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I called my surgeon because I have been EXTREMELY sleepy, needing 10 hours of sleep or I'm a zombie all day and I feel frustrated that I've only lost 2 pounds that past 3 weeks and it's only been 11 weeks since my surgery. I lost 15 pounds the 1st month, 10 pounds the 2nd month and as of this morning it looks like a total of 3 pounds so far this 3rd month, but it keeps bouncing up and down. My surgeons office said that since I was a self pay, that I should go to my pcp and ask them to do blood work. So instead of calling my PCP, I called my Endocronologist (thyroid doc). Had my apt. yesterday with my thyroid doc. 1. my lab work showed that my TSH was low, it was 0.032 and it should be between .358 and 3.74. 2. Also my WBC (white blood cell) was low, 4.3 and should be 5.0-10.0. 3. And my RDWSD was high at 52.2 and should be between 36.4-46.3. And my RDWCV (red blood) was high, 16.4 and should be 11.5-14.5. 4. He also said my Vitamin D was a little low for a thyroid patient, but my B12 was high (probably because I take the 5000mcg every day) 5. And he said my Iron was low, but didn't say what I should do about that. I'm wondering if it could be because I have not been getting hardly any veggies or fruits, i've been focusing on Protein. Any suggestions? I take my 2 Multivitamins and B12 every day. 6. I told him I have to take Unisom or Benadryl every night to sleep and he said that consistent use of Benadryl (antihistamines) can cause weight gain and that because I grind my teeth (badly) I'm not getting through all the sleep cycles. He prescribed Klonopin .5mg for me to try instead. He raised my synthroid from .088mcg to .112mcg. I'm wondering if this will help my weight loss and my energy???? He also prescribed weekly shots of Bydureon. I'm a little nervous about starting these. Is anyone else on this medicine? I tried Byetta several years ago, but they made me very nauseous when I started the higher dose and couldn't take them. He said this newer drug has less side effects. Sorry this is soooooo long, but I know I can count on all the wonderful friends from this forum to share their experience or their expertise if they are a nurse or doctor. I hope this may help some others on here as well. Thanks so much!

Welcome back! Don't beat yourself up -- this has been a rough year for everyone and A LOT of people have had weight gain during the pandemic. It's not too late to get back on track. There are a lot of options for working out at home. I have no desire to go to a gym (plus, I live in a rural area and it would be a long drive to get to a gym), so I would rather work out at home. I do a YouTube video for cardio every day. There are so many free workout videos available (my favorite is Leslie Sansone). And you can do strength training with an inexpensive set of resistance bands. Maybe you could try cutting out snacks completely. For me, snacking was a big part of my weight problems in the first place, so I am now sticking to three meals per day and not snacking at all between meals, other than protein drinks (and the occasional sugar-free hard candy). I'm only 6 months out from surgery, so I'm sure it's easier for me than it is for you, but I find that a warm beverage fills me up for a while. I think tracking your food intake is really important. I love MyFitnessPal, and something that helps me is to enter my food BEFORE I eat it. If you're not up to that detailed tracking, you could try an app like Ate Food Diary. All you have to do with that is take a picture of what you eat and say whether it's on path or off path.

Mine only get people food on very rare occasions. I was thinking today how it is funny that I am so very careful about what they eat so they don't gain weight, but I have had no problem shoveling bad food choices in to my mouth regardless of the weight gain! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I eat 6 times times a day and im hungry 6 times a day.I asked my surgeon and he said its normal but to.make.sure I stick to mainly protein so I don't risk weight gain after my body has adapted to my sleeve.

All of the information given is very helpful. I had immediate success when I got banded in Dec. 2009. I lost about two pounds a week with a caloric intake of under 1000 and very high protein. After losing 70 pounds with only two fills. I felt great developed a sweet tooth but keep it at bay. I changed careers and started driving a truck. For a while was able to stay on a strict diet with exercise for over 8 months. Lost my restriction and lost the time to exercise. I've sense gained 25 lbs. I don't eat at truck stops but have increased my calories to 1500. Everyday I struggle with the weight gain and will have to get another fill soon. I guess with the quick success I was doomed to gain some back. I look at this as a minor setback and have started being more intentional with walking at least three times a week. I'm sure I'll find success again soon. Good luck to all!

