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Hi Everyone, I haven't been here for a while. I was banded in January by Dr Kuri and have only lost 14 lbs. I am 55 years old and will be going for my third fill next week. The doctor I found in Sioux Falls to do my aftercare and fills believes in only very small fills once per month until the sweet spot is found. I was very discouraged for a while, but now I am happy that I have stopped the upward spiral of weight gain and even if it takes several years at least the scale is going in the right direction. I was banded at 216 lbs and am now at 202. I want to get into the 100's so badly!!!

Perhaps a counselor would help. food addiction is very real and very powerful. There is plenty to "fear", like weight gain, band slips, and health issues. But I don't think fear will help you. Addiction isn't rational and fear rarely plays a role in it. Just like a crack addict knows it can kill them, the fear of death isn't strong enough to tame the addiction. Food addiction is no different. Find a good counselor that deals with addiction, I really think it would help a lot.

Besides my husband and my kids. I have decided not to tell anyone in my family. I have been really upset that they have badgered me about my weight gain and have made it very difficult for my to even want to be around them. What I find so insulting is that they are all extremely overweight but because my parents were both thin they assumed I should be as well. I hate also when people say that getting wls is the "easy" way out. How is it easy? I have give up almost everything and learn to re-eat and get treatment for learning how to stop overeating and go through the pain and struggle of doing without any support. If that is easy, what is hard?

If you're *just* over into the obese range and hesitant about Lapband, have you considered trying a medical weight management program first before surgery? They will prescribe you rx diet drugs and have you on Optifast for several weeks, which may be enough for you to get into the normal range. That would be my first go-to if my BMI was around 30. My friend had Lapband 6 or 7 years ago and is still going strong, for what it's worth. No weight gain, no problems. She does have to go and get it filled some or unfilled on rare occasion, which seems like a huge pain.

Hello all...and thank you for all your well wishes! We had the first appointment today... all went well. Still too early to hear the heartbeat (7 weeks... due 4/25). They said I'm in perfect health to deliver at the Birth Center (which is all holistic..run by midwives) She even said I have the BP of a runner!... yeah I'm thinking... you see the size of my rear?? I dont run!! HA! I'm having bouts with nausea and I get tired pretty fast...but I went to my chiropractor and got adjusted and feel 100% better. They also have no worries about the band and pregnancy. They just want me to visit my Dr and have him write up a little note saying that he agrees to treat me as needed if any complications (too much restriction) arise. So far so good... I'm able to eat small meals...and quite alot at times. I still have good restriction but I'm able to eat without any trouble at all.... meats, breads... everything goes down fine. I'm a little tight in the morning with my cereal but I'm able to eat a cup with no problem. And funny thing is... I'm craving proteins! Mostly cheeses. And all of a sudden I hate fish and seafood... something I've always LOVED! Very odd... I didnt weigh in today so I'm not sure where I stand with gain/loss... and honestly... I'm really not worried too much. Dont get me wrong.. I dont want to gain nearly what I gained with my first pregnancy (nearly 80 lbs) but I'm looking to have a normal, healthy weight gain. I'm still walking and just trying to take good care of me and the baby!

Hi all! Been quite a while since I've been on here... Was doing well with the weight loss... Even started running! Then I suffered a back injury... Had surgery 3.5 weeks ago. The back issue lead to depression which lead to more weight gain... And so on.... Hoping the surgery was a success so I can get back on the right track!

I made it through christmas week and being on vacation. No weight gain which excites me next fill Jan 2

