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I've had it all my life. I was pulling whiskers and wondering why Lady Shaves wouldn't get rid of the hair on my legs when I had my first bra. Menstruation has been hit and miss. I usually only knew it was coming an hour after it arrived! Not fun to deal with. A lot of my time was spent soaking and scrubbing blood stains. It does not encourage you to revel in your womanly cycle! PCOS was finally diagnosed by a specialist when I was 42 and just as things were getting right the Thyroid went and pushed the IR up and over into Type 2 Diabetes with more weight gain. Most annoying thing for me is that I fought and struggled with the IR related weight gain all my life as well as the hair and skin issues and then once the PCOS was finally diagnosed and they gave me Metformin; my weight started dropping and when a couple of nurses I know noticed and commented on my missing 20kg, I explained the diagnosis and medication and one of them said 'well now you've managed to lose some weight you may feel more inclined to try and lose some more' and I was like....didn't you hear me....I just take a tablet that corrects a medical problem and it's going away without changing anything else....I have fought for nearly 30 years and you pat me on the back for taking a tablet!!!! I was so annoyed and the GP's that failed to diagnose it will still not recognise the diagnosis even though all the test results are there and Medicare pays my bills for it's long term management. Same attitude from my band medics - you are fat because you ate yourself this way- you must eat more than you admit to yourself or you wouldn't have been morbidly obese....and my personal un-favorite from my GP when I pointed out the test result diagnosis of Insulin Resistance...'Yes, well Insulin Resistance hmmm just a buzz word, the latest excuse'. It is not the condition or it's symptoms that I struggle with, it is the attitudes of people who just decided I was in denial about why I was fat. I over heard my mother-in-law saying that I must stuff my face as soon as they left because I hardly ate anything when anyone was around!! AAARrRGGGGHHHHH! and now...oh you are doing well...what diet are you on....stay with it this time it's working. Sorry for ranting, get's me very upset. And yes, the soulcysters website/forum thing is brilliant. Info on every aspect. I even went on the teenage pcos section and it was so sad, it was like reading a diary of my torment when I was that age. Still, onwards and upwards....:-) Good luck to all of you. It ain't easy but I know it could be a lot worse!

Yes it does. I had un-diagnosed PCOS for 30+ years. When it was finally spotted and treated the Metformin and hormone troche together meant that I dropped 20+kg without changing my diet. Then the thyroid went and my TSH was off the scale almost at 57, I thought I was dying. The result after 18 months with no thyroid was that my weight had gone up and over my previous untreated PCOS maximum and was at 138kg. I am now down to 105kg since my op in Aug 09. The band, with some restriction, stops me feeling hungry early in the day then lunch-time onwards I just eat the normal low GI food that is best for PCOS folks anyway. The weight loss helps with the insulin resistance which in my case has turned into type 2 diabetes due to the thyroid collapse, I think I am now back down to just plain old fashioned IR again now. :-) I thought like you that it wouldn't be any benefit but once I hit 138kg, after fighting the insulin resistance weight gain all my life and then having the thyroid do so much to add to that side of it, my GP recommended it and I said...but I am overweight because of medical conditions that will still be there working against me even with a band and I felt very mis-understood by them. I talked to a top diabetes expert and my trusted endocrinologist (who had diagnosed the very obvious PCOS missed by my Gp's for so many years) between us we decided that at 45 years of age I did not want to spend the next 3 years trying to get my weight back to where it had been before my thyroid packed up. My life was wasting away and I decided after much research and heartache that I did not want to die of a heartattack while I undid the damage from the PCOS and Hashimotos. I felt cheated, like it wasn't my fault and why did I have to have the operation. I also struggle with the pre and post op care as no one reads my records and assumes I am a junk food addict that sits on my butt watching TV and stuffing my face all day and that's why I am overweight! If your excess weight is due to the IR then so long as you are having Metformin for it, hormone treatment for the excess androgens and Oroxine or whatever (none generic, go for the full price brand,,,there is a difference!) for the Hashimotos it should benefit you. Make sure your T3 & T4 are at the high end of the range and your TSH at the lowest end to get the best benefit from your thyroid meds. PCOS is hard to deal with as it is a collection of symptoms that are too often attributed to other things. The PCOS symptoms are related to an excess of androgens and Insulin Resistance. These need to be treated by a doctor with specialist knowledge. Menstruation needs hormones to regulate it. The body hair is the wrong sort, male hair not the softer velus female hair, hair growth can slow down and lighten if hormone and hair treatments are used at the same time. Excess body weight, probably carried centrally - small bum, skinny legs and big round belly, is caused by Insulin Resistance which prevents you from using and causes you to store too much of the energy you consume, Metformin deals with this and then the band will give you the best help to get rid of the excess weight you have probably amassed throughout the years. Both Hashimotos and PCOS are autoimmune type conditions. Auto Immunes tend to run in packs!! Most people that are diagnosed with one have or end up with more than one. Good luck with your decision and journey. I would say that the band in conjunction with Thyroid treatment and PCOS management will take you where you want to be. I'll see you when you get there :-)

