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DENIED!!!!!! I didn't lose the 5% required by my insurance company over the past year. I had a heart problem (since been fixed) and went on a medication that made me totally sedentary. I didn't want to do a stinking thing! And I gained 27lbs on it. My high was 371, my starting weight (the one they use) was 344. So in order to qualify I have to be 335. Granted I've lost weight (I'm now 347.6), but even with a letter from my doctor stating that the weight gain wasn't totally my fault, and even with my case manager pleading my case to the medical director for the Ins Co. I'm denied! I can try again next month... One positive thing, it only took a couple of hours...

Last night was Passover for my family and as with most holidays it was a feast. I felt a little awkward because the last time I had seen most of these people, I was 40 lbs lighter. I know most of us can relate to that! Anyways, I indulged of course...:hungry: many of these foods probably wont go down the band. No one said anything about my weight gain, but I am sure they were wondering.... These are people I will not disclose or discuss my band with. It kept running though my mind the next time I see them and the marked contrast in how much food I will consume. Then I started to think about when people notice me losing weight again....they are sure to ask what I am doing. My answer: PORTION CONTROL!:high5: Susan

Howdy, All. Another glorious day in Mtg lending... DH & I spent yesterday doing yard work... the weeds are all mowed and I spent some time digging up the volunteer and squirel planted trees... That stinking Crepe Myrtle is the very devil. It grows from seed, AND the existing plants spread systemically - the roots are everywhere. ARRRRGH! I was able to get a couple of them completely out - roots and all - and I tamed the remaining bushes until I have the energy to go out and battle them again. Once a yard gets away from you, here, you might as well just get a flame thrower... it's nuts how awful my lawn is. Maybe I will put in a BIG patio..... So, today, every muscle in my back, butt & legs is SCREAMING every time I move. Nothing like spending several hours bent at the waist, pulling weeds and roots... *sigh* I guess I need to do yard work more frequently, eh? I think we are going to dedicate a day per weekend - at least that's what we are saying today... But you know how that goes. :] Kat - you won't get VERY lost... highway 20 is pretty easy to follow - and if we meet you part way, you won't even have to come into the big city. I am very excited. Now, when are you coming? I took about a minute of French - and I can fake it on the pronunciation - but it was too confusing to learn two languages that are SO similar. It messed me up with both languages pronunciation... so I dumped the French and devoted myself to Spanish. Mandy - I think I would have been quite surprised if "Flushed Away" DIDN'T have any toilet humor... it would seem to be expected in that particular film. Obviously I haven't been keeping up with my kid movies. I haven't seen any of these, yet. Chris - Don't worry too much about making any decisions regarding Andy... I think, in the end, you will find any decisions to be made are pretty obvious. Don't overthink it - just go with the flow and enjoy. Hugs! Eileenie - how awful to hear about such a horrid thing on a day dedicated to jokes! Hugs! So, how do you score a 4 day week? Did you take Good Friday off? Does your company give it as a Holiday? Spring has sprung, here, too. My peonies have big ol' pink buds on them. I should have flowers in the next day or two. LOVE peonies. St. Sherry - I think I like that... LOL! Sorry about the weight gain... Do you need a fill? Or have you just been eating around the band? I find my self eating more than I need on a pretty regular basis... which explains the fact that my scale is not budging from 287. *sigh* So, you are a Rieki Master, now... can you focus your Rieki energies toward weightloss? Or is that more of a spirit vs body thing? Betty - it truly was a fabulous day to be outside, yesterday, too. The sun was shining and it was lovely warm - but not scorchy at all. Ahhhh. Dianne - lol! Wouldn't THAT be something... AF Day passed me by, thankfully! I don't like practical jokes very much... and I am not in any mood to be surprised, these days. Hope that swelling goes down, soon. I know you are anxious to see what "the girls" will look like once they are at their normal size. Hugs!!! Cindy - MMMMMMmmmmm - crab cakes! Love those things... I would probably eat more than one... you are so good! I am going to have to try this "chess pie" stuff one of these days. It sounds so yummy! Darcy - if you skip exercise for an entire month, does that make you an exercise virgin, again? *sigh* OK - ZERO miles for March... so my YTD total remains 38 miles. How pathetic. Patty - HUGS!! I am glad DM is there to help out. I wouldn't fret TOO much... it will take the boys most of their vacation to figure out how to get into too much trouble... :] Hopefully, anything they get up to won't be permanently damaging. Well, I have lots more Spanish to study... I can't remember future or past tense verb forms, at ALL - so right now I speak a very limited version of pigeon spanish. Not so good if I want to teach the stuff. Back to the books! Hugs & Love to All!