TO ALL, You are all right!!! I am a obsessive weigher!!!! LOL!!! I weigh in the morning.....I weigh after work....I weigh before bed!!! I wish I could say I would only weigh ONCE a week....but I would be lying to you guys!!! LOL!!! Lizrbit, I would blame it on that....but I have been sooooo regular that I have a hard time believing it. I usually am not.....so I always blame weight gain on that but this week I deserve a prize for that!!! LOL Laura, I am prepared for water gain....I take a diuretic every night to take care of all that water that I drink!!! Legster and Mini, I know I shouldnt weigh every day but I am crazy and obsessive about everything!!! Maybe I should throw my scales away!! I hav 3 in the house!!! See I told ya I was a little crazy!!! LOL!!! If I did that then I would be at the Walgreens at 8 am weighing on there scales....and at 9 pm!! LOL Sandra 255h/242s/206c/165g

i started in may received my band june30th i have lost 53 pounds total and six sizes yet im frustrated that i bounce back and forth 2 or 3 pounds for weeks at a time but now my dr gave me water pills and i lost 6pds in less than a week but my friend says i only lost it because of the water pills can that be true other than that im excited i fit my husbands large sweatpants and xl tshirt how does the size compare what size would that be in womans

The hardest part is getting your head in the game and keeping it there for the long haul. It isn't a situation of getting an "easy ride" with the surgery then being able to resume a fun/frivolous life. Just like with diets, that will lead back to weight gain--by doing the same things that got us a lifetime ticket to the Obesity Ball in the first place. So, even though I want to go out and party like it's 1999 in my new skinny body, I don't. I stay down on the farm and do my daily work. I eat the right things. I do the daily exercise. I work on my head/relationships/spirituality/relaxation, etc.

I am so happy with my band. I have just come back from the dentist and while I was there I received big compliments for my smaller body. I do think that banding can be a wise move for us older women. I know that I started to gain weight after I hit menopause. This happened to me when I was 41! The weight gain happened slowly and at first I was kinda relaxed about it. A year or so ago I woke up and realised that I had become quite large and that this was a one-way street going in the wrong direction. Indeed it was! The following year I continued to gain weight. I was giving away pants that I had recently bought and I was truly in despair over my body. Joining a gym did not help me lose weight and I had heard that diets could have long term negative effects. (Believe it or not, I have only once in my life been on a diet and that was in my early 20s. I put myself on this egg and grapefruit diet and lost weight off my boobs. lol) I had been fantasizing about massive liposuction when a friend of mine heard about the lap band on a local television morning show. She told me about this procedure and told me how to access a local website. My concern was that I wasn't heavy enough even though in Canada we usually are required to self-pay. I met with the surgical team and was approved pending the results of my physical tests. I cleared those and the rest is history. There were a number of things that I found reassuring about this approach to weight loss. I liked the fact that the surgery is minimally invasive compared to many of the options out there. It is day surgery and the recovery time is quick. I also liked the fact that it is reversible. I am one of those people who tend to see the glass as half empty. I know that if I should have a serious illness and need my appetite back, I can get it. Weight gain is a side effect of ageing. The lap band is a tool which can help us fight this.

Let me add my point of view. Surgery is not the solution it’s a tool. Those same issues you lacked self control over pre surgery will be there post surgery. You must be willing to put in the work to optimize your tool. I’m close to 11 years post op. I went from 384 to 210 with my surgery. 6 years in I stalled and put in the work myself and went from 210 to 164. How did I do it? I spent time in counseling. Learning how to love me. Resolving issues that caused a negative relationship with food. Every once in awhile they will pop up. But investing in healing has saved me. I didn’t need a cheerleader in the process. I needed someone to hold me accountable. I didn’t want sympathy for making the decision to eat crap. Call me out on my sh*t. I got rid of those who wanted me to fail and created a healthier circle of people who wanted me to succeed. I recently put on 20 lbs. I didn’t get depressed. I earned every pound gained. I knew where I slacked. I let Coronavirus get me. I owned it and set a plan that didn’t include starving. Currently down 10. Clothes fitting again. Plan to be back at goal by Thanksgiving. The decision to have surgery is extreme. And it’s going to take extreme responses to give you a reality check. The reality is you’re going to have to put in the work to lose the weight post op. And that requires being called out on behaviors that may have need brushed under previously. It’s hard but it’s needed. Hit me up anytime on IG: @bariatricbutterfly. I work with women atleast 3 years post op experiencing weight gain and want to gain control on working their tool.

