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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...

Fat because my Mother lives to feed people (and she lives with us!), fat because Prednisone for Lupus causes disgusting weight gain, fat because I eat when bored and homelife is dull, fat because of bad habits carefully honed over the decades, fat because post menopausal, fat because over-eating disorder, fat because force fed as a child just like a goose being force fed to a fatty liver and great foie gras...OK maybe not that extreme, fat because food is easy and fast, fat because it takes no creativity to go out to a restaurant for something to do with hubby, fat because never was an exerciser, fat because I choose TV and internet over action. Ah, I could go on. Going to be thin because: I'm going to the gym and doing treadmill at target heart rate, I turned off the TV (sometimes), Mom is not in charge of food anymore except for herself, I'm forcing myself to go out and do things, and I'm banded!

Tom: I hate prednisone! I gain more weight on that drug! I have Lupus. I guess for me I've resigned my self to some weight gain when I'm on it, and then back to losing. I'm trying to think of is as a little blip in the game plan and then right back at it. And it sounds to me like you know all the right moves in the meantime....getting to work for distraction purposes, getting back to the gym even if, like me, it's harder to do it when you feel yucky. I too know about that stack of dishes....and you know it's a temporary thing. Maybe if you're off work again today, you can think of somewhere to go for part of the day to break the grazing...movie? library? My thoughts are with you. It's just temporary.....

Has anybody with an autoimmune disease had this surgery?? I have Grave's disease (affects my thyroid). The surgeon did not seem to think that it would be a problem at all, but I am still going to talk to my endocrinologist on Jan. 22nd to see what he thinks about me having this surgery. I have done nothing but gain weight since I was diagnosed and treated with radioactive iodine for Grave's disease. (I had radioactive iodine which killed part of my thyroid and made me hypothyroid instead of hyperthyroid.) I am really wanting a solution to my 80 lb weight gain. :help: Thanks!!

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!

My doctors require 14 days of low fat liquid diet before surgery and they like to see 10 pds off (& at minimum no weight gain). All this is due to fatty liver dangers. Surgery is 1/31/07 so I have to start all liquids on Wednesday. :hungry: I started this week during a liquid fast all day with a meal at night and not only do I feel better but the mystery pain in right side has gone. Since I don't have gallbladder I bet it was my liver hurting this past few months...hmmmm...

I am so happy to have my lapband. I am down around 37 lbs since June . I'm considered a slow loser at 1 lb per week. But I am super happy with not being hungry and slave to food. You can gain weight back but you just have to make sure you are at optimal fill level. That helps you restrict your calories. I think gastric bipass patients have more weight gain long term. That is what I have read anyways. Hope this information helps you. I cannot live without my band now. I love it.

I am 5'-10" and, in 1985, weighed 165 lbs. I had been skinny all my life. Suddenly, I began gaining weight. I didn't overeat and was getting lots of exercise. It continued for several years. In 1089, I was in a car wreck. Because of a back injury, my lawyer sent me to his doctor buddy (whom I later realized was in cahoots with selling me down the river and therefore not concerned about my well-being). During one of my visits, I told the doctor about my weight gains. He said I was just big-boned and should be a football player, a statement I knew to be untrue. He offered the Medifast plan, a plan for which I had no funds. He never checked my blood, but then, this is a doctor who never did a single X-ray or MRI for a back injury in a legal suit. (He claimed I just had a strain, and the lawyer led me to settle for ten-thousand- only six of which was mine.) In 1993, I went to another doctor because my face was swelling, I was hurting all over and my weight continued to climb. The first thing he did was run blood tests. He called me and said I had Hypothyroidism. I was in an advanced stage. That meant that it had begun years before, like in 1985. Upon taking the Synthroid, I lost the pain and swelling and some weight. I couldn't lose all the weight. I asked a doctor why, being given the hormone, I didn't go back to my normal weight. He said they can't give you the amount of hormone your own thyroid produced when healthy because it causes deterioration of the bones. They simply keep a balance that keeps it in check. Yes, hypothyroidism causes weight gain. No, thyroid medicine doesn't cure that. That's the indication I've gotten from doctors. Meanwhile, two back surgeries and countless diets later, I got banded at 280 lbs. My other point is that the idea that a lawyer is going to get you the most he can because he gets a percentage is a myth. The lawyer will weigh how much money he will get for the amount of time it will take to get it. Often, that means settling for the bottom dollar with very little time invested. Richard

