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I was banded 2/9/09 my journey So far has been very depressing ever since I got my surgery I have had nothing but bad news in my life 2 deaths & now I got laid off my job last week. they gave me a exit date of 6/19/09 thinking they are doing me a favor but I know they just need me here to clean up. I've been very depressed I gained 5pd that week eating, yes I do eat less but I eat a lot all day, everytime I could which make me feel terrible getting me deeper into depression I know it's all a mental thing but it keep my mind off things, the fullness & the getting sick if I do over eat just stops me from thinking of what's going on and about what the hell I'm going to do. I'm actually in tears right now. I get to the point when I just want to give up.My life has been nothing but hell since the age of 26 I had a brain tumor in my pituitary gland that is what caused the weight gain,that cause my diabetes and so much more there was so many complications do to that. blindness for over 6 months but with surgery I got some sight back but I'm still legally blind out of one eye. Any way it took me 2yrs to recover & still trying to get my life right but it just ain't happening I think I'm done trying. I have one more doc appt on the 17th to get my third fill I will go to the appt but may not get the fill because what if it's to tight & need to get some let out my insurance will be termed by then and i could never afford to pay for it myself so i'm at a loss of what to do and the more i feel bad the more I want to just throw my hands in the air and say f_ck it I guess I will just feel miserable with myself and live this life as it is. Damn I just want something good to happen in my life one thing to make me smile & laugh not just fake it in front of family so they don't worry about me.they've done enough of that.. I thought this was a start but ended up making things worse at least for me. I don't know my next step. Sorry I may not have made any sense. that's nothing new. well I guess i vented enough. As you can see on my wieght chart I haven't lost much weight then people I see on thuis site. I haven't even updated the chart to the 5pds I gained it make my sad to have to do that.

Synthroid typically can make you lose weight, if infact your weight gain is because of hypothyroidism. There is a margain of TSH levels that you should be between. If you fear losing weight you can always ask your Endocrinologist or PCP to make sure your TSH levels are on the high end of normal. That way they don't get on the low end and you go into hyperthyroidism, which can cause increase in weight loss on just about anybody. There are actually some doctors that prescribe thyroid stimulating medications to people with normal TSH (thyroid hormone) to cause them to go into Hyperthyroidism and loose weight. I don't agree with it, but it's not unheard of. Oh, and make sure you're getting your TSH checked every 3-5 months to check your levels and see if your meds need adjusting. Good luck!

So I was banded on the 20th of April I was down to 320 from 359 (347 surgery date). Today I stepped on the scale and its up to 324. So a four lbs weight gain in four days since getting a fill. I have 5.1 in a 14cc. My hunger has definately gone back up after the two liquid days last week. I find myself grazing and I don't want to start that cycle again. Breakfast was 1/2 cup oatmeal. lunch was 4oz salmon. Tough going down - think it might have gotten a bit stuck or I hit the fill point, not sure which, but I def. got the "oh crap.... something ain't right" feeling. It went away after awhile. What do you guys think? Eating too fast? Not filled enough? Just curious of your opinions. Steve

I think you should be ok just stick to it as best as you can Its important and I think you will be very happy with the surgery I know I am Im at almost 90 pds lost and last summer I was feeling so lost and out of control and not having a way to stop the weight gain this was the only way for me.

Hello It has band awhile since I posted. I have been making wrong food choices and have re-gain my weight and plus.... I noticed yesterday for lunch I had a few pieces of chicken and that was it. I could not eat any more. About 30 minutes later I threw up. I know the band is working.. again with my weight gain its about wrong food choices. Well time to start up again. I weighted in this morning at 333.6 lbs ( sucks )... Goal weight 200 lbs My lowest after being banded was 269 lbs back in 5-16-06. I had no issues weighting my food then and working out was a biggie for me . Did it all the time in the past, and have to do it now.

It has band awhile since I posted. I have been making wrong food choices and have re-gain my weight and plus.... I noticed yesterday for lunch I had a few pieces of chicken and that was it. I could not eat any more. About 30 minutes later I threw up. I know the band is working.. again with my weight gain its about wrong food choices. Well time to start up again. I weighted in this morning at 333.6 lbs ( sucks )... Goal weight 200 lbs My lowest after being banded was 269 lbs back in 5-16-06. I had no issues weighting my food then and working out was a biggie for me . Did it all the time in the past, and have to do it now. I need help with a menu, if you can post what you eat daily that would be a start me for. Thanks everyone! Joe H.