Depends on the goal weight you're talking about. The one I tell my team to prove that I have a realistic understanding of what my surgical outcome is likely to be? I punched in my numbers to an online outcome calculator, rounded down so that they had the opportunity to gently adjust my expectations. I don't remember what this number is, because I could not care less about it. The one I use for my usual calculations and plans at this stage? I used an ideal body weight calculator (there are a number of different equations) and picked the highest version to be realistic. The secret one that I rarely admit or factor into planning? It's the one above, minus 10% of the amount of weight I would have lost at that body weight to buffer against expected weight gain. I doubt I'll reach this one, it depends on how I feel and whether plastic surgeons have a minimum weight requirement. I dunno, it doesn't really matter all that much at this point. I have no idea how much weight will come off from plastics and top surgery, how much weight I'm stuck with because it's extra bone or organ tissue that supported my fat body, and how my transition would realistically affect those calculations anyway.

Melody - Yes! Oh my Gosh - I forgot to add that part - during my Fluro ( GAG!! ) with the 1.5 gone, i had NO restriction what so ever, so hence , the weight gain. They put 1 back in, an i was totally blocked! lol so she put in .5, and all is well now - Very well SOOOO glad to be back!!

Bob--welcome back from the Farm. I was beginning to think you'd been lost in a freak combine/thresher accident. What game will provide your next diversion? Dottie--I’m sorry your doctor wasn’t supportive. I am not sure why some doctors seem to approach giving fills as somehow bestowing a great, yet undeserved, gift. I’m with Leigha and Jim--remember that you’re paying him, and that he has a job to do. Heaven knows you’re doing your part of the job very well. Now he needs to do his. Preferably without making you feel bad in the process. (Phhht. Screw his stats. Does he really think they're reflective of his success? They're not.) TJ--I agree 100 percent with you. We have to be responsible for our own bodies. I’ve been remarkably lucky, because my doctor is very well-rounded and we click. But even so, there are decisions I make that don’t quite mesh with his “plan.” I am perfectly fine with that--and so is he. It works well. I’m glad you have a doctor who approaches things with you similarly. I think it makes a tremendous difference. Good aftercare is so important--and having it with a good doctor is a pleasure. Denise--I love your plate NSV! Good luck with the doctor--I hope you get set on a path to get good answers so that you feel well again. Stacey-- I will send a friend request on FB. I’m Betsy Banks-Golub. I’m glad you’re seeing your PCP. Getting your asthma under control will help a lot. But remember, exercise doesn’t have to be punishing in order to be effective. Can you walk without experiencing symptoms? I’m sorry you’re battling depression, too. It can throw a wrench into the works, for sure. There are lots of options for treatment. While some meds can produce weight gain, usually relieving depression makes it easier to comply with eating and exercise plans, so loss is quite often a feature that accompanies recovery. I took Cymbalta for fibromyalgia pain for a few years. It was very helpful in terms of weight loss. It’s one of the antidepressants for which this seems to be a common feature, so it might be worth looking in to. Wellbutrin, too, is frequently chosen because it promotes loss. But in general, the most important thing is getting the depression under control so that the lifestyle stuff can follow. Don't underestimate the value of exercise and good nutrition to reducing depression. Once you're in a better place (both in terms of your asthma and depression), you'll feel the changes these promote, and one good day will be the foundation for the next. Before you know it, you'll have a chain of successes. And that will help motivate you on the days when doing what you need to do just isn't all that appealing. I hope you get good guidance and help and are soon feeling much better. We’re all here for you. HB--That’s quite a video LOL Bobbie--I’m so sorry your “interview” wasn’t an interview. You must be so disappointed. We’ve had to endure the double-unemployment thing, and it’s so, so hard. Your family is in my prayers---I know you will find something soon.

