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Wow! I've never lost weight like this in my entire life. I stepped into my spinal specialists office March 1 and he put me on steroids for my excruiating back and hip pain and told me to stop working out. So paranoid me starts drinking lemon water because I knew it would flush out excess fluids and in my mind counteract the weight gain affects of steroids. I went back to my Dr. yesterday to get a steroid shot in my back. He said my face looked alot more relaxed, but I still had pain. Nothing like it was the week before but still a problem. Not sure I will ever be back to normal but I am feeling alot better. I've been trying not to jump on the scale every day but that hasn't happened because I am steadily losing a pound a day now! It's like it is just melting off my body. My doctor told me it is because of the pain I was in that held on to the weight, now that I am feeling better, my body is letting it go. I believe maybe part of that is true, but not to the extent of losing 7 lbs in 10 days! So as long as I'm on the these steroids and still losing weight, and even when I get off the steroids, I am still drinking lemon water. I've read about it online and it states that it cleanses the body of toxins and flushes them out. I believe it, I am feeling soooooo much better too. And I am only 3.5 lbs away from passing the dreaded 200 lbs mark! That day will be a celebration and you will hear from me on that day for sure!!!!!

I am 13 months post op, I have lost about 40 pounds. Everything was great with band until 5 months ago. Severe reflux and vomiting had to wait 3 weeks to see my Dr. I was not happy it took so long. Had UGI, showing relux had band unfilled for 6 weeks. Had follow up UGI reflux gone and I was feeling better except for the weight gain. I was told by the Dr that about 30% of lap band patients bodies can not work with the lap band and that my problem of being too tight leading to reflux will continue. She gave me 2cc's and said most likely she would not put any more to keep the bad from being too tight and slipping:( I was dissappointed but decided 2cc's are bettee than 0. Now two weeks later out of no where I am having abdominal pain not associated with my port. I feel full and really bloated in the evenings. When I move or take a deep breath I hurt sort of on my left side barely below my rib cage. Maybe it's just gas but I don't know. Does anyone have any insight for me? I have had set back after set back and am at my wits end.:blushing:

My new favorite saying "You haven't failed until you quit!" as long as you are working with your band you can not be termed a failure. You have lost almost 100 pounds. How many people have done that? Seriously. I got a fill last month that just kept getting tighter, .7 then I went back 10 days later and they took .3 out. What a relief! There is no reason for you to suffer. Take a little out. The band is for teaching you sustainable eating habits. You cant live the rest of your life on a few bites of food at a time, besides it will encourage grazing and then weight gain. A half unfill isn't bad. Then you will still have some restriction. I don't think you can be getting your proper nutrients from the way you describe eating. So yes I think lack of food could be affecting your mood. Have you talked to your Dr that prescribes your depression meds? Maybe they just need tweaked. Plus we could all use some sunshine. I'm sorry that you are feeling sad, do you have some preop pictures that you could compare to your current ones? (If you don't have current ones you really need to take some) Sometimes when I am sad I minimize my accomplishments and if I have a visual reminder that cant be denied it will make me feel better. 100 pounds has to make a real difference in your appearance! Try and concentrate on the positive. Try and silence the inner voice that is saying bad things (OK maybe you don't have this but I do, I have to shut it up a lot!) Good luck and keep us posted.

