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LOL. Carlene, you have NO idea how good your psych skills are. Yeah, he told me he has a sex addiction. He does. But I sort of do too. It was controllable for several years... I think I tried to control it with the weight gain... but now that the weight is off it's back. I've had 2 non-committal makeout sessions with guys this week - one that resulted in 'services' rendered for one man. It's not a good thing. I'm working on it. I'd never tell these kinds of things to people I actually knew. Glad this site is anonymous! You're also right about his rotten relationship skills. He called me on Tuesday because he was in the depths of sorrow (for a reason too long to go into here) and wanted moral support. At this point I was in 'friend' rather than 'girlfriend' mode for him. Yeah, he has some selfish points to him. And the way he said 'athletic' I knew he meant skinny. So maybe in a couple months, after the tummy tuck and boob job, I'll email him a photo with the caption 'Athletic enough?' Kidding.

Merry Christmas Everyone! Had a lovely visit with my friend in from N. Carolina. All too short. I'm still shy a few gifts, but I may have to fake it! I've had some slips with the seasoned nuts DD and I made. Not as bad as years past, but it is what it is. No weight gained so far and I am thankful to stay under 195. Two more gatherings and I'm home free! All the treats, etc get tossed or sent to my son's lunchroom at work Didn't make my Christmas weightloss goal, but I did manage to get into the size 14 jeans. The smaller top is a ways off. At least I won't be hiding from the camera this year. Thanks for all the support, stories, laughs and a few tears. Your victories inspire me and your down times help me feel "normal" in this crazy band world. Have a safe holiday.

Marjon and Audree (and anyone else), you really *need* to stop this. Here is why...any type of rapid weight gain causes your liver to enlarge. Your surgeon has to *pick up* your liver and move it out of the way in order to reach the stomach to place the band. There HAVE been cases where a surgeon refuses to do surgery because of weight gain and/or during the procedure, decide that the liver is too unhealthy to continue. So in a very real way, you're putting getting banded at risk...and I don't think anyone wants to do that. I did a very small amount of last supper eating prior to banding. I did not have a pre-op diet at all. Mainly, I ate a few more things here and there that I knew wouldn't work well with a band...such as pizza. But I also knew that getting banded does NOT mean never eating these foods again. I've had pizza since banding...and doughnuts...and cake...and pasta...rice...bread...can you tell I'm not a "perfect" bandster? But I had those things early in my banding. NOT during the 6 weeks of healing, but at various times before fills or when my band was particularly loose. So if you stop thinking that this is the last time you'll eat "X," then you won't feel so desperate to eat it all now. You also know that you're not doing yourself any favors by having more weight to lose. If you need guidelines, then tell yourself that you're going to practice eating like a bandster now. Put small portions of protein and produce on your plate, take very small bites, and eat very slowly. If you do that and you're still hungry, then get more protein and produce...but better yet, get up from the table and take a walk. I really DO know how you're feeling. I struggled with the same things this time last year. I remember telling myself that *this* week I'd give up sweet tea...and then it was the next...and the next. I never did make any serious dietary changes pre-banding...but I also didn't go crazy in the other direction either. Cindy

well if she doesn't notice ( and i'm sure she will because grandma's are notorious for noticing weight gain/loss ) CONGRATUALTIONS ON YOUR SUCCESS!!

The pancake parlour is pure evil!! (but i love it!) They have things on that menu so band friendly you will feel like you haven't even got a band as you clean the plate I usually get the strawberries & cream pancakes (make it the 1 pancake not 2 and get the cream & ice cream instead of just one or the other - that way if you are tight there is plenty of lube for you & if you leave half your meal it looks liek you've eaten more since you only have one pancake not 2 ~ all meals have 2 pancakes by default but there is a menu option to change to just 1). The chocolate pancake is like mudcake so if you can do mudcake you can eat it, otherwise just stay away from it - the cherries are canned and the skin & pips can be a bit painful if your tight. "IT" the banana walnut one goes down soooo easy, again get the one pancake instead of 2 and add the extra ice cream. For savoury the potato pancake goes down easy but is very very greasy, it comes with a nice side salad that always goes down well i usually eat all the salad and only 1/4 of the pancake - what they call 'fries' DO NOT ORDER - their fries are disgusting dried diced up bits of old potato that wil lhave you begging the porcalin to free you from your agony! Banded friends don't always beleiv e me and they have all lived to regret it pb'ing in the car the whole way home. Steer clear of the breakfast menu because the portions are rediclous huge, my 6'4" athletic boyfriend can't eat an entire portion there off that breaky menu so that's really saying something! He usually eats 2 items off the regular menu... savoury crepes (they are yum and all that I have tried have been band friendly especially the bolognase ones) and then a desert pancake. Just drink Water is my tip - all their drinks are loaded with cream and you'll feel crappy all day afterwards and so not worth the weight gain. I eat pancake parlour in melbourne about once a month (they are all good, eastland doncaster jam factory swarnston st etc.); everybody I know in melbourne loves it. The pancake parlour in surfers paradise is a lot different and i found it disgusting.... i dont know how the same company can own both yet have such different menus and food. The menu doesn't have pictures in the resteraunt but the website does so to get an idea of how much a serving there is (so you know wha tnot to order) have a look here: http://www.pancakeparlour.com/Menu/menu.html Have fun!!