Betsy: Whoa...just read the posts on Mark. Lots of prayers and good wishes winging your way. Jen: Congrats on no 'camel toe' and yes, you did say that. I'm going to giggle all morning over that one. IllumLady: 14"! Woot! You go, girl. That is an incredible difference! You must feel mah-velous! Lizzy: Frighteningly, according to the rising number of drivers getting in accidents as a result of talking on cell phones, these moments do not stop when they start driving. Leigha: Sorry your husband's tired of hearing about your weight loss. Next time he says so, ask him if this isn't better than hearing about your weight *gain*. Besides...you have us and we love to hear about your weight loss! Ok...page 10...back to reading... Cocoa: Ok, I am laughing about your stuck episode and husband's response but only because I've 'been there, done that'. It's getting to the point where I just don't want to eat out anymore because I'm never sure what's going to do it next. Congrats on being so close to goal! Wow...how did I miss that?! As for heading your way for the cleaning...my method of organizing involves getting rid of anything I haven't used in the last year. I stick it in a box and put it in the garage...and if nobody misses it for the 2nd year, out it goes...and I don't even open the box up first cuz you know how that will go...back in the house. BT: LOL on creating blender masterpieces. One of my band books has a bunch of recipes that are quite...ummm...creative. If you get a craving for a cheeseburger, try this one. Take one Wendy's single with cheese and remove the top bun only. Tear/cut the rest up and put in blender. Add beef broth and run until you have a slurry of whatever thickness you like. Voila! Cheeseburger shake! GACK!! These people must honestly think fat people will eat *anything*. Good luck on your 'create-a-shake'. HB: I used to love bowling, but found at some point that I just couldn't bend enough to get that ball off right because I did worry about splitting my crotch. Guess I just didn't have my priorities right, eh? :thumbup: All the rest, forgive me if I missed commenting. Soooo many posts! Ok...off to make my shake and I will be back...

HB-That video is creepily beautiful lol! Is creepily a word?? Bobbie-Sorry to hear it didn't go quite as you had hoped. When a door shuts a window opens. Me-I really need to vent so sorry..apologizing in advance..and I am not looking for sympathy. I just keep asking myself can I DO THIS?? I have eaten crap, not exercised like I should and I just can't seem to get myself on track. There is no motivation and willpower at the moment and it is honestly breaking my heart. I hate that food is where I turn to. My feelings just make me want to run to ice cream. I used to smoke...that was my escape. Quit that for food. Gained lots and lots of weight (so who knows maybe I would've been healthier a smoker!). I don't deal with stress and anxiety well. There is alot of stress & anxiety in my life right now and I just can't deal with it...and now I am feeling like a failure on top of it :smile2:. I have an appt with my PCP, but soonest I could get in on an evening is the 22nd. I don't know if there is anything he can give me for anxiety/depression that doesn't have weight gain as a side effect. Also seeing him because it seems my exercise induced asthma is in full swing again (which is not helping with the whole weight loss thing). GRRRR....Isn't there just a skinny/happy/life is perfect pill??

Morning peeps...I'm out of bed, but don't know about 'up'. The pain in my arm is back with a vengeance and nothing is helping. I have to take my son into the doc today since he's decided he wants to switch from his pediatrician to a 'grownup doc' and I think I'll ask her if there's anything she can do as a temporary measure. Otherwise everything is going along swimmingly. The swelling has apparently gone down from my last fill 2 weeks ago and I could probably use another .25cc fill but I think I'm going to hold off and see how it goes over the next week. I normally don't step on the scale except Monday but needed a boost yesterday and found I dropped another 2 lbs but I'm not going to make it official until next Monday...at which time it will probably disappear and tell me I haven't lost anything. Betsy: I wish I could 'shop' in a daughter's closet, but I guess my husband's will have to do. Although, while his sweatshirts are co-ed, I'll never fit into his jeans. They're typical flat hipped men's pants and my curves just laugh at them. Bob: You probably could chalk the weight gain up to female hormones...but then you'd have some 'splainin' to do, Lucy. Bob, love the pics of your home on facebook. Want a roommate? I refer to my little home as 'the house from hell'. Liz: Don't worry about the scale. My scale didn't move for weeks but I could tell from my clothes that I was definitely losing. Leigha: I think our priorities change...plus, as we lose the weight, we're physically *able* to do more. Christie: I wouldn't worry about the crackers. My doc is one of those who says 'eat what you can, drink if you can't'. I was able to eat after every single fill without any problems, although my list of foods changed. HB: I stopped at a McD's to pick up something to eat for my son one day a few weeks back and ate one of his fries. *Big Big mistake*. Not only did I learn that (a) they weren't as good as I remembered and (:cursing: french fries do stick...I also learned that eating 'on the run' is a big nono. There is nothing worse than being stuck and having to pull over until the episode passes. It's not like I could take a gulp of his drink and let it all come back up because 'oversploding' on the side of the road with cars whizzing by just was not an option in my book. Ok...need to get to work. Have a great day everyone! Oh, and welcome to the newbies! .