Oi OI A new threat for me to post on ! LOL Well i'll start off Introducing myself (Drum roll please....bam bam clunk) well hell never mind.. any way , I'm JayCee 23, Okla, Divorced for uhm *counts the months..*16 months. been dating The same guy for uhm (whinces 13 months) Known him for 4 years tho! Things are okay i suppose i love him , he says he loves me but we're taking things slow... like seperate apartments... Ever since i've been ballooning out (gaining weight) things have kinda come to a stand still . Hoping after i get my body and mind back in order from all this weight gain things will get back to the norm. Wondering how much things will change when other guys start noticing me more after i lose the weight but eh time will tell right! One thing i'm hopin for is gawd the sex to get bettah! Since i've packed on the puddin, i'm not near as flexible! Anyone else have that damn problem!? anyway I got 2 childeren a 2 year old and 3 year old. Hard to find a good guy that will take ya on with all that. but i'm hoping this is the one. Kudos to you ladies that are out there breakin hearts! I've been reading the post! My current bf and I met on a video game back in 2003, when i was preggers with my first child , we've been friends ever since. Yea i'ma big geeky girl i play MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game). anyway after the dirvoce we finally met up and been together ever since! anyway that's muh story :girl_hug:

This picture is the reason for my weight gain. Five surgeries in two years, 9 consecutive months in a long arm cast and months of rehab. I had my wrist fused and my ulna shortened. All from bench pressing. Needless to say I was very depressed and food became my drug. I don't think I'll ever be able to lift weights ever again like I used to. No more 405lb. bench for reps. But I am looking forward to having abs again, running 4 miles a day. Mt biking. I just love life again and it feels good to have the reigns again.

So, I totally did things "against suggestions" totally by accident but I'll share.... I had surgery on May 9th 2006. The last week of May I called my surgeon's office to find out if having surgery messed with your cycles. I knew I couldn't get pregnant as I was rx'd infertile several years ago. Right. :biggrin1: Doctors make best guesses and sometimes, wonderfully, they are wrong. On June 2, 2006 at 36 years old my pregnancy was confirmed...my first child. WOO HOO! I had a pretty event free pregnancy. Because I was so close out of surgery, I didn't have a fill. I was diabetic before surgery and became insulin dependant while pregnant. No high blood pressure, no crazy weight gain. I gained 17 lbs and Joslyn was 8.5 of it. The band probably kept me from putting on more weight....well, that and being crazy about controlling my blood sugars. So, my opinion? Do things when they feel right to you. My baby is healthy and beautiful. I had no complications with the band at all. I'm excited to report I just got my first fill and am still 30 lbs less than when I had surgery last year. ROCK!! Not waiting a full year won't be the end of the world. Anything can be managed.

There was a health fair at a local mall yesterday and it was broadcast on the radio. I caught bits and pieces but it starting me to thinking. When you're overweight all you do is think about losing the weight. HOw the extra weight effects EVERYTHING you do. I was recently diagnosed with pre-diabetes. Something I have been so aware of. I have a strong family history of diabetes...I don't want it. I'm also headed toward hypertension. My life is a little hectic right now and as a result I eat, which leads to me to where I am. I weigh 290 pounds, my BMI is 52.2 I've begun to have little strange things happen...I know they are a result of the stress and extra weight and a little thing called age! :rolleyes So I'd like to do something about it. Lap band was actually suggested to me by a good friend a few weeks ago. I didn't really think about it then. After listening to the broadcast yesterday though...I'm strongly considering it. The risks are what concern me. Flipped ports, painful gas, vomiting, numerous adjustments, weight GAIN....is it worth it...it's like listening to a infomercial for medication that has more side effects than what it's treating!!!! Just wanted to say hello, intro myself and take a look around and take a peek at success stories and not so success stories.

IMHO - is that there are several factors that come into play whe adjusting a band, especially a larger band. The first which is true for either band is that the doctor will want to be relatively cautious when giving fills. They would much rather give you too little than too much and risk needing an unfill (in a worst case senario at the ER). Even though they make you drink some water after a fill to make sure its still going down there are those that find they are more restricted a couple days after a fill than they were immediately afterwards. But what I feel to be the bigger factor in that ever-ellusive "sweet-spot" of fills whith the larger band. Is that most of us were given the larger band (myself included) because we had a larger fat pad around the stomach wall. This fat pad will also naturally shrink as you lose weight causing the band to feel looser again. Which is why with the larger band I feel you usually end up finding and losing that sweet spot more often than not needing more tweaks until that fat pad has stopped shrinking. Personally, I ended up with over 12 fills in my first year. But have only had 1 in the last 6 months. And to be honest it probably was a mistake as I think that last fill left me a little too tight for several months. :eek:BTW - Am I reading your ticker right. The last time you posted your ticker said you were down 29 pounds now it reads 37. WOW!!! One bit of advice if you feel you are continuing to lose right now more on good ol' will power rather than "band-power" Make sure to emphasize that with your doc or he's likely to suggest you don't need a fill with such drastic weight loss. My doc refused me on either my first or second fill as he thought the band must be fine considering how much I had lost. But I was starving all the time and only restricting my intake through sheer effort. :ban:But I was so new to the process I didn't think to explain that to him and went away with out a fill. Coming back for one a few weeks later and after an unecessary 2 pound weight gain.

The stats he is quoting is from the early days of the Band when it was just approved. I totally remember the study and the discussions it caused on the Bandster boards. This was probably 2002 or so. I think you need to go with the operation you are comfortable with. Ask yourself, if I was to lose 50-60% of my Excess Weight, would that make a big difference in my quality of life?? The good and bad thing about the Band is its adjustability. You need to get regular fills... and may always need a bit of tweaking (due to permeability of the Band... they now recommend having your Fluid checked every 6 months during maintenance.) So, if this doc is not going to be pro-Band, and help you with your fills and such, you need to find another doc. Not one who is going to say... "Are you sure you don't want me to convert you to an RNY?" I really think that each operation is great for different people. I think you'll get the best advice from surgeons who perform all of the operations--RNY, Lap-Band, DS, and VSG. Who don't have a stake one way or the other. My Lap-Band doc was Dr. Rumbaut. At the time, pre-FDA approval, he'd done thousands of Bands. He has a Band himself. But he also does the RNY and says that it is a better choice for some people. I would try consulting with a pro-Band doctor as well... and see what the experience is like. And then, make your decision. I need to disagree with this... being a long-term Bandster. I know quite a few people who had to have their Bands unfilled due to reflux issues. If they refill, they will have those problems again. BUT, for whatever reason, they're not willing to have their Bands removed. So... in theory that's correct, but in practice, not always. Let's see what I can find for you that's more recent: Surg Obes Relat Dis. 2007 Jan-Feb;3(1):42-50; discussion 50-1. Links Comparative study between laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding and laparoscopic gastric bypass: single-institution, 5-year experience in bariatric surgery. * Jan JC, * Hong D, * Bardaro SJ, * July LV, * Patterson EJ. Oregon Weight Loss Surgery, LLC, Legacy Health System, Portland, Oregon 97210, USA. BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) and laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) are common surgical procedures for morbid obesity. Few single-institution studies have compared LRYGB and LAGB. METHODS: All patients underwent LRYGB or LAGB at Legacy Health System. The data for the study were obtained from a prospectively maintained database. Preoperatively, most patients were allowed to choose between LRYGB and LAGB. Age, gender, body mass index, complications, mortality, and weight loss were examined. RESULTS: From October 2000 to October 2005, 492 patients underwent LRYGB and 406 patients underwent LAGB. The mean age was 44 +/- 10 and 47 +/- 11 years, respectively (P <.001). The mean preoperative body mass index was 49 +/- 8 and 51 +/- 9 kg/m(2) (P <.05). Patients undergoing LRYGB had longer operative times (134 +/- 41 min versus 68 +/- 26 min, P <.001) and longer hospital stays (2.5 +/- 3.5 d versus 1.1 +/- 1.1 d, P <.001). Blood loss was minimal in both groups. The percentage of excess weight loss was significantly better for patients who underwent LRYGB at all points of follow-up, except at 5 years. Total complications occurred in 32% of patients who underwent LRYGB and 24% of patients who underwent LAGB (P = .002). The 90-day mortality rate was .2% in both groups. The reoperation rate was the same (17%) in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing LAGB had shorter operative times and shorter hospital stays compared with patients undergoing LRYGB. LAGB was associated with a lower complication rate. Early weight loss was significantly greater after LRYGB, but the data comparing long-term weight loss after LRYGB and LAGB have been inconclusive. PMID: 17241936 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Surg Obes Relat Dis. 2007 Mar-Apr;3(2):127-32. Epub 2007 Feb 27. Links Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding versus Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: 5-year results of a prospective randomized trial. * Angrisani L, * Lorenzo M, * Borrelli V. S. Giovanni Bosco Hospital, Naples, Italy. BACKGROUND: To perform a prospective, randomized comparison of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) and laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB). METHODS: LAGB, using the pars flaccida technique, and standard LRYGB were performed. From January 2000 to November 2000, 51 patients (mean age 34.0 +/- 8.9 years, range 20-49) were randomly allocated to undergo either LAGB (n = 27, 5 men and 22 women, mean age 33.3 years, mean weight 120 kg, mean body mass index [bMI] 43.4 kg/m(2); percentage of excess weight loss 83.8%) or LRYGB (n = 24, 4 men and 20 women, mean age 34.7, mean weight 120 kg, mean BMI 43.8 kg/m(2), percentage of excess weight loss 83.3). Data on the operative time, complications, reoperations with hospital stay, weight, BMI, percentage of excess weight loss, and co-morbidities were collected yearly. Failure was considered a BMI of >35 at 5 years postoperatively. The data were analyzed using Student's t test and Fisher's exact test, with P <.05 considered significant. RESULTS: The mean operative time was 60 +/- 20 minutes for the LAGB group and 220 +/- 100 minutes for the LRYGB group (P <.001). One patient in the LAGB group was lost to follow-up. No patient died. Conversion to laparotomy was performed in 1 (4.2%) of 24 LRYGB patients because of a posterior leak of the gastrojejunal anastomosis. Reoperations were required in 4 (15.2%) of 26 LAGB patients, 2 because of gastric pouch dilation and 2 because of unsatisfactory weight loss. One of these patients required conversion to biliopancreatic diversion; the remaining 3 patients were on the waiting list for LRYGB. Reoperations were required in 3 (12.5%) of the 24 LRYGB patients, and each was because of a potentially lethal complication. No LAGB patient required reoperation because of an early complication. Of the 27 LAGB patients, 3 had hypertension and 1 had sleep apnea. Of the 24 LRYGB patients, 2 had hyperlipemia, 1 had hypertension, and 1 had type 2 diabetes. Five years after surgery, the diabetes, sleep apnea, and hyperlipemia had resolved. At the 5-year (range 60-66 months) follow-up visit, the LRYGB patients had significantly lower weight and BMI and a greater percentage of excess weight loss than did the LAGB patients. Weight loss failure (BMI >35 kg/m(2) at 5 yr) was observed in 9 (34.6%) of 26 LAGB patients and in 1 (4.2%) of 24 LRYGB patients (P <.001). Of the 26 patients in the LAGB group and 24 in the LRYGB group, 3 (11.5%) and 15 (62.5%) had a BMI of <30 kg/m(2), respectively (P <.001). CONCLUSION: The results of our study have shown that LRYGB results in better weight loss and a reduced number of failures compared with LAGB, despite the significantly longer operative time and life-threatening complications. PMID: 17331805 [PubMed - in process] Obes Surg. 2003 Jun;13(3):427-34. Links Comment in: Obes Surg. 2003 Dec;13(6):965. Outcome after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding - 8 years experience. * Weiner R, * Blanco-Engert R, * Weiner S, * Matkowitz R, * Schaefer L, * Pomhoff I. Krankhenhaus Sachsenhausen, Frankfurt Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery, Section of Bariatric Surgery, Germany. rweiner@khs-ffm.de BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) has been our choice operation for morbid obesity since 1994. Despite a long list of publications about the LAGB during recent years, the evidence with regard to long-term weight loss after LAGB has been rather sparse. The outcome of the first 100 patients and the total number of 984 LAGB procedures were evaluated. METHODS: 984 consecutive patients (82.5% female) underwent LAGB. Initial body weight was 132.2 +/- 23.9 SD kg and body mass index (BMI) was 46.8 +/- 7.2 kg/m(2). Mean age was 37.9 (18-65). Retrogastric placement was performed in 577 patients up to June 1998. Thereafter, the pars flaccida to perigastric (two-step technique) was used in the following 407 patients. RESULTS: Mortality and conversion rates were 0. Follow-up of the first 100 patients has been 97% and ranges in the following years between 95% and 100% (mean 97.2%). Median follow-up of the first 100 patients who were available for follow-up was 98.9 months (8.24 years). Median follow-up of all patients was 55.5 months (range 99-1). Early complications were 1 gastric perforation after previous hiatal surgery and 1 gastric slippage (band was removed). All complications were seen during the first 100 procedures. Late complications of the first 100 cases included 17 slippages requiring reinterventions during the following years; total rate of slippage decreased later to 3.7%. Mean excess weight loss was 59.3% after 8 years, if patients with band loss are excluded. BMI dropped from 46.8 to 32.3 kg/m(2). 5 patients of the first 100 LAGB had the band removed, followed by weight gain; 3 of the 5 patients underwent laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGBP) with successful weight loss after the redo-surgery. 14 patients were switched to a "banded" LRYGBP and 2 patients to a LRYGBP during 2001-2002. The quality of life indices were still improved in 82% of the first 100 patients. The percentages of good and excellent results were at the highest level at 2 years after LAGB (92%). CONCLUSIONS: LAGB is safe, with a lower complication rate than other bariatric operations. Reoperations can be performed laparoscopically with low morbidity and short hospitalizations. The LAGB seems to be the basic bariatric procedure, which can be switched laparoscopically to combined bariatric procedures if treatment fails. After the learning curve of the surgeon, results are markedly improved. On the basis of 8 years long-term follow-up, it is an effective procedure. PMID: 12841906 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Hello everyone, I haven't been on for sometime now. I was feeling like a lot of you. Banded 2/12 and have only lost 18lbs. No pre-surgery-diet. But I went to see the nutritionist Thur. and she said, I maybe a little on the low side for my protein intake and a little on the high side for my water intake (now that was a surprise). But that my weight lose was right where it should be. She had warned me back at 2 weeks out from surgery, that a lot of people have weight gains 2 or 3 weeks before their first fill. So to really watch what I eat. I was also worried that I wasn't taking in enough calories. 650 - 750. I guess I hadn't payed enough attention to the numbers. For some reason I thought I was suppose to take in 1,000 - 1,200. (I'm thinking that I'll have to eat a bowl of ice-cream to make up the calories:clap2: ) She said that was where I should be. So when I look at the scale I have to remember that I had lap-band not gastric surgery. The same day I had my first fill, that went well. I'm hoping that I will have enough restriction to see me down another 10 to 15lbs in the next 6 weeks. Take care

Once you get to the mushie stage is it normal for the weight to start creeping back up?? I'm still on protein shakes, mashed potato, etc. and I've gained back 3 lbs in a week. I'm getting nervous!! I don't want to gain all the weight I've already lost. Do I need to start adding in exercise now to keep it down?

I think it would help you to remind yourself that "weight" and "fat" aren't the same thing. Your weight is your hair, skin, and everything wrapped up inside of it. This includes fat, but is not an accurate representation of the amount of fat on your body. No joke - I can vary as much as 15 lbs in the same day. If you have sudden weight gain, large or small, 99.99999% of the time the answer is Water. People just don't gain fat pounds overnight, especially not banded people. But they freak out when they see the difference in the scale numbers, and assume they're now 4 pounds FATTER instead of jsut being 4 pounds HEAVIER. Big difference. So to answer your question about your weight gain - it's probably water. It's probably not fat. And your body can't sustain constant weightloss. It needs to readjust to what's going on (insert long explanation about glycogen stores and metabolism here). If you're setting yourself up to see or epxpecting a scale change every day, you're going to have lots of disappointment. You've alreaydy talked about the scale addiction. scales really are the WORST way of tracking fat loss. BTW, this is exactly what kills so many diets. People deprive themselves, and feel deprived, and then see no or negative changes on the scale and say, "Well F it, if I'm giving all this up and gaining weight anyway, then I'm just going to eat what I want!" -- and do just that, when a little more patience and persistence would have shown that the body was just adjusting and the loss was queued.

i think it's possible that constipation can cause a little weight gain. but i was wondering if being over-weight can cause constipation in adults. please sure ur thots with me. Blessings, sasha

My kids are 1-1/2 and 4. Obviously, our baby girl has no clue about the candy involved in this holiday. But my son is aware of Easter treats in general & the pre-filled baskets are everywhere. And he's a very observant kid, so he's seen "the stuff" when we're out & on TV, too (darn that Dora). He even remembers jelly beans & peeps from his basket last year (shocked me). They're young kids, so our baskets are very small anyhow. I'll probably just cruise our dollar store for holiday toys. I do plan to buy holiday themed individual candy this year, so as not to have leftovers. A new PEZ guy was always in our baskets as kids & that won't hang around either... And I was thinking a frisbee (for him) & bubbles would fill up their baskets well, too. Plus a small stuffed animal. That is so much less than the abundance of my childhood baskets, which my mother (a converted Jew) delighted in making for us! I feel a bit guilty to be giving them "less" than my own traditions. But they're little -- and I'm making changes on all sorts of fronts -- time to change my Easter celebrating, too. I really was surprised at his memory of the candy from last year...it's not even like he ate much of it!!! We'd just bought the stuff DH & I like, divvied it up into the 2 baskets from the Easter Bunny, and then recombined it into the "junk bowl" that night. I don't usually let him have "candy" (& she never gets it) in the 1st place, but the exception to that rule is holidays. My problem is that I adore Easter candy! :hungry: Fruit flavored & full of sugar -- that's the way I like my junk food! So while other people fret about winter holiday weight gain, baked goodies can't compare to the temptations of the Easter Basket in my book! I guess that just means I face my big challenge early. Once(if) I make it now, it's all down hill!!! :biggrin1: <O:p

How can Splenda, Equal or any other calorie free sweetner contribute to weight gain? I'm sure many people don't tolerate the chemicals that make up these sweetners, that's another issue. But gaining weight from drinking sugar free sodas? How can you gain weight if there's no calorie content? Point me to the studies, please.

Hey everyone...I have been SO busy at work the last few days. I'm tired! And I haven't been able to check in here too often. Raynie I'm sorry to hear about your weight gain. Is it due to your TOM? I always gain 3-4 pounds right around then...I think it's water retention. Are you drinking enough water? I find I lose more consistently and feel better if I make sure to get at least 80 oz of water in. Not sure about the Muscle Milk, except that it does have lots of calories. Maybe try the MM light... Threebeauties!! You have been gone for along time! Aren't plateaus a bitch?? I didn't lose ANYTHING for 5 straight weeks and it's SO frustrating! Do you think you might need another fill? And I love Lia Sophia stuff! I'm going to a part on Thursday in fact. Yay Jimboss is back!!! You really were missed! Congrats on your new house...I would love to see pics! Where has Sonia been...

Good Morning my Angels, Old Jimboss is still alive and kicking. I've had a lot going on in my life the past couple of weeks. My lovely bride and I have bought a new house and it seems to be taking up a lot of my time lately. I feel guilty about not being around here because my Angels are my lifeline! I definetly need y'all. I've read up on the posts and it feels great to be "missed". Hearing the questions about my whereabouts made me feel wanted. Sadly, during my weight gain days I didn't feel "wanted" very much. But sunny days are ahead! I'm sort of stuck on 273 but I know that it will start again soon. Jess...my goodness girl! What a butt! Nice! And Sonia, you are looking so darned good! And Raynie, you'll be hearing from me soon! And to the rest of my Angels...I love you all! Everyone is doing such a great job! When I read the posts here at October Bandsters, it is always such a motivation for me to keep plugging away. Again, Old Jimboss loves you all!

OMG!!! I forgot about the Weight Gain 4000 episode! Gotta love every bit Cartman does!

"I'm not fat, I'm just big-boned!" "BEEFCAKE!" "I'm so buff I can't fit through the door." I think it was the Weight Gain 4000 episode. OMG.... I cried I was laughing so hard.

Tami: I'm not taking votes here. I'm declaring that it's official. You're a dad-gumed freak. Enjoyed cocktails by the beach, great Mexican food, cerviche on the beach, partying in the bars with no weight gain for 7 days. It just ain't right. Musta been all that gettin' down you did on the dance floor. Seriously *jealous frown* way to go girl!

Well, I am off to the Dominican Republic tonight to lay on the beach and snorkel when I feel like it. I hope that I can come home with zero weight gain like Tami. Talk with you next week!

I'm baaack! ----------- Airfare from Birmingham to Cancun = 40,000 frequent flyer points Lodging in Cancun for 7 nights = 200,000 hotel points Cerviche on the Beach = 120 pesos Avg. price for club admission w/ open bar = $40 USD (+ hangover) 7 day vacation w/ great food and NO WEIGHT GAIN = PRICELESS!!! Lapband....I'm so glad that I *can't* leave home without it! ----------- Mim, glad to hear the surgery went well! And, yep, the water weight gain is from surgery. Don't sweat it! Glad to see ya'll got a new challenge going. I started at 185, and am still there. I can't believe I didn't gain weight, but I did exercise quite a bit. Gotta run...unpacking and laundry, etc.! Tami

I can't remember if it was my anethesiologist or my surgeon who came into my room before my surgery and mentioned that they had just read a study the showed artificial sweetners actually contribute to weight gain. Interesting.

Hey everyone I was wondering how did your weights fluctuate after being on liquids to softs...I know some weight gain is expected. And when did you start to loose again. I have been on soft proteins for 3 days now... so nice to eat again, but I have put on 3 pounds. Today is first day I have felt full but was able to eat 1 cup of refried beans and 3oz of salmon for supper. My total intake today 900 calories, 31g of fat, 45g of carbs, and 83g of protein....I know counting all this and not even 2 weeks post op...I just really want to do good and be successful at this. Also I'm a big water drinker always have been and today I was able to take about 3 swallows of water at one time...Is this able to happen after a fill or do you have to sip again....Thanks I love this site and you are all so supportive... Thanks.

Thank you so much ! Well don't lose hope. The extra weight I was carrying was the reason I had trouble for years getting pregnant. We tried for sooooooooooo long and then I lost some weight and bam it happened! Can't say I had any complications. Will say I was watched carefully. In my 3rd month found out had gestational diabetes. So I was sorta of labeled high risk. My diabetes was controlled with diet. <~~ Which I really watched and I think that was the reason for the low weight gain. I wish you well and thanks for the wonderful response