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To me, it's been a miracle! I thought I was being left to die a slow, diabetic death because of a metabolism that had abandoned me. Today, I'm almost a year out. I've lost 48 pounds in 10 months. Not spectacular, you say? WELL, sweetie! That's better than I was able to lose and KEEP OFF for years before now. NEVER have I lost for a 10 month period with NO weight gain. It's a constant down and this weekend, I had to buy new clothes. Still, it's an 18-20 (XL or 1X), but you know what? It's been 15 years since I've been able to squeeze my big toe into that size. Judge it if you want, but I'll take my band over your next two or three attempts to lose on your own (AND keep it off). Me? I've fought that battle too many times and I'm finished.

Rene, my 25th reunion is in 2 years as well, never thought about it till you pointed it out. When I was in HS I weighed over 300 lbs (at graduation)... When I went back for my 10 year reunion, I weighed 150 lbs. BLEW their socks off because the cheerleaders got ugly, the jocks got fat and bald and I just got BETTER Okay well I'm back up over 100+ lbs and I refused to go to my 20th year just because of my weight gain. :devious ***evil grin*** :devious guess I'll be going to my 25th

La Madam, Wow, I had no idea that Paxil would do that. I was never diagnosed woth OCD so never took medication. I did go through a bad weight gain with steroids though. I always thought that they were kidding me about being OCD, but I actually think they may be right. I am glad I am going back to work soon.

I have OCD took paxil for it which was my demise with my weight gain I can relate to you very well, their is no drawer or closet left uncleanedin my home. I have 3 boys and peoplecan not believe how clean my house is.. Like you Iam always on the go Plus the fact we can no longer eat out of boredom like we did pre band makes boredom even more difficult

One thing that would concern me which I've learned over the last week or two is how little some people are eating. Rebound weight gain would be a problem despite people having retrained their eating habits but because who could stick to less than 1000 calories a day forever without some sort of help? Your body would immediately say "i need more food" surely? And your metabolism could not be unaffected by living on so few calories for so long. But perhaps you could have gradual unfills until you reach a point of stability? Just guessing of course.

:cheeky Marsha, I have PCOS and was diagnosed as Insulin Resistant 5 years ago and I've been on Metformin - prescribed by a Repro- Endo/ they seem to have a better insight for women with either PCOS or IR. Mainly because both conditions are due to hormone inadequecies which cause irregular cycles, excessive weight gain, increased glucose levels, etc. Especially if you are pre-disposed to diabetes like me (my mother had type 1 diabetes and died from complications to long term diabetes 35 years). I want to be banded as the metformin hasn't helped me one bit with the weight loss, but it has helped in reducing the side-effects/symptoms of PCOS. I've tried a variety of daily dosages 500mg once daily, twice daily, and currently three x's daily. But nothing works on the weight loss. The higher the dosage the impact worsens - upset stomach, runny stool, cramping, etc. I agree that metformin works best when Carbs are significantly reduced and Proteins are the bulk of your meals. Exercise is key as well - but nothing will beat the positive impact the band has. I'm still awaiting approval from BCBS (insurance) as I cannot afford the procedure on my own. Try switching your Protein intake and make sure that you consume 60grams daily, exercise 60 min daily 6-7 days a week, and most importantly drink your Water and lay off the carbs and the weight should come off. Most folks that are on metformin for PCOS are usually taken off the meds after banding as they glucose levels normalize. The same holds true for type II diabetics, from what I've heard. Talk with your endo about it- if you don't have one you like - get another one by all means. It's your life we're talking about. Good luck and keep us posted.

