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I have been trying to get a surgical date for almost a year now. I was getting little progress from my first surgeon so I switched to another that was recommended. My insurance says they will approve the surgery. I have taken all the preop tests and exams. I just can't seem to get a straight answer from anyone. I also was told by a physician that the bariatric surgeon I am working with was having problems getting hospitals to work with him due to paper work issues, not his qualifications as a surgeon. I was also told that in the Raleigh Durham area that the hospitals are trying to stop bariatric surgery from being performed in the area? Is that true? I also have two friends who had the rouxen-y surgery and now 4 to 5 years later they are both fighting weight gain. I have opted to have lap-band. I would like to hear from some people who have had positive outcome and their challenges. I have a great desire to get this done and get on with my life, but it seems like there is a block in each path I turn. My insurance says they will cover the procedure, so what's the problem? My standard answer back from the doctor's office is that the office is in chaos over the change of the way they process insurance. It seems that they have had surgery dates set up and the patient shows up on that date only to find the surgery has been cancelled because the proper paper work was not processed to the hospital. What can I do? I am a patient person, but it seems I have had my patience stretched. Does anyone know if their are problems between the bariatric surgeons and the hospitals in the Raleigh Durham area of North Carolina? What can we do about it? Thank you vericks

Good job getting the fill out. Sounds like a pretty bad PB episode and your band and body needed the rest. You weight gain can be avoided if you'll do the work of eating well, eating less, drinking your Water and exercise. If you get another fill, cutting back your eating will be much easier. However, you must must get your head around the idea of slowing down, chewing well, and taking smaller bites. This is the only way to avoid another PB episode when you are properly restricted. It's a dance with the band. If you want the band to work for you, you have to work with it by 1)getting the right fill level 2)slowing down, chewing well, taking smaller bites 3) making the right food and exercise choices. In some ways it's simple, but in other ways, it isn't always easy. Go back in your mind to when you got banded and use your band to start over fresh. Don't gain back that 50 pounds! It isn't worth it! Get your spunk back...it's in there somewhere!

When you are not banded yet you haunt this forum for good pieces of advice, and yes even miracles, and this certainly is one in the form of the lap band. It shows me if you want something bad enough it will work for you, as long as you work with it. I have to admit I'm going to miss my soda pop, but fortunately I love cranberry juice and grape juice, both of which are much better for me. This will be a small price to pay for not being depressed over my weight gain anymore, and blaming my giving up cigarettes as an excuse for the weight. This is a wake-up call, and yes I mortgaged the house too. It's a small price to pay for a longer life. Thanks for the inspiring story.

Hi - I have been testing the band also (see complusive overeater) and wrote that I felt alone and thought no one was admitting the pain and struggle but I received a ton of responses and feel much better with the advice and encouragement...and it has helped me to remember I have CHOICES and can try something different rather then force my old ways on the band. (results disasterous!)...but it is early days so hang in there! Funny, I just went out and bought a scale yesterday because I was feeling like I wasn't losing and wanted to monitor my weight gain/loss - replacing one obsession with another! Better be careful with that as wellllll! Hope you are feeling better!

Theresa, what wonderful advice/thoughts! Thank you very much for taking the time and giving all the detail. I'm sure you've helped many people today. Anthony, I very much hop you can find some relief from you pain without having your band taken out. The distinct possibility exists that removal wouldn't alleviate the pain, and then you'd have weight gain to worry about too. If something had actually been damaged during band installation surgery, there's no reason to think that band removal will help. Only if the band is actually causing your pain in an ongoing way will removal help, and unless that can be definitely proven it seems a very expensive and drastic step to take. Please keep us posted...

I am the opposite. It has not made me stronger. I was thin until my 20's, hitting 140 at 23 and gaining steadly upward every year since. In comparison to how I felt about myself/life thinner, I am not quite as confident. My self-esteem is not as high. I dont feel as attractive. I dont feel as energetic as I could and should. That all hurts something inside of me. Dont get me wrong, I am a happy, confident, and still attractive person....I just dont feel it 100% and havent for some time. I still had all those qualities in droves at 150, 160 and even 170lbs. I always felt like "I am still ME, just a little bigger"........... Then somewhere in this weight gain I started feeling like I wasn't ME anymore. Pictures downright freak me out, I think "how did I let this happen to myself". It is a little scary how much our outer appearance affects not only how others see us, but how we see ourselves.

