Search the Community

There are two places your body stores sugar as fuel: your liver, and your muscles. Stored sugar is called glycogen. Glycogen molecules are attached to Water molecules at a ratio of 1:4, so for every ounce of glycogen you've got in your liver, you've got another 4 ounces of water. Much of the weight loss on a preop diet or other low-carb diet initially is the glycogen and the water. Once you deplete glycogen (by limiting carbs), eating carbs again causes you to restore glycogen and water - so the "weight gain" from going off a low carb regimen is actually lean mass and water, not fat. Hope this helps!

I'm getting close! Monday the 29th is my band day. I spoke to the hospital today and I need to be there at 5:30AM, scheduled for surgery at 8AM. I will spend the night with DD1 the night before because the hospital is an hour away from my home, but only a few minutes from her apartment. DH will come later - he took off from work even though I didn't want him to - I'm afraid he'll overhear how much I weigh. Isn't that crazy?? Even when I was pregnant with our 3 daughters, I didn't want him to know how much I weighed. Everyone elsed seemed so proud of their weight gain, or of their pregnant bodies, but I was ashamed - I remember it like it was yesterday. Not that he isn't able to see...it's just kind of the ultimate humiliation to weigh more (way more!!!) than him. My doctor ordered a low carb diet for 2 weeks prior. I started a little before that, and she only ordered liquids for the day before. However, I've read so much here and on other sites, that I put myself on a liquid diet this past Monday. So far, I'm doing OK except a little light-headed at work. I hope the liver is nice and small. I have a convention to go to this weekend with a bunch of teen-age girls, and we'll be eating out the entire weekend. I had to tell a few people about my surgery so they would know what was going on and so that they wouldn't try to get me to eat. They've been very supportive. This weekend will be tough, but the prize is in sight. I've been reading some other blogs about anxiety and depression...I don't really feel that way, but it seems a little weird to me somehow - like I'm separating myself from the pack...does that make sense? Maybe if I were more comfortable sharing this experience with my co-workers, I would not feel as much like a phony. Does it feel like a cop-out to anyone to see others lose weight without surgery? I know, I've been there and tried it. And I owe it to myself, and I owe no explanations to anyone. There - I said it and I feel better. I turned 50 this year and I can remember turning 40 saying I didn't want to be 40 and fat. Where did the 10 years go? I have a lot of life left in me - and I'm ready. I probably will not post until after surgery since my weekend will be full. I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for the support, for putting yourselves out there, and for being real. I know some folks don't like to read the blogs with complaining or negative thoughts, but for me, this is cathartic; and it's my diary. Talk to ya'll later. Yes, I'm from Texas!

Thank you all for your kind replies. It's such a fine balance as many of us long-term bandsters can attest to. I think the common problem that I see in many of the posts of long-term bandsters (and that I myself suffered from) is that the "perfect" fill (if such a thing ever exists) ends up becoming too tight a few years down the line, which leaves us with one of two choices: 1) a small unfill + being extra careful in order not to gain weight back 2) complications that may lead to larger unfills (and thus more risk of weight gain) or revision surgery all together. I am not the most compliant bandster but not the worst either so this continues to be a struggle for me, 5+ years out. I also suffered from an eating disorder in the past (binge eating) so need to be careful of not overly restricting my food choices as this seems to fuel it. Thank you all again. I will definitely keep you posted...

