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4 days post op. And yes grumbling is loud.. scared the crap out of my dog. Chest pains aka gas pains I'm managing with gas x strips. Haven't experienced weight gain. Actually weight loss I'm down 9 pounds as of this morning. But since I've only been on liquids since Monday I'm not surprised. Hopes are every day will be alittle bit better. It really is hard right now. But keep trying to tell myself in the end it will be sooo worth it. Especially helps talking to those going through the same thing.

SOunds like me too! In high school I was 170 or so, 4 years ago I started zoloft and my anxiety disorder got me down to 180-190. Everyone asks me why I can't lose it like I did 4 years ago and I never explain but the truth is that starting zoloft (which doesn control my appetite now since my body is used to it), having uncontrolled anxiety, and have liquid bowel movements for a year is a great way to lose weight, but not healthy! I was like the chubby kid in grade school. The "full figured gal" in high school. 175 or so when I was 18. Up to 245 when I was 20 Back down to 185 or so when going thru the above mentioned. And then back to 245 (BMI 38) I was pro-active in getting surgery b/c I am only 26 but I see that pattern of weight gain every year and I knew in my heart it wasn't going to change. I have nothing I would have thought as "co-mobities" but I do have kneee problems and back problems, acid refulx and a hiatal hernia. Before the the surgeons I saw found out my insurance wouldn't cover the band they said my problems could be "co-morbidities" so don't give up on that idea just b/c you don't have the "typical" ones like diabetes and high blood pressure. Anyways, point is, as hard as it is to face, statistically your weight will continue to go up yearly. Only you can change that number, and if you need a band to do it then so be it - I mean, this site wouldn't exist is there were people left and right that could do it on thier own! As far as the surgery - I had mine one week ago like exactly to the minute and it was not to bad. I was knocked out before I knew it, and the incisions are so small - I've looked way worse falling off a bike! Good luck in whatever you choose!

Wow, super long and didn't get ALL of it but I promise I will come back and read every word and reply again. Just wanted to say Hi and tell you to look at my stats...very similar but my weight gain has been steady up with less "way downs" than you. Banding BMI was 38, I think. I am 5'5". I am also a little older. Anyhow, it's possible. Have hope. Look at the Before-After Pics Thread.

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?

Your weight is going to fluctuate. If you were to chart your weight over time, were your expectations to have that be a straight line sloping down? I hope not, because that is just not the way this works. Also, since you are using a scale, know that it only measures weight, not fat. What are you looking to lose weight or fat? Remember, it is generally accepted if you consume 3,500 more calories than you burn, you will gain a pound. Burn 3,500 calories more than you consume, you lose a pound. So, assuming your resting metabolic rate is 2,000 calories a day, let's do the math: 7 days in a week 2,000 calorie BMR 3,500 calories for 1 pound 7 (Days) x 2,000 (BMR) = 14,000 calories burned in a week sitting on your couch doing nothing 3,500 (calories in a pound) x 1.8 (amount of weight gained) = 6,300 calories (14,000 + 6,300) (number of calories to gain 1.8 pounds) / 7 (days in a week) = 2,900 calories per day. So then, if you think you have been consuming 2,900 calories a day, then you might have something to worry about as you are putting on fat. But if you are consuming less than that, then it is most likely Water weight. How's the hormones been lately?

I was downing carbonated drinks very early on, I had no specific prohibition. Probably week four? I drink several cans of diet sodas a day, it’s how I get my water intake needs met. never had an issue with bubbles or cravings or weight gain or blood sugar levels etc. ymmv and your doctor may not approve…

There is a lot of conflicting stories & advice out there about whether you can drink carbonated drinks after WLS, but apparently there’s little scientific evidence to support either the yes or no position. The only evidence is that drinking carbonated drinks increases weight gain. There’s also information coming out that artificial sweeteners are just as bad if you go down that route. (Basically they trick the body into thinking it’s getting sugar but isn’t so it stores more fat to compensate for the perceived reduction of glucose - which the body does need.) Plus artificial sweeteners continue to feed your craving for sugar. As with many things after surgery, some can & some can’t. It’s really your choice if you can & it works for you. Personally, I gave up carbonated drinks years ago because they aggravated my reflux & gave me horrendous hiccups. I only had bubbles in a gin & tonic & champagne but too many of them & urrgh! So no change for me (though I drink less alcohol & drink it less frequently now).

