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Sunday, October 11, 2009 Celebration! Fun Without Fighting Fat and Food! Went to 125th Anniversary celebration of Roseland Christian School yesterday. Sang in the gospel choir and led the congregation in a song as an alto in a women's trio. Great speaker, great music. The 5th grade girls did a praise dance that was beautiful. I had to wear a black bottom and bright top for the choir. I wore form fitting low rise charcoal pants and a form fitting sweet-heart necked top. I couldn't believe it fit and I looked good. I had to wear an old strapless bra I never thought I'd fit in again. Then I went straight to my 40th class reunion. Fun in a different sort of way. However, hardly anybody I ever hung out with was there. I was not exactly Miss Popularity back in high school. However, three people I'm friends with on Facebook (though I never hung out with them in high school) did come up and mention how much they enjoy my blog. One of them is having LAP-BAND®® himself in December. His wife had a band which had to be removed and now she has a sleeve. She looked great. Like me, it was only 70 lbs but it was killing her emotionally as well as physically. I did my 2 protein shakes and nothing else so that I could eat normally at the banquet. By which I do not mean I ate the way I used to. But I ate some of everything served that I liked and went ahead and drank punch, water, and coffee while I ate, took tiny bites, and thoroughly enjoyed my food. No weight gain this morning so I must have done well. However, I will walk again today (once it warms up, brrrr) and will really watch my food as well. I'm going to tell the Dr. on my next fill that I want it filled to point where the food squeaks on its way through. I have no desire to ever go back to the old me. Celebration! What fun when you're not fighting fat and food!

first of all, pouch resets are discouraged by most dietitians. It just puts you back into "diet mentality". Just go back to basics - protein first, then non-starchy vegetables, and then, if you're still hungry, a small serving of fruit or complex carbs. And log everything you eat so you know how much and when you're eating. secondly, the vast majority of us have a rebound weight gain of 10-20 lbs after we hit our lowest weight. It's just your body settling in to a weight it's comfortable at. I used to "attend" Unjury's Zoom support groups occasionally, which often feature speakers. There was a really interesting dietitian on once who said at her clinic, they don't even consider it a regain unless the person has gained more than 15% of their lowest weight (so for you, that's 25.5 lbs). I regained about 20 lbs in year 3 (it usually occurs in year 2 or 3, after you hit your lowest weight). It really bothered me for a long time, but clearly this is where my body wants to be. I could always go lower by cutting my calories, but then, I've been sitting at this weight for quite awhile, so it evidently is not as important to me as I think it is, otherwise i'd be doing exactly that (cutting calories). I know it'd be a struggle trying to get down to my lowest weight again and staying there, because my body seems to be comfortable where it is. Do-able, but it would be a lot of work and then a challenge to stay there. I've kind of given up the ghost at this point. if after tracking you find you're taking in too many calories and are doing too much eating while you're not really hungry, then do what you need to to get back on track (the suggestions people had of going back to your clinic for support - therapy and/or dietitian is a good one). But if that's not really the case, if this is just the normal rebound that most of us experience, then know it's just that...normal - and also, expected.

