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Glad to find these posts - thanks for the information. I was having problems with keeping food down a few weeks ago and my doctor did a complete unfill and wants me to have an upper GI (being scheduled) to make sure I didn't have a slip. I am now feeling better but have gained 7 lbs. I do not feel any pain now - does that mean my band did not slip? My surgeon never mentioned a liquid diet though. I will try that just in case - plus it may help with the weight gain. Good luck.

Sounds like everyone is still plugging away at it, although I know it's not easy. I hit a plateau a few months back, I was alright with it since my husband and I were trying to conceive. Well I probably won't be on here for a while because I am finally pregnant. We've tried for 6 years and the surgery was a plus for helping with pregnancy. I am pregnant with twins so I probably won't be on here until January after they are delivered. I will surely need some motivation after a pregnancy weight gain. I have noticed that I am very conscious of what I eat, so hopefully I don't go overboard on my eating. :thumbup: Thanks for everyone's support through the first 9 months of "band life"!!

Help Center -Department of Managed Care This I my appeal letter to ask that you reconsider and approve the Sleeve Gastrectomy Weight Loss Surgery that was denied by Anthem Blue Cross because they consider the procedure investigational. I believe this surgery is exactly the tool I need to improve my health and the quality of the rest of my life. I have been told by several of Anthem Blue Cross customer service representatives that 43775 is a covered procedure and that as long as my HMO approved they would pay for the surgery. This is not what I am being told now. I have been getting the runaround on this for two months. I received a letter from my HMO dated 2/6/10(copy enclosed) stating this is not a denial of service but Anthem considers this procedure experimental and has to go to the Utilization Dept for a decision. The number to call this department was on the letter. I called this Dept. a minimum of 5 times and was told they don’t know what I am talking about, this dept. doesn’t handle HMO. So I call my HMO and they say “oh you have to appeal” so I send my appeal letter to Anthem on 2/16 and wait the 30 days for a decision. On the 28th day they inform me that I cannot appeal because I haven’t been denied, oh and the people in the Utilization Dept. don’t know that their department handles this?? So they send it back to the Utilization Dept and now I have officially been denied. This part of this process has taken two months, very frustrating. I. PATIENT BACKGROUND My name is Jeani Xxxxxxx and I am insured under group plan xxxxxxxxxx. My member ID # xxxxxxxxxxxxx. I am now 59 years old. I am 5/5 tall and at this time I weigh 233 lbs. I am seeking approval for weight loss surgery. I have been overweight to one degree or another since I was a young child and was advised by my pediatrician to diet at age 10. I have made numerous efforts at weight loss throughout my teenage years and adult life. I dieted frequently as a teenager and young adult. Numerous times I have lost 40-80 pounds or more but eventually the weight returns. Weight loss programs I tried include juice fasts, traditional calorie counting on quite a few occasions, Weight Watchers, Slim Fast, Nurti-system, the Atkins diet, Cabbage soup, Mayo Clinic diet, the Zone, gym membership, lap swimming, weight training, water aerobics, walking programs, various buddy-system diets and individual, self hypnosis, ”Think yourself Thin” “ Think yourself Thin Automatically, tape you listen to in the car” Dexatrim, Metabalite, Hoodia, Green Tea Extract, and numerous other fad diets. In all cases I lost weight but each time the weight crept back, usually with a little more. Eventually I realized that traditional dieting seemed to actually cause weight gain due to increased hunger that seems to occur after significant weight loss. I believe science is only now beginning to understand the reasons for this phenomenon which is consistently reported by clinically obese people. Studies also show that genetics plays a larger role than once thought and there are morbidly obese people in my family as well as slim people. My co-morbidities include high blood pressure, high triglycerides, low good cholesterol, have had abnormal EKGs, borderline diabetes, and osteoarthritis in my hip, which my doctor said weight loss would help significantly. I have also had sever back pain most of my life. I take hydrochlorothiazide and verapamil for high blood pressure which is effective. I take medicine, Niacin for high triglycerides. I have a family history of cancer as well as strokes, heart disease and severe arthritis. I take nabumetone almost daily and ibuprofen to help with severe leg pain related to arthritis in my hip. I have taken ibuprofin for back pain that i have had most of my life even when I was not overweight. I believe I will need NSAIDS even after WLS which is why I need the sleeve as this is the only WLS that you can still take anti-inflammatory medications. I buy over the counter ibuprofen as I can get 500-200mg pills for $10.00 which last over 6 months, whereas when getting prescription I only get 30 -800 milligrams for a co-payment of $10 which only