If I were you, I'd make appointments with both your surgeon and your nutritionist. With you surgeon, tell him how you haven't eaten meat and are resorting to soft foods. I'm no doctor, but it sounds like you actually might be a little tight and are resorting to "soft calorie syndrome". Contrary to popular belief, tighter isn't always better with the band, in fact it can lead to weight gain and complications. Here's a great article about it: http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/161269-tighter-isnt-always-better/ With your nutritionist, let them help you establish both a eating routine and calorie guidelines specific to you and your nutritional needs. Best wishes.

I am stunned that a Dr. would band you with so little weight left to lose. The surgery itself is traumatic and will cause a weight gain between the IV's and such. You may not be getting enough calories. How many calories are you taking in, how many grams of protein? I would find it difficult to believe any one would do somthing as drastic as a full gastric bypass for so few pounds to lose. While I am certain you are frustrated, my thinking is that you are not taking in enough calories/protein grams to get an effective 1-2 pound per week weight loss. Have you discussed this with your nutritionist?

The Doc: “What made you decide to have Weight Loss Surgery at this particular time in your life?” I ask every patient I see for a pre-surgical psychological evaluation. The responses to this question nearly always revolve around health. “I want to get off so many medications.” “I need to get rid of this diabetes.” “I want to be healthy enough to see my children/grandkids grow up.” “I want to be able to do things I can’t now because of my weight.” “I want to be healthy enough to walk/go places with my family/ride amusement park rides/not have to use a seat belt extender on an airplane.” The vast majority of the time, when people make the decision to have weight loss surgery, their health has become an issue that interferes in their quality of life. Sure, some people are interested in the benefits of being able to wear smaller clothing, many are interested in being less discriminated against, and most are enthusiastic about seeing the scale show a much lower number. It is safe, however, from my experience of having completed over 3000 pre-surgical evaluations, to summarize people’s reasons for wanting to have weight loss as being 1) seeking improved health and 2) seeking an improved quality of life. The Post Op: All I know is, by the time I dragged my size 30 behind into the doctor’s office to talk about getting the weight off, I was sick…and I was tired…and I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. It sounds trite, but it was true. My obesity was mentally, physically and emotionally exhausting, and every day represented weight gained and battles lost. At 320 pounds, I was Alice, and I’d been stuck down the rabbit hole of obesity and poor health for so long, I was willing to do anything to get out – yes, even take a swig from that bottle on the table with the “drink me” tag. In my mind, weight loss surgery was a magic potion and I was about to get really small. I didn’t know how it would feel when I got there, but I knew I’d be set free. I believed my life would get better and I’d be healthier if I could just get…smaller. The Doc: Fast-forward two years after surgery. The weight has melted off! The scale, of, course, never seems to reflect a low enough number. No matter – people are taking many fewer medications than they had to prior to surgery. And they are riding roller coasters and Ferris wheels and they are going on airplanes and not needing seatbelt extenders. They are going bike riding and hiking and playing with their children and grandkids like they have dreamed of doing. In other words, the majority of post-ops at around the two-year mark, do have improved health and do have a better quality of life. The Post Op: Losing large amounts of weight in a short period of time really messes with your head. One day, you’re buying double-digit stretchy pants and tops in the plus-size section, and the next, you’re venturing into the foreign world of single-digit labels on non-spandex jeans and fitted suits. Yesterday, you couldn’t find a single “before” photo but today you’ve got a thousand “after selfies” and attention from people you aren’t even sure you like. It’s exciting and new… and confusing… Somewhere along the way, you lost the plot, stopped focusing on your health and started focusing on your image. Like so many post-ops, you’ve learned that losing weight doesn’t guarantee happiness, hopefulness or health. So, with that said, can you refocus your focus and choose to live in Recovery From Obesity? What do you think, Doc? The Doc: It’s been really interesting observing the journey of post-ops, two of whom are my closest friends. After the initial weight loss and the joys of experiencing many of the NSV’s (non-scale victories, on the off chance you don’t know what NSV stands for, many people start whingeing (pronounced win – jing), a term the Post Op and I learned on our trip to work with bariatric folks in New Zealand. It means