Kooaburra, Have you every watched the show called "Ruby". It's a reality show following Ruby through her weight loss journey. It's a great show. She weighed over 700 lbs. at one time. I think she is down in the 300's right now. It's similar to your story. She has blocked out years of memory because of something most likely traumatic happening to her when she was young. She is seeling a psychologist and delving into the idea that her weight gain is acting as a barrier. You have gotten some great advise here! :thumbup:

Maybe you just need to change your frame of mind about the scale. I decided early on in this journey that once I hit a lower number than I'd seen before on the scale, then I would 'claim it'. By that, I mean I update my ticker, my blog, and that is the number I tell people when they ask me how much I lost. If I see a higher number come up later, I don't 'claim it'... don't update my ticker, my blog, etc. I just tell myself it is a fluctuation (because it is). I have no reason to believe that w/this band any weight gain is going to become a trend. Now, maybe if it kept going up, I'd have to change my way of thinking. But, so far, every little up has only stayed a little up for a short time. Hang in there! You are doing awesome!!! :->

My surgery is scheduled for next Tues (4-6) and my surgeon does not require a pre-op diet; only that there is no weight gain between initial consult and surgery day. I didn't think too much about it until I realized the purpose of the diet is to shrink the liver. My doctor has been very thorough about everything. During pre-op testing I had to have an ultrasound in which they did check my gallbladder, liver, pancreas, and kidney. I've read that they can check for a fatty liver by ultrasound. I'm thinking that if my liver looked large during the ultrasound then they would have recommended a change in diet pre-op. I have modified my diet and am doing my own high protein/low fat and low carb diet for this last week. I'm somewhat of a worrier by nature, and after reading about all the pre-op diets, I'm so paranoid! I've lost about 3-4lbs in the last two weeks by just watching what I'm eating and I'm sure this last week I can lose a couple more. I was so thankful I didn't have a pre-op diet before and now I wish I would have (to put my mind at ease)! Anybody else not have a pre-op diet?

I can't think of a better reason to experience a weight gain than two beautiful babies :frown: Welcome back--you've done it before, so you know you can do it now! The husband is tricky. I understand personal preferences, but "chubby" leaves a lot of room for leeway. In your shoes, I'd work hard to get to a weight that is healthy. He loves you, not your body fat. (I mean, my husband admires leggy 22-year-olds. I'm not leggy, and I'm not 22. It's just a preference, and I'd drive myself insane if I felt I had to become what I'm not.)