I didn't feel so hot after either. And the weight gain is because of the IV. It took about a week and the scale really started to move down. If you are worried check with you doc. It might help you rest easier.

I was banded on Thursday. The whole time I was in the hospital, I felt great! Just sore from the band area and incision site. When I got home? Not so much. I've been having a tough time with pain, also a hard time getting liquids in. Forced down 2 Protein shakes over the course of the day yesterday in very tiny sips. Took 2 hours to drink one. I am having chest pain when I swallow, and I think it's just because it's so tight in there from the swelling. As for the 10 lb weight gain, I weighed myself when I got home too and it said I weighed 6 lbs more. I weighed again this morning, and it's back to what I weighed the morning of my surgery. I think it's Water weight from the IV... they really keep you "juiced up" in the hospital so you don't dehydrate. Give it a couple days and weigh again. You KNOW you didn't gain weight during that time... just let the swelling go down and you'll be fine! Good luck!

"Emotional Eating" is one of the most common topics addressed with regards to weight loss surgery. Every weight loss surgery book, blog and website is full of articles explaining the causes of emotional eating and tips on how to defeat this dangerous villian that threatens to derail your success from surgery! Hold onto your seat because I'm going to try and convince you that "Emotional Eating" is an overused and incomplete expression to describe the very problem the problem it is supposed to address. I'm also going to provide you with a new way of thinking about your eating behavior and a methodology to change it so that you can have more success from weight loss surgery. "Emotional Eating" is generally thought of as eating that occurs in response to a particular emotional state. The basic premise is that a particular emotional state somehow triggers undesired eating. Some people eat when they're depressed, some when they're nervous and others when they're angry. Of course, others eat when they're happy or in the mood to Celebrate. In fact, virtually everyone on the planet does the latter. If humans didn't eat in response to positive emotions half of the restaurants around the world would close within the next few weeks. Thanksgiving would be cancelled and Christmas dinner would be no different than Tuesday's leftovers. What about eating in response to negative emotions...is that fairly universal as well? I can confidently tell you that in working with thousands of patients over the past 20 years, many of whom were NOT surgical weight loss patients, that almost everyone has used food on occasion to provide temporary relief from emotional distress. In fact, many researchers believe that our brains are actually pre-wired to use food in this manner. Such researchers will tell you that drugs such as heroin, cocaine and others are actually "hijacking" the receptors and neural pathways that were designed for food! So there you have my first problem with the expression "Emotional Eating"....JUST ABOUT EVERYONE IS AN EMOTIONAL EATER TO SOME DEGREE, so labeling yourself an "Emotional Eater" is to state the obvious. However, it is interesting that there is considerable variability in the behavior of those who describe themselves as emotional eaters. As I mentioned, some people eat in response to one emotion while others eat in response to others. Some people eat in response to mild disappointment while others eat only when they feel really distressed. Why is this so? The reason for this and for a wide variety of eating behaviors is that most eating behavior is "learned." I will spare you an Introduction to Psychology class and try to minimize the psychobabble, but consider that when it comes to human behavior, we do what we do either because of our genetic endowment or what we've learned. Nature (genetic) or nurture (learning). Much of this learning isn't voluntary. In other words, most of your eating behaviors were not learned the way you would learn to play the piano. Much of what we've learned we picked up by watching others or by being instructed by others or through trial and error and the positive or negative consequences that followed. Learning as it relates to food and eating begins on day one. Consider that at birth the behavior of a newborn is 100% genetic and 0% learning. Nothing has happened to the newborn child yet so they haven't learned a thing. Nurture has yet to exert an influence...it's all nature. Whatever a newborn does is pre-wired. But that changes almost immediately. Here comes the first bottle...yum! Sweet sugary milk. Lesson one: Milk tastes good and feels good going down. Later that day the baby cries...mommy rushes in with a bottle. Lesson number two has just occurred: I cry loud enough and mommy feeds me. I feel better and I stop screaming. Food is a reward and soothes my distress...and I am now in complete control of mommy!! "Learning Eating" quickly proceeds in leaps and bounds in childhood. There's a very good chance (for example) that you "learned" to clean your plate because your mother told you that you had to and that you wouldn't be allowed to have dessert if you didn't. Or perhaps you received Cookies as a reward for good report cards or for cleaning your room. Now as an adult, long after mom stopped giving cookies for good report cards, you continued the habit of rewarding yourself for your daily successes. I can think back to all of the times that I was offered chicken Soup by my grandmother when I was disappointed for some reason or another as a kid. There is still no scientific evidence that chicken soup is effective in treating disappointment or depression, but the soothing taste of the soup