OK, so do you want quality or touristy? Not that you can't have both but alot of the best restaurants are not well known outside of the city. As you know, it's Protein first, veggies and then carbs so I would say you should stick with places that can offer you and your sister that option. FYI, I am banded, my sister is not, and we eat out together all the time. If you want great fish, Oceana is terrific as is most Greek restaurants. Fresh and simply grilled. You can't beat it. If you can tolerate meat, one of the most iconic steak houses is The Old Homestead. The meat is top notch and it reeks of 'old New York'. If you want to step into a time warp, Spice Market in The Meatpacking District is amazing. Like you've walked into a 1930's Shanghai bar. The food is terrific as well...especially the cod. If you want small plates...tapas...Alta on West 10th St. in the West Village is the place. This way you and sis can share a few items. The brussel sprouts is to die for...and so is the Sangria...lol. If you want something like pastrami or corned beef, Carnegie Deli is OK but Katz's on the Lower East Side is better and really iconic as well. Just know that the meat is very sodium laden and you will have Water weight gain for sure. I agree that Chinatown and Little Italy are places you should explore and as long as you eat sensibly, you will be fine. Everyone who visits Chinatown should experience a Dim Sum Palace. It's amazing.... If you like 'ethnic' food, I can recommend Turkish, Russian, Italian, Mexican, Spanish...even more exotic like Ethiopian and Afghan restaurants as well. Just let me know how adventurous you are. Feel free to PM with any questions you may have. As Lisa notes...I live here in the city and know it very well. I can recommend restaurants and sightseeing options as well.

green, I am OBSESSED with the scale. I weigh when I wake up, when I use the bathroom and before I go to bed. If there was a scale at work, I'd be visiting it hourly. While on vacation during Christmas, I was practically having withdrawal symptoms because I didn't have access to a scale. I'm afraid if I don't keep a close eye on my weight, it will creep back on me. The last time I put the scale away a year prior to surgery, I put on 30 lbs. I know it wasn't because of the scale, but I feel if I had kept better tabs on the weight gain, I wouldn't have been in so much denial. This is all probably an addict's way of justifying an addiction.

I'm on Camila daily and have had no problems with weight gain or loss. (Although I was just banded last week on 4/18.) I did have a concern about antibiotics weakening the strength of the pill. I'll be checking with my doc this week.

1. How difficult did you find the pre-op diet? I didn't have a "preop" diet but I was required to lose 10lbs and then light dinner the night before surgery and nothing after midnight by mouth. I did a modified Atkins anyways and dropped 25 lbs before surgery (my doctor removed my gallbladder 3.5 weeks earlier and said that he could see much better inside due to dropping the weight. 2. I have had 3 cesareans and my gallbladder laproscopically removed. Does anyone know how the pain and/or recovery is in comparison? I had 2 c sections, one lap gallbladder removal and the band. The C sections were the worst, I had stones but no symptoms so my gallbladder was a breeze - the band would fall right in the middle for me. I went back to an office job with modified duties (no filing) at day 9 and did just fine. 3. Now this is one I really haven't seen at all and am a bit shy to ask, but it's better to ask now then end up in the ER. How soon can one umm hmmm be intimate and are you limited in well you know <WHISPERS>positions? I have to agree - when you feel up to it. One week is the most I could get away with! 4. After going on solids, is there a weight gain? I plan on eating only healthy (low carbs) on the liquid and solid stages and fear that once I go on solids I may actually gain weight. Should I jus eat whatever I can tolerate on liquids and solids and worry about losing the weight and low carbing after I go on solids? I did not gain any when I went over to solids but I was a chicken - I am afraid to test the limits of my band so I did just fine. 6. For some reason it is very easy for me to lose 40lbs (after each of my 3 pregnancies I have lost all of my pregnacy weight which has been 40-45lbs within 2 weeks after delivery AND each time I have done Atkins I have lost 40lbs and then I stall). Do people stall on this and if they do and it has nothing to do with the restriction, how can you tweak your program to break the stall? Or is it a matter of just being patient and waiting it out? I'll let you know when I get there. Good luck!