Thank you for the warm welcome. I am 36 and I was overweight in grade school and lost weight in junior high school, still always a little overweight. I was married in 91 to my husband of 15 years(that I met at church). I had our first daughter in 92 and gained alot of weight with her. I maintained that weight gain plus some and I was at 230 pounds when I looked into lapband. That was my highest weight. I wanted to get a grip on my weight before it got worse. I was banded Oct 6, 2006 and weighed 226 I believe. My goal is to weigh 135, which is 8 pounds less then what I weighed for my wedding day(which is the best I ever felt) I just want to see what it feels like to be a weight I haven't been since Jr. High. I only have 53 pounds to go. I am 188 now and at a standstill. I have done that off and on and it doesn't worry me. It is a healthy way to loose. I am looking forward to weigh in next Wednesday.

I do the same thing, I am just happy to see the weight going down on a scale vs going up, its harmless and I am also prepared to see it stay in the same spot for awhile while I work through a stall. Hopefully by the time that hits I will be able to increase the amount that I am working out. One of my personal goals is to be able to do a 5k without having to stop, or slow down, before my weight gain I was doing a 5k in less than 27 minutes, and once I get to that point again this big boy will be doing cartwheels down the street!!!!

Hi - all good questions. :-) While some people struggle with the balloon, most do not for the "first few weeks" ... it's more like the first few days. I did not feel great for the first few days, but I was not horribly miserable, either (and after a week - maybe less - I was fine). I ended up throwing up three times in first two days, but that's it. If you are properly prepared (with meds, nutrition, etc.), it's not that bad ... certainly not as bad as I expected. Having said that, different people react differently. I know three people who had it within a week of me - two did better than I did (not throwing up in those first few days at all, although one did later) and one did worse (she was really miserable). Just like with surgery, you don't know how your body will respond. In terms of why the balloon rather than surgery, the balloon is much less invasive, has fewer risks and, despite those first few yucky days, has a faster recovery time. I was always too chicken to permanently alter my anatomy, so this was a good option for me, despite not being covered by insurance (it is ~ $5000-$8500 for the insertion, removal and a year of doctor/dietitian support ... some places even offer exercise physiologist and therapy support). Having said that, I would not be surprised if insurance starts to cover it soon (it's so new that I just don't think the insurance companies have had a chance to process it yet). I talked to the gentleman who lost 77 pounds after he had his balloon removed and he was doing well. He was VERY motivated to lose more, so I would be surprised if he's gained anything back (he only had it removed a few weeks ago). Please note that 77 pounds is not typical. Most people report 25-50 pounds in the six months. Please also note that you cannot get the balloon in the US if your BMI is over 40 ... so most people who get it have less to lose than people who have surgery. Do people gain the weight back ... some do and some don't, and some just gain some of it back. It all depends on whether or not they treat the six months as an opportunity to change their habits and commit to a lifestyle change. It also depends on whether or not they take advantage of the additional six months of support that are included in the package. In other words, the balloon is just a tool than can be used to kick-start weight loss ... it's not a magic bullet. (However, I would say the same thing about surgery - unfortunately most of the people I know who have had surgery have not lost as much as they had hoped [some not at all!] and/or gained some weight back after an initial loss because they had not made necessary lifestyle changes.) Having said all of that, in balloon studies, people who had had balloons did a better job of maintaining than people who did not. In summary, the decision to get a balloon or to have surgery is a big one - no one should take it lightly. I highly recommend doing a lot of research, reading the studies and meeting with more than one doctor. But at the end of the day, whatever someone decides, it is just a tool - it's not the answer. As my doctor said, his job was the easy part - the hard work was mine to do. No matter how you approach weight loss (even if you just do a diet) it requires planning, commitment and diligence ... forever. And if you do it with the balloon, that six months should be used to not only drop the pounds, but also to get counseling and support to work through the issues that caused the weight gain in the first place. I hope that helps. Please feel free to reach out with any other questions. Regardless, best of luck to you and your friend!

