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I am considering having surgery done... I have alot of questions and I dont want to jump into this without knowing what I am doing to myself first. I have seen people lose weight without doing something as drastic as having surgery. I feel like I am just being lazy and not wanting to deal with the willpower it takes to stay on a diet. My weight gain began 2 yrs ago when I quit smoking. I was able to control my hunger when I smoked now I cant seem to get eating under control like I got rid of one bad habit and changed it for another. Then I read about people on here who have had the surgery and think it sounds ok. But then I read about the gas and the pre op diet. Now i am perplexed about the pre op diet some had to do it some didnt some for longer some for shorter. Why? I have alot of questions that need to be answered before I do this. I am going to a seminar in Feb. Thanks for listening to my rant

MinIN: The "bitch", if we want to give her the benefit of the doubt... might have been feeling bad for you that your man might be pushing you to get bigger boobs than you want. Some men are like that, thinking more of themselves than their woman. Her man may treat her that way and it had nothing to do with your or Jamie. Or there's always the chance that she's just a bitch. But it isn't too surprising that Jamie would react the way he did when he was already feeling a bit insecure. There are certain triggers in men that hit home - baldness is one, man boobs is another. It's great that you and he can talk frankly about all of it and you're great for wanting to give him lots of support, and the right kind of support. My DH was very aware of my overeating and tremendous weight gain. He didn't say anything bad to me, but every once in a while, he'd make a small comment or two. He was just as overweight as I was. While I sure did not realize how big I had gotten, he certainly didn't realize he was just as big. (I don't know how lots of men can keep their self-esteem so built up sometimes while most of us women have to work so hard at it.) Now that I've been losing enough to really notice, he's finding that it is much more difficult for him to lose along with me as he'd planned. I can tell that he's getting more worried the more I lose. His self-confidence has taken a dive too and although I'm like you, I want to be completely supportive, I think I'm a little big glad that he is finally realizing how difficult it all is. I weighed 106 lbs. when he married me, so I don't have the comfort of knowing that he will love me no matter how much I weigh. He said he loved me, no matter what, but I know his weight made a difference at how I attractive I thought he was, physically, so I know mine has to make a difference to him too. The bottom line is that weight gain, obesity, is a very very difficult thing to manage. When we're lucky enough to have someone we love in our lives, if we can stick together and be there for each other no matter what our ups and downs are, we are going to be healthier! It sounds like you and Jamie are that lucky! :clap2:

I have read and at the seminar on Saturday the doctor said that there is people with the band do better in the long run keeping their weight down than bypass even though in the weight loss with the bypass is faster. Did you get the band thinking it would be a quick and fast fix? I also go to another forum and a lot of the people with the bypass 3 yrs out or more are complaining of weight gain, even the doctor's helper at the seminar, she is 4yrs out and in the past year has gained 25 pounds that she is struggling with. For the lapband people the great thing is the fills you can get a fill and feel full sooner the bypass people once their stomach starts to stretch there is nothing to help them.

Things are crazy right now, I just found out I have Celiac Disease. Which explains alot of my weight gain,large apitite,weakness and such. So now I have to change everything I eat. I cant have and wheat, or gluten products and such.... So all i'm allowed to eat is fish and veggies and I should start loosing weight now, having it under control they say helps alot. So we went and bought Salmon fellets and veggies yesterday, my meal plan has been set up for Breakfast-Whey proten shake w/soy milk lite. Lunch- half a salmon fellet and veggies and for dinner the other half of salmon and veggies. lots of B Vitamins and Water. It explains why I am anemic, I am also allergic to milk and eggs... well I guess getting to the root of the problem helps.

Hi everyone! I have a cold and didn't feel like going to a party that I was invited to. Plus I didn't want to deal with all the forbidden foods that would be there. Wouldn't you think being on a liquid diet would be the same as Phase 1? While I was on the liquid diet, I was using Slim Fast Low Carb which has 3 grams of carbs. I need to go grocery shopping to start the South Beach diet. I am having a problem though because my doctor doesn't want me to eat fresh veggies until 6 weeks post op. And no red meat. But I can still do meat and cooked veggies. But that means no salads. I don't know what his reasoning would be for no salads for 2 more weeks. The problem is I don't feel well from this cold so I don't feel like going grocery shopping. So far today all I have had is a slice of deli turkey and a slice of Provlone cheese. Last night for dinner I had a lean cuisine chicken that had chicken and cooked spinach. Besides that, I had a can of slim fast. I got 64 oz of Water in. I haven't lost any more weight in the last week. I am not happy about that. It was so nice to see the scale moving down. Audree Congratulations! I knew you would have had to have lost at least as much as I did, from being on liquids. I am anxious to get my first fill. I have a medication that I sometimes take for sleep, because I have horrible insomnia. It is known to cause weight gain. It makes me crave sweets horribly. Well, another weekend here. I am glad I don't have little kids in the house eating sweets in front of me. I feel like I don't have much willpower left. Yesterday I wanted a cookie really badly!! I hope I lose another lb soon. If I don't, I get in that mood "I might as well eat since I am not losing anyway" That's old thinking. I am glad all of you are here. It's encouraging to have all of you, and being able to read the board.

Repeat after me "The first 6 weeks are about healing. Not about losing weight". (at least according to my surgeon). You probably had IV liquids put in you during surgery, and that is part of the weight gain.

I was in a seriously abusive marriage---to levels most of you would find hard to believe! And yes, prior to the physical abuse, was mental abuse. The article printed itemizing abuse is right on the money. And he may very well be mentally abusive right now. The question in my mind is---does HE know he is being abusive? I agree that the first year with an infant and 2 jobs---is very, very hard. If he is working one shift, and you another, and there is a baby around, it doesn't sound like you two have much alone time together. A sleep deprived, sex deprived person can be mean...man or woman! The difference is, your body went through the birth, and the nursing, and you had all the hormonal changes---he didn't. He likely wants back what he had, and is suffering some serious guilt over thinking that---I mean I am sure he loves his daughter to no end, but remembering life before....makes one wistful. And if life has not changed enough, here you go wanting more change!!! How dare you!!! Just kidding, but maybe he isn't. Maybe he IS worried, my DH was...he told me after the surgery, he was scared to death I would die in surgery. Well, in your case, if your DH thinks that....he then has a tiny little girl, to raise without her Mommy. I am not trying to exonerate him from being mean---he is definitely being an ass....but, I have to wonder, before the weight gain, before the baby, when things got tough, how did you handle them? Have you changed as well? We all change, every day we change...and hopefully we can both go with the ebb and flow of things, and grow and change together...but when you are already obviously out of sync....it is time that one of you is going to have to skip a few steps to fall into step with the other one. It sounds like he may not even have an idea of what is wrong---anger is often the easier emotion for people to express. We saw that with my step kids, when it was time to go home, they would pick a fight with one of us---it was easier to be mad, than to be sad about leaving they finally said!!! If kids do it---so can he. At least try to get through the first year or so, and see if you can settle into a routine that is not leaving you both exhausted. If you truly feel now is the time for surgery, then talk to him, and do whatever you can to try to keep it civil. If you think waiting is better, no one is going to fault you for putting in off for a few months! There is no cut and dried answer to your problem. You are the best judge of how you feel---whether you are in a bad situation or not. I would try to view him as scared, as opposed to just mean, and see if you can work with him any easier that way. Good Luck! Kat

