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I haven't had any weight gains but a couple of slow weeks where I lost only a pound or maybe 1/2 pound. I seem to average about 1&1/2 lb a week. I battle head hunger a lot too but I seem to have better self-control most of the time now than I ever had before surgery. I do eat things occasionally that are less than helpful choices for weight loss but I can't eat very much so it hasn't hurt me do far. Very sugary foods make me nauseous so I don't want that stuff as much, LOL! I crave a bowl of cereal sometimes so I have a little 1/2 cup custard bowl for that. Cracks me up when I think how much I used to eat. I suggest you try upping your daily calories to 1000 and add in some more protein and also a little omega 3 fats like avocado, egg, olive oil and see if that helps with the head hunger. The omega 3 fats are very important for the sense of satiation and for your overall health. pre-surgery weight 325; surgery date 2/28/2013; surgery weight 307; 8 weeks past-op weight 281.4; 12 weeks post-op 274

I'm sure it's the Gabapentin that caused my weight gain. I say that because the scale would show a 2 lb gain when previous days, I had stayed on track the whole time. I'd like to try Welbutrin. It's one of the only ones I have not tried. I'm so afraid of weight gain. Everyone that starts an antidepressant tells me they have gained weight from it. A friend just told me she has gained 20 lbs since she started the Abilify 6 weeks ago. I bet I gained 75 lbs way back when I was on Amitriptiline (sp?) when the internet became available, I looked it up and it said as one of the side effects that it makes you crave sugar and carbs. I take Ativan if I am in freak out mode. I don't know what I am going to do now for a doctor since my nurse practioner left. It's really hard to get a doctor around here. They only want to take patients who don't have medical problems. People who only come in if they have a cold or need a physical. I think I am getting out of the hospital tomorrow. Now it's going to become really hard. I won't be able to drive and I can't sit on the couch or recliner. Of course I want to bone graft to take so I will follow doctor's orders, but I am going to be miserable.

Glad your back....been worried about you..... Florinda I'm glad your back too, sad for your loss and proud that you sang at Larry's funeral..... the weight gain from the exercise is inflammation from working those muscles and your body is working to repair those muscles...such a process and very frustrating to see a gain after such hard work.... I actually lost a lb from yesterday most likely due to my body not being able to tolerate lactose any longer. I get stomach problems about 15 minutes after drinking it. Sorry for TMI.....But I'll take it and continue working on losing some more..

Hi all. Had a pretty good week at work. New schedule is working well. However, 3 new students starting at our school Monday. One is just pre-school. However, 2 of them will need to be added to my schedule. One of them is coming to us from Wisconsin. Her mother "homeschooled" her and then died. A foster family put her in school where it was discovered that, though she was old enough for third grade, her academic scores were at kindergarten level. The school was providing massive help for her but grandmother, who lives in Chicago, sought custody and had to prove to the courts that she would provide good schooling where she would receive equivalent help. I couldn't promise equivalent help, but I wrote up what I could provide and talked to her sped teacher and compared methods. So grandma got custody and she's starting Monday. She is in second grade and currently tests at beginning of first grade. The other child has been out of our school since first grade and is returning as a 5th grader functioning at a mid-third grade level. Two weeks ago, I started two new kids I'd tested who also need help. One is testing at the 98th percentile in reading but below the 10th in math. Fortunately, he's only in third grade and I should be able to catch him up but I suspect a genuine learning disability in math. His half-sister is very high in computation but very low in math compreshension, so she is seeing me, too. This is the way it's like with every new kid we get. I think, when the parents find out about my program, it's one of the main reasons they send their kids to RCS. As long as RCS can keep its doors open, and some fool doesn't shut down No Child Left Behind or stop funding it, I have great job security. It means I work 10 hrs/day in order to accommodate these kids but that's my choice. I've reduced my group sizes by putting kids in before and after school and as long as my groups are small and I've neutralized behavior problems by making sure those kids are on the computers or are coming before school and not with their peers, I can just keep teaching. I do have at least one light period everyday where I just have 2 kids on the computer. I have an assistant two days a week, and another woman who comes in and tutors a couple of days a week. She is a theology student at McCormick Theological Seminary and is paid by them to tutor at our school. She got assigned to me to supervise so she comes in as her classes allow her. So, my food is OK, not terrific. The small weight gain has led to me being tight, which makes it hard for me to eat as much meat as I'd like. My high blood Calcium problems are also affecting my food choices. The Atkins products I like for treats all have high calcium in them. It's difficult to do 3 days of very low carbs when I can't use any of the products that worked for me while losing weight. Just the milk I put in my coffee contains almost all the calcium I need in one day. Add one Protein drink and I'm over the top. None of my parathyroid tests has come back abnormal. My blood calcium is only a small fraction above normal and they haven't found a cause, so I'm thinking it's just a physical anomaly of my body, and the amount of calcium I consume is probably not the cause. Nevertheless, I'm trying to at least not go over 200% of what I need. Woman my age are supposed to be taking 150% of the daily recommended dose to prevent bone loss, which I do have-though very mild-despite my high blood calcium. This is a very wierd thing. I've cut back my Vitamin D but I'm not eliminating it because its helped me so much with seasonal affective disorder. It's very hard for those of us of Northern European extraction who live in northern climates to get enough of it. My blood levels are high but not too high. However, combined with too much Calcium it could still be the cause of the high blood calcium levels. Especially since I use a laxative which can also lead to high blood calcium. So I'm trying to cut my laxative use as well, but I've been constipated since childhood. I eat a salad every night and take ground flax seed in the morning and at night and it makes no difference. So I'm frustrated. I have no time and no desire to cook. I don't enjoy eating out because I can eat so little and my husband can eat so much. Plus he eats extremely slowly because of his false teeth so I'm sitting there forever watching him eat. For an ADHD compulsive overeater, this is not a good thing. So I'm venting. If you didn't understand half of what I said, that's OK. The gist of it is that my calcium problems are causing me food choice problems since what works for me weight wise may not be good for my blood calcium levels. In addition, the slight weight gain has tightened my band enough that I'm having trouble eating enough meat and protein to satisfy me and keep my cravings at bay. This leads to eating sliders, which are always fat and carbs combined-a deadly combo. So I need to lose weight in order to loosen the band in order to eat right, but my tools for doing that have been compromised by my blood calcium. So I'm frustrated which is something I always used food to medicate. I'm not enjoying my meat because I start pbing so quickly on it, so eating is frustrating. I can't eat out because of pbing on meat and having to sit there and watch my husband eat for another half an hour while my food is cooling in front of me. Aargh. Cheri

