Search the Community

I'm right there with Stacy! I've had a IUD in for the past year and a half and I can't be happier, I rarely have a period and when I do its barely anything! I have absolutely no cramping, no weight gain (unlike when I use to take birth control pills) and I've had no side effects. I even got my tubes tied when I got my sleeve done at the end of December and I had my gyno leave the IUD in so I don't have to worry about a period. I love and I mean LOVE my IUD!!!!

I have an IUD and simply love it! No periods, no cramping, no weight gain, no side effects!!! And, I'm safe for 5 years! I would highly recommend you talking to your doctor about one! It's awesome!!!!!

We have a lot in common! I was a normal, healthy weight until I began taking Effexor XR for depression right after high school. After a few years, I had gained 100lbs. Once I was diagnosed Bipolar (not just depression), I went off of Effexor XR and my weight stabalized. Last year, I participated in a medical trial at the National Institute of Mental Health, which lasted 4 months. In the last month and a half, I started the treatment phase and was put on 2 new medications whose first side effects were weight gain. I had no choice but to take the medicine because if my Bipolar isn't controlled, how can I ever hope to control my weight? In that month and a half, I gained 25lbs. In the 3 previous months in the trial, I gained 3lbs. So, quite obviously, it was the meds. It is so awful how we have to manage so many problems. But I think getting you Bipolar stabilized, as much as possible, and then working on your weight would be an excellent idea. Afterall, the better you feel and look, the less your Bipolar has to grab a hold of and "use" against you. KWIM? Good luck and contact me anytime. So few people understand our predicament, so sticking together is great! Be Blessed, Kelley

I added both of you ladies to my friend list - I'm glad to hear your stories too. I can't blame my weight gain on anything but myself - I started a company about 5 years ago which kept me sitting at a computer for so many hours a day, I ended up eating every meal at my desk. I also drank a lot too. It's part of the culture of my work environment... we are all really big drinkers. It's hard to break out of. Luckily, i kind of "grew out of it", in that i'm 31 now, and that lifestyle just isn't feasible for me anymore. Two of the things that have been bothering me the most since I reached this weight are: 1) The almost constant fatigue. I feel like I have mono all the time. All I want to do is sleep when i'm not working. I can't get motivated to do the things in my life i need to do, like running errands, or even fixing up my new apartment. I don't have a husband or kids to force me to do stuff, but honestly, i'm pretty glad because if i did, I'd be a pretty sad sack of crap. 2) Aches and pains. My hips and knees hurt all the time. Like I'm sore from exertion, but I haven't exerted myself. That puts me further down the black hole of inactivity. UGH, it's embarrassing to even type. As it gets closer to time for my surgery, i find myself trying to be more active, because I want to make the surgery go as smoothly as possible, and i figure i'll be stuck in bed long enough after i get home. Since i've been feeling bad like this 100% of the time for the last few years, it's made me really excited about the surgery. I feel like it's the exact life changing event that i need to pull me out of it. One of the guys I work with had VSG a couple of years ago, and said that very soon after, his energy level doubled, and it jump-started his life. He really enjoys working out now, and it really shows - he looks fantastic. Because I can see him with my own 2 eyes, he's been my best motivator, and ultimately *the thing* that helped me make this decision. <3