My mother has switched through just about all the meds already listed, and still had issues with severe depression. This summer her doc put her on the newer one Cymbalta. She crashed severely for a week or so. We were worried about how low she fell, but then she leveled off and now feels better than she has in years. She's also experiencing a pretty steady slow weight loss, after so many of the others caused about a 50 pound weight gain. I think this one is finally working. If you aren't getting results... keep trying. It's wonderful to see a person come back to life.

Just remember there are those of us who are still banded, yet we still struggle with the lack of weight loss. I know I would be struggling with the weight gain if I were in your position. I wish I could say that if my band were removed I'd have learned enough NOT to make bad choices, but I don't always practice making the best choices with the band, so I do feel for you.

Since I hurt my back again (& have been having a pity party for myself), I have been dealing with the binge demons. And I suffered a 10 lb. weight gain because of them! I still have my band, but I feel your pain sista!

Sorry to ask this here, but I’m scared. I don’t know what to do or have anyone else to ask. I’m what I call “irregularly regular”. Irregular in the sense that I never know when I’m going to get my period. Regular in the sense that it always lasts for 3.5 days, four at tops. Last month, I got my period and it lasted for almost two weeks. That has never happened to me before. I figure it might have to do with my recent weight gain (about 30 pounds since July) and the related hormone changes. I haven't felt "healthy" for a while now. After my period ended, I was fine for about two weeks. Then I got my period again. I’ve had it now for over a week and it’s very heavy and there’s more …”material” than before (not a ton but noticeably more). I’ve had a little bit of dizziness – my shrink says that’s a side effect of Wellbutrin, but over the weekend, I had a few dizzy spells. (Haven’t had one since, though.) I did some research on the internet and though my flow is very heavy (for me) I’m not changing my pad every 6 hours, so maybe it’s not that an extreme a case. I think the blood loss has made me a little anemic and caused a little of the fatigue and dizziness so I started taking an Iron supplement today. I had a little bit of cramping yesterday and today, but I took an Aleve and I’m fine. There’s no pain or anything otherwise weird. I just can’t seem to stop bleeding. I’ve just about convinced myself that I have cervical cancer or something. As far as I know, none of this runs in my family. I haven’t been to see a doctor, mostly because I’m chicken. I’m 31 and have never had a gyno exam. (I rationalized it by saying I’ve never been sexually active, so I didn’t need to.) I’m also in a tricky situation because my company switched to a new health insurance carrier effective Jan. 1, but Blue Cross is taking forever to do the paperwork, so I don’t have a member number, a group number, a PCP, or anything. I’m waiting for it any day now, but who knows how long it will take them? I’m really scared, but apparently not scared enough to be smart about this because the second I have my insurance info I’m going to see the PCP about a referral to bariatrics. I’m afraid to mention it to my doctor because she will be someone I’ve never met and she may want to do all kinds of history and testing on me before she’s willing to do any kind of referral. I’m all twisted up in knots. Have any of you experienced anything like this? Any advice would be much appreciated.

Get thee to a doctor!!! It could be weight gain or weight loss or could be any number of scary things. Don't mess with it. GO SEE A DOCTOR!!!! (end of tough love)

Thanks for your replies Jacqui and Emily- Jacqui: It's funny but I didn't think of it that way at all. I really like my surgeon in fact and he has a lap band himself. He told me that he has had too many people show up for surgery with a weight gain and has had to turn them away so this is a way for him to see who is serious about real lifestyle changes and not an easy fix. He is of the mindset that it's VERY important to have the liver shrink before surgery. It makes sense to me on some levels. Emily: I also think it's sadistic. LOL My DH just reminded me though that while it will be tough it means less weight that I have to lose later. I am just trying to think of it that way. Anyone else have any suggestions about things they have done to make it through the pre-op liquid diet?

Pretty much the same here in the U.S. at my house on Christmas..LOL Luckily for me I had not weight gain because of it..however I only ate 1/4 of my weight in chocolate

I had one session of laser hair removal, it was $112.50. I did feel the heat of it when it got near boney areas of my chin but overall, no afterburn and no serious pain during. I didn't use any pain gels or ice. I have no noticeable change yet in hairgrowth. They tell me it could take a few visits for a noticeable difference, and 8 to 12 before the hair loss is permanent. They also told me no sun, & use a strong sunblock. Now that the holidays are over I plan to go again and see if there's any difference after 2 or more visits. GentleSpirit, What I've read is once it starts growing in an area, it stays. I haven't had any lessening of hair growth and I've lost 92 lbs. As far as I know I don't have PCOS, and my hair growth started with my progressive weight gain. I'd love to see it slow or stop, if I don't shave it daily, you can see it clearly. UGH!