So, I mentioned a few days ago that I had the big 24 week checkup today for little Miss Tatum and myself for the pregnancy and stated I would post an upate for those that have been following our progress in the pregnancy. While I understand this is not the pregnancy forum, this is my home, I do not post regularly on the pregnancy forum because it's just you guys so that's my purpose for sharing here, and for any other mommies-to-be post-VSGers that have questions of concerns. Thus far, we are both thriving. She is weighing about 8-10oz heavier than what she should. My labs have remained stellar in regards to metabolic panels, CBC and all Vitamin levels. The clotting disorder is being managed by the aspiring therapy. My platelet functions, and numbers have stabilized and with this update, I will be able to have an epidural for the c-section rather than having to undergo general anesthesia. I have officially gained 18-19lbs at this point, and every one of my doctors from my surgeon to both of my ob's are elated, and think I am doing fabulous in that department. Admittedly, I am not working out, exercising, walking, or doing any more or less activities than I was pre-pregnancy. I am probably going to start swimming a couple of times a week because I am having hip pain due to the weight distrubution to my belly, and it's throwing everything off. Today, was the glucose test appointment. However, after much discussion, my ob decided to err on the side of caution and have me do at-home glucose testing at home for 2 weeks. I will poke myself 4 times daily after my largest meals of the day, and then log my numbers for 2 solid weeks. This will determine my gestational diabetes status. For those not familiar with glucose tolerance testing, I would have to chug a shot of icky Fluid that consists of 75gr of sugar in one whack, on most days, I never even consume that much sugar throughout the entire day. My ob called my surgeon discussed with him the best action plan and this is what they've come up with for my case. Sleeve patients can indeed do the standard test. The issue is transit time due to the shape of the stomach. The liquid goes in, hits the pylorus and empties into the intestine. There is no big tummy for it to sit in and seep through slowly. So, the results could be skewed, or wrong. Least to say, while I am not excited about poking myself, I am very grateful that my medical team is doing the very, very best to make sure my body is not suffering through this pregnancy. The main concern is that Tatum is a chunky baby already so that is a sign of early gestational diabetes. As for all the other stuff. I've still had very few issues with the pregnancy. My main complaint is hip pain. I've dealt with the weight regain, and while it still messes with my head, I'm better today than I was a month ago. Tatum is extremely active, kicks my bladder around 5am every morning, and she gets extremely active after I eat super spicy food. She also is not a fan of electronic devices being put on my tummy, she kicks off the remote, and cordless house phone which amazes my husband. The ob's typically have to chase her around for a good heartbeat count, and ultrasounds have been tricky to say the least. I don't have new pictures of Tatum, but will on the 28th, and then I have a 3d scan scheduled for August 8th so we'll have more pictures at that time. Here are my 2 most recent pictures of the ever growing baby bump which is now impossible to conceal. She's way up high, and sometimes I feel a foot moving up into my abdominal cavity. She stretches a lot, and I can see little alien baby movements under my skin which is pretty cool considering I could not see that with my 1st pregnancy because I was too fat to see anything except fat rolls. Main physical changes noted to date: Way bigger Boobies again YAY YAY, obvious HUGE Belly. My butt is still narrow, but kind of gotten a bit round, my hips have gotten a bit wider with the weight gain. My face, and neck are still thin, as are my arms and legs. 22 weeks (2 weeks ago) 24 weeks (just a couple of days ago) Ignore the funky wrinkles along my back. These maternity pants are too big, and the panel is only mid-rise so it bunches up everywhere hence the funky patterned shirt in attempts to hide it.

Hi, I am a very satisfied patient of Dr. Maese and have been for over a year. Thanks to him and having restriction, I have lost 90 lbs that wont' be coming back to stay. That being said, if I had the choice to do it over again, I would without a doubt have gotten the sleeve. No way on the bypass. The sleeve is so easy, its not even funny. My husband got the sleeve 10 months ago. He lost 100 lbs in 3 months. He eats 4-5 ounces of food at a meal. His stomach cannot stretch because Dr. Alvarez took out the fundus which is the stretchy part of the stomach when he did the surgery. There is no dumping or malabsorption, no weight gain because you can only eat 4-5 ounces of food forever. The rates of weight loss are similar to the bypass without the complications and mortality rate. It will become the "GOLD STANDARD OF WEIGHT LOSS" and surpass the bypass in this country within 3 years. We are the only country that toots bypass as the way for weight loss surgery. Europe and Australia use the band and sleeve. I have major acid reflux with the band, things get stuck and no matter what or when I eat, I have to get up and walk around to get things to start moving. Its very frustrating. There are some things I can and can't eat. I have restriction one day and none the next. And no, I am not too tight and no, I did not have any problems with reflux before getting the band. Just know that there is another alternative. Don't get another band and deal with this b.s. all over again. And please, don't get the bypass. Research the sleeve. Misty www.mymexicopsjourney.com My blog and pictures from getting plastic surgery after weight loss.

i am scheduled for surgery end of December and inam zoo mad at myself because during the past 3 months I have put on 15 pounds and am at my heaviest. It's like I was trying to eat everything before I "couldn't". Well I start my 2 week pre op on Dec 14th and am hoping to drop some of this weight I put on.... Anyone else been in the same scenario?

lucyavery, I think I get hung up on gaining the weight back because of the effect it has on everyone around me...When you are losing and feeling good, people are encouraging you and praising your hard work. Then, when I have gained the weight back, I feel like I let them down as well as myself. It's almost like if I was an alcoholic who keeps falling off the wagon. My friends are supportive but I begin to feel like they just stop saying anything because they figure I'll just gain the weight back. Pretty much, I'm a mental case with this weight loss. I mean having to go back to the gym after I let myself go and look at the people that were encouraging me and have them see me fail....it just sucks! The banding is a pretty big step, I just want to know that I'm doing the right thing if I go through with it. Obviously, I have seen people having some real success on the forum here. I'm so sick of food and being hungry...I'm going to the gym tomorrow, need to work out, holidays are over! Thanks for telling me like it is...and now I have dwelled on the weight gain even more, but maybe now you can see why I worry about it so much. I had a friend in the Navy, a lady, who said if she gained too much weight she just wouldn't eat until she was back where she wanted to be...I just thought, if it was only that simple. She couldn't understand why I didn't just do what she does.....................................