Lap-Band System After surgery, it is extremely important to follow diet guidelines to assure proper healing and to obtain adequate nutrition. Your pouch that is created by the Lap Band needs to heal, so you must sip fluids slowly and avoid getting overfull. Once your pouch has healed, you need to continue to keep portion sizes small to maintain your weight loss. You will progress through the following phases of the Lap-Band diet after surgery. Liquid diet. For the first two weeks following surgery, you will consume only liquids. For one to two days after surgery, you will need to sip only clear liquids or fluids that you can see through. Clear liquids include diluted apple juice, chicken or beef broth, sugar-free gelatin and artifically sweetened, non-carbonated beverages. If you tolerate clear liquids without difficulty, you may add full liquids to your diet. Full liquids include the broth of low-fat, creamed soups, protein shakes, milk, yogurt and sugar-free puddings. Most people require two high-protein supplements daily. Your dietitian will calculate your individual protein needs and provide examples of how to achieve this amount. Avoid carbonated beverages as they may cause gas, bloating and pain. Pureed diet. You will need to puree your foods for approximately two weeks. Your meals will be small and should focus on high-protein foods. Regular diet. By 5 to 6 weeks after your surgery, you will be incorporating foods with more texture to your diet. You will always have to chew your foods thoroughly, avoiding tough meats, fibrous vegetables and doughy breads. But your diet should ideally include low-fat proteins, fruits and vegetables, healthy carbohydrates and heart-healthy fats. Protein. Getting adequate protein in your diet promotes proper healing and also helps your body to maintain muscle and lose fat. It is important to choose lean protein foods because they are lower in calories and will help ou maintain your weight loss. Also, high-fat foods can cause dumping syndrome and make you sick after surgery. Protein is made up of amino acids. The body can make 13 amino acids, but nine amino acids are essential, meaning they cannot be made in the body and must come from food sources. A food source is said to be complete if it contains adequate amounts of essential amino acids. The following types of protein products are readily available: Whey is a byproduct of the dairy and cheese industry and is a complete source of protein. <LI class=copy>Whey isolate has virtually no lactose in it. Lactose is the sugar naturally found in milk. Some people become lactose-intolerant after surgery and experience gas and bloating after drinking dairy. If you are or become lactose-intolerant, whey isolate would not cause intestinal distress. Lactaid milk and soy milk are great alternatives for people who are lactose-intolerant. Whey concentrate may contain some lactose in it; however, most people can tolerate this product without problems. [*]Soy products are made from soybeans. Soybeans contain all the amino acids essential to human nutrition and are a complete protein source. [*]Hydrolized gelatin or collagen. These products do not contain all essential amino acids and are not recommended for weight loss surgery patients. Protein Shake Recipes. Protein shakes are needed to get adequate amounts of protein after surgery. We have specific products that we recommend, but remember that if you do not like the taste of your shake you are less likely to drink it. The following recipes and tips may help you improve the taste of your shake. Simple Shake (28 grams protein) 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder (20 grams protein) 8 ounces fat-free milk Mix well in shaker cup or blender. Banana/Peanut Butter Shake (12 grams protein) 8 ounces fat-free milk 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter 1/4 - 1/2 banana Blend until smooth in blender. Orange Dreamsicle (28 grams protein) 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder (20 grams protein) 1 scoop (individual serving) sugar-free Sunrise Orange Crystal Lightâ powder 8 ounces skim milk Alternatives: substitute 4 ounces orange juice for 4 ounces milk; substitute 4 ounces yogurt for 4 ounces milk; add 1/2 tsp. orange zest to shake. Hot Cocoa (13 grams protein) 1 tablespoon Splenda 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa 2 tablespoons dried milk powder 8 ounces non-fat milk Dash salt Blend Splenda, unsweetened cocoa, dried milk powder and salt in large mug. Blend in milk, stirring until dissolved. Microwave 1 minute on high or until hot. Can also heat in saucepan on stove. Tips for Protein Shakes. <LI class=copy>Use flavorings such as vanilla, almond and coconut extracts to improve flavor. <LI class=copy>Coffee added to chocolate-flavored protein powder makes a mocha-flavored shake. <LI class=copy>Bananas, strawberries and peanut butter add the most flavoring to shakes. <LI class=copy>Unflavored cocoa powder can be added for a deeper chocolate flavor without adding fat. <LI class=copy>Freeze milk in ice cube trays to make milk cubes. Blend these with your shake to make it icy cold and to add protein without diluting your shake. <LI class=copy>If you are lactose intolerant, you can use Lactaid milk or soy milk to add protein to your shake. Yogurt can be added to shakes to increase creaminess and protein. Long-term Tips It is important to make healthy food choices throughout your weight loss process to be as healthy as possible while losing weight. Healthy food and lifestyle choices are critical to maintain your weight loss long-term. These tips are recommended for people who are in the maintenance phase of weight loss. <LI class=copy>Eat three meals a day. Have a healthy snack only if hungry. Skipping meals does not promote weight loss and results in overeating in the long run. <LI class=copy>Eat lean proteins first at each meal. <LI class=copy>Include fruits and vegetables with meals. <LI class=copy>Avoid drinking fluids with meals. Fluids may force foods through your pouch too quickly. This may cause dumping syndrome in gastric bypass patients but may cause all patients to become hungry quickly and eat more food throughout the day. <LI class=copy>Strive to drink 6-8 cups of water daily. Artifically flavored drinks are fine, but we recommend that you avoid carbonated beverages, even diet soda. The carbonation in diet soda may contribute to enlargement of the small pouch. <LI class=copy>Chew foods thoroughly. Your small pouch will not be able to physically break down foods that have not been chewed to a liquid consistency. <LI class=copy>Avoid problematic foods such as tough, fibrous or overcooked meats; doughy breads; pasta; rice; skins and seeds of fruits and vegetables; nuts and popcorn. <LI class=copy>Stop eating when you begin to feel full. It is critical that you do not eat to the point of feeling overfull. People have stretched their pouch by eating too much and have regained weight. <LI class=copy>Take daily vitamin and mineral supplements. Have labs checked annually. <LI class=copy>Weigh yourself weekly. It's much easier to correct a 5 pound weight gain (physically and psychologically) than a 25 pound weight gain. <LI class=copy>Attend support group meetings. Don't "forget" that you have had weight loss surgery. Staying in touch with other weight loss surgery patients is a great way to reaffirm your journey and stay on track. Exercise. Many patients know people who've lost weight without exercise, which may be true for a single individual, but most people who do not exercise have a more difficult time reaching and maintaining their optimal weight loss. And exercise has multiple benefits in addition to controlling weight such as decreasing risk of cardiac disease; lowering blood pressure; improving mental function; improving blood glucose levels; reducing risk of some cancers; and improving immune function. Try to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day. Physical activity is defined as activities in addition to normal daily activities such as work, shopping or housekeeping. Hope this helps! Audree :clap2:

MOM, no weight lost, no weight gained. I'll take that since I hosted early Christmas at my house and we had bad food EVERYWHERE! And yes, I was bad. I'm so glad to see I didn't put on the holiday 5-10.

I had a history of bulimia prior to getting my band. It had been treated and under control for years. However since having this band it has reared its ugly head again in a very strong way! I have not had good luck with keeping things down since day one. Food and medications get stuck with every meal.When things get stuck.. I am bringing them up. This is happening soo much I have to keep a cup handy to purge in just in case I cannot get to the bathroom. Yes a vomit cup..no house should be without one! ha! [i have to make fun of it or I would cry.] I do not get it! I take my time, take teeny bites and chew till goo! I finaly got so frustrated I resorted to soft foods which has..for me meant weight gain not loss! Everytime I go for a check up they do a Floro and say my band is fine! I have a 4cc band and have 1.8 fill. But the bottom line is I am spending way too much time with my head over the toilet again! The ability to purge so easily based on my history is not a good asset to bring to the table. My old habit is not helping an already very bad sittuation! I am seeing a therapist about my bulimia, so at least you know I consider that a priority. What do you think I need to do? Thanks!

1. No I would not date them, but that is only a personality quirk. I don't favor things that reject me. For example when I applied for a job at a certain business, and didn't get it, I stopped going there for almost a year. I had been a frequent customer before. 2. I would think that they liked my personality, but didn't find me attractive. I would also think that they view physical traits more importantly, or at least as importantly as personality traits. I don't think thats shallow though as everyone has the right to be attracted to whom they please - fat, thin, or wearing thigh high latex boots with a pink wig. 3. No the person doesn't have poor character. Many people believe that physical attraction is important not only in initiating a relationship, but also maintaining it. This is especially true in a dating situation. Unless he or she made a promise to love you no matter what then I don't believe they have an obligation to maintain a relationship with someone they no longer find attractive. To qualify this statement I am assuming that this is significant weight gain, not "I only like girly sixpacks and you gained FIVE WHOLE POUNDS" - that I would consider shallow. Marriage is a different matter as both parties have made vows to love and cherish each other in sickness and in health. I consider being significantly over weight to fall under sickness. Breaking that vow and abandoning a spouse under those circumstances would make me view the person leaving far less favorably.

No low carb plans here, I dont believe low carb is a healthy way to eat. Its not really advised in Australia either, its more of an American thing. I think you need carbs as part of a healthy diet and you get good weight loss without them for sure, but you also get good rebound weight gain when you give in to the inevitable. Really low carb diets are not sustainable long term for many people. But I do try to stay away from processed carbs, white bread, cakes, muffins, doughnuts etc. Nobody needs those.

Well I will be banded monday and I have to say I have often wondered myself about the weight gain but my doc said as long as I listened to him and had my band in good working order I will be fine hope this helps

Well, my friend had her surgery done last Tuesday and all went well. I'm so ready. I have my medical history, my curves papers. I have an appointment for Jan 8 to do all of my testing. I'm already trying to prepare my self and the insurance company hasn't even approved yet. I'm done to a couple of sips of pop a day. I'm weaning my self off of it. I try to remember to eat slow and cut back on my volume at mealtime. That's where I have trouble if its in front of me I want to eat eat eat... seems like I can eat so much before I feel full. I think I'm driving my co-workers, friends and family crazy always talking the lap-band. I hope truely this will change my life. I want to buy cute cloths, go in to a place and not feel like everyone is looking at me judging me. I feel I have been successful in my career (so far) successful with my family (I can see improvements needing to be made) but overall pretty good. Now I'm ready for the body to work well with all the other things I have accomplished. I feel if I don't do something my weight gain over the yrs with catch up with where it affects everthing my career and family. I can still go to six flags and ride with my boys but barely and I'm almost embarressed to get on some stuff. I'm ready, ready, ready,,,,,, I'm ready to get something that will stop my eating alot.... rather my head wants to are not.... :clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

Well, my friend had her surgery done last Tuesday and all went well. I'm so ready. I have my medical history, my curves papers. I have an appointment for Jan 8 to do all of my testing. I'm already trying to prepare my self and the insurance company hasn't even approved yet. I'm done to a couple of sips of pop a day. I'm weaning my self off of it. I try to remember to eat slow and cut back on my volume at mealtime. That's where I have trouble if its in front of me I want to eat eat eat... seems like I can eat so much before I feel full. I think I'm driving my co-workers, friends and family crazy always talking the lap-band. I hope truely this will change my life. I want to buy cute cloths, go in to a place and not feel like everyone is looking at me judging me. I feel I have been successful in my career (so far) successful with my family (I can see improvements needing to be made) but overall pretty good. Now I'm ready for the body to work well with all the other things I have accomplished. I feel if I don't do something my weight gain over the yrs with catch up with where it affects everthing my career and family. I can still go to six flags and ride with my boys but barely and I'm almost embarressed to get on some stuff. I'm ready, ready, ready,,,,,, I'm ready to get something that will stop my eating alot.... rather my head wants to are not.... :clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

