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I still have to disagree with you. There is a cure for obesity: lose weight. The basic definition of obesity or obese it being extremely overweight or having an extreme amount of excess body fat. How do you get rid of an extreme amount of excess body fat? You remove it. Once you remove it, you're cured of your excess body fat. Most of my family is overweight except my little sister. My little sister is 14 and in a size 4. I was probably in a size 20 at 14. My little sister doesn't eat a lot. I think she only eats when she's hungry. Yes, she does eat junk food, but she doesn't over eat it. For example, she she can have a cookie and be okay with it. However, if I eat a cookie I'll want another one and another one and another one. That is why I don't eat Cookies anymore. I think there is a lot of excuses that people make to justify their obesity. I use to weigh 327 pounds. I use to blame my family and my genes, but it was mostly my behavior. My genes didn't make me go to McDonalds and they certainly didn't make me eat 12 chocolate chip cookies. I believe I was already depressed before I ate those 12 cookies. Yes, depression does get worse with weight gain, but I do think it is a major cause of weight gain. (HOWEVER, depression can be a major cause of weight LOSS. Many people who become depress stop eating and lose weight. It's amazing...) It's all about attitude. If you think you won't ever get healthy or you aren't meant to be healthy (which is probably the stupidest thing I've ever herad) then you won't become healthy because you set yourself up for failure. Those "I can't" attitudes are what brings people to failure. Simply, people need to stop making excuses and do something like getting weight loss surgery, a therapist, a nutritionist, a doctor, etc. You CAN lose weight. It's about wanting to do it and realizing it's going to take awhile. You certainly didn't get this way overnight.

Well when I went to work yesterday I did not have any MOJO... Asked my supervisor for the rest of the day off.. Went home relaxed, but ate out of my diet zone..( Had Chinese) . Expecting some weight gain got on the scale this morning and did not show a gain. Did manage to get to the gym this morning did some cardio and weight training. I have to fast starting 7:00 PM tonight ... going to have some blood work done early in the morning that way the results are in the Dr's office by Mach 02.

I'm 4/18 also! My surgeon doesn't require any specific diet prior to surgery except Clear liquids 24 hours beforeZ. Encourages some weight loss prior to surgery but mainly do not any weight gain prior to surgery. Thinking about dieting starting tomorrow anyway. Getting super nervous and excited! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

This is tough because, for me, I've lost a lot of weight several times on my own only to gain it all back! With my pattern, I'd still have the surgery. If you have been obese for a long time, statistics say I believe only 10% of people will lose weight and keep it off. Crazy right? Not saying you won't be successful, but something to think about. With every weight gain came depression and absolute loss of control. Right now, I'm smaller than I've ever been as an adult! I had my surgery 5 1/2 months ago. I'm happier than I've ever been and have no fear of gaining the weight back! Good luck with whatever you choose and you are doing an amazing job!

I am so nervous about my 1st appt tomorrow with the surgeon. I have always been borderline the required BMI of 40 (The only health issue I have been diagnosed with is obesity and pcos) . I have been over 40 since September. Before that I have hovered around 38 and 39 with no health issues except pcos. I attended the required seminar over a month ago. Shortly after, I had my first Nutrition visit. Im thinking I should have held off with the NUT visit until after I met with the surgeon but I was in a hurry and didnt know how many months of those visits Blue Sheild/CA would require me to do so I thought Id give myself a head start. I was even told by the staff at the surgery center to go ahead and start the NUT visit but they advised me not to loose any weight because that would take me under the required BMI. WELL I ended up gaining 3 lbs over the holidays. If the Surgeon wants to go by the weight from my first nutrition appt, im hoping she doesn't disqualify me from the weight gain. I guess im not asking for anything here...just some encouragement for tomorrow visit. Is anyone else going through this with no family support?

Welcome! I'm only 3 months out and am still losing, so I can't sympathize with recent weight gain. But I am definitely upset that my apartment building closed the gym! So glad it's finally summer here in Canada so at least I can go for pleasant walks.