Cheri...that composite photo is exactly what the end result will be. All impressions have been done and bridge and 20 crowns are just sitting there waiting to be installed. Arlene...congrats on the weightloss and getting to the "real" food stage. I just have to put my 2 cents worth in...I cringed when I read bagel. Gotta have some carbs but I would eliminate that one. Maybe it's because I was one to eat a large bagel each morning dripping in peanut butter or cream cheese/jam. I KNOW it contributed to my weight gain. But, you are sticking to you caloric intake and admire you for that. Joyce...a BIG congrats on reaching Onderland. Feels great, doesn't it?:thumbup:

Here's Kaye Bailey's this week's newsletter -- it seems to hit the nail on the head for us this week, so thought I'd share it again. From Kaye Bailey: Recently in a question and answer session I was asked "What is the single most important advice you give to post weight loss surgery patients?" Well, I was certainly caught off guard by this and on the spot I'm not sure I gave the best answer when I said "Make your own health a priority before taking care of anyone else so that when it is time to care for and nurture others you have the physical and mental strength to do so." I am not original with this advice and it does sound good in a sentence, but how do we do that in the real world of family-work-friends-social-religious-networking commitments? So, I am taking the opportunity with this 5 Day Pouch Test Bulletin to amend my answer and offer something a bit different, although I do know that we do our best when we are healthy. Knowing this, I suggest we actively pursue an internal peace treaty whereby we separate the medical condition of obesity and/or morbid obesity from our moral character and personal self-worth. In 2010 I wrote an article that explains this better: "I Am Not Obese. Since kindergarten the word "fat" defined me and I actually thought that was who I was because "You are fat" and "I am fat" were constant phrases in my world. By about age 40 I finally figured out that I am not fat. I have obesity, a disease. Have you heard a heart attack patient say, "I am heart disease" or a leukemia patient say, "I am cancer"? We are not the disease. Heart attacks and leukemia are not a moral failure and neither is obesity. We are not the disease! We have a disease that is part of the whole person that makes us the wonderfully unique and powerful person we are." Read the full article. When we disjoint our moral character, our spiritual self, and our self-worth from the medical condition we are fighting with weight loss surgery we are able to pragmatically approach the control and treatment of the condition without making it personal. We are not bad people if we relapse with weight gain and we are not bad for having this illness in the first place. It just happens to be the cards we were dealt in this life. If you have ever been the parent of a child with an illness you understand the emotional baggage that comes with the news that something is wrong. But you also know that when you take a knowledgeable and deliberate approach in the management of the problem you are better able to function and do the right things. So, I suggest we take a clinical approach toward our obesity. management. When we lose weight we put obesity in remission. When we gain weight obesity is in relapse. As intelligent beings we can take an active role in managing our remission by using our experience and the knowledge we glean from others. We can return to the behaviors that worked shortly after surgery to help us lose weight. Behaviors that are not supportive of our health can be considered and replaced. We have opportunities every day to improve our health and enjoy the pleasures good health brings. Please consider this if you are using the 5 Day Pouch Test to get back on track. Take your knowledge and let it empower you because you are a good and worthy person. You are not your disease. I have met enough of you, my WLS Neighbors , to say this with complete conviction. You deserve to be your very best - obesity be damned for getting in the way! Comfort Eating is Okay IF.... From the moment we were born food has provided comfort to us. It is natural that we are compelled to reach for food when seeking comfort. This is not a character flaw: this is the human condition. Weight loss surgery does not take away our intrinsic human need to be comforted with nourishment. WLS gives us a second chance to rethink the type of nourishment we reach for when seeking comfort. Gone are the days of empty calorie comfort snacking. We are better served with a warm cup of Soup or a delicious meal of perfectly-cooked Protein and vegetables. Sweet berries or fruit provide far more nourishment and comfort than convenience store Snacks and they come without the post-noshing guilt. So I say, indeed, comfort yourself with nourishment: it is human nature. Just use wisdom in selecting your comfort foods. Pot of Soup Never underestimate the comforting power of a healthy well-made soup: it is your best weapon in the battle against the Carb Monster. Use any fresh vegetables that you like. Saute them in a scant amount of olive oil which will help your body absorb the nutrients and then simmer in reduced sodium chicken, beef, or vegetable broth until nice and tender Serve yourself some delicious goodness one cup at a time and feel the love. Focus: Practice mental presence during the 5 Day Pouch Test. Be mindful of all you eat, how you move your body and observe your energy levels and patterns. Be completely aware of yourself and identify the things that are working and helping you to feel refreshed and alive. Use the 5 Day Pouch Test journal to record your experience and focus on learning about yourself. Awareness is not selfish, it is part of the process of understanding so that we may improve our health and wellness. Carry this focus forward to Day 6 and continue to treat your body in a kind and healthy manner and avoid stepping back into the the self-loathing and unhealthy behavior that brought you here. Lori, so excited for you - can't wait to see the pics. You will love being a grandma. Meredith - it's okay to not want kids -- I only wanted one, my DS and his wife aren't having any and that's fine -- the only time I think it is sad is when you get old -- then I think it's nice to have kids and grandkids when you're old and sick. LOL. But that's just me. Gotta get back to work. Linda