last a month. My excess weight and other health issues makes everyday activities difficult including housework, shopping, standing, walking significant distances, working and recreation. It effectively makes my world smaller limiting the number of things I can do each day. I have lived with obesity for years and strongly wish to change this aspect of my life. I fear the consequences of my high triglycerides especially considering the family history i have of heart disease. Many members of my family died of heart attack and stroke. I was stunned to learn that my weight is in the obese category but heartened to learn of this newer treatment with fewer side effects and shorter recovery. I am highly motivated to succeed with VSG and understand that food intake will be significantly limited for the rest of my life and that I must continue to exercise to be successful. Before I found out about the arthritis, which is the result of a subtle fracture at some point in my life that affected the curvature and angle of my right hip bone (this was found by an MRI that was done after pain medication didn’t help and physical therapy made the pain worst), I used to walk a minimum of 30-60 minutes a day at least 5 days a week. Since this pain in my leg as a result of the hip arthritis I no longer can do that and I am afraid that the weight will just continue to creep up on me. My particular problem is in volume eating. I eat good food, lots of chicken and turkey, lots of fruits and vegetables, the thing is I am always hungry and I eat until I am full. Having a smaller stomach and feeling full sooner seems like exactly the kind of help I need. I had given up on traditional dieting as it always resulted in failure and am pleased to have found the VSG surgical option which appears to be the only tool offering a realistic possibility of lifelong weight control for me. I believe VSG is the best surgery for me because it offers restriction like the lap-band and the RNY but without the malabsorption of the RNY. The RNY is not an option because I very much need regular doses of nabumetone and ibuprofen for the leg pain related to my hip pain and even once I lose the weight believe I will still need ibuprofen for my back pain which I have suffered with most of my adult life. Tylenol is not effective for me. I am allergic to codeine, vicodin, any pain medication of that type I cannot take. Narcotic pain relievers make my head seem fuzzy but do not help with pain. I have the same concern about the lap band. I also understand that as many as 27 percent of lap band patients require band removal and weight loss is often unsatisfactory (I think the number is even higher now). Most importantly, the VSG removal of a large portion of the stomach removes many of the cells that produce the hormone ghrelin which is known to cause hunger and appetite. The RNY and lap band don’t have this advantage. At age 59 I am concerned about the side effects of the RNY and do not want to spend 6 or more months with dumping syndrome and feeling rotten. I also worry about the ability to take and absorb other medications I might need in the future as I age. The VSG appears to offer the fastest recovery, weight loss similar to the RNY and the least amount of side effects. One recent publication, “The Best Bariatric Operation for Older Patients “ by Drs Lee, Cirangle, Taller, Feng and Jossart, 2005, concludes that “These data suggest that the best bariatric operation for older patients may be the laparoscopic VG because it achieves the greatest weight loss with the shortest operative time and the fewest complications”. I have investigated this procedure very thoroughly including attending support groups and talking with others who have had it. I have completed most of the preoperative testing and strongly believe this is the best procedure for my circumstances II. THE VSG SHOULD NO LONGER BE CONSIDERED INVESTIGATIONAL The only stated reason for denying approval for the VSG is that it is investigational and …” current available medical studies do not show that this service improves health outcomes, is as good as or better than standard alternatives, or shows improvement outside the research setting”. It is respectfully submitted that this conclusion is incorrect. The conclusion ignores the 36 studies now available on the effectiveness of VSG which indicate that excess weight loss is similar to the RNY and that complications from surgery are actually lower than RNY. It also ignores the fact that the VSG is now widely performed and is routine for many bariatric surgeons and has long been performed outside the research setting. Anthem’s policy on Surgery for Clinically Severe Obesity is set forth in a document with an effective date of April 22, 2009. This document reviews the various forms of bariatric surgery and explains when weight loss surgery is considered medically necessary. VSG is excluded from ever being medically necessary because it is designated as investigational and that “…there is insufficient convincing evidence in the peer reviewed medical literature, in terms of safety, to support the use of …sleeve gastrectomy…other than biliopancreatic bypass with duodenal switch, in individuals with clinically severe obesity.”