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True or False: If a product says no added sugar, it’s sugar free. That statement is false. It just means the manufacturer didn’t add sugar to a product that may contain naturally occurring sugar from milk (lactose) or fruit (fructose). Foods with natural sugars also provide other nutrients like vitamins, minerals, fiber and anti-oxidants that are healthy for us. A revision to the Nutrition Facts Panel may include added sugars, which will be a better way to determine what foods to minimize. This change won’t be for another year or so. True or False: If a product says no added sugar, it’s sugar free. That statement is false. It just means the manufacturer didn’t add sugar to a product that may contain naturally occurring sugar from milk (lactose) or fruit (fructose). Foods with natural sugars also provide other nutrients like vitamins, minerals, fiber and anti-oxidants that are healthy for us. A revision to the Nutrition Facts Panel may include added sugars, which will be a better way to determine what foods to minimize. This change won’t be for another year or so. For bariatric patients, eating too much sugar after surgery can lead to dumping. Sugar is considered “empty calories” because all you get is calories without the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants or fiber that are good for your health. Other problems from sugar include increased triglycerides, decreased HDL (healthy) cholesterol, increased respiration rate, fatty liver, increased blood sugars, cavities and weight gain. Research is beginning to link too much added sugar with heart disease, inflammation, gout and premature wrinkles. Recent research points to people consuming too many added sugars dying from heart disease at twice the rate as for people with low sugar intake, even if the diet is otherwise healthy. Obvious sources of sugar are the sweets: cookies, cakes, candy, ice cream, desserts and sugar sweetened pop. Sugar sweetened beverages like regular pop, sports drinks and energy drinks account for about a third of the added sugars we consume. Added sugars can also creep into your diet through condiments like catsup and barbeque sauce, salad dressings, canned tomato products, coffee drinks, pastries, smoothies, crackers and ready to eat cereals. When reading the ingredients label, look for words like anything that ends in “–ose” (sucrose, fructose, maltose, dextrose, xylose etc..), syrup, juice, agave, honey, molasses, caramel, corn sweetener, high fructose corn syrup, evaporated cane guide, cane sugar, brown sugar, barley malt, and beet sugar. You now have information about how to read the label to see if what you are eating or drinking has added sugars. Next week, you’ll find out how to compare products to determine how much added sugar is in something you are eating or drinking.

I'm on a diuretic called Diazide (Dyazide?) and I can actually notice a 5-8 pound weight gain when I stop taking it for a couple days. Crazy, I know! -Leah

So I was banded on 5/23/08 and in November of that same year I found my sweet spot after three or four fills. Since being banded I have lost 135lbs but have still not made it to my goal weight (at my lowest weight I was about 20lbs shy). Recently I have been able to eat a lot and even wake up hungry in the morning which I havent felt since before surgery. I even have gained about 15lbs in the last two months. I have had acid reflux and heartburn since banding and my doc did find a very slight slip in my band at my last visit but nothing enough to remove fill for or need to worry about at that moment. My question is- does my sudden change and weight gain mean my band has really slipped or is it possible to need a fill even after I was at my sweet spot for so long? I know the obvoius answer is to have testing to see the placement of my band but since surgery my ins has changed and it currently does not cover any band related expense. So I would have to self pay and money has been tight lately. I am so scared that some sort of revision will be needed and I literally will not be able to have it done because of cost....

i agree, I cant count how many times I've had pig out days and got on the scales the next day and thought I'd gotten away with it. Only to find that 2lb appears 3 or 4 days later, lol. But 1500 isnt exactly pigging out or high calorie and certainly isnt serious or permanent weight gain territory, I lost all my weight never dipping below 1500 a day. What really helps me stay on the straight and narrow though is an absolutely no snacking rule. I cant handle snacking, I just eat too much over those six meals, it really is absolutely not proven to be any metabolic advantage, in fact there's lots of good research out there that suggests hunger hormones are way better controlled by long gaps between meals. I can follow the "no I absolutely cant eat that because I'm not allowed a snack" rule much better than "I can have small seerve of that for a snack" rule. I eat much more over the day when I snack and even unfilled now and needing to eat for maintenance not loss I find it hard to top 1500 a day on three meals.