Sigh, another newbie. Oh well, I'll answer...AGAIN. :eek: 1. How difficult did you find the pre-op diet? I keep thinking I can't possibly do a liquid diet for a week. Not everyone has to do a pre-op diet. If you do, it's not as hard as you think. A week goes by faster than you imagine, and if you really think about what's it's for you'll find the motivation to continue. I once did a liquid diet for 12 weeks and there was no surgery at the end of it to keep me honest. But I stayed on it anyway. 2. I have had 3 cesareans and my gallbladder laproscopically removed. Does anyone know how the pain and/or recovery is in comparison? Can't answer this, never having had abdominal surgery before. I will say banding surgery was easier than giving birth naturally. 3. Now this is one I really haven't seen at all and am a bit shy to ask, but it's better to ask now then end up in the ER. How soon can one umm hmmm be intimate and are you limited in well you know <whispers> positions? If it feels good do it! The only restriction on physical activity, usually, is no heavy lifting for several weeks. But otherwise if you feel up to doing whatever activity floats your boat, your body knows best. 4. After going on solids, is there a weight gain? I plan on eating only healthy (low carbs) on the liquid and solid stages and fear that once I go on solids I may actually gain weight. Should I jus eat whatever I can tolerate on liquids and solids and worry about losing the weight and low carbing after I go on solids? You might gain weight, you might not. I don't remember gaining any once I started on solids, but the weight LOSS certainly slowed down in a hurry at that point. The most important thing during the liquid stage is staying on liquids so you can heal, and IMO that means it's important not to get too hungry. It's not a time to be worrying about calories. 5. What is the longest a person went without any fills (after surgury) and STILL lost weight? There are people who have never needed a fill. But that's meaningless to you, because the only thing that matters is when YOU need a fill. The band can't do it's job without proper, personalized adjustment and you just won't know what that is until you get there. You might need a fill, you might not, you might need 8. What's the difference? You'll find out what's right for you when the time comes. 6. For some reason it is very easy for me to lose 40lbs (after each of my 3 pregnancies I have lost all of my pregnacy weight which has been 40-45lbs within 2 weeks after delivery AND each time I have done Atkins I have lost 40lbs and then I stall). Do people stall on this and if they do and it has nothing to do with the restriction, how can you tweak your program to break the stall? Or is it a matter of just being patient and waiting it out? That has always been my downfall with Atkins, I would get discouarged and just start eating the foods I liked again because I figured I wasn't losing anyway. I don't like the word "stall." It's a simple fact of weight loss that there will be plateaus, and this is NORMAL. But what IS different about being banded and hitting one is that you simply CAN'T go back to your pre-banded eating habits. The band is still there, keeping you from overdoing it and destroying your progress. And since that's the case, the "stall" ends and your weight loss starts again. THIS IS NOT A DIET, and it's not about being "on" a plan and trying to rack up a certain amount of loss in a certain amount of time before you go "off" the plan. If you plan on being banded for the rest of your life, there's no point in worrying about stalls and plateaus. It is all just part of the journey.