The research group that I'm with believes that eating very low calories for too long...will set you up for a bad metabolic reset and more rebound weight gain at five years post op. You don't want a starvation metabolism. You want a hot burning furnace that supports lots of activity, healthy muscles and exercise. We are encouraged to eat 1200 calories per day as soon as possible after surgery. I've eaten 1200 calories daily since my third week post op. I feel terrific. Am almost to goal. It's important to listen to the professionals. Their advice is based on a broader perspective than just our own. And they've seen the consequences of lots of well intentioned nutritionally disastrous efforts. Be safe, be well, and best wishes!

I'm so thankful to have been sleeved and to have lost so much weight so quickly. It's been a lot of work but well worth the effort and risk associated with the surgery. My health problems (all the standard ones) are all fixed and I feel great. As I approach my goal weight, my wife, daughter and several people at work keep telling me I should stop losing now, but I'd still like to reduce my love handles. I established my goal weight based on weight lost 22 years ago and the level that I thought was good back then. However, I look different this time (at age 54) and a few tell me I look frail. Given my workout schedule, which includes strength training 3 times/week, I'm not at all frail but my new turkey neck does make me look older. Also, I'm told I walk differently (like an old man) and used to walk with more pep (when fat). Not sure the reason for this, but I've noticed myself hunching forward and try to adjust accordingly. So many changes without explanations. Monday I'm going back to my nut to figure out how to stop losing weight in a healthy manner. Somehow they left that out of my surgeon's instructions. I never imagined I would be in the situation where I'm trying to stop losing weight. Hopefully when I'm out of the honeymoon stage, I won't go back to fighting weight gains again .... I'm also very thankful for all of the support provided on this site and the great advice and information I've received here along the way ... Andrew

I've been banded for 4 years next month. I have a 10cc band. I lost all my weight in the 1st year and kept it off until recently. I started at 256lbs and made it down to 152 and fit comfortably in a size 6/8 for the past three years at 4.2 cc's. I slowly started having band issues over the past year. Pb's, acid reflux at night, and about a 10 lb weight gain over time. I had my doctor do a slight unfill (.25cc's). This helped my reflux for a short time, but it came back. I tried not eating after 6pm, propping up on pillows to sleep, but no matter how small the meal, my pouch was stretched and it would just sit in there and come back up when I laid down at night. My pouch had stretched over time and I didn't even know it. I didn't stuff food down my throat and sit there in agony until my pouch stretched day after day. It wasn't like that at all! Like other bandsters, sometimes I eat and am comfortable, other times not. My doctor said this is something fairly common when you've been banded for a while and that every now and then I would need a "reset". An unfill for 4-6 weeks, then slowly filling again. I had a complete unfill 2 months ago, then a 2cc fill about 3 weeks ago. I'm going in for another fill next week. In this time I've gained 13lbs. It's been hard for this "foodie" to not have restriction during the holidays. I have the lap band for a very good reason. I'm looking forward to getting back to where I feel restriction again so I can drop this weight I've gained. My doctor recommended doing this once a year to keep things in check. Hopefully this helps your curiosity about pouch stretching.

I had the surgery only three days ago but I’m very disappointed to see that I have gained weight since. I’m nervous that this will never go away and it will continue. Advice please?

Where to begin.....After being thin my whole life,1 pregnancy at 20 (lots of complications as well as quit smoking) and I spent most of my 20's over 200lbs. Pregnancy #2 at 30 (which was great and no weight gain on top of what I already had)and now I am into my late 30's and really didn't want to wait for health problems to arise from being obese any longer. Diabetes and heart problems are VERY prominent in my family history. After many years and countless hours in the gym with and without personal trainers,injuries have always held me back from achieving my goal weight. The RnY was out of the question for me, due to the malabsorbtion issue and I know how important vitamins play a role in our bodies. I know a lot of people who have had RnY done, and with great results, but not for me! Then one day in Sept 2010 my husband came home with news about a WLS that 2 of our clients had successfully had, that didn't involve rerouting or malabsorbtion. The VSG was introduced to me and I feverishly researched it! I had my first orientation classes in Oct with Kaiser South San Francisco as well as my appt with a surgeon. I decided this was for me! So in November I had an appointment with my surgeon who was going to set me up for surgery Dec 3, 2010. Talk about fast!!! I decide to wait until January because not only is Dec 3 my youngest daughters' birthday, but we had a huge vacation schedule for 2 weeks in Florida over Christmas vacation and I wanted to be able to enjoy every minute of it with my children, as this was their first visit to Florida. I wish you could of seen the look on my Doctors' face when I told him that December wasn't going to work for me so lets shoot for January (most people want sooner not later). So January 24, 2010 is my surgery date! I am so excited to be starting this new chapter in my life,and excited to know that my health is going to be here to stay ( God willing), but of course as the date gets closer, other emotions are on the rise. I want to thank all of those before me for all the information that you have posted so that people can make informed decisions about their health. By the way, I have told EVERYONE that is in and who enters my life, about my WLS! I refuse to hide behind the shame of obesity any longer!!! ALL of my friends and family support my decision, as most have seen first hand my struggles and blood sweat and tears in the gym. God Bless!