. Nevertheless, the lap band and Realize band procedures are approved as medically necessary in this same document based upon what appears to be two three year studies involving 219 and 352 patients respectively. There is now a considerable body of data and studies supporting the safety and effectiveness of the VSG as a primary procedure for weight loss. The June 2009 Supplement to Bariatric Times reporting on the Second International Consensus Summit on Sleeve Gastrectomy (available at www.bariatrictimes.com) includes 10 papers pertaining to the safety and effectiveness of the VSG presented by leading bariatric surgeons. In Reducing Risk in Bariatric Surgery: Rational for Sleeve Gastrectomy, Dr. Eric J. DeMaria concludes that “A growing body of evidence suggests sleeve gastrectomy may be an appropriate primary bariatric surgical procedure primarily due to low risk and ease of surgical revision when required.” In the paper presented by Drs Jossart and Cirangle, four years of data showed a 68% excess weight loss by VSG patients, a figure not largely different than RNY patients of the same time range. Most significantly, in Debates and Consensus: a Summary by Dr. Michael Gagner, important questions concerning the VSG were debated and conclusions reached by the 400 conference participants. Question 6 was as follows: “Question 6: In your opinion, is there currently enough published data to support the sleeve gastrectomy as a primary procedure to treat morbid obesity on par with adjustable gastric banding and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass? Several groups presented cohorts of patients with follow-up periods of 4 to 8 years the day before. Jossart and colleagues in San Francisco presented eight years’ experience including 1,200 cases, whereas at more than four years, weight loss resulted in a similar curve to gastric bypass. At higher BMI (greater than 55kg/m2) a plateau of nearly 40kg/m2 demanded a second stage, but below a BMI of 55, the operation was terrific. Schauer and colleagues assessed the literature from 35 reports, studied more than 3,000 published sleeve gastrectomy cases, and found an extremely low mortality rate (near 0.12%). Results have shown excellent weight loss and co morbidity reduction that is comparable to or exceeds other bariatric operations and that the sleeve gastrectomy is safe and efficacious. Himpens of Belgium analyzed his patients from 2001 through 2002(sic) to attain six-year follow-up. Sixty-five percent of 46 patients were considered a “success” (%EWL greater than 50 ) at two years. At six years the success rate was maintained at 59 percent. Weiner from Frankfurt and MacMahon of Leeds, who started in 2000, also had similar results. *** Certainly, the audience thought there was enough evidence published to support the sleeve gastrectomy as a primary procedure to treat morbid obesity on par with adjustable gastric banding and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass with a yes vote of 77 percent. This is perhaps the strongest contribution to this second consensus conference.” A review article entitled “Systematic Review of Sleeve Gastrectomy as Staging and Primary Bariatric Procedure” was recently posted on the web site of the American Society of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgeons dated May 26, 2009. The authors are Drs Brethaur and Schaur and Jeffrey Hammel M.S. of the Bariatric and Metabolic Institute of the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio. Thirty-six studies involving 2570 patients who had the VSG procedure were analyzed. Their conclusion was: “From the current evidence, including 36 studies and 2570 patients, LSG is an effective weight loss procedure that can be performed safely as a first stage or primary procedure. From this large volume of case series data, a matched cohort analysis and 2 randomized trials, LSG results in excellent weight loss and co-morbidity reductions that exceeds , or is comparable to, that of other accepted bariatric procedures. The postoperative major complication rates and mortality rates have been acceptably low. Long-term data are limited but the 3- and 5- year follow up data have demonstrated the durability of the SG procedure. “ To date ten thousand patients have had the VSG surgery with good success. Many are going to Mexico or other foreign countries because their insurers refuse to pay for the VSG even though it is less expensive than the RNY procedure, the so called “gold standard” of weight loss surgery which takes several hours and requires a hospital stay of 3 or 4 days. The VSG can be completed in one hour by a skilled surgeon and most patients stay only one night in the hospital. While there is certainly follow up care, the repeated fill and unfill procedures required by gastric banding are unneeded for the VSG. Nutritional supplements are much less of a problem than with the RNY. Many insurance companies are recognizing the value and cost effectiveness of the VSG and have approved the VSG for at least some patients, including BSBC Federal, Tri-west Tri-care Prime, United Healthcare, the Veterans Administration, Aetna, Blue Care Network HMO, Healthnet, Anthem BC of Connecticut, Definity Health/United Healthcare, PPO, Empire Blue Cross Anthem, and UHC. The VSG sleeve gastrectomy is now routinely offered by Kaiser Permanente to all patients that qualify for Weight Loss Surgery and would not do so if this surgery was not proven to work. I don’t think it is fair