1. How difficult did you find the pre-op diet? My Dr only does pre op diets for ppl with a BMI over 50. 2. I have had 3 cesareans and my gallbladder laproscopically removed. Does anyone know how the pain and/or recovery is in comparison? I have had 2 ceasars and it wasnt even comparable. I will say it was painful but NOTHING compared to my ceasars. 3. Now this is one I really haven't seen at all and am a bit shy to ask, but it's better to ask now then end up in the ER. How soon can one umm hmmm be intimate and are you limited in well you know <WHISPERS>positions? I waited about 2 weeks or so. 4. After going on solids, is there a weight gain? I plan on eating only healthy (low carbs) on the liquid and solid stages and fear that once I go on solids I may actually gain weight. Should I jus eat whatever I can tolerate on liquids and solids and worry about losing the weight and low carbing after I go on solids? I gained back a fair few lbs switcing, and then some more when I needed a fill. Nothing huge just Fluid mostly I think. 6. For some reason it is very easy for me to lose 40lbs (after each of my 3 pregnancies I have lost all of my pregnacy weight which has been 40-45lbs within 2 weeks after delivery AND each time I have done Atkins I have lost 40lbs and then I stall). Do people stall on this and if they do and it has nothing to do with the restriction, how can you tweak your program to break the stall? Or is it a matter of just being patient and waiting it out? I have lost 59 lbs and mine has stalled alot over the last few months. I dont mind though, at least it is coming off. Good Luck :eek:

Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum. I had the sleeve done aug 04, 2011 and today I find out I'm Prego. I've lost 101 lbs. now I'm worried that I'll gain!!!! Has anyone gain with pregnancy if so how much. I'm paranoid about weight gain. I still have a good 30 lbs to lose though. Yikes. #happy

I have been experiencing this as well. For me I think I was in denial about the way that I look. Since beginning this process I have had to open my eyes and face the facts of my weight gain. I've had to be honest with what I eat and why; so much of this is psychological. At a support group I attended they said, "we operate on your stomach, not your brain; we'll fix the stomach but you have to work on the rest". I was and am a happy person; part of maintaining this was denying what I was doing to myself. I don't know if this applies to you; just something I have been coming to terms with. Keep talking about it; just knowing someone else is going through this is helping me and I'm sure others; thanks for sharing