whining! “I don’t want to exercise.” “I’m tired of restricting myself.” “But sometimes I just need chocolate.” And then there’s the gossiping. “Have you seen so-and-so? She’s regained so much weight.” “Do you think I look smaller that that woman?” And, of course, there’s a continued? new? renewed? obsession with numbers! ““If I could only fit into a size smaller.” “Just ten more pounds and I would be satisfied. Really.” And what I actually find the saddest is the addiction to food… “I watch all of the shows on the Food Network.” “Look at the ‘bad’ food I ate… I posted it on Facebook!” My, how the focus changes! No longer do people seem to remember the reasons they had surgery… they appear to overlook the fact that their health is improved and the quality of their lives is vastly improved. All of a sudden the numbers on the scale, the size of the clothing and how they compare in size to other people are the focus. And maybe the saddest part from my perspective is that no matter how much weight they’ve lost, so many people are dissatisfied. They either want to lose more weight, hate their body just as much as before weight loss, or find some other thing(s) to focus on that were never mentioned as being important prior to surgery. The Post Op: I’ve seen this play out a thousand times, Doc, and it makes me so sad to realize that many people who desperately want to be free from the prison of obesity actually imprison themselves by the tyranny of numbers, the scale and their clothing size! As you sagely point out, far from living a life in Recovery, many post-ops lose sight of what they said matters most and focus on the food, the food and the food! You call it an unhealthy obsession – I call it addiction, but either way, it’s not the goal of life after weight loss surgery…at least, not in my book. What’s missing from the equation? The Doc: Where’s the gratitude? Somehow, the life-saving, life-enhancing weight loss surgery that was done to improve one’s health and improve their quality of life, and that DID exactly those things, often morphs into what we believe are simply manifestations of that same disease of obesity. Because, as Cari often points out, “obesity is all about the food but not at all about the food.” And she’s right! Obesity includes a mindset, an attitude, an obsessiveness on food, size, and weight. Perhaps most tragically, there is a self-defeating component that lives on when one becomes obsessed with their eating, their weight, their sizes and/or what others are eating, what others weigh and what size others are wearing. Again, I ask, “Where’s the gratitude?” The Post Op: In my case, genuine gratitude was a mystery. I mean, I’d spent a lifetime focusing on my compromised health, physical limitations, poor quality of life, disappointments, shame and failures. Clearly, going to the doctor wasn’t a reason to celebrate, because I believed I’d be “blamed” for my condition, then blithely be told to “move more and eat less.” And I know I’m not alone – I talk to many post-ops who share my misunderstanding about the power of gratitude and the importance of practicing it in everyday recovery. Of course, when the focus is on the negative, it doesn’t even occur to you to consider something positive! Maybe that’s why I view gratitude as the unsung gift of Recovery and work hard to work on it every day. The Doc: Maintaining what is commonly referred to as “an attitude of gratitude” can have a positive overall affect on your life. By focusing on the ways your health has improved, you feel pleased and grateful for the changes in your life, regardless of the weight your body has settled at. Focusing on the ways the quality of your life has improved after weight loss results in being grateful for being able to participate more actively and fully in your own life! Take the time and literally make a list of the things your weight loss has resulted in regarding your health and quality of your life. The Post Op: I get it. Lists are usually filled with work you have to accomplish before the day ends (things to do today), or before you die (bucket list), but they aren’t usually things you look at to feel good. I say it’s time to change that paradigm and start making lists of things you’ve already done (or, get to look forward to!) Your gratitude list doesn’t have to be a thing of literary genius (which means it doesn’t have to rhyme, be written in haiku or iambic pentameter, and doesn’t even have to include complete sentences!) Your list can include positive words, pictures, names of people you love – whatever – but it has to be a real list…so why not start now by considering some of the things The Doc mentioned? In case you’re wondering my list starts like this: 1. I’m eternally grateful for the opportunity to work with an amazing and compassionate friend to help others find the joy of Recovery From Obesity. How about you? ACTION STEP: Download a GRATITUDE APP (any one will do) for your smart phone and make a practice of typing in a minimum of three things each day that represent your improved health and/or the improvements in your quality of life. If you’re open to it, you will experience an overall improvement in your daily attitude.