that if you have five people, one with Kaiser, one with United, one with Aetna, one with Cigna and me with Anthem Blue Cross of California, the other four will be offered the sleeve and I will not. The California Department of Insurance has recognized that VSG is widely accepted by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery as a standard procedure at medical centers for excellence. In Decision #EI09-9645 the physician reviewers reversed the health plan’s denial of the patient’s VSG request and concluded that VSG was the most appropriate option for the patient. The same conclusion was also reached in EI06-5882 though the patient had significantly more co-morbidities. That decision noted the important fact that the VSG is nothing more than the first part of the duodenal switch operation which includes the second step of intestinal modification and as such, the VSG portion has been performed for many years as part of the DS procedure. Some patients have the VSG first as part of a two stage procedure and find that they do not need the second stage. Thus, the VSG is not as new and investigational as Anthem’s conclusions seem to imply. Anthem does cover the DS procedure which includes the VSG as one part. According to an article published in the Detroit Free Press on August 17, 2009, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, in conjunction with the University of Michigan, has been compiling a large detailed data base on bariatric surgery in order to improve surgical outcomes and provide cost savings. In three years of data collection, it appears that the VSG now accounts for as much as 12% of all bariatric procedures. This percentage indicates that the procedure is far beyond investigational status. This data base indicates that 10,000 VSG procedures are known to have been performed. My Anthem group policy excludes investigational procedures and defines that term as procedures: “ 1) that have progressed to limited use on humans, but which are not generally accepted as proven and effective procedures within the organized medical community; or 2) that do not have final approval from the appropriate governmental regulatory body; or 3) that are not supported by scientific evidence which permits conclusions concerning the effect of the service, drug or device on health outcomes; or 4) that do not improve the health outcome of the patient treated; or 5) that are not as beneficial as any established alternative; or 6) whose results outside the investigational setting cannot be demonstrated or duplicated; or 7) that are not generally approved or used by Physicians in the medical community. It appears that the VSG, based upon the articles cited above, has been performed on thousands of patients, has been accepted by a consensus of participating members of an international conference devoted to this subject, is widely accepted by the ASMBS, does not require FDA or similar government approval, is in fact supported by at least 36 studies analyzed by highly respected physicians, is as effective as the RNY and more effective than gastric banding in terms of percentage of excess weight loss, has fewer complications than the RNY, has as good or better reduction of co morbidities as other procedures, and has results that are similar in studies by both United States and foreign physicians. The VSG therefore no longer falls within the definition of investigational procedures excluded from coverage. The conclusions stated in the previously cited Anthem Policy on Surgery for Clinically Severe Obesity are simply no longer correct and that policy should be updated to include VSG coverage or disregarded. With the VSG patients lose about 68% of excess weight and lower BMI patients like me often do much better. Weight loss will most certainly help my back and hip pain and improve ability to exercise. High triglycerides, high blood pressure, and borderline diabetes are corrected in about 76 percent of WLS cases and I am hoping for this result. It is therefore highly likely that my health will be improved by this procedure and I respectfully ask for your reversal of this denial. I am a mother and soon to be a Grandmother and I want to improve the quality of my life so that I will be healthier and able to help raise my grandchildren and be able to take an active role in their life.Thank you for your review of this matter. I greatly appreciate the fact that the state of California has a procedure to help insured patients who find themselves in disagreement with their insurance companies. I strongly believe this decision will greatly affect the quality of the rest of my life. Thank you for your time. I eagerly await your decision regarding this. I can be reached as indicated below if further information is needed. Enclosed is a copy of my denial letter from Anthem Blue Cross My HMO is Healthcare Partners Primary Care Provider is xxxxxxxxxxxxx Gastric Surgeon xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sports Medicine xxxxxxxxxxxx who ordered MRI and diagnosed arthritis Cardiologist xxxxxxxxxxxxx did my last EKG and stress test All these doctors agree Weight Loss Surgery is a good option for me. Respectfully yours, Jeani Anderson xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (xxx) xxx-xxxx Work info: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx CA 91101 (xxx)xxx-xxxx ext. 244