You're not alone! It's hard, even when you KNOW that it's healthy to gain some weight. I'm at 27 weeks and have managed to keep my weight gain to about 13 pounds so far. That said, my doc's visit yesterday was the first where I saw a big jump-- 5 pounds in a month. It was hard. I'm also looming up on 250, which is another mental block. I started at 322, so I KNOW I'm still WAY thinner than I was. For me, it helped to continue to plan meals and menus and workout as my body allows (starting to run into limitations there.) I don't obsessively count calories, though I check periodically to see that I'm not WAY off base. I've stuck to a moderately bandster friendly diet and have intentionally enjoyed some non-bandster favorites that don't work when my band is tight. HOWEVER, I'm eating more things like big leafy salads (light on the dressing) and raw veggies that I have trouble with otherwise. I'm enjoying a few more whole grain breads and other HEALTHY options that would otherwise give me trouble. My latest obsession is a broccoli coleslaw recipe from an online blog--I eat it by the bowl, sometimes as lunch itself. By enjoying the healthy stuff that doesn't work with the band, I feel like I'm getting a treat in exchange for the weight gain. The sugary/fatty stuff doesn't make me feel good, so I avoid it. It's hard. And depressing. And crazy-making. You're not at ALL unreasonable for finding the prospect of weight gain terrifying. But you DID THE RIGHT THING by getting the unfill! Don't forget that a good 20-25 pounds of pregnancy weight gain is baby-related, NOT counting maternal fat gain! That doesn't mean you'll be 20 pounds lighter the day after babe is born, but you'll be on your way. AND you have your band. It WILL work after baby is here! Good luck to you. There are lots of successful bandsters who have had babies, lost the weight, and gone on to reach goals. You can be one too!

I think there's a HUGE range of normal and you just have to go with your symptoms. Hopefully by now you're able to eat something. You may need an unfill, you may not. Totally depends on the person, but don't be afraid of the unfill. It doesn't HAVE to mean massive weight gain. Good luck!

Hi! I was on Topamax for 2 1/2 years to help with my Bipolar. What is your use of the drug. It does help to keep you from gaining weight while on other antidepressent drugs which cause weight gain. My only bad side effect was I could not drink anything carbonated or eat gummy candy because it made theses things taste bitter.:thumbup:

OK where is everyone. Hope everyone is doing well. I'm having weight gain issues. I'm exercising like heck and not getting enough calories. What are you guys eating. I'm supposed to be on 1200 calories. 72 proteins, 35 fats and 50 carbs. There is no way I can get in all my calories and not go over my carbs. I only eat between 700 - 800 calories HELP

With respect, I am about to say something very different from your previous replies: it may be worth waiting. We are all different. Here in the UK, my NHS surgeon fitted my band on 17 December 2007 and I didn't get my first fill for 6 months! I experienced some restriction from just the band and my surgeon, in his wisdom, thought that it would be the best plan to leave things as they were for as long as possible. He warned me that although we bandsters beg and plead for fills and more restriction at every follow up appointment, too much restriction can actually cause weight GAIN. Apparently, if we are too restricted when it comes to calorie consumption we will crave calories (much the same sort of mechanism kicks in as that terribly misnamed "starvation mode") and we are often motivated to overindulge in liquid calories instead. Apparently this is a big risk - too much restriction can be as counterproductive as too little. I have reached a healthy and normal BMI with only one fill in two years - of 2ml. Please don't think that I am disrespecting other bandsters who really DO NEED more ccs in their band, but some of us may need a lot less and may find that more than a minimal fill can actually work against our weight loss efforts.

I was at a BMI of 25, so I was at a goal weight and there was mostly skin and very little fat to remove. I had inverted T abdominoplasty and 2 kg of tissue was removed. However, the muscle repair and tightening has resulted in further restriction than just that offered by my band and I have lost further weight due to that restriction. My BMI is now 24.1 and I am delighted. I was banded on 17th December 2007 and I had the abdominoplasty on 12th February 2010. For those considering abdominoplasty - you can't take vigorous exercise for 4-6 weeks post op and that, in addition to the pain relief drugs, can REALLY result in problems with elimination, if you know what I mean. Constipation resulted in an apparent significant weight gain :ohmy::thumbup:(and then loss - AAAAAAAAAAAAahhhhhhhhhhhhh - thank goodness).:ohmy:

You posted your thread back in November 2009, it is now March the following year - so did you goahead? I was banded back in December 2007 - and I had objections from my siblings but I went ahead and I am so glad I did. Let me disabuse you of a commonly held misconception - getting a lapband is by no means taking the easy way out - the easy way out is to stay obese. Having a lapband just makes it harder to eat too much. I can still eat biscuits and sweets and chocolates without restriction if I want to - the things that are restricted are the sensible foods - especially carbs and Proteins. This can be frustrating. I can't cele brate with food any more. I can't take out my frustrations with food any more. The whole way I deal with food and my life has changed. Having said that, with dedication you can overcome restriction and overeat and some people even manage to gain weight with a band. My best advice is that given to me by my banding surgeon - he told me that if I couldn't change my lifestyle and diet before a band was fitted then I would never be able to change it afterwards either. I lost 5 stone (70 lbs) before he would band me - and I made sure that my changes weren't don in a diet mentality. I know that if I ever went back to the way I used to eat then I would go back to the way I used to look and feel too. Diets do work - it would be impossible for them not to - the problem is that people think of a diet as a short term solution and they forget that if and when they go back to how they used to eat and live then the weight will soon return. It isn't easy but it aint rocket science either. The band is a tool. It can be useful when you take an interest and use it wisely and correctly. Over restriction (too tight a fill) can cause weight gain - although my surgeon says that the majority of his patients are always pleading for more fills and more restriction. Apparently too tight a fill leads to the temptation to drink more calories because you can't eat at all without pbing and liquid calorie sources tend to be denser than you think (milk shakes and stuff, I suppose). The band is a useful tool, but you have to know how to use it in order to get optimum function from it. So, did you go for it.....?

I am so sorry that this procedure has not worked for you. I was very lucky in that my surgeon made me change my lifestyle and eating habits beforehe would agree to fit the band for me. I lost 70 lbs by myself between consulting my surgeon and having the band fitted about 9 months later. At one of the first consultations he told me to lose weight first and I said that I hadno problem losing the weight - my problem waas keeping it off. His response was that if I couldn't change my lifestyle and eating habits before the procedure then I wouldn't change them afterwards and just havinga lapband fitted is not enough to ensure weight loss. The lapband is a tool. You will only be able to make optimum use of it if you use it with a certain degree of knowledge and skill (my husband can't use the electric drill for the same reason - he doesn't have a DIY clue). I would never presume to judge the seriousness or triviality of anyones weight problem - if it is a problem to you then it is a problem - but it sounds to me as if the band is just not the right treatment for your weight problem. Incidentally, my surgeon also told me that having your band too tight is just as likely to cause weight gain as as having no fill at all. No fill usually means minimal or no restriction which allows for overeating, wheras too tight a fill means that you can't eat any food and are more likely to drink your calories, which is likely to mean that you drink more calories than you need - the satiety factor of most liquids being very low andthe tastiest ones being most calorific - I'm thinking milkshakes and stuff here. Once again, I am so sorry for your bad experience with the band. Perhaps a malabsorptive op would be a better option for you, but you might find ithard to find a surgeon who will perform a malabsorptive procedure for you when your weight is at the current level. Having said that, and I make no judgement on this one (who am I to judge?) but there are people who are deliberately gaining weight to a BMI of 40 (35 if they have existing weight resultant medical problems) just so that they will be eligible for free bariatric surgery on the NHS. Just for the record, I started out with a BMI of nearly 50 and had my surgery at around BMI 35.

What is it about a builder that they cannot manage to buy trousers that cover the crack in their a*se? Builders bum (definition: the top pf the buttocks showing when a pair of trousers is worn too low or when the wearer is bending over). Can't their wives buy a bigger pair of trousers? Have they all gained vast amount of weight since their trousers were purchased? Why can't they wear clothes which protect their dignity (and my sensibilities)??? Anyway, the sheds have been demolished and the game is on. The canine culprits (culprits for what? just everything) have enjoyed extra walkies and no doubt I am burning a few extra calories by taking them out for all those "comfort breaks". The back garden no longer has a lawn (oh well) a shed (errr) or a garden door so it is well and truly open to all comers. Never mind! Within 8 weeks we shall have a functional ground floor bedroom and bathroom for my boy - and life will be a lot easier. Does anyone else have junk food Thursday? We try to eat healthy, but on the grounds that if you are good most of the time you can be less sensible occasionally, we have junk food Thursday. On Thursday, when I am ebbing from the stresses and strains of maintaining my busy, noisy, psychotic (did I really say that, that can't be right) family through the week, but haven't quite reached the haven of the weekend, we relieve the tension by lessening the stress of preparing the evening meal. We have junk food. Well, lets be a bit more honest: they have junk food. I can't eat enough of anything to make it worth the extra calories and I don't like the salt resultant Fluid based weight gain inthe morning weigh in so I abstain. Arern't I a good girl? But basically anything froma packet counts. Favourites are noodles, chips (translation from Uk to US: french fries), supermarket pies, crispy pancakes, veggie burgers, veggie hotdogs (for the uninitiated: we are vegetarians - you'd never have guessed would you?) and occasionallly a take away (translation; take out) in the form of pizza, a curry or even a Chinese! I would strongly reccommend this practice. It results in kids who don't feel deprived but don't expect it all the time, which results in healthier bodies - and wife and Mum who is marginally less frazzled. Happy kids, happy Mum - husband eats everything - rather too much of everything but what are you gonna do? Somehow, knowing that Thursday is coming makes eating healthier through the rest of the week (including the weekends) less of a chore. Useful tip?