It's common to be nervous. May I address a couple of your concerns? The band is NOT permanent. You will most likely want it to be, and it's built to be, but if for some reason you want or need it removed, it can be. While there MAY be some scarring around the outside of your stomach, 99% or some huge percentage have no side effects (except weight gain!) once the band is removed. SO if they come up with a miracle cure for obesity, we're good. And I've read (and believe it makes sense) that once the band is in, insurance will cover you if you have issues pertaining to it. You can ask your surgeon for clarification but it is my understanding that once you have it in there, say you DO need it removed due to medical necessity. Insurance will cover that. (a caveat...I am just repeating what I've heard; if you are concerned, besides asking your surgeon it might be prudent to call your insurance company and ask them) What will cost is fills and aftercare and that is mostly frontloaded during the first year, so make sure your surgeon offers you fills included in your package. In the long run, only you will know what it costs you. I personally had prepared to self pay (my insurance covered it) and figured it was cheaper than having the comorbidities and costs of obesity....heart trouble, diabetes, hypertension, sedentary lifestyle, etc. The cost out of pocket, even at the more pricey surgery centers, runs about the cost of a car or small SUV. I figured I am worth a Kia or two.

Tuesday 07-24-2012 6:41 pm So although I've been a member of VST for a couple of weeks maybe and really, started my journey to WLS on March 4, I am first finding myself type something out to be able to reflect back at all of what I've been through. My first thought is- for pete sake- I'm a licensed psychotherapist who has encouraged LOTS of people to journal and where the heck have I been? Lazy. Story of my life My second thought is that I must first comment on my experience on this forum and the VST peeps I've been getting to know through their own journeys. I cannot tell you how inspired I am by so many others who have either gone through similar walks of life or who are going through it. I don't feel alone anymore which is so relieving in and of itself. In this career, I hear many reasons why we choose the profession we are in. For me, it really was nothing about my personal life as it was my true desire to know the brain and study human behavior. So, because of this, I feel my family and friends have highly underestimated my strength at times. Sometimes, even we need a little extra support. I'm probably the biggest person who will dispute this so to put so much emphasis on what others this of me isn't fair really. But it's easier. So, again, I have no major underlying issues. Sure, we all have our "stuff" but I can tell you that I have been through therapy many times with my marriage and honestly, have benefited greatly. I check in with close friends and colleagues as I believe that's just part of my life now- I need to do that...for me. Back to how I got here. Well, I'm not exactly sure HOW I got this so out of control. I do know that I have always struggled with weight but I really have carried it well in my life. I have watched friends and family go through surgeries for weight loss and always believed I ddin't need to do that. Then one day I was dx with autoimmune disorder which really- the only symptom that I have is extreme fatigue and with that comes lack of ambition to do