sure does make you feel a little better. Even better, eating chicken soup today at age 41 provides me with warm memories of my grandmother. Starting to get the picture? From a young age, we quickly "learn" to like certain foods for certain reasons and develop eating habits and preferences almost completely without effort and often without any awareness. By using the term "Learned Eating" you are more elegantly and accurately describing what is really going on here. The concept of "learning" better answers the questions of "Why do I eat this way?" and "How did I develop these problematic eating patterns?" Also, "Learned Eating" accounts for more of your eating behavior than just what is triggered by emotions. All of the behaviors that we commonly call "habits" are more accurately called "learned behaviors." So "Emotional Eating" is just one of the many types of eating behaviors that you've picked up (learned) throughout your life. The real #1 reason that I'm trying to get your vote for "Learned Eating" is that this expression makes you empowered and able to change. Everyone is familiar with the concept of learning because we are all students in our own way. You don't need to be a psychologist to understand "learning." "Learned Eating" is a simple concept: If you have "learned" maladaptive or destructive eating behaviors that have contributed to weight gain, you can also "unlearn" these behaviors and "learn" or "relearn" new ones that help you keep the weight off after surgery. Emotions are a whole other murky, mysterious matter. Many people feel confused by the concept of "Emotional Eating." It doesn't empower you. It doesn't tell you how to change. So many people ask me, "I can't just stop feeling depressed, anxious or even happy. So how can I stop eating in response to these emotions?" The answer is that you need to understand how your emotions have become triggers associated with eating. Only then can you change your behavior. That is the stuff of "learning." Here's an exercise to put the concept of "Learned Eating" to work in helping you to identify and correct some of your unwanted eating behaviors and to learn some new healthier ones. In fact, this exercise is one of the very exercises that I do with "emotional eaters" who come to me for assistance if they're struggling to make changes in their eating behavior either before or after weight loss surgery: Take out a few pieces of paper and make six columns going from the top to the bottom of each page. Write the following headers on top of each column from left to right: Food eaten, Time of day, Location, Reason, Thoughts, Feelings. Over the next two weeks (14 days) write down what you ate, when you ate it, where you ate it, why you ate it and what you were thinking and feeling when you ate it. I know, you hate writing things down. Want to learn? You've got to do your homework. The purpose of this exercise is to learn as many of the associations between your eating and its causes as possible. In case you're wondering, you can think of the feelings column as the "emotional eating" column. Now there are certainly more than 6 causes for your eating behavior, but this will give you tons of useful clues as to the cues that trigger your eating. By filling out these forms you will start to see what is pushing your eating buttons. Sometimes it will be genuine hunger. When this is the case, be sure to write "hungry" in the "why I ate it" column. Sometimes you're going to eat potato chips because you were bored. Write "bored" in the "why I ate it" column. Sometimes it will be an emotion like loneliness that triggers your urge to eat. Write "lonely" in the feelings column. Always fill out every column because you are going to find some surprising associations by completing these logs. You're going to find that where you are and the time of day are often the key triggers and not just that you were bored or lonely. You will find that feeling depressed isn't always the trigger for eating but feeling depressed when you're alone on a Friday night seems to push the potato chip eating button. Very important and useful information. Learning to identify all of the cues, triggers and associations between your internal world (thoughts and feelings) and external world (people, places, times of day, etc) allows you to see what pushes your brain's eating buttons. Having this information allows you to comprehensively assess your eating behavior and to identify where and how to make changes. For example: should you clearly see from your logs that being alone at home at night is almost 100% associated with eating ice cream, you now know that you must address what's going on at home under these circumstances. Perhaps you need to change what you're doing at home at night or consider finding ways of getting out of the house some evenings altogether! Here's another example that you probably already know: The very sight of certain foods is a big trigger for eating. This one is easy to fix and many of you already know this....stop bringing the foods you find irresistible into your home! Either unlearn the habit of bringing cake into your house or relearn by bringing in healthier foods to eat. Hopefully, I've convinced you that emotions are really just one of many triggers for eating and that "Emotional Eating" is no longer the best or most comprehensive concept to use if you want to make significant changes in your eating behavior. The concept of "Learned Eating" better explains how to understand, think about, and change your behavior. Take the time to learn as many of the cues, triggers and associations that relate to your eating behavior so that you can begin making changes in your eating and become more successful in keeping the weight off beginning right now. Do your homework...it's due tomorrow!! :wink2:

Hello Ladies, Thanks for all the support! Christine you ROCK! OMG this has been quite an experience. The day of was good had Icy and Ayesia to prep me. Dr> Park came and briefly spoke to me ,not too chatty as maybe Dr.Baggs. Went in OR at 10:00 came out ... not sure lol. I know we left Richmond around 3:30p.m. Rde was ok, I ust wanted to get home. Had difficulty sleeping GAS is my current nemises:frown:. I have been sipping and walking, however feeling awful still. I tried apple sauce today ad that was not a good ove I think I'll do clear for a while. I have this full sensation that is utterly wierd. I'm sure u guys felt it too. Now let me ask if anyone experienced not beng able to eat all 1/4 cup of applesauce and three ounces of water feelng like a bucket?? I didn't get a call fro anyone so I called and beverly asked that I try stage II.It maybe too soon for it. The good news is that I AM A BANDSTER:thumbup:!!! Iweighed 300 going into OR and weighed this morning at 295.4lbs quite exciting, I guess I didn't ge the weight gain effect. Someone please help wth the ticker thing. I wll post again when I feel a bit better. Once again thanks for all the support!!!

Well said Mac, I think if any of us were put under a microscope like a fat* actor we'd all be a bit more understanding. fat=anything bigger than a size 0 in Hollywood! Most women and now men tend to judge themselves and others on their weight/gain/loss/size. It's a lot of pressure and really silly/superficial/insane if you think about it but we're kind of stuck doing this in our society. OK, I know we all got surgery for our health but let's be honest we all feel the pressure to look good! I think she's a beautiful actress no matter what size she is or what her weight is. She's not just a "pretty face" and is a good comedic actor. She's lucky to have very beautiful and striking features and carries most of her weight below the waist. So it's easier to camoflage. I envy that as I'm an "apple" and cannot hide much! As I've stated before I'm the last to throw stones in my glass house as I've been a skinny beeeeach and gained it all back again and have repeated that same scenerio a few times. Once you get closer to 50 it gets a lot harder to get back to skinny beeeeach hence the RNY I am now getting! I hope everyone that has gotten thin and is able to now judge those that are not as thin as they think they should be realize it can all go away again under certain circumstances. That pumpkin we all want to go away sometimes comes back! Nancy.

New2Tch, Sorry you went through that with your band. I did not have erosion but had mine removed last October and it took me a good 5 months before I was even thinking about revision as I had lost faith in myself and WLS in general. I've chosen to revise to RNY due to the malabsorption properties and also my daughter who lives with me had it and has done well so far. After my band was removed I did lose a bit of weight until my stomach went back to it's old size and I put on some poundage. I think it was that weight gain that made me realize that I still had a problem and just needed to find the right procedure for me. I wish you luck in your healing process, Nancy.

There are a few endocrinological diseases that cause, among other things, weight gain. They screen for these so that they can determine if there's an underlying condition that must be treated first. Another way of performing this screening is a 24-hour urinalysis. I also agree with her suggestion not to watch TV so late, for the same reason.

I don't like Shot Blocks because it's like eating salty licorice. :smile: The rule of thumb is to consume 200 calories an hour when doing endurance sports. I find that hard to do with just drinks, but I can't eat anything and run and I find the gels do nothing for me anyway. It's like they go right through me. What works best for me is a sports drink with a 3:1 carb to Protein ratio (my body hates pure carbs), Protein Bars and bananas. As for weight gain, are you tracking all your food and exercise? I track everything and so I can always go back when I get an unexpected number on the scale and analyze what happened. Without that information, you are just shooting in the dark and relying on (notoriously unreliable) memory.