I mentioned it to my family, not as in I was going to do it, but as something my friend did. I think people are just ignorant on all the facts. It is the unknown, they just don't understand the pain of the weight gain/loss over and over and over..... They don't realize how we live our lives and how obsessed we are with food, feeling uncomfortable, how we put our lives on hold to do this or do that, the next diet, the time wasted thinking about it.... My mom and husband are the only ones who know I am doing it, and a friend who actually had it done a year ago (and I was one of those ignorant people, who had doubts, but I kept it to myself and supported her no matter what) Now I know better and am scheduled to do it myself January 5. My mom actually told me she thinks this is to radical of a thing to do and that I should just have a butt reduction!!!!! That doesn't change the fact that I over eat. I can eat more than my husband! Even if I do Atkins, vegan lifestyle, I still don't lose because my portions are to big. In the end, only we know the pain we have suffered, the time wasted and how FREE we will feel to eat like a normal person, to actually stop when we are full, now because we physcially have to. Sometimes I think my mom wouldn't know how to deal with me thin, I think she thinks I will change. Maybe we are safe overweight for people. On the other hand, my husbnad is so happy he won't be forced to go on another diet with me. He says when ever I do another diet, he is forced to do it too! He has to also go through the emotional roller coaster ride I take every time I start something new or recycled, start to lose weight, start to gain it back.... Do it for yourself. You are the one who lives in your own skin. I am doing this for me! Audree

Laphappy...congrats on your surgery and don't get discouraged by the weight gain as it is due to the surgery. You'll loose that pretty soon...just think of all the fluids they pumped you up with! Those fluids don't flow easily out until you're up and about walking around. I had bruising as well and although my port site was sore at first it healed rather quickly. For me it was the incision that is up on your left by your ribs that took forever for me to feel ok with. I asked Dr. Jones and Angi why it hurt so much and they told me that's because that's the site that most of the work is done through in regards to moving your liver out of the way and putting the band around your stomach. There is alot more in and out motion in that area and that spot took me over a month and a half to finally feel normal. I had a hard time getting up and down for about a week and a half as well. No surgery is easy peasy and your body thinks it went through a train wreck lol. One day at a time. Hello my other BIDMC gals! I went to see Dr. Jones today and met Scott. DH and him hit it off both being military of course. My DH was on Submarines for 9-10 years so they talked alot about that stuff. I liked the fact that he asked alot of questions and gave me answers for stuff I had. Example...I sometimes have acid reflux. Seems mostly when my period is due and that is when my band is tighter too. Dr. Jones says....if I get that 3-4 days in a row I need to probably have a little fill taken out as it's not good and can cause other problems. If I throw up too much it causes something that brings on memory loss too? I told him I seem to only throw up once a month and again it's usually when it's close to my period and I think it's because I don't realize how swollen my body is...eat like I'm used to and BINGO too much too fast BLECK. I need to learn still to slow down even more. Anyway....Jones was very happy with my weight loss and said he doesn't need to see me for another 6 months unless I call them with a problem. I asked if I felt I needed a fill could I call he said yes but, if I'm getting acid reflux that could be that I have too much fill and if I lose more weight and it adjusts itself so I'm not getting it anymore then that means I'm at the right level of fill. Soooo I stay where I am fill wise...and see him in 6 months Ohh and OMG I hit 75 pounds lost today Yippee Skippee.....3 more pounds to ONDERLAND!

Hi, I was banded in 2004, lost about 85 lbs, regained about 30 and having major problems due to slippage, which will be revise late January. I have really found it difficult to get any information about this situation. Since I had to fight my insurance for months to cover the procedure, I've actually had a slippage for close to a year, during which time the weight has been piling on. I started my weight loss at 260-ish, got down to 173 when I was way too tight and sick all the time and am now around 207. I'm terrified that after the revision, I will still not be able to lose. I guess I just have no idea what to expect. Obviously my weight gain has a lot to do with bad choice, lack of exercise, however, is it reasonable for me to think that all things being equal I will have an easier time losing after the revision? Honestly, my lifestyle hasn't changed that much except for the fact that I am hungry a lot more of the time, can eat much larger quantities but can't get a fill because it's supposedly already too tight (due to the slippage, I guess the pouch is bigger?) Please share your experiences if you had a small slip and had it revised at least several months ago. Has your weight loss become any easier since the surgery? Thanks, KM