Grilled tilapia, roasted asparagus and ... yeah ... that's it. I started my pre op two weeks early and no food funerals were had. I figured I had enough food to get me to 264 pounds and I'd eventually have anything I wanted again. No need to started my pre op with a crap load of carbs that would only make it harder and why risk (minor) weight gain just to have to lose it?

I opted for sleeve surgery a few months back because my weight gain had been large enough that it was compromising my mobility. I had always had success with weight loss, the most being ten years ago when I lost 100 lbs. IN four years I gained it back and another 50 over the next few years after that. I knew I can lose the weight while dieting, but I was uncertain I could maintain it. The sleeve offered me the option to physically restrict food intake and calories. While it's only been three months, I am ecstatic with the results so far. It is hard work and tales perseverance, but I needed this change and I could not have accomplished what I have so far by dieting alone. You should takl a look and decide what works for you.

Hi, I read your post and my heart went out to you and your fiancee. I am 28 years old, and I was diagnosed with PCOS 3 years ago. Not many people know about this condition, but it is one of the most frustrating conditions, given all the odd symptoms and limited treatment. I was also told that PCOS led to my weight gain. I decided to get the surgery because at my last physical my doctor said, "There is nothing wrong with you other than the PCOS; but if you continue at this weight, you will have health problems in the future." I was tired all the time & I was uncomfortable in my own skin. I have had lap-band surgery and it was the best decision I have made in my life. Most of my PCOS symptoms have gone away, or diminished tremendously. I don't think this has to do with wanting to be a thin girl, at least completely. It is very difficult to be obese and feel good about yourself; it's just more difficult to live. I can at least speak for myself when I say that I was physically uncomfortable all of the time, had trouble sleeping, breathing & moving. Also, one cannot even begin to explain the feeling one gets when strangers give you certain looks & people judge you, just for being big. I don't think anyone can understand how that feels unless they've lived through it. Also remember that all those horrible side effects from the surgery are rare, and depend on the patient follows the Dr’s post-op plan. Yes, it does restrict the food that we consume, but we aren’t starving; we just survive on less from now on. I think it’s wonderful that you are on this site asking for advice and insight, but try to see this from her point of view as well. It can be a painful life living an obese life; physically, emotionally and mentally. Good luck with everything!:rolleyes2:

Get more than one opinion regarding the bipolar thing. I have been in 12 step programs for close to 20 years and then with the weight gain I started having back pain which resulted in me being on Vicodin for extended periods of time (along with several rounds of physical therapy). It is hard taking meds when a person has an addictive personality. Its like having to eat to live when you are addicted to food. I always feel mood swings when I am coming off the vicodin. I usally ask for different pain meds even if they don't work as well just to keep off the same med (of any type) too long. It is difficult. Also, how old are you. I started feeling major mood swings and funk at the end of my thirties only to find out I was already entering menopause. We are at the tail end of this obesity thing. We are in THE SOLUTION. When I get discouraged after catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror and feeling shocked, I just remind myself that it is getting better each day and I am on my way out of this obesity hell I have been in for way to long. My bones and joints aren't working as hard as they did last week. It will only get better from here on out but we must be patient. Writing is so therapeutic. Journaling is a great idea and posting to the caring people on this wonderful site it too.