I initally had great loss, I was going like gang busters. I lost 35 pounds by almost the 3 month. Yes, 10 or 15 pounds were water weight because I had a sever edema problem. Yes no more edema was one of my first NSVS. But whee! the weight was coming off! Then my weight loss stopped. I gained about 5 pounds before my first fill. After my first fill last month I lost 1 pound. This month I lost 1 pound. 2 months, 2 pounds. At the support meeting this week, I had my official weigh-in. 1 pound down since last month. I was so angry and pissed off and discouraged, words fail to express my disapointment. I have attempted to be the model bandster. I feel like I had good restriction, and my food has been ... small. My calories have been in the zone. But no loss. 2 months and 2 pounds. So angry. So many tears. Yes, I have had so many NSV I've thought about starting a thread dedicated to all my NSV. Yes, this weekend I actually bought a LARGE jacket, not a XXL jacket. But this NSV was completely obliteraged by my non-loss. Stupid scale. Failure me. 5 months ago They were considering putting me on oxygen therapy. Again. Today I don't even cary a puffer with me, and I run for the bus without a second thought. Okay, my second thought is "I wonder what these people think of big fat me running," and my thrid thought is "don't get in my way!" I chased my sweet 6' tall baby through a parking lot this weekend, him trying his best to not get caught, me doing my dardest to catch him. We ran around for about 2 minutes. Yeah, not long, but I was running to catch him. Not even out of breath, except for maybe the laughter. But the scale hasn't moved in 2 months and I feel like a failure. I was so angry I actually had a temper tantrum. I was so upset I almost quit everything related to the band. I was so upset to the point that I almost came here a deleted every one of my posts. All of them. I felt like a lier, like what could I possibly have to contribute because I am not loosing. But I waited. I know better to act in the heat of my anger. Of course, my wonderful Spudboy and DH have tried to put things into perspective for me. They have noticed my size change. They have noticed my increased energy and my increased spirits. They keep pointing out that I've been really sick for so long, and that my body is probably rebuiling the muscle that I've lost. This summer, I have had on going health issues that are not related to the band. I've had on going GYN issues, including a ruptured overian cyst. Talk about painful! I never passed out from the pain from tthat, but man I was close. I went through almost an entire bottle of phenegren in two weeks because of the pain induced nausia. Anyway, I spent 2 months on various drugs that normally cause weight gain, but I maintained. I suppose that is an NSV, but again, the NSV is obliterated by the scale. I know the scale lies. I've known that it lies for at least decade, but yet I still listen to what it says. I am so very discouraged. I have a fill appointment schedule so I have a fill before I go off to Idaho. The next opportunity I have for a fill will be November. Why can't I take my own advice? Why can't I be kind to myself? Stupid scale.

The trouble with extreme dieting on less than 1200 or so a day is that your body WILL start to burn its own muscle as well, regardless of what you are putting in your mouth. As you're muscle disappears, so does your metabolism. Your body will deplete its glycogen stores very quickly and at 800 cal a day you're not replacing them. The whole point of dieting of course is to burn the fat from your body for energy and you're body does do this, but it also inevitably burns muscle. The more extreme your diet the more Protein you'll lose from your body. Atkins' claims (and other similar high protein low carb diets) have never been proven and have very little scientific basis to them. Slow and steady has always been the way to go with dieting precisely because you preserve your muscle tissue to a greater degree and are therefore less likely to have that huge rebound weight gain which happens because all of a sudden you start putting calories into a body that may be lighter but is less optimally proportioned than it was before. Fatter bodies burn fewer calories than leaner more muscular ones. Now this may not be a problem if you have a band in place for life since hopefully you will keep the new eating habits - apart from the fact that its possible to be very light but incredibly flabby at the same time due to little muscle. But if you ever took the band off you'd be almost sure to have an enormous weight gain. You're body would not be able to handle the level of calories a normal person would eat in a day.

You guys are all right and I know things could be worse and that is true with anything in life. I just needed to vent and was having problems. I did not mean to be a whiner. As for the starting over comment, no I did not gain the weight back. I had to start over with nothing in the band and slowly go back up again which can mean a little weight gain is possible. Again sorry for being a whiner I just needed to talk to someone but I guess I come off wrong. I just needed some support as so many people do not understand unless they have been thru it. GOd bless.

Why am I so fat... okay.... I'm the youngest of 7 children. Mom & Dad (poorly educated) always working. Dad was a happy lovabe drunk, always worked but had no time for us kids. Mom (who can't read, write or drive) struggled with two jobs just to keep us fed. My Mom know's what starvation is and never wanted her kids to ever know that feeling. Our dinner table was always full of breads, potatoes, Pasta, rice, starches, anything that stuck to 9 hungry bellies. Never abused physically as a kid but emotionally negelected, okay, totally ignored. Never encouraged, never complemented. If I was noticed I was mocked for being fat. I wouldn't dare open my mouth because no matter what I said I was shot down and called stupid. food became my best friend, my love. It never put me down and it was always there by my side, It was my way out and it felt so good, still does. Lived with alot of people but grew up very lonely. Still to this day, I can be in a room with 100 people and still feel alone. My Weight Chart: Age 0 - 7: Skinny kid. Age 7: moved to a new town, very shy, no friends, started gaining weight. Age 7 - 20: Highest weight was 300+ Age 20: My Father died of Cancer. Shortly after I met the love of my life (so I thought), he dumped me and I was so heart broken I couldn't eat for months, I mean this man loved me, all 300 lbs of ME. So the depression and starvation process began. Age 22: I weighed 150 lbs (starvation). Age 23 - 25: Met new boyfriend, fell in love, got married - weighed 160 lbs Age 25 - 33: Kept weight between 175 - 185 lbs (but notice it rising). Age 33: Sister died unexpected. Rapid weight gaining started 100 + lbs. Major depression starts. Age 36: Weighed 226 lbs (got pregnant and swore I wouldn't get any bigger). Age 37: Had DD and at the end of the pregnancy weighed 260 lbs, lost 38 lbs and gained it back same year (postpartum depression is why I lost the 38). Age 38: Weighed 250 lbs. Age 39: Lost 30 lbs with Atkins Diet Age 40: Gained back 30+ lbs lost on Atkins Diet Age 40: Diagnosed with ADHD Age 40: I weigh approximately 254 lbs. Age 40: Tired of losing the battle, tired of the struggle, TIRED! Age 40: Seeking Lapband I have arthritis in my knees since I'm 12 (and in my back). Bone spurs and DDDisease in my spine. I have gone to psy doctors for therapy time and time again...sigh. My entire life I have been on every stinkin diet there is, tried all diet pills. Last diet pill tried was this year, May, 2005, Merida (still some left in my purse). July, 2005 - Researching Lap Band Surgery August 2, 2005 - Going to Doctor for medical lap band referal. August 9, 2005 - Going to Surgeons Seminar on lap band. This is me..... Eileen