I am desperate and sad. Seeking advice, help or words of wisdom… Like many of you my weight journey started a very long time ago – almost thirty years ago. I grew up with three older sisters and a single mother. My father died when I was seven years old. That was the end of family dinners. My sisters were 14, 17 and 18 – and my mother was 41 (my age right now). You can imagine the dieting / body image / food dysfunction that a household of five single women was a breeding ground for. Of course my mom made sure I was fed- there were frozen dinners (Lean Cuisine), but otherwise, there was not a lot of food in the house as my sisters/mom were always dieting. Having struggled with her weight for many years, my mom did not want me to suffer her same fate. However, when I went to my best friend’s house, that was another story….a panacea of forbidden food and treats – even a cookie jar (so blatant, so open, so tempting) which I so distinctly remember raiding daily. These memories are in no way to blame anyone – it is what it is, but it serves to concretize the all or nothing thinking that let me to my binge-like behavior. The craziness never caught up to me until age 14. I’m not sure if it was the academic stress of my high school or puberty, but I gained 30 pounds in one year – not a normal weight gain for a 14 year-old girl. At the end of that year I begged and pleaded to my mother to send me to weight watchers camp. She finally conceded probably thinking she help me would get this under control early on. I lost weight, I gained weight. I lost weight, I gained weight. Times this experience by five thousand and perhaps you have an idea of the number of attempts I have made in my life…Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, diet pills, Atkins, boot camp, hypnosis, intuitive eating, life coaches, therapists, etc. There is no end to the torture I have felt and put myself through. Somehow the only thing that soothed the pain was the very thing causing it. My identity and sense of self-worth is so intricately involved with my weight – it’s near impossible to separate the two. And no matter how much insight I have into the craziness and the chaos, I have been unsuccessful at pulling myself out of it. -The desperation and the self-loathing getting stronger with every failed attempt. On occasions when I was able to lose weight and maintain for a while – it was truly a blissful feeling. Not because I felt so good about my appearance or ever felt skinny. But because it was such freedom from the obsessive thinking that has plagued me forever. It has been a very long time since I have experienced that – as for the past decade or so, the ‘fat me’ has won. Don’t get me wrong, despite the occasional self-deprecating remark, this is my own private hell. I am a productive member of society – often helping others emerge from their own psychic pain. Friends think I am carefree and bubbly. Though I have not had to purchase an extra airline seat, I feel the pain of being over weight so deeply. I understand feeling invisible and the experience that people judge and do not take you seriously. There is shame and guilt and self-loathing that is difficult for anyone to understand who has not been there themselves. I know I am in a safe place to share this and unfortunately many of you have experienced this pain as well. I had heard something about plication this past summer and I excitedly began researching options for surgery for lower BMI. Plication was definitely not the answer but I began to feel more and more certain that Veritical Sleeve Gastrectomy was the answer. There was no crazy bypassing of anything – just what seems like a completely rational reduction of a stomach that did not need to be so large – no major physical overhaul, less risks. Though I would have qualified in the states, my insurance would not have covered this. Despite my initial trepidation about Mexico, the more I researched it, the more excited I got about it. These doctors have done more VSGs than most any in the states. When I happened upon vertical sleeve talk, I felt like I discovered a whole new world – excitement took over me as I knew I had found an answer to a torture that had darkly clouded much of my world. I spent countless hours reading thousands upon thousands of posts. Weighing out the good, the bad and the ugly. This was not advertisement. These were not scholarly journals. This forum was filled with hundreds of people, just like myself, who have been through the pain and suffering and have emerged on the other side – grateful, free and loving their new life. What began as a pipe dream eventually became a reality. I was scheduled for the week between Christmas and New Years. I told my mother and not another soul. I had a few concerns… obviously fear that something would go terribly wrong as I was by myself in Tijuana, and also how I was going to explain this drastic weight loss to anyone who might notice. But overall, I had a strange confidence that I would be okay a sense of calm about the decision. The process of VSG in Mexico, at least the company that I went with, is like a well-oiled machine. I had no major complaints and the staff were very kind. I read enough of the forum members’ very detailed accounts, that I felt pretty familiar with the whole process. Thank GOD!!! The surgery went off without a hitch. I did not vomit, I had no complications. I was able to eat without any negative consequences. I had gained about 15 pounds between the process of deciding to get this surgery – lost a little before surgery date. In the two weeks following I lost 14 pounds total. That was two months ago. Herein lies the problem. I have not lost any weight in the two months since then. SO I am basically where I began. Or, let me clarify – I will lose 2 or 3 and gain it right back. I have a smaller stomach, I get fuller a little more quickly than before the surgery……BUT IN NO WAY do I have the restriction that any other person on this forum has. I mentioned I was lower BMI. Because of this, my surgeon informed me he decided to remove less than of the stomach than normal. I now read this forum with tears in my eyes and resentment in my heart. How could this not have worked? My appetite is the same and there is very little restriction. So I am at this place where this has been the same failure as any other diet. How can this surgery which has been so life changing to so many hundreds and hundreds of people not even have had a slight impact on my situation? I get it. I know I am the one who is supposed to make healthier choices, and eat less and exercise more. I have always known that. So have each of you. People on this forum lose weight not because of a purposeful massive overhaul on their thinking – yes, of course that plays into it, as it has for every diet we have all tried. People here lose the weight because their stomachs no longer allow them to eat how they used to. Either the food does not agree with them, or the restriction is drastically decreasing the amount of food eaten. Changes that occur with thinking and behavior absolutely do occur – but they occur as the RESULT of the physical changes. Otherwise, there is no way to explain the collective thousands of failed diet attempts. According to many articles the success rate of losing weight and keeping it off is 5%! Do I talk to the surgeon again, or just let it go? I doubt he can do another surgery and feel like he will say ,“It was only a tool.” Am I truly the only person for whom this surgery did not work? The only thing that I am grateful for in all of this is, 1) That I did not die as a result of the surgery and am not suffering serious side effects and, 2) that this surgery did help so many who have been through this same suffering as I. I would still recommend someone have this done, as it has worked miracles for so many. I am trying to finish being angry that it did not work on me – which is one of the reasons I am writing this letter. I am at a place now where I am dieting. I have started a four-day quasi-starvation diet today with the hopes that it will motivate me. I plan to try to stick with Atkins-type diet following that. But I am dieting and living as I always have – with obsessive thoughts (now mixed with disbelief of this failing) and a heavy heart. My pre-surgery bundle of emotions including: excitement, fear, relief, exuberance, etc. Have been replaced by feelings of confusion, sadness and desperation. I am sorry if my feelings of anger come off as offensive to anyone. Any words of wisdom are welcome.

