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So weiiiird. I left the hospital on pureed foods (I only stayed the night because I had a later surgery time). I feel bad for you guys on liquids that long after surgery. I'm hungry now and I'm eating stuff with substance!!! I do only need a little bit to satiate me though, so that's good. For those concerned with weight gain while in the hospital, I gained too....this Wednesday will be 2 weeks and as of this morning I've lost 10lbs since surgery. Your body will swing back once all the fluids they pumped into you goes away.

I finally borke down and told my mom. She is normally against WLS becuase we've had a couple of relatives that have had Gastic By- pass Surgery...2 were unsuccessful and 1 (unfortunately) just recently passed away due to Cancer , not necessarily related to Gastric Bypass. So, I knew she would probaly not agree with me doing this. I started the process with only my AMAZING hubby's support. He has been so good to me throughout this whole ordeal. Anyway, just last Monday I was talking with mom on the phone. She was on her way out to do some Christmas shopping. She mentioned she was going to pick me up something from Dillard's. I mentioned to her that I really didn't want her to buy me any clothes right now becuase I " had somethings going on?" She immediately pannicked and thought I was ill and made me tell her what was going on. So, I just told her ,explained about the PCOS and all of my weight gain and defeated efforts to lose weight. Well, to my surprise, momma was estatic !!!! She was so happy and excited for me. She even said she was going to take off from work and help us with the boys so, my husband can stay with me at the hospital . She said she had recently noticed that I had been gaining weight but, wasn't sure how to mention it to me without hurting my feelings. I am so glad she knows. Now , I have one more cheerleader in my corner.

The weight gain could be from your steroid shots which also increase your appetite. If you are really needing a lap-band support group maybe you need to look for one that meets at a different time so you are still able to go to your bible study or go to every other meeting. You need to decide what is most important to you. Maybe they have a bible study that meets at another time that you can go to.

So, I am fully aware that those of us "pre-band" always dread shopping- but sometimes, SOMETIMES I actually enjoy it... Of course, that isn't the case since I gained the last 30-40 pounds... but I can still sometimes enjoy it. Last night was our work's christmas party, well kind of. First off, there are only 7 of us (including the doctor we work for) in the office- so not really a party lol. One of the other nurses I work with decided to have us over to her place for the "party" the same night her husband was having his party for work- he works for gulfstream. So I figured it might be a nice way to get out of the house since I rarely do, and maybe meet some interesting people... well, with my recent weight gain- barely anything fits! UGH! So, I decided to go shopping... Figured I could just get a new sweater or something... So, I went to Ross (hoping for something cute, and cheap- no luck) then to Catherine's (again, no luck), then to the Avenue (was able to get a sweater and a knitted "shell" type thing- but still wasnt "happy"), went to Torrid (which, aside from their prices, I normally love...) Long and short of it all- I am disgusted that I had to buy the biggest size I've ever been in, and yet STILL didnt feel at least "pretty"-- I know hoping to feel sexy or anything wasnt in the rhelm of reality- but to still not even feel pretty? What a shame.. I'm so sick of it. Trying to change things now before I have the surgery (if I ever have it!!! Still battling the nasty gross habbit of smoking... which I have to be nicotien free for at least 2 months before the surgery- so that means no patches or gum or anything if it has nicotien!) Trying to eat better and all that- but yet, at the same time- I find myself eatting things that I know I shouldnt and then using the excuse "well, I wont be able to eat this after my surgery"-- REALLY?! C'mon now Ryan.... You (I) know that this surgery isnt going to all of a sudden change my eating habbits for me- SURE, there will be things that my band won't allow me to eat or whatever... but at the same time- there will still be things that it will still allow me to eat that I know I shouldnt... I know I CAN do this- and WILL do this... just trying to fight myself and my own inner psychie that thinks that I need these things (like donuts for breakfast, or smoking!) Dear Lord- please help give me the stregnth that I need today to help me make a better tomorrow! Amen.