I too had the tummy tuck first, 2005, and now the lap-band. They removed 16lbs of extra skin and fat in the area. I was wondering too about the flat tummy?? I had a beautiful baby girl in 2007, so some weight gain, but not much. I carry most on the sweet bottom of mine.....LOL:biggrin:. I am so looking forward to seeing what I look like after 30-40 lbs lost!!

omg, you are me. i am a very well educated and professional individual. i too struggle with the whole house thing because of my perfectionism. i don't like to 1/2 clean and if i can't do it right, forget it. my closets are mostly empty and the stuff is cluttered all over the house because...i'm not shoving it in the closet. How insane is that? Clean, mostly empty closets and clutter everywhere. i'm not sure how this would apply to my weight gain history though. I think mine is for different reasons other than perfectionism. Anyway, glad to hear that there is someone out there who feels the same way as I do about having two selves.

I have heard that Lexapro is better since it doesn't cause weight gain. I take celexa and I know it made me gain weight but I am not ready to go off it..............I am going to ask about lexapro at my next appt. I think the trauma going on with your body right now is MAJOR and there is a huge adjustment period following surgery. Try to bear with it and allow yourself to feel down for a while if it's not too too bad. Good luck with your testing & hang in there. Sorry you are going through this...................

Ugh-good to hear as well (well not for those individuals). The only thing I'm nervous about is the constant weight gain. But then I think "r u serious? If I cold lose it I would". Don't want to wait anymore :( Having a bad day/night with this. Thank you as well for your support

So I finally have a surgery date (3/10) and I guese it's time to tell my story. I have not been overweight my whole life. I was an athlete in high school and that carried over into my adult life. I've never been "skinny" just fit and curvy. Then suddenly about 10 years ago I couldn't eat whatever I wanted without gaining weight. Ok no big deal I ate better and exercised more and lost the weight but since then it's been a struggle up and down constantly dieting. The final straw came when I had to quit smoking for a job I wanted. I gained 50 pounds in less than 2 months and no matter what I do its here to stay. Since the weight gain ny self esteem has plummeted. I no longer leave the house because I'm ashamed of how I look. I go to work and come home. Because of this I feel every aspect if my life has suffered. I dont feel like a good wife, because I never have the energy to do anything with my husband and I always feel like im just the fat employee. In short I was tired of sitting around watching my life pass me by. I started with research to find out what my options were and settled on the lap band for 2 reasons. 1. Less invasive and 2. Its reversible. I understand the lifestyle changes I need to make and bad habits that need to be broke. I feel like this is the start to finally being able to look at myself in the mirror again.

Diarrhea is pretty common because all you are taking in is fluids, so out comes fluids. But if it becomes really bad, you risk getting dehydrated again. I know they gave me something, can't remember what it was, to stop the diarrhea that I got a couple of days after surgery. As for the weight gain gabby899, remember they are pumping you full of fluids, that is why you gain weight. It is all Fluid weight and as soon as you start eating normally and are not on IV anymore, the weight will come off!

I can tell you you sound really similar to me - I have been doing a little better after the surgery but I have a metablic condition that my body kinda "tricks" itself into needing just what calories I happen to be providing - and if it is "excessive" in what it is interpreting as enough I have seem weight gains at 1000 calories a day. But seriously - here is the deal - something in what you are doing is just not quite what it seems - be very thorough and careful. I know this from experience. I do not respond the same from 1000 calories a day of 30+ are carbs as opposed to 10 or so carbs. I have to have excessive amounts of Water. I canot eat highly processed foods. Thing is, if you aren't snipping around the ends, then it is just a long process - but with the sleeve you will lose. It has become an invaluabel tool while I wait out my stalls and literally outstubborn my metabolism.

8 lbs! Wow. 3 previous cruises I didn't gain a lb. This is the first one with no fill in my band (slipped last month, waiting till late June for a sleeve revision). I ate with no abandon. eggs Benedict and corn beef hash for Breakfast, the buffet for lunch, a lavish dinner - and has anyone had Carnival Cruise Lines warm chocolate melting cake? It's to die for. I ate it EVERY SINGLE NIGHT. Then at about 11 pm, I'd order another dessert from room service- just because I could. Didn't go to the gym even once. Walked alot in ports, but obviously not enough. So it's official. I've now gained 30 lbs since getting married Dec 2011. It just crept up on me. About 1/2 of my closet doesn't fit anymore. I was down to an 8 and now I'm wearing about an 11/12. Hubby keeps telling me I should cut my carbs (he's a carb-a-phobe), but I feel like "hey, I'm having the sleeve done next month. Why not eat whatever I want?" I'm going to the dr on Monday to get my surgery date. I'm so embarrassed at my weight gain. And to top it off, we lost our camera on the last day of our cruise. All 500 pics of our week is gone. All those memories. No one turned it to lost and found. At least we have the memories to keep in our heads. What would you do if you were having the sleeve done next month? Try to lose weight or say to heack with it? I know what I'm going to hear "If you're not ready to change your diet then you're not ready for the sleeve". I AM ready. My band failed after 3 1/2 yrs (totally my fault, frequent vomiting) and I NEED something to help me take off the rest and maintain forever. It's why I got the band in the first place. I hate dieting. Marci