:help: Hi! My name is Stephanee and I am a 27 year old mother of 5 kiddos...3 birth children and 2 foster children, ranging from the ages of 3 all the way up to 16. My co-worker told me about the Lap Band about 2 months ago but I was still in denial then. On Friday, I went to see a plastic surgeon about recieving a much needed tummy tuck due to 3 c-sections and major weight gain. I informed him that we go to the gym 3 times a week and we eat healthy. I explained that I didnt want to have the procedure done until I lose some weight. Without him weighing me, he assummed I was accurate on my weight and proceeded to tell me he "didnt know why I thought I was healthy because 240 pounds and 5'5" is NOT healthy". And he went on to repeat the same sentence 2 more times within a 3 minute time frame. I was devasted. I knew I was overweight, but he was being really harsh. I looked at him and told him, "With you being a Doctor, is that all you can contribute to this conversation?" His reply was, "Yes, I guess so." I then told him that I didnt think this was going to work. He agreed with me and got up and left the room...leaving me there in tears and in an XL robe that fit me perfectly. I didnt take an opportunity to tell him that I had recently been tested for diabetes, thyroid issues and even had a CAT scan to make sure I didnt have any tumors. And those tests came back normal. I didnt take an opportunity to tell him that my mother died from complications from obesity. And I didnt take the opportunity to tell him that I was currently wearing a size 16, so I couldnt be as hopeless as he made me feel. As soon as I made my way out to my Jeep, I told my waiting boyfriend that it was over...no more feeling horrible about myself. We went to our gym to speak to a personal trainer. We decided I was going to hire a personal trainer to help lose the weight. But I still felt like I needed something more. I have tried many different diets and have been obese for the past 5 years. I work out reguarly, I am a volunteer baseball coach and the PTA President, so I am always on the go. But no matter how hard or long I try, I get no where. And then, last night, I remembered about the Lap Band. I stayed up until 12:30 in the AM doing research. Before, I was terrified at the prospect of surgery, as my mother passed away when I was only 6. But the more I read, the more comfortable I felt about such a major change. What I need to know is, are there anyone else in my shoes who was able to be approved for the Lap Band? I am 5'5", 230 pounds, with a BMI of 38.3 and I have UHC as my insurance company. Any help you can offer, I would really appreciate it. I am soooo tired of giving 100% to other people and 0% for myself. Thanks!!!

Hi Im going to have my life changing event in thw morning. I have lost weight. Gain it back fir the past 3yrs. Im ready to lose and keep it off. Im starting at 245. I pray that ill get to 160. With in 6 months.

You are 100% right it's scientifically proven ....please click on the link incase any one have any doubts For years, studies of obesity have found that soon after fat people lost weight, their metabolism slowed and they experienced hormonal changes that increased their appetites. Scientists hypothesized that these biological changes could explain why most obese dieters quickly gained back much of what they had so painfully lost. But now a group of Australian researchers have taken those investigations a step further to see if the changes persist over a longer time frame. They recruited healthy people who were either overweight or obese and put them on a highly restricted diet that led them to lose at least 10 percent of their body weight. They then kept them on a diet to maintain that weight loss. A year later, the researchers found that the participants’ metabolism and hormone levels had not returned to the levels before the study started. The study, being published Thursday in The New England Journal of Medicine, is small and far from perfect, but confirms their convictions about why it is so hard to lose weight and keep it off, say obesity researchers who were not involved the study. They cautioned that the study had only 50 subjects, and 16 of them quit or did not lose the required 10 percent of body weight. And while the hormones studied have a logical connection with weight gain, the researchers did not show that the hormones were causing the subjects to gain back their weight. Nonetheless, said Dr. Rudolph Leibel, an obesity researcher at Columbia, while it is no surprise that hormone levels changed shortly after the participants lost weight, “what is impressive is that these changes don’t go away.” Dr. Stephen Bloom, an obesity researcher at Hammersmith Hospital in London, said the study needed to be repeated under more rigorous conditions, but added, “It is showing something I believe in deeply — it is very hard to lose weight.” And the reason, he said, is that “your hormones work against you.” In the study, Joseph Proietto and his colleagues at the University of Melbourne recruited people who weighed an average of 209 pounds. At the start of the study, his team measured the participants’ hormone levels and assessed their hunger and appetites after they ate a boiled egg, toast, margarine, orange juice and crackers for Breakfast. The dieters then spent 10 weeks on a very low calorie regimen of 500 to 550 calories a day intended to makes them lose 10 percent of their body weight. In fact, their weight loss averaged 14 percent, or 29 pounds. As expected, their hormone levels changed in a way that increased their appetites, and indeed they were hungrier than when they started the study. They were then given diets intended to maintain their weight loss. A year after the subjects had lost the weight, the researchers repeated their measurements. The subjects were gaining the weight back despite the maintenance diet — on average, gaining back half of what they had lost — and the hormone levels offered a possible explanation. One hormone, leptin, which tells the brain how much body fat is present, fell by two-thirds immediately after the subjects lost weight. When leptin falls, appetite increases and metabolism slows. A year after the weight loss diet, leptin levels were still one-third lower than they were at the start of the study, and leptin levels increased as subjects regained their weight. Other hormones that stimulate hunger, in particular ghrelin, whose levels increased, and peptide YY, whose levels decreased, were also changed a year later in a way that made the subjects’ appetites stronger than at the start of the study. The results show, once again, Dr. Leibel said, that losing weight “is not a neutral event,” and that it is no accident that more than 90 percent of people who lose a lot of weight gain it back. “You are putting your body into a circumstance it will resist,” he said. “You are, in a sense, more metabolically normal when you are at a higher body weight.” A solution might be to restore hormones to normal levels by giving drugs after dieters lose weight. But it is also possible, said Dr. Jules Hirsch of Rockefeller University, that researchers just do not know enough about obesity to prescribe solutions. One thing is clear, he said: “A vast effort to persuade the public to change its habits just hasn’t prevented or cured obesity.” “We need more knowledge,” Dr. Hirsch said. “Condemning the public for their uncontrollable hedonism and the food industry for its inequities just doesn’t seem to be turning the tide.” http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/27/health/biological-changes-thwart-weight-loss-efforts-study-finds.html?_r=1& Sent from my iPhone 5 using VST