Well, I made it through sugery...I'm sooo glad that's over. I got a complete unfill the day before surgery and I'm really glad I did. It was one less thing to have to worry about since the meds I'm on are in pill form. The only now I have to deal with is typing one-handed since I'll be in a sling for about a month. It's been a really interesting experience being unfilled. I had 1.8cc in a 4cc band and about a week after being unfilled I experienced a PB! We were eating bbq and since I assumed that not having a fill was the same as not having a band I ate a piece of meat, didn't chew it well enough and about 10 seconds later it came back up! I'm at least glad to know now that I can't eat willy nilly even with no fill. I have to wait about 10 more days before I get a fill, but so far no weight gain, so I guess all is good :clap2:

I only lost 1/2 pound this past week but am not unhappy as I'm down 16.5 pounds in 5 weeks since surgery. Like the "other" Tom's doctor, my doctor doesn't expect extreme weight loss with the band. His expectations are about 1 pound per week which is a MUCH healthier way to lose than dropping drastic amounts at one time. I too am diabetic but since surgery have maintained healthy blood sugars without any medicines at all. A couple of the meds I was on for diabetes caused weight gain but they want you to lose weight to control the diabetes. That was one of the reasons I opted for the band. I knew losing weight would help control the diabetes and I could get off, or at least reduce, the number of drugs I have to take. I get filled next Monday. Now, if I could get the doctor's office to get the disability paperwork correct, life would be good. As it is, my employer paid me for hours that have now been denied so my check at the end of the month is going to have those hours removed which means I won't get squat. HAPPY NEW YEAR! At least I don't eat as much so the grocery bill isn't as high. <G> Tom