Yes, I was losing weight rapidly before surgery. I considered continuing just exercise but I was at a point where I could not afford to leave room for failure. I honestly thought I would get the sleeve and try to work my calories up to past 1000 and start building up exercise again slowly. I read a ton and still misjudged how little I might eat. The problem is (I think) prior to surgery it would not be a big deal to go long times without eating. I am now having to relearn forcing myself to sit and eat throughout the day. I love exercise... Always have. My weight gain was after losing a child, and then a mom and sister over a span of about five years. The worst was while my mom and sis had cancer across the country and I spent those years traveling back and forth several times a month with a baby and then toddler. I ate horrible, ate from stress, and dropped off on exercise. Following all that I returned to exercise for sanity but also realized I had now been overweight for years. I am an active person and fortunately remained "fit" while being heavy in that I could still take on activities easily. As it stands now I do have energy but just enough for playing with my son outside, work, housework, etc. I feel weak sometimes during the day and I guess I am mostly worried if I head out to exercise I don't want to crash. I am going to try the suggestions along here. I don't want to just lose weight, but want to stay fit. I have the base from before and I love and miss my long walks, so I guess I will have to slowly work back up to them. BTW, I was sleeved July 4 and I am down 40 pounds. I just want to make sure I am losing it in a strong way and not just by deficiency. Hope this clarifies where I am at.

SO, I screwed up. I was doing well on my low-carb meals, but then I binged out & started a ball rolling in that direction. Now I have a meeting with my surgeon in 4 days & I am starting my liquid diet TODAY. He does not require one, but due to my weight gain & everything... I think that this is the way to go. SO, what does a pre-op liquid diet look like to you? Since he doesn't require it, I never got instruction on it.

I have been thin most of my life. My weight gain came after several (8) rounds of chemo, first you cant eat then you can and food is wonderful then more chemo it was a vicious cycle. Size 6 then size 12 it takes a toll on you. Now cancer free for 3 yrs the weight just kept coming so I'd lose and something stressful would trigger and wham weight again. I can lose weight just can't maintain then my portion sizes got bigger and bigger. Then got diagnosed with diabetes and got really angry with myself because i caused the diabetes. Thats when my pcp and i discussed the sleeve. I was sleeved 9/10 and although I'm in the 3 wk stall i have lost 11 pds and 9 inches. Best decision ever. I have 70 more pds to hit goal of 110 as I am only 4'11.

My period was regular, 28 days to the day, and then, on the day of my surgery got it. 4 days early. Then, didn't get it for nearly 6 weeks later, and I panicked that I was pregnant just after getting the band. I wasn't. Then, got it 3 weeks later, and finally in April, it went back to normal. Now, I get really bad cramps and visible weight gain. Weird because I had never had that problem before. I get cramping on day 2 and 3, and then its over and the period is over by day 4. Doctor said that peoples cycles change and mine coincided with the lap band surgery.

Or the Spartan Diet. Doe any one out there watch every calorie consumed each day? I did for over a year it became a job, and I was married to the scale and they were driving me crazy! I did lose alot of weight and I am very happy for that. I took a month off, of watching any calorie intake and over did it a couple days a week it just got easyer and easyer. and I gained a few pounds big deal I,was so worried about weight gain I did it and its no big deal. now I have to get back to watching my calories and doing the walk! So getting back to restriced diets is there any one out there doing every day? I just need a push.