HRT! (That’s likely what your mum was on too @ShoppGirl.) I was menopausal before my surgery. It was the reason of the sudden 15kg weight gain I had that pushed me to the surgery. The hormonal flush from the oestrogen released from my fat as I was losing was fantastic. No menopausal symptoms at all. Once my weight loss slowed they came back though. ☹️ I’ve had symptoms since about 2016 & still do. Still have breakthrough hot flushes even on HRT though they’re not as bad as when I’m not on it. And I’m not as ‘feisty’ on HRT. My 82yr old mother is still on HRT - if she goes off it all her symptoms return & you don’t want her feisty! I wonder sometimes if I might end up being the same. Lots of benefits. Good for supporting calcium absorption & therefore your bone density. Can reduce the risk of heart disease & strokes too if you start before you’re 60. Certainly worth a conversation with your GP &/or gynaecologist.

Hi personally I was/ am a sneak eater binger. FOOD ADDICTION Food addiction manifests itself in the uncontrollable craving for excess food that follows the ingestion of refined carbohydrates, primarily sugar and flour substances that are quickly metabolized and turned into sugar in the bloodstream. Due to those uncontrollable cravings, a food addict's quality of life deteriorates when he or she eats sugar, flour or wheat. It can deteriorate physically, emotionally, socially and/or spiritually. If any of the following symptoms are familiar to you, you may be a food addict: Physical Symptoms of Food Addiction • Do you think you cannot control your intake of food, especially junk food or high sugar foods? • Have you tried different diets or weight loss programs, but none has worked permanently? • Have you found yourself vomiting, using laxatives, diuretics, or exercising a lot to avoid a weight gain after you have eaten a lot? Many food addicts are obese and have tried numerous methods for weight control (diets, drugs, surgery, etc.) yet nothing has created a permanent solution. Other food addicts have never been obese. Their physical weight has been controlled by extreme measures such as excessive exercise, purging through vomiting or laxatives (bulimia), or the severe and unhealthy limiting of food substances(anorexia). No matter which version of food addiction fits you, all of these symptoms become more severe with time and eventually lead to physical problems that can create an early and sometimes painful death. Emotional Symptoms of Food Addiction • Do you find yourself feeling depressed, hopeless, sad or ashamed about your eating or your weight? • Do you find yourself eating when you are upset or reward yourself with food when you do something good? • Have you ever noticed after eating sugar, flour, or wheat that you become more irritable? Food addicts notice that their emotions become more severe, intense, or unreasonable when eating the addictive substances. For many food addicts, emotional life may deteriorate into despair, depression, or thoughts of suicide. Social Symptoms of Food Addiction • Do you eat in private so no one will see you? • Do you avoid social interactions because you feel you do not look good enough or do not have the proper fitting clothes to wear? • Do you steal other people’s food? • Are you more interested in what food is served at social gatherings than looking forward to the warmth of being with the people attending? A food addict’s social life is affected by intense obsessive thinking about food. Making eye contact with people and taking an interest in developing friendships or intimate relationships become secondary to locating and eating addictive foods. Food addicts often hide or steal foods and eat in secret.