Thank you so much for clearing that up . so what can I do now is start from the basics again.??? I feel bad because I really don't want any more weight gain .I have gained 3 lbs since thanksgiving. i can't drink anyy plain water w/o feeling full fast. sometimes I overeat and vomit .. Its a strong addiction to food that I have to work on . any groups you can recommend? I had surgery in April and I have lost atotal of 52 lbs but I gained 3 lbs last 2 days . It could have been cookies and cake foir the holidays .. I was eating all bad things .. now i got to get back to that basics and loose this weight .its so hard because i love to cook and I am a mother of 2 small kids that have to eat .. I have to try harder for that maximum weight loss.

It is mainly the wasted calories that makes alcohol a discouraged beverage. But, everything in moderation. I was released for alcohol consumption 3.5 months post-op with a warning to avoid red wines. I waited until after I was at goal to drink wine. I had one glass stretched out over an hour. It hit me hard, and fast then I sobered up fast. Now, my tolerance is back to what it was pre-op. I drink very, very socially, and tie one on monthly. I don't ever see a weight gain, nor do I get hangovers, but I am also in maintenance. A lot of sleeve patients choose to partake in alcohol before reaching goal report stalling, or it slowing down their loss. If you figure it into your caloric intake, then just following it up with tons of clear fluids.

I too have suffered from depression that led to excessive weight gain -- I started with going to my GP and getting some medication for the depression and also started therapy to deal with the head issues plaguing me. I then went to the www.lapband.com website to find a doctor and seminar near me -- I made sure to find a doctor well-qualified with the Lapband procedure and after several months of research I made the decision to go ahead with the procedure. I am in California and my doctor is Carson Liu -- he has done over 4,000 procedures and is one of the leaders in perfecting it over the years. His practice navigated the insurance for me and I was qualified and had the procedure 2 weeks ago. This is the first time in several years that I now have hope of overcoming this weight issue and getting healthier and happier! Take all the steps to a happier life for yourself - you are young and you are worth it! Tackle the depression so that you are in a better frame of mind for the procedure as it still is work to change your lifestyle. I wish you luck and perseverance to get started to a healthier happier life! Deb

Hello. I'm not really sure of where to begin with this post, but I guess that I'll start by saying that I am dangerously... well, obese, I won't lie to myself any longer about it. I am 5'4" and as of yesterday evening, 302 pounds. I have a BMI of almost 53, which has scared the living daylights out of me, especially since I'm still able to not only walk, but run, stand on my feet for long periods of time, fit into "standard" sized seats, etc. I simply didn't think that I was "that bad". But the inevitable health problems have begun to crop up, and I'm frightened that if I don't do something now about the weight (I'm 38 years old), it'll simply get worse over time. Last year, my health provider suggested the idea of surgery, but I immediately nixed it because I was under the impression that it was a very dangerous procedure (however, it wasn't LapBand I was thinking of, but Roux-en-Y, which I still would rather not do - I think I'd prefer the weight problem over my stomach being stapled). Unfortunately, I no longer have that same health provider due to an insurance switch - so now I have no idea of how to go about it finding out how to get qualified for the procedure. From what I've read on this board and others, I know that I have to meet a certain BMI requirement (at a BMI of 53, I don't think that'll be an issue), and that possibly I may have to show that I have tried other options (which I have, I've been on Weight Watchers since November of last year with little to no results). I have not tried Jenny Craig or Nutri/System or the like - and I'm hoping that I don't have to, because I don't think they're going to work for me at this point. I know that I need to see my primary doctor at this point and explore options. I know that I'll have to be tested for everything under the sun before they'll approve a surgery. I'm honestly scared, as I've had some really rotten experiences with doctors and health care in general - but I know I have to do this. I also have a lot of mental health issues (severe depression, amongst other things) which I think may have been a major contributing factor in causing the weight gain in the first place. Anyhow, I just wanted to introduce myself, I guess. If anyone could point me in the right direction as to how to get started, what I should do, what things I can expect, I'd be grateful. Thanks.