So far, so good. I woke up this morning and, as usual, weighed first thing. All but 2 tenths of the vacation weight gain had melted away...yay!! I was able to get up a little later than normal because I'm staying home this morning while I wait for my new chair. I attached a picture. It is a little wild, but the rest of my room is kind of plain so I'm hoping it looks good! Anyway, I went for my run. It took me 27 minutes to run 1.75 miles. Since I would like to run my 5K on Saturday in 45 minutes, I'm off the pace. This morning's pace is more like my Labor Day run pace. So, yay for doing it, but boo for not improving much. The whole first mile, I kept thinking that there would be no way I could do this tomorrow. I just hurt too much. But as soon as I was done, I was totally planning to do it again. Ha! No pain, no gain! :thumbup: I have just over 9 pounds to lose by Thanksgiving, so I have to keep at it. Yesterday, I did well with my calories and I was proud of my choices. I really wanted some ice cream last night, but I refrained! It's the little things that make me happy. So, my run is Saturday and it is Halloween weekend. I have a Halloween shirt and some devil horns, but I was hoping to find something more. I bought a pair of "one size fits most" halloween tights last weekend, but they were too small. I will keep them for next year! I would like to find something like that though. Have a great day everyone!!

I'm writing this entry a bit early today. It's my first full day at home. I attached a screenshot of my MyFitnessPal progress for the day. I'm using MFP to ensure I'm getting all the protein I need while staying under the sugars and fats for the day. I didn't sleep well at all last night. I'm hoping that the sleep gets better. I was able to get a few hours of sleep in from 2 to 5 am this morning before I finally got up. I didn't end up following the food schedule I wanted to today. Mainly because my sleep was all messed up. I'll try again tomorrow. I took all the meds and my multi-vitamin I was supposed to take and had a BM finally. I was worried about not having one. I had a little bit of help though, because I took a suppository. One of the food suggestions during this phase for me is cream of wheat with a scoop of protein powder. I use chocolate light muscle milk to mix in and it tastes so good! My worry is that I don't have the ability to feel full yet so I'm eating it very slowly. Cream of wheat changes its texture very quickly to hard and dry once it's out too long. So I got two good bites in before it got hard and I couldn't eat anymore. Anyone with any suggestions would be nice. It's one only thicker consistency things I can eat right now and the taste is so lovely. For dinner I decided to try some fat-free yogurt with the unflavored Unjury protein powder. I found is that once I mix the powder in to the yogurt, the yogurt is a little too watery. Probably the temperature causing that. And though it says it's unflavored, I could still taste there was something different about the yogurt. It's sort of the same reason I don't do those unflavored mix ins for fiber or drink miralax in water. I can always taste the change and it makes me not want to finish whatever it is I'm eating. I decided to try out one of the trazodones that I had left over from last year when I stopped taking them to see if I could sleep this afternoon. I took a 50 mg tablet and it worked almost instantly. I slept for a little over 3.5 hours. Waking back up felt so nice. My best friend made dinner for the family today. Spaghetti with italian sausage and some garlic bread. I snuck a small bit of the garlic bread and immediately felt icky. I chewed it up until the point where there was hardly anything in my mouth and swallowed. Then for about 10 minutes I felt like it was lodged inside my esophagus. That was a stupid move, one I won't make again. I had 76 grams of protein today from the small amount of muscle milk I had in my cream of wheat, premium protein chocolate shakes - I had two to make up for not eating much at breakfast, and the unjury protein packet for dinner with my yogurt. I'm getting tired of the current set of meal choices. I'll have to change some things up tomorrow to keep things interesting. My mood today started on the sad side. But after waking up from my nap this afternoon I felt a little better. I need to get a little bit of walking in tonight before it gets much darker. I weighed myself and I'm close to losing all of the water weight gain from my time in the hospital. I peed so frequently yesterday that I dropped 6 pounds from morning until about 5pm. By tomorrow morning I should be back to my weight I was at before going into surgery.