Betsy: Whoa...just read the posts on Mark. Lots of prayers and good wishes winging your way. Jen: Congrats on no 'camel toe' and yes, you did say that. I'm going to giggle all morning over that one. IllumLady: 14"! Woot! You go, girl. That is an incredible difference! You must feel mah-velous! Lizzy: Frighteningly, according to the rising number of drivers getting in accidents as a result of talking on cell phones, these moments do not stop when they start driving. Leigha: Sorry your husband's tired of hearing about your weight loss. Next time he says so, ask him if this isn't better than hearing about your weight *gain*. Besides...you have us and we love to hear about your weight loss! Ok...page 10...back to reading... Cocoa: Ok, I am laughing about your stuck episode and husband's response but only because I've 'been there, done that'. It's getting to the point where I just don't want to eat out anymore because I'm never sure what's going to do it next. Congrats on being so close to goal! Wow...how did I miss that?! As for heading your way for the cleaning...my method of organizing involves getting rid of anything I haven't used in the last year. I stick it in a box and put it in the garage...and if nobody misses it for the 2nd year, out it goes...and I don't even open the box up first cuz you know how that will go...back in the house. BT: LOL on creating blender masterpieces. One of my band books has a bunch of recipes that are quite...ummm...creative. If you get a craving for a cheeseburger, try this one. Take one Wendy's single with cheese and remove the top bun only. Tear/cut the rest up and put in blender. Add beef broth and run until you have a slurry of whatever thickness you like. Voila! Cheeseburger shake! GACK!! These people must honestly think fat people will eat *anything*. Good luck on your 'create-a-shake'. HB: I used to love bowling, but found at some point that I just couldn't bend enough to get that ball off right because I did worry about splitting my crotch. Guess I just didn't have my priorities right, eh? :thumbup: All the rest, forgive me if I missed commenting. Soooo many posts! Ok...off to make my shake and I will be back...

Hey, my Mimi is napping so I'm going to take a chance and post before she wakes up..... Apples, I'm not sure what I have in response to your idea about something that works for each of us... With all the problems I've had medically in the last year, I've rather lost touch with the things that were working so well for me the first 8 months of my journey.. I was just so ready for a change and the band and all the rules were very easy to follow... It was a blessing to have this new life and a gift to watch the scale drop and drop... Then when I nearly died from the abscess in my abdomen things changed.. I was lucky to be alive and very greatful.....but weak and needy... and it has continued with medical issues so long that I have lost touch with the feelings I first had.... I now find the rules more difficult to follow and need the band to do more of the work than I did at first... Anyway, I gotta get my groove back in order to lose the rest of this weight.... I am blessed with having no weight gain in the past year and small losses along the way. So, all in all, I guess I'm going to give God credit for all the blessings I've had on my journey.... I'm 110 pounds lighter and I'm alive and still kicking... No small feat..... The rest is yet to come and with His help, I'll get where I should be..... And with all of you... Sorry, Apples, if that wasn't what you really were after.... But I guess it's where I'm at.... Jessica, WTG on your first day of c25k...... That is way cool and you're so doing the right things for yourself.... Yes, and our babies do grow up.... I remember well when DD was like your DS..... Now she has her own almost 3 year old.... Where did the time go? When people tell you to enjoy each stage of their lives because they are soon into another one, they are very right.... Time has a way of flying by..... So, enjoy this stage.... the next is right around the corner!! Janet.... I have a question.... If I don't like regular yogurt will I like this greek stuff???? I can't do regular.... I can do Yoplait Whips.... that's it..... Something about the culture and the texture gets me bad...... I hear you all talk about this stuff and wonder but just don't know... Good girl, Laura, step away from the cookies..... I have to do that with certain kinds of bread.... Can't have it around.. I made some biscuits for company the other night and didn't eat any, but there were leftovers... DH was smart enough to take them for sandwiches in his lunch the next day..... I went to find one and they were gone....AHHHHHHHHHH.... they were gone!!!!!!!!!... Thank goodness and DH....... cux I would have eaten one... I could hear them calling me in my mind.... Linda, sounds like you had a good weekend.... And Arlene has had a good birthday so far.. Glad you are feeling so good about your decision to do this new plan. Well, I'm pushing it here as Mimi has been asleep over 2 hours and she'll be up soon... Better get moving... gotta plan some supper.. Pork roast, but need to plan the rest... TTYL................ Julie