Hi Hopeforjoy, I am at 281 right now (I had lost 30 pounds and then gained back 15 recently due to ankle surgery last month) and also suffer from hypothryoidism (diagnosed after giving birth to 2nd child 5 1/2 yrs ago) and many other ailments. My first Endo never bothered to check my sugar levels so the weight came on somewhat fast as I have a sweet tooth. But over the 3 years that I was seeing that endo, he never cared about my rapid weight gain. Anyway, I changed endos and at each follow up visit she continued to "highly recommend" gastric bypass because I was detected as insulin resistant, cholestrol all wacky and everything else. I have been against gastric bypass since I became obese and decided to change endos again because I was tired of hearing about it at each visit. But I did learn from her that I was insulin resistant, which was causing all of my problems, and followed the insulin resistant diet where I finally lost the 30 pounds. Anyway, I made it clear to the 3rd endo that I did not want gastric bypass. He told me not worry right now and see what the lab results say. He did all kinds of labwork and when we scheduled the follow-up he highly recommended some sort of weightloss surgery because I was headed for a heart attack. I still refuse gastric bypass and I already knew about the Lap-band as a former boss of mine had it done over 4 years ago. I was told by my endo that the gastric bypass really should only be considered if your deathly/morbidly obese and need to lose the weight fast due to health reasons, otherwise, banding would be just as good. Don't get me wrong... When I made the appt with the doctor at the weightloss surgical center he tried to tell me that gastric bypass would be better for me. Again I refuse to have that procedure, and from what I read, most people get good results just with the lap band. Think about it hard though. Gastric bypass is very drastic. I have a cousin who had that done and yes she lost the weight but she had ALOT of loose skin! It looked horrible on her. And then she eventually gained all the weight back and now she is pretty stuck with it unless she changes her eating habits. So just think about it! <warm smile>

I was on it many years ago but had problems with reoccuring precancerous cells on my cervix. I went off the Depo and never had a problem since. When I went to my OB last year about birth control, she specifically said she wouldn't put me on Depo because of the massive weight gain it can cause. Just my experience.

Well I'm glad to hear that. [emoji846][emoji1490][emoji1490][emoji1490] Awesome decision on making that sleeved stomach work. As I was reading your response, it made me think about my own journey. We are our own health problems. When I first got my band, I was soooo excited and happy. I made sure I did EVERYTHING right. However, it kept slipping throughout the years because of MY BAD CHEWING HABITS. Meaning, I would sometimes forget to chew my food to mush and then would have to drink a lot of water to either help the food go down, or throw it back up. That has been my main problem. Then, I became lackadaisical about 4 years after having my band. While I continued to keep my weight down, it slowly began to increase because I was including foods that I know weren't good for me. Then my arthritis started getting worse even though I was at the smallest I had been since junior high school. After being put on meds to help control the pain, unfortunately, my weight gain continued to slowly increase, but it wasn't until this year (which is 8 yrs. postop), that I have gained the most of my weight. I gained 18 pounds in just two months because I was bedridden. Not able to move around like you used to really does make a difference. I was hospitalized back in February of this year, and the doctor opened my band because it had slipped yet again. So, suffice it to say, yes, we cause our own problems a lot of the time. Continued success on your journey. [emoji846] Sent from my SM-G965U using BariatricPal mobile app

I had a conversation yesterday with my OB about this same thing. I expressed to her that I had difficulty losing weight. She told me that 60-70% of her Mirena patients reported the same thing. Not so much of a problem with weight gain, but problems losing with a Mirena. I then told her that I was having WLS, without hesitation she said I should have my Mirena taken out and possibly consider tubal ligation or esure. She also suggested ablation to resolve my issue of heavy cycles. My nutritionist said the same thing - that my Mirena could possibly slow down my loss. I am having it removed. She also indicated that the Mirena was maybe only one factor of many (middle age, insulin resistance, etc.) that was causing me difficulty with losing weight. I'm sure this form of b/c effects everyone differently. I am pre-op, planning a December surgery.

Ok thanks for your responses I googled the Mirena and only then discovered that many other women report that is caused weight gain, libido problems and acne.

Sleeve is an easier surgery for doctors to perform and it's an easier recovery usually. I was back home the day of surgery and back to normal within a week or so. My surgeon recommended it over the bypass because if it wasn't successful there was still the bypass to do later, which is what ended up happening. I got severe GERD from the sleeve and ended up gaining some weight back. I just had the revision to bypass last month and wish I had just went straight to bypass a few years ago instead of doing the sleeve first. Sleeve recovery was simple and I lost 78 lbs in a year, then my gallbladder had to be removed, acid reflux/GERD got worse, and the weight gain started right after that. I didn't have acid/GERD issues before the sleeve. Recovery after bypass was harder for me, took me about a month to get my energy levels back up, but totally worth it so far. I took 3 weeks off work, but should have taken 4 weeks, but I work from home so I got through it. Congrats on getting your surgery date!