It always happens doesnt it, you get into something you love and something happens to stop you going. I was swimming during my second pregnancy, getting really fit, keeping the pregnancy weight gain at bay and then I broke my hand at 27 weeks and put on about 15kg before my baby was born at 37 weeks. I love the deep Water running class at my local pool, its such a shame they only have one a week. Water exercise is fantastic when you're overweight, no pressure on your joints, not so strenuous that you cant keep going a couple of times a week, its really worth a try if you struggle with anything else.

You have water weight gains and losses every day as well. You dont gain a couple of pounds of fat overnight, its water. Weighing daily, although I do it obsessively myself, tells you very little and usually only causes worry.

According to all your NSV's it seems that you are converting fat into muscle which weighs more, and then the good part is that once you have all your muscle building or rebuilding done, these are the very same critters that are going to take all that preparation and new thyroid support and burn the rest of the fat off probably faster that you could imagine (remain hopeful). And by the way, are you sleeping well? I found out that lack of the right kind of sleep can actually stress your body and not let it loose also. It amazes me to learn of all the factors that contribute to weight gain. Do you get aerobic? or does running to classes do that for you? I think you are in for a good surprise.

First is to remember that the scale measures your entire body mass, not just your body fat. A main culprit of unexpected weight gain is Water retention. This can happen for no apprent reason, or one of several that are more apparent: PMS/menstruation, eating salty foods, hot weather, etc. You don't mention an exercise routine. If you eat 1000 calories, and your daily routine burns 1000 calories, you won't lose weight.

Any of you out there who have gone through a pregnancy while banded, I'm curious as to how much weight you gained during the pregnancy and if you were able to take it off post partum. I am only 13 weeks along, and haven't gained anything. It is very difficult on my psychologically not losing weight at this point, even though this is definately not the time for weightloss! I continue to monitor the scale, in a slightly less obsessive manner than pre-pregnancy. I understand that I'm going to gain weight, or at least just stop losing, either of which my OB/GYN is fine with, but I had no idea it would mess with me mentally. I find myself physically hungry pretty much all the time, thanks in part to the pregnancy and to the slight unfill (food doesn't stay in the band as long) I had as a precautionary measure related to the pregnancy. It's very bizzare after 9 months of being satisfied by Protein shakes for Breakfast and only a few small meals a day to now having my stomach growling the minute I wake up, and even sometimes waking me up! Obviously I am eating more now-hence the stop in weight loss (which is pregnancy appropriate), however I worry that I am eating too much, and struggling with the thoughts of seeing 240 or 250 or more on the scale again.

I am definately in! I have been eating (all the wrong food) uncontollably lately and blaming it on the pregnancy. I also haven't been exercising. I want to keep my pregnancy weight gain to a minimum and be physically healthy for the pregnancy and beyond. 2006 here I come!!!

Insulin Resistance is on my list. I am not sure about the PCOS, although I have cysts on my ovaries (and fibriods, yea) I have never actually been diagnosed. I suspect I have it, I have other symptoms. I have never been clear on whether the fat you gain causes IR or does developing IR make it easier to make fat? My doctor has me on Actos since it is beneficial in helping high cholestorel, which I also have. Sadly, Actos usually causes weight gain.... although I have halfed my dose since banding and my BS numbers have looked good. I can lose weight when I try but it sure seems to be at a slower rate and I really have to work at it.

Here is an excerpt from the Inamed handbook that is valuable to your situation With the Lap Band system in place, you should be able to eat only small ammount so the food you eat should be as healthy as possible. Do not fill your stomach pouch with :junk: food that lacks Vitamins and other important nutrients. Your meals should be high in Protein and vitamins and low in carbs. solid food is more important then liquid food or soft food. The lap Band system will have little or no effect if you only eat liquid or soft food. It passes through the stomach outlet very quickly and does not make you feel full. Here is another excerpt form the book If the adjustment (fill) results in too tight of a stomach opening you could have a hard time eating most foods, sometimes this causes people to avoid solid foods. They may drink liquid meals or soft food meals and this may result in weight gain. A band that is too tight may cause reflux symptoms and can also cause frequent vomiting and possible slippage I hope this helps