Oops...don't know why that last one posted b/4 I was done. Long...maybe part of that weight gain is Water weight? Really push the fluids today, when you fly and while you are on vacation. You might notice that the weight falls off. But, absolutely don't let it be a cloud over your head while you are on vacation. Eat healthy just like you would at home and you will do just fine. Do have one foo-foo drink for me though! (That is if you partake...not sure). Good Morning to everyone else....I am buried deep in book work, farm stuff, cooking, gardening, etc. today and then heading for the afternoon at volunteer job. Think I need to cut back on that a little during the summer. Feeling somewhat overwhelmed and they want me to take on more. Nope...can't swing it. Still maintaining my weight which is very important for me. Can't gain though. It will come. Being very patient. Yesterday had 2700 cals. and was not easy to get it in. My DH says he knows I eat more now than b/4 surgery. At least I am not continually thinking about getting that weight back on. Just amazed that I am only maintaining. And...what's really weird is that even with no weight loss, I have gone down a pants size in the last two months. Now, don't get the wrong idea. I DO have meat on my bones and feel good and DH and most friends say I look good and healthy. You have all seen my photos and know I have some meat. I am VERY small boned. Even when I weighed 249 I wore a medium yoga pants. I am down to a size 0 or 2 in my pants now. Long...you talk about finding a good fit...I need at least a 34' or 36' inseam due to my pony legs. I think you have mentioned that you need talls also? I really like NY & Co pants for that reason. OK...enough about me....hope everyone has a great day. I need to get my A$$ back to work and keep my fingers crossed that I don't get called out to the field to pull out yet another tractor out of the mud!

Ls weight gain dropped to a crawl no pun intended after six months. He us doing down the percentiles, but Im trying not to worry as hes happy, eating, and is learning to crawl, learning to eat and teething at the same time All those calories are going to his brain, Im sure of it.

I haven't had the surgery yet, but with my doctor's nutrition class we are given one free consult with a nutritionist after surgery. You might check with his office.....I am sure they can help you. Don't beat yourself up....there is a solution to your weight gain.