I finally found an article about food addiction written in a way that is easily understood by all. Below you will find the normal behavior versus the addictive behavior. Here's an excerpt from that section: Dependence on food will be habitual, while addiction to food will be somewhat unpredictable (e.g., a morning cup of coffee versus the sudden, inexplicable drive to eat four servings of cheesecake) Dependence on food will have few, if any, emotional causes, but addiction to food is provoked by emotions and circumstances that cause feelings of powerlessness (e.g., a treat to get through a trying day at work versus a binge to avoid focusing on painful thoughts Dependence on food will have few, if any, emotional effects, whereas addiction to food will cause great anxiety if not properly attended to (e.g., being cranky due to caffeine deprivation versus feeling panicked because a planned binge is interrupted) Dependence on food will cause minimal interference in other areas of a person’s life, but addiction to food will disturb every aspect (e.g., a love for red wine with dinner versus preferring to eat alone for the sake of overeating) Dependence on food can be controlled at will, but food addiction appears as an unstoppable force in the person’s life (e.g., giving up pizza after noticing slight weight gain versus trying to stick to a healthy eating plan but derailing constantly; having a divided mind that seems to want opposite things) Dependence on food is pleasurable, but food addiction is a torment (e.g., traditional Christmas cookies versus the horror one has that one has eaten the whole box of cookies, coupled with the knowledge that one isn’t done yet) Dependence on food is casual, whereas food addiction appears to the addicted person to be closely tied to his or her identity (e.g., the guilty pleasure of Cheetos versus the shame and feelings of inadequacy that often accompany a binge) Perhaps one of the most important paragraphs is below: (helpful to read the entire article) What happened in this scenario demonstrates what, for many people, is the central issue of food addiction. Bingeing allows the food-addicted person to avoid dealing with threatening emotions (such as his or her perceived failure, powerlessness, or inferiority) by replacing them with guilt and shame, which are also threatening, but in a familiar, almost comfortable way. In the mind of the food-addicted person, the pivotal issue is lack of willpower. But in truth, they are using food to defend themselves against the pain in their life. By facilitating this transfer and avoidance of emotions, food has become a drug, and it is at this point that the food-addicted person needs to seek help. Bingeing has a different meaning for most people. When I was obese I thought it meant that you ate in the closet in the dark with a whole package of Oreos and a gallon of milk. Of course I didn't do that so I didn't think it applied to my behavior. (umm...denial) Finally I realized that my weekend routine of buying a huge Bucket 'O Chicken and locking myself in my apartment from Friday evening until going to work on Monday morning was certainly a form of bingeing. The same thing applied to my Quarter Pounder with Cheese obsession. I'm sure the Dallas quarterly earnings dropped significantly around the time I woke up to my dependence on this junk food. Most importantly please, please, please....do not walk the path of shame. From that same paragraph the very important part of the article... "In the mind of the food-addicted person, the pivotal issue is lack of willpower. But in truth, they are using food to defend themselves against the pain in their life." How sad it is that we are just trying to avoid the pain of life by using food. The problem is that it never works without paying a great price. Ask for help, educate yourself, and know that freedom from this disease is truly possible.