You could very well be in what is caused perimenopause, although that would be early. It goes on for 10 years before actual menopause. Insomnia can start in perimenopuase. Sometimes doctors will prescribe anti depressants for people who can't sleep. some of them cause people to feel drowsy but you have to be careful cause the side effect for a lot of them is weight gain. if he offers you any antidepressant, look it up online.

Lyrica is renowned for increasing your appetite & weight gain. It’s a great medication for nerve pain but ... Your appetite is probably coming back, with the meds contributing, & you may be sub-consciously eating more. It’s easy to do. Check your serving size and if you aren’t counting calories, you may need to give it a go for a couple of weeks. All the best.

Hi ms Kat Measuring is a big key. As bandsters we should really be eating 1 cup at each meal. For me portion was and is a big roadblock to weight loss. You may need a fill or 2 or 3 to get to the point where one cup is enough. Also the foods you have listed...can be high in sodium and sugar depending on the product, and can cause Water retention and too much sugar actually can cause a weight gain. Bulk up on the solid Protein, alot of the items you listed are slider foods that go through so easily we can over eat them. It takes time to figure out what works for you and what doesn't. It can be frustrating I know but you will get there

Yay for an interesting and lively discussion/debate, y'all! I'm inclined to agree with @loey13 based on my reading and countless exhortations to eat breakfast from dietitians and my therapist (an eating disorder specialist). I think that it's possible we could all agree on the following statement: If you skip breakfast, you may develop more hunger, leading you to eat more throughout the day, which could lead to weight gain. Thoughts? There are obviously exceptions to every rule so hopefully that is a reading of the study's conclusion that could apply to most people generally.

My name is Kristen...and I am totally a food addict. It took me forever to figure that out. I eat because I love, love, love food. I am not an emotional eater. I am not eating to hide myself. I just love food so much, and I experience "high's" from food consumption, just as a drug addict would. I also work in software development. I work from home for a company on the east coast as a SQA engineer...and I also have a photography business. I am 39 years old, and as long as I could remember I have struggled with my weight. For me there wasn't a moment where I became fat, like having a baby or something...no, I have just always struggled with my weight. I have yo-yo'd with diets and weight gain all of my adult life. So last May, my mom had a heart attack. She has always been successful managing her weight, and it happened to her. So I knew it was time to change. I started my VSG journey in October of 2012. I was sleeved on 1/28. For the most part, I have had very little complications. Immediately after surgery, my hearts started having a lot of PVC's (irregular heart beats), so I got the whole cardio package in the hospital. I have always had PVC's, but I guess they didn't occur in the surgery, and started pretty crazy in recovery. I am still working at getting released from the cardiologist, but I am thankful that they are taking it so seriously. I was sleeved in Topeka, KS! Recovery has been pretty good since then. I am down 42 lbs at 4 weeks out. However, that includes my pre-op diet. I am married with two children. My kids are 18 & 20. Daughter is 20 and getting married in the fall. She is a junior in college and studying to become a HS English teacher. Son is 18, and a freshman in college, not sure what he wants to do. My husband is the best person I have ever met in my life. We have been married over 21 years, so if you do the math - we got married at 18. Ran off and eloped 3 days before he left for basic in USAF! Pre-op, I truly had a lot of self confidence. At one of my dr's visits, my Dr. was talking about my daughter;s wedding and she said something like "You are going to look so much better then!". My reply was "I look pretty dang good now!" I am not really that conceited, but I do hate the idea that people think they were hideous when they were overweight. But then again, my husband tells m everyday how beautiful I am...so he would never allow me to feel ugly. He has been so supportive of me getting the sleeve, too...frequently telling me how proud of me he is. My husband and I coach a competitive fastpitch 18U team in NE KS. We love our players and their families. This is our 5th year. Both of us have a tremendous heart for children/teens. We have invested much of our life into the youth ministry. My personality, I am always upbeat and happy. It is a choice I make everyday. I used to be pretty negative. Then I realized I was the one with the problem, not the rest of the world. So now I choose happiness. I choose laughter and often times silliness. Life is way too short to be miserable. I have already offended a couple on here with my sense of humor, I suspect that I probably will offend someone else. So I apologize in advance and will try to be on my best behavior. I stress "try". The last few weeks of my life have been really hard, so my theories on happiness have been challenged hardcore. One of our softball players was in a car accident and broke her neck. Because of her circumstances, my husband and I think of this young lady as our own. She frequently stays with us, and we pick up a large portion of her softball expenses. When it was time for college recruiting, we took her on all of her college visits....so watching her go through what she did...I truly felt like it was my own kid. While she was in the hospital, my son received some devestating news. His football career is over. He was recruited by over 100 schools his junior and senior years in HS. Several D1's were in that mix. He took an illegal hit to his right knee in a game in his senior year...3 surgeries later it is somewhat fixed. Test results on his left knee shows a 4th surgery is in the future, so as a family we made the decision that football was finished. Knees are something you need a lot longer that a college football career. My daughter pitched in college and made the decision to retire after her sophmore season, because of health issues...that was hard...but she at least got to play in college and experience that. My son signed for a college, but never stepped on the field. Then after all of this...we are dealing with the impending/looming sequestration. If congress doesn't agree on something by Friday, my husband will soon lose his job. He has been an air traffic controller for 21 years, and he will lose his livlihood. There will not be any other ATC jobs if this happens. The tower he works at is scheduled to close as part of the Dept. of Transp. cuts. In all of this, we will make it. We are blessed...am hoping for things to chill out a bit, though. This is who I am...I look forward to getting to know some good support friends on here. God bless, Kristen