I tried the 8th Continent Soy milk Light Vanilla flavored...tastes great but as it turns out I am allergic to it. It almost jepordized my surgery. I was adding the soy to my protein shakes to up my protein intake and ended up in the ER with my throat nearly swollen shut.:devious They gave me a dose of prednisone to clear the swelling. I went to see the Doc the day before my surgery was scheduled for to be sure my throat was in good enought shape to handle the anesthesia and was almost denied my surgery due to the weight gain from the prednisone and the mere fact that prednisone is a steriod and compromises your immune system. I was left in the exam room waiting for 40 minutes to hear whether my surgery for the next day was still a go or not. The nurse prectioner came back in to find me a balling mess of tears and snot. :cry She asked me what was wrong and I looked at her as if to shoot her dead in her shoes. :dead I said well, you left me in here for 40 min. not knowing whether or not I am going to have my surgery tomorrow. I have jumped through a lot of hoops to get here -even jumped through a few hoops you guys forgot to tell me about and now here I sit wondering if I just paid for a surgery that I may not get to have. she laughed and said oh honey you're ok. the doc said he will see you tomorrow in the hospital. hugged me and left the room. :speechles all that being said...just be careful if you have a tendancy towards allergies and you are still waiting to be banded.

Kelly, I have mine done at my band Dr's. But reputiable gyms or universities should be albe to do this for you. Bell sells a body fat% checker for about $15 or so. I find it is slightly off from what the doctor's scales says. but we are talking a difference of a point of a percentage. The difference was .3%, big whoop. Just make sure you are really well hydrated to get an acurate reading. One of the other things you can do is find someplace to get weighed under Water. I believe there is a scale that was on one of the threads has this option as well. But even if you turn out to be 27% as opposed to 25%, is that added stress worth it? Especially since there is some research that shows that stress causes weight gain? Penni, I'm going on the bone thing based on what my doc said. It is possible that he was refering to my personal genetic weirdness and I misunderstood him. I do know that my DH had gi-normous leg bones... and he's been MO and beyond since he was a teen.

I'm so discouraged - I had my surgery on July 26th. On the morning of my surgery I weighed 259. Today (2 days post op) I'm up 7 lbs to 266. I know that they pump a lot of Fluid into you during surgery, but I think that would have dropped off already. I don't feel puffy and I was well hydrated when I went into surgery. Has anyone else had this same experience? I was on liquids for 7 days pre-op, and I'll be on liquids for the next 3 weeks. I had my hopes up for a big loss over this period, but maybe I'm being unrealistic. On a positive note, the surgery went great and I feel pretty good. I'm tired and a little sore, of course.