Good Morning! I slept in, now we are deciding what to do with our day. Not sure if it will involve wood cutting afterall, Rick's neck is hurting. He has degenerative bone disease, in his neck, from an old whiplash injury. Not sure the chainsaw would be the ideal for him! Terry---we will be here to hear you vent your fears, angers and concerns, and to help you be strong against the cigarettes! Heck if nothing else, it will be good---you can tell the judge, you even quit smoking in the possibility the children would be living full time with you again!!! My friend Becky who we ride with and go out with all the time, she quit a month ago, and for some reason this weekend was hard on her. Maybe because so many at rallies smoke? She was a bit on the grumpy side (which is a joke, she is never a bit of anything---it is balls to the wall!!!), and really wanted to smoke, but made it through without! You will too!!! You made it through the worst of it---and the lack of weight gain is TOTALLY impressive!!!! I could not say that!!! Laura, good luck on your trip. Does your DH agree to the fact that his drinking too much is an issue? I suggest a well placed video camera should he ever do it again, and counceling to follow. It isn't a good sign, of the anger inside his head in my thinking---maybe the video games allow him to be the bad guy???? Just grasping at ideas here!!!! TracyK---think there is a baby boy in your future? One without the tears? Dreams ironically really wake us up sometimes! Pamela, I responded to another thread, that some of our Violets also responded on, in which I went into detail of my disasterous 2nd marriage. Usually I avoid the subject of him, and the horrors he brought into my life. I will say he has made me aappreciate the lull in real life. I can look around on a lazy stay at home day, and appreciate the calm...even all these years later. I can honestly say my biggest fear in life is his release from prison, but I try not to dwell on that thought often. So far my understanding is that he is far from a perfect prisoner, and has cost himself more time, and a loss of parole option at least once in the past, and I have never been notified since. He has outstanding warrants in my town. So local law enforcement will again be notified of his possible release date so he can clear them up, and serve any local time. Our former police chief assured me he would never bring him back here, he would drop the charges first, as opposed to bringing him right into my backyard, which he had "decorated" leading to some of the local warrants, others though include battery on a Police officer, and our new COP, is not willing to discuss it with me. So.....life goes on with me a a little in the dark. Parole board has to notify me....they say.....we hope! Well, I am going to get my house picked up a bit while we decide what we are doing. Will check in later girlies----and Pamela, you and Susanne can come to my house any old time!!! Cannot guarantee dream quality service....but will do my BEST!!! And Terry---want to live in CO huh? Any where particular? I am only 11 miles from the Durango area border----feel free to use my place to check out your dream locale!!! TTYL! Kat

Good morning gals~ I've been up since 6, it's 1130 now. Put up 8 loads of laundry and been puttering around the house, playing with the little one. DH took him to see a movie (G-Force), about guinea pigs who are police. I politely passed on that adventure. (I would rather clean!) Meredith~ Naples is across the state..LOL :mad:, BUT... I used to live near there and we LOVE that area of FL. To me the west coast of Fl is the best! It's not that far, only 2.5 hrs. I would LOVE to meet you. We are always looking for a reason to get out of town, I could leave the boys at the beach and join you for a band friendly lunch. Something to look forward to! Julie/Mrs. B~ Good morning to you. Your pontoon ride sounds so beautiful! I have never seen the Missouri river, or that area of the country for that matter. We must put it on our to do list. I LOVE your new profile pic! SOOOO cute! Doodlebug~ Your DGS is so lucky to have you and your DH in his life! My DH was raised by his GP, and he wouldn't have had it any other way. The love and wisdom that was instilled in him is priceless. They had a special relationship. I pray that your DD does well with the program she is in. I am sure knowing her son is loved and cared for helps her. Wow. I can feel the love & pain through the computer. <hug> I was talking to my DH about my weight gain this week. He said I really really did not eat that much. Some of the meals did have sauce and there were certainly a bit more calories than normal- but he said not representative of 4 lbs weight gain! He said he thought to himself at meals at how lucky I was to have my band. He would find himself really hungry and unable to resist the bread for example. I couldn't even get one bite in. He said it was night and day how I would have eaten before WLS. It was interesting to see the event through his eyes. Basically, I went on vacation- I ate pretty well but had some treats- and now time to get back in the swing of things. :tongue2: We have a baby sitter tonight! We will go see a movie. Usually we love going out to eat, but I am so sick of restaurant food- think we will skip eating out!:mad:

I understand, my DH doesn't like intimacy, cuddling,or even kissing, or saying I LOVE YOU. I know we have been married almost 38 years, but in the last ten it has really began to bug me that he can't see my side. I love kissing, cuddling, holding hands. He just doesn't like to touch at all. We sleeping a king size bed and we never touch or spoon. Sex is almost never anymore, maybe every 6 or 8 weeks. I love sex and still want it more than he does. I understand the anger and the self doubt that goes with the rejection. I have told him that I will never ask for sex again it up to him, I'm tired of trying. When the kids were at home we had a very active sexual life, and I know that since the kids left home that I have put on the most weight around 100 lbs since the early ninetys. I also worked nights starting in 1993 and I know that has had a lot to do with the weight gain, but the rejection hurts the most. I retired last year and I'm home all the time, but the sex is almost never. I always wonder if this is the last time I will have sex. I not good at the self satifaction. Thanks for this thread it has made me aware that I'm not alone and its alot more common than I every thought it was.

Well I have a new tactic tonight to avoid the munchies. I put my PJ's on at 530. LOL I so wanted chips, ice cream, whatever but none of that in the house so I thought well Walmart is close I will just take a quick drive up there. So I put my PJ's on so I won't go out of the house. LOL DH won't be home til 9 tonight and it was just more of lonely, bored munchies. Melissa, as your quote under your names says love life be brave or something like that. Be brave and face the stressors w/o the candy. It'll get easier each time. Arlene, I had never heard of epidural shots causing weight gain, interesting. I knew steroid pills did. Hope the tylenol works for you. I just got a trim but guess my hair is sortta 'bob' style. I never know the right terms either ,which is probably why I never get what I ask for LOL Just got a call from DS...HE GOT THE PROMOTION!