Bands are only suitable if food is your poison. If alchol or liquid calories made you obese the band can't do anything to help that - your surgeon would have asked you about alchol consumption at your first consult - did you tell the exact truth about how much and often you really drink? The other person is right - plenty of people go on drinking socially (every weekend) after banding just as they did pre-banding and never get within kooee of a healthy weight or never lose weight at all - I know at least 5 people in real life in that situation all over 1yr out. You have to really watch how much you are actually drinking and think about it like this: 2 glasses of red wine (200mL average home/social size drink) a week will make you gain 1.5kg per year If you have a single 200ml glass of red with dinner every night of the week thats a 5.4kg weight gain each year. If you are a social drinker, especially spirits or beer, your drinking a lot more than that thus you need to assess weather your have a food problem causing your weight problem or an alchol problem causing your weight problem. And don't forget about the high calorie Snacks that go hand in hand with social drinking. People that drink a few glasses a month it really doesn't noticeably impact (only half a kilo a year which isn't that obvious), its when its more than 3 or 4 serves a month that you notice it on the scales and defeat the purpose of having weight loss surgery.

SouthBeach Diet Tips and Guides The SouthBeach Diet is different from the Atkins diet in that it is not a low carbohydrate diet. Regardless of which phase you are currently in, you should follow these recommendations: Drink a minimum of 8 glasses of Water, decaffeinated beverages such as club soda, tea, coffee, or decaffeinated sugar-free soda every day Limit your intake of caffeine-containing beverages to 1 cup each day Take one Multivitamin and mineral supplement daily Take 500 mg of Calcium for both men and women under the age of 50, and 1,000 mg for women over the age of 50, each day Eating can be both pleasurable and healthy as long as you eat the proper foods. All the meals in the SouthBeach Diet consist of healthy combinations of carbohydrates, Proteins, and fats. Dishes can be made by anyone and the ingredients can be found in most grocery stores. These foods will satisfy your hunger without depriving your system of the low-quality starches and sugars that caused problems with your blood chemistry in the first place. The SouthBeach Diet does not involve counting calories, fat grams, or portion sizes. This plan was designed to be simplistic and will help you understand the principles of metabolism and put it to work for your own body. A major key to success with the South Beach Diet is the Glycemic index (GI), which ranks carbohydrate foods based on the effect on blood sugar levels. When you start adding foods back into your diet in Phase 2, keep your focus on low-GI foods such as apples, berries, grapefruit, high-Fiber Cereal, and whole grain breads. Preparing For The Rest Of Your Life Mindset Change for South Beach Diet You have learned what the South Beach Diet is, how it works, and what to eat. Now, you need to get prepared to change the way you eat, for life. Start by accepting that the first couple of weeks will be a big change but one you will not regret. The first morning of this diet, you will eat a breakfast that may consist of a two-egg omelet with two slices of Canadian bacon, cooked in either spray canola or olive oil. In your old life, you may have toasted bread or a bagel and had fresh fruit or fruit juice to go along with your omelet. However, with the South Beach Diet, the bread will have to wait. Most people have been conditioned their entire life to add bread to meals. You have toast with breakfast, sandwiches on bread for lunch, dinner rolls with dinner, and cake, Cookies, or pie for dessert. However, during Phase 1, you will have to forget about the bread. It may take a few days to leave old habits behind but keep in mind that it is during this time that your body’s inability to process sugars and starches is being reversed. After trying numerous diets, most leave you feeling hungry, is one of the most difficult aspects of any diet. A common denominator seen with overweight people is that most of them skip eating breakfast. When this happens, blood sugar drops, which then increases the desire for bad carbohydrates to escalate until lunch when the entire meal is blown. Planning for South Beach Diet Planning will help you stay away from snacking or substituting things that are not healthy and could cause weight gain. Remember that once you start into Phase 2, carbohydrates will start being introduced back into your diet along with fruits. You also need to remember to eat your mid-morning and mid-afternoon Snacks, even if you do not feel like it. Some of the greatest low-fats foods to incorporate into your planning include cheese and yogurt to replace the fats since they have no bad carbohydrates. In addition, the sugar is found in the lactose, milk sugar, is one of the things you can have with the South Beach Diet. The South Beach Diet is a lifetime change, lifetime commitment, and a lifetime of health and vitality! How Does The South Beach Diet Work? As mentioned, the South Beach Diet is unique, successful, easy, and works in a three-phase process. Unlike many other so-called diets, with the South Beach Diet, simply substitutes your bad carbohydrates and fats for good ones. After trying this, you will be amazed by how well and quickly it works. South Beach Diet Phase 1 South Beach Diet Phase 1 lasts for two weeks. During this first phase, you will eat normal meals of chicken, beef, turkey, fish, and shellfish, lots of vegetables, eggs, cheese, nuts, and garden salads using 100% olive oil for your salad dressing. Each day for 14 days, you will eat three, well-balanced meals. While eating until your hunger is satisfied may go against most diets, with the South Beach Diet, it is part of the plan. Trying to lose weight and become healthy by depriving the body of food makes no sense. In addition to the three meals each day, you will also eat a snack between breakfast and lunch, and then again between lunch and dinner. Even if you do not feel like eating these snacks, for the South Beach Diet to work, you need to, and after dinner, you will even have dessert. Additionally, during this phase, you can drink all the coffee and tea you want and be sure to drink lots of water. You may be thinking that this is a lot of food - it is! With most diets, you deprive your body, eating only small portions of foods that are unappealing. The change you will make during this phase is that you will cut out all bread, rice, potatoes, Pasta, baked goods, fruit, candy, cake, cookies, ice cream, or sugar. Keep in mind that these eliminated foods will be added back into your diet, starting in Phase 2. In addition to taking these foods out of your diet temporarily, you will also need to avoid beer, or any kind of alcohol. Once you start Phase 2, reasonable amounts of wine can be added back in. Instead of feeling overwhelmed about the foods that will be taken out of your diet during the first two weeks, stop and think about this for a minute. To achieve a life of health and lose unwanted weight, two weeks is a small investment to make. After all, you are worth it! The first two or three days will be somewhat challenging, but breaking any bad habit starts out a little bumpy. Once you pass this small hurdle, the rest of the time will go by quicker than you think. When you see the results that these changes bring, you will be glad you did not give up! 30 Things You Need to Know About The South BeacH The South Beach Diet -- despite sometimes being referred to as one -- is in fact not a low-carb diet plan. The South Beach Diet is based on eating the right carbohydrates (i.e. "good carbs") and fats. Eventually, you will be satisfied without eating the carbs you normally do, as your body adjusts to the good carbs you are eating. It is completely acceptable and recommended on The South Beach Diet to eat until you are fully satisfied. The first two weeks of The South Beach Diet are called Phase 1. Phase 1 is the strictest part of The South Beach Diet and provides the fewest allowable foods as compared to the other two Phases. The purpose of Phase 1 of The South Beach Diet is to adjust the way your body reacts to sugar and starches. You will lose the most weight during Phase 1 (up to 14 pounds), especially belly fat. During Phase 1 you will not be eating bread, rice, potatoes or pasta. The first few days of Phase 1 are the most difficult part of this diet. Baked goods, sweets, and fruits are completely off-limits during Phase 1 as well. Alcohol of any kind is not allowed during Phase 1. During these two weeks you'll be eating high-fiber foods such as vegetables and salads, as well as fish, meat, chicken, eggs, non-fat yogurt, low-fat cheese, and nuts. The South Beach Diet allows you six meals a day: three main meals, two snacks, and one dessert. You'll find a variety of recipes in the book, such as Marinated Flank Steak, but you don't have to cook to follow the plan. The science behind this diet is the Glycemic Index, which measures how a food impacts your blood sugar. Since salads and vegetables are naturally low on the Glycemic Index, you can consume virtually unlimited amounts of them on this plan. After Phase 1, those powerful cravings for candy, baked goods and "bad carbs" like white bread will be a thing of the past. Eventually, you can eat anything you want and still be considered on the program. If you feel hungry during Phase 1, increase the amounts of allowable foods you are eating.<SCRIPT>zSB(3,3)</SCRIPT> Eliminating "bad carbs" from your diet is a way for this diet to give your bloodstream a fresh start, free of those insulin-spiking starches and sweets. You can quell your sweet tooth: Sugar-free Gelatin such as pre-packaged sugar-free Jello cups are an easy and recommended dessert during Phase 1. Dr. Agatston provides recipes for a number of Phase 1 desserts that use reduced-fat ricotta cheese. Obese individuals may choose to stay on Phase 1 for longer than two weeks. Most people should advance to Phase 2 after two weeks to prevent getting burned out. Phase 2 is much more liberal than Phase 1. You will return previously "forbidden" foods such as whole grain breads, fruits, and sweet potatoes back into your diet (albeit a little bit at a time) during Phase 2. Weight loss will slow down significantly during Phase 2. Phase 3 is the maintenance Phase of The South Beach Diet. You can add any foods you wish unless you find that you are gaining weight. You can start over in Phase 1 again if you see you are gaining weight during Phase 3. You can start over in Phase 1 again if you see you are gaining weight during Phase 3.