My stepson has a masters degree in coaching, he told me that for weight loss I should stick to a 65% rule. Walk on the treadmill or use the stationary bike and keep my heart rate at 65% of resting. For me at 40 years old, that is 117 bpm. He said this uses slow twitch muscle fibers which burn fat for fuel. Cardio is 80% of resting heart rate and burns sugar that is already in your bloodstream for fuel and this helps prevent weight gain. He said you need to keep your heart rate in this zone for 1 hour for results. Maybe try substituting this for your cardio for a week and see if it gets you better results.

Morning ladies, I can sure tell Apples is back....yeah!! Lots of posts. Cheri, glad to hear you are recovering and that your DH has started working. It's nice to have the extra income but it's also nice to have that added dimension to your life. A little outside stimulus can be invigorating. Yes, hips are big joints and when then aren't working right it is amazing how much they affect. Apples, it will be interesting to hear how you two (your DH) cut back on work this year. I bet it's going to be just not to do all that work at first. After being gone, I like to be home too. I've bought a 1/4 beef before from a friend that would fatten and butcher their roping calves. It was good, but I'd love to find a source of grass fed organic beef...I would definitely buy a quantity of that. My DH is a beef eater and I believe the organic grass fed stuff is much better for you than the commercial stuff. Thanks for the oatmeal reminder, I need to cook some. Hi Deb, hope your son figures out what not to do in the future. Stop by more often, sometimes having a on-line life can stimulate the real-time life. These guys inspire me to get out there and do more stuff. Charlene, breath....count to 10....breath. No, you don't have to let it interfere with your band journey. You get to choose, not them. Lay out the rules before them move it and make sure they understand this is a temporary situation and they have to live my your rules, it's your house. (Much easier said than done isn't it). We'll been rooting for you. LauraK...it's really hard to separate yourself from an unhealthy relationship. Wow as I read further, you really don't need her in your life, what a scumbag. I wish you peace and love through the process. I think we have to "hibernate" every once in a while and regather ourselves, but you'll be out there again soon. I really like Apples solution. Julie, I have to agree with you about home being our haven. I was much more likely to stay home than go out to visit with people the last couple of years with the most recent weight gain. I recognize the behavior, but sure didn't do anything about it. Now I am more willing to go out (obviously) and do stuff. I'm not forcing it either. Now, I've never been an all day pj wearer. For some reason, I need my comfy clothes to be comfortable all day. But I'm ready for those pj's at night. Laura, yep, we could tell your DH was a gem. Sorry Nels is feeling rough again. Boy those little kids sure pick up a lot of stuff don't they? I remember when I was little 4 or 5, I would get really bad sore throats and colds, but they had my tonsils out at 5 or 6 and that was the end of that. I was in a assembly line of kids having the tonsils out at Hardin Simmons in Denver. I was really sick once after that and ended up in the emergency room and ice-packed. That wasn't fun. Guess we have to build up those immunities somehow. Janet, you are so funny. You can come here and get your hair done. My guy is very good with color and a really nice guy too. He's really into making sure your hair suits you. His wife works at the same salon (they just moved back to their old salon) and she is just as good. I did my aero pilates yesterday and my stomach muscles are sore today. Need that stomach support to help my back. Judy, what fun to be able to play with the dogs and cats. It just breaks my heart to see all those animals and I want to take all of them home, but of course you can't. Glad the show is going well even with sound problems. What are you going to do after it closes? Have another play in the works? Just read about the "diet" word....but remember everything we eat is our diet...so concentrate on nutrition. I really think that hit a cord with me and makes sense, so now it's eating nutritiously not dieting for me. I have to go feed my sister's pets. Hopefully, I'll be back and continue posting. Eva

Leaks are a possibility, but I wonder whether something else is at work. When you say you have no resistance, does that mean you don't have restriction? And that's been for the last month only? Has the weight gain you've experienced as a result been in the last month? What else has changed during that time? Was the loss of restriction gradual or abrupt? Sorry to pepper you with so many questions! In all likelihood, it's probably something more easily remedied than a like. You may simply need another fill---that need can arise even after a long period of good restriction. In your shoes, I'd schedule an appointment with my surgeon.

Hi everyone. I have been fighting with my insurance and IPA since September. I finally won and have an appointment to see my surgeon on the 10th. I have NO restriction and have gained some weight, I was up to 192 and I was 190 today at my Dr. I have a mental block against meat so I have been eating only whole grain cereal and vegetables. I drink vegitarian protien drinks to make sure I get enough protien. My biggest problem is nuts and whole grain crackers. I still do not eat rice, potatoes, bread, sugar, fried anything and of course fats. I know that the nuts are a downfall and have cut them out. I was doing good only drinking shakes, but stress caused some eating and damn if those crackers don't add up. So it is still a stuggle. My Dr is still proud of my progress, but we are all afraid of any weight gain. We both just want me to stay at 180. I have had chest pains which only make me more "meat" phobic. I now have nitro pills and heart meds. Funny, loose all this weight and now this popps up. But I know that the damage I did to my body will last the rest of my life..... Hang in there everyone. I hope you are all having more success than me. :smile2:

I am soooo happy to see this thread. I had actually thought of this idea also and was planning on asking the staff at my LAP-BAND® doctor's office about the possibility of doing this with other patients. I just happened to think about checking here today and typing in the words "LAP-BAND® buddy" to see what I came up with. I am in definite need of a LAP-BAND® buddy. I started at about 430 and got down to 379 and after weight gain from the holidays and having to be deflated because my band was too tight, I am back up to 410 and I am absolutely miserable :smile2:. I feel like a complete failure and have been beating myself up over it. Unfortunately I am an emotional eater so that just makes things even worse. I don't want to give up and know that I could use some encouragement and motivation to get me going back in the right direction. So if anyone out there is listening, HELP!! I am a 43 (soon to be 44) year old female in Ft Worth, Tx and was banded by Dr Adam Smith, who I think is an absolute gem. I would love to have a mentor in the Ft Worth area, but a mentor from anywhere would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!!!

I am having a really hard time and just wanted to express how I was feeling to people that understand. I'm almost 6 weeks pregnant and couldn't be happier, except for the weight gain thing. I haven't finished losing my weight and right now I'm terrified. I had to get completely unfilled, no morning sickness, but it's as if the moment I conceived my band became too tight. I was getting stuck with EVERYTHING I ate. I have already gained 4 pounds. I know that doesn't sound like a lot, but I'm freaking out. I have been so hungry, I wake up needing to eat something. his morning I had an anxiety attack and I can't do this, it's not healthy for me (or the baby)to be so stressed about my weight. I'm trying to relax and calm down.... How did you guys accept this, or did you? :smile2:

Boy oh boy - 9 pages to read to catch up! There has been a death in my Extended family - actually, she passed away 3:00 am last saturday morning which is why I didn't make the meeting. My Aunt is just a wreck behind it so I've been spending all my spare time with her. I'm in the same boat with alot of you - Rambo is doing his job but I'm not really doing mine - I do eat a lot less than if I didn't have the band but I can still eat the wrong food and I can still eat often. Sad part is I'm NOT hungry at all! Ever!! But my mouth has a mind of its own and just wants to taste everything! Heather: Happy belated girlfriend! Love that your mom did that for you. And since you opened that can of worms now you know you HAVE to sing for me! Missed you too TamTam: You never mentioned how it went in Tahoe - or maybe I just missed it?? How did it go? Coco - How ya feelin? That gas gone yet??? I have 2 black labs you can have - Bobo & Asia, I have two cats you can have - Cali & Bella - See how that would all work out - You can have the animals and the names you want and I can get some sleep at night JES: We need to hook up and do the damn thing! I too keep losing & gaining the same few lbs. Just can't seem to keep my mouth in check. I do so well during the days but in the evenings/nights I'm like a crack addict - gotta have my carbs. Ash - how's your son doing? Do the tubes bother him at all, can he feel them? Bridezilla was working the Monster Jam - did ya see her?? Congrats on the psyche date! TINA: I FORBID THIS GROUP TO BE SPLIT! DAMN IT! Us rookies could never make it thru without the guidence of the pro's. Sorry about all the struggles you're having with Kaiser and work. The fill recommendation list was informative - maybe we need to mail a copy to Robin. I don't agree with having to "earn" a fill. Kaiser absolutely can not take my band back - I have to allow them to do surgery on me for that and I won't do it! John - I know parting with some of the fav's are hard but don't you just feel so great now! You & Terminator have lost 10 inches in your waist?? Yee Ha! Maria - waiting to hear about that interview sister! Riley - I am so with you on the carbs - Do they have a shot or drug for that? Analynn - congrats my girlfriend! On the goal weight that is, not on your choice in men LOL. Proud of you for letting go of someone you loved - sometimes, love just isn't enough! Beverly: The port, for me, wasn't as bad as I thougt it would be - just felt like I had done way to many crunches at the gym - but it was an extended soreness - lasted about 8 weeks. Pammie: I agree with you about the after care & support. I feel that there should be a therapist that specializes in food addiction available. Reggie - Yes! We need to find the underlying causes of the weight gain. For me, I think its clear that I'm an addict. I am obsessed with food. Let me repeat this: I am NOT hungry at all! but yet & still I'm obsessing over food 24/7. No idea why or how to stop it but i am. I love Rambo because he will actually HALT me. He will refuse the food I put in him if I try to go overboard - I would love to know if the sleeve does that at all?? Girl with the band problem - so sorry I didn't write down your name!! Sounds like maybe you've slipped your band?? I don't really know what that feels like but what you are describing just sound off beat for the band!

Hey guys how is everyone. I haven't been on here in a while nor have I been to group. Things are not going great for me at all. : ( I got sick back in Oct. I caught the flu and had to go into the hospital which meant STEROIDS which is not good. I then got sick again in Nov and had to go on them again this time a larger dose and a longer time on. I had an asthma attack in Dec and once again was in the hospital on another round of STEROIDS through IV. So if u haven't guessed by now I gained back alot of my weight. I got frustrated and stopped trying b/c I felt like I was once again fighting a battle I could not win. I didn't get a fill for about 4mos. I cut myself off from group which was BAAAAAD. I really think I needed u guys but I just could not bring myself to come to any of the group meetings. I went in for a fill last week and am proud to say that I think I am back on track. I talked to Lisa and told her that I was on the verge of giving up and she told me NO that is what they are all there for, TO HELP. I will hopefully be at group this month. Please keep me in ur prayers b/c I really need the strength to make it through this. The steroids scare me b/c that is where alot of my weight gain came from and haveing to continue to be put on them to better my breathing scares me into thinking that I will never lose my weight and be able to keep it off.

I don't think anyone has ever noticed whether I am drinking or not during the meal. Seems like a weird thing to keep track of when out with friends, doesn't it? I got the band so that I could lose weight, so that means following the rules. I wouldn't get the band if I still wanted to continue on with my eating habits as they were pre-band. So, even though this is a hard rule to follow for me, I am still going to do it because my goal is weight loss, not steady weight or weight gain. And since I spent all this money on the band, I am not going to drink while eating and defeat the purpose of the band, seems silly to me.