Weight gain isn't always about overeating. Your weight depends on a lot of factors like what you eat, when, how much, your activity level, your metabolism and even genetics. I don't eat a lot, in fact I sometimes forget to eat if I don't feel hungry! LOL I didn't eat during the day, I was too busy, but then I'd have a good size dinner and dessert. My activity level has also been pretty low. I work on the computer for a huge part of the day, and do laundry, dishes and such. Regular housewife stuff. It took me a year of soul searching to make the decision. I am also 5'4" and weigh 255. I want to lose the weight for a variety of reasons, not JUST to look better, but because I don't want to end up with diabetes and a bunch of other bad stuff. I want to be able to go to the mall and walk from one end to the other without having to sit down half way thru and catch my breath! I want my hip and knee joints to stop aching. I want to stop having to take meds for high blood pressure. I want to be happier and healthier. I want to live to see my 6 grandchildren grow up! The doctor I'm going to recommended RNY gastric bypass because of my age and activity level. After a lot of discussion and research we decided the band would be better for me. I would suggest you have a long talk with your doctor and see what he says. Do it to gain health not just to lose weight!

Has anyone else experienced weight gain once they started the soft foods/mushies phase? I'm still exercising regularly and eating according to the plan, but I've gain 2-3 pounds over the last few days, basically each day since I started the soft foods. Any suggestions?

Hi Jennifer, (Cherry Kamikaze...Ha! I love it) Read my posts called "Dr. Aceves Patients...HELP". I have the same doubts and nervousness and a very vocal family as well. I have a BMI of 50 and I'm going to Mexico next week! No family support. No one coming with me. I think if you have a good 100 lbs or more to lose, excess skin is inevitable whether you lose weight with surgery or own your own. It may not be pretty, but your insides will be healthier. Also, some insurance companies are now covering pannectomies where the remove the pannus, which is the lower saggy stomach area that hangs down like an apron. Check the statistics. Weight gain after a sleeve is much less likely than weight gain after a diet and exercise, which has like a 95% FAILURE rate. My family also had me believing that I don't try hard enough. They said I just need to do "Mind over Matter" and try harder to diet and exercise. (And my mom is nodding her head in agreement meanwhile she is the DIABETIC buying BIG TEXAS CINNAMON BUNS in BULK at Sam's Club!!!!! and she has a CANDY DRAWER! HELLO!!!!) I think, if you (like myself) have tried diets, exercising, time and time again, only to regain the weight...it's time for a more permanent solution. Obviously the diets aren't working. I did one last serious attempt at it and I just couldn't make it work. I think I have the stomach the size of a 7 foot tall Olympian. Have you tried at least 5 of the following: gym memberships, walking, work out dvd's, Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Dr. supervised diets, Phentermine, Alli, Slim Fast, Atkins, on and on? If you answer YES, then IMO, time for surgery.

To answer the questions: I'm as active as I can be. I have fibromyalgia, which is incredibly painful and makes it hard to exercise. If I do too much in one day, I run the risk of not being able to walk at all for the next two or three days. I do get a fair bit of exercise at work because I do as much field work as my body will allow, but of course I could get more. I would acutally love to get more and I remember the days when I could ride my bike, but now I'm pretty much restricted to yoga and what I do at work, which is walking and the occasional groundwater sampling. Even at work I can only do so much exercise and field work before I collapse from the pain and exhaustion. Some days I suck it up and push through the pain to get work done, but ultimately I pay the price. Yep, the drugs I'm on do cause significant weight gain. Not much I can do there becuase without the drugs I am unable to function on the most basic level. The PB-ing stopped once I got out that bit of fill. I haven't had an instance of it in about a month now. It was only that one particularly bad week. Part of the problem may have been that I ran out of my anti-inflammatory drug and everything in my body puffed up. Yeah, we won't be letting that happen again. I do keep track of my food as time allows. I work about 50-60hrs a week, and with the 9-10hrs a day of sleep I need to keep my fibro under some control, there isn't a lot of time left some days. I do the best I can on the food front and get as much Protein in as possible. I unfortunately cannot have the protein powders. I have tried a wide variety of them and all of them leave me writhing on the floor in agony within the first few sips. Only when I was a week into my 3 week pre-op diet did it come out of my mother's mouth that I am biologically unable to digest a large number of Proteins due to a birth defect. Thanks for holding that little gem back mother... it's not like that could be important or anything :thumbup:. So my protein has to come from actual food, and even then that doesn't always sit well. Beans, chicken and fish... the holy trinity of the band. It sounds like I'm making 1000 excuses as to why this isn't working, but I am trying. With all the medical problems I have, some days it just isn't fun being me. Believe me, it's in my best interests to make this work. If it doesn't, there is a fairly good chance that the pressure that is building up in my brain will pull the retinas off my eyeballs, causing permanent blindness. If that's not a carrot in front of a carriage, I don't know what is. As I said, it's not always fun being me. Most days it really rather sucks.