Hi! I've been on Zoloft for about 12 years now. I take 200mg a day and when things aren't real rough at work I lower it to 150mg. Chemical imbalance as well as depression runs in the family. I can definitely feel the difference if I miss a couple of days. Easily angered, fidgety, anxiety - the whole works. I went through a period of time all I did was cry (post partum after my youngest), couldn't write a check, couldn't decide what to wear to work and changed clothes 3 or 4 times each morning. Couldn't make EASY decisions that were basic to running a household with 2 little ones. SuperMom syndrome also as well as guilt that I worked and wanted a career. In a positive, people are always amazed if I tell them I'm on Zoloft and I'm clinically depressed. For me, it keeps me on an even keel and allows me to think calmly and rationally. I don't have the "lows" I used to have and there isn't a feeling of a "high". Just stability. The only two side effects that have happened to me are the low sex drive (can still have the BIG O though!!) and my general practitioner told me anything over 100mg can cause weight gain. With that in mind, I much rather be on my Zoloft and work with the band than to decrease my dosage below 100mg. I was on Prozac (made me EAT constantly because it made my stomach upset), Wellbutrin (made me NUTS - I constantly shook like I was going through some sort of withdrawl) and Paxil. The Paxil was ok and I can't remember why the doctor changed it. So Zoloft is my magic pill and I couldn't live without it. I did at first become angry and felt like a "mental case" and a "pill popper" to be able to get through the day. Angry that I had to rely on medicine but as my doctor said "Would a diabetic not take insulin if they needed it?". He reminded me I have a chemical imbalance and I will more than likely take it the rest of my life. It did take initially several months to get the right dosage and feel the full effects. I also went through counseling for 18 months to work out some of my guilt and anxiety issues as well as trying to overcome the "SuperMom" syndrome. Like my counselor said "Will your kids remember their socks were folded and the house was clean or will they remember Mom was there when they needed her for support or play?" Really hit home and I've tried to keep that in mind anytime I feel pulled in all directions. I unfortunately also have a very demanding, stressful job and it helps me deal with that also. Good luck and PM me if you need any other info. I swear by the stuff! Take care!

Guys, I am so happy to say that I have a positive update and one that might help other women in the 45 to 55 age category who are going to do VSG or in the process of having had it and experiencing difficulty getting weight to move. I am very hard on myself. While I was not being perfect on my journey, I have a tendency to always feel that if something is not going right, it is all my fault. I was a food addict for so many years and did everything wrong that I almost felt like when my weight plateaued and then stopped and then I started to gain weight that it was just because I let myself down. To cut a very long story short. I had a gynecological emergency about a month ago and ended up having to go through a bunch of tests. It was discovered that I was producing next to zero progesterone and my estrogen was also extremely low. It was causing me SO MANY problems which I will not get into so that I will not digress from the main point. As a result I was put on hormones and almost immediately I started to loose weight again! I have lost 10 lbs since I started taking hormones 3 weeks ago. The reason why is that hormones have a major role to play in weight loss and weight gain. The reason why I was gaining and not loosing was not because I was being so terrible in my disciplines but because the lack of estrogen and progesterone, the total imbalance was actually causing me to GAIN weight. So I am working with my doctor now to see how HRT may be able to not only help my perimenopause/going into menopause issues but also to help bring better balance to help the weight loss process kick in further. I feel like an entirely different woman - I cant even articulate it the difference in overall feeling but certainly the fact that I have lost the weight I had gained and now back to making the scale go down instead of up. You can read my previous thread to get a better context of where this post is coming from. If you are having similar struggles and are female in the age range of 45 to 55 it might be well worth your time to have your hormone levels tested and see if hormone therapy can help you get balanced again and improve your weight loss. I am just one lbs away from being in another weight bracket and after not loosing for 4 months I feel like a million bucks There are many articles and information on Google that you can look up and research regarding hormonal imbalance and the role it might be playing in extremely difficulty in weight loss, especially in women of a certain age. I am just putting this out there for your consideration in case you are a woman like me that may be struggling in this area and not even know it. Talk to your gyno and get your hormones tested. I will soon post an updated photo when I hit that next weight bracket

It's understandable that you have concerns about the proposed revision of your gastric sleeve surgery, especially since you have additional medical conditions such as Rheumatoid Arthritis and you are in menopause. It is important to have an open and honest conversation with your surgeon and discuss your medical conditions, medications and concerns before undergoing the revision surgery. They will be able to provide you with information on the potential risks and benefits of the surgery in your specific case. Regarding the use of methotrexate, hydroxychloroquine, and folic acid, it's important to note that these medications may need to be adjusted or discontinued before and after surgery. Your surgeon and rheumatologist will be able to provide guidance on how to manage these medications safely. As for the bypass after menopause, it's important to note that menopause may affect weight loss and maintenance differently for each person. Some people may experience weight gain during menopause and have difficulty losing it, while others may be able to maintain their weight loss or even continue to lose weight. It is also important to have regular follow-up appointments with your surgeon and other healthcare providers to monitor your Vitamin levels, ensure that you're getting enough nutrients, and make any necessary adjustments to your diet or supplements.