Here's Kaye Bailey's this week's newsletter -- it seems to hit the nail on the head for us this week, so thought I'd share it again. From Kaye Bailey: Recently in a question and answer session I was asked "What is the single most important advice you give to post weight loss surgery patients?" Well, I was certainly caught off guard by this and on the spot I'm not sure I gave the best answer when I said "Make your own health a priority before taking care of anyone else so that when it is time to care for and nurture others you have the physical and mental strength to do so." I am not original with this advice and it does sound good in a sentence, but how do we do that in the real world of family-work-friends-social-religious-networking commitments? So, I am taking the opportunity with this 5 Day Pouch Test Bulletin to amend my answer and offer something a bit different, although I do know that we do our best when we are healthy. Knowing this, I suggest we actively pursue an internal peace treaty whereby we separate the medical condition of obesity and/or morbid obesity from our moral character and personal self-worth. In 2010 I wrote an article that explains this better: "I Am Not Obese. Since kindergarten the word "fat" defined me and I actually thought that was who I was because "You are fat" and "I am fat" were constant phrases in my world. By about age 40 I finally figured out that I am not fat. I have obesity, a disease. Have you heard a heart attack patient say, "I am heart disease" or a leukemia patient say, "I am cancer"? We are not the disease. Heart attacks and leukemia are not a moral failure and neither is obesity. We are not the disease! We have a disease that is part of the whole person that makes us the wonderfully unique and powerful person we are." Read the full article. When we disjoint our moral character, our spiritual self, and our self-worth from the medical condition we are fighting with weight loss surgery we are able to pragmatically approach the control and treatment of the condition without making it personal. We are not bad people if we relapse with weight gain and we are not bad for having this illness in the first place. It just happens to be the cards we were dealt in this life. If you have ever been the parent of a child with an illness you understand the emotional baggage that comes with the news that something is wrong. But you also know that when you take a knowledgeable and deliberate approach in the management of the problem you are better able to function and do the right things. So, I suggest we take a clinical approach toward our obesity. management. When we lose weight we put obesity in remission. When we gain weight obesity is in relapse. As intelligent beings we can take an active role in managing our remission by using our experience and the knowledge we glean from others. We can return to the behaviors that worked shortly after surgery to help us lose weight. Behaviors that are not supportive of our health can be considered and replaced. We have opportunities every day to improve our health and enjoy the pleasures good health brings. Please consider this if you are using the 5 Day Pouch Test to get back on track. Take your knowledge and let it empower you because you are a good and worthy person. You are not your disease. I have met enough of you, my WLS Neighbors , to say this with complete conviction. You deserve to be your very best - obesity be damned for getting in the way! Comfort Eating is Okay IF.... From the moment we were born food has provided comfort to us. It is natural that we are compelled to reach for food when seeking comfort. This is not a character flaw: this is the human condition. Weight loss surgery does not take away our intrinsic human need to be comforted with nourishment. WLS gives us a second chance to rethink the type of nourishment we reach for when seeking comfort. Gone are the days of empty calorie comfort snacking. We are better served with a warm cup of Soup or a delicious meal of perfectly-cooked Protein and vegetables. Sweet berries or fruit provide far more nourishment and comfort than convenience store Snacks and they come without the post-noshing guilt. So I say, indeed, comfort yourself with nourishment: it is human nature. Just use wisdom in selecting your comfort foods. Pot of Soup Never underestimate the comforting power of a healthy well-made soup: it is your best weapon in the battle against the Carb Monster. Use any fresh vegetables that you like. Saute them in a scant amount of olive oil which will help your body absorb the nutrients and then simmer in reduced sodium chicken, beef, or vegetable broth until nice and tender Serve yourself some delicious goodness one cup at a time and feel the love. Focus: Practice mental presence during the 5 Day Pouch Test. Be mindful of all you eat, how you move your body and observe your energy levels and patterns. Be completely aware of yourself and identify the things that are working and helping you to feel refreshed and alive. Use the 5 Day Pouch Test journal to record your experience and focus on learning about yourself. Awareness is not selfish, it is part of the process of understanding so that we may improve our health and wellness. Carry this focus forward to Day 6 and continue to treat your body in a kind and healthy manner and avoid stepping back into the the self-loathing and unhealthy behavior that brought you here. Lori, so excited for you - can't wait to see the pics. You will love being a grandma. Meredith - it's okay to not want kids -- I only wanted one, my DS and his wife aren't having any and that's fine -- the only time I think it is sad is when you get old -- then I think it's nice to have kids and grandkids when you're old and sick. LOL. But that's just me. Gotta get back to work. Linda

I am curious how often you weigh yourself and what if you see the scale go up, what do you do? I officially weigh in on Monday's and last week I gained 1 lb. So I've been very careful with food and have been going to the gym each day and been feeling Great! SO I've been watching the scale. I went down on Tue and then up by 2lbs on Wed and back down 1lb today? I know that we shouldn't weigh everyday but it's so hard to not watch where I'm at. I'm not really understanding why I am not losing a good number again? Can it be that after not getting in enough Protein for almost a whole week and two weeks with no work outs that it will take a couple of weeks to get back on track?

Glad things went well for you!!! Little pain is really exciting for me to hear. As I count down the days until my surgery (3/8). I would imagine there is always weight gain with the IV fluids. Keep us posted on how you are feeling. QueenBee

Does anyone know of a way to avoid the 6 month diet requirement that insurance requires?... yes Im impatient I just want to get this done. Currently I dont have a job and if this were done NOW while out of work I could then not worry about needing time off or have to wait till possibly NEXT year to do this.(because some employers wont give you time off for the first year) I have been treated by the same DR for over 5 yrs... he has watched my weight gain and has been on me to loose and has given me diets to go on but since I dont have 6 consequtive months Im SOL.... I dont wanna be SOL... Any ideas?