Hello All, Guess I missed posting my introduction here. So here goes..... My name is Barbara and I've been overweight most of my life. Not always alot but none the less overweight. My most recent and biggest weight gain came after my open heart surgery three years ago. Since then, I gained over 40 pounds all during a time I was supposed to be losing weight. My blood pressure was up, I developed diabetes, I couldn't walk without huffing and puffing. I was a mess. I decided I needed to do something and I'd better do it quick or I'd be dead before I turned 65. (I was 60 this past September.) I live in the Dayton area and worked in Cincinnati, so in May of this year I decided it was time to retire and take care of my health. I was working with a personal trainer, trying to diet...all to no avail. Then I saw an ad for lapband surgery. I had to check it out! It sounded pretty good. I had never considered WLS before because I thought it was too invasive. I didn't want my insides rerouted. Also, some of the people I worked with had a pretty rough time with it. And with my heart problems, I didn't think I could get my cardiologist to approve me for it. I attended an informational meeting for the Cincinnati Weight Loss Center, made my appointment and got the ball rolling. Well, my insurance would not approve them because they were out of my network. So it was back to square one. So I looked around somemore and found Dr. Shumacher at Kettering Bariatric. I made my appointment, attended one of his informational meetings and started the process all over again. It didn't take long and before I knew it, I had a date! October 11 is my new birthday! That's when I entered Lapband Land and became a Bandster! For me surgery was a breeze. I can't complain one bit. My stomach was a little sore but the pain was minimal. I was up and walking within a couple of hours of getting back to my room. And I walked and walked and walked. I walked for 30 minutes everyday for the first month. (Not real fast, but I moved.) How have I done??? Well, I've dropped nearly 35 pounds. I've had two fills and am scheduled for another one on Monday. I'm ready for another one. I feel restriction, but it's getting looser every day. So it's time. Do I regret having this done? No. My only regret is that I didn't do it sooner. My blood pressure is normal, my blood tests are normal, my diabetes is almost non-existent. I also have more stamina than I've had in years. And, I have ankles!!!! (I had trouble with endema before the surgery and it looked like my legs just sat on top of my feet....no ankles.) I would love to get together with other bandsters in the area. I attend the support group at Dr. Schumacher's but I would like to have a support group just for bandsters. We are not RNYers and have different issues. So let's get one started. I'd love to talk to anyone out there that's contemplating or has had the lapband. You can email me direct at bforman911@yahoo.com. Talk to you all soon. BabyBoomer Barbara

yeah the reason my dr said to loose weight and git fitter as i have asthma and its only associated with weight and that can put me in as a high risk and that it is a longer waiting list also he wants me to be healthyer for the op. any how maybe he is just trying to get me off my ass and give me a good reason to start now, than to wait untill i get the band ..i have not been on a diet for about 4 years hence the big weight gain i have a BMI of 52. dr nottle asked me to come back after i have been to see the other doctor and diatisian... and to make it a few weeks after i see physician so all the test results will be back... i dont care when i get in to have band, as i think that taking the first step to a better health is more than doing nothing at all and if i have to wait 12 months or more that is fine. as id never be able to afford to go private. and as for duromine my dr put me on it. as a kick start and nothing else. he made that clear to me when he said to me about going back on it.. dr nottle knew i had been on it and never said anything about it. i guess he has seen alot of people that would try anything at all to loose weight. i guess i can ask him his thoughts on duromine on my next appointment.. i have msn if you want to add me for a chat bronnie if you would like to add me. i first saw dr nottle in december thanks kayene