First, here's my idea of how stress has affected you thus far in regards to your health. PLEASE forgive me if I'm being preachy. When we're under a lot of stress the body naturally goes into Fight or Flight mode. While this would work well if you were being chased by godzilla, stress causes numerous physiological responses. For the most part these are good but if you're under continuous stress the body isn't able to function as well over time. In the fight or flight response, the adrenal glands enlarge and spit out large amounts of adrenal cortical hormones. Cortisol, the name of the hormone, has been scientifically proven to cause weight gain because the body thinks that you're in a stressful situation and you may not get food for a while. So it holds onto every last calorie. Just a side note, when cortisol is released the body stops all healing processes and redirects energy to the vital organs. If you are healing from an injury or SURGERY, you need to be low stress to get better. Overtime, chronically elevated cortisol levels lead to abdominal fat, suppressed immunal function and even chronic fatigue syndrome. sleep plays a major role in stress reduction and weight loss. Grehlin a hormone in your stomach can cause you to feel VERY hungry and sleep deprivation raises levels of grehlin and cortisol. Both are released under stress and fatigue which probably significantly contributed to your weight gain thus far. However, I would think (I'm not a doctor yet, just studying medicine.... My mom's a nutritionist/dietician so I grew up with this stuff!) that with the band it will be easier to control your hunger but you might still have head hunger. For that, I would suggest seeing a therapist and getting some extra help for your mom. Also, if your stress continues to be a problem or you have trouble with being hungry after fills, there are all sorts of herbal remedies for helping with adrenal function. Ask your pcp for more information about what would be best for you. Hope this helps. Best of luck. With love, Sheila P.S. I know it's really tough... my grandparents are VERY resistent to change and caring for my grandfather's cancer and my grandmother's diabetes and alcoholism can be VERY stressful and tiring.

Hi Rowena I asked this question before I was banded as I tend to drink wine on a regular basis. Now I am 5 weeks banded and speaking from my own point of view, I can still drink wine & champagne, but probably not as much as I used to, and I also dont feel like it as much (depending on the day:) ) Everyone will tell you that to achieve maximum weight loss you should not drink alcohol as they are empty calories - I agree as this is probably the single biggest contributor to my weight gain. But the reality is that most bandits who drank alcohol before banding still drink afterwards. Chin chin :bandit

oh yes folks....get your tylenol ready for the headaches!!! I remember those days well. Thanks for the compliment Tres Chic....I remember all too well what it was like to be pre-op and it is nice to "give back". You will do so one day soon, too! Doriana....re. the weight gain....normal normal normal....don't forget your body will fluctuate a lot especially at the beginning as it gets "used" to things. How often are you weighing? I only weigh once a week and find that works much better for me than once a day.

