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I am completely in agreement, I went to France for mine cause my GP kept telling me to count calories. After a weight gain of almost 5 stones in 2 years I think I was way past counting calories. If it was that easy, we would all be thin right?? LOL I paid £3300 in France for the op and the surgeon there told me that I was a prime candidate with a BMI of 46. The NHS board refused to refund the op cause they said that I would not have had it on the NHS if I had been patient enough to go through the year long process of seeing all the specialist pre-op so I am glad I went abroad! Surely it is about time they realised that being obese is as much an illness as being boulimic or all those other thin illnesses around! They are advertised as ill people to be pitied, we are put up as a figure of shame to be ridiculed???!!!!!

I don't know much about weight lifting, but could some of the weight gain be that you have more muscle now? I think I read somewhere that muscle is heavier than fat. Just a thought.

According to this story, the gastric bypass surgery was done in 2007 and supposedly performed by an expert. I underwent gastric bypass surgery in 2013 and this story doesn't make much sense from my perspective. Before and after surgery, I underwent many steps. Firstly I had to undergo a psychiatric evaluation to see if I was qualified for the surgery, if there were underlying psychiatric issue that drove the weight gain, they had to be remediated prior to approval for surgery. In order to qualify for the surgery, my insurance required that I undergo a six month program of weight loss and exercise. I had to attend monthly support group meetings. Then there were a variety of medical tests that were performed to detect any medical conditions that may affect the outcome. So over a year went by since I started the process before I had the surgery. I also underwent a day of classroom training prior to the surgery that included very detailed information covering almost every aspect of the surgery and what was to follow and given a 1 inch binder of material to constantly refer to. After the surgery, I lost 120 pounds over the first 7 months. It was difficult because of the extent of the requirements (food types, food volumes, vitamin, etc.) But overall I was please with the surgery. Then there was yearly follow-ups. Gastric bypass surgery requires that the individual must take many types of vitamins for the rest of their lives. If someone fails to take those, their bodies will experience Vitamin deficiencies which caused damage in multiple organs. That is known up front. Every year for the first 5 years, I underwent extensive blood work. These test measured my various vitamin levels and allowed my doctor to fine tweak the vitamin levels. Also there was a mechanism in place for a psychologist in the event that psychological problems arose post surgery. There are many people involved in this process, not just the surgeon. They included nutritionist, psychologist, support group meetings etc. In order for this surgery to work effectively, it depends upon the compliance of the patient to follow the guidelines given and seek help when problems arise.

I liked the idea of dumping too, but it really doesn't happen for me. I can overeat (slightly, I still have a pouch after all!) sugar and carbs, and while I don't feel great, I wouldn't call it dumping. But I'm not that disappointed, although I do need to be more responsible for my eating now that I'm two weeks away from being two years out. It can be a struggle, but when I get back to basics, it's much easier! I have to be honest and say I have been far from perfect and even had weight gain. I'm learning a lot more about why I eat, things I'd never considered before. I admit this is something I've been working on for 30+ years but hey, I'm a slow learner!! And yes, I know I should have done that pre surgery, but I thought I had. Then I had to go back to work after a year of not working (nine months after surgery, and at my goal weight) and it took me a year of being back at work to realize how the compulsive urge to binge is directly related to work stress. Stick with the basics for as long as you can, and if you ever stray or have regain, just get back to basics again. Most importantly, no liquids with meals or 30 minutes before or after (or at least 15 minutes), meet your protein and liquid goals (whatever yours may be) and eat your protein first. That's the rest of your life. I might not be the right person to answer this because I'm still taking two steps forward, one step back getting back on track, but I do know the rules, even if I don't always follow them!! Bottom line? You absolutely have to change the way you eat for the rest of your life. I wouldn't recommend following my path but if you do, don't beat yourself up. Just pick yourself up, and get back to basics asap. And stay plugged in to groups. Socialize with other bariatric patients, in all stages of the journey. You can do this!!

I had my sleeve done two weeks ago and lost 13 pounds in the first week. I weight myself today and I have put on 2 pounds, so it's an 11 pound loss in two weeks. I'm sure it's either water weight or a stall but I'm just wondering if that's something fairly typical this early on?

140 g of protein per day? That seems quite high! I am currently in the 250 lb range and I'm getting between 60-80 g a day and even that is challenging without drinking shakes or eating Protein Bars every day. Naturally sourced protein for me seems to work better and I enjoy it more. But as it stands, I'm eating mostly protein every day and still not really getting more than 80 g. I also wanted to point out that you should double check with your surgeon that those high protein numbers are what he is advising. High levels of protein put extra strain on the kidneys. That is not a problem in the short term if your kidney function is healthy, but can become problematic in the long term. Also, high levels of protein require greater hydration (at least 1/2 gallon of fluids for every 100 g of protein), and you must be sure to make room in your calorie food intake for other vital nutrients. Protein is great but not at the expense of everything else your body requires! Carbs are "the devil", but your body needs "good carbs". These include fruits, vegetables, Beans, and whole grains. They deliver essential Vitamins and minerals, Fiber, and a host of important phytonutrients. I try to keep my carbs below 40 per day (occasionally higher or lower). Especially once you begin more strenuous exercise, the carbs are a vital part of your energy stores during exercise, as well as your post-exercise recovery. Common symptoms of excess protein in your diet include: - Weight gain (probably not an issue for VSG patients, but may be contributing to stalls) - Intestinal irritation - Dehydration - Seizures (a rare and extreme symptom!) - Increase in liver enzymes - Nutritional deficiencies - Risk of heart disease (with long-term excess protein intake) - Kidney problems Again, I want to reiterate, if your medical team is advising you to have 120-140 g of protein per day, you should follow their direction. I simply wanted to put "the word" out that this is quite a bit higher than what I have seen others discussing here on VST and is approx. 2x the amount my medical team has advised me to consume.

disneynut. I just have to say I love Disney too!! I have never been a diabetic, so I cannot comment on that, but I can talk about a 24/7 huge appetite I that had and was never satisfied pre-band. I had huge portion control issues. I would eat large quantities of food and would always be hungry. Plus, I would snack all day too! I was consuming around 3,000 to 3,500 calories a month and was gaining weight like crazy. The weight gain wreaked havoc on my joints and it was painful to exercise and walk for that matter. But once I had the surgery, and I got through Bandster Hell, I was not as hungry as before. I was able to consume around 1,200 calories a day and feel satisfied. I was not snacking and weight was coming off. Once the weight started coming off, I was able to exercise without pain. As I exercised, I was dropping pant sizes and inches quickly. When my fill is working with me, I can eat a small meal and not feel hungry for 6 hours. When my fill is diminishing, I can eat a meal and go for 3 hours with out feeling hungry. I am newly banded and have had 3 fills. I have a 10cc band with 5cc in it. I received a fill last week, so my restriction is great right now. I understand your apprehension; wondering if the Band will realy appease your appetite. I had the same concerns. You will get hungry, but it will not be like before the band. The Band only allows you to each so much food. I have no regrets at all and would do it again. Good luck with your journey!

<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="CONTENT-TYPE"><title></title><meta content="OpenOffice.org 1.1.0 (Linux)" name="GENERATOR"><meta content="20060627;9191600" name="CREATED"><meta content="16010101;0" name="CHANGED"> <style> <!-- @page { size: 8.27in 11.69in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } --> </style> It is difficult to make "honest" posts. I do not want to look like an attack dog, but it is too easy to agree with the person who is complaining, rather than to try to help them. Maybe insurance companies are cheap and want to save money, but sometimes (maybe) they realize that when people go into these things (bariatric surgeries) without proving that they can put in the effort, that they are more likely to be failures. According to the surgeon who put in my Lap-Band, "(as of 2002), the average Lap-Band patient lost 25% of the access weight between their starting weight and the weight that they should be for their height. It was close to 85% for gastric bypass patients ("roux-en-y" and "the Switch")." I have lost 58% of my access weight. My doctor considers me a success. I still weigh 232 at 5'9". According to the charts, I should be about 165#. I would be happy at 180#. I have lost 65% of the weight to get to my goal. BUT: My family looks at me wearing size 44 pants and X-large or 2XL shirts and sees a failure. Strangers who see me on the street snicker and call me fatso (behind my back). People who I do not know, make comments like "How can a big guy like you share a meal with your wife?" Weight loss is not easy. TV shows highlight the success of big stars. The doctors tell you the statistics, but then paint a picture (with your help) of the wonders of weight loss surgery. They mention the possibilities of complications, but then move right on to the benefits that you are going to have. But they never forget to get you to sign the forms about the dangers. Insurance companies are full of business people who know the stats. They know how much it is going to cost them paying for the treatment of the medical complications of obesity. They compare that cost with the cost of bariatric surgery and its complications. They are cold-hearted businessmen. But the stats that they use also protect you. More money out of the insurance company's pocket also means more heartache for you, the patient. My BMI was about 48. I had tried many techniques to lose weight and always did, but then gained more weight back. I was 57 years old when I got my Lap-Band. We had the pre-surgery candidates come into our post surgery emotional counselling sessions quite often. Once we had a 17 year old girl who was close to 300 pounds at about 5'6" come in. She was going to have either the "roux-en-y" or "the Switch". I suggested to her that she have a Lap-Band because neither the "roux-en-y" nor "the Switch" are reversible and at her young age, there may be better alternatives around the corner (with the research into ghrelin and other enzymes). No. She had to have the "roux-en-y" or "the Switch". It was her decision, but isn't 17 year old a little young to give up? I wish everyone who has these invasive techniques, "the best". I wish we could get to the root cause of the problem for all this weight gain in the USA. But, until then, we need to try everything short of surgery first. Not half-hearted, to get it out of the way, in order to speed up the insurance company's approval, but to try to get it to work. As I said in another post, I know of people who purposely gained weight in order to meet their insurance company's criteria for bariatric surgery. I think that is sick. But I am no psychologist, so I guess I have no right to talk.

I've been on Coumadin since January for DVT it hasn't caused any hunger or weight gain. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I don't know what's up with me but I am totally wired. Last night I was fully awake until 9 AM this morning and I fell asleep til about noon. It's 2 AM right now and I'm just not going down, I'm sort of puttering and putting on moisturizer and I can not sleep. I am a pretty terrible insomniac but ever since surgery I've been sleeping at night and waking up in the morning at least. It used to be so bad that I would give up on sleeping at all for a couple days just to make myself tired enough to go down and stay down. I have herbs. Passionflower, hops, valerian, skullcap, etc. I have unisom but diphen causes weight gain doncha know. I have Ambien I can't really take yet ( and I never do because that stuff scares the crap out of me). None of the OTC/herbals really work all that well. I have no Ativan and decided to cool it on that stuff when I ran out last month. ( Actually that is a functional untruth. In reality the doctor at my clinic threw me out the last time I asked for more and threatened me with a drug panel) I'm still in the healing phase and I know I need to rest. I'm not doing it though. Are ya'll sleeping and if not what are you doing for it?

I guess I should share my story of why I've chosen to have the gastric sleeve surgery. Well, after being told that I developed high blood pressure, severe sleep apnea, and osteoarthritis (all a result of my weight gain) I thought it was time to deal with this weight problem. To be honest, if I had not acquired these conditions I would have never given bariatric surgery a thought. I felt I looked good and healthy, so end of story. Oh, but I was deceiving myself. Apparently my body is screaming for help and help is exactly what I need. I know that bariatric surgery isn't the cure all. Exercise and a healthy diet are just as important. I've embraced this wholeheartedly. I just need that jump start to get me going on this journey to weight loss. I'm an elementary teacher and need as much energy as I can get to keep up with my little darlings. So the weight must come off as soon as possible. I want to take a Christian cruise and be healthy enough to move about when we arrive at the ports of the beautiful cities. That's my brief story for now. ????

Well let's see. I am a wife to a wonderful husband for 21+ years and mother to 3 children (17,15,13). I didn't really have much of a weight problem as a child. I mean I remember being a little chubby around the age of 10, but it didn't last long. If anything, as a teenager I was a little on the too skinny side. I remember being 14 and my now mother in law wouldn't let my now husband take me to the mall unless a had something to eat....I guess I was smaller than I thought.....That is NOT a problem now-haha. It seemed my issues came from having children. I gained large amounts of weight with each child. I was able to lose it in between kids until the last one. With 3 kids under 4 1/2 and a husband in the ARMY....there just wasn't time for me. I sometimes felt like I didn't have time for a shower, let alone an hour a day to exercise...I was just too tired!!! It just seemed like my body changed. When I would lose the weight in the past, it would stay off....until I got pregnant again--haha. But the third time was different. I worked so hard....eating right and exercising almost every day....almost excessively. And a would get 30 or 40 lbs off and be a decent size 10/12, but the day I would start to return to a normal food intake (and by normal, I simply mean about 1400 calories)and drop back to exercising 3 days a week....suddenly I would start slowly adding on the weight again. About a pound a month. So six months in I would be 6pounds heavier....a year later I would be 12 pounds heavier. you get the picture. Before I knew it I would be 30 pounds overweight. I would get serious again!!!drop back to 900 calories start exercising everyday and would get myself down again. and you know the rest. Repeat-above cycle two or three more times over 10 years, then just give up. That’s where I have been for the last 4 years...refusing to repeat the cycle anymore. As a result, that 12 pound a year weight gain is now 50 pounds. Add that to the 15 pounds I could never get off in the first place, and here we are... needing to lose 65 pounds (really to be ideal weight that would be 80 pounds)---but I'll be happy with the 65 pounds.....Honestly, I'd be happy just to be able to return to a life of camping, hiking and swimming like a used to do all the time....regardless of what the scale says. So now I'm playing the waiting game. I will have my last appointment on Tuesday February 21 (my 40th birthday) and from there everything heads to insurance for approval. I have Tricare North and have heard they are pretty good about approving the surgery. I didn't want to get this far in the process and have the insurance company decide they wanted me to do the supervised diet for 3 months, so I went ahead and did it voluntarily with my GP (lost 12 pounds for good faith effort). Just being proactive!! So hopefully on Tuesday I will get a surgery date; the sooner the better. I would like to have it done by the end of March. We are taking my oldest daughter on a cruise for her graduation present the first week in May and I want to be nicely healed from the surgery before I put myself on a boat in the middle of the ocean for a week Well that’s it. If you can offer any insite into how long it takes for tricare to give approval or if you have tricare and can educate me on anything, please let me know. Or any other advise is more than welcome too. This is such a lerning process. Thanks, Tina

I haven't been to the doctor for about a 2 months i haven't lost any weight. I was on all kinds of depression medication and stopped taking everything. I know that weight gain is a side effect of stopping medication like that, however I'm scared my doctor is going to get mad that I haven't lost any weight. I have an appointment today to get a fill, I just don't want the doctor to get at me or deny me a full... Has anyone else went through this?

Thank you for putting it all out there and being blunt about it. I really admire that. I liked that you wrote about the fact that it is still a struggle and weight gain is still possible after 4 years. I really needed to hear that. You are definitely an inspiration! I look forward to continuing to work hard to get to where I want to be too.

You answered your question. It seems like you know the math and the chemistry more calories=weight gain. Congrats on your results from your hard work, you rock!

Hi All, glad to see we're seeing the light of way. Recognizing where we slacked off, need to retrain and correct our way of eating and jump starting our exercising. Although we may not be losing at a rate we would like, our weight gain or plateau is not permanant. Some times we just need to step back and regroup. Like we're doing now. I too am getting back into exercising. I lost 1" off my hips since I started step aerobics two weeks ago. So, that's incentative enough for me. Now that I've stopped eating spicy and hot foods, I'm able to eat regular meals again. Before, while waiting to get back to normal eating, I was just barely getting in two meals a day. Breakfast not really being one of them. And lunch taking almost 3 hours to get down and dinner just enough to say I'm having something to eat. Rosi, this is a good time to test out your restraurant savvy. 1. Following Carol's advice, and try not to go to long between eating your meals. 2. Maybe eating appetizers, opposed to a full meal maybe, wrong word, WILL get you by. 3. Eating Soup before your meal. And walk as much as possible, also if you're staying in a hotel access their gym or just do exercise in your room before you leave for the day. See if you can access a fitness channel on tv and do them. You can do them while you hubby is taking his shower. You'll think of something. Make us Proud. Let's hear how everyone intends to Jump Start their June overhaul. Let's work on being vain and hear those "OH!, you look so good, you really look great". I know I am. I want my props for my hard work. Don't you? Let's Go Gurls....

With the myfitnesspal.com it asks some questions like your weight, height, even sex. It will determine what your calorie intake should then be. It's really a good idea to journal your food for calories, and Protein. You said you think there is something else wrong with you. Well, I have a hypothyroid, and that will cause sluggish weight loss or weight gain. If I were you,,, I would journal everything for a month, and get some exercise. If you have no luck, then see a Dr., and explain your situation. Good Health to you, Shirley.

Well, today is March 19, 2007. I got up this morning and gave myself an I V anti-biotic. I took three more anti-biotics orally. I will repeat this process every eight hours all day, for at least the rest of this week. On March 8th I went to the hospital to be banded. Everything went well. I remember waking up in recovery thinking, wow, the pain really isn't that bad. I remember going to my room for my overnight stay. I was happy that the worst was over, and that I would finally have control over my out of control weight gain. Sometime later that evening, I was given ice chips to let melt, and that was when I knew something was bad wrong. As the liquid hit my stomach, I felt a searing hot pain spread from my stomach to my left side. The pain continued unabated all night long. I took morphine every time it was allowed and counted the minutes until I could get more relief from what I know was the worst pain I have ever experienced in my life. Sometime in the middle of the night I spiked a temperature of 102.9. I knew this wasn't normal either. In the morning I was taken for a sip test. (btw, that stuff tastes terrible) A few minutes later I was back in my room still in pain. My doctor came to my room and told me the sip test had revealed a hole in my stomach. Gastric juices and Water had been leaking into my abdomin all night. At 2:30 that afternoon, I went back to surgery. The band was removed, and the hole was repaired. I spent the next three days in TCU with an NG tube keeping my stomach empty. During that three days all I had was ice chips. On the Monday after my surgery I was taken back downstairs for another sip test to insure that the hole had been repaired. After finding no leaks, the NG tube was removed and I was given a clear liquid diet for a couple of days. During all this time I was also in the care of an infectious disease doctor, who cultured the stuff growing in my abdomin It was determined that I had a staf infection. On Thursday, eight days later, I was finally released from the hospital with a pic line.(sp) I have to continue on IV medications at home at least through the end of the week. Before I had surgery, I had done alot of research. I felt that this option was the safest option out there, and it may be. The point I guess that I am making is that nothing is for sure. I don't know where I will go from here. I have a lot of thinking and healing left to do. I know the band has been a blessing for many people, but it very nearly killed me. For those of you about to be banded I wish you luck, and pray for you to be successful. I have dealt with being overweight practically all of my adult life, and understand the desperation people feel over these issues. Just understand that odds of 200:1 are pretty good as long as you are not the "1". Regards, Keith

Until we reach true restriction we should all be getting fills. Once you can only eat less than a cup of food at a sitting and stay satisfied you are at your sweet spot. Weight loss should average 1-2 lbs a week. And NO doctor should make you feel bad about weight gain of how much you lose. As a PP stated a little "talkin' to" in one thing but belittling is out of the questions. Best wishes!!!

So, I just had my blood tests and MRSA swabs in advance of surgery next week (1st March) and decided that I would detail my journey here. Partly because I want to remember to come back on here when things get tough and I need a reminder of why I am doing this, and partly because I want to have a record of what I’m doing anyway, and I figure that having one that others can read, contribute to and, maybe, learn from (if I ever get to the point of having any lessons to teach) is as good a way as any. So, my background… I’m 29, living in London. I’ve always been overweight, ever since I was a kid, but my weight has fluctuated a lot. Generally, when I move to a new place, it falls, until I discover all the good places to eat, when it rises again. About five years ago I managed to get down to about 200lbs, but since then have crept steadily up and now I am about 290lbs. I think as I get a bit older, I’m realising a bit more the impact my weight is having on me. Over the last couple of years – walking has become more of a chore, for the first time, tying a seatbelt on an airplane has become a problem, I feel less and less energy and more strain on my joints. And I simply don’t want that to get worse. I haven’t felt any motivation to lose weight since that last time in 2009, and I had to admit to myself that I never will be able to do this on my own. So I have a choice. Continue to put on weight. Face into my thirtieth birthday at nearly 300lbs, maybe my 35th at 400lbs – who knows. And continue to see my body become more and more unable to cope. Or I stop. I take action, accept that I’m not going to be able to do it alone and take measures that will force me into a position of being healthier. It’s also driven by the fact that I want to have kids. As I’m gay, the most likely way for that is to adopt, but I’m pretty sure that I wouldn’t be approved as an adopter at my current weight. And even if I was, I don’t think I could be a good dad as I just wouldn’t have the energy to be rolling around playing with a kid and giving them the attention they deserve. I decided to self-fund for the operation. I have been diagnosed with sleep Apnoea (in December) through the NHS, and since that’s technically a comorbidity, my GP did say that I could be put on the NHS waiting list. But faced with a wait of two years or more, I decided it would be better to just get it done privately. So I met with my surgeon, Ameet Patel, before Christmas. I had hoped to have it done before Christmas, but I was due to start a new job on the 12th, and he said that if I had the operation on the 3rd or 4th January, he wouldn’t recommend me going to work on the 12th. So I decided to wait until Easter when I could take some time off work. As it turned out, there were no available dates at Easter, and leaving it later brings me too close to a trip I have planned at the end of May. So I ended up plumping for 1st March. I’ve had no pre-op diet to follow, so I’ve probably been a bit naughty in what I’ve been eating since I found out my date. I know I shouldn’t but I have been seeing these last weeks as an opportunity for one last hurrah with food. Biggest Fears I was sent my consent form in the post, and seeing the risks in black and white terrified me – especially where it just bluntly lists ‘Death’ as a risk. Even though I’ve talked them through with Dr Patel, and even though I know the risks are very low, they feel very real now. I’ve started to think about things I need to do in case the worst happens, and again, I know it’s a very low risk, but my family live in a different country, so I’m making sure my partner has their number in case he needs to call them etc. The reality of that is kinda scary. I’m also scared of complications – and not knowing whether pain is normal or a sign of something more serious. But my biggest fear is that I just won’t be able to be happy when I can’t eat what I want to. I keep telling myself that being able to go shopping for clothes or go for a run or exercise without wanting to collapse will all make up for any feeling of deprivation – and that I won’t feel that deprived because I just won’t have the same appetite that I have now. But it is probably my biggest fear that I will spend the rest of my life regretting what I’ve done. To combat that I just keep reminding myself that the price of having that total freedom to eat what I want is looking and feeling like I do now – I plan to keep a photo diary of my journey to remind myself that however much I regret not being able to eat what I want when I want, it will be nothing compared to the regret I would have if I had the opportunity to get healthy but turned it down. My Hopes This is the bit that keeps me going. My main hope – what I desperately hope – is that the tales I’ve heard of your tastes changing are true. I would dearly love to wake up from the operation and be revolted by the foods I used to love and suddenly find love for the foods I used to hate. If only I could like vegetables and low fat foods more! My biggest hope is that my tastes will change, so that when I can’t pig out on chips it won’t matter to me because I don’t want to pig out on chips. The same applies – big time – to Diet Coke. I’ve never been one for full fat soft drinks, I find them syrupy. But I love diet coke, and I am really dreading not being able to have it. If I could wake up and not desire it, that would be super. I’m not claiming these hopes are realistic. More generally – like everyone – I hope this works. My thirtieth birthday is in October and I have a vision of how I will look and feel for it. I hope that vision becomes a reality. I also hope that my relationship withstands the change. My partner has been incredibly supportive. I think one of the reasons I put on weight is that he loved me and found me attractive when we first met and I was overweight (but still, I was only about 200lbs) – I think my mind went ‘yay, you found someone who’s attracted to you even when you’re fat…eat away’. But my weight gain has made me feel less attractive and so has impacted on our relationship. As I say, he’s been really supportive and I just hope that the changes don’t result in any changes to how either of us feels about the other. So, having rattled on for too long, let the journey begin…

BACK WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE, WE DIDN'T HAVE APPS FOR OUR CELL PHONES!!!! LOL I'm in a funny (ha ha funny mood today) which made me think about technology has helped me as a bandster, and I have to thank my dirty little secret... fat secret that is Not only is it a FREE app for your phone, but it also is online as well, and it links your accounts. Where my office is, I have no cell reception. But, being the sometimes good bandster that I am, the food that I'm eating is already recorded on my app, but for example if I don't eat something, I can go on my computer, log into my account on fatsecret.com and update the food for that day, then when I do have cell phone service and check the app it's updated. Sooo freaking cool! I swear this is not an advertisement they are def not paying me to promote the app. Let's see I weighed myself this morning, gained 4 lbs, but down 2 lbs since Monday so I'm blaming Aunt Flo for the 4lb weight gain she is such a pain! Went to the gym last night for only a half hour, but I have to say that usually when it is my TOM I don't want to go to the gym at all. Today I'll go for 35 minutes, Thursday 40 minutes and Friday 45 minutes. Also just received my Keurig brewer for my office in the mail yesterday, I'll bring it in Friday (I take the train to work and the train is least crowded on Friday). I usually need that ONE cup of coffee around 3pm to get through the rest of the day. I already brought in my mug, a teaspoon, and non dairy creamer. Tomorrow I'll bring in some K-cups. As a bandster I thought it would be good, because after every fill, I'm on liquids for one full day, so I can bring in some cup of soups and use the Keurig to heat up the water for it! I realized last night that changing jobs has helped me be a good bandster. My old job required me to have such a sporadic schedule that sometimes I would only have a few minutes (literally 5) to eat lunch. The job I have now I'm so independent, that at 9am, I stop whatever I'm doing have my breakfast and at 2pm stop everything again and have my lunch. Sometimes a life change will change your health too. Now I'm not recommending everyone leave their jobs for something else. I did it for the independence, the stable hours (M-F 8-4:30) and the flexibility for time off. And I love every minute of it! Well enough blabbing for today. To people that read this, I'm going to start asking you questions for input....when you work out and start to do weight training, how do you find what's best for you? Do you hire a trainer? Go online? Or just wing it?

eating boullion AGAIN... is this normal to "eat" all the time the first week. I am getting in boullion, water, sf popsicles and sf jello. I feel like I am doing it ALL the time!!! Not that I am worried about weight gain, just wondering if anyone else "ate" all the time the week after surgery. I know I am suppose to be getting my water in and I have been so far. :clap2:

I would definetly listen to the people who responded, exercise is the key. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea a year ago. It definetly was a contributing factor to my weight gain, with depression and other health issues. Treating the condition has definetly been beneficial for my health and the ability to start functioning normally. But it was getting back to swimming, which I love, that limbered me up enough, after 5 months, to include walking a mile and the newest addition, a half hour in the evening on the total gym. Thats my daily routine. When I physically can't do one , for any reason, I have two other forms of exercise to fall back on. I feel great ! No weight loss yet. But like many of the bloggers said, I have lots of fat, that has turned to muscle and I've gone down 2 sizes because of inch loss. l I'm ready for my surgery in about 6 weeks. While my incisions are healing, I can still walk and keep up some of my strength training on the total gym . For myself , success has not come with shortcuts, I've had to do the work to enjoy the benefits. It's a great advantage to have so many mentors on this forum. Thank you

i have experienced weight gain for the first time since i have had my band. it is only 6 lbs but it has me on edge because for me 6 turns in to 60 pretty quickly. i had a slight unfil due to acid reflux. it seems i can eat MUCH more after the unfill than before. tonight i came home and had a cup of chili and two pieces of corn...that is more than i have eaten for dinner for longer than i can remember....and i still feel like eating...i am no longer hungry but my mind wants some more. i know what i have to do, start moving.....Dibaby...calories in vs calories going out. ...you are right on. so instead of being on the computer i will go out for a 3 mile walk to help get myself back on track. Pbandit and others struggling....I suggest you do the same !!! Let us know how it goes!!!

I am so enjoying reading this post. I had the band placed 8/2007, removed due to slippage 3/2008 and getting a new one 9/15/2008. I am also nervous even though I have been there before. Any surgery give me the shakes. I know the band can work as I lost 63 pounds, and have gained some back. I want that "tool" back and that "tool" does work, if you work with it. Don't expect quick or rapid weight loss as that just does not happen. But, hey, any weight loss is better than weight gain. I had great support the first time, but now many people can't believe I am going to "go through it again". Then there are those that say, "until eveyone walks in my shoes, it is my decision and to let those nay-sayers go." Teri, I have them in my own family also, and I just don't get into discussions about it with them any more. As long as my DH is in agreement, I am fine. He has to live with me and put up with my PBing, and not eating like the old me. He was so supportive the first time and is looking forward to me losing more and getting healthier. He has always been slim ( the typical Jack Sprat could eat no fat, his wife could eat no lean LOL), and is anticipating me doing stuff with him that I could not do before because of my weight. Hang in there everyone. Let the nerves run their course, and keep looking forward.