I don't mean to sound like a bummer, but I am curious now.. if you have your thyroid taken out, does it affect your weight? Isn't thyroid problems what causes some people to be overweight? So does this mean you'll lose MORE weight, gain weight, or it doesn't really affect it? (HUGS!)

Stress, stress, stress. My how we are all so stressed. My DH just took himself back to bed because I'm having grandkids dropped off at my house around noon while my daughter goes to Chicago for some more appointments or tests. This is his day off and even though he got plenty of sleep last night, yesterday, and the day before, he thinks he won't be able to get in his usual naps before going in to work tonight at midnight. I can see he's mad at me but I'm basically at the eye-rolling stage and am ignoring him. This is my vacation and I spent the entire day with him yesterday. This is the only day I'll have the grandkids over instead of going to their house because he normally sleeps during the day. I've never met a guy who needs as much sleep or worries about getting his sleep as much as my DH. Great, I'm sorry you are so lonely. Do you think that's really what your trip down memory lane is really about? Do you think it would help you to become a volunteer again or find a part-time job now that you're settled? Or do you like being free to fly places whenever you want to? It's OK to reminisce but please don't get stuck there. You seem to have established friendships already and renewed some old ones. I envy you. When I'm working I have no time for that, just for my family, so when I'm off, like this week, I have no one but family to do anything with and they're all tied down. Fortunately, my grandkids are also on spring break and I'm needed to babysit. My friends are the people I work with, but we all have lives when we're not teaching so we don't get together outside of work. Eva, I admire your well-balanced lifestyle. I'm glad you were able to retire but still find a part-time position to keep your hand in and income coming. You have your projects and school and friendships that also involve your DH. Mine is such a loner that it's actually led to isolating me as well. Julie, what can I say. Mother/daughter relationships are some of the most complex in the world. Especially when the daughter is pregnant. You got the band to save your life and she needs to continue to hear that from you. This isn't about looks, its about living. Looking better is a bonus, but the health is primary. I don't think I'd allow anyone to hold me to a promise made under such duress. However, you do not do well with abdominal surgeries if your past history is any indication. Janet is right. Ultimately, its about making healthy choices. I'm thinking that seeing a counselor together with your daughter about your weight might be good for you and your daughter. Making the weight thing a mutual project was a good idea. Ask your daughter if she wants to be around for her children and grandhchildren. I'd also suggest that you get physical therapy for your knees and so on. Water walking is one of the safest things you can do to regain strength safely. It takes the weight off your knees while still exercising them. Also, percocet is likely to make you unstable and lead to falling again so you want to get off that asap. Strengthening the joints without inflaming them should be your goal to reduce pain. You're probably feeling these pains more now because your primary, overwhelming pain has been taken away. Using this whole situation as an incentive to lose more weight on your own will also help your physical pain. Did you know that every lb you weigh puts 5-10 lbs of pressure on each of your knees? So every lb you lose removes that much pressure on your knees. If you were to lose 25 more lbs it would take at least 125 lbs of pressure off each of your knees. That's what I keep telling myself. Even my 5 lb weight gain is affecting my knees. I can feel it. It's 25 extra lbs of pressure that they're carrying. My fake knees will last longer the less I weigh. Charlene, keep on keeping on. We all have our days of indulgence (except Linda, LOL). Getting back on track asap is the trick. For you, I would think the incentive would be that your FM symptoms are likely to improve as you lose more weight. You've done great, however, and you need to give yourself credit. Our addiction not only hurts us, it hurts the people around us. That's the hard part to remember. Our kids don't want us dead, or incapable of being there for them and their children. Hopefully, our husbands don't want us dead either (most of the time). LOL. Melissa, loved the "Green Things" e-mail. Too true. Hope you're doing well. Tell us more about your counselor. One of the simplest things I've done to automatize my meals is to always have a Protein shake for Breakfast. I buy pre-made because I have no desire to shop for and try to keep ingredients in the house, and as someone who works outside the home I need simple solutions. I have no desire to spend hours in a grocery store being tempted by all the food. For supper I prefer simple foods, like pan frying (in olive oil spray) fish, hamburger, steak, pork chop, and having a veggie on the side. My DH makes any sides he wants that are carbs (like potatoes or rice) for himself. Or I have a salad with mixed greens, cheese, nuts, a little fruit, and a flavored olive oil and vinaigrette based dressing. (Favorite-raspberry). For lunch at work I have peel off cans of tuna or chicken available, or Protein Bars, or Protein shakes to grab as Snacks or meals. I am very much a keep it simple person precisely because I am ADHD. That's why keeping rotisserie chicken in the house is another easy solution. Great Protein, always tender, fix it with various condiments. Take a small mouthful whenever you start craving carbs. Throw in a baggie and take to work. It's the KISS philosophy of food. Keep It Simple Stupid. People like Linda and Apples seem to be able to be around food and cook and bake it for others without over-eating themselves. I am not one of those people. People have to eat what I'm eating or make it and take it somewhere where I'm not around it. It's hard to stop feeling guilty about not feeding everyone around you but it can be done and its an enormous relief to stop cooking for others. You'd be amazed at the reduction in stress. You don't have small kids anymore and your son and husband can easily make themselves a pbj sandwich or something else if what you're eating isn't enough for them. One of the biggest reasons why women get fat is because they cook for everyone else and feel guilty if they don't. That's another reason why I gave up guilt for Lent. Cheri