Yeah, when you start eating regular stuff again you won't keep on losing because you'll be getting more than minimal calories and you won't be cleaning out your intestines. If you REALLY want to do this kind of insane crap, here's another....though think I'd rather just take some of the stuff they give you before a good old colon exam....or good old enemas..... If all of this nonsense was worthwhile we wouldn't need or want bands, would we. And the WHOLE IDEA IS TO GET AWAY FROM THE DAMN DIET MENTALITY AND LEARN TO EAT LIE NORMAL PEOPLE> This is the "Master Cleanse", and this is from New York Times a couple days ago: WHEN Teron Beal, a songwriter and aspiring actor in Manhattan, was looking to drop weight quickly for a photo shoot, he didn’t double up on gym visits, gulp metabolic boosting pills or limit his diet to leafy greens and lean protein. Instead, he took a more drastic approach: he tried the “master cleanse,” a fast that requires subsisting for 10 or more days solely on an elixir of fresh-squeezed lemon juice, cayenne pepper, maple syrup and Water. “I had only three weeks and I needed the difference to be noticeable,” said Mr. Beal, adding that he lost nearly 10 pounds during his 12-day fast in July. “The first few days were horrible, but by the fifth day I woke up and looked in the mirror and saw two ab muscles that had eluded me for years. I was grumpy no longer.” While popular diets and fasts come and go, master cleanse remains a perennial favorite, a kind of folk regimen that owes its popularity to word of mouth and the Internet. Created in the 1940’s by a nutrition guru, Stanley Burroughs, to treat ulcers and other internal ailments, the fast enjoyed a vogue in the late ’70s after the publication of his book “The Master Cleanser.” Its fans then were health-conscious types, interested in purging their bodies of impurities and toxins like pesticides and food additives. But in recent years master cleanse has enjoyed yet another vogue among people seeking to shed pounds in a short time. Celebrities, of course, are in the vanguard. On Oprah Winfrey’s show, the singer and actress Beyoncé Knowles announced that she had lost 20 pounds on the fast to prepare for her starring role in the new film “Dreamgirls.” Robin Quivers, Howard Stern’s long-suffering sidekick, told People magazine that she did the fast on three separate occasions in 2004 and shrunk to 145 pounds from a peak of 218. (She heard about it from the magician David Blaine, no stranger to challenging his body.) And on a recent episode of “30 Rock,” the NBC comedy, Tina Fey’s character is asked: “What are you doing? South Beach? Master cleanse?” She did look skinnier. The Internet teems with testimonials to the cleanse, also known as the lemonade diet, claiming that it fights disease, clears the mind as well as acne, and increases energy. Bloggers chronicle their daily fasting. Master cleanse video diaries can be found on YouTube, and a cottage industry has developed with various companies peddling cleansing kits including all ingredients for the beverage except lemons. Never mind that most nutrition and diet experts advise against multiday fasting. “I cannot believe how this thing has had a total revival,” said Joy Bauer, a nutritionist and the author of “The 90/10 Weight-Loss Plan.” “People want a quick fix and they want to be thin so badly that they’re vulnerable and open to almost anything.” Ms. Bauer estimated that fasters who drink six glasses of the lemony potion a day — the low end of the recommended amount — are consuming about 650 calories, far less than the 1,600-plus calories the average woman needs to maintain her weight or the roughly 2,400 calories a man requires. “Of course you’re going to lose weight,” she said. “You’re starving yourself.” Seldom do the pounds stay off, she added, and people have a tendency to binge once they begin eating again. Still, many are willing to disregard the word of nutritionists, seduced by the notion that the only things standing between them and a slimmer body are a citrus-flavored drink and several days of discomfort. Last week at Amoy’s Beauty, the hair salon of Amoy Pitters in the East Village, a brunette complained about her holiday weight gain. “Girl,” Ms. Pitters said, “you need to do master cleanse.” Ms. Pitters, who first tried the fast four years ago at the prompting of one of her clients, Kacy Duke, a personal trainer to several celebrities, said she was skeptical at first. But 10 days and dozens of lemons later, she was eight pounds lighter, and elated. “I fit into my ultraskinny jeans and I couldn’t believe it,” Ms. Pitters, a petite clotheshorse, said. “I was so proud of myself for sticking with