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I am on the PreOp diet and have gained weight. Before starting, I ate 2 meals a day, breakfast and lunch. Breakfast was a small low-fat yogurt, a little bit of low sugar granola and a banana or some other fruit. Lunch as usually out while at work. Normally places like Luby's, where I never get fried foods. Rarely ever did I get anything fried. I am a big salad lover with a vinegarette dressing. Now that I have been having a little breakfast (2 of what is on the allowed list), a sensible lunch (tilapia or some other sensible meat), and those 2 shakes (made with 8 oz of skim milk), I have gained 2 pounds. I am not eating sweets, I haven't been eating stuff that I shouldn't eat. What is going on? Any ideas?

I am not banded nor have I ever been pregnant but because of my job and my parent's professions growing up, I was hoping to offer some insight anyway. The reason why doctor's don't want you losing weight is because your body releases chemicals and toxins that can hurt your child. Your body needs to be able to release the "weight gain" chemicals in order for your baby to be healthy. If you're losing weight, even a pound a week, you might be jeopardizing the health of your baby. Dieting can also lead to malnutrition for yourself or your baby. If you go into ketosis (ie you eliminate carbs from your diet) you and your child will be in a ketogenic state which is great for weight loss but not so good for your baby. In fact it can cause fetal brain damage. Please be careful and ask your doctor before continuing any weight loss program. I hope this helps. Congrats on your pregnancy. Good luck, Sheila Here are some sites that might help you. http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/pregnancy/pregnancynutrition/3561.html http://www.thelaboroflove.com/articles/is-it-safe-to-diet-during-pregnancy/

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!! Tell us all about him!!! The Granny in me needs all the vital stats!!!! I am so glad to hear you did that well on your weight gain, how impressive!! My baby days are past, so I have no clue about the wait time for a fill. I shouldn't be any longer than the wait following the banding itself, and most require 6 weeks for that. I am so happy for you and your new family!!! Welcome back! Kat

Hey Gals... Patty... I have been beggin for news on you... so glad to see your post!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm sorry you are having a rough time of it... hope the eviction notice situation has been taken care of as well as the job problems. Praying for your surgery date and knowing that it will happen! (((hugs))) So glad to see you back. :welldoneclap: Kat... Yikers! How frightening! I am such a chicken (no pun intended) that I would be a Soup and soft food eater forever and ever amen if there was the slightest chance that I would choke like your hubby. Glad he is okay! Sherry... Love ya girl... thanks so much for sharing your positive ways... it's so easy to get caught up in the stressful parts of life and forget to Celebrate and share the happy moments and I really appreciate how you remind me of this by example... you rock! Irene... Hmmmm... Kind of freaky with your fella. It really can be dangerous for adults to run temps that high... keep your eye on that fella and sure hope you are not coming down with it! Mary... So good to see you too... have missed you! Dianne... Hope the pain meds are good and the girls are heling up quickly! Betty... Glad you didn't get blown away in the storms! It was a beautiful weekend for us and we spent the day maple syruping up at the Sis's cabin. I love standing in the maple scented steam that comes off the boiling sap! Deb... It really sounds like you need an unfill. Take it from me... being over-filled does not always lead to weight-loss. It lead to weight gain for me as I finally started replacing real food with high calorie liquids because I was HUNGRY!!!!! Take care and consider a weensie unfill. (((hugs))) CIndy...(((hugs))) My sister is starting a business and this might perhaps solve my job search issues. I still will be submitting apps for nursing positions but would prefer something that will allow me to be active with my daughter's activities. FIL is feeling better but will be starting radiation and chemo next week. He is in for quite a rough road and is turning away help now so we are backing off. We will continue to offer... the rest is up to him. Haven't been on my treadmill very much... time to get myself moving again! I did get on yesterday. Went and chopped my hair off too... AHHHHHHHHHHHH... why did I wait so long???? :Banane20:

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

Welcome! I encourage you to go to the Forum Jump at the bottom of the site and see all of the topics. I spent days reading doctors and hospitals and insurance issues. You can read my insurance woes in the Blue Cross thread. I weight 361 at this moment. Last week I was up to 372 having spent a week in bed from an ankle sprain. I fall so easily these days. I have Type II diabetes, high blood pressure which is controlled by medication. I also have diverticulitis and sleep apnea. I am on 8 medications and use a CPAP machine for the apnea. My insurance denied my surgery despite the all clear from all the other doctors. I have an "exclusion" that specifically does not cover anything related to weight loss or weight gain. Do as much research as possible. Make phone calls to these doctors and ask questions. do what you feel is the right thing for you. Most of us have been BURNED by the arch angel of weight loss who lives on the air at midnight in the form of infomercials or in print ads with promises of "tighter abs" (and a glowing white smile and hot looking partner to go with it). Do what is right for you.

Thanks for all the input. I agree about cookies not needing to be in the house. It was probably the first time in several months that they were here. It was just a "red light" for me and I wanted to know how other parents handle their children. Even things like just getting another serving of food at dinner or eating again a couple of hours after dinner is an issue for my daughter. Take my son out of the picture. What does everyone think about training kids to eat responsibly and healthy? I know that being a role model is important. I'm really trying to be that for her. We keep healthy foods in the house, but too many calories from healthy food can cause weight gain, too. I just don't know how far to push it without causing lifelong emotional problems. Many of us here probably know what it's like to be a heavy child. It's not fun and we all want to spare our kids that. Do I constantly tell her no, even if it's healthy food? Do I set up very specific eating times? I'm just so torn about this issue. Angie

hi everybody i'am new to this but as of today i have finished all of my post -opp test my doc wanted me to do a sleep apnea test inwhich i done this thursday(03-15-07) yes i have it do to weight gain and i have a c-pac machine that i have to use every time i go to sleep to give me enough air to prevent me from stop breathing during sleep my insurence has already givin the doc the go for me to have the lapband so from my understanding my surgery date will be set next week.wk-ending (03-25-07) hopefully i can be have it done in april. I will be happy when i can lose wieght and get off of high blood pressure meds and this new breathing machine inwhich doc says is all do to weight gain i'am now 230lbs and would like to be 140-145 (75-80lb loss) looking very foward to the better health and new me i really enjoy this web site and the info that i've read if anybody out there would like to walk me through this please do. I want to here it all.thanks vicvic

Thanks for sharing your experience. Can I ask what cup size before & after? I was in a C cup in fifth grade so I've always been top heavy, even before all the weight gain. I'm now buying 48 DDD bras. Probably need bigger but that's the biggest I could find at WalMart and I'm NOT paying more than $15 for a bra. My back may suffer but I'm too much of a cheapskate to pay more than that. Will you have problems with sagging as you lose more? Thanks, Crystal

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!!!!!

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!!!!!

Bandiva: four pounds in three weeks is a healthy weight loss. Losing weight too quickly can stress out the body and can lead to an equally quick weight gain further down the road. In fact this seems to be why many diets fail: the weight comes off quickly without the body having a chance to adjust to a lower set-point and then when we ingest a few extra calories those are converted instantaneously into unwanted fat!! The end result is that your metabolism becomes even more efficient at turning anything you eat into personal lard. Remember that 4 lbs in 3 weeks is 8 lbs in 6 weeks and that they say that this biz of getting to your target weight the lapband way is a two-year project. IMHO you are doing very well, grrl!