Well...it's been a long time since I've been on here and written something. I'm pondering if I should write something or "just get over it", kick myself in the rear and do what I need to. What's the problem you ask? It's been close to 2 years since my banding (9/24/08). I did great - went from 210 to 136. My goal was 130 but my body just wouldn't budge past 136. I haven't had a fill in a year. But since May of this year, I've started to gain weight and don't really understand why. I am now up to 148. I still have restriction so I don't think that's the problem. Since my last fill (Aug 09) I no longer eat any meat, bread, Pasta, or rice. Soda has always been out and I never really had a problem with it anyway. I'm so depressed. I still exercise but why am I gaining weight?! My only sinful food I'm consuming is tortilla chips - but I have enough restriction that it tightens up so I don't binge (I can eat corn products but not flour products). I drink beer but only one a day at the most, my coffee is black and I don't buy drinks like Latte's etc. I know if I head in to the doctor he will say I don't need a fill - I need to lower my calories. And let's be honest here - yes I do. I'm depressed though. Even though I have restriction, I feel like I'm right back to where I was before the banding mentally - I know what I'm supposed to do, and yet I don't do it!! I stopped keeping a journal so that I wouldn't obsess about the food but it looks as though I need to start journaling again, but somehow I just seem to "forget". Yeah right........someone kick me in the butt here, tell me to get over myself and jump back on the healthy food wagon! I know what it is to eat healthy, I just don't do it. I guess what's depressing is that I do not eat candy, cakes, popcorn, etc. etc. but I always seem to find a way to get unhealthy food into my mouth. I'm a compulsive overeater. I've been in therapy, but just recently my therapist "let me go" and said I'm fine and I just need to go out in the real world and work on the things she has taught me. I don't know if I'm also dealing with the weight gain from premenopause? I'm 48 and am definately in that stage. Grrrr...I'm so depressed! I'm already having to go into the next size up clothing and it is really dragging me down! I am grateful for my lap band because otherwise I am right now in a binge mode and truly want to binge. So....I am rambling on and on here in this Lap Band forum to keep from binging - or trying to anyway. Y'all don't have to respond really.....I just needed to vent and my son will be coming home from school soon so I will be destracted. (sp) Forgive me for my ranting and raving...I'm just having a little pitty party here as my tight shorts are pinching into my stomach.