I'm finally getting back on track...decided to go back to liquids for a few days...I'm leaving for Florida Thursday morning...spending the weekend...so I know that I will be eating out a lot...hopefully, I'll make good choices and eat healthy. I do NOT want to come back with weight gain...

So where to start...I've feel like I have been on a roller coaster ride for the last 6 months or so. I had Gastric Bypass Jan 2015. So far I have lost 210 lbs as of about a month and a half ago. Truthfully been afraid of weighing myself lately. So I'm 36 years old, don't have any children, not for lack of trying. So I figured my chances of getting pregnant after losing weight were very positive. So went to the Dr. for check up and woman exams and all that. Well I've had abnormal results, pre cancerous in the uterus, before but Doctors always said lose weight and then we can talk about a treatment plan. So here I am 6 months ago, Test came back abnormal, they did another biopsy and the worst news I could have received. Endometrial Cancer Stage 1. So options, hormone treatment or hysterectomy. The tears came, depression reared its ugly head and my hopes of having a biological baby were crushed. So i finally accepted my fate and decided hysterectomy was what I needed to do. Well I go to my follow up appt and Dr basically tells me that I should try a hormone treatment so I can hang on to the possibility of being able to have a baby. So against my better judgement I did. 5 months later after hormone therapy, I go for follow up biopsy. And mind you during this time I tried to not think about babies and possibilities, But since I strive to be optimistic deep down , buried I had begun to hope and visualize what it would be like. Turns out the hormone treatment did nothing, Cancer is still there, no change. So yeah basically my only option is to have a hysterectomy. Again I felt like another piece of me has died. Not to sound so dramatic but ever since I was a little girl, I have always pictured myself with kids. Dr. says I have options, I can freeze my eggs, and still have a biological baby. But truth be told and me trying to be realistic with myself, That is just not an option for me. Aside from that I do not want to give myself false hope. There is no way I will be able to afford any the cost associated with freezing my eggs, surrogacy and all it entails. If I had money and was able to afford it then yes I would definitely do it. So about 3 weeks ago I had a pity party which lasted a couple of weeks, depression hit me, I stopped going to gym, couldn't sleep, basically went to work , came home and locked myself in my room. Didn't feel like seeing or talking to anybody. This week I'm emotionally in between still but I guess I have finally accepted my fate and accepted that it just wasn't meant for me to be a mother in that sense. I have a great relationship with my nieces and nephews and I absolutely in love with my furbaby Gyzmo. Yes he is a spoiled.lil doggy. I started getting back to my work out routine and trying to get back on track physically. Mentally preparing myself while waiting for my surgery date sometime next month. So now I need to concentrate on continuing to lose weight, maintain my sanity in the process of everything that is coming my way. Oh did I mention, I will be having a full, total hysterectomy, so yup you may have guessed already. That means I will be a 36 year old going through early menopause. I have done some research on symptoms and reactions. When I was 200 lbs heavier I was always hot and sweating because it would be physically exhausting for me to mover around. 200 lbs lighter I didn't have to worry about that. Now I may be back to those hot flashes and mood swings? Really? O not to mention that they say woman who have this surgery tend to gain weight after. So the odds are yet again stacked against me. Nothing new there. But I am desperately trying to be optimistic and prepare for what awaits me. I do not want to go back to the 517 lb girl that I was 16 months ago. I have tried to talk to some friends and family about what I am going through but they really don't get it. Having the WLS itself was one thing, I was getting my self confidence back but now dealing with infertility and another surgery and potential weight gain and mood changes. I fely like I needed to reach out and I guess I just want to feel like I'm not alone in this struggle. Has anyone experienced the same type of situation I am currently facing? Any insight or advice you can share with me? I'd appreciate it. I'm trying to hang on to my sanity. :-) Thanks for reading my ranting here. lol