it, because it wasn’t easy.” Ms. Pitters estimated that 85 percent of her more than 200 clients have tried the cleanse after hearing her rave. She uses it after the holiday season and before trips to bikini-friendly locales. “I know it works,” she said. “And you’d be surprised how many models I know who do it, too.” Kristina Wong, a performance artist in Los Angeles, lasted on the fast for only five days, but she also saw results. “I looked great,” said Ms. Wong, who uploaded a video diary of her fasting experience on YouTube in September. “No more stomach rolls. I was such a skinny mini.” Ms. Duke, who puts herself on the lemonade diet four times a year for a week to 12 days, pointed to other supposed benefits. “My eyes are clearer, my skin has a different glow and some of my best running times have been while I’m on master cleanse,” she said. She introduced it to her client Denzel Washington and “he loved it,” she said. The enduring popularity of the cleanse may have as much to do with its instant results as with the drink’s relatively inoffensive taste (think lemon Gatorade with a spicy kick) and simple recipe: 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons Grade-B maple syrup, 1/10 teaspoon cayenne pepper and 8 ounces of spring or purified water. According to “The Master Cleanser,” Burroughs’s book, the lemon acts as a purifier and provides potassium, the cayenne pepper adds B and C Vitamins and aids in circulation, and maple syrup, a sugar, provides energy and minerals. Burroughs suggested that fasters drink anywhere from 6 to 12 glasses of the stuff a day as well as a mixture of water and sea salt in the morning and an herbal laxative tea in the evening, to help aid in waste removal. On message boards at Web sites like CureZone.com, writers warn that it’s best to stay close to a restroom. “One day it was just two hours of me running back and forth to the bathroom,” Ms. Wong said. All that time in the loo can adversely affect one’s social life. Many fasters also say so long to the business lunch, the after-work cocktail and dinner at the latest restaurant, for fear of temptation. Samuel Klein, the director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the medical school of Washington University in St. Louis, is leery of master-cleanse-like regimens because there is no data that prove they provide any medical benefit and no evidence that fasting helps rid the body of toxins, which happens naturally, he said. While fasting for a few days is not dangerous, Dr. Klein said, “Fasting for too long can deplete muscle tissue, including your heart muscle, and it can reduce the size and functioning of organs like the kidney and liver.” He is just one of many nutritionists who caution that fasting can be counterproductive. Some say it can even slow down the metabolism, making it even more difficult to lose weight in the future. Try telling that to the converts. Peter Glickman, the author of “Lose Weight, Have More Energy and Be Happier in 10 Days,” is among them. Mr. Glickman, who at 6-2 once weighed more than 230 pounds, had already made over his lifestyle, going on a vegan diet and losing 42 pounds, when he came across the fast three years ago online. He lost 23 pounds in 20 days, he said. He sold his software company and went into the business of promoting the diet. It has proved lucrative. On his Web site, themastercleanse.com, he sells Burroughs’s original book ($8.95), his updated version and an accompanying CD ($31.95), and a master cleanse kit ($49.95; just add lemons). He wouldn’t give specifics, but said his book is in its fourth printing. “I just put in an order for 10,000 more the other day,” he said. Adaora Udoji, an anchor at Court TV, grew up watching her father use the fast. “We all just thought he was a weirdo,” she said. But after quitting smoking last year, she fasted for 14 days, and now she is a believer. “It’s almost like a religious experience,” she said. “The first few days you’re obsessing about food and by the fourth or fifth day, you get this inexplicable burst of energy and you feel like you can run laps around the world.” Ms. Bauer, the nutritionist, is not convinced. “I really think this chanting about people feeling so invigorated by this really comes from the happiness that people feel about losing weight,” she said. Running laps was the furthest thing from Ms. Wong’s mind during her fast. She found herself staring longingly at takeout menus and scouring food blogs. “I drive a car that runs on vegetable oil so it smells kind of like a fast-food restaurant, and there were times when I was so hungry I just wanted to pull over and put my mouth around the exhaust pipe,” she said.