Found this in my email from some site I am signed up to.. how smart women lose weight Sure it’s important to have a healthy diet plan to lose weight, but if that isn’t enough, then consider this strategic plan used by smart women. The first time Jenn set out to lose those 20 pounds, she gave up sugared sodas. The second time, she ate only protein. She fasted, overdosed on raw carrots and counted fat grams. All of the diet tips and healthy weight loss plans she tried worked, but only for a while. Sheer force of will didn't keep her from chowing down when the impulse struck; nor did it get her into the gym. Not until Jenn approached her excess weight the way a new CEO might a faltering business did her 20 extra pounds disappear for good. Here’s the problem-solving approach that Jenn used to successfully supplement her healthy diet plan. The technique Jenn used is a systematic problem-solving approach developed more than 50 years ago to improve industrial production. Called "quality improvement" or "systems thinking," it means you: look at your problem as part of a larger system find things that contribute to the problem experiment by changing the system in some small way After you've seen the result of your change, you alter the system again to incorporate the new change, then look for other causes of the problem. Then you experiment with the other solutions until the problem is solved. If your problem is too much weight, you can use this method to change the behaviors causing it. Farrokh Alemi, Ph.D., associate professor of health-care management at George Mason University School of Nursing in McLean, Va. and his colleagues have tested what they call continuous self-improvement on 400 people seeking personal change, including healthy weight loss and exercising more. Not only has it been successful in changing daily habits, the changes have been long lasting. Here's how it could work for you. Step 1: Look at the big picture Shift from seeing your weight problem in personal terms and instead see it as part of a larger system that includes your family needs, social life, work hours and whatever else affects your exercise and eating habits, including any ethnic-food preferences and peer pressures. Once you discover how many outside factors affect your healthy diet plan and exercise, you'll realize that losing weight with willpower alone is almost impossible. "Using willpower for self-improvement is like applying brute force," Alemi says. "Using a systems approach is applying intelligence." Step 2: Define the problem Before coming up with solutions, you need to identify the real problem, says Linda Norman, M.S.N., R.N., associate dean at the School of Nursing at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., and one of Alemi's research colleagues. Say your favorite jeans are too tight. Instead of telling yourself you need to lose weight, Norman suggests you ask yourself a series of questions, such as "What's associated with the weight gain that's made my jeans tight?" (maybe the underlying problem is boredom at work or the pain of a bad relationship) and "What's contributing to my weight gain?" (maybe you don't make time for exercise, or you eat in response to stress and need to learn other stress-management techniques so you can successfully follow a healthy diet plan). "The more questions you ask," Norman says, "the closer you'll get to the root of the problem." "It also helps to 'frame' the problem positively," Alemi adds. "For example, you might look at weight gain as an opportunity to get fit." Finally, it's important to define the problem in a way that lets you monitor your progress and measure the outcome by how well you're dealing with the triggers that cause weight gain. Step 3: Brainstorm solutions Clearly defining the problem that is preventing you from achieving healthy weight loss will lead you to the solution. If you've stated the problem vaguely -- "I have to eat less" -- you've biased yourself toward dieting as a solution. But if you're specific -- "I need to change jobs or reduce my stress to protect my health" -- you'll probably think of several good answers to your problem, such as seeing a career counselor or starting a new exercise program. Write down every solution that comes to mind, then arrange the list according to priority, starting with the ones that contribute most to the problem or will have the greatest impact on the outcome. Step 4: Monitor your progress Make the first item on your list your first experiment. "Say the problem is that you're sedentary, and your first solution is to work out with a friend after work," says Duncan Neuhauser, Ph.D., a professor of health management at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland and another of Alemi's research colleagues. "You might experiment with using your noon hour to make exercise 'dates.' " After a few weeks, add up the number of times you exercised. If your first solution didn't work, try an evening exercise class or find a park where people walk or run after work. Win or lose, keep notes. "Measure your progress every day," Neuhauser says, "and put the results in chart or graph form. Visual aids are helpful." The data you gather will also make you aware of your normal variations. You may be more active on certain days of your menstrual cycle, for example, or you may always gain 2 pounds when you spend weekends with certain friends. "The data gathering is not just about keeping track of your weight," Norman says. "It's about tracking the process that affects your weight." Step 5: Identify barriers "There are going to be crises, external influences, times you have to eat Grandma's cookies," Neuhauser says. You'll have days when you can't exercise and days when you'll be tempted by holiday meals, and because you're tracking your progress, you'll be able to detect which events actually cause weight gain. "Overwhelming evidence from many areas, including substance-abuse research, shows that situations trigger relapses," Alemi says. "You need to find out which situations make you return to old habits." Once you're aware that working late makes you too tired to exercise, for example, you can test strategies for leaving work on time. If you blow your balanced healthy diet because you dine out with friends who always order too much, try hosting takeout at your house and make sure you order healthy foods. Step 6: Build a support team Some people lose weight with the help of a diet buddy, but for the best chance of success, you need the support of people whose decisions will affect your efforts. "When you make systemwide changes, your actions affect many people," Alemi says. "If you plan to lose weight by changing your food-shopping, cooking habits and strategy for a balanced healthy diet, then everyone at home will be affected. You're better off to engage them from the start." Start by educating these friends and family members about weight loss in general (including what lifestyle changes are necessary) and your goals in particular with regard to a healthy weight loss, then involve them in your daily experiments. "The whole group needs to agree to rely on the data," Alemie says. As results of your changes come in, including new, healthier habits, share them with the group. After all, when you finally do solve your weight problem, these people are the ones who will help you celebrate your success. They may even thank you for helping them, too.

Phyl - That Kind of weight gain is water - hell even when I have pigged out I haven't ever gain 4 lbs - you would have had to eaten 14000 extra calories to gain that much - I'm know you haven't done that - I know it's still hard when you see the scale go up like that - but like you said - it will be off next week - and I agree with Apples - you did get to onderland and you deserve that purse... I haven't watched the News tonite - didn't sit down till after 7 - took Andrew target/winco shopping anyway - i know this morning they said wind today - but I haven't seen any yet - some clouds when I left work but that's it... Hopefully they will be wrong - but I know they said tomorrow 74 and you know cabazon will be a little cooler - so bring a lite jacket yes for you northern/eastern girls 74 isn't cold but for us desert Rats.. 74 high is cool - long pants - and closed in shoes ;0) Melissa - Exercise is a great stress reliever - I am glad you are doing something for you.. LauraK - my new gym has the class but it's too crowded and looks more like jazzercise - I hope to get to one at my other new gym 24 hr fitness - I have a gf who has gone and said it kicked her butt - so I want to try it too.. Julie - Hugs Hugs Hugs !!!! I could only imagine how hard this is for you with the constant health issues you have had and now this constant pain issue.. I agree with apples - you may just need to go back to the doc - I think you may be just a tad depressed from what all you have going on - constant pain like you are having can drive a person crazy. Right not consintrate on finding out what's going on and causing this pain - ck out that pain management center and getting well - the rest will fall in place and all the worrying in the world isn't going to help the family issues... I gotta say since I had that talk with my Uncle and let my anger go at my sister - things have been better between us - at least on the surface - we have talked a couple of times and the tension has gone - I am wary - but things seem to be looking up - and I think it's cuz I had let go.. Sweetie we are here for you - I think you have done and execellent job on your weight loss - I think you may not know how to pat yourself on the back - So we are all giving you those pats - you have done an excellent job - and will continue to do so - you have a set back right now and once that gets figured out you will be right back on track...