SouthBeach Diet Tips and Guides The SouthBeach Diet is different from the Atkins diet in that it is not a low carbohydrate diet. Regardless of which phase you are currently in, you should follow these recommendations: Drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water, decaffeinated beverages such as club soda, tea, coffee, or decaffeinated sugar-free soda every day Limit your intake of caffeine-containing beverages to 1 cup each day Take one multivitamin and mineral supplement daily Take 500 mg of calcium for both men and women under the age of 50, and 1,000 mg for women over the age of 50, each day Eating can be both pleasurable and healthy as long as you eat the proper foods. All the meals in the SouthBeach Diet consist of healthy combinations of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Dishes can be made by anyone and the ingredients can be found in most grocery stores. These foods will satisfy your hunger without depriving your system of the low-quality starches and sugars that caused problems with your blood chemistry in the first place. The SouthBeach Diet does not involve counting calories, fat grams, or portion sizes. This plan was designed to be simplistic and will help you understand the principles of metabolism and put it to work for your own body. A major key to success with the South Beach Diet is the Glycemic index (GI), which ranks carbohydrate foods based on the effect on blood sugar levels. When you start adding foods back into your diet in Phase 2, keep your focus on low-GI foods such as apples, berries, grapefruit, high-fiber cereal, and whole grain breads. Preparing For The Rest Of Your Life Mindset Change for South Beach Diet You have learned what the South Beach Diet is, how it works, and what to eat. Now, you need to get prepared to change the way you eat, for life. Start by accepting that the first couple of weeks will be a big change but one you will not regret. The first morning of this diet, you will eat a breakfast that may consist of a two-egg omelet with two slices of Canadian bacon, cooked in either spray canola or olive oil. In your old life, you may have toasted bread or a bagel and had fresh fruit or fruit juice to go along with your omelet. However, with the South Beach Diet, the bread will have to wait. Most people have been conditioned their entire life to add bread to meals. You have toast with breakfast, sandwiches on bread for lunch, dinner rolls with dinner, and cake, cookies, or pie for dessert. However, during Phase 1, you will have to forget about the bread. It may take a few days to leave old habits behind but keep in mind that it is during this time that your body’s inability to process sugars and starches is being reversed. After trying numerous diets, most leave you feeling hungry, is one of the most difficult aspects of any diet. A common denominator seen with overweight people is that most of them skip eating breakfast. When this happens, blood sugar drops, which then increases the desire for bad carbohydrates to escalate until lunch when the entire meal is blown. Planning for South Beach Diet Planning will help you stay away from snacking or substituting things that are not healthy and could cause weight gain. Remember that once you start into Phase 2, carbohydrates will start being introduced back into your diet along with fruits. You also need to remember to eat your mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks, even if you do not feel like it. Some of the greatest low-fats foods to incorporate into your planning include cheese and yogurt to replace the fats since they have no bad carbohydrates. In addition, the sugar is found in the lactose, milk sugar, is one of the things you can have with the South Beach Diet. The South Beach Diet is a lifetime change, lifetime commitment, and a lifetime of health and vitality! How Does The South Beach Diet Work? As mentioned, the South Beach Diet is unique, successful, easy, and works in a three-phase process. Unlike many other so-called diets, with the South Beach Diet, simply substitutes your bad carbohydrates and fats for good ones. After trying this, you will be amazed by how well and quickly it works. South Beach Diet Phase 1 South Beach Diet Phase 1 lasts for two weeks. During this first phase, you will eat normal meals of chicken, beef, turkey, fish, and shellfish, lots of vegetables, eggs, cheese, nuts, and garden salads using 100% olive oil for your salad dressing. Each day for 14 days, you will eat three, well-balanced meals. While eating until your hunger is satisfied may go against most diets, with the South Beach Diet, it is part of the plan. Trying to lose weight and become healthy by depriving the body of food makes no sense. In addition to the three meals each day, you will also eat a snack between breakfast and lunch, and then again between lunch and dinner. Even if you do not feel like eating these snacks, for the South Beach Diet to work, you need to, and after dinner, you will even have dessert. Additionally, during this phase, you can drink all the coffee and tea you want and be sure to drink lots of water. You may be thinking that this is a lot of food - it is! With most diets, you deprive your body, eating only small portions of foods that are unappealing. The change you will make during this phase is that you will cut out all bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, baked goods, fruit, candy, cake, cookies, ice cream, or sugar. Keep in mind that these eliminated foods will be added back into your diet, starting in Phase 2. In addition to taking these foods out of your diet temporarily, you will also need to avoid beer, or any kind of alcohol. Once you start Phase 2, reasonable amounts of wine can be added back in. Instead of feeling overwhelmed about the foods that will be taken out of your diet during the first two weeks, stop and think about this for a minute. To achieve a life of health and lose unwanted weight, two weeks is a small investment to make. After all, you are worth it! The first two or three days will be somewhat challenging, but breaking any bad habit starts out a little bumpy. Once you pass this small hurdle, the rest of the time will go by quicker than you think. When you see the results that these changes bring, you will be glad you did not give up!

SouthBeach Diet Tips and Guides The SouthBeach Diet is different from the Atkins diet in that it is not a low carbohydrate diet. Regardless of which phase you are currently in, you should follow these recommendations: Drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water, decaffeinated beverages such as club soda, tea, coffee, or decaffeinated sugar-free soda every day Limit your intake of caffeine-containing beverages to 1 cup each day Take one multivitamin and mineral supplement daily Take 500 mg of calcium for both men and women under the age of 50, and 1,000 mg for women over the age of 50, each day Eating can be both pleasurable and healthy as long as you eat the proper foods. All the meals in the SouthBeach Diet consist of healthy combinations of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Dishes can be made by anyone and the ingredients can be found in most grocery stores. These foods will satisfy your hunger without depriving your system of the low-quality starches and sugars that caused problems with your blood chemistry in the first place. The SouthBeach Diet does not involve counting calories, fat grams, or portion sizes. This plan was designed to be simplistic and will help you understand the principles of metabolism and put it to work for your own body. A major key to success with the South Beach Diet is the Glycemic index (GI), which ranks carbohydrate foods based on the effect on blood sugar levels. When you start adding foods back into your diet in Phase 2, keep your focus on low-GI foods such as apples, berries, grapefruit, high-fiber cereal, and whole grain breads. Preparing For The Rest Of Your Life Mindset Change for South Beach Diet You have learned what the South Beach Diet is, how it works, and what to eat. Now, you need to get prepared to change the way you eat, for life. Start by accepting that the first couple of weeks will be a big change but one you will not regret. The first morning of this diet, you will eat a breakfast that may consist of a two-egg omelet with two slices of Canadian bacon, cooked in either spray canola or olive oil. In your old life, you may have toasted bread or a bagel and had fresh fruit or fruit juice to go along with your omelet. However, with the South Beach Diet, the bread will have to wait. Most people have been conditioned their entire life to add bread to meals. You have toast with breakfast, sandwiches on bread for lunch, dinner rolls with dinner, and cake, cookies, or pie for dessert. However, during Phase 1, you will have to forget about the bread. It may take a few days to leave old habits behind but keep in mind that it is during this time that your body’s inability to process sugars and starches is being reversed. After trying numerous diets, most leave you feeling hungry, is one of the most difficult aspects of any diet. A common denominator seen with overweight people is that most of them skip eating breakfast. When this happens, blood sugar drops, which then increases the desire for bad carbohydrates to escalate until lunch when the entire meal is blown. Planning for South Beach Diet Planning will help you stay away from snacking or substituting things that are not healthy and could cause weight gain. Remember that once you start into Phase 2, carbohydrates will start being introduced back into your diet along with fruits. You also need to remember to eat your mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks, even if you do not feel like it. Some of the greatest low-fats foods to incorporate into your planning include cheese and yogurt to replace the fats since they have no bad carbohydrates. In addition, the sugar is found in the lactose, milk sugar, is one of the things you can have with the South Beach Diet. The South Beach Diet is a lifetime change, lifetime commitment, and a lifetime of health and vitality! How Does The South Beach Diet Work? As mentioned, the South Beach Diet is unique, successful, easy, and works in a three-phase process. Unlike many other so-called diets, with the South Beach Diet, simply substitutes your bad carbohydrates and fats for good ones. After trying this, you will be amazed by how well and quickly it works. South Beach Diet Phase 1 South Beach Diet Phase 1 lasts for two weeks. During this first phase, you will eat normal meals of chicken, beef, turkey, fish, and shellfish, lots of vegetables, eggs, cheese, nuts, and garden salads using 100% olive oil for your salad dressing. Each day for 14 days, you will eat three, well-balanced meals. While eating until your hunger is satisfied may go against most diets, with the South Beach Diet, it is part of the plan. Trying to lose weight and become healthy by depriving the body of food makes no sense. In addition to the three meals each day, you will also eat a snack between breakfast and lunch, and then again between lunch and dinner. Even if you do not feel like eating these snacks, for the South Beach Diet to work, you need to, and after dinner, you will even have dessert. Additionally, during this phase, you can drink all the coffee and tea you want and be sure to drink lots of water. You may be thinking that this is a lot of food - it is! With most diets, you deprive your body, eating only small portions of foods that are unappealing. The change you will make during this phase is that you will cut out all bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, baked goods, fruit, candy, cake, cookies, ice cream, or sugar. Keep in mind that these eliminated foods will be added back into your diet, starting in Phase 2. In addition to taking these foods out of your diet temporarily, you will also need to avoid beer, or any kind of alcohol. Once you start Phase 2, reasonable amounts of wine can be added back in. Instead of feeling overwhelmed about the foods that will be taken out of your diet during the first two weeks, stop and think about this for a minute. To achieve a life of health and lose unwanted weight, two weeks is a small investment to make. After all, you are worth it! The first two or three days will be somewhat challenging, but breaking any bad habit starts out a little bumpy. Once you pass this small hurdle, the rest of the time will go by quicker than you think. When you see the results that these changes bring, you will be glad you did not give up!