anything. The process of finding the right doctor was exhausting but after years of battling this, I did. But he wanted me to go on a medication that could cause blindness AND he wasn't guarenteeing that this would help fatigue as this is difficult to control. (Have you heard of Plaquinil? I know some have as I have read other's posts about it). Well.....I decided not to do it. So the next year I spent extremely tired; no.... exhausted. Heck, if I didn't know better, I probably would have dx me with depression BUT I WASN"T DEPRESSED. I gained probably another 30 pounds (that was my last straw- I could have cared less that I didn't clean my house like I wanted to or do more things...it was the weight)....So my husband convinced me to try the med. "Just try it". Wouldn't you know it- it was a matter of 2 weeks and I had some of that energy back. I was on it for about a year and I did lose about 15 of those pounds. Then I gradually took myself off. Dr. asked to decrease so I just kept forgetting and then before you know it, I'm off. Then I'm gaining weight again. One would think an educated person such as myself would put 2 and 2 together. Common sense isn't necessarily a subject in college or grad school I didn't want to go back on the med. My doc had told me that exericse was really good too. Yeah, I hate exercising and try convincing someone who has absolutely nothing to give.....to give. It wasn't easy. THEN it happend. I got a new job and found out insurance did not exclude WLS. I cannot tell you how elated I was. I had my appointments all lined up as soon as insurance kicked in. All they require is a 6 month professional weight loss program documented. R U KIDDING ME? I've been through EVERYTHING at LEAST 1,0000000000 times. But nothing recording for 6 months consecutively. So here I go. But who cares right? My benefits at my new job don't kick in until I'm there six months anyway so no worries. Well, I've hit the six month mark at work. My last NUT appt (actually with the PA) is August 13. I told her I have a date in my head of Sept 10. She was excited and told me that they will have everything ready that day so all they have to do is print out her note and send it on. Insurance has 14 buisness days to respond. That quite possibly will be the longest wait of my life. We will see (because these days are long as well). I can tell you I've gained weight at every single appt with the NUT. I'm trying things they say and I KNOW I will follow through after. Remember my energy level is nothing. I didn't have them document the autoimmune stuff (although they do know) as I don't believe it's life threatening- I went to have my fatigue treated and it was totally up to me and nothing more. My feeling is that I want to see how weight loss effects my health rather than relying on meds so I'm dealing. I was worried about the weight gain but the PA tells me not to be concnerned. I'm going to go with that because if I don't....I'll drive myself crazy...... So the countdown begins....to my new life....on this new journey... I know life will change for me drastically. I'm ready....for whatever that means. And I will journal through it---- because I know that it's helpful and I also know- I have a great support system with VST PEEPS. Thank you for listening..... Justine........

I agree with not getting into a grazing habit. I feel it can cause possible weight gain in the future during the maintenance period. Having a schedule is key from what my doctor told me.