So how does one start a blog? I suppose I should just jump in... I'm 27 years old, and I live in Ohio with my longtime boyfriend and our adorable three-year-old son. I am a licensed massage therapist, but my physical condition makes it near impossible for me to practice anymore, so mostly I am a mommy. My boyfriend is back and forth between driving a van for Amish construction crews and taking care of his grandfather, who was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Our son is adorable, very friendly and smart. My journey up to this point in my life has been long and fairly painful, both physically and emotionally. I have always been overweight, so far as I can remember. I can very clearly recall being called an elephant in the third grade by another boy at school. My mom taught me to medicate myself with food, albeit unknowingly. My grandmother would go on and on about how I should lose weight, then offer me a plate of cookies. I remember tiptoeing into the kitchen late at night, being very careful not to wake my family, and sneaking food back to my room to eat. I can't remember if I was actually hungry, but the food filled some longing that I had within me, so I ate. The next period in my life was very difficult, full of lots of emotional trauma that is better saved for some other time. In any case, it all served to encourage me to pack on the pounds. I had done many different diet and exercise plans over the years, oftentimes losing quite a bit of weight only to have it creep back on. Fast forward to 2007, when I began school for massage therapy. I had finally found my calling, and was on my way to getting paid to do it. I lost weight fairly quickly then, being so much more active because of the massages and hauling around my portable massage table. Everyone was commenting on how good I looked, and I was sooooo happy. In February 2008, almost exactly halfway through my schooling, I found out I was pregnant. It was almost a shock, because my boyfriend and I had been taking precautions. I immediately quit smoking and found a good OB doctor. The pregnancy was borderline high-risk because of my weight (I was obese then) and the low levels of amniotic fluid around my baby. Then, in August, I fell while I was at school. I had been going to extra classes, creating my own "maternity leave" because I knew my due date was right around graduation. It was fairly early in the morning, and I was walking through the hallway to get a drink. The school had recently stripped and waxed the floors, and the mats and rugs were still piled up along the wall. I stepped on the edge of a mat and my feet came out from under me, and I sat down HARD. Two maintenance guys, who had been standing down the hall the whole time, stood there and watched me as I tested myself to see what hurt. After what seemed like forever, a lady in the main office stuck her head out the window, saw me sitting on the floor, and asked me if I was ok. The only thing I could get out of my mouth was "I'm pregnant!" Within minutes, the ambulance was there. They took me to the hospital, where they strapped me in to a fetal monitor and told me that I had to wait until their OB doc showed up and cleared me. Shortly after, a representative from the school came by to apologize and smooth things over. Long story short, I sat in the bed for 7 hours waiting to be checked out, and the OB never showed up. Finally they told me that everything looked fine, so I could go home. When I got up from the bed I could hardly walk. The school rep took me back to the school building and I headed home. In October 2008, I had my sweet baby boy. He was happy and healthy, with a full head of dark hair. I had a c-section, and was in a lot of pain afterwards, but I pressed on and graduated from school with an A average. Unfortunately for me, the pain never really went away. It would get better or worse depending on the day, but not ever actually go away. I would wake up in the morning feeling like I had steel rods fused to my spine, and I wouldn't be able to bend over for up to two hours after I got up. The pain would keep me up at night and wake me up in the morning. My primary care doc didn't seem to think it was anything, so I just tried to push through it. In 2009, we bought a house with a room in it for my home massage office, and I was overjoyed. I started getting clients and was doing fairly well. I had almost lost the 70 pounds that I had put on during my pregnancy. But instead of getting easier, each massage was more and more painful for me. I bought a TENS unit, and I would place the pads on my back before I would do the massage; then immediately after my client left, I would hook it up to the unit and turn it on so I could get some relief. In December 2010, I started having problems with my gallbladder. I had surgery scheduled to remove it in January, and referred my clients to other therapists in the area so I could have some time to recover. It was about a week before the surgery that another healthcare professional told me that she thought I might have fibromyalgia. Unfortunately, she turned out to be right. My surgery went smoothly, but the recovery took about two months instead of two weeks. At that point I was referred to a rheumatologist. Thus began the downward weight spiral. I hurt badly, so I wasn't as active as I had been before. I also tended to use food to comfort myself, since none of my doctors at that point were doing anything for my pain. Add to that several different medications that can cause weight gain and fluid retention, and an MRI that revealed 3 herniated discs, and you end up where I am today. I have been doing pool exercise, which is the most I can do at this point, and had even done several months of Medifast, and I have still managed to gain weight. My rheumatologist was the one who suggested the lap-band, saying that she thought it would definitely help my back if I could get some weight off, plus it might even help my fibromyalgia symptoms. I am praying that she is right. I was shocked to see the scale say that I weigh almost 400 pounds. FOUR. HUNDRED. POUNDS. How could that be? I know I have to do something to get my weight down. Not only am I physically miserable, but the emotional effects of chronic pain and supermorbid obesity can really get a girl down. I have been struggling with depression all my life also, and feeling like a disgusting excuse for a woman doesn't help the situation. Medication has helped lift it somewhat, but I just plain need to lose the weight. If I don't, I will follow in my dad's footsteps. He was nearly 800 pounds when he died of heart failure at the age of 52. He had already had 3 heart attacks, bad cellulitis in both of his legs, and he walked with a cane if he walked at all. I don't want to do that to my family. I want to live to see my son grow up. I want to meet my grandchildren. I have so much to live for, and I feel like this is the step that will help me extend my life and improve my health. I have my informational seminar with my surgeon in January. In the meantime, I am doing all the research I can to try and prepare for the journey that lies ahead. I know it won't be easy, but it will be worth it. So here's to the journey.