Based upon my recent HIM performance, I'd say the issue isn't Shot Bloks. They do not have enough calories in them to cause weight gain, especially for a century or even a 50 miler. One Clif Bar has more calories in it than two packages of SB, and that'd still not be enough to properly fuel you. I drank 2 entire bottles of Gatorade, which is about 400 calories or more, and it wasn't even close to enough fuel for me to get through the run leg. In fact, I felt the first twinge of a cramp at mile 45 of the bike leg.. Granted, it was 90 degrees out, but you could eat cheesecake on a 50 mile ride, and other than the GI distress, the calories would mean next to nothing. Your BMR plus exercise would significantly reduce the caloric intake/burn rate to even levels.

Steve - I dont think I meant it like you took it, I meant it was reversable in the event there was an unforseen complication that made it necessary, after all the trouble I have had to get the band I dont want to give it up. But unlike the GB or BS you cant undo that once it is done, so if there are major problems or complications you can't sew the stomach back together. I agree this is big business and it is a lot about money and all that, but I am ok with that if it gives me tools I can use to end my battle with weight gain once and for all.

I am having trouble with reflux and a little weight gain (15 lbs. in a little over a year) If I have my band tightened, I have terrible reflux. I have never ONCE had my band evaluated under fluoro. Do any of you think I should insist on it? My doctor acts like it is no big deal, so I don't want to worry unnecessarily. Also, mainly, don't want to gain the weight back.

Thanks for the replys. My insurance covers the band or the bypass so I have to choose between the two. I have a choice between two brands of lapband but that's it. I was originally going to go with the band but then some people who had the bypass said they knew people with the band who have had problems with infections and or weight gain. They said they were happy with the bypass even though they both had gallbladder failure a year after the surgery. After reading comments on "this" forum, I'm now back to considering the lap band. It's not an easy decision.

Hi Tina, It was me that asked about the 1200 calorie diet. I must be the only 1200 calorie reject because today I weighed myself & I apparently gained 4lbs since Tuesday - Hmmm? I think I must be geared to no carbs like you - before I started this diet I hardly ate any - even if I got a burger in the drive thru I wouldn't eat the bun & no fries - I'd have a salad with full fat dressing haha & a diet coke - out to breakfast would usually be an omelet with no hash browns or toast but I'd get tomato slices with full fat rance dressing. I was once told that once you cut carbs out of your diet you can never add them back or you will gain weight instantly - maybe that holds true for me. It could also be that I laid in bed from Thursday night till Sunday morning and did absolutely nothing due to the constant headache I had! My migraine pills (Maxalt) didn't even work - excederine took the edge off a little but then we are back to caffeine! I did walk for 45 minutes with my husband on Sunday! Today I woke up feeling fabulous! in spite of the 4lb weight gain - I am ready to rock! At 6:30 this morning my husband got up with me and power walked again for 45 minutes around the neighborhood - I ate 1/2 a chicken breast for breakfast wtih 1/2 cup green beans & 1/2 cup (60 cal) yogurt. I packed my lunch - same thing as breakfast LOL - to bring to the office with me today - helping out a friend! but I think after this I will cut out all carbs! I got a swim dress (yes a swim "DRESS") and am going to bring my fat ass to the pool tonight - I didn't make it last night! I brought it with me and am going straight there after I leave here because once I get home I know I will not go back!! Thanks, again Tina - it's a big help to know that I don't have to follow this so strickly! Hope these next 10 days go by quickly for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Heather - WOW! what's your secret girlfriend?? Happy Monday ladies!!

I go in for my preop next week and I am scheduled for surgery 3rd week of June. I have been planning on the lapband but I have heard some horror stories that now have me second guessing myself. Bad infections being one and "weight gain" being another. How the heck can weight gain be a problem? I'm also worried about health problems that may occur as a result of the banding and my new eating habits. Are there side effects? I've heard with a bypass, gallbladder removal usually comes after a year due to it failing from lack of protien. Anything like that with banding?

Scrappy I could say "ditto" to most of the things you say. I'm also obsessed by the food, thinking about it, chewing it, eating it, regurgitating it, trying to eat again, going on the scale 1-2x a day. I was never ever to really diet before the band also. But I don't exervise like you. I'm trying. Don't worry about the weight gain because from the looks of it you'll get it right down again with the way you structure yourself . I wish I would stop at 1.000 calories. and you are below your goal. that is so amazing. I have a very big problem with nightime eating. I feel like I'm binging all night. The food seems to go down much easier at night, and I usually watch tv by myself when I eat. Sometimes it's really fattening food like ice cream and Peanut Butter, and sometimes it's low calorie but then I eat large quantities. I am really annoyed and frustrated with myself. I just don't think about my struggles and just eat - like a magnet without stopping to think. Oh well, I have to learn to change this somehow. And Christine, I am trying to chew beter. Thanks

I'm 38 years old. My BMI is 35.8. 2 years ago I got a tummy tuck and lipo suction and looked great. The weight went down from 201 lbs to 175 in a year. On the second year after surgery, I gained the weight back. I ate everytime I was stressed. Chocolate calmed down my anxiety, but I also tried medication and the medication caused even more weight gain. I've tried Jenny Craig and spent hundreds in 1 hour-weekly sessions with couselors. I'm miserable and considering lap band. I wonder, is anyone out there dealing with anxiety? are you able to lose the weight despite the psych issues?:scared2:

I was loosing too much weight and got sickly (ER visit where had potassium infusion and fluids) [band was too tight, too] I vowed to eat more. So I've had juices, cheeses, fruits and some Peanut Butter and 2 weight watchers meals. From 125.9 to 129.9 in just two days. My plan is to lay off the juices and go to Water next week but I really need nutrition. I think my body is just in emergency mode and trying to store all my foods for energy. Anyone have this happen- rapid weight gain when eating low sugar/low fat foods? What should I be eating instead of fruits and dairy and Protein?

Having gone for a second opinion and changing doctors because of it, I am a big proponent of getting second opinions. My former doctor was inexperienced especially in follow up care and it showed when I developed problems. You need to feel comfortable with your doctor, have things explained to you and have your questions answered. If you weren't having problems - why did he do an unfill? Were you eating high calorie slider foods that can cause weight gain when you are too tight? Or were you just able to eat too much of regular food without problems of reflux or heartburn or pain? When was your most recent upper GI? Did it show that you were too tight? But as far as dieting - that is something that you will have to do for the rest of your life even with the band at it's proper fill (sweet spot). It just means that smaller amounts of healthy foods will satisfy you and cause you to lose weight. Many with the band continue with weight watchers or some other program. The band is suppose to help you with that by causing satiety with smaller amounts of food. But dieting and exercise is a part of the whole band experience. That being said, I know from my experience that the band will never work like that for me and have accepted that I will just have to calorie count and use willpower and exercise. I am unable to reach my sweet spot and will not tolerate pain, reflux or heartburn. How I think the band will work for me is to keep me from being able to eat the amounts of food I ate before, but as far as causing me to lose weight - well not so much (maybe a pound a month). I was banded in Sept. 08 and have lost 13 pounds from the band but my overall weight loss is 70 pounds (most from my own and all that pre and post op dieting - especially with liquids only). So each of us have to reach a point with the band where we can work on being healthy and feeling good. I hope you find that point. Good luck.

I under stand what you are saying. I never had any periods of being normal weight, gained alot, lost & regained. Just consistently been "obese" ALL my life so have nothing to personally compare it to. I have not been my current weight since age 14 & I am now 40. At my highest weight I was 368 pounds, lost some on my own before band, on surgery day (1/07) was 300.5 & today I am around 225. So have lost like 140 pounds from my all time highest. Still getting used to the "new" me. I would love to have some plastic surgery for my breasts, arms & stomach but I know that it is not financially possible for me so I just have to deal with it. I was never ugly & always dressed well and fashionable but just looking in the mirror and feeling sexy is a problem at times with the sagginess that I see. And sometimes i still see the old me in mirror. During those times i go upstairs and try on some of the old clothes that I kept as reminders. But I try to stay positive because my blood pressure is good, blood sugar is normal, my knees & back feel better. That means more to me. But if I were to ever hit the lottery...