I clearly remember the first time I thought about my weight. I had spent all summer having slumber parties with one of my best friends the summer between 3rd and 4th grade. We would stay up late eating pizza and ice cream and soda and it never once dawned on me that maybe I shouldn't (and I was a kid, I'm glad it didn't). That year, her and I were on a new basketball team together, and unlike the year before where we ordered the same size, I had to get the size larger. A few years later, I remember my mom rewarding me with shopping trips if I could lose weight every week (although I think part of that was her pushing issues of her weight onto me). A few years later, I remember hating my friend for complaining that she had gone from a size 4 to a size 6 when I was a whooping size 12. By high school though, things leveled out for me, I only had a few more pounds on me than other girls (I was still a size 12, sometimes a 10) and I was totally okay with it. Once in college, I even lost weight instead of gaining that rumored "Freshmen 15." But by the time I was 20, things were beginning to go the wrong direction for me. This was the first time I looked into weight loss surgery (although at this time I doubt I would have been a candidate because I was only 30 overweight at this point). I never made an appointment, instead I did Weight Waters and lost 20 of the pounds. So began the True Battle of Weight Loss. You see, at this time, I was getting out of an emotionally, and towards the end physically, abusive relationship and my trust in everyone, including myself, was gone. This lead to me flunking out of college, befriending an equally emotionally unstable Marine with a sex addiction, going to cosmetology school and drinking my way through it, jumping from job to job, and eating my emotions because I was "totally okay with everything in my life." Four years later, I had gained 30 more pounds, dropped all of my toxic relationships, moved back in with my parents and decided that I needed real help because Weight Watchers and Adkins and working out and "just being happy" weren't cutting it anymore. I was done having to try on the next size up because I'd outgrown the size I'd worn for the last year. And I was done ordering clothes online because they have a better selection of "Plus Size" clothes. And I was tired of looking in the mirror and seeing that I had formed yet a new dimple in some unflattering location on my body. I couldn't take the looks I got when I went to an amusement park with my nieces and the ride operator telling me that I'm over the weight limit. I'm tired of not being able to run around the back yard with my nieces in general, I don't care where we are. In April, I saw my GP. I wanted him to run a blood panel to make sure that I had no thyroid issues, or any other health issues, that could be causing my weight gain. Nope! Aside from my weight, I'm a totally healthy 24 year old American girl. So he put in a referral to the same practice where my mom had her surgery. I swear it was only a week later when I got a call to make my appointment. It didn't seem possible. That Friday, I would be meeting my surgeon. When I went in, I took my mom. She's been there, she knows what questions to ask, she tell if the situation feels right, and she's great emotional support. Dr. Henke was great. He asked me routine questions, asked if I had any questions, and went over the different types of procedures. I told him that I need to lose maximum weight, and that I need the Bypass. So that's what's in my plan. I have done all of the insurance requirements (although I'm still waiting on my last dietitian appointment next week). And then it's waiting for their approval. That's what's killing me the most, waiting for them. I wish once I finished my appointment with the dietitian, I could just call the doctor and ask for the first surgery date available. Although, I'm sure that's all of us that go through insurance. My mom tells me not to worry about that, that it's out of my control, that they have no reason to say no, etc. But my brain goes into overdrive anytime I can't control the outcome. And this outcome is quite important for the rest of my life. Well, I guess I'll check in later, let you know how it goes with the dietitian next week.

I would call the insurance company’s member services and have the rep send you the coding for bariatric surgery documentation. Sometimes member service doesn’t explain everything to you over the phone. There might be an alternative to get around stuff. For example, I had to choose between a six months diet with an A*** network dietitian or have a private bariatric dietitian for three months. I choose to see the private dietitian which I had to pay out of pocket first. I also had to get two years documentation of my BMI being over 50 but dietitian and staff worked really fast with pre-certification process. They clue me in with a lot of stuff. Did you go to the GYN; they probably have your weight information in their records? If you just type a really nice report with your weight gains with photos stamp dates and weight related illnesses including irregular periods. List Current Year: 2008 Weight: ______________ Year: 2007 Weight: ______________ Year: 2006 Weight: ______________ Year: 2005 Weight: ______________ Year: 2004 Weight: ______________ Year: 2003 Weight: ______________ Name every type(s) of diet(s), if any, have you followed in the past. Alternative Medicine, Fad Diets, Overeaters Anonymous, Jenny Craig, Over the Counter Diet pills Like you mention, froggi1975 the doctor couldn't weight you because the scale never went high enough to get your weight. He should have sent you to another doctor if he didn't have the tools to treat you properly. Never settle for bad health care service. Remember you pay them! Try sending the insurance company all this information – sometimes it helps. You can always appeal and appeal the decision. From the insurance perspective, weight loss surgery has always been considered “medically necessary.” This means that weight loss surgery is not considered cosmetic but rather is performed to decrease the health risks associated with severe obesity. Lastly you can always try to finance it at www.capitalonehealthcarefinance.com Hope this helps!