This is my take on the issue: IMO... I repeat... IMO... The formula to avoid is: Low Calorie Diet + Low Exercise/No Exercise/Low Heart Rate Exercise = No Long Term Success! / Flabby Skin Results / Excessive Loss of Lean Muscle Tissue... I recommend: REASONABLE Band Restriction + Moderate Calorie Deficit created by a combination of exercise and diet (rich in lean Proteins, moderate in complex carbs, light on simple carbs), low to moderate in fats (especially saturated/trans ) + Copious amounts of 60%-85% cardio workouts + light to moderate strength training = Gradual Persistant Progress with Long Term Success! If you're already dealing with a depressed metabolism due in part from eating so few calories - then increase your calorie intake slowly. A rapid swing in calories going up will almost certainly result in a weight gain. Add maybe 100 - 200 every third day. Protein shakes??? IMO these are for supplemental purposes long term. Once you're able to eat solid foods - you should be getting most of your protein from lean solid sources. Solid foods and liquid foods will have different impacts on your metabolism as well. When you can't get a meal in or you aren't getting enough protein, supplement with a shake. Your body can store fats, your body can store carbs, but it cannot store proteins. A highly excessive protein intake can be coverted to stored fat - but it is a costly conversion compared to the other macronutrients. I have found it's best for me to eat small amounts very frequently. I'm not even certain I'd call them all meals - but every few hours I'm eating a food source that is a reasonable mix of carbs/fats/protein. It helps keep blood sugars stable, energy stable, and metabolism cranking. Good Luck! Brad

Well after almost 5 long years of having the band not do a thing but cause problems for me, Reflux, gaging, weight gain (lost 116, gained 40) and feeling like crap, I am set for tomorrow to have band removed, and sleeved. YAY! Have lost 9 lbs in the past 6 days from the preop diet. Not too bad. Have not been hungry, which is a good thing. The shakes help a lot. So wish me luck, and I will see you on the flip side. Montie

Cindy, I'm all for blaming the husband. I blame him for my gaining weight in the first place! Hell, he's used to taking the blame. Kids too, especially the teenager...or is that why my hair is going gray? :thumbup: Sades, what do you mean the answer to life is 42? Do you mean age 42? I'm 44, does that explain why my body loves to torture me with overnight weight gains? :crying:

I know it's been a very long time since I have been on this site. In the past I would get on the site at least twice a day, but I slowly started to fade a little from visiting so often once my first year of being banded. I really do miss all of the wonderful post and comments people would write on this site. Actually, things have been very well with me. I have spent a lot of time helping my daughter out since she started her first year in college. I am very proud to say that my weight continues to go down and I have not had any weight gain since the Christmas seasons passed. I do thank God for that. I have learned what do and do not work for my band. Certain foods had to be limited, and I have finally learned what my sweet spot is and what that actually means for me. I have not had a fill in over six months and nor do I need one. I finally have the tool I need to have long term weight success. My weight lost has always been slow, but I continue to lose weight. I really don't and never have used the scale to measure my success, but inches and my clothes sizes are my biggest indicators. I started off wearing a size 24-26 and today I wear a 1x & 16-18. Most of the 18 sizes are too big in dresses so I normally get a 16w. That is a very- very big accomplishment for me. All and all I am very very happy with my band. This relationship has had its ups and downs, but the majority of my experiences have been very positive. The band is really what a person allows it to be for them. It really takes a lot of work and effort to get to where you really want to be. My husband recently purchased a very expensive treadmill like the ones they have at the gym, and that has really aided my success. I try to walk a mile1/2 at least every other day. It takes only 25 minutes so I watch Netflix on my iphone which makes the time fly. I really have to say that my family has been great and they really made this process so much easier to go through when times got hard. I will be banded 2 years on July 21st this year. I just encourage all new banders to be patient and give yourself time to learn your band and how it works best for your success! I am going to make an honest effort to visit the site much more often than I have done in the past. This is truly a wonder site in which a person can gain a lot of knowledge, support, and motivation from others who have figured things out a little clearer than others. My final words would be to stay encouraged, be patient, and never ever give up on your weight lost goals because you are worth it. Always remember that half the battle has been won if you have already gotten your band or started the process to have it done.

CyndieRI, thanks so much for that. I'm encouraged that your weight gain in the middle didn't affect your approval! Fingers crossed. Sent from my SM-N960U using BariatricPal mobile app

My Dr. told me he didn't want me weghing only at his office. He said that way I wouldn' get discouraged if I had a weight gain.