I started 2 gain weight when father passed at 7 years old before then I was skinnier than every kid in the family!! After 7 each year I gained weight! When I was 14 I started 2 go on a diet and by the I was in the 10 grade I had got down 2 160lbs Iam not sure how much I lost because I was scared 2 get on the scale even now!!! After that I fell of the wagon and since then that's been pretty much my life!! I am getting sleeved march 15th with Dr Almanza!!! And I am so ready! I am not afraid 2 travel 2 Mexico bcuz I have already been there last year I got a TT and lipo!! When I was there everyone was asking me why I did not get the sleeve and at the time u could not pay me 2 get it I was happy with my TT and lipo! But when I was there one of the doc had the sleeve done and he was going just fine and he was not even FAT!! So I started 2 think! I'm tired of losing and gaining and I want 2 break the cycle so am getting it done and can't wait!!! If anybody else is getting the sx done in Mexico let me know my email is livechristy@live.com!

Hello and welcome. This isn't an easy decison to make, this is life altering so be sure to do your research and talk to as many banded people as possible, this journey is different for all of us. I came to my final decision for a number of reasons, but having PCOS (like you), that was a big factor for me. The struggles of PCOS are enough to make anyone crazy, espcially the weight gain end of it. For me it basically came down to either... A. continuing to yo-yo diet for the rest of my life like I had been for the last 15 years and end up just getting bigger and more unhealthy. Or B. swallowing my pride and admitting to myself that I couldn't do it on my own and that I needed help. So on Dec 13th 2010, I was banded. I know that was a chance and I may fail at this, but I really felt there was no other choice for me. I had dieted and worked out, and dieted and worked out, over and over since I was 15yrs old, and frankly I was tired. I was ready to give up myself. Until my boyfriend, knowing I had been thinking about surgery for years, encouraged me to go to a seminar. So anyway, to me it was taking a 50/50 shot on succeeding with this surgery or 100% shot at failing on my own again. So far it's been worth the shot. I've lost 39lbs and I'm feeling so much better and my clothes are starting to fall off me. I'm not embarrased to be out in public anymore, and not embarrased to go to a bar with my girlfriends and just enjoy myself. I am starting to find 'happy' again. It's not easy and my band isn't doing all the work, but it sure is helping me do things I never thought possible. I know this story is different for everyone, and I'm still just starting out but as of today I wouldn't change a thing about my decision. Good luck to you!

Congrats!! I am 29 weeks pregnant, and didnt start gaining until i was about 22 weeks, now i am up 15 pounds, I know that seems like a lot but my ob was worried since I wasnt gaining. You know with the nausea you just eat what you can. I had a total unfill at 11 weeks b/c the nausea was so bad, i also had kidney stones and had to up my fluid intake. just eat well, meat fruits and veggies and you will be fine, enjoy the no weight gain while it lasts lol, it will come as the baby grows. i would still drink skim milk though the fat you are probably using more than the baby this early in the game, my ob said in the 2nd trimester 200 add'l calories and the 3rd 350-400 addl cal. that;s just 2 cookies!! you know the cravings get you sometimes! congrats!!!

I was going to post the same thing!!! However, instead of your o1 lb, try 2 lbs. I know that I have no one to blame but me but I am just sick with myself. I did not work out last week because I was sick and then I did not eat like I normally eat nor did I drink all of my liquids like I was suppose to. I am also taking some meds so I don't know if has anything to do with the weight gain also. I am just going to push myself this week and to try and get back to where I was at. I am hoping that it is just a fluke and that I did not actually gain the 2 lbs.

Well I knew that it would happen someday but I didn't think it would happen this quickly. I gained weight this week (1 lb) It’s a real sucky feeling but I have no one to blame but myself! For the 4 days this past week I didn't get in enough Protein and I know a big key to my weight loss is getting in 60+g of protein EVERYDAY. I also took in a lot more carbs then I usually do and I didn't make it to the gym in two weeks now. I was sick one week and then the next I just didn't go because I would have only been able to go one day since the rest we were out of town. So like I said, My Fault all the way! I KNOW what I need to be doing now I must just do it! For whatever reason it seems that now I can "see" myself and my excuses better than I used to! I guess before surgery I chose to not see and now I chose to see. By making excuses I am just hurting myself and I don't want to do that! I WANT to be healthy and lose all my weight, I WANT to feel good in my own skin and I WANT to be physically fit! I can only do those things if I Choose to eat the right things and I go to the gym! Today is a new day and I'm going to Choose the right way!