No help for us. We are fat, we are gluttons, we are weak and undeserving of help, sympathy, or adequate medical care. Like Orson Wells said, “Gluttony is not a secret vice.” Do I believe that? Some days I do in fact believe it, when I’m down, and lately more because of how ill I have been. Mostly it is a load of hog wash. Fat does not equal ugly. There has long been a weird relationship with food, the body and the Christian church. And of course, we all know the impact that both Protestant and Catholic sects have had on Western Civilization… Some of the Christian based weight-loss schemes are screaming “fat people don’t go to heaven,” and “use our program based on Leviticus and you will loose weight and be closer to God!” Sorry, I’ve read Leviticus, and I am NOT eating bugs…. (I call them schemes because I think we all here have come to the understanding that “diets” are just schemes…) If you had better self-control, more self-esteem, more will-power, were a better person, loved God more…. You would lose weight and be a better person. There is no understanding for the overweight from most doctors. Before my husband had his band installed, the cardiologist said “Have you just tried cutting out sweets?” Now, on the face of it, this is good advice, advice we could all use. However, this showed a complete lack of understanding on the part of the doctor. You see, before my husband had his band installed, he weighted 596 pounds with a BMI in the high 80’s. Cutting out sweets would have certainly helped, it wouldn’t have stopped my husband from eating two or three fast-food meals at one sitting, or any of the other overeating behavior some of us know intimately, and other behaviors we are only starting to understand in ourselves and others. I am currently having difficulty with my asthma: hospitalizations, steroids, greatly reduced lung function, other things as well. What am I told? Well, just lose some weight, we aren’t going to help with this, we are just going to pass judgment on you. Sudden and unexplained weight gain? Well, just don’t eat as much… (never mind that I gained 10 pounds overnight with severe edema…). I have to suspect that part of Delarla’s current adventure with gauze might have been caught earlier if she was thin. I was told by my doctor that I just need to take up running. Yes that’s right, take up running. Can you imagine a woman with a BMI in the high 40’s running? (Please see the thread about giving one’s self black eyes…) Being fat or overweight or big boned, or under tall, or metabolically efficient or famine resistant doesn’t make us failures, bad people or jerks. We might be over sexed (skin is the largest sex organ…), but we are not failures, or bad people or jerks. If we are failures or bad people or jerks, it is independent of our weight or size.

I was told it's not good for you as it can cause acid to build up. There's also certain schools of thought that believe the fake sugars in gum may actually cause greater weight gain than sugar by stimulating your appetite. Either way I don't chew gum.

@Sweetsoul oh how I understand how hard it is. I am 7” shorter than you. I can’t excercise due to chronic illness but I understand avoiding the gym. In all reality exercise does not help with weight loss. Building muscle (which I cannot do) helps burn fat, but I meant to say is I’ve been here before and I fought so hard the first time and it’s hard, I was losing my ability to taste food and I wasn’t getting hungry or full signals but I felt that needs to just want something good, something rich with flavor, strong taste. Never was a snacker either, love salt need salt fo orthostatic intolerance. I tried vegetarian back then too when I couldn’t tolerate meats. I had been doing extreme low carb and calorie counting to lose weight And I finally did but it was extreme under 10 net carbs and very low calorie. but wanted to add more vegetables and vegetarian foods. I was feeling sick. And guess what my weight crept up. Somehow I managed the best I could but always on the brink of gaining until I eventually ended up having drastic weight gain. Maybe because my gallbladder went bad and I wasn’t processing fats but I was eating more greens, kale salads, vegetarian foods and 800 calories yet gaining, no snacking, I felt like a total failure. And I eventually was able to seek out gastric bypass surgery. And have had to recreate my way of eating. I’m finding salt and fats an issue now and vegetables even though I relied heavily on them before I can’t eat much salt and will need to treat my orthostatic intolerance some other way. But you are right in your approach to understanding the problem. I feel you I do. It’s my fear long term so I’m working so hard on what my long term habits need to be especially as things change. Don’t be afraid to reach out to your surgeon and the nutritionist you worked with too and re-evaluate where you are now. I know it’s easier said than done I’m afraid of my surgeon visits after some issues from my own surgery. That they don’t understand my medical issues outside of surgery. But you won’t know unless you take the step. try to find other things to compensate for what salt offers. It’s hard. I hope my response isn’t too forward. To obnoxious. You came pretty far and maintained well and maybe at some point you can take a step further don’t worry. I’m slow in moving forward with food, I have food issues. You are fairly tall too and some people are naturally curvy. I just know you didn’t fail especially because you are giving it good honest evaluation and thought.