Protein cookie habit is way better than the apple fritter habit, right? I need to break my energy square habit of 2 every morning. However, it gives me energy and does not cause weight gain, so all is good...

I had a I had a Lap band removal and vsg conversion in June 2014. I started at 252 as my highest weight and 237 as my surgery weighty. My lowest weight was 201. I followed the diet faithfully for almost 2 years and kept the weight off give or take a couple of pounds.. I found that's spinning was my favorite exercise and still is. I was active on and off the 4 years because of complication so with my knee and then plantar fascititis. The last year has been hard cause I my plantar fasciitis and lower back pain. ( which restarted since I've put on weight again) has been really bothering me... so new activities that I love like 5k and 8k runs... well their increasingly difficult to complete. I now weigh 248. Which is above my surgery weight. My GERD isa real problem... I still drink my proteins shakes... take my vitamins.. I eat most things but not in excess because of my sleeve...my weight gain has been a plateau for about for almost 2 years now.. I have not gained and only loose 5lbs here Andy there's and regain it back. I guess give the fact that I really didn't lose as much weight as I expected to with the vsg and gaining all that weight back, has me thinking that the malabsorption piece of weight loss surgery is the tool that would help me final loose weight and be healthier. This extra weight gain is causing me physical pain now and I wann do something about it.

It can be difficult to maintain especially if your not consistant and continue to follow this lifestyle change. I remember I was around 185 before my cruise next thing u kno 1 week later im back in the 90's! no way!!!! LOLThats too close to 200...I want to go as low as possible without looking sick. I do believe 160 will look good on me, so I can have a gap to play with (between 160-170 for weight gain) You always want to leave enough room to play around for weight gain bc nobody truly stays the SAME weight forever...If you want to stay away from the 200's, I would say 160 would be extremly safe. For a person whose 5'8, 160 is a good weight

I'm required to complete 90 days of the program which includes 2 nitrition appointments, psych eval, no weight gain among other requirements. What do you mean by "approved instution"? Do you mean the hospital must be approved?