I don't know if the weight loss is specifically what they are looking for. I went for many months and would lose and gain a couple of pounds. They still approved me based on my visits - not my weight gain/loss. Make sure your doctor writes or dictates everything down. Make sure you talk about weight related stuff - can't sleep, knees hurt, feel shaky if I don't eat... all things they can document to put in your chart. Good luck - and the time goes by fast!

Strangely, I don't feel half as gutted as I thought I would... but Friday isn't here yet. Just had news from work that our national conference has been cancelled (hurray!) which means that I don't have to go and face all these people judging my latest weight gain. That's taken the pressure off as well. Let me do a merry jig for you Hermione! It is great that you can remain sopositive January is only a few weeks away and you get to enjoy a great xmas. Mind you I think you would have enjoyed it either way. I've been a bad girl, I've been eating chocolate. Which is bizarre as normally I can take it or leave it. But, time of the month, first since the surgery. Think I may put a post out there to see if anyone else had the same experience of period stoppage? The funny thing is though, I may have gained some weight back but I'm still shrinking! So not going to complain Anyho have to go and housesit for a neighbouyr. Glad to hear things are working out Lots of love and xmas hugs Suzannexxxxx:clap2:

DonnaGT & Bjean I Like Both Of You Started Getting Very Frustrated. I Got My Band On 9/05/06 And Have Lost 31lbs. I Lost Most Of It In The Week Before On Full Liquid Diet And The Week After On Full Liquid. During The Month Of Noveber I Actually Gained Some Back. I Had My First Fill And It Did Nothing. I Then Went Back In 3 Weeks For Another And Can Finally Tell A Difference. I Got Very Discouraged With Weight Gain. I Do Feel Hope Again But Am Worried That I Already Have 2cc's In My 4cc Band And Have 50lbs More To Lose. All We Can Do Is Just Take One Day At A Time And Hope For The Best. Good Luck To Both Of You!

I have PCOS and have a lot of symptoms of it. weight gain in the midsection instead of the buns and hips. darkening of the skin around the neck and underarms. hair growing on my double chin. I hate it! Plus periods that were nonexistant. Since surgery in august I have lost 30 pounds and got my period on my own for the first time in my life. I see the darkening on the skin fading also. I'm very happy.

Yeah, you are a complete light weight after banding. I can't remember how long I waited but it was probably at least a month, maybe longer. I used to LOVE beer - probably part of the reason for the weight gain. I can drink it a little now, but have to let it sit for a bit to settle carbonation otherwise it makes me feel horrible. Generally I stick with wine or mixers now but I rarerly drink anymore.

Thanks Crispy! No, she isn't my surgeon, just my regular PCP. She's in Amarillo and my surgeon is in Dallas. I think she totally misunderstood what I was trying to say, but she doesn't need to be rude! I know I have messed up big time. I have an appointment with my cardiologist next week and he is going to have a fit about my weight gain and my smoking. I'm just under a lot of extra pressure down here and I need to get back to Amarillo where I have a lot more support from my other family members. Not so much the WLS, but things in general. You are right though, everyone else can shove it. They don't live in my body or my mind.