Would you do it again? I know this is a topic that has been covered and then covered again. At the risk of boring long-time posters on this forum, I'm going to bring the topic up again. I saw my younger sister for the first time in years and she awed at me over the 45 lbs that I've lost and kept off over the past 2 years. I know this is not an admirable weight loss for banders over a 2+ year period, but it's the first time I've been able to lose weight and actually keep it off. Anyway, my younger sister asked me if I would have the surgery again. I could see it in her eyes and hear it in her voice that she's considering the possibility of this surgery for herself. I had to think about my answer. In fact, I'm still thinking about it. Would I have the surgery again? Some days the answer is yes. Some days the answer is no. Yes. I've lost 45 lbs and kept it off. This surgery put an end to the steady weight gain I was experiencing. My overall health has improved. No. Some days I feel defeated that my weight loss did not continue after the first 6 months. I fooled myself into believing that band surgery would make it so that I never had to diet again. This is not true. Let me repeat this .. You will have to diet following band surgery .. for the rest of your life. It is not a magic bullet that fixes poor eating habits and poor lifestyle choices. So my answer to my sister is yes, I would do it again but I would say that with a caveat. The band stopped my upward spiral of weight gain and my health is better for it. For that, surgery was worth it. The caveat is, if I want to lose weight after the initial weight loss, I still have to diet and exercise. To be successful, Weight Watchers or other diets are still in my future. So why not just diet and exercise without the band? It's a personal decision. Just be honest with yourself.

Yesterday's goals Today's goals 1) face the music - weight gain - when I see the surgeon and nutritionist today - done - no weight gain - hold even 2) 40 minutes on the treadmill - done plus 15 minute walk w/ steps 3) pick out medicine cabinet, toilet topper, blind, towel racks, floor tile, counter top for bathroom (this may take 2 days) - medicine cabinet, toilet topper, blind done 4) not eat after 8 - got home at 7:30, started eating, and went to sleep before I finished so I guess that counts (I have to start getting sleep at night) 5) remember to relax and unwind - no Wednesday goal 1) pick out floor tile and counter top for bathroom 2) no eating after 8 and stay awake until 11 3) 70 minues of exercise 4) try on clothes for vacation ---yikes, I'm going to Mexico for 12 days and I have nothing that fits,,,what if my capris fall off when I"m on the top of a ruin...so lets add that I need to buy what I need!!! I love this thread. It makes me accountable for my daily goals...

In April/2008, I had surgery for the lapband. I had nothing but pain and trouble with the location of the port. My doctor, at that time, and his staff refused to listen to me. They kept telling me that the pain would subside and the band and port would settle into my body and be fine. The pain was so intense that I was on an rx for pain. In August/2008, I ended up having a second surgery to correct the position of the port because it had flipped. After that surgery, I continued to have pain, at the port site and where the band was placed. My dr, again, denied that anything was wrong and just gave me pain meds. I went to another doctor, for a second opinion. His diagnosis, the port had flipped again and the band was possibly positioned incorrectly or something totally unrelated was going on. So from August/2008 until the end of April/2009, I ended up seeing not only seeing my original surgeon, the 2nd opinion doctor and yet a 3rd bariatric doctor. I ended up going to the emergency room several times. Then was hospitalized for almost a week to be monitored and tested , having 2 cat scans, an MRI, endoscopy,heart cath, barium series, ultrasound and of course labs. Nothing was found to be wrong except the port had flipped. So the 3rd surgeon was the one that made a decision to do an exploratory surgery to correct the port and see if anything else was going on. The surgery went well and I was without some of the pain but on a scale from 1-10 my pain level was always at least a 4 or 5. The port was very difficult to locate, possibly flipped again. Also, the weight loss was slow. Finally, in January/2010, I asked my doctor( the 3rd one) to remove the lapband and port. That surgery was February/2010. The port had definitely flipped again, plus the lapband had eroded into my stomach. No wonder I had pain. My doctor suggested having surgery for the sleeve. I was torn between the bypass and the sleeve. I ended up having the sleeve in April/2010. I have had weight loss and weight gains. My starting weight in April/2008 was 268. My lowest weight was 215. Then because of all the problems with food,pain, etc my weight flexuated between 215 and 240. My last visit with my dr was, Nov/2010. She explained the opening of my sleeve is larger than most because of the erosion caused by the band, so therefore more food can get into my stomach. I always have had hunger since the sleeve, too. On top of everything else, my dr left the practice, that I am in. I am currently waiting for my insurance company to approve a visit to the other, doctor in the practice. I feel like such a failure. I do want to lose weight. My goal weight is 125, my height is 5'4". My current weight is 238. I have 113 unwanted pounds. I have been so down and depressed about my journey. I DON'T WANT TO GIVE UP but I am not sure what is next.