Hello Everyone: This group is very large now. I was gone for 3 days and it took me so long to read and catch up - Glad everyone is doing fine. Today is the 1st day of my mushie stage. Next Thursday I'm on Solids. I called and made my appointment for my 1st fill (3-27-07). I drink up until I eat then 1 hour after. I ate at 10am yesterday and didn't eat again until 10:30pm. I wasn't hungry. I did drink and clean up. I was kindof glad I had no appetite yesterday. I weigh in today and I gained 4 lbs. That is ok. I know the reason I lost more weight was because I was on liquids only, as you add food - Thicker, solids - that is more calories. I plan to start an exercise plan to counteract the calories I'm intaking. Good Luck all you March Bandsters, I wouldn't change anything. My family & my husband family knows that I had the surgery. They are so use to me eating a lot of food, but when we went to dinner the other night I only had a very small piece of fish (started before mushie stage). They were like your full, I told them yes - they had several pieces of fish, fries, chicken, salad. Later that night my SIL asked me - so how does the band work - I explained - I think she called my MIL because she called me later and asked me about it also. I tried to explain - I'm not a big person now - 5'1, 195 @ surgery, I'm small framed - If you saw me you wouldn't think I needed it, but 3 months ago I weighed around 140 lbs. I eat when no one is around. I would stop and get something to eat on the way home and then eat when I got home also. I was on my way up and I wanted to prevent the weight gain before I started having real problems, (no offense) but I didn't want to wait until I was 250-300 lbs before the surgery. I am so glad I did this!!!

here is my input on the subject: My husband has been large all of our married life(30 years so far), and has always struggled to lose weight, only to gain it back, plus some. When he retired from his job as a fire fighter, he weighed 357lbs. Can you even imagine rescuing someone on a ladder at that weight!! As we watched our youngest son enter college and play college baseball weighing 320 lbs there was such a sense of guilt over not teaching him better habits. So the two guys pledged to do the Subway thing, and son lost down to 199 lbs. and husband lost 150 lbs total. Soon afterwards, husband had a heart attack, and needed a stent put in. And guess what, all the weight came right back on!! He blamed it on the meds that slowed his heart rate, but I watched him eat his way back up to 330 lbs. After the son graduated from college after 5 years of baseball, he is also almost back to his precollege weight. Now to the good part of all this,,,, after I had lapband surgery to shed my excess weight(mainly for vanities sake, since I had no real health problems to blame it on) my husband watched quietly as the pounds fell off, without hardly any exercise to speak of, and no changes to his love of eating out all the time. So six months later he signed up for the surgery!!! He was so impressed with how it all worked, and he was bandes on Jan. 31, 2007. To dATE HE HAS LOST ALMOST 50 LBS, with not really much effort, and only a walking schedule for exercise. The thing he loves the most is that without any problems, he can be sure of the weight not coming right back like it always has. He will always have his safety net against weight gain to help him. He is almost 50 years old, and for the first time in his life he feels safe against the obesity demon that controlled his entire life. What a blessing the surgery has been for both of us, hopefully it will work out for others as well as it has for us. MIZBOO

Hello everyone and thank you from my heart for your warm welcoming and wisdom filled replies to my message. I am still navagativing this system so bear with me. The advice I am finding here is so exceptionally wise and wonderful that even if I am denied an operation as I am 35 BMI I will gratefully use all your wise advice. Honestly, I have not found better advice anywhere. I am learning that the banding procedure is more a preventative measure to avoid the gains, which to me is the most heartbreaking factor in being genetically obese. Age too...for me plays a part I lost 70 lbs. in my early 30s and kept it off for years, now no matter what I do I can't keep up with the weight gains of hormones (I'm 48) (which my male doctor is clueless about) slowed down matabolism and lack of time....I don't have 2 hours a day to devote to the gym wihch I used to before working and when my daughter was young. Two of my sibs died prematurely of obesity complications and I don't want to follow especially with a young child. I am finding there are mostly male doctors who specialize in this operation and wondered why? Sorry for the long ramble just had 3 cups of starbucks! Gratefully yours, Morgan

Most of that weight gain is from the IV fluids. Saline is one of the solutions hung, and that tends to make things a little puffy for awhile. They also most likely ran at least one bag; 1000cc, or maybe close to two, depending on blood loss, time involved in surgery, etc. Also the stress of surgery on the body, can cause it to retain some fluids. Wait a good week or so before weighing yourself.