I was on insulin injections twice daily and had become 'insulin resistant'. I also had ballooned up to 373 #. Through madness and desperation I eased down almost 20#. Went to the Band clinic, consulted, went on pre op diet, lost another 20 #. 8 months after Band surgery, I was completely off insulin. Started Metformin. A1c dropped to below 7 for the first time in years. Other blood values normalized. Metformin doesn't do anything to decrease weight for me....but it does moderate my blood sugar without insulin injections...which after all is a hormone that produces weight gain among other things. By the way, after 10 years on CPAP, I tossed that out 7 months postOp as well. I continue to live the Happy Bandster lifestyle....and I'm still "35# from goal". cheers on your journey

I learned something at the most recent presentation my doctor gave (I am required to go to two and this was my second.) He said that you have to see that the recommended weight for most people, based on those insurance tables, is usually 10-20 pounds heavier than their real ideal. So that when you calculate 65% of excess it is really a lot closr to your gola than you may think. Based on the tables, I should lose 150 pounds. The reality is, my goal, and the weight I was very happy with for all the years before all my accidents precipitated a huge weight gain, is to lose 115. Well, the 65% I am projected to lose is of the weight table goal, so is 65% of 150 = 98 pounds- a lot closer to my actual goal than you might think when you think of 65%. Also, that is an AVERAGE. And that includes the people who don't comply with the recommendations and eat around their sleeve as soon as they can. Know that we all have a great tool right here on VST that will put us all in the higher percentage...for sure!

I feel like I have made so much progress working towards that golden moment of getting a surgery date- I have been to the nutritionist and she is seeing me in two weeks instead of a month in order to help me try to get the surgery in April- I have so many different appointments I have put them on my phone to keep them straight- a sleep study Monday night from which I head to an Upper GI the next morning, , followed by a treadmill test the next day.... and the psych eval the following week. Even a colonoscopy as I am due for that and my dr. wants me to have it done before the surgery. None of it phases me with my wonderful goal of getting my sleeve. Then- kaboom- my lower back went out. I am already bedeviled with back and knee issues along with fibromyalgia that are a huge reason why I am bound for the surgery. I need to lose weight to ease things for my body but the injuries keep me from being able to lose - you know the vicious cycle! I am on pain medication, even a patch, and am use to living with pain, and relying on the magical Water aerobics to keep me moving and ease my pain. But this is different- it feels like a disc problem and I am bedridden and in agony. So now I have an MRI in the middle of all these other tests to see if I have something that needs surgery. Something is wrong, I know it. And my doctor thinks so too. I am terrified- for one thing the back surgery I had eight years ago precipitated a 120 pound weight gain when I went from being active and alive to being incapactated and eating for comfort. My inactivity is already an issue in my ability to lose but the thought I might need surgery again when I am working so hard to get my sleeve and go for life is completely freaking me out. I told my husband last night that I am thinking of insisting on having my sleeve first even if I do have surgery. Then at least I would have a limited capacity for food and would have my sleeve eating habits . I will try to get it moved forward based on this urgent situation of needing back surgery- so that I can recover for two or three weeks and then once I am moving well and able to have surgery again THEN I would do the back surgery. Just think good thoughts for me everyone! I just can't stand getting so close to getting all my ducks in a row only to have something take the rug out from under me. Sigh.

Oh, Holly!! I'm so happy you're doing well and are even able to post while in the hospital! I dont really have much to say about your husband telling a lot of people though, cuz I'm the one who cant keep anything a secret. I had gotten so embarrassed by my weight gain that I was super excited to tell everyone in my family that I was having WLS. My family is not judgemental and are very supportive so I didnt even worry about telling them. I havent been sleeved yet and everyone at work knows what I'm doing and I could careless...especially since I was the one who told everyone! LOL... I'm glad you're doing well and please keep us all posted on your progress!

