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It's the strangest thing to watch and feel my body lose weight and change. I mean just the weirdest sensation. I have to wonder why I didn't feel this when I was gaining weight. As uncomfortable and as many weird sensations as I've felt losing it, you would think there would have been some tell-tale signs when I was gaining; but no. Or maybe I just chose to ignore them. So the strangest sensation to me is feeling my ummm private areas shrink. I know most overweight people have what they call a "fat pad" covering their pubic bone area.. but as my stomach shrinks and that area shrinks it's just the strangest feeling. I woke up this morning like something was "off" so I go and look in the mirror and I was right something was indeed off.. FAT and unwanted pounds. But now.. now one side of my stomach is an inch tighter than the other side. Ok so maybe all of this is an overshare but I KNOW I cannot be the only one experiencing this. Like I look in the mirror and while I never had a HUGE belly it did hang more than I would of liked stopping just before my pubic area..but now the right side is up and so is the left, just not as much as the right.. a whole inch difference to be exact. Thank the Lord for being celibate right now because ummmmmm my naked body changes on a daily basis! There's no hanging/sagging skin - THANK YOU JESUS! but the fat I do have is shifting/changing where it's deposited at as I lose it. For instance.. my bra-line incision is now in the middle of my stomach and to the left, not under my bra and centered like it was. I'm at a point where I'm SO anxious to see what's underneath all of this, I now understand why people get surgeries like liposuctions and tummy tucks... Watching my stomach shrink and get definition is AMAZING to me... especially when I really haven't been working out. I know I know.. I could be alot further on in my process but I was so consumed with other things I wasn't making time to workout like I should...and the muscle weight gain I experienced was a turn off but now I'm back at it. Doing what's necessary to burn the rest of this weight off and sculpt the beautiful body I know is underneath. I've always had a nice shape, just a big shape..an hourglass but the big ben of hourglasses....if that makes sense lol. So I'm SUPER anxious and motivated to get to the final result. In the meantime these sensations are just SO weird to me.. and when you think about it, it shows you just how amazing the human body really is. The sensation I'm experience is my skin being able to breathe, being exposed to air after being covered by layers of fat or rolls previously. First it itches and can be painful as the skin is healing but then it just heals up into smooth, soft, supple skin. It's the most amazing thing. The down side is seeing stretchmarks where I didn't know I had them.. like the backs of calves. I've always had nice legs, big, powerful, muscular, as the little bit of fat that was on them goes, I can see the traces of stretchmarks, everyone says I'm crazy and they don't see anything, but I see it, has to be in the right light but it's there.. I see it! Then again I've had stretchmarks since I was 8 yrs old... They're all old and faded and blended in with my skin. Only if I tan too much do they really show or turn red. Ok I'm rambling but seriously this journey is just AMAZING to me... absolutely, positively AMAZING.

As a fellow bi-polar lap band patient, let me say that bi-polar depression is different than any other kind of depression. You cannot 'dig yourself out of it' or do any other non-medicinal types of activities that relieve it. The doctors are careful about giving anti-depressants because some can cause manic episodes, so we are limited in treatment options. Medications that work fine at one time can stop working completely, and they seem to stop working long before the drug companies come out with newer medications. It is a constant battle to find the right medications, at the right dosages, just to make you functional, forget about being happy. Losing weight is almost impossible, especially when so many of the medications cause weight gain. That, coupled with the fact that during the depression you feel like your feet are in cement and you just cannot move from fatigue and exhaustion. I have come to realize that losing weight, even with the band, will be more difficult, and slower that non bi-polar lap-banders. I've had mine almost a year and have only lost 20 pounds. But last year I gained 15, so I figure I am ahead 35. I have learned to be satisfied with slower weight loss, but I am not giving up, I'm in this for the long term. Cindy B.