Mamaz2ndbaby, My consultation is next Thursday OMG it's only a week away. I am almost certain (99% before seeing the doctor) that I will have the band done if the insurance approves it. The honeymoon is over, I know about erosions, and slippages p'bings, etc but I do think that this if for me. FOR ME the RNY is too permanant and I worry about malnutrition from the malabsorption of an RNY, and there are more complications. The lap-band is reversible although I hope everything goes well and does not need to be taken out. I can not for the life of me imagine why being a black woman vs a white woman would make a difference. Since you have 3 months before they will submit to your insurance can I make a suggestion? I bought the book "Lap-Band for Life" by Dr. Ortiz and a couple of others from Amazon. The other 2 haven't been delivered yet and I forget what they were. All I remember is that one of them is humorous in nature and very expensive. I am also thinking about getting the 2 books by Carnie Wilson. She had the RNY and has had problems with her weight afterwards. She had a baby afterwards, which explains some of her weight gain, but she ended up on VH1's Celebrity Fit Club. I can't imagine losing most of my stomach and still having a weight problem. Of course we tend to focus on the apperance aspect of it and not the fat brain that we have. Another good book is "Body Clutter" by Leanne Ely and Marla Cilly available at amazon.com and flylady.net. They help to deal with the fat brain. My opinion is you know you have 3 month before they submit to insurance. Use that time wisely and make the best decision for you. What is right for me may not be right for you. Good luck, Susan

I have been over weight my entire adult life. I am 24 and feel like i am older than that lol. About 4 years ago i had a knee surgery that would lead to my weight gain and ultimatly to the lowest self esteem of my life. I struggle day to day with my body image and i hate being the Fat girl that has a "great" personality. I want to feel better and to look better. I have a wonderful friend that is a godnsend in my life. She is my best friend and sister. Next Saturday we are going to duluth to go to a seminar on weight loss surgery. We are looking at both getting the lap band. I am both excited and nervous. Part of me feels crappy that i have to have this surgery to loose weight but part of me is ready to change. I am waiting on insurance but i should have no problem with getting aproved by my insurance. I also have had the recomendation to have this surgery done. I will be posting on here about my personal journey through weight loss hell and too the ideal that i will be. I cant wait to begin my journey! Im jsut glad i am not doing it alone!

I have been over weight my entire adult life. I am 24 and feel like i am older than that lol. About 4 years ago i had a knee surgery that would lead to my weight gain and ultimatly to the lowest self esteem of my life. I struggle day to day with my body image and i hate being the Fat girl that has a "great" personality. I want to feel better and to look better. I have a wonderful friend that is a godnsend in my life. She is my best friend and sister. Next Saturday we are going to duluth to go to a seminar on weight loss surgery. We are looking at both getting the lap band. I am both excited and nervous. Part of me feels crappy that i have to have this surgery to loose weight but part of me is ready to change. I am waiting on insurance but i should have no problem with getting aproved by my insurance. I also have had the recomendation to have this surgery done. I will be posting on here about my personal journey through weight loss hell and too the ideal that i will be. I cant wait to begin my journey! Im jsut glad i am not doing it alone!

I have been over weight my entire adult life. I am 24 and feel like i am older than that lol. About 4 years ago i had a knee surgery that would lead to my weight gain and ultimatly to the lowest self esteem of my life. I struggle day to day with my body image and i hate being the Fat girl that has a "great" personality. I want to feel better and to look better. I have a wonderful friend that is a godnsend in my life. She is my best friend and sister. Next Saturday we are going to duluth to go to a seminar on weight loss surgery. We are looking at both getting the lap band. I am both excited and nervous. Part of me feels crappy that i have to have this surgery to loose weight but part of me is ready to change. I am waiting on insurance but i should have no problem with getting aproved by my insurance. I also have had the recomendation to have this surgery done. I will be posting on here about my personal journey through weight loss hell and too the ideal that i will be. I cant wait to begin my journey! Im jsut glad i am not doing it alone!