Hello, Dave~ I had the stomach flu a week before surgery and was glad it was then and not after surgery! Glad you are better! Nate~ Things felt like that to me, too. I have had a bit of trouble now that I am moving ahead a bit with eating some bread type things I shouldn't. Dry, butter toast is fine. It's the doughy type bread I need to stay away from! I ate part of an Olive Garden bread stick yesterday, bad idea!! Tlawre2~ Lots of people have shown a weight GAIN after surgery due to the swelling and IV fluids causing Fluid retention. Don't worry about it! Today is my husband's and my 15 year anniversary! It will involve either eating out or bringing in (my choice since it's really yucky out). Take care, Joan

I had surgery on 11/29 and have lost 26 lbs. Now, it has seemed since I started pureed food (mushies) I have stalled. No weight gain....just not moving. I am getting in 60gm's of protein a day and doing what I am supposed to. Although, at my last appointment he told me he expects a 21% weight loss by 30 days. So, I am good as of right now. Thing is, you can't exercise for another so many weeks. I live in Michigan, so walking outside right now is not an option. I need to invest in a treadmill I think .

I was diagnosed with PCOS back in 2001, along with type 1 diabetes...the weight gain, lack of menstrual cycles, hair growth, dark ring around my neck - the whole 9 yards. I was banded on 10-25 of this year, and I have had a total weight loss of 35 lbs. I have recently joined a gym and I work out 3 to 4 times a week. I am happy that the weight is coming off - I am also happy that once my target weight loss is met, that the chances of my husband and I conceiving are even greater than what they have been. It takes time - but I know that if you stick to it, the results will have been well worth all of the effort. I wish you the best of luck, and I look forward to reading about how everything has been coming along for you I know it is hard - and I know many don't understand what us women with PCOS have to deal with - but if there is anytime you need help, or just someone to listen - I'm hear - I know you can do it...don't get discouraged...you've made it this far

Hey everyone. I'm going to write about my experience with Dr. McCloskey since the only thread written was by me 4 months ago! I finally have a surgery date, which is Friday! Dec 17th. And I'm really REALLY nervous. My experience so far with Magee hospital has really been great. The staff is very nice and comforting. I had to complete a 6 month supervised diet, and to be honest I didn't lose any weight. I actually gained, and I was really embarrassed, but the staff never mentioned my weight gain. I had my initial visit with McCloskey about 1 month into my diet, and she is an extremely nice, intelligent woman. I get ridiculously nervous at any appointment, and I think she really zoned in on that and tried to make me feel as comfortable as possible. About 4 months in they set up a visit with the Nutritionist and a Psyc eval which took place one appointment after the other at Magee. About 30 minutes each. About 5 months into my diet they set up the upper GI and chest x-ray which also took place same appointment and at Magee. The upper GI was definitely not fun, but for some people it's not a big deal, so it's just going to depend on the person. I have a bad gag reflex and swallowing the barium was really hard. Most people have to chug it, but I really only got a few small sips down and they said they got a good enough picture. Because most of my testing was done at Magee I didn't have to worry about faxing much paperwork. Most of my doctors are part of UPMC, so Magee was able to pull the results of my diet, EKG, pap and stress test (which most people don't have to get, my EKG was abnormal, but ok) right from the computer system. I had my Pre-op visit and informational class 2 weeks before surgery. It takes about 2 hours. I met with Dr. McCloskey and she took time to answer any questions that I had, was not rushed at all. And although she probably hears the same questions everyday, she really took the time and explained everything in depth. She does not require a 2 week pre-op diet unless your BMI is above 60. Just Clear liquids the day before surgery. It is 1-2 nights in the hospital, (mostly 1) and everyone has a private room, so one person is allowed to spend the night with you. They do put a cath in during surgery because they want to monitor liquids going in and out. It will be taken out when your IV comes out. (Which I'm nervous about, but told you really can't feel a thing). She said surgery takes about 45 min-1 hour. She is now doing either one cut through your belly button, or the typical 5 small incisions, which I'm pretty sure depends on the person as well. Sorry if this was long, but hope it helps all you pre-op people considering Dr. McCloskey! I'll definitely have more information after Friday. Wish me luck!