I am on my last month of physician supervised visits, and I get the same discouragement from my surgeon, even when I went to Support Group meeting the people who had Lap Band seemed to struggle with weight loss though they were all losing it was at a much slower rate than bypass. When I mentioned that I was undecided as to which surgery to choose lap band or bypass (sleeve is not option for me) all by passers were very quick to push bypass while the lap banders sat quietly while I gave my reasons why I was leaning toward lap band. Then slowly one by one they encouraged me to continue on that path because even though they were losing slowly that were all very happy with their decision. Also, when I looked around the room the lap banders were they ones with great skin color, bright eyes, and no hair loss. That stuck with me the most, yes,I need to lose weight but I want to do it with the best long term health consequence. I do not want to become deficit in other areas. I need something to guide me toward making the right choices to lose weight and change my bad habits. Lap band, I feel is that tool, along with support from my WLS center, websites like this, and good support system I am finally going to win this war of unhealthy weight gain.

Well when I went to work yesterday I did not have any MOJO... Asked my supervisor for the rest of the day off.. Went home relaxed, but ate out of my diet zone..( Had Chinese) . Expecting some weight gain got on the scale this morning and did not show a gain. Did manage to get to the gym this morning did some cardio and weight training. I have to fast starting 7:00 PM tonight ... going to have some blood work done early in the morning that way the results are in the Dr's office by Mach 02.

I have UHC Choice Plus. My case manager just got all my stuff sent to UHC yesterday so I am still waiting to hear whether I am approved or not. I have not had a BMI over 40 for five years and I actually just barely made the weight at my last weigh in (UHC required me to do a 6 month Dr. supervised diet) and I also don't have any comorbidities so I am very nervous about what they are going to say. This really doesn't anwer your question, but I guess I'm trying to say I hope they overlook the BMI and just look at the weight gain over the years. Good luck to you!

The difference between a restrictive WLS and a malabsorbtion WLS..(IN MY OPINION) is that initially you will lose weight during the first 18mnths relatively easy with a malabsortion WLS ...even if you are not learning new eatting habits. With the Band you must begin to learn new eatting habits from the beginning...it takes a period of time to get to a "sweet spot" and during this time you must diet to lose weight. After the first 18mnth "honeymoon" period I've noticed that with the malabsorbtion WLS weight gain happens with some people because they never changed the things they were eatting...except for maybe the exclusion of sweets because of the dumping syndrome experienced. The band can be a slow process but IMO a better result in the longrun because it can be tweeked forever and when weight loss slows you can evalutate if it's because of wrong choices or needing a adjustment. It seems there is a window of opportunity with malabsorbtion WLS and if you don't learn new habits during this initial window the weight WILL come back on. For this reason I am glad I chose the Band.. I may have lost more weight with another surgery by this point but I feel I have learned better eatting habits and have a tool that I can adjust for a lifetime if need be.

Yeah its amazing how differently I feel with the weight gain....all YUCKY! But Im on my way back down now

You can totally eat too much eventually! DougNichols posted about running into a 4-yr sleever who was still overweight and just ate around her sleeve. I'm on vacation now and have been consuming a ton of calories, too! You can't down an entire cheeseburger or a burrito or something, but if you eat frequently, eat high-calorie items, and drink sugary drinks and are sedentary, you could easily gain weight. I probably had like 3000 calories yesterday....I'm not stressing because I also walked 10 miles and was active otherwise (swimming, etc), but if I was sedentary, this would definitely translate into weight gain.

G'Day Stacy I gained back due to meds and also a very bad hiatus hernia which had the better part of my stomach and band above the diaprham ? and putting stress on all my organs due to the stomach being where it shouldn't be my band had also slipped slightly due to this. And as I had no insurance at the time and no way to have it repaired I just lived with it, Last year I had 7 operations which also stressed out me and my body more so weight gain was also caused from the stress.

Arlene, glad you are feeling better..... You have too many down days, too.... Life should be easier at this age.... Julie, I am feeling so much better. Everyone in this part of Texas has the "crud". Our weather goes from 40 to 80 in a day. One thing that has helped my FM pain is the steroid shot I got in my "trigger thumb". My thumb is fine now and when the weather changes I haven't had pain. Of course, the down side is weight gain. I think I gain when I take Tylenol. UGH! Janet, I am taking my friend to get fillers in her face. I am going to get an estimate on my mug while I am there. Does it hurt? Do you bruise? My mother said she would give me the fillers for my 60th birthday. Of course, my jealous sister (16 months older) said she wants them for my birthday too. Whatever! As long as mama is paying. lol Eva, good going on the Protein shakes. I know about the stomach rumbles. Gas-x helps. Take it before you drink the shake. Cheri.....HUGS for you DD! Oh, Janet, I have been walking everyday. I will go back to the gym when my coughing stops.....almost there. Joyce, how are you feeling? Okay gang, I checked in today......let us know how you are doing.