I have PCOS too. The whole hair thing drives me crazy. UGH. Anyway I saw some news report lately (can't remember which show, sorry!) that PCOS is now sometimes being called Androgen excessive disorder. Apparently since not everyone with PCOS actually HAS the cysts, but all seem to have an excessive amount of the male hormone Androgen-hence the hairiness, weight gain in the stomach area, fertility issues, male pattern baldness etc etc.... they feel it's a more appropriate name for it. Anywhoo that was my biggest worry when I was banded- that because of PCOS I would not lose weight. I have lost over 30 lbs already though. The loss is slowing down now to about 2 lbs a week. The key has been getting that Protein in, and the Water too, I think. No one has really noticed the weight loss yet or at least they haven't mentioned it- but someone last week said my skin looked like it was "glowing" and I attribute that to my water intake....but I've always had such horrible skin issues that they had no idea how much they made my day!

Thanks everyone for the kind words about the 5 lb gain I hope it is water weight gain b man - what was stuck sorry to hear that

http://mcgs.bcbsfl.com/ Note the timeline on this: 02-40000-10 Original Effective Date: 10/15/99 Reviewed: 04/27/06 Revised: 05/15/06 Next Review: 04/26/07 Subject: Surgery for Clinically Severe Obesity (Bariatric Surgery; Gastric Bypass Surgery) DESCRIPTION: Clinically severe obesity is a result of persistent and uncontrollable weight gain that constitutes a present or potential threat to life. For purposes of this medical coverage guideline, clinically severe obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 35 kg/m2 or greater. See the height and weight tables for Men and Woman, BMI tables (100-195, 200-295, 300-400, and formula for calculating a BMI. Several surgical (bariatric) procedures are used for the treatment of clinically severe obesity. These procedures can be categorized as follows: <LI class=bulletedList-1>Malabsorptive procedures - alteration of the intestinal absorption limiting nutrients available to the body OR Gastric restrictive procedures - reduction in the capacity of the stomach thereby limiting the amount of food ingested. Gastric surgical procedures for the treatment of clinically severe obesity include: <LI class=bulletedList-1>gastric bypass where approximately 90% of the stomach is bypassed and reattached to the proximal jejunum OR gastric stapling, vertically banded gastric partition, or vertically banded gastroplasty where a proximal pouch of 30-60 ml and a one centimeter outlet are created by a row of vertical staples and a horizontally placed reinforcing band. WHEN SERVICES ARE COVERED: Effective January 1 2005, weight loss surgery is not covered for most contracts. Please refer to the individual member’s contract benefit language. NOTE: The primary care physician must provide a letter with facts supporting medical necessity, for review by the Medical Director. Certain surgical procedures performed for the treatment of clinically severe obesity may be considered medically necessary when ALL of the following conditions are met: The member: <LI class=bulletedList-1>meets the above definition of clinically severe obesity, <LI class=bulletedList-1>has been severely obese for at least five (5) years, <LI class=bulletedList-1>has attempted a physician supervised (by the primary care physician) non-surgical management weight loss program (e.g., diet, exercise, drugs) for six (6) consecutive months <LI class=bulletedList-1>has received psychological or psychiatric evaluation with counseling as needed, prior to surgical intervention; does not have a medically treatable cause for the obesity, (e.g., thyroid or other endocrine disorder). The following procedures may be considered medically necessary when the above criteria has been met: Vertical-Banded Gastroplasty (CPT code 43842) Vertical-banded gastroplasty was formerly one of the most common gastric restrictive procedures performed in this country but has more recently declined in popularity. In this procedure, the stomach is segmented along its vertical axis. To create a durable reinforced and rate-limiting stoma at the distal end of the pouch, a plug of stomach is removed, and a propylene collar is placed through this hole and then stapled to itself. Because the normal flow of food is preserved, metabolic complications are uncommon. Complications include esophageal reflux, dilation, or obstruction of the stoma, with the latter 2 requiring reoperation. Dilation of the stoma is a common reason for weight regain. Vertical-banded gastroplasty may be performed using an open or laparoscopic approach. Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (CPT code 43644, 43846) Gastric bypass may be performed with either an open or laparoscopic technique. The original gastric bypass surgeries were based on the observation that post-gastrectomy patients tended to lose weight. The current procedure involves a horizontal or vertical partition of the stomach in association with a Roux-en-Y procedure (i.e., a gastrojejunal anastomosis). Thus, the flow of food bypasses the duodenum and proximal small bowel. The procedure may also be associated with an unpleasant “dumping syndrome,” in which a large osmotic load delivered directly to the jejunum from the stomach produces abdominal pain OR vomiting. The dumping syndrome may further reduce intake, particularly in “sweets eaters”. Operative complications include leakage and marginal ulceration at the anastomotic site. Because the normal flow of food is disrupted, there are more metabolic complications compared to other gastric restrictive procedures. These complications may include iron deficiency anemia, vitamin B-12 deficiency, and hypocalcemia, all of which can be corrected by oral supplementation. Another concern is the ability to evaluate the “blind” bypassed portion of the stomach. Long Limb Gastric Bypass (i.e., more than 100 cm) (CPT code 43847) Recently, variations of gastric bypass procedures have been described, consisting primarily of long limb Roux-en-Y procedures, which vary in the length of the alimentary and common limbs. For example, the stomach may be divided with a long segment of the jejunum (instead of ileum) anastomosed to the proximal gastric stump, creating the alimentary limb. The remaining pancreaticobiliary limb, consisting of stomach remnant, duodenum, and length of proximal jejunum is then anastomosed to the ileum, creating a common limb of variable length in which the ingested food mixes with the pancreaticobiliary juices. While the long alimentary limb permits absorption of most nutrients, the short common limb primarily limits absorption of fats. The stomach may be bypassed in a variety of ways (i.e., either by resection or stapling along the horizontal or vertical axis). Unlike the traditional gastric bypass, which is essentially a gastric restrictive procedure, these very long limb Roux-en-Y gastric bypasses combine gastric restriction with some element of malabsorptive procedure, depending on the location of the anastomoses. NOTE: Coverage of long limb Roux-en-Y procedures is limited to 150 cm. Adjustable gastric banding (i.e., Lap-Band Adjustable Gastric Banding System) (CPT code 43770, 43771, 43772, 43773, 43774) Adjustable gastric banding involves placing a gastric band around the exterior of the stomach. The band is attached to a reservoir that is implanted subcutaneously in the rectus sheath. Injecting the reservoir with saline will alter the diameter of the gastric band; therefore, the rate- limiting stoma in the stomach can be progressively narrowed to induce greater weight loss, or expanded if complications develop. Because the stomach is not entered, the surgery and any revisions, if necessary, are relatively simple. Complications include slippage of the external band or band erosion through the gastric wall. Adjustable gastric banding has been widely used in Europe. Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved one such device for marketing in the United States, Lap-Band (BioEnterics, Carpentiera, CA). The labeled indications for this device are as follows: "The Lap-Band system is indicated for use in weight reduction for severely obese patients with a body mass index (BMI) of at least 40 or a BMI of at least 35 with one or more severe comorbid conditions, or those who are 100 lbs or more over their estimated ideal weight according to the 1983 Metropolitan Life Insurance Tables (use the midpoint for medium frame). It is indicated for use only in severely obese adult patients who have failed more conservative weight-reduction alternatives, such as supervised diet, exercise and behavior modification programs. Patients who elect to have this surgery must make the commitment to accept significant changes in their eating habits for the rest of their lives." Biliopancreatic Bypass with Duodenal Switch (43845) The duodenal switch procedure is essentially a variant of the biliopancreatic bypass. However, instead of performing a distal gastrectomy, a “sleeve” gastrectomy is performed along the vertical axis of the stomach, preserving the pylorus and initial segment of the duodenum, which is then anastomosed to a segment of the ileum, similar to the above procedure, to create the alimentary limb. Preservation of the pyloric sphincter is designed to be more physiologic. The sleeve gastrectomy decreases the volume of the stomach and also decreases the parietal cell mass, with the intent of decreasing the incidence of ulcers at the duodenoileal anastomosis. However, the basic principle of the procedure is similar to that of the biliopancreatic bypass (i.e., producing selective malabsorption by limiting the food digestion and absorption to a short common ileal segment). WHEN SERVICES ARE NOT COVERED: Surgery for clinically severe obesity is not covered when these services are excluded from the member’s contract benefits. Studies are needed to determine the long-term health outcomes of the following procedures, therefore the procedures listed below are considered investigational when performed for the treatment of clinically severe obesity: Biliopancreatic Bypass Procedure (i.e., the Scopinaro procedure) (CPT code 43847) Biliopancreatic bypass (BPB) procedure, developed and used extensively in Italy, was designed to address some of the drawbacks of the original intestinal bypass procedures that have been abandoned due to unacceptable metabolic complications. Many of the complications were thought to be related to bacterial overgrowth and toxin production in the blind, bypassed segment. In contrast, BPB consists of a subtotal gastrectomy and diversion of the biliopancreatic juices into the distal ileum by a long Roux-en-Y procedure. This procedure consists of the following components: <LI class=bulletedList-1>A distal gastrectomy functions to induce a temporary early satiety OR the dumping syndrome in the early postoperative period, both of which limit food intake <LI class=bulletedList-1>A 200-cm long “alimentary tract” consists of 200 cm of ileum connecting the stomach to a common distal segment <LI class=bulletedList-1>A 300- to 400-cm “biliary tract,” which connects the duodenum, jejunum, and remaining ileum to the common distal segment <LI class=bulletedList-1>A 50- to 100-cm “common tract,” where food from the alimentary tract mixes with biliopancreatic juices from the biliary tract. Food digestion and absorption, particularly of fats and starches, are therefore limited to this small segment of bowel (i.e., creating a selective malabsorption). The length of the common segment will influence the degree of malabsorption Because of the high incidence of cholelithiasis associated with the procedure, patients typically undergo an associated cholecystectomy. Many potential metabolic complications are related to biliopancreatic bypass, including most prominently iron deficiency anemia, protein malnutrition, hypocalcemia, and bone demineralization. Protein malnutrition may require treatment with total parenteral nutrition (TPN). In addition, there have been several case reports of liver failure resulting in death or liver transplant. Mini-Gastric Bypass (no specific CPT code) Recently, a variant of the gastric bypass, called the “mini-gastric bypass” has been popularized. Using a laparoscopic approach, the stomach is segmented, similar to a traditional gastric bypass, but instead of creating a Roux-en-Y anastomosis, the jejunum is anastomosed directly to the stomach, similar to a Billroth II procedure. This unique aspect of this procedure is not based on its laparoscopic approach, but rather the type of anastomosis used. NOTE: CPT code 43846 does not accurately describe the mini-gastric bypass, since this CPT code explicitly describes a Roux-en-Y gastroenterostomy, which is not used in the mini-gastric bypass. The following procedures reported as gastric bypass or gastroplasty are also considered investigational due to the lack of clinical studies to support effects on health outcomes: <LI class=bulletedList-1>jejunoileal bypass <LI class=bulletedList-1>gastric wrapping Garren-Edwards gastric bubble. BILLING/CODING INFORMATION: CPT Coding: 43644 Laparoscopy, surgical, gastric restrictive procedure; with gastric bypass and Roux-en-Y gastroenterostomy (Roux limb 150 cm or less) 43645 Laparoscopy, surgical, gastric restrictive procedure; with gastric bypass and small intestine reconstruction to limit absorption (investigational) 43770 Laparoscopy, surgical, gastric restrictive procedure; placement of adjustable gastric band (gastric band and subcutaneous port components) 43771 Laparoscopy, surgical, gastric restrictive procedure; revision of adjustable gastric band component only 43772 Laparoscopy, surgical, gastric restrictive procedure; removal and replacement of adjustable gastric band component only 43773 Laparoscopy, surgical, gastric restrictive procedure; removal and replacement of adjustable gastric band component only 43774 Laparoscopy, surgical, gastric restrictive procedure; removal of adjustable gastric band and subcutaneous port components 43842 Gastric restrictive procedure, without gastric bypass, for morbid obesity; vertical-banded gastroplasty 43843 Gastric restrictive procedure, without gastric bypass, for morbid obesity; other than vertical-banded gastroplasty (investigational) 43845 Gastric restrictive procedure with partial gastrectomy, pylorus-preserving duodenoileostomy and ileoileostomy (50 to 100 cm common