Hello everyone, I have not got banded yet. I am just now trying to make a consultation appointment. I wanted to find a good support group and learn as much as i could. I weight 285. 5 ft 9 in. BMI 54%. I have not always been large. My weight when i finished high school was 155. I have been as low as 135 and 285 is my highest. My weight gain began when i started dating my husband. I weighed 165 when we met, 9 months later on our wedding day i weighed 185. Soon after our wedding, i was diagnosed with PMDD. (post menstrual dysfunction disorder) caused by taking Depoprovera shots which sent me into early menopause. I gained 50lbs. in 1 month:cry . i have continued to gain since with heart problems, depression and life in general (nursing school). My weight has stabalized at 285 for the last 6 months. However my bust size continues to grow. I was a DD two years ago....i am a JJ now. I am in the process of having a reduction......My next step is to have the banding. I wanted to do my bust first ........because as you can imagine exercising is impossible when they are that large. Hoping the exercise will come easier after the reduction. I have a few questions. (imagine that!) 1. Any one know a doctor in the Dallas area that uses Presbyterian hosp, that doesn't require psych eval? 2. Is there any little tips to make it easier? 3. What is LBT? 4. What is NCV's? thanks everyone

Penni: Actually it's generally the other way around... band erosion leads to infection at the port site. The bacteria migrate from the stomach along the catheter out to the port. I've never heard of port infection causing a band erosion. Band erosions present themselves in 2 ways: 1. no symptoms at all except for loss of restriction, and weight gain. 2. Port site infection Mark Pleatman MD www.laparoscopy.com/pleatman 248-334-5444

wow. It took me almost two hours to read this thread. No, I am not a slow reader but, I did want to take everything in. I can relate to so many of you. There are a lot of things you all said that have stuck with me. I would like to share a few with you. "I pretty much dislike myself and don't think I am worth the time and energy it takes to eat right and exercise." "I feel like everyone is looking at me and judging me by my weight." "I hate my body with a frightening intensity and food is the method of destruction that I chose. I don't smoke or do drugs or drink to dull the pain so food is the weapon of choice." "I don't love myself as I am. I could blame my weight on instances of sexual abuse." "Being fat helps me to be invisible." "My weight is linked to my happiness/quality of life." "Over eating is the socially accepted vice." "I am fat because I can't fill up something inside." "I posess a desire to use food as something other than what it was meant for." "...parents/ grandparents feeling embarassment and disappointment in me and my lack of control over food." "They eat and eat and don't taste anything." "I was raised in a home with an abusive, alcoholic (step , in my case) father who made life resemble walking on egg shells." "...became extremely passive/aggresive due to daily spankings, incest..." "I have come to realize that because of the abuse in my childhood, I have been looking for love in all the wrong places, because my daddy didn't want me." "I want to understand what self-esteem truely means." "...realizing the difference from feeling hungry and realizing that i am just thirsty." (paraphrased) Do I eat to try to create a warm loving feeling that I felt I never had? "I will be healthy and strong and safe in my real body that has been hiding for years because of fear and not having enough faith in myself or in God to walk through the hard times." I am not quoting all these things to make it easier to explain away my being overweight; I chose them because I can so closely relate to them all. They all struck a chord in my heart and my mind when I read them. For me, my weight gain is attributed to a combination of all the following: a crummy childhood, an abusive relationship with my step father, lack of self confidence due to others in my family constantly nagging me to lose weight(my grand parents tried to bribe me to loose weight. They offered to pay me for each pound I lost. I was motivated until the check never came to reward me). My weight allowed me that safe zone so that men would find me unattractive and leave me alone. My family is for the most part small framed, despite the fact that I have German/ Dutch/Klammoth Indian in me( all known for thier HUSKY statures). My father is 6'4" and wieghs about 150 soaking wet. My mother is 4'11" and sometimes yo yoed with her weight. The clothes in her closet range frm size 4 to size 16. (What i wouldn't give to wear a 16 right now). My extened family are all small. I ,too was diagnosed with PCOS after gaining 80 pounds in a year. What it all comes down to is I made bad choices and now I have to do whatever it takes to correct them as best I can. I appreciate all the support I receive here. I look forward to the new year with much anticipation and enthusiam. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY BANDSTER FRIENDS and to those awaiting their BANDS.