WLS allows for a metabolic reset of your fat storage/energy system. It allows your body chemistry (super complicated) to defend a lower set-point, but google Dr. Matthew Weiner on The YouTube and watch all of his videos and you will learn about it. Unlike what @VIN_IN_AL says, my program (major university) told me no caloric threshold for calories. My real advice (RNY) was to get 60-80g of lean, dense, low fat protein in daily from as many sources as possible for diversification, to eat 1-2 bites of low glycemic veggies, and don't eat much fat--but if I did, to use tiny bits of healthy fat. And to get in 64oz water + daily vitamins. Beyond that, they were fully aware that during WLM (weight loss mode) I averaged between 650-850 calories per day and my sweet spot seemed to be something like 750cals. The doctor and my RD never said a word about it, nor did either encourage me to artificially inflate my calories because of some mythical theoretical mumbo jumbo just to hit some "magic threshold" to prevent "starvation mode" (a myth). I hit first goal at around 8-9months despite having a crapton of metabolic issues and shortcomings including being on a cancer drug that shuts down my hormones and causes weight gain in most people. (See the rest in my signature). I'm now maintaining at 131lbs this morning at 1100 cals average. That means preferentially some days I eat 700-800 cals per day (3 days per week) and some days I eat as much as 1400-1500 cals per day depending on appetite or what I'm doing. Over the week it averages to about 1100 cals. I'm not in starvation. My vitamin status at two years is fabulous and there ya have it.

Sorry for the long response. Pre surgery, I don't think I had a sensation of full. Hunger and cravings were intense. Post surgery - Many of us experience times of real and head hunger. I'm not " really hungry all the time" Five years out, My hunger is manageable. It normal to have less sleeve restriction years out, ( my sleeve is not stretched or back to full size) I can fill the extra space with real whole foods, stay within my maintenance calories, and feel satisfied. There is no reason to eat weight gain calories just because I can hold more food. Only my experience, (you most likely have herd these things before) Real hunger happens when I skip meals, eat the wrong food, eat under my calories, and working out. Head hunger happens when I'm bored, around temptation or stressed/emotional. I know theses things about myself. I learned how to satisfy hunger when it happens. If I deny cravings, I just want them more. I keep healthy low calorie options for sweet and salty on hand. In weight loss mode, I avoid certain things. I cant stop at a small amount of chocolate or a bag of chips. *laughing* I know myself. My husband hides them from me. Life should be lived in maintenance. I have times I indulge, take vacations, and carb load for sports. Afterward, I have cravings and hunger. I eat my bariatric plan and carvings/ hunger go away. I eat dense protein, veggies and other items on my plan. (They stay in my sleeve longer than slider/soft stage foods) peppermint tea calms my sleeve I spread my meals out five/six a day, Schedule a protein snack before bed. Head hunger and night snacking -I keep a veggie tray and fruit in the fridge, I allow my self to eat as much until full. If I try to bargain for other items I know its head hunger.

I have had PCOS for so long...when I was originally diagnosed it was called Stein-Leventhal Syndrome. I struggled 20 YEARS with it. Every single symptom, I have/had. Wls saved my life. I went from 6 insulin injections a day, to nothing. My PCOS helped me get high lipids, battle diabetes, high blood pressure, hair loss on my head, excessive hair growth everywhere else, extreme weight gain...I could go on and on. 2 years post vsg, my ONLY regret: that I didn't do the surgery sooner! 2 years post op, 188 pounds down, healthy, and 10 weeks pregnant!

Pinenut - Thanks band buddy! I got on the scale this morning and there was no weight gain from last nights splurge . . . . no loss but . . . I am back on the plan and running the race to win! my plan is to reach my goal in a year. Keeping my eye on the prize and with Gods help it will happen!!