channel) to limit absorption (biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch) 43846 Gastric restrictive procedure, with gastric bypass for morbid obesity; with short limb (150 cm or less) Roux-en-Y gastroenterostomy (may be done laparoscopically) 43847 Gastric restrictive procedure, with gastric bypass for morbid obesity; with small intestine reconstruction to limit absorption (may be done laparoscopically) There is no specific CPT or HCPCS code to report mini gastric bypass. A laparoscopic approach is used with the mini-gastric bypass. The stomach is segmented similar to a traditional gastric bypass; the jejunum is anastomosed directly to the stomach, similar to a Billroth II procedure. The mini gastric bypass is not based on its laparoscopic approach, but rather the type of anastomosis used. HCPCS Coding S2083 Adjustment of gastric band diameter via subcutaneous port by injection or aspiration of saline ICD-9 Diagnoses Codes That Support Medical Necessity: 278.01 Morbid obesity REIMBURSEMENT INFORMATION: Bariatric surgical procedures are limited to individuals 18 years and older and are reimbursed based on the procedure performed and not the surgical technique used (e.g., microsurgical, laser, laparoscopic). PROGRAM EXCEPTIONS: Federal Employee Program (FEP): Follow FEP guidelines. State Account Organization (SAO): Follow SAO guidelines. DEFINITIONS: Biliopancreatic bypass: gastric restriction rerouting bile and pancreatic juice to the distal ileum. Garren-Edwards gastric bubble: a free-floating intragastric device made of elastomeric plastic is placed in the stomach via a gastroscope, used for reducing stomach capacity. Gastric wrapping: the stomach is folded over on itself and a full stomach wrap, i.e. polypropylene mesh, is applied to limit gastric volume. Gastric banding: a synthetic band rather than staples is used to divide the stomach into a small upper pouch and a lower portion). Gastric bubble: see definition of Garren-Edwards gastric bubble. Jejunoileal bypass: shunts food from the jejunum into the ileum, bypassing the small intestine. Morbid obesity: defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 40 kg/m2 or greater. Satiety: the quality or state of being fed or gratified to or beyond capacity. RELATED GUIDELINES: Gastric Bypass Revision, 02-40000-11 OTHER: Other index terms for gastric surgery: Adjustable gastric banding Bariatric surgery Gastric bypass surgery Lap-Band System Mini gastric bypass Billroth II Long limb gastric bypass Roux-en-Y Scopinaro Vertical banding REFERENCES: <LI value=1>All-plan survey (Blue Cross Blue Shield plans) <LI value=2>American Academy of Medicine CPT Coding (current edition) <LI value=3>Blue Cross Blue Shield Association TEC Evaluation (12/88), 2003 <LI value=4>Blue Cross Blue Shield Association TEC Special Report: The relationship between weight loss and changes in morbidity following bariatric surgery for morbid obesity. BCBSA TEC Assessment Program, 2003; 18:1-25 <LI value=5>Blue Cross Blue Shield Association-Surgery for Morbid Obesity (7.01.47), 12/14/05 <LI value=6>DeMaria, E J, Sugerman, H J, Meador, J G, et al. High Failure Rate After Laparoscopic Adjustable Silicone Gastric Banding for Treatment of Morbid Obesity. Annals of Surgery 2001:233:809-818 <LI value=7>First Coast Service Options (FCSO) Medical Policy - surgical Management of Morbid Obesity, LCD #L14600 (01/01/06) <LI value=8>Guidance for Treatment of Adult Obesity, American Obesity Assoc., 1998 <LI value=9>Hayes Medical Technology Directory - Laproscopic Bariatric Surgery - us.lapa0008.2005 (11/03; Update report 12/05) <LI value=10>Hayes Medical Technology Directory - Obesity Management, Surgical Approaches OBES0802.03 (10/99; updated 07/27/02; updated 04/04/03) <LI value=11>InterQual Care Planning Criteria: General Surgery; Weight Loss Surgery GS-23 (2003) <LI value=12>National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Conference on Gastrointestinal Surgery for Severe Obesity Statement (March 25-27, 1991) <LI value=13>Rutledge MD, Robert. “The Mini-Gastric Bypass: Experience with the First 1,274 Cases”; Obesity Surgery 2001; 11:276-280 <LI value=14>St. Anthony’s ICD-9-CM code book (current edition) U.S. Food and Administration (FDA) Talk Paper, FDA Approves Implanted Stomach Band To Treat Severe Obesity, T01-26, 06/05/01 COMMITTEE APPROVAL: This Medical Coverage Guideline (MCG) was approved by the BCBSF Medical Policy & Coverage Committee on 04/27/06. GUIDELINE UPDATE INFORMATION: 10/15/99 Medical Coverage Guideline developed. 09/15/01 Various revisions. 01/01/02 Coding changes. 10/15/02 Annual review. Added Roux-enY anastomosis or vertical-banded as covered services. Added biliopancreatic bypass with duodenal switch and very long limb gastric bypass procedure (e.g., greater than 100 cm) as non-covered services. 05/15/03 Revised to clarify coding of the various procedures; criteria revised and is consistent with Inter-Qual criteria. 09/15/03 Coverage criteria for psychological testing/counseling revised. 10/15/03 Reversed investigational status for CPT code 43847 and provided coverage criteria for long-limb Roux-en-Y procedures up to 150 cm. 01/01/04 Annual HCPCS coding update. 04/01/04 2nd Quarter HCPCS coding update; added S2082 and S2083. 07/15/04 Scheduled review; no changes. 01/01/05 HCPCS coding update. Added 43644, 43645, 43845, S2082, and S2083. Revised descriptor for 43846, and deleted S2085. 05/15/05 Unscheduled review of the non-covered statement for laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (Lap-Band); coverage statement unchanged. 01/01/06 Annual HCPCS coding update (added 43770-43774; deleted S2082). 04/15/06 Scheduled review; removed investigational statement for laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding and biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch; updated coding, index terms, and references. 05/15/06 Scheduled review; removed investigational statement for laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding and biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch; updated coding, index terms, and references; added age limitation of 18 years and older. Private Property of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida. This medical coverage guideline is Copyright 2006, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida (BCBSF). All Rights Reserved. You may not copy or use this document or disclose its contents without the express written permission of BCBSF. The medical codes referenced in this document may be proprietary and owned by others. BCBSF makes no claim of ownership of such codes. Our use of such codes in this document is for explanation and guidance and should not be construed as a license for their use by you. Before utilizing the codes, please be sure that to the extent required, you have secured any appropriate licenses for such use. Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) is copyright 2006 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved. No fee schedules, basic units, relative values, or related listings are included in CPT. The AMA assumes no liability for the data contained herein. Applicable FARS/DFARS restrictions apply to government use. CPT® is a trademark of the American Medical Association.