I was diagnosed with PCOS around May of this year after 5 years of not know what was happening with my body. I gained 80 lbs in less then 2 years (which felt like a snap of the fingers) and it continued going up and up. I was never overweight so gaining so fast and so much was definitely a shock to my system. I tried and tried to lose weight but couldn't. I was never able to yo-yo diet because I could never lose any weight. I remember right before my sister's wedding in 2007 I worked out with a trainer, went to the gym 5-6 times a week and ate PERFECTLY and lost 4 lbs in 3 months. TALK ABOUT DISCOURAGING!!! Anyway, fast forward to May of this year and I'm sitting at the drs office as she tells me that I have PCOS and it is a major contributor to my weight gain and lack of weight loss (along with the dozen other side affects it comes with) and there's nothing I can do about it. That's when I decided that I needed lap band surgery, not only to repair my self-esteem and confidence but to allow me to live a healthier life. I didn't want to live and feel that way any more. Come October 6th..surgery date. YAY! I can truly say it's the best thing I've ever done. To date I have lost 35 lbs, including preop, slowly but surely. Now I didn't start this post to tell my not so exciting story but to ask a question. I know that I wouldn't have been able to lose the 35 lbs without lap band surgery, but I've noticed that my weight loss has begun to slow down…wayyy down. The dr said I should be losing 1-2 lbs a week, ideally. That's not happening. Of course I've been doing my very best to follow the plan but I'm not perfect. I have my weak moments as everyone. I have been exercising 4 days a week for about 1.5 – 2 hrs a day. The scale barely moves. I'm wondering if any ladies out there with PCOS have noticed that their weight loss has been slower then what seems to be the norm. Of course I am not comparing myself to everyone else but I'm just wondering if it has to do with that, because if it doesn't then I really need to sit down and reevaluate what I'm doing. Thanks for reading guys and I hope to hear from ya'll soon.

I have been on Lexapro for 3 years, and gained about 30 pounds within the first 6 months I was on it That tapered off then and now I have no problems with weight gain on it. My goal is to decrease the dose after taking off some of the weight and having my synthroid adjusted accordingly. Ironically, I was at my follow up visit with the surgeon today and have lost exactly 30 pounds since the start of my two week pre op diet... take that medication weight gain!

I take Wellbutrin and Geodon for bipolar. My doctor put me on these almost 4 years ago because I obviously already had a weight problem and they have the least weight gain effect. I was banded six months ago and I take them as prescribed with no problems. I have lost 86 pounds since surgery and have six pounds until goal, so they haven't stalled my weight loss.

I would have asked the granny,well what did you get banded for,I thought the cut-off age was limited....I think that would have closed her mouth...I am so glad to hear that you are doing so well,I havn't had my surgery yet but from what I have read that the weight the first week was water weight gain from the liquid diet that you guys are on so don't let that bother you,It will leave and you will be shocked as to how the weight will come off,,,,you take care....and have much luck with your band

I have been on Antidepressants for years. I have tried zoloft, prozac, wellbutrin, effexor and now Pristiq. Some of these caused weight gain, well probably most of them. The Effexor was probably the worst. I had other side effects from Effexor. Since being on Pristiq, which I know is just an updated version of effexor, a lot of the symtoms have gone away. So they must have somehow improved on the drug. The pills are small enough that there is no problem getting it down. I am on a fairly low dose, the lowest I've been on in years.

Hi there everyone. I was just wondering if anyone has ever experienced a 5 lb. weight gain suddenly?? I have lost steadily since I had my surgery (almost 2 yrs. ago), but I have never gained weight. I'm was actually down 134 lbs. before this sudden gain. I did goto a holiday party this past Saturday and I did eat a few bites of a number of different foods, but nothing that made me PB or anything. I do follow a low carb diet and don't drink any carbonated beverages so I'm stumped. I can't imagine that one night would cause me to gain 5 lbs. in 2 days. I also ate 2 chocolate chip Cookies on Sunday, but I've always allowed myself to have a cookie or two every so often. Does it sound like this could be Water weight??? I'm thinking that maybe I should do all Protein and veggies for the next couple of days. I just can't imagine that I would gain 5 lbs. in 2 days from 2 cookies and tasting a few different foods over a period of 4 or 5 hrs!!! Any suggestions or ideas are welcome. Thanks, Liz

I understand what you are saying and for me the issue with weight gain ,which i am NOT in any way obsessing over, is more of a mental factor i guess. When i started my lap band journey i was 320lbs and heavy like this my whole life and in less than a year i have dropped 140lbs!!! That's a huge accomplishment to me!! So the thought of putting on 15+lbs, even though its a Excellent reason, is really scary especially after my whole life of trying I'm down to a small and healthy size. Think about it: if you had just worked your butt off losing 140lbs and you are feeling AWESOME how would you feel if your doctor said ok now i want a 20lbs weight GAIN...It would be a little frustrating mentally wouldn't it?... Not sure if you understand what i mean but mentally its scary....I know its for a good reason and i want the baby and myself to be healthy more than anything!! This reason being said I'm not obsessing over the weight gain and i cant lie i had my frustrations at first but after letting it all sink in I'm ok with it all now...