I'm booked... after a billion emails and questions to the office and to many people in this forum and another, I've booked my surgery date - June 22, 2010 - with Dr Armando Joya in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. I've read through all of Weight Loss Surgery for Dummies (great book, but very gastric bypass-centric point of view) and have been reading pretty much every post that i can get time to go through on here. I think I'm ready. nervous as heck, but ready. lol I know this is the right decision for me, but it's so hard to be confident about it when not all of my family is supportive. I have one brother who is quite vocal about me making the wrong decision and nto really trying. I know he'll be there for me after it's over, but in the meantime, it leads to doubts... things like excess skin, weight gain after sleeving, and if I really have the fortitude to make this work. I assume nervousness and doubts are normal?

I'm considerig LAP-BAND® (I researched about 4 years ago also) but I have some concerns I want to ask about before I approach my dr's so I know what to ask them about when I make appts. Last year I had to have a pacemaker/icd implanted due to malignant heart arrythmia's (NSVT, Vtach & Vfib episodes), NCS & OI. I have neurocardiogenic syncope problems and my blood pressure & HR drops due to autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction. Through testing, it showed I didn't have anything wrong with my arteries - no kinks, blocks or clots. I developed obstructive sleep apnea last year also. I don't think its attributed to weight gain, because I've gone up and down the weight rollercoaster for many years and didn't have OSA until recently. I've read others have pm's and have the procedure done, so I assume it's ok? What about ANS or syncope problems, arrythmia's and OSA problems, anyone have these and have the procedure done? Any effect beta blockers or vasodepressors have on the band itself since I have to take those 2 meds for life? (ProAmitine & Zebata) Do I need a certain dr since I have these problems and would need my PM turned off? I know I would need a different type of knock out drug because I can only take certain meds as is. Any recommended dr in FL, also how do I find out the cost? thanks in advance and any suggestion is appreciated

Great advice so far. I would just add, if you are on any medications, do a search online to see if any of them can cause weight gain or trouble losing weight. I say to check online rather than w/your doctor because my previous PCP put me on a BP medicine (when he knew I was trying to lose weight on WW) and did not tell me it could cause weight gain (or for me to stop losing weight). I plateaued for over 6 months on WW before I realized it was the med (Atenolol). It was a terrible terrible discouraging and frustrating time for me. I never take a medication anymore without fully researching it MYSELF. webmd.com is a good site for looking up medications, but there are plenty of other sites as well. Best of luck to you. I know how frustrating it is. Hang in there!