@@rydersmama, congratulations on developing all of these new problems! And thanks for this great thread. Yes, being cold without 100 lbs of fat to insulate is definitely a problem that didn’t exist before weight loss surgery! It’s nice that I can fit into the extra layers of clothing that I need, though! Another one is the annoyance of people telling me that I don’t need to… “You don’t need to watch what you eat.” “You don’t need to skip dessert.” “You don’t need to work out so much.” Well, yes, actually, I DO need to! That’s how I am able to maintain my weight loss! It is so flattering that people see me as someone without a weight problem, but it is annoying when they think I can maintain my weight without any effort – almost nobody can, even most people who have never been overweight work really hard to prevent weight gain! All these “skinny people problems” are such beautiful reminders of how far I have come, and I wouldn’t trade them for anything.

I can so relate to you. I am 4ft 11 1/2 in and weigh 187. I feel i have to justify to everyone why i want to do this. I am so sick and tired of everyone telling me i don't need this as i also carry my weight in the right places. A weight gain of 5lbs on me looks the same as a 15lb weight gain on a taller person. Tired of the yo yo. I am telling my job i am going on vacation. Taking 10 days off but it's more like 14 if u include the weekend. Surgery is April 13th. Sent from my SM-G920P using the BariatricPal App

Fun fact: someone did walk out of surgery last week, not sure if you saw the posts layknee. What did I enjoy before weight gain? Would have to go far back. Hum, I did enjoy dating (well, you know) but I'm married, that's out, lol. I may have to content myself with becoming a member of the sippy cup. Awesome sippy cup by the way

Hi Ashleysara - nice to meet you! Funny thing on the bagel - i NEVER eat them they really set me off on to too much eating. Far as the weight gain - i can gain it in two months and take a whole year to lose it... but i just gained weight into new territory and its like it changed my metabolism. My surgeons office was doing a study on this omentectomy helping diabetics lose weight faster but they froze the study. I am half thinking of calling them back to find out if they can do it anyway. It something about removing the free fat attached to organs.