We are back from our 2 weeks in CT. The cold weather was a wondeful change to our 80s in Florida. I was so excited to see my sister and friends and to get their reactions to my new look. Everyone cried when they saw me. Good tears, thank goodness. They were very proud of me, which made me feel wonderful. I was very worried that 2 weeks away would cause me a weight gain. I tried to sign up at LA Fitness for the 2 weeks, but they wanted so much money, I decided against it. My aunt had a treadmill in her basement - a very old one, but it worked. And my cousin lent me some weights. So I went down into the cold cellar every other day and worked out for an hour. I also did not cheat on my food in take. I stayed on track and when I stepped on the gym scale today was thrilled to find I had a 3.1lb loss. I have just over 1 lbs to lose to hit the Onderland. I have lost 67 lbs since my journey started and feel amazing. And I have to say I got whistled at in the supermarket! We had a great Thanksgiving. Now I have Christmas and New Year's to get through. And because I am hosting Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at my home, I can control what gets served and eaten by me. All is good. I think 2011 will be a good year for us all.

Hello, all. I was "sleeved" on Nov 18. I lost a lot of weight preceding the surgery (40 lbs) thanks to Phentermine. Then I lost another 15 pounds in the week around the surgery because those Protein drinks (isopure) are only 160 calories each. But once I started in on Soups in phase 2, I just stopped losing and haven't lost a pound in the last two weeks. In fact, I gained 3 pounds. I feel hungry a lot and can eat nearly 2 cups before my body says "stop" (hiccups are the warning). Is that normal? I don't want to overstress my stomach but also expect the surgery to help out in the portion control. Since I lost so much before, I'm not too worried, but I'll be concerned if I don't start losing again soon. I suspect that the problem is that liquids aren't constrained by the size of the new stomach, so I can eat more before feeling "full." I also suspect that the weight gain is just recovery from the surgery, not a gain in body fat. But I don't know what to expect. Anyone else able to eat more than they thought a 60ml stomach should hold? Any advice about portions and hunger management? Anyone else gain weight after surgery? How long did it take until you started losing again? Thanks for your comments.

Hello all! I am a 22 year old female and i have been overweight for all of my life. My issues are not working out and eating the right portions. I do not eat junk or drink soda.I now have knee and ankle pains from the weight gain over the last year that has brought me to 299 pounds. I never wanted to consider the lapband before because i thought it was cheating. I am now left no choice. I am too young to be at this weight. I am aware that i have to improve my eating habits and exercise habits as well. I think my breaking point was going to the doctor and seeing 299 as my weight on the scale. I made an appointment to see the surgeon and it was a waste, my doctor referred me to a surgeon and not a bariatric surgeon, he was nice enough to refer me to a bariatric surgeon. However, i found out that the surgeon does not take my health insurance. i was pretty bummed. The receptionist told me that there was a surgeon on the team that did take me insurance. She scheduled me for a seminar on the 21st of December and i am really nervous. I am also joining the gym near my house next week. why not now? the membership fee is waved. if i don't do it at this gym (which is 2 blocks from my house) i will not make it to any other gym... EVER. The only thing i can change for now is my eating. It's just so hard, i've been this way my whole life, i have 22 years of bad eating habits to break. i know it wont come easy, but i need help. My boyfriend is the only person i have told that i am considering the surgery. majority of my family members are plain old fat.. when my skinny aunt when for a tummy tuck the family wouldnt shut up about it, i dont need that negativity around me. I just refuse to be bothered by it. I know i need the support, but i dont want to worry about who is saying what or who is looking at me and judging my choice. I DONT WANT TO BE FAT ANYMORE! I am young and have my whole life ahead of me, i'd like to be able to live it... not watch it go by.