I go in for my preop next week and I am scheduled for surgery 3rd week of June. I have been planning on the lapband but I have heard some horror stories that now have me second guessing myself. Bad infections being one and "weight gain" being another. How the heck can weight gain be a problem? I'm also worried about health problems that may occur as a result of the banding and my new eating habits. Are there side effects? I've heard with a bypass, gallbladder removal usually comes after a year due to it failing from lack of protien. Anything like that with banding?

At 8 months the weight loss stopped. I was stalled for 4 months. Weight gain started around 13 months. I just re did the math and I am 16 months out now. My wife and I have a baby mid July and I have put on 20 pounds since then. I am sure some of it is stress eating, but that is no excuse. Most of it is due to poor choices and lack of exercise.

Hey, Sharon - I'm not even hitting the gym 5 times a week and *I* am frustrated by my weight loss! I weighed myself today 5 days after my last weigh-in - no change! I've been doing a lot of walking, and my intake has been good. But I know I'm losing weight - I'm down another belt notch (NSV - yay!), it's just taking the scales a while to catch up. You and I have to be a little less numbers-centric - the scale will change eventually. If you're eating right and working out, the weight will come off! And if it doesn't, your body has found a way to create energy, which means scientists will come and study you in order to save the world. Scrappy: are you SURE about your intake there? If your intake is low, and you're as active as usual, you should be burning fat, and that weight gain is probably Water - some kind of hormonal situation I don't even want to THINK about! I'm, uh, sending positive (but manly! Oh so very manly!) beams to evelas...

BMAN....soooo sorry to hear about the court thing and the weight gain. Have you had your thyroid checked lately?? the tiredness and the weight gain despite lack of calories sounds a lot like a hypothyroid issue! Either that or maybe as someone mentioned before, you really do need to UP your calories b/c you are exercising so much?? It's worth a shot at this point, right?? NAT...congrats on the 2 teens girl!! That's my goal for the end of the year...i have about 20 pounds to go to get there, but once I get there, that will be the lowest i've been since college! Nik...my best friend actually lost weight w/both her babies in her first trimester, so I wouldn't worry too much about it! Steph...I think next week I'm going to try a 3 day liquid/high protein diet and see if I can't kick start the weight loss again. i'm also in a 'challenge' w/my best friend to do exercise at least 3x a week. There is a guy I"m interested in who is into hiking and doing 5ks, so I'm doing a 5k walk w/him on Saturday and we're going hiking w/a group on the 4th in the mtns. so I figure in the process of getting to spend more time w/him I'll also get to work out! it's win win! Now if he'd just make a move I'd be all set! LMAO!

The concern I would have (though I am not a dietician) is that slim fast bars and protein shakes are more "food-like substances" than actual food. Processed foods, even "diet" ones, can cause metabolism issues, and this feels almost punishing. Maybe you could try to find more satisfying, healthier options? You might try scrambling 2 eggs blended with some cottage cheese and a big handful of frozen chopped spinach for breakfast with a small serving of fruit, and a big salad of mixed veg topped with rotisserie chicken, black beans, and fresh salsa for lunch. Make sure the meat or chicken is being served with plenty of non-starchy veg, too. And don't ignore a good night's sleep and plenty of hydration. If you take prescription meds, check if any of them have weight gain as a side effect. I do agree that surgery is most likely going to be needed as soon as you can get it sorted because losing and maintaining that amount of weight is almost impossible without the metabolic changes that come with surgery.

I also have no food addictions or medical reasons to have gotten to 243 at 5'3". My weight gain was caused by making poor choices at nearly every opportunity. French fries or steamed veggies, vinaigrette or ranch, etc., etc.. I simply made the tastier choice because my mindset was, "this one meal isn't going to make a difference" This was compounded by going from a physical job to a sedentary job in my mid twenties. Then my weight gain accelerated when I began traveling and entertaining for business.

We have 3 acres at Crooked River Ranch which is between Madras and Redmond. Have views of 10 mountains: from Jefferson to Bachelor. Love it there! A whole year, wow! Keep your eye on the prize, so to speak Glad to hear it wasn't slippage. Don't even worry about weight gain or loss right now. You and hubby are the focus...mental and physical health. Well, I can't seem to get anything going in the right direction, Mini; am up 1.2 pounds this week. :crying::thumbdown: