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hi am 23 and when i hit nearly 23 stone i really thought i needed to do something about it so i went to see my gp about things and i was put forward for a laparoscopic gastric band. Then in october 2009 i went to a meeting about what differnt ways there was ballon, gastric band or the bypass i went home and thought about it my next appoint wasnt til feb 2010. By then i new i wanted a laparoscopic gastric band. Altho this was a scary thought i was weighted and told what things maybe causing my weight gain. So from feb i started looking at differnt diets to suit me in the end i combined 2 differnt ones the british heart foundation diet and the free foods list altho it took me at least 3 month to find the right diet for me it was worth it in the end. i lost nearly 3 stone by the time i went back to my next appointment and the pannel team was very happy with my porogress. i had also hit a record weight loss in the clinc of 16kilos i no that is short of 3 stone but i had put a few pounds on before i lost weight after my first appointment i am so proud of myself (i also recived a letter this morning sayin i was a record breaking weight loss for the clinic which will take pride of place in my home to sppur me on the lose me weight). after my appointment in oct i was in hospital the next week for my laparoscopic gastric band to make sure i didnt put the weight back on. i am 3 weeks out of surgy and feel like am ready for this challange . the first few days were hard and i wont lie i had regrets about getting it done but after the first week everything had time to sink in and i know it is the best thing i could have done. since having the band fitted i have lost 6 pound i no that isint a massive weight loss but its still 3 bags of sugar and when you look at it that way a loss is a loss its better than putting more weight on. i am very excited for my first fill which should be in about 3 weeks time i havent yet had a date. every 2 pound i loss i can say good bye to a bag of sugar and the less sugar i eat they more of those bags i can throw!! its easy to get disheartened and feel down and at the time food looks like the best way out i have done it for many years. normally the first thing u grap is the quickest and easy food so why dont you have a look of a free food least (foods that hasnt many cals and is very low in fat) and always have them to hand or prepared in the fridge as this may help. if anyone has any advice for my feel free to email me thanks victoria xxx :cursing:

As a fellow bi-polar lap band patient, let me say that bi-polar depression is different than any other kind of depression. You cannot 'dig yourself out of it' or do any other non-medicinal types of activities that relieve it. The doctors are careful about giving anti-depressants because some can cause manic episodes, so we are limited in treatment options. Medications that work fine at one time can stop working completely, and they seem to stop working long before the