By keeping your clothes you are mentally giving yourself permission to regain weight. The only person I know that lost over 200 pounds without surgery and kept it off, told me as soon as you drop a size, dump the previous clothes. I have been doing this all along and it has helped me so much. There is no going back. If I gain more than 5 pounds I will have nothing to wear. This helps stop me from going off the rails, keeps me focused and makes weight gain immediately noticeable. I got up years worth of clothes I carefully collected and loved because they no longer fit me. If I regained to the point I could fit them, but they aren't here, that would be extra insult to injury. So it is not going to happen. It is not an option. Do not keep your old clothes as a security blanket. Fully embrace your new life, say this is forever and dump those fat clothes.

Long time no post...Reason, no weight loss and very busy. Yup. A little frustrated on the no weight losss but pretty excited about the NO WEIGHT gain!!!! Yeah it sounds weird but it's true. I am very excited about another thing. I found a few new snack that are great tasting as well as healthy and full of productive calories not empty ones. My husband and I found Whole Food's Supermarkets. Ok, I would of never went into this place a few months back because it just didn't interest me. plus, I never understood what it was about. Well, guess what... I love it now!!!! i found some Soy rice cakes, some honey roasted soy nuts, dried/baked veggies that really taste yummy. Even my kids loved it. I am so pleased that my kids loved it because no we can all enjoy a healthier lifestyle together!!! I also went to Trader Joe's (also another supermarket) and found some dried fruits and fruit snack that taste like fruit roll ups and only 70 calories!!!! HOLY SH... I can fill my sweet tooth!!!! So a heads up to all those sweet tooths out there...there are other healthier and "allowed" sweets out there, we just need to look for them in the right place!!!!!

My main problem is that I eat too much at every meal. I'm not an emotional eater, but I am a celebratory eater. However, celebrations don't happen every day so I don't think that's a big problem for me. I was raised with a lot of brothers, and eating was a competitive sport. I ate as much as possible as quickly as possible, because I knew there wouldn't be any later. I haven't been able to break that habit. That's why I think the sleeve will work for me: it will limit how much I can eat at any one time. Oddly enough, I think my biggest caloric "sin" is milk. I drink a lot of it every day, and that's a lot of calories. I am cutting back there. I do love ice cream and baked treats, but I don't eat it every day. I don't especially like fast food, fried foods, chips, crackers, etc. I actually have a pretty good diet. I eat more fruits and veggies than most. What really bothers me about my GP's comments is that he's never even asked me about my diet. And, ironically, most of my weight gain can be attributed to medications I've taken, one of which was prescribed by him. So for him to tell me to get my eating under control leaves me in a state of disbelief.

Pay attention to your bowel movements. Sometimes weight gain is just because you haven't emptied in a few days.

Pre-surgery I usually had a couple glasses of wine after work. I've had a few post-op, but my main reason I don't is because of the weight gain or no loss it gets me into. When I get to my goal I'm going to (try to) continue focusing on my weight and go light on alcohol. Maybe if you focus on your goal it will help. I love my wine and miss it a lot. My friends and I belong to the "wine of the month" club.. Ugh!

Hi everyone! I am very happy to be joining this forum and looking to all the information and seeing everyone's transformations. I'm currently 30 yo woman and have struggled with weight all my life. I was born 10lbs and suffered really bad asthma as a child that definitely contributed to my weight gain. At the age of 18, Im 5'3.5" and weighed 301. I worked out for 2-3 years and changed my diet and managed to get down to 190. I still wasn't satisfied. Today, I'm currently back at 237. I finally decided it's time to consider weight loss surgery (WLS). At the age of 18, my doctor did not recommend WLS because I was too young. I realized that a healthy diet and exercise are going to be a part of my forever. However, it would be a dream come true if I can have VSG to finally be able to feel comfortable in my body. I have UHC and I live in Florida. Bariatric surgery is covered and I am required to do the following: 40 BMI or greater A psych evaluation 6 months of a supervised diet by a physician notification from my dr. I am having lab work done this week and I am looking forward to getting started. Can anyone share what the psych evaluation is like and what the 6 months of the supervised diet is like? Thanks in advance. Gigi. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