I don't regret getting my band. Yes, the band works. You get full fast, there are times you simply can't eat. However, falling back to old habits comes too easy for many of us. I just always end up being the brutally honest one of the group that's not afraid to say that I've fallen back into my old habits to the tune of a 10 pound weight gain. It's all about choices. The Band originally restricts you from eating, and when it's new, you are scared to death to do anything wrong, so you follow the rules. Soon, the Band becomes a comfortable part of your life and you face all the same social settings, parties, work, leftovers, fast food joints, candy isles, etc. The Band restricts how your stomach feels, but it does nothing to take away the DEMONS. My demons are just meaner than others, so it takes more of a fight from me. But I'm tired. I have many enemies, but no regrets. I say it like it is, which really bothers or hurts a lot of people because girls aren't supposed to be mean. But to me, I want the hard, cold facts. I don't want to see a bunch of happy, smiling faces if there are underlying problems that need to be addressed. I need to get down and dirty and fix the problems. Could you imagine if a man tried to fix a car engine while keeping his hands clean? It's the same thing when it comes to our weight, our lives, our jobs, our relationships. If it's broken, it needs to be fixed, and you might get dirty fixing it. So I come here, post the problem, gnash it out, HATE a bunch of responses, LOVE a bunch of others, LOVE everyone for caring enough to put up with me, then hope for a better tomorrow. Meanwhile, I think Kare is me with another screen name. Don't be afraid to get the Band. Just get it knowing all the facts, and the fact is that statistics show "most" people lose 1/2 of the weight they need to lose with the band, and the rest has to come off through diet and exercise. Therefore, I'm a success. I'm still down a solid 60 pounds. I could not have done it without the Band. Rock on.

WELCOME HOME - BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLY!!!!! So happy your home sweetie!!! Well I know some of the pain your going through. I too had lipo of the stomach- thighs & butt. Please I know you won't- but you must be EXTRA careful about any weight gain in the future. My tush is now & has been deformed for years bacause I gained weight after lipo. It looks awful- the GREAT news is it seems to be getting better as I lose my weight with the band. Don't those over garmets suck the big one! you poor thing- I feel the frustration & not to mention its summertime! Wow- I waited till winter just because I knew about those horrible garments. Well you take extra care of yourself & stay thin. Your TT will have been the best thing you could have done- i think all women should have one if they are able too. The Lipo- for me thats a different story. Except the Lipo under my chin was FANTASTIC> Good Bless & I am so happy your safe & sound. Can't WAIT FOR THE PHOTOS!!!

I'm not sure how to explain this but am going to torture you all by trying to muddle through. I recently heard a speech or whatever you call it on Sexual abuse and harrasement. Now...I have never thought of myself as being a victim of this, but this person obviously has triggered something. I can't stop thinking about what she said and this one moment in my life keeps poppingin my head when I do. When I was 16 my moms boss at the time grabbed at me and tried to kiss me....he said something about if I wasn't careful that I would end up as fat as my mom. His teenage son came in and kinda kept anything from happening. I remember telling my Mom, but she didn't believe me and said something to the effect I must have been mistaken. Now here is the interesting part...or the part that has started making me thinking I'm mental. Looking back through pictures and videos of myself, I wasn't heavy at that time. I won't say I didn't have a weight promblem, because I did...I was dieting almost constantly...and in the typical teenage fashion doing it in not so healthy ways. But sometime around that time is when I slowly started gaining weight. I mean it wasn't sudden, but looking at my pictures you would think thats when my weight promblem started, because thats when my attempts to control seem to have started failing. Now I have lost weight over the years...and to be honest I haven't thought about that incident in my life for years and years. But since hearing the speech its been tumbling around and around. I have a pysch evaul in August, and I really don't want to delay the surgery at this point....but think I might benifit from some type of body image counsiling as I loose the weight. Anyone else want to psycho anaylize me in the mean time . And if I talk about this now with the psych will it jeapordize my approval? I have never before thought that my weight promblem was all that emotional, since my weight gain was slow except for the weight gained and not lost during my pregnancies. Melissa

Dannies Darlin, what is your current fill level? Once you PB it is wise to fo liquids for 24-48 hours to let the swelling in your esophagus and stoma subside, if not it just becomes a vicious cycle. PB..eat..PB eat.Iam sure you are very irritated if you have been PBing often You have to eat to lose weight. Since you are not eating nothing but cereal and milk could explain why you are not losing. Cereal and milk are liquids and soft foods I have posted this info on so many other threads but her is something from Inamed and it is dierctly from their hanbook it 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 or no weight loss. A band that is too tight may cause reflux symptoms and can also cause frequent vomiting. You know having just a little ammount of your fill removed can make a huge difference in being able to eat hard proteins & solids but still allow you to lose weight. I hope this info helps you