I agree that professional guidance can be really helpful---knowing that it can be quite difficult to locate a therapist you really "click" with. My story is a bit different---but in a way, not so very much. My mother was sexually abused, and insulated her daughters against similar attention with fat (while making the dangers of men and sex well known to us). At the same time, she was incredibly appearance-fixated (and thin and gorgeous herself)--so there were very confusing mixed messages sent to us. To my father, a woman's appearance (and bank account) was her only value. He is a sociopath, and the messages he sent were downright creepy. I was on diets from early elementary school---and did maintain normal weight until I had children of my own, when it became a battle again. However, the sex-is-dangerous message planted by my mother so early in life started playing in my mind again when my husband was unfaithful and, subsequent to that, developed a serious illness that wrought havoc with our sex life. THEN, I acutely felt that other men posed a danger to me. I saw myself as vulnerable to infidelity myself---and started hearing those Mom-messages in my mind. The result? A large weight gain that lingered for almost 15 years. It's only recently, after really pinpointing what was going on in my head, that I became ready to let go of the insulation. It sounds ridiculous, the idea of letting FAT go! It's FAT---of course I don't want to be enveloped in fat! But really, it served a purpose for my battered psyche. It protected me, admittedly in a maladaptive way. It made me invisible to the men who were a threat to me. It worked! Find a way to work through this---a good therapist, journaling, talking with those who understand...whatever. It can be done. Good luck to you---you will feel so, so good being yourself and saying goodbye to those who have injured you but are now lingering in your mind.

I have been on Ortho Tri Cyclen for 13 years and do not plan on going off it until I am trying to get pregnant. I think the only way for you to know for sure if your weight gain was related to the pills or the "Freshman 15" is to go back on them and see if your weight loss is slowed. That being said, I think it is important to consider why you were on the pill in the first place. There are lots of birth control options out there, so if you were only taking the pill for pregnancy prevention and are concerned about your weight loss slowing, I would talk with your ob/gyn about other options. If you were put on the pill for other reasons (such as PCOS, ovarian cycts, endometriosis, etc) I would strongly urge you to consider the potential consequences of not going back on the pill and rank those consequences against the potential of slowed weight loss. True, going back on the pill may slow your weight loss, but it will not stop the loss completely. Many women are on the pill and lose weight with LapBand.

If you expect to keep losing a pound a day, you will be very disappointed. A pound a week is what I expect, and it is what I get most of the time. In the beginning, though we do lose a ton of water and we get excited because we think it is going to keep going. It never does and we should actually know this after hundreds of attempts at losing weight over the years. Yes soups can cause weight gain because of the salt, depending on how salt sensitive you are. Don't forget to drink all of your water every day. Hugs to all!!!!

Good insight! A lot of times we too easily dismiss bad times as the overall cause of our weight gain. I know it is a series of bad events that got me down and kept me there. Here's to bashing that bitch depression!!

Hello everyone. My name is Eric, and I'm a 29 year old Wildland Firefighter from San Bernardino. I have struggled with my weight for as long as I can remember. Despite my physical job, I just haven’t been able to lose weight. I'm 5' 10" 280 Lbs. BMI of 40 with the following lovely conditions: Hypertension, Sleep Apnea, T2 DM, Enlarged Fatty Liver, and kidneys that like to pee protein. I mentioned the Lap Band to my Dr. about 2 months ago. I got a letter saying that my referral to the Center for Health Promotion was approved for pre-bariatric counseling. I met with the dietician yesterday, and asked if I had already been approved for this surgery. She said she believed so. I am on the 3 month diet program and meet with the dietician and Dr. 2 times each before surgery. As far as the diet goes, what are they looking for? Will extreme weight gain or loss change the approval status of a surgery? Also, what can I look forward to when meeting the doctor during the 3 month supervised diet program? Just looking for some insight into the pre-surgery 3 month program. Thanks everyone! PS…does everyone receive an approval letter from their insurance? I have Pacificare HMO, and they do cover bariatric surgery…

Thanks for the support Kimaly. I used to get on LB Talk almost daily for a year and it did help. I also kept an online food journal and really need to get back to that. I had to have a total unfill this past Nov. I had been at almost perfect restriction and was losing steadily but had a very traumatic tragedy happen in our family and I was in total shock and couldn't eat for a week. When I did come around and try to eat, the stress had tightened my band to the point where I could hardly swallow water. I had lost 12 lbs in 10 days and looked like death warmed over. So had to have a total unfill and have slowly been trying to get back to where I was before but my dr. wants me to take it slow but I obsessing over this weight gain but can't seem to get motivated like I was before.