Hi, I got my band on the NHS in Glasgow. I waited just over year for it. You have to start by going to see your GP and having them refer you to a surgeon. Then when you see the surgeon they'll let you know how long the waiting list is. I think you need to have had some complications from the weight gain too, such as diabetes or high blood pressure. I haven't seen your other thread so just ask and I'll help if I can. Take care, Yvonne x

Hey guys! So. 2 weeks post op, 13 lbs down...feels GREAT. I put jeans on right out of the dryer and didn't have to break a sweat at all during the process. That's a major accomplishment. And the straw that broke the camel's back leading me to go for banding was the fact that summer weight gain had renderred my bras tight. Well, it is good to report that isn't the case anymore. Whew. Hope everyone else is doing well.

I think you are experienceing a very common feeling Just remember that statistics show 98% of obese people who loose weight, gain it it back. Only you can decide if this is what you truely want, but I can tell you, I have never made a better decision in my life.

I am NOT telling my boss.......... HE FREAKED when I took time off for my consult and kept asking me if I had an interview.... so when I told him I needed time off for appointments (tomorrow and next MOnday) he looked at me cockeyed (thinking I had 2nd and 3rd interviews) so I broke down and told him that I was meeting with a nutritionist.. (NOT telling him about the psych) OMG... it has been nonstop talking about NUTRITION!!! and my latest weight gain..... We are in a small department with adjoining offices so our only coworkers are each other.. he is 60+ and he truly thinks of me as a daughter..... HE IS NOT SUBTLE and basically a loveable pain in the ass..... I am taking PTO days to cover my time. I have told exactly ONE person here because she is a good friend, but I'm already regretting that one too. because she is now making excuses why SHE CANT DO IT.... (I told her today... HEY its not for everyone, but it IS FOR ME, I'm not trying to talk you into it) Good luck with whatever you decide.............. (OH and I will most likely tell people freely AFTER I have lost weight.. because I am HR and I truly want people to know they have the option with our insurance)

OK Dec. BAndsters, I have just had the worst weekend since the band. Had college friends over for the weekend, and need I say that the party was on, but now I cant seem to break the swing of it. Havent excercised all week, lost gym ID, and I've eaten this weekend like I do not have a band around my tummy. Got up this morning with a good outlook, but I can not get out of the funk. Sacle not loking good today either, hoping its just water weight that made the numbers creep up, and not tru weight gain. Could really use some support, because I'm feeling like I've undone the 20 lbs. I have convinced myself that I will not be hungry as lond I put something in my stomach, and this is basically tru, but I cant get past the feeling of constantly wanting to eat. I go to the fridge a thousand times, but there is nothing in there that would do it for me if ya know what I mean. Nothing to actually satisfy me, because its not hunder I am trying to fill. Oh Boy. I need to make myself busy. Got to get out of the funk.

Lets see.....My friend told me about it a year ago, but I didn't think about it for myself at the time. She then one day asked me, when I was crying about my dieting and recent weight gain, why I didn't look into banding. She told me to come on here. Nov. 22 was the date I joined and started asking my questions, made my decision about choosing Dr. Ortiz, bought his book, my financing that I had been trying to get for home improvements that had not gone through for 6 months was now "miraculously" coming through now, for such a time as this..... I scheduled surgery for Dec. 18 but had to reschudule since the money didn't come in in time, a few days too late. Resceduled for Jan. 5 and had it done!!! So, my time line from the date I even considered it for myself to the time I had it done, was only about 1 1/2 months!!!!! Had my money come through, when I was hoping, it would have gone to wood floors or granit countertops!!!! Audree

I thought I was the only cheater out there! lol. My doctor requires a strict pre-op liquid diet, NO solid food whatsoever for 10 days. I did great the first two days. On the third day, I ate a very small piece of cheese bread and 2 small bites of Justin's sandwich (yum) with my strained potato Soup. The next day, I didnt cheat at all. By the 5th day, I couldnt stand it so I made Justin get me a pizza. Instead of eating my usual 6 pieces, I 'spit and chewed' one slice. Other than that, I have stuck to my diet. So, I didnt make the best choices when it came to my cheating, but I kept it very limited. :hungry: It is amazing to me to see how each doctor handles the pre-op diet. Matters-of-fact, that is how I justified my cheating. I figured my doctor was so strict because he felt that if we took one bite we would want 5 more bites. Does that even make sense, I dont even know! Anyway, I figured if I kept my cheating to a minimum AND stopped cheating 3 days before my surgery date, then I would be ok. My doctor said he will know if I have cheated by my weight gain or loss. My pre-op appointment (1/8/07), I weighed 232. Today, I weigh 221. So, that has to be a good sign. I guess we will find out on Thursday, huh?! Good Luck and dont beat yourself up on cheating. This diet isnt easy!

Yep Drews.. Since she originally mentioned you meeting her NYC friends on her birthday, you have EVERY right to ask her what happened and that it her your feelings. I',m sorry that this happened to you.. I've been there and done that. It Sucks! :hug: Welcome Kelli! Always happy to have another Mayster on here! Linda - Congrats on your weight loss! Girl, you've left me in the dust! I've stalled out this month.. may be time for another fill. How filled are you? About the tattoo and weight gain/loss... My crazy uncle often jokes that my Aunt's Scottie dog(they have two Scotties) tattoo has turned into a Great Dane cause her butt has gotten bigger (she hasn't gained weight, he's just a crazy guy always going on about something). Wveryone gets a chuckle out of that one! You guys aren't the only ones thinking about tummy tucks.. I may have a tummy tuck/lower body lift in my future...