I am new to the banding, I was banded on yesterday. I was very nervous and afraid. I am still in the same state of mind. I am sore and filled with gas. I started my weight gain around the time of having y child and from that moment my weight has been crazy. People still ask me am I pregnant or when is the baby due. My son is 3 and will make 4 in September, so you know thats depressing. My weight was 188 prior to surgery and I have a goal of getting to 135 - 140. My clothes don't fit properly and I hate shopping. I don't find bras that look right on me either. I made the decision to change and my change has started.

Linda...loved your A.I. explanation. LOL I was saying a couple of weeks ago that I think I expected to lose my weight, look in the mirror and see the same 38 yr old face I had prior to weight gain. Heck, sometimes I startle myself (honestly I do) when I look in the mirror and I have aged. That's just not supposed to happen!

1+ months out, port sticks out the most while I am standing, I dont even notice untill I push on it, or bump it, I kind of look at it as part of the deal I signed up for. I will take a tender spot over the weight gain!

Cheri...that composite photo is exactly what the end result will be. All impressions have been done and bridge and 20 crowns are just sitting there waiting to be installed. Arlene...congrats on the weightloss and getting to the "real" food stage. I just have to put my 2 cents worth in...I cringed when I read bagel. Gotta have some carbs but I would eliminate that one. Maybe it's because I was one to eat a large bagel each morning dripping in peanut butter or cream cheese/jam. I KNOW it contributed to my weight gain. But, you are sticking to you caloric intake and admire you for that. Joyce...a BIG congrats on reaching Onderland. Feels great, doesn't it?:thumbup:

Wow...79lbs lost...thats awesome! I looked into Optifast but it is way too expensive for me. I was shocked that Kaiser actually pushed surgery before they cover that program. I know several people who have done it and it sure worked for them. I was tossing and turning last night...I could not stop thinking about surgery. I started to wonder if maybe I should do another surgery. But I just can't do that...I am scared that if there are complications they won't hit until later in life and that scares me. My mind is made up about the lap-band but was even questioning if I should even do that. Is this normal? To go back and forth like this? I want to make a permanent change but kind worries me that they are phasing it out. What time is the meeting on Saturday? I maybe able to come. Would it be alright to bring my daughter? She is 2 1/2, well she will be 3 in August. Can't believe it! Myabe I will have surgery on her birthday..haha. A gift to me and one for her too of having a smaller more fun mommy that can keep up with her. The weight sure limits me in having as much fun as I want to with her. Actually it limits me in life in general, I used to be super outgoing and happy. Now I worry about seeing people I use to know cause I am ashamed of the weight gain. Hope you are all having a great morning. Supposed to start warming up a little this week.

Morning all............ MO: Be care and watch it. As long as your getting Water down and not PB'ing to much you should be ok. If you do PB know your stomach swells and you end up tighter than before. Vicious cycle. I usually go on liquids the rest of the day if I PB. For me the first day after a fill is fine but I get tighter each day after until about the third day when I start to stablize. YOU DON'T WANT TO BE TO TIGHT!! That is why I went back and got some out last time. I was to close to being to tight and I don't do to tight at all now!! Forget losing fast and loosening it up......doesn't happen that fast. Last time I PB'd like 4 times in one day and I went back and got some out..........My body is weird I have sorta accepted that I am gonna stay at 5cc's. LOL. If I eat protien I have awesome restriction right now. But sliders you wouldn't know I had a band!! LOL. So it is in my hands!! I am back to drinking 120 ounces of liquids but it takes me all day. Just remember that if you do feel to tight they take out way less if you back right away than if you wait and swell your stomach. Dr. Baggs only took out .25 or so last time. Just enough to give me some breathing room! Please be careful!! TAMRA: Yea I hear ya on the weight gain. I did that too but the thing is with me I rarely go up more than a couple pounds and than I stabilize. So your probably good. IF you stay on liquids to long you start to get dizzy anyway at least I do. I would love to see your new picture post as your avatar!! Next time you see Baggs you should give him a pack of gum and tell him your giving it up!! LOL. That time Liz got upset with that patient she made them clean out their purse and give her all their gum!! I was floored it was so uncomfortable to watch Dr. Baggs has a different approach he uses humor to make his point which works better for me!! I am stuck at 212!! I so want to be 199.........working really hard on that. My goal is August 31, 2010. I am doing the protiens and staying stable which is better than gaining. I am going between 212 and 214 something has to give soon. I usually lose 5 at a time quickly than stuck for awhile than another five. So I know my 5 has to be coming soon. PAM: I agree on stuff coming out with weight loss. I am working big time on anxiety now. I didn't realize I had it so bad until I ended up in ER and they said it was a panic attack(or possibly undiagnosed asthma made worse by panic).......now that I am really thinking about it I know I have to go back to counseling and I think the anxiety is keeping me from losing as fast as I want to.............I am so there with you on working on my head hunger and whats behind it. I NEVER want to go to ER again.............had enough of it the last year!!

I gained weight on mushies and was starving as well. Then I started eating meat and getting fills and I started losing 2 pounds a week. Don't worry it will get better. And on a side note, I never raise my ticker. I consider any weight gain as "bounce" those pounds are so new they will be easy to get rid of its those really old pounds that are 20 years old that are hard!

Hi. I haven't been here in close to 9 months and I don't think I've posted in even longer than that. It's great to see so many of you have had wonderful success with your band -- congratulations! :smile2: I'm with those of you now 2+ years after surgery still struggling. I kind of stopped checking in on this site when I felt like I just couldn't relate with the way my personal band experience was going. My band and I were constantly battling. My fill levels have continually gone down (from a high of 7.2cc's to a current 3.8cc's) because I have such wildly fluctuating reactions with the band. Seemingly randomly, my band just closes up. And I don't mean if I mess up bite sizes or not chewing well or menstrual cycles. It's beyond frustrating. When I was laid off from my job last fall after 15 years and my mother's health was deteriorating, I decided to just take a break from this band/weight loss rollercoaster and just focus on more important things. I can totally relate to the scary job market -- it took me 5 months of actively trying before I could even get an interview, much less a job. And in the meantime, my mom passed away, and to be honest, I was glad to be jobless during that period. I've found a new job, albeit with a 70% salary cut :eek:, but it beats unemployment and it's much more personally satisfying. I'm happy to report that my band, while not really giving me proper restriction, at least kept my weight gain to a mere 10 lbs. I can only imagine if it hadn't been there how much I would've put on with stress eating!! I'm working on getting off those extra lbs now (can't seem to find time for exercise with my new 2-hour commute) with better eating habits once again. You know, stop eating soft foods (something I always do), eat hard Proteins first, veggies next, minimize starches, etc. However, I still haven't found a way to break up my love triangle with Ben & Jerry. I still have 50% of my excess weight to lose and really do want to make progress. I'm not sure I remember the password to update my ticker, but first I need to get back to where it was. I haven't had an adjustment on my band in over 7 months because I have an early morning reflux issue, and adding more Fluid will just exacerbate that situation. Between the acid and the many problems I've had with my band (too many slips to remember), I'm thinking seriously about getting a revision from the band to a sleeve (not sure how to pay for that though). I know it's not a magical solution either, but for people who have a real sensitivity to the band, it seems like it might just be a better tool. Anyway, that's my update. Let's see if we can get back on track together. Maybe checking in more frequently will help...

I take Loestrin 24. I've been taking it since March 2009 and had my surgery in February 2010. No weight gain before or after surgery.

I really doubt 60 pounds weight gain was from birth control. but all peoples body react differently to things i guess. :thumbup:

THIS WAS LAST YEAR'S BIRTHDAY BLOG TITLED: 'ITS MY 41ST BIRTHDAY AND I'LL CRY IF I WANT TO': I'm feeling pretty depressed and guilty and discouraged and and and... and I'm tired of feeling this way! I've got my band in april of last year and didnt get my first fill until 6 months later. I've lost 55 pounds since but just cant seem to stay on track these days. Ice cream.. crackers.. mini candy bars at work... sometimes in the afternoon at work, I cant stop thinking about a snack. I obsess over it and end up becoming grouchy because I cant stop thinking about it. I end up feeling deprived and punished because I cant eat what I want... then the guilt that I even feel like that in the first place makes it worse. sigh... WHATS WRONG WITH ME??? I'm so happy with my success so far, but I feel I cant do it anymore. I was going to the gym 3 times a week, so even when I cheated, I wouldnt gain. Unfortunately I fell and hurt my ankle 4 weeks ago and can only do so much before I'm in too much pain.... so now I only go 1 or 2 times a week. I was working back to my consistency, but then I must of reinjured it because it started swelling up and hurting so I am back to square one. Boo! Although I know my depression meds contribute to my weight gain and my lust for sweets, it doesnt make me feel any better. Feels like excuses. Its my 41st bday today and I had wanted to reach my first goal of 200 pounds by today, but am 11 pounds short... and its my fault. I get up every morning and tell myself that today I wont eat anything I am not suppose to and that I will go to the gym and be proud of myself... but that never seams to happen 100%. I'm sorry I didnt have any words of wisdom or positive energy to contribute... maybe I shouldnt of posted at all... anyway, good luck to you... ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This year my perspective is so much different from last year! It's my 42nd birthday and I dont want to cry! These are some things I've learned since last year: I've learned that I'm NOT perfect and that's OK. Really, it is! I've realized that I will still have bad days and struggle with my depression, but good days are always around the bend. I dont feel out of control or hopeless anymore. Thats a good thing! I've learned that having the right amount of saline in your band is the key! My doc will only give .5 ccs at a time and it's taken me two years EXACTLY to reach my sweet spot! On my last fill (April 2010), I went for a fill and since I have lost 12 pounds! I even cancelled an appointment I scheduled for today. I rescheduled for August-just in case. I've learned that control, exercise and making wise food choices is important, but if you dont have the right amount in your band, it will be harder. I've learned that although I've come far, its not over. There is ALWAYS room for improvement and I'm alive and capable to do whatever I set my mind to! Splurging on chocolate or pizza once in awhile isnt a make or break deal! There is always a tomorrow to start fresh. ALWAYS. I've learned that I'm happier with my current body image than I have been in probably 15 years! I'm far from being 'thin', but I'm a hell of a lot better off than I was two years ago!!! Happy Birthday to me! Happy Birthday to me! Happy Birthday to a healthier-happier meeeeeee! Happy Birthday to me!

Im on the depo shot. Side effects are weight gain but I lost 20 pounds the first 3 months I was on it..

Yes..It is calories in vs. calories out. I will not lie, when i first went to solids...i gained a little. I freaked out, but was assured by my Dr. that it was very common and it would go away quickly...that my body was in a "starvation mode" and when it got the food it wanted to hold on to it. He was right (yay) and the weight gain came off quickly and i have been losing pretty steadily since. i can honestly say, I too don't totally keep track of calories, but i do know for sure that some days I really only get about 800 calories in me. Bad eating days (near TOM), it maybe even less. With the solid food, that little bit keeps you full longer because it takes much longer to go from your pouch to your lower stomach and so on. Liquids/mushies can pass right through...so in fact if you ate solely sliders, ate until you were full, and ate anytime you were hungry, you could cause yourself to GAIN weight because you could eat more. i could eat a whole tub of ice cream right now if I really wanted to because it is going to melt and pass right through the band...defeating the purpose. i hope maybe this makes sense :scared2:

I have the Mirena implant too, and I love it- light to no periods and no weight gain... and it's good for 5 years.

I had my tubes tied but because of heavy periods the doctor put me on Yaz. That caused blood clots from my legs to travel into both lungs and almost killed me. So now the doctor put me on the Mirena and I haven't had a period since July of last year. No addl weight gain or any problems with it. I love it.

i have mirena iud, good for 5 years, light to no period for me. no weight gain

Weight gain is fairly normal. Most people's weight fluctuates up and down by a couple of pounds. It is usually to do with hormones, Water retention or the like. As to the lip, it could be an allergy, or maybe an insect bite, or you walked into something, someone hit you, you could have a cold sore coming................................... basically it could be anything! Sorry i'm not much help!

I'm on the ortho evra patch. No weight gain or side effects for me.

I haven't been on BC for over a year because I had no need to be on it. Well, now that I want to go back on it I am a little nervous. I DON'T want to gain a bunch of weight back because of BC. Do any of you ladies have any suggestions as to a type that worked for you with minimal weight gain?

They have really nice clothes but I decided that i don't want to buy clothes untl I am close to my goal.. Remember I have plenty of sizes of clothing with the weight gain over the past 4 years, I put on weight because of a pregnancy. Shes now 4... i had gained 75 lbs and after the c-section it kept going up . I could not loose the lbs. All sorts of diets and restrictions . Still No weight loss. It was depressing and UNJUST!!! Lol seriously , I had to have surgery to live and I am very happy with my sleeve. Everyday I learn something new about my body . I always saved certain outfits, Saying " I'lll get back in that when I loose weight" , Well that is now a reality and I love it. I don't need to buy any clothes now because i have that size... lol..

Has anyone heard of gaining weight when you transition from mushies to solid food? The nutritionist said that there is a possibility of a small weight gain initially....what the heck?!?! Is there any way to avoid that???? Thanks, Katie