It is interesting that you ask this, because its the first thing my parents asked me once I told them about my "relapse" I guess you would call it... Over the 3 years that I was banded I developed a list of "danger foods", things I had once loved but learned that because of my band I could no longer eat, it mainly consisted of carbs (Pasta, french fries ect) but also ice creams and high fat Soups (baked potatoe soup for example). I learned to enjoy more fruits and veggies, partly because they were healthier but mostly because I could eat them without getting food stuck. I have to admit that once I origionally had the fluid taken out of my band I fell into the "I can eat anything" mindset. Pasta's, milkshakes, mongolian BBQ took over my diet for the first while my band was empty and by the time I leveled out my eating and started avoiding my "danger foods" again alot of the damage had already been done. My mindset about food has definatly changed over the years, through the lapband and also because I was only 17 when I had my surgery so alot came with maturity. I made poor choices when I was first loosened but I knew that I was making them, I was just making up for lost time I guess you would say. I made myself fall off the weightloss track and now I'm just trying to get back on it. Though, I did also find that even once I stopped eating those "danger foods" and started dieting and exercising again I still didn't loose any weight because the band really did help with portion control for me. I hope this helped answer your question, I'm sure I'm not the best lapband success story given my current weight gain but I am always willing to answer any questions you may have.

It is not as simple as calories in vs calories expended. Our bodies react very differently to different calorie sources especially if you have a metabolic issue (PCOS, metabolic syndrome, syndrome X, insulin resistance, thyroid issues, Cushings Syndrome, etc.) There are plenty of documented cases of women with PCOS being vegetarian, on a diet, exercising and still gaining weight. I do believe most people who are obese have diagnosed or undiagnosed metabolic issues. I have PCOS and know for a fact that if I eat normal portions I gain weight no matter what. I have been eating on a salad plate for years and still was weighing 265 lbs when all of this started. In order to loose weight, I have to eat portions that fit on a dessert plate about what my 3 year old would eat. I cannot eat that portion without being ravenous. I got the lap-band to help curb hunger. I do get tired of doctors and others saying that there is no way a person cannot be loosing weight or even gaining on a limited diet. It happens all the time. If you are not loosing weight on a limited diet, perhaps you should see an endocrinologist and get a workup done to see if there are metabolic issues or other medical issues. Of course, see your PCP or pharmacist to find out if any medications you may be on is causing weight gain or slow metabolism.