HAPPY NEW YEARS!~ I am back! So sorry, I haven't been on in nearly a month. Please forgive me! I lost the journal my password was in, it was MIA. I found it yesturday. i had gotten a email saying "we miss you Raynie, please log back in" he ha so I clicked on getting a new password sent to me and yada yada it was a lengthy process, so I went digging for my book. So here I am! First of all I missed everyone! Bex, how are you doing? Are you getting nervous? I see your due in a few weeks! Gosh the time has flown by! And Candice, you are due like anyday now right? Wow! I am so excited for the both of you!!!! *hugs* I feel like both of you- I want to start my weightloss now! I cant stand it anymore! I am actually waddling, lol. I have gained 22 pounds and feel like a blimp. I just want this over with. I am dreading the next 3 months- Iknow I will be over 50 pound weight gain. I finally got the dreaded lecture from the doc. She said to watch my juices and high cal drinks. She was actually nice about it though. I havent told anyone- but I have been drinking soda like a mad person. Atleast 2 a day. It had been a year and once I had to drink that orange soda from the docs office for that glucose test- I figured out fast that the carboniation didnt affect me. So bad girl for me! I cant stop its like an addiction. I want a fill soooo bad! My hair has been bothering me- I dont know what to do.... i had dyed it black right before I found out I was pregnant, now my roots look disgusting. I feel like crap everytime I look at myslef. My self esteem is like down the drain now. I also developed a baby rash- or red rash- its all over my face neck and chest. Its gross. My concealor helps alot, but still, when I go without the makeup and add the hair with the ugly roots, I feel nasty and depressed. Also, my skin feels prickly and hivey, although I really dont see anything- no actuall hives or bug bites- and this is really wierd to me. oh well, 3 more months I tell myself! I am so glad the holidays are done with! It was truely exhausting. The inlaws was supposed to have surprised me with a baby shopping spree- It didnt happen. Instead they bought us a Chevy Suburban! Which we needed cause I already have 4 kids, and the Honda Odyssey we have only sat 6. So that was a huge relief and a total shock! This burban is absolutely gorgeous! I love it! Its a dark blue, too match our Batman theme! Oh by the way- we finally found out the sex! Its a BOY! whoot for the DH. Of course I still wanted a girl, but oh well. We had went to DH's dad house over the holidays- the brought out old photos of DH when he was a kid. My DH was very ugly as a child. heha. I know thats mean but it was true. I couldnt believe my eyez. I thought they were joking around at first- but they werent. So I had to pretend he was cute. But actually I am worried. I wonder if my kid will be ugly now. My Dh's grandma and mom had the baby pictures- when I saw them, i almost cried- again, he was ugly. I couldnt believe this is happening. If the kid comes out ugly looking- I just hope he turns into the handsome prince like his dad did. But damnit those were ugly pictures! The only thing that I can think of too describe what he looked like was a mixture of Ernest- that funny guy from the dorky movies- Ernest goes to camp_ I think its what it was called- It was so long ago.... and the show the Wonder Years- Paul..... the dorky kid with the glasses. /sigh. Oh well. I suppose I should have checked this pic out before I got married! Just kidding. I still love my dh, I just hope he comes out looking like me. Minus the fat gene. I know that I am rambling on- but its been so long since I posted. So Candice, you have no idea what the sex is yet? Thats cool! I really tried to wait and be surprised too- but I couldnt do it. Duh. Do you have names picked out? and what is your exact due date? Same with you Bex.... what are you naming your little girl? What color did you paint the nursery? When is your exact due date? I am so excited for you guys! And for the rest of the preggo momies- congratz on all the newbies! Please keep posting all your info and chat- I want to read about it all! And thanks for joining our thread. I feel like I am forgetting something- I am finally getting sleepy, so I am going back to bed. Does anyone else have insomnia? I feel like it hits me from 6pm til 6 am. I just cant sleep. I still have not gone to water arobics, the class starts at 9 am, but that seems to be the only time of day I can sleep soundly. Which is frustrating. I need to change this routine. All I can think of is that its the baby saying get some practice staying up cause I am not going to sleep at all at night! heha. Funny baby. Also, I know this is strange- dont think I am nuts- but is it possiable- that I am having a dairy allergy? Thats why I feel all hivey and itchy and prickly? Like its the baby giving me clues as to which baby formula I should use? All my other 4 kids were lacto intolerent. So I am thinking this one will be too. But maybe he will be more serious intolerent. I am thinking I should start him off on Enfamil Nutragima from the beg. I know it sounds so nuts. I just seem to worry about everything! I also worry that I wont have everything I want for the baby. I added it all up- and with the cost of the delivery, baby stuff, and plane tickets for my mom, and everything else- the total is a whopping $7000! Yikes! My delivery- co pay is $500 a day- I want to stay for 4 days- which comes out to $2000. I need to stay for four days- again, a mental choice- but I feel its best for the babys health. Since once I get back he will be around the daycare- since we are not closing down. I am also getting induced, so that I wont go into labor during daycare hours. The Kaiser hospital I am delivering at is an hour away. I would never make it if I went into labor and had to wait for parents to get off work. hehehe.... I need to stop stressing, i am sure it will all work out, and to just have faith in God. Is anybody else going thru this? *hugs* ~Raynie!