I have the Mirena IUD also. No problems with weight gain and I have really, really liked it. I've had it about 2 years. About 6 months ago, I got my period back though and it is annoying!!! Man, it was convenient to not have one, no cramps, either. Some of the periods I've gotten have been long but light. Still, I'm about 90% satisfied. I also really liked the Nuva Ring when I used it before.

I don't think it is fair that you judge your weight gain while you have slippage. I would take the road of the band not working properly. You should be fine once your band is corrected. Good luck.

I really dislike the fact that there are a million people out there who are looking for a quick fix that will work and are being taken advantage of. I know, i was one of them but I am also a skeptic and don't believe any of the commercials- but i really wanted to and wanted something that would work. the one size fits all approch is as missused by the medical community as by the commercial marketers. How many times have you heard " why just eat less and excersize and you will loose weight. Why can't you do that?" It is just not that easy for some and there are other reasons for weight gain. Neither drs. or weight loss "experts" can push a one size fits all approach, that is why i like the band- you have a tool to work with that works- if you work with it.

I did take Phentermine for 3 weeks to get off of a plateau... I got off of it and ALL the weight came back on! The Dr. had told me that Phentermine + the band was safe, no weight gain when you get off of it but I put mine back on. 6lbs off in 3 weeks and then only 5 days to put all 6lbs back on.

actually, I would love to host it! coming Europe is expensive, but ofcourse everyone can stay at our house, we have 4 bdrms so we can use two of them and the living room for sleeping. but it's not as if we would be here, we could do some traveling. lots to see here. oh well, we have plenty of time to discuss that. we should wait until we are almost at goal so 1 yr. to 18 months from now would be perffect. j ok, so i did so good today on my meal planning. except 4 fench fries. but i'm still well under 1000 calories, closer to 700. I have an iud, and found out that it causes weight gain and inability to lose weight! i put on 65 lbs last year! so i'm going to get it removed. i'm dreading having a period again. i haven't had one since may of 2004!! maybe if i take it out i'll lose faster. i could always put it back in after getting to goal and trying it again. anyone have one and have problems losing?

I have had the Mirena IUD for 18 months now. I had it placed right after my second child. I started working out hard for a year whilemy husband was deployed, thinking i could be hot stuff by the time he came home. I ate good 95% of the time and felt great so much energy. But I put on 65lbs! I've had so many tests to figure out why i'm huge now! nothing, i'm perfectly healthy. other than being obese. I look up weight gain with an iud online and tons and tons of people share my experience. It's insane. so my question is, doesn anyone else have an IUD and have gained weight since having it placed? i'm thinking of getting it removed, but i love having no period!! my friend has one for 4 years now and went from an 8 to an 18, and hasn't been able to drop 1 lb. and she works out religiously.

Just keep your chin up think positive and put the weight gain behind you, as you are now moving forward and think positve about this new healthy lifestyle that you will soon be having:)

Mine isnt BCBS...it's BC CA PPO, but I wanted to point out that it changes fairly quickly. Here's from my BC site: Medical Policy Subject: Surgery for Clinically Severe Obesity Policy #: SURG.00024 Current Effective Date: 11/13/2006 Status: Reviewed Last Review Date: 09/14/2006 Description/Scope Clinically severe obesity is a result of persistent and uncontrollable weight gain that constitutes a present or potential threat to life. There are a variety of surgical procedures intended for the treatment of clinically severe obesity. This policy addresses those procedures. Policy Statement Medically Necessary: Gastric bypass with a Roux Y procedure up to 150 cm, laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (the Lap-Band® System), vertical banded gastroplasty, or biliopancreatic bypass with duodenal switch as a single surgery, is considered medically necessary for the treatment of clinically severe obesity for selected adults (18 years and older) who meet the following criteria: 1. BMI of 40 or greater, or BMI of 35 or greater with co-morbid conditions including, but not limited to, life threatening cardio-pulmonary problems (severe sleep apnea, Pickwickian syndrome and obesity related cardiomyopathy), severe diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease or hypertension. AND *Note: Individuals considering the laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (Lap-Band®) procedure must meet the above minimum BMI requirement and, in addition, have a maximum BMI of less than 50.