Hi Ladies....I hope you are all doing well! I am doing great- albeit for the usual fatigue and morning sickness. I have an update and interested in your experiences/feedback as well: -Met with new bariatric surgeon ( just moved) and he told me to leave my band as is; which is currently filled to 5.5 cc. He said as long as I can eat well with no vomiting, etc that there is no need to unfill. Of course he said to evaluate as we go along but I guess I am still concerned because I thought when pushing during labor I could damage the band if it is filled- but he said no. Thsi seems to be contradicting what I have read here- what do you ladies think and what have you done? - H1N1- have you recieved the vaccine? First of all I can't even get the regular flu shot- everyone is out! In regards to the H1N1, I don't know- I feel very uncertain about it- it's such a new vaccine and was rushed to market so quickly how does anyone really know what effect is could have long term? -Weight Gain: OMG...before I tested positive for pregnancy I was down to 260- almost 85 pounds from 2/3/09!!! Now 9 weeks along, I have already gained 8 pounds and I am very nervous. How much weight did you gain in first trimester? I am eating more, even with a restricted band. I find that I am eating more carbs than I have the whole time pst banding; I think it is because Protein is making me ill right now and the carbs help ease my queasiness. chicken, meat, turkey, all turning me off right now where prior to pregnancy I was eating majority protein and veggies. I am so scared I will put on everything I took off by the time I deliver...what did you ladies do to control weight gain- did you have similar cravings for sweet and carbs and did it pass? Thanks for your help!! xoxo

Congrats on reaching your "regular food" stage. Sure, some people experience a temporary weight gain somewhere along the way like you described. Is 3 oz of Protein the amount that is recommended at this stage for you? 2 oz sounds more typical for 6 wks out, but every program is different. Your best bet is to just as carefully as you can, follow the quantities recommended by your program, especially in the first 6 months. Eating out frequently can be a slippery slope. Even when you ask for those "special requests," you really do not have the control over how your food is prepared and what the actual ingredients are that you are consuming. There is nothing that compares to preparing your food at home--you know exactly what you are eating. Yep, so many of us eat out due to our busy lives and just run out of time to eat at home. I know I had to really get creative with "brown bagging" more often (especially for Breakfast and lunch meals). It takes a lot of planning, but now I pick one day a week (usually Sunday) to do a mini-marthon cooking session and divide up "to go" food for the week (or at least for 4-5 days) so at least I'm eating healthier MOST of the time. Then, for example, on Wednesday, it feels so good that I have already made my food decision for the week--I just grab it and go! Keep up the good work. Just keep following your program and your scale will keep moving in the direction you want it to.

Today is my 4 month surgiversary. I can't believe how time flies. I am down 47 pounds as of today and need to lose another 28 pounds to get to my goal. I am very happy with my sleeve, it is a great tool to weight loss. The only thing I wish is that I was more of a fast loser. This last month, I have only lost 6 pounds. I would be happier with 10 pounds a month loss. But I will take any loss over the weight gain I used to experience. I am very thankful to God for this opportunity to make my health, life and happiness sooooo much better. I feel sooooo good. Thank You everyone for all of the sharing in this forum it has truly made my journey much easier.

Congratulations on your weight loss!! :cheer2: I am 12 days post op and could not take the hunger. I stayed on strict liquids for 10 days and lost 12 pounds. During this time I was also so Very Tired :notagree . However, I then had to EAT :hungry: . I had a very small bowl of small curd cottage cheese with ketchup (all mashed up), pudding, and liquefied mashed potatoes (not all at once of course) over the last 2 days . This made me feel much better, but also gained 2 pounds . I am also walking about 1 1/2 miles a day and thinking this will offset the weight gain from eating. I so hope I am not endangering my band but needed something more than broth. I only have 50 more pounds to lose and I am sure this will take me longer to do, but I am So glad I chose the band as my weight lose tool. :confused: If anyone wants to comment on this choice please do so, as all advise to this newbie is greatly appreciated! :D Keep up the Great work all... :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: p.s. Oh yea...almost forgot (or didn't want to confess, I also had a chocolate bunny... but will try not to let that happen again....)

How great, it's always wonderful when our families are supportive. . . i didn't tell my mom until i was about 2 or 3 months out. . . she is a major drama queen and of course when i told her, she had me in my coffin and buried right away. . . :lol: Now at over 1 year out she thinks i'm going to regain everything back because i gained about 20 lbs over 6 months. . . she is sooo funny. . . but all i can say is be careful after 1 year out. . . what they say about weight gain IS true. . .I'm really watching now that i don't go up anymore and it's been working well. . .I don't think i'll hit my ultimate goal of 180, but that is ok! for now I am grateful I'm not 350 anymore. My hubbie is glad I'm not losing anymore he thought i was going to die too :lol: God bless our families! . . . . good luck!

I'm so glad to read that you're recovered and doing much better!! I started out really interesting in the band but the maintenance and fills wasn't for me because I'm paying everything out of pocket. Then I started reading complications and weight gain when issues. I found about the sleeve and researched the crap out of it and have made my decision. I'm traveling out of state for it and when I first spoke to my surgeon out there, he told me he won't even do the lap band to anyone not in his area due to complications that arise. My brothers gf has a band so I just hope and pray it continues to work for her!