Ccfrog4u, believe me, I know this is very difficult. All my Turtles, this is very important. If you have made an honest go at making the Band work, and if you tell me that you have, then I believe you 100%, and the Band still is not working for you, then you need to start demanding answers from your doctors. It is so easy for doctors to dismiss us because we are fat. If we are fat, then obvously we are lazy and good for nothing. (LIES!) If your doctor doesn't know what's wrong, then ask for referals. It might be any number of things, but it is so important to find out what's going on. Do NOT let them push back on you. If more fills don't work, then it's time to get other help. I'm not saying that you might have Cushing's, what I have. Although one of main symptoms of Cushings is weight gain and central obesity (big round body, fat face and a buffalo hump). If you cannot lose weight on a calorie restricted diet, then you need to find out what is going on with your body. This is important!

Same.. BCBS has a Baby Yourself program, so some nurse calls and checks up on me and talks to me every month. The first time she called, she asked if I used artificial sweeteners.. I told her I use Sweet-n-Low (Only one I like, and I like it a LOT!) and of course, she says that's the ONLY ONE that hasn't been tested (why??) and cleared, so told me to swap to Splenda, Equal, or Sugar. I tried Splenda & Equal and do not like either.. so I went to sugar for a little bit, but with the weight gain, I decided I didn't need more sugar than normal.. so I'm back to Sweet-n-Low. I don't have it every day, I have it when I get tea at restaurants, probably 4x a week. Oh well..

Thanks do you think it’s to late if I have messed up. I fear I have stretched out my stomach I know it’s only been 3 months but I never thought I have any weight gain especially not this early. However it wasn’t the same scale but I know my clothes fit a little snugger then the week before. I also was on birth control that gave me crazy side affects

Hi all, I'm doing fantastic!!! I know I shouldn't be saying this but I think I built it up to be such a scary thing that now that I am not feeling so bad I am so relieved. Here is my story for anyone that wants to know what I did for Orbera: 6;30am - Admitted into Hospital 8:00am - Met doctor and anaesthetist 8:30am - They administered the sedation 9:30am - I woke up with a big smile on my face, didn't feel a thing. My throat was a bit sore and my lips were dry but other than that I felt amazing and had a good chat with the nurse. I even had to ask if they had done the procedure as I felt no different. Even sat on my phone messaging family to say everything went ok. 9:30am - 10:30am - I sat up as I was getting bored and they administered two lots of IV fluids 10:30am - They offered me some liquid food, I opted for some milky tea (I drank it with a spoon as not to have too much), I had half a cup and then a few licks of an icelolly. I felt only marginally queazy after this but I held it down and the nurses were very happy for me to go home. All my vitals were fine. 11:00am - I was discharged!! So very very pleasant! 11:30am - Walking to the car I got a slight wave of nausea and felt a lot of spit in my mouth. I used the barf bag they gave me but really it felt like some excess saliva in the mouth and not vomit at all. There was no wretching whatsoever. I then came home and lay in bed and had three sips of chicken broth and a few sips of a protein shake. I'm a bit uncomfortable and every now and then I burp, but genuinely all very manageable. I have only had one painful cramp but other than that all good. Before I had the protein shake I had this empty feeling in my stomach like I was extremely hungry but then a queazy feeling of fullness - it was weird, but a few sips of protein shake sorted that out. I wanted to add a few sidenotes: I have a very high threshold for pain and managed all my labours painfree (even the one that lasted 36 hours!). On my scale the pain so far with the Orbera is honestly no more than a 1-2 but I am sure some people handle pain differently. Also I had awful morning sickness during all my pregnancies and miscarriages (9 in total), it was terrible, I was unable to get out of bed most mornings and I was miserable, I had to be hospitalised several times for IV drips. So I expected this to be worse than the morning sickness and in all honestly so far it is a walk in the park in comparison to pregnancy. I know it is early days so it might not stay this way. But I thought I would post my positive experience so far. I'm holding fluids down very well but not hungry at all. I'm sipping water every now and then and then some broth. My tips would be to take lip balm with you as your lips get very dry and don't eat anything remotely solid at the hospital. The nurse wanted me to try something a bit thicker after the tea and icelolly and I flat out refused. I think that is why I have not puked yet. I'm also completely pathetic and got on the scales when I went to the bathroom and I am up 2kgs! I know its all the IV fluids and I believe the Orbera itself should have a fair bit of liquid in it which adds to the weight gain. So I guess that will be very normal. Just preparing you all! Onwards and Upwards! Hope this helps whoever wants to know...

