevalent. I am happy with lexapro- and was happy with celexa, but they both cause blood sugar issues that I know contributed to my weight gain. Seriously- there are so many prescriptions for these drugs that it is in our drinking water! When I met with my surgeon first time he actually said that my body has well protected me for a famine, while he will die!

Wow, a broken back! Ouch!! I imagine the weight loss has greatly improved your situation, but I can totally understand your caution. I have back problems as well, which also contributed to a lot of my weight gain. I hope wls will greatly improve my mobility. I've lost 30 lbs pre-op and it's already helped me so much! I can't wait to see the difference 100 lbs will make.

Wow thanks for all the replies!!! to answer the follow up questions - I am 6'. I had originally been seeing a dietician for the first few months and after reading through all the great replies, I made a follow up call this morning. My dietician - after reviewing my meal plans (which haven’t altered much; the original meal plans are still on my fridge) she started asking about my workouts. I should have elaborated more on the workouts themselves before as she feels they are beneficial health wise but aren’t promoting weight loss; My workout routine has been 40min of elliptical; enough to get my heart rate up then the lifting is generally power lifting my chest, arms & legs. Quick back story- I had broken my back about 14 years ago as well as a pair of follow up surgeries, all of which were a large contributor to my weight gain. In the years following, any strenuous exercise, treadmills ets, were enough to lay me up for a few days; even a hike put me out of commission for a day or two. As you can imagine, I’ve been very cautious / afraid of hurting myself and was sticking to workouts I felt wouldn’t hurt anything but I thought were helping. After reviewing this, my dietician referred me to a personal trainer. I had a very lengthy chat with the trainer this morning as well; we are meeting up today. He agreed that my current workouts were definitely helping maintain my weight and not to disregard the accomplishment of keeping it off but it’s not prompting loss. He completely understood my apprehension (fear) of hurting myself. His focus will not be to get my scale moving again but to approach this as physical therapy sessions. With the weight I’ve already lost, it’s a huge relief on my lower back already. He wants to focus on strengthening my back, core / abs. In turn that will allow more vigorous workouts, which make sense. I’ve blown out my back nearly a half dozen times since breaking it and wouldn’t wish that kind of pain on anyone. I can honestly say I am more afraid of hurting myself then I was going getting the VSG surgery.

I was curious to know how long it took for many of you from the day you went to your doctor and told him/her that you wanted to get the lap band to the day of your surgery??? i have seen a lot of people talking about a month and a half anywhere to 6 months?! i know that every one is different and their circumstances are different but i just need an idea. i told the doctor all about me trying to loose weight since i was 16(now 24 and being over weight my whole life) in the mean time having a baby gaining 100lbs! diet, exercise, pills, nutritionist(gained weight with them!), starvation, carbs ect. and how all i lost was that 3lbs of water weight no matter how hard i tried. she took one look at me and my weight gain since my last appt asked me a few questions about my smoking i told her its done i will quit and she said i need to if i want surgery and i researched how long nicotine stays in your system which depending on how much smoked from 2 to 60 days im calculating about a week for myself she sent me on my way to do blood work and i would see her in about a week with the results and talk about the next steps... before even asking my primary dr about lap band i called my insurance myself and asked them if they cover it and they said they do so i know that shouldnt be a problem. my concern is since i have tried all these weight loss fails will i be sent to another weight management center before the insurance will approve it? they said nothing about that over the phone they said if your dr approves you we will pay? i should know in a few days about my blood work i hope all goes well!

I've never did it, but have 3 friends that did it religiously for a year. Lost shitpots of weight, gained it all back. 2 have had RNY, one is content being fat and doing the next fad diet.

Hello Everyone Its been a long time. I got an email alert that there was some new post. Im in the same boat as some of the others. At this point I have gained back about 40 lbs of the 110 lost. Im happy that I havent gained it all back but still very ashamed of the weight I have gained. I cant believe that I was given such an amazing opportunity and now Im throwing it all away. I cant blame the band for any of the weight gain. My band does the job it is suppose to. The problem is with me. I eat and throw up on a constant basis or just eat stuff that I know I shouldnt, not to mention the alcohol consumption. I didnt know that after all of this time that our band could still slip Nimblebean Im sorry to hear this has happened to you and wish you the best of luck. Maybe we all can start supporting each other like we use to do in the good old days when we were just starting on this adventure and had the motivation and desire to make it work.

Hi all! Been quite a while since I've been on here... Was doing well with the weight loss... Even started running! Then I suffered a back injury... Had surgery 3.5 weeks ago. The back issue lead to depression which lead to more weight gain... And so on.... Hoping the surgery was a success so I can get back on the right track!