Hey, I thot my family was nuts, but I am truly lucky. But from a psychological point of view, do any of you think that the abuse or just wierdness in the family may have contributed to your weight gain and obesity in the long run? I know that while I was little my mom was a little nuts because her mom (my Mama Di) treated her like she wasnt worth the dirt she walked on, so Mom pushed me to be the perfect little girl, especially since my Mama Di took away my sister from my mom after she was born and told everyone that she had had a baby when she was about 35 (which isn't old btw) but everyone saw Mom pregnant, and never saw Mama Di pregnant, but she honestly believes that everyone thinks that my biological sis is her daughter (weird huh?) My family is WACKY! That's all, when I was little Mom used to make me do pagents, to this day I dunno where that money came from because my Mom worked for Mama Di in her conveniant store making $50 a week, and Dad made about $6,000 a year. I am a natural blond haired, hazel-eyed girl, with dimples, and it was more than anyone could stand (I was soooooooo cute) but I started gaining weight when I was about 3 or 4 like CRAZY!! And have never lost it, I was born big, but I mean I blew up and Mom did everything she could to stop it which led me to being a Binge Eater from the ages of abour 4 until I was about 12, then I became a short-term anorexic (when school ended I started eating a lot in the summer). Now I am just huge and in a lot of pain, but I am so lucky to have the parents that I have, and you all have shown me that, thanks, you all are an inspiration Oh, wanna here something funny!!!! My other grandmother (Mamo) got arrested about 5 weeks ago for public intoxication, she had went to the doctor and faked serious depression to get Xanax and Trazadone and took some on the way home, and did not make it 2 miles before she hit someone in an intersection but drove off to Casa Ole (mexican food place) and hit someone else then freaked out, turned around and almost hit another person trying to back out of the police baracade!!! All they gave her was a PI tho, but we made her sit in jail until she sobered up!!! My family is just plain ZANEY!!

Karen and I have the same Dr. and I was told by him that if you can not eat solid Protein all the time, you may be too tight. With this new fill I do not eat until around 11:00 am but it is all solid protein. Since yoou can not get liquids in until the afternoon..are you drinking enough Water? By what you described it doesnt look like 60 grams of protein a day? Not trying to be negative but most you described in the part of the day are either mushy foods or liquid calories . Losing two lbs a week is great but with the low ammount of protein you are eating you are most likely losing lean muscle mass which in the end will make you flabby.( according the the 2 nutritionalists and my Dr. I have seen since being banded) This is another reason the 60 grams of protein are so important to not lose lean muscle mass and to help curb your appetite and cravings. 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. I hope this info helps you

to get back on track after being naughty? I read this statement a little while ago and well....after this weekend I can well and truely relate. I went to a bandsters lunch at an all you can eat. I had great restriction when I walked in I swear. I walked out after eating everything I had felt like the past couple of months. At dinner time I thought I may as well have junk since I had already blown it that day and start good eating the next day. Woke up Sunday and did the same and again today. *sigh* I just cant seem to get back on track and the 2kg weight gain since Saturday doesnt seem to be helping me. Any ideas? *Help*

Sounds to me like you may be too tight also 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. I hope this info helps you

I have been gaining and lossing the same 10lbs for 3 months. I can not keep most meats down. I almost always PB my first meal of the day and then it seems I can eat like a pig. I think I am to tight for a fills but I am having trouble reaching my goal. I am 9 months post op. And I am so happy with my weight loss, but could use help in getting off the last 30 lbs.

Stephanie, That is exactly what I needed to know thansks for sharing your experience with me. Sorry to hear about your weight gain BUT at least you still have your band. That is what I fear most having an ulcer which will lead to an erosion. I just got my band and I want to keep it. Was your ulcer located on your stoma or somewhere else in your stomach? And how long were you on the ulcer meds?

I too have scale anxiety, LOL. but my problem (I know from so many diet failures) ifs that at least in size 20+ clothes, there is a good 20lbs of play. Meaning it takes about 20 lbs regardless to what fashion mags say before I am out of one size and into another. So, when I have relied on how my clothes fit, sometimes 20 or 25 pounds would sneak up before I realized it. Now add to my scale anxiety the fact that I am one of those in denial of weight gain and only look in the mirror when in favorable lighting and angles, LOL..... So while I would love to throw the scale away, I know weekly to bi-weekly weigh ins are a neccesary evil for me. I am jealous of those of you who can maintain without that horrible thing!!!!!!

I've always gotten that "high and mighty' vibe from you Alex, so I can see where she's coming from ... (**insert big wink here**) A woman I've known for gosh, 8 years or so has dropped me since I got the band. When i was on my last supervised weight loss regeim, I lost a good amount of weight, didn't keep it off, but well you know the drill. Every time I mentioned my weight loss she would quickly, I mean quickly change the subject. But when it came to her diets, she would go on and on and on. She was an enormous size 10 when she started her diet and now she's a size 4 and looks terrible. She recently started to use a rowing machine and got really good at it, but because she built up her upper body and gained muscle mass, she's pissed off at the weight gain, so she quit so she could loose the weight she gained from rowing.