5'7'' surgery date 12-12-11 HW: 265 GWfS: 250 DoS: 238.1 CW: 186.8 GW:150 Today is 3-19-2012, I am starting a new work out regimen so that I can prepare myself for TOUGH MUDDER! I am really excited about this journey and because I want to do everything in my power to succeed I went and got myself a personal trainer! Now this is only for 3 months, so Im making a short term goal! MY GOAL IS TO HIT MY GOAL WEIGHT BY THE END OF JUNE! I think its very doable. Now in all reality I don't care if I really hit goal because I will be doing a lot of strength training which undoubtedly will build muscle which mean possible weight gain or just lack of loss.. as you can see by the fact that I have only lost half a lb since my last weigh-in.. But im not discouraged because even tho im not losing weight i am toning up and losin inches... thats all that really matters.. Hopefully I will have great news come next week about my training.. but until then i leave you with pictures...lol

Hi All, I'm new to the forum & need a little encouragement & support to keep me on track. I recently went to see my PCP and she suggested that I have the lap band surgery due to the numberous health concerns that have came about over the past few years due to the large amount of weight that I have gained. At first I was upset that she even suggested that I have the surgery but after I thought about these last few years and how much weight I have & all my health problems I decided that she was right & I needed to start taking this big weight gain seriously. I'm 34 with 2 kids and I am the biggest I've been in my entire life even while pregnant. I am really interested in the gastric sleeve for a number of reason but my insurance (Anthem) won't cover the procedure. I was sad to find this out and got in a big funk and said the hell with it I'm just not going to have anything done. I decided to look into the lap band procedure more and saw so many success stories that I decided to go forth with the lap band surgery. I had to remind myself that this surgery is not just about me but my kids as well. I use to love to go out & do things with my family & friends but since I've gained so much weight I hate going outside now to even go grocery shopping. I hate how people look at me & the one's that haven't seen me in awhile always start the conversation off like "Hey I didn't even know who you were you gotten so fat" I feel like running & hiding at the site of old friends. I've actually shut myself off from the outside world. My 13 yr old actually told me mom your a loner.....I felt like I wanted to die inside. Because he was right that's how I really feel at times. I lie to the few real friends (2) I have about why I can't go out just so I won't feel like the elephant in the room. Today was the day I decided to do something about it and contacted the surgeon's office to schedule my 1st appointment. From my understanding my insurance doesn't have any waiting periods or anything of that nature I know I have to see several specialist & attend a support group or two. I did the seminar online because I just hate going out since I've gotten so big. But I'm starting to get excited becasue I know today was really a big step for me & I can't wait to be a success story not just for me but for my kids as well. Blessings

Hello. I'm new here. I'm going from band to bypass. Band removal is scheduled for April 25th. I have to wait 3 months and then revision to gastric bypass. I'm looking forward to this. The band has slipped and GERD is really bad now. My highest weight was 340. My lowest weight was 280 before additional diabetes medications caused some weight gain. I've been lurking on the forums for awhile and just wanted to say Hi.

I agree with many of you here. I was a BIG beer drinker. I have not had one in 16 months now. I do miss it in the summer, and even dreamed about drinking it just two nights ago..... But I drink wine, martinis, vodka and cranberry, and I too like bloody marys. I was good about doing it ocasionally, but have been under tremendous stress at work (could lose my job the end of next month) and my adult sons are wearing me thin, so I've been drinking a glass of wine almost every day when I get home. My doctor is concerned with the increase and I guess I am too, but it really hasn't caused any weight gain. I'm to stressed to eat!!! So be careful. I know I'm going to have to put the breaks on sooner or later. I just need the relaxation at the moment.