I have gone back and forth on 1.5lb this week so no real change trying not to think about it and keep moving!!! Did anyone find that muscle weight gain made it challenging to see some loss? I have been focusing on work out and see loss of inches but weight is hovering at not moving.

I recommend logging every that you eat, specifically calories. If you do, then what does it look like comparing the two months? When I get frustrated because of weight gain, for example water weight, I am aware that I can easily fall into the old habit of feeling defeated. Now I look at my calorie intake and determine whether it is real or just water weight. It is a way not only to make sure the weight will continue to come off (or maintenance in my case), but also, keep me sane from self-defeating feelings. and actions that usually follow Like if I am eating 1300 calories according to my journal, week to week, and one day I gain 5 lbs., I know there is no way that the 5 lbs. I gained is fat and it must be water weight. So it gives me guidance, accountability and more importantly, peace of mind.

Our marriage wasn't affected by the surgery but rather by my weight gain. I got to the point where I hated myself so much I never wanted to leave the house and to be honest it affected our intimacy which I know was hard on him. But I'm down 120lbs and can walk more and I want to go out more now. Unfortunately he got used to me behaving like a hermit so now whenever I say I want to do things he doesn't really believe me I do wish he was more generous with the compliments. Sometimes I really have to beg for them. And one day after hearing him say how good one of our friends looked in a costume she wore for a musical they were both in I had to finally tell him that "I'm working so hard to loose weight, can you not talk about her like that, it really makes things harder for me"

Let me drop my two cents into the bucket... ching ching. So coming from an old woman that had ran the gauntlet when it comes to BC .... Lets see.... First of all i got pregnant the first time at the age of 16 and im 47 now... so oblivious.. i have had many years to do some trial and error.... First was the pill... ONova 150ies... for those young woman, these were the best but were taken off the market. So the dr tried me on many diff strengths....all had issues. Plus im terrible at remembering. Then at 18 i got divorced and opted to do Condoms. this worked... no unwanted kids and no STD's win win. Then i met my husband and we dated for a few years and decided we were going to get married and stopped the condoms.... BAM. Jason... After Jason, i gave pill another try.. nope, so then came the Diaphragm... Oh Holy hell... anyone who has used them will tell you... the UTI's because you have to leave it in place for a while after sex... NOT GOOD. Then came the Depo shots.... I gained 50lbs in Three months on them and said... oh hell no..... THEN cam the IUD... I liked the IUD. Mine was inserted during my cycle and i thought the insertion was Not terrible. I had cramps worse then that... But i do have a high tolerance for pain. My issue was the heavy bleeding... it was bad... not going to lie. Then upon an ultra sound my GYN discovered that my IUD was implanted (not by her) wrong and i could have gotten preg at anytime.... OMG... Thank you Lord for knowing that giving me another kid would not have been good..... So then we did the Nuvaring, I don't care what anyone says. This one, for me, worked the best, this was the lesser of all the Evils..... I didn't have to remember to take a pill, didn't have to hope it didn't break, NO Uti's, No weight gain. I could control when my cycle started.... During sex (how little there was) i would remove and then reinsert after. The Bleeding still happened, as i had always been a 7 full day heavy bleeder.... But it worked. and after a few years on that we, my dr. and i decided on a partial Hysterectomy... Due to the bleeding. So i still have my ovaries .... Just no more babies... no bleeding.... Can you say HEAVEN.... Truth is i didn't know what kind of pain i was putting up with until the pain was gone. Now im home free..... yes LORD and thank you Jesus... Free at last free at last, thank God oh mighty im free.... at last...