It may be water weight....but also the broth may have had a high sodium content which could explain the weight gain (water). Welcome to band-land

so when i went inot the hospital yesterday i was down 10 lbs from the preop diet...then while in the hospital all ihad was IV then water and tea and 2 cups of broth..then i came hoe and had gained 6 lbs. How much does the band weigh? Or is this from all the iv fluid...i am very confused...did not expect to come home gaining 6 lbs from no eating

Well I had a fill in Feb and told Dr. Malley I wanted it to be conservative so I would not need an unfill again. He only put .15 cc in there and I can barely tell that I got a new fill. I can tell in the early a.m. but can basically eat anything in the evening. Now I can't eat near as much as I could prior to banding but can eat quite a bit. So I get another fill on April 11 and hope it will hit my "sweet" spot but have my doubts. I hate not losing much or stalling but I would hate a SLIP more. So think of me as I am trying to fine tune this fickle band of mine. Before my last unfill I did take Prevacid solu tabs to calm down my 2 nights of REFLUX. I have learned enough from these sites to realize that too tight is dangerous. Better safe than sorry but not moving the scales much. I was down to 204 when I had an infusion of magnesium and unfill. By the time I went for my February fill I was back up to 218!!! I am sure some of the weight gain was just the replacing of my fluids after being dehydrated but some of it was because after the unfill settled down it was like NOT having my tool. I need some restriction back that is for sure.

I live in the Richmond area. I am seriously considering the lapband. I am 5'7" and weigh 278. I've struggled my entire adult life with weight. almost two years ago my husband died after a two year battle with lung cancer (he was only 40!!) and my mother six months after him (colon cancer, after beating breast cancer!!), leaving me with a beautiful little girl who is now five years old, that we adopted from China (got her, and five mos. later he had cancer). I am trying to get my life back together but am frustrated with my weight and finding time for ME to get it off. My blood pressure, which was always excellent (even when I'm heavy) steadily rose during his illness and my weight gain. My GP said if I lose weight I can get off the meds for sure. I also take stuff for anxiety, depression, thyroid, and am wondering how much of that I can ditch once I'm in shape. I hesitate at doing any surgery because there is no one to help me take care of my daughter while I recover (much less take care of me :cry ) but it looks like the lap band has a really short recovery period. I am going to get a consult with one of the surgeons in town who do this, but was wondering if there was anyone out there in my area who can share their experience? I'm 48 now and all my docs keep telling me I need to take care of ME so I'll be around to raise my daughter. I'd like to have enough energy for her as well! Anyway, my clinical psychologist suggested lap-band to me last week and I started looking into it. I'm starting to think it makes sense for me. thanks for any input. I plan to read as much as I can in this forum. We belonged to a very similar styled forum for lung cancer and it was wonderful - really got us through a horrible thing. So I was tickled to stumble here.

Just taking the very first steps to the "surgery" Went to my seminar yesterday, filling out paperwork today. Reading everything I can on this surgery. The seminar was wonderful. For once, I was surrounded by people who had all experienced the same thing I had...losing weight...gaining it back, plus some...and so on and so on. My hubby is 110% for this, even tho, its totally a self-pay. He says I'm worth it. My only problem at this time is I really don't have any one else to talk with this about. I can talk with him, but he is 6'0 and skinny. So I found this forum. Will try to keep everyone informed of my progress. Actually feel like I lost 10 pounds by taking this 1st step!!!!

Hello Everyone out there! I have been slogging my way for the past 2 weeks through a combination of ReduceXS, Macleods Dietary Formula and Optifast. I have lost nealry 4 kgs but don't have a great deal of energy though I do feel better about myself already. I am being banded on March 23 and trying to be as vague as possible about why I am going into hospital and missing out on work for a few weeks. Have told everyone that I am on a bet with my husband to lose 30kgs before going to Bali in October. How up front have you all been with family and friends about having the lap band inserted, do you try to keep it a lifetime secret or does it eventually not matter at all? I have 25kgs to lose, on a 180cm frame, I can't wait until I can fit back into those precious "small" items of clothing that I have not been able to throw out over 15 years of weight gain- then I can throw them out - hahah. A general question - how much pain when you wake up from the op? Do you know that something major has been done ? - I have had laproscopic surgery for endometriosis but really didn't feel anything, and How soon before I can drive a car? hugs to everyone.