I think we all have different reasons for being here. Some people have eating issues. Some people, no matter what they do they gain weight or can't get it off. Some people have medical conditions that cause them to gain weight, or they are on certain meds that caused them to gain weight and they can't get it off. I think that it is important to not assume that everyone has eating issues. It is important to not assume everyone has a medical condition. For people who have eating issues, I have a friend going through this, the battle with food is constant and it's hard. It isn't anything that is easy and a surgery like this isn't going to solve the problem alone. Therapy and other follow up care is usually needed. My poor girlfriend who is struggling with eating issues is working hard to correct her relationship with food and decided that she is going to get surgery to help with the weight loss now. Her relationship is starting to turn around thanks to therapy and so she is planning on the surgery. I constantly offer her support and sometimes she lets me know what her food plans are for the day. For me, one of my guiltiest things is eating out. I put on most of my weight when I was in my 20's. I had money to burn and instead of cooking I ate out a lot. I had a gym membership when I had a good job and I lost a great deal of weight that I put on. I got pregnant with my son and things went down hill. The company I worked for closed, money became tight, I was a single mother so we were living off of Hot Dogs, Macaroni and cheese, corn and green beans. I had to make do with what I had. I began to put on a pound a week. My 130 frame ballooned with in a year. While I was working I started falling asleep at the wheel driving. Finally found out my thyroid was a mess, and that I needed meds. I took meds for a six months when an Endocronologist said, "stop the meds, you are soo young and it isn't that bad." Hoshimotos took over my body for the next 7 years, putting on weight, more and more, no matter how I ate I gained. I became pregnant with my daughter and was rushed over to a new Endo and they were concerned. The put me on meds right away for the babies health. I started to regulate again and lost 15lbs during pregnancy. I gave birth to my daughter and became depressed. I probably ate some things I shouldn't have. I put back on the 15lbs and decided enough is enough. I went back to the gym and altered my diet again, to meat and veggies. I had a personal trainer and I kept a strict food diary. I counted calories, fat, carbs and sugars. I worked hard at the gym 5 days a week and on saturday and Sunday would walk. I went back to the gym and was measured after a week I gained half a pound and my trainer assured me that I am probably just gaining muscle faster than loosing fat. I worked my muscles and cardio for 5 weeks. I went from 220 to 230. In my frustration I decided it didn't matter anymore and for six months fetl sorry for myself. I ate brownies and cookies and only put on 4lbs. I went to my OBGYN sobbing, sobbing my eyes out and said, "I just can't live like this anymore, what are my options." He was very sympathetic and he believed me, seeing other women fight with weight loss. "Once you put it on you can't get it off and sometimes it isn't even anything specific you do to put it on. You don't have to do one thing wrong to create this weight issue, you could do everything right." He suggested the band and I followed up with my primary, who also suggested the band. So here I am, finally loosing weight and feeling great. I have no desire to eat brownies anymore. My biggest love is chocolate and I only give myself two days that I can treat myself, sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. I haven't had a fill up to this point so the hunger was making me crazy. We have chips, chocolate, cookies, etc in the house. The kids get cookies every couple of days as a snack so I thought, "what if I allow myself that same kind of limit." My kids are tall and thin, my son is ten and weighs 91 lbs and is all muscle, my daughter, tall, thin muscular girl. They are beautiful and people never think they are my kids. People assume if you are fat it is what you eat, that kills me. If it was just our dining habits I would have round kids too. My husband is heavy and admits his problem is with food. He loves food, loves the taste of food, I on the other hand could careless about food. I eat because I have to. I watch his family fill there plates to the brim, two or three times. It is crazy and it makes me sick to think about eating that much food. Anyway, that is all. I guess I am just tired of the assumptions of how people gain their weight. I am so tired of people judging us based on our weight. "Oh that person is over weight so they must be binging, or that person is over weight so they must be trying to heal themselves with food, that person is over weight so they must eat out all the time." It is funny, if you go out to eat when you are overweight people assume you must do this a lot. One of the things I do when I go out to eat is get a take out container right away and cut out just a small portion of the meal to eat. I have done this forever, a lady looked at me weird when I said, "it helps to reduce the calories I take in, out of site out of mind." Then she looked at me like I must eat it all on the way home or something. I then cut that 2/3s of the meal in half again and eat that at home as seperate meals, or my hubby eats it. I am not fat because I don't know how to eat or how to count calories. I don't use dressings, I have always used low fat mayo and less then the "amount" of the serving listed on the label. I could not do anything more than I had already done to loose this weight. I thought, fought and cried myself to sleep because I did not want to die in a few years because I am fat. I wanted to be able to chase my kids around on the beach or play in the yard. I did not want surgery, I wanted surgery even less than I wanted to be fat. I was sure I should be able to do this on my own and when I couldn't I was crushed. Before my thyroid and PCOS was really bad, Weight watchers worked. Now it didn't, before the gym and diet worked, now it didn't. Now it was time to find a solution that did and this is working. I just wish the world would stop judging, even those who suffer from obesity. We need to not only stop judging others and their journey, but we need to stop being so harsh on ourselves. So what if we only loose half a pound one week, it means we get back on track the next week, don't let guilt take you over. We all have off days, off weeks, but it doesn't mean we can't bring ourselves back around. I have studied addiction, I study psychology, I understand the process when the mind becomes our worst enemy, be it chemical or circumstantial. We must remember to love ourselves in order to heal our souls and forgive ourselves. Even if medical conditions got us here, at some point we gave up on ourselves and just started living life and not worrying about it. Like the problem would resolve itself. I am glad I waited this long, as I wasn't obese enough for surgery until about four years ago and then I ended up pregnant and back on hypothyroid meds. I thought that, coupled with excercise I would start loosing. When I didn't, this time, I didnt hit ground zero depression, I went to my doctors and asked what there was to help me. I am being proactive, and to me that is the best gift I can give myself and my family. My son said to me the other day, "Mom, pretty soon I will be able to wrap my arms tight around you, you are loosing weight and looking great." I looked at him and smiled he then said, "and even better you are feeling better, you are doing more and you smile a lot more. I am so happy you are my Mom." He is ten and he is one of the blessings I am fighting this fight for. My two and a half year old needs a Mommy for the next 16 years and I want to do my best to be here.