@john925 I am 5+ years PO - GOAL past 4+ years (105 lbs down) during the last 2.5 years i fluctuated here and there as much as 5-7 lbs - but i consider myself at GOAL for ME, restriction gradually slowed down about 2 years+ my "mental" restriction" kicked in i still use a smaller plate with my small amounts trying to eat lessss sweets (that's a killer for me) pre-op my doc said to me "eat until you are full", then stop 2 bites earlier"! kind of like "tom" asks "fred" where is sleeve st???fred says,"watch me" - and get off 2 stops earlier!! I better stop writing now and grab a cookie oooops - meant to say Greek lite and fit blueberry yogurt weight gain would happen if i ate too often, and to much in this situation, size DOES matter you should usually/frequently follow all the rules that you've learned you can be a "little" lax as times passes I used to be 5"3 now i'm 6" tall kathy i will always be proudgrammy

Same here. Feet are thinner and not swollen anymore. I had no idea ear lobes get thicker with weight gain. I also don't wear earrings so......

I actually do better sticking to my diet plan when I weigh myself daily. I know several other people that do better that way, too. It's an individual preference, but you do have to know and understand the plateaus and even a little weight gain now and then. Water weight gain can be 5 lbs or more. It can happen if you eat too much salt, because of hot weather, as a warning sign that mother nature is about to come calling, or because someone in Thailand sneezed while you were putting on your shoes for that matter. : ) You just have to keep in mind that kind of weight gain will come right back off if you stick to the plan. My scale helps me keep on track. I almost always gain weight when I don't weigh every day.

When I started going through menopause (at age 42) that was one of the FIRST symptoms. I have very thick hair and I was losing almost as much hair in a day as some people HAVE. It's worth checking out. Adding my estrogen patch did wonders for me! Here is a list of symptoms: Simple symptoms may easily be ignored but it's important to note that these symptoms have been reported by women experiencing menopause. If you have any of these symptoms, discuss them with your doctor during your next checkup. Hot flashes, flushes, night sweats and/or cold flashes, clammy feeling Irregular heart beat Irritability Mood swings, sudden tears Trouble sleeping through the night (with or without night sweats) Loss of libido Dry vagina Pain during sex Crashing fatigue Anxiety, feeling ill at ease Feelings of dread, apprehension, doom Difficulty concentrating, disorientation, mental confusion Disturbing memory lapses Incontinence, especially upon sneezing, laughing; urge incontinence Itchy, crawly skin Aching, sore joints, muscles and tendons Increased tension in muscles Breast tenderness Headache change: increase or decrease Gastrointestinal distress, indigestion, flatulence, gas pain, nausea Sudden bouts of bloat Depression Worsening of existing conditions Increase in allergies Weight gain Hair loss or thinning, head, pubic, or whole body; increase in facial hair Dizziness, light-headedness, episodes of loss of balance Changes in body odor Electric shock sensation under the skin and in the head Tingling in the extremities Gum problems, increased bleeding Burning tongue, burning roof of mouth, bad taste in mouth, change in breath odor Osteoporosis Changes in fingernails: softer, crack or break easier Tinnitus: ringing in ears, bells, 'whooshing,' buzzing etc.

One last comment. I think that using 0 calorie beverages as a substitute for Water is workable to an extent but should be done in moderation. However, I have read quite a few articles regarding consumption of a high level of artificial sweeteners having a negative effect on health. Some people get headaches and start to feel achy or lethargic. If you are drinking a lot of 0 calorie "sweetened" beverages during the day but have not been feeling 100%, you might want to switch to primarily water for a couple of days to see if it helps. There have also been articles stating that artificial sweeteners are sometimes linked with weight gains in that it causes the body to crave more sugar. Anecdotally, most people I know that are significantly overweight are also diet pop-aholics (and that included me before banding and the pop restriction). I have actually started drinking things like mint tea completely unsweetened with a spot of creamer. It is hot, tasty, 0 calorie and there are no chemicals involved.