In December, there were some posts regarding "What I've Learned from my Band". Some of them were very humorous, but each and everyone of them was so true! So, I went back to the December chat and compiled a list of those "I've Learned"s and added the few posted on March chat, and here's what I have come up with (sorry for any typos)... I’ve Learned (from my Band)… Compiled from the members of the Lap-band Talk - 2006 ABC It's not the first bite that's a killer - It's the second or third If you can drink it for Breakfast, that's a good option In the morning I better drink something warm before I eat - Otherwise solid food, no matter how much I've chewed it, will go down like the Titanic Soup with lunch or dinner helps relax the esophagus and reduces PBs - A glass of wine does even better I will never be bored with my band Just when I think I know my band - I don't Sometimes I can eat breakfast - sometimes I can't - Ditto for the rest of my meals If I get really hungry - Forget it I'm getting stuck What "Oh crap, I'm about to burp up this food" feels like Random stuff like candy corn is impossible one day, and smooth and easy the next Losing weight feels SO GOOD NSVs (Non-scale victories) can feel even better than losing weight I never know from one day to the next what I can eat or how much Just when I think I need a fill, the darn thing feels tight again It really is a learning process - Learning the band - Learning how to eat to live - Learning how to lose weight I love my band but I'm also quite afraid of it I don't have to panic if I have a setback (ie: overfill, weight gain, etc.) - I can still succeed My defeatist attitude doesn't help I need to work with my band and pay attention to what it likes and doesn't like (ex. it doesn't like bread... so stop trying to eat it!) It's my friend and it's doing its job. Even though you now eat small amounts you still need to pay attention to what that small amount is I will ALWAYS subscribe to the "I wonder what band I'll wake up with today" syndrome I absolutely LOVE my band - I never want to go anywhere without it ever again - It was the best thing I have ever done for myself I still have to watch what I eat - If it's hard Protein my band tells me when enough is enough - Ice cream?...not so much Sometimes I still want to binge and stuff myself - The urge remains unfortunately, but the capacity just ain't there I never have golfball/PB issues with people who know I'm banded – It’s always with people who don't know - LapBandLaw? I've learned you can quickly say "I need to go grab a tissue/glass of water/tampon" and bolt, and nobody really cares - Unless you're gone a really long time in which case, go for the "female problems" defense My band has an attitude - If it doesn't want chicken it won't let me eat it, but if it wants chicken tomorrow it lets it through just fine My band isn't a miracle – It is still going to take time and a lot of work I have to get fills for it to work - It isn't giving in to admit I need one A size 16 at one store is NOT the same as a 16 at the next That blueberry NutriGrain bars are really good – They make a great breakfast and defend against fast food if they live in my purse. Never go shopping with my mother – I wind up spending too much money When my left shoulder joint starts hurting, I should stop eating The scale will continue moving in the right direction, as long as I don’t give up

Oh man, am I ever happy about it! It was an excellent move. I was very, very messed up about my body. I found it a humiliation. My weight gain pattern is odd and exactly like my mother's; I kept slim arms and legs and all the weight went to my torso, especially my gut. I looked like a spider!:cry The other thing that was hard about being overweight is that I live in the core of a large city. There are very few fat people here. Most people are fairly trim and well groomed. It had become almost impossible for me to buy clothes.:phanvan (They don't sell a lot of linen clothes in the big grrl shops up here, eh. They are all about synthetics and frou frou and pastels and cute!) I feel so much better about myself at my current weight and I love the restraints which the band places on my appetite. How about you, BJean? Any regrets?

I was 200 lbs and growing when I arranged for the surgery. I made an appointment with the clinic that did my operation, asked them if I was a suitable candidate, and when they said yes I wrote a cheque. Then I decided I better learn more about the band so I joined this site and I read the information materials which they sent home with me. I kinda jumped into the band back to front but that was because I had become so fed up with this post-menopausal weight gain loop that I was on I was ready to do anything to stop it. Sometimes I used to wake up at 3 in the morning, grab my gut, and think to myself that if there was such a thing as an emergency liposuction clinic I would call a cab and go there immediately!