Hi all... I was banded on the 24th....2 days ago. I have been in more pain than I had expected. I'm walking around better but this darn gas is killing me....The first day in the hospital, I was so worried that with every movement I would hurt the band....I also weighed this morning and gained 3 pounds. My Dr.s office called to check on me and told me the weight gain was from the IV fluids and not to weigh til i get into my post op visit. I have no appetite, and having trouble getting all my Water in. Dr's office said as long as I take a sip every 10 minutes i wont get dehydrated and I am getting like 32 ounces in. I need to get one really good burp out and its just not coming......I think if I could burp I'd feel much better....I am feeling emotionally very excited and proud of myself for doing this. I think this is really gonna change things around for me. I am very committed and excited. Want to try to walk outside but just in my parking lot near my building. everything inside is just so sore....I have a lot of bad bruising on my abdomen....I am hoping tomorrow i will feel good enough to stop the pain meds and take only Tylenol. So glad to be on the other side now.....Here we go!!!! Meg

Did you experience weight gain during this stage? When did it turn around for you? I've noticed a 1.5lb change this week since I graduated to mushy's :tt1:

im still a slob too. i wish i had that substitute addiction. But i beleive My sub-addict is working out. I feel like crying sometimes when i go too long(a few days) wihtout workingout. Especially now that im almost 6months out and i eat a hell of a lot moree than before.I get so scared that im eating to the point of weight gain. Myrealistic side tells me it's almost impossible considering how few calories i take in, But my crazy, semi malnurished, delusional side just feel like im going to gain it all back right this minute if i dont go for atleast an hour jog.

Hi I have had my lapband in for about 18 months now and am currently 26 weeks pregnant i still have my fills it was recommended if i could not keep up enough calories to go and have all my fils taken out (eek) .. At first my body just seemed to know it needed the extra food and it let me eat what i needed and more ..... I craved meat a hard food to eat as you all know i would take my time and i managed to eat it ...... My weight gain to date i could not tell you i refuse to get on the scales but i still see a skinny pregnant woman in the mirror , I am at my goal now so weight loss im not to worried about untill bub arrives ....... At times food is hard but you have to be persistant and take your time i tend to eat on and off allday as i can at the minute as im not working ......... I intend to breastfeed but still hope i want need to have any fills taken out i have brought a milk supplement to add to my daily food intake to give me the added boost i need ..... I was sad to read people have sent others hate mail thru simply not having a band fill undone when pregnant !!!!!!!! Are we not here for the same reason being over weight at some point ?????????? And a simple reality being a fat mother puts you at as many risks as a skinny one ........now im off to eat sweet n sour chicken with veg and rice i might only eat half but in 1 hour of 2 i bet i eat the rest .................... skinnysuzalu x ps. our baby is measuring right on record x:tt2:

Awesome advice! I am a firm believer that staying busy with good stuff, helps. I knit, walk, play a game with my kids and keep a book and puzzle going at all times. It helped a lot. I also journal, plan meals, and watch every bite that goes in. But remember that Water, etc., fluctuates a lot, so don't get down by day to day weight gains.

I feel as though this is a decision that I did not make lightly. It takes away time from my family and my life and I don't need doubt at this time. I have decided to tell 2 family members about my decision as I will need their support in getting to and from the surgical center. As I lose weight I will simply tell people that I have changed the way I eat, which is true. I have decided that people are judgmental and often negative when you're attempting to do something positive. I have even had people make adverse comments about my decision to get another degree. Those people aren't living in my shoes or dealing with the hurt and pain that I've experienced as a result of the excessive weight gain in the course of 3 years. I feel that this is a decision that will better my life not only for me, but for my son. I will share my experience in this venue as it is anonymous and highly supportive. Unfortunately sometimes those closest to us, understand us the least in certain situations. It seems that weight is one of those situations. I wish you all the best on your journey to a healthier you and may you receive all the support you require as this is a tough and often lonely journey. Glad I have you all and my two cousins because they are AWESOME!!