Miguel Thanx for your post. It was a great story. Great lessons you have learned from your experiences. I have heard that if you continue to work with the sleeve as a "tool" things will go well with your food eating, and weight. you have given me good info after the after life of the sleeve., over a year of the sleeve, thats always what i've been concerned with. Yes, they fixed my big stomach so i would lose weight, now i have to work on my brain to remember the reason i need to lose weight - and to not regain any weight back. Thank you for your honesty concerning your weight gain, that can be hard to admit, its important to be honest with yourself first. you said, basically it was your doing with eating certain extra things and too much food available at no price/ cost. Just kindof letting things go, not weighing yoursef. But you are back on that wagon, and are in the process of loosing that excess weight, good for you. we're human, and can gain, even with the help of the sleeve, but we must guard ourselves, so we don't gain and all that hard "torture" we initially went through was not in vane. As you can see, i'm still far from goal, but maybe i'm being naive, i cannot afford to gain my excess weight back in the future, but i know it will be hard. It sounds like the sleeve will continue to work for me, but i know its only a tool, and i have to work with it also. Tale care best wishes Kathy

I hear you Lisa. Fortunately, my weight gain is due to happy stuff...Corey and I are having fun with food, and it's hard for me to get the genie back in the bottle. But I've been told by my doctor and others, that I need to drop a few lbs. and I know that I want to be at around 125 lbs. I'm creeping way too close to 140 and that's bad....really bad. So...I can tell you already that I'm still in Florida on 11/26 and in Philadelphia on 12/3. I might be able to do 12/17. I have plans for dinner with a friend in Flushing and I might be able to do both dinner and a meet up depending on what time you guys typically meet and of course where. If Corey isn't working that Saturday, I might even find myself on LI at his place. I suspect though that he'll be working and in the city by me....which means my taking the LIRR out there and then taking it back to Queens. Let me check with Corey...and let me know what time you think you would meet and we'll go from there. I don't even know if the date works with everyone else....

Thanx for replying "mum"! I truly appreciate the encouragement. I see you are almost at your goal! CONGRATS!!! And best of luck to you!!!! I've been battling constant weight gain for years. I've had multitudes of tests (including the REE tests for measure caloric expenditure by exhaling) and my endocronologist diagnosed me as have a very slow metabolism. I am disciplined in eating healthy and exercising (love step aerobics), but my body doesn't want to give up the pounds! Just last October, I joined a fitness club. I exercised 5 days a week (M-F). Three of those days were 30 min with an EXPENSIVE personal trainer for 30 minutes and an addition 40 minutes of step aerobics. The other two days, 45 minutes on the olyptical and a medium pace. Only to GAIN 6 pounds and for my clothes to SCREAM at me!!!! Uuuugh! :biggrin: That is when I stopped going to the gym and I quit my personal trainer. I am so discouraged right now. I am hoping if I go the lap band, I can actually see the scale go to the Left instead of always to the Right! Sorry, thanx for listening to my whining!

Ok, so It's been several months since I've visited my page or been compliant with my lap-band. I've been so off track since December. I had lost 83 pounds in 8 months and since December I've gained 27 pounds back! I've been pigging out on slidder foods or "eating around the band" as my surgeon calls it. I haven't even been to see my surgeon since October because I'm embarrassed about my weight gain. I feel like a complete looser and physically feel worse than when I weighed 323 pounds. I'm not sure how to start over or get serious again but I'm definitely going to try. I need to place my focus back on me. I have a treadmill, elipictal, free weights and an exercise bike in the guest room collecting dust! I'm making a public and personal committment right now to get back to being on track. If anyone has experienced anyone like this or has any suggestions on assisting me in my struggle please don't hesitate to comment or e-mail me.

Know how you feel! I woke up this morning with Bags the size of suitcases under my eyes! But spent the weekend in Vegas and had fun - ate small amounts but did drink a little. I know that and the FRIED chicken tenders probably had something to do with my 3 pound weight gain! Anyway - it's Monday now and time to be good and drink more WATER!!!! Hey - at least I won a little money and found that I can stay up till 3AM without turning into a pumpkin!