Hello I am new at this site. I am scheduled for lapband surgery on 8/16/10. I am a little nervous when I read of the struggles of weight gain after being banded. I hope I can do this.

awwwww....you guys are so great!!! i'm all teary right now, not b/c of what Daddy said but b/c of what you all said. It is so nice to know that "strangers" can be so kind and loving!!! please know that i am very very very happy about my 18 pounds of weight loss!!! I LOVE IT!!!! i was just crushed to know that it wasnt even noticable..... maybe it was just a good 'reality check'??? anyway...i love the thought of not reporting my weight loss b/c i certainly did NOT report my weight gain!!! great idea!!! :tt2: THANK YOU!!!

Hey everyone! Sorry I haven't been around in forever. I've been struggling and put on about 17lbs. I am committed to getting back on track though. Weight gain and not being on to get your support go hand in hand. Cant' wait to see how everyone has been doing!

(yesterday) I told my dad that i lost 18 pounds (b/c he is VERY displeased w/my weight gain) His reply: "hmpf! from where?!" so that let me know that i'm so fat, the 18 pounds isnt even noticable! I know that i should ignore him and i know his comment was mean but he's still an important person in my life. he is a big reason that i want to loose weight. he really doesnt like me fat. i think i even embarrass him around his friends and our family.....:frown:

So I am going to have my Gallbladder removed on Thursday. In my research I keep finding that people who have had theirs removed, complain about weight gain in the following years. Are there any bander's out there who have had GB Surgery (after the band) and are you having a difficult time with weight loss now????? Anything I should know???? Thanks for your replies and advice.

Update on revision. Temporarily postponed. After discussion with PA and surgeon and what they were planning on doing, (and also surgeon was having to postpone due to death in the family), we've decided to refill and slowly bring it back up, assuming no problems. All he was going to do was either put in another stitch or undo the flap of stomach that the pull over the band to hold it in place...undo that and possibly change the location of the flap. They believe everything is still in tact. So PA put in 4ccs today and I will see how it goes and if all goes well, in a month I will go back and have them do an X-ray and if band looks llike it's where it should be, they will slowly over the next few months bring it back up to restriction level. But I have a strong feeling that I may have just been overfilled. and then with the throwing up, forced the band into a position it didn't need to be. I had the option to go with the other surgeon, but I think I want to try this first and use revision as my last option. But I am going to stick with only the PA doing the fills, so that at least there's consistency with who is doing them. I don't think the surgeon does as many and the PA says that he usually is able to pull more out than the surgeons. Because if I count all the ccs that were in there, I thought I should have only had 7 inserted...well somehow or another I ended up with 10cc, unless my body is mysteriously producing fill all on its own..:) Right now feeling okay. Staying on a soft food diet for a few days to get it a rest after getting the fill. Neither one lectured me on the 8 lb weight gain. I've read some users on here that just by removing the fill and letting everything rest and get back to it's proper location that it can fix the issue and PA even said they're had some patients that that has done the job. So we'll see. I'm just glad to have at least part of my buddy back :) I know it's probably all mental but just knowing that there's fill in there, my food grazing/craving cycle is non-existent right now. So onward I go...whoo-hoo :) trisha pennreporter:thumbup::confused::thumbup::thumbup:

I recently had my first nutrition class (pre-op) and the conversation was steered to artificial sweeteners. According to my nutritionist, all artifical sweeteners lead to weight gain except for one derivitive of Stevia which you can get at Whole Foods. At first this seemed perfectly do-able, however the more I think about it, the more outlandish that sounds. Does anyone have any experience with this or have any other advice?

Sliders! This applies equally to a sleeve as to a band, easy foods that liquefy when you chew them. With a band, there is no difference to the amount of Cookies I can consume now than I could before I was banded. I can still down a packet of Tim Tams (google that little Australian delicacy) in minutes and I can still eat an ENTIRE family block of chocolate. They just slip right on through. But if i eat the right foods, portions remain very small. Its choices, pure and simple. And along with those slider foods generally come a large dose of salt and sugar that make you bloated and put on weight very quickly. It is physically impossible to gain 2lb of FAT from eating a piece of pie though and if you get back with the program this weight will disappear. The trouble is too that to date, science has not come up with any sure fire way to lose weight other than calorie restriction. But it is very true that on a diet of 800 to 1000 calories a day you DO lose muscle and you DO slow your metabolism very significantly. There is no way you could continue to eat that way without the help of a sleeve or band, but the truth is, after a year or two or more of eating so low, there is no way you can go back to normal eating without massive weight regain. Its why we need these tools FOREVER. There's no learning better habits and that's enough, our bodies are damaged by the weight gain and weight loss process in ways that mean we have to be small and careful eaters forever.

Hi everyone. Melissa, your job sounds like the last one I had in LA --I used to have to work at least 20 hours overtime the week before vacation and an extra 20 the week I returned -- in many ways it's a compliment that your boss wants only you to do the work - but believe me when you leave that job she'll adjust -- she'll have to do some of it or get HR to find other people to help her new assistant -- so you need to go to her and say, "I can't do this any longer -- it's affecting my HEALTH (which is NOT a lie -- weight gain is a big part of your health) and my FAMILY life -- and I can't work this much overtime so WE have to find a solution. If you make it "we" instead of "you" she should be more receptive. You should also suggest that the two of you work it out with someone from HR attending the meeting. If you're afrraid to do this, then please go to someone in HR and tell them you need a solution to the problem. You are a valuable employee that they won't want to lose. You really have nothing to lose at this point - if this will fix the problem then you're all set -- no more problem - if it doesn't fix it then you're in no worse shape than before and you can still be looking for a different job. If you keep going this way you'll end up just walking out one day and with this economy the way it is that would definitely be very harmful to your family. You owe it to yourself and your family to get this fixed. I wish I could come and do it for you -- would be your spokesperson if I could -- just take a deep breath. You've worked too hard to let this problem ruin your health again. Anny -- I used to put fruit in my shakes when I was on full liquids -- like strawberries or bananas and a little yogurt made it creamier -- ask your doctor first though. I'm sure that's allowable. You can also use flavorings which works well too. You're doing great -- but stay off the scale -- at least for the first few weeks -- the first six weeks after surgery is not about weight loss - it's about healing -- the last thing you need to do is stress yourself out about "only losing this amount of weight" this week -- take a break from the scale and then when you weigh in at your surgeons for your 6 week check up it can be a big surprise -- that's what I did - I stayed off the scales until then -- and I wasn't disappointed. Okay everyone, I'm home from the gym, took my shower and ate a bite - now it's time to watch a movie with DH. Love being off today!! Yippee!! CBL Linda

My Dr's. instructions say if you're having hunger or experiencing weight gain to call his office. It may be time for a fill (early).

I am exactly 4 weeks post op i lost 20 lbs and in one week gained 6 lbs. I am trying to stick to the diet but having a hard time. During the day I am not hungry at all but as soon as I set foot in the house I'm starving. Weekends are the worst since I don't have an active social life Im in the the house thinking of food constantly. has anyone else experience this. My first fill is not until the end of July I am truly disappointed in myself and embarrassed that I have fallen off already. I am willing to listen to all suggestions. Please give me some guidance.

Jillian You might want to check out this thread that Tiffykins posted. Its got lots of information on post op guidelines on what to eat - foods which will be 'winners' for you. Did you not get a nutritionist when you had your surgery with any guidelines from them? Basically if you stay within the guidelines of the good foods and stay away from 'bad' ones then you should easily be able to avoid weight gains. I can't recall when you had your surgery - but if you're sticking to your guidelines from your nutritionist then you shouldn't really be gaining, unless you are having bod foods all the time. The sleeve is a tool.... but not something to help you eat bad food choices and still lose weight.... to get to your goal you'll need to exercise and eat a healthy diet, and confront any issues you have with food. Perhaps your therapy you said you had started can help with this. Good luck

hi i am going into my 8th year with the band, i will be having it removed 7/12 due to erosion, then 3 months post protonix i will have another endo to see if i can have the sleeve (well they will deny me on investigational and depending on how long to get it appealed) i started having problems last year, lots of them. i have gained 65 lbs in 1 yr 3 months i had lost 166 lbs. so now i wait, i have significant long term complications and my esophagus is jsut too damaged to do surgery all at once, as mortality rates increase with all my post band complications i have....it is a scary thing to gain weight. do some reseach about rebanding, i was also rebanded and hiatal hernia repaired in 4/26/10 keep in mind my band has not been functioning in over a year, it feels good not being sick everyday all day, but the weight gain is tough, but i have to thinka bout my health-if you want the sleeve then get the sleeve don't do what your surgeon wants you to do..contact me private message if you would like.....

Unless you continue to graze or eat things like pizza, chips, foods with high sugar and fat content, ie. ice-cream, cookies, cakes, chips etc...I don't think you will have a problem and you will continue to lose. Just follow the fundamental concept of protein first then vegetables, then fruits and other stuff and you really won't have trouble with the foods that can cause weight gain...there just won't be enough room for it! You don't have to deprive yourself either. A treat now and again will not sabotage your food plan as your need to maintain health will be a priority so things should balance out. Hope that helps.

well i think this is normal, i have thought over the years, gosh darn it why can't i just eat less , well i can but not forever, that is the problem for me it is not weight loss it is keeping it off, and i think that is where the struggle lies. i tell myself do i really need to have yet another surgery (lapband) oh gosh, my little ones, but the weight gain over this last year with the band complications is tough, i still think i can do it without anything, but i know i can't, does that make me weak? well if morbid obesity is a disease logic says we need to treat the disease and if NIH and so many others say that surgery is the only lasting effect then that is my thinking, but is it logical? not sure, it is still a difficult thing for me, but right now i have a mess to deal with, so it is fresh, and continues to linger in my mind (band complications, emptied, surgery 4/26 new band, hernia repair, new band never filled, erosion now, waiting for removal surgery 7/12 then wait 3-6 months for esophagus to heal, erosion is probably the easiest thing to heal as i have significant damage as i am in my 8th lapband year) so for me it i think about it, but i have made peace with the fact that this is a disease state like anything else, to not do anything is iresponsible for me and the kids, i am trying to do what is best for me, even if my family (siblings) don't and never have supported me on this "surgery that is not necessary" as "i can just eat less"-----ok ranting.... Mila

Journaling is no fun but it helps in figuring out what may be causing weight gain or a plateau. To be honest, I only did it for 7 months. I stopped only after I was confident in my ability to measure the size and quantity of food by eye. Give it a shot and if it proves to be too tedious then try something else. I used the Bodybugg site but a popular free site is Calorie Counter, Diet Tracking, Food Journal, Nutrition Facts at The Daily Plate

So I was having some problems with my lapband. One day I can eat anything and the next day I can?t eat at all. I went yesterday and had an Endoscopy done. Much to my amazement, I have an eroded band and a small pouch dilation. I was already contemplating taking the band out and putting the sleeve in due to decreased weight loss. I got my band in June, 2007 and have lost about 60 pounds with it. My doctor does not want to remove the band and do the gastric sleeve at the same time. He wants to remove the band and wait 6-8 weeks for me to heal. Of course I want to do what is safe, but I worry about weight gain. I have come so far with this and don?t want to be back at square one when the gastric sleeve is done. Can anybody relate to this? Any suggestions?

So I was having some problems with my lapband. One day I can eat anything and the next day I can?t eat at all. I went yesterday and had an Endoscopy done. Much to my amazement, I have an eroded band and a small pouch dilation. I was already contemplating taking the band out and putting the sleeve in due to decreased weight loss. I got my band in June, 2007 and have lost about 60 pounds with it. My doctor does not want to remove the band and do the gastric sleeve at the same time. He wants to remove the band and wait 6-8 weeks for me to heal. Of course I want to do what is safe, but I worry about weight gain. I have come so far with this and don?t want to be back at square one when the gastric sleeve is done. Can anybody relate to this? Any suggestions?

I was low BMI when I started and my insurance company denied me the first time through. Don't be surprised if you get denied as I think many insurance companies automatically deny anyone who isn't Iron clad with the requirements. Be prepared to appeal and if you don't get through on the first try, you likely will on the appeal. Save the weight gain as a last resort, but it would probably work too. I have offered my appeal letters up many times on this site and have shared them with many people with 100% success. If you end up needing an appeal, I'd be happy to send you what I have for a sample. Good luck to you and let us know how it turns out!

I have fibromayalgia, thyroid disease, adrenal gland disfunction, and chronic fatigue syndrome. These all led up to my weight gain. I wish they would go away with the surgery but I don't think they are really related. My whole life I have been honest about my health issues so people understand why I can't go somewhere or why I don't drink or smoke etc. Boy did I get sick of people questioning my sanity and asking if I was a hypochondriac and if a doctor really diagnosed me or not. I have the best doctor who gave me my life back after 2 years in bed. I refuse to let my business be the world's business and I teach my daughter to keep her personal buisness to herself. I am glad you do too! Sorry about the rambling. I happened to have a hernia too so I went with that. I didn't mention the robotic surgery because I don't think they use that for hernias. Also, I went to my first party at a bar and asked the bartender for half cranberry juice half Water and I put a lime on the glass. The bartender didn't even ask why. It looked just like a cranberry vodka! Also, everytime I see someone who could benefit from the VS I feel like giving them a brochure. But don't want to offend anyone.

Here's my typical reply when people ask me about band vs. vsg Also, just because the band can be removed, you have no idea what or how severely it may damage your stomach or esophagus before you are able to get it removed. I've been there, and done that. My band only lasted 8 months, and I lost additional stomach tissue during my revision because of the scar tissue from the band. I've had the band, and over a 2 year period the band is more expensive than the sleeve due to follow up appointments, fills/unfills, and the other issues with the band. With the reoperation rate of the band, it's actually way more expensive than the sleeve. Some surgeons prefer the band because it's the real money maker of the bariatric surgeries. I've had both the band and the sleeve, and my personal opinion is that the sleeve is superior over the band for several reasons. The band has the lowest and slowest loss stats, highest rate of long term complications even outdoing RNY with the exception of Vitamin deficiencies. The food restrictions alone with the band are horrific. I couldn't eat meat, any type of breads, lettuce, raw veggies, and most fruits caused major issues. The less ghrelin thing is true. Just because you fill up your little pouch with the band doesn't mean you are satisfied. That hunger is still there, and once the food slips through, you'll be hungry again, and really aren't supposed to eat because you're on a forced diet. This is a post I share often when people ask about VSG vs. Band, or VSG vs. RNY, or VSG for a revision from band vs. band to band revision. At the very bottom, you'll find some research links that I enjoyed reading for research purposes. Hope this helps. This is directly from the band manufacturer so there is no skewing facts or stats here. This is their own study. Quote: Weight Loss Surgery Risk Information | LAP-BAND? Patients can experience complications after surgery. Most complications are not serious but some may require hospitalization and/or re-operation. In the United States clinical study, with 3-year follow-up reported, 88% of the 299 patients had one or more adverse events, ranging from mild, moderate, to severe. Nausea and vomiting (51%), gastroesophageal reflux (regurgitation) (34%), band slippage/pouch dilatation (24%) and stoma obstruction (stomach-band outlet blockage) (14%) were the most common post-operative complications. In the study, 25% of the patients had their band systems removed, two-thirds of which were following adverse events. Esophageal dilatation or dysmotility (poor esophageal function) occurred in 11% of patients, the long-term effects of which are currently unknown. Constipation, diarrhea and dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) occurred in 9% of the patients. In 9% of the patients, a second surgery was needed to fix a problem with the band or initial surgery. In 9% of the patients, there was an additional procedure to fix a leaking or twisted access port. The access port design has been improved. Four out of 299 patients (1.3%) had their bands erode into their stomachs. These bands needed to be removed in a second operation. Surgical techniques have evolved to reduce slippage. Surgeons with more laparoscopic experience and more experience with these procedures report fewer complications. Adverse events that were considered to be non-serious, and which occurred in less than 1% of the patients, included: esophagitis (inflammation of the esophagus), gastritis (inflammation of the stomach), hiatal hernia (some stomach above the diaphragm), pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), abdominal pain, hernia, incisional hernia, infection, redundant skin, dehydration, diarrhea (frequent semi-solid bowel movements), abnormal stools, constipation, flatulence (gas), dyspepsia (upset stomach), eructation (belching), cardiospasm (an obstruction of passage of food through the bottom of the esophagus), hematemsis (vomiting of blood), asthenia (fatigue), fever, chest pain, incision pain, contact dermatitis (rash), abnormal healing, edema (swelling), paresthesia (abnormal sensation of burning, prickly, or tingling), dysmenorrhea (difficult periods), hypochromic anemia (low oxygen carrying part of blood), band system leak, cholecystitis (gall stones), esophageal ulcer (sore), port displacement, port site pain, spleen injury, and wound infection. Be sure to ask your surgeon about these possible complications and any of these medical terms that you dont understand. Back to Top What are the specific risks and possible complications? Talk to your doctor about all of the following risks and complications: Ulceration Gastritis (irritated stomach tissue) Gastroesophageal reflux (regurgitation) Heartburn Gas bloat Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) Dehydration Constipation Weight regain Death Laparoscopic surgery has its own set of possible problems. They include: Spleen or liver damage (sometimes requiring spleen removal) Damage to major blood vessels Lung problems Thrombosis (blood clots) Rupture of the wound Perforation of the stomach or esophagus during surgery Laparoscopic surgery is not always possible. The surgeon may need to switch to an "open" method due to some of the reasons mentioned here. This happened in about 5% of the cases in the U.S. Clinical Study. There are also problems that can occur that are directly related to the LAP-BAND? System: The band can spontaneously deflate because of leakage. That leakage can come from the band, the reservoir, or the tubing that connects them. The band can slip There can be stomach slippage The stomach pouch can enlarge The stoma (stomach outlet) can be blocked The band can erode into the stomach Obstruction of the stomach can be caused by: Food Swelling Improper placement of the band The band being over-inflated Band or stomach slippage Stomach pouch twisting Stomach pouch enlargement There have been some reports that the esophagus has stretched or dilated in some patients. This could be caused by: Improper placement of the band The band being tightened too much Stoma obstruction Binge eating Excessive vomiting Patients with a weaker esophagus may be more likely to have this problem. A weaker esophagus is one that is not good at pushing food through to your stomach. Tell your surgeon if you have difficulty swallowing. Then your surgeon can evaluate this. Weight loss with the LAP-BAND? System is typically slower and more gradual than with some other weight loss surgeries. Tightening the band too fast or too much to try to speed up weight loss should be avoided. The stomach pouch and/or esophagus can become enlarged as a result. You need to learn how to use your band as a tool that can help you reduce the amount you eat. Infection is possible. Also, the band can erode into the stomach. This can happen right after surgery or years later, although this rarely happens. Complications can cause reduced weight loss. They can also cause weight gain. Other complications can result that require more surgery to remove, reposition, or replace the band. Some patients have more nausea and vomiting than others. You should see your physician at once if vomiting persists. Rapid weight loss may lead to symptoms of: Malnutrition Anemia Related complications It is possible you may not lose much weight or any weight at all. You could also have complications related to obesity. If any complications occur, you may need to stay in the hospital longer. You may also need to return to the hospital later. A number of less serious complications can also occur. These may have little effect on how long it takes you to recover from surgery. If you have existing problems, such as diabetes, a large hiatal hernia (part of the stomach in the chest cavity), Barretts esophagus (severe, chronic inflammation of the lower esophagus), or emotional or psychological problems, you may have more complications. Your surgeon will consider how bad your symptoms are, and if you are a good candidate for the LAP-BAND? System surgery. You also have more risk of complications if you've had a surgery before in the same area. If the procedure is not done laparoscopically by an experienced surgeon, you may have more risk of complications. Anti-inflammatory drugs that may irritate the stomach, such as aspirin and NSAIDs, should be used with caution. Some people need folate and vitamin B12 supplements to maintain normal homocycteine levels. Elevated homocycteine levels can increase risks to your heart and the risk of spinal birth defects. You can develop gallstones after a rapid weight loss. This can make it necessary to remove your gallbladder. There have been no reports of autoimmune disease with the use of the LAP-BAND? System. Autoimmune diseases and connective tissue disorders, though, have been reported after long-term implantation of other silicone devices. These problems can include systemic lupus erythematosus and scleroderma. At this time, there is no conclusive clinical evidence that supports a relationship between connective-tissue disorders and silicone implants. Long-term studies to further evaluate this possibility are still being done. You should know, though, that if autoimmune symptoms develop after the band is in place, you may need treatment. The band may also need to be removed. Talk with your surgeon about this possibility. Also, if you have symptoms of autoimmune disease now, the LAP-BAND? System may not be right for you. Back to Top Removing the LAP-BAND? System If the LAP-BAND? System has been placed laparoscopically, it may be possible to remove it the same way. This is an advantage of the LAP-BAND? System. However, an "open" procedure may be necessary to remove a band. In the U.S. Clinical Study, 60% of the bands that were removed were done laparoscopically. Surgeons report that after the band is removed, the stomach returns to essentially a normal state. At this time, there are no known reasons to suggest that the band should be replaced or removed at some point unless a complication occurs or you do not lose weight. It is difficult, though, to say whether the band will stay in place for the rest of your life. It may need to be removed or replaced at some point. Removing the device requires a surgical procedure. That procedure will have all the related risks and possible complications that come with surgery. The risk of some complications, such as erosions and infection, increase with any added procedure. LapSf Study that I swiped from MacMadame's profile LapSF Educational presentation to FACS - includes some 2 year results LapSF Two Year Study LapSF Five Year Study - abstract only LapSF Five Year Study - presentation (requires Windows to play) Literature review on the sleeve - requires $$ to get the full text unfortunately Sleeve best for over 50 crowd Video of a sleeve with lots of education discussion Video of a sleeve that is more about the operation Ghrelin levels after RnY and sleeve Ghrelin levels after band and sleeve Diabetes resolution in RnY vs. Sleeve Comparison of band to sleeve - literature review LapBandTalk Click to visit the largest Lap-Band community online! __________________

Anyone else rededicating? I'm ready to get started again on my weight loss. Here is my latest blog post. The link is in my signature if you're interested in seeing the whole blog. Melissa Well, I'm back. I'm ready to get this weight off and get back to my pre-baby size. So here we go! As of right now I have no fill in my band. The nearest fill-doctor is over four hours away, so as of right now, I'm going to see what I can do on my own without having it filled. If I get stuck and can't lose any more, then I will look into getting fluid put back in my band. Honestly, I don't miss the restrictions of the band as far as having to eat slowly and some foods that I can't tolerate. If I can do this without having to get that restriction, I think I will enjoy the eating aspect of my life much more. So as I posted before, I gained way more weight with this pregnancy than I had ever intended to. It ended up being about 75 lbs. So, right now, in order to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight, I have 50 pounds left to lose. Yay for already being 25 pounds down from my baby's birth three weeks ago! I have tried to exercise a couple of times since baby was born, but both times I ended up in pain and really worn out. I think I was jumping the gun just a bit. I went for a walk around the neighborhood. I didn't make it more than about half a mile either time. My abdominal muscles were very weak and sore throughout. I will try again soon and see if I'm ready yet. My biggest problems that have caused my weight gain are not exercising and eating too many sweets. So this week, I started back on not eating sweets. I will allow myself one occasion of sweet-eating per week. (Like a party, or movie, etc.) I'm on day three of no desserts and down four pounds so far. Not bad results. It really shows me that sweets make a huge difference in my weight. So I will be posting much more regularly to keep myself accountable and update you on my progress. Stay tuned!

I've been on Wellbutrin for awhile and actually lost weight at first, then I just stayed about the same. When my Dr. suggests a med change, she always tells me about the side-effects of the drugs she is considering. If there is any indication of weight gain, she tells me and we have decided to avoid those drugs, if at all possible. There are so many choices in drugs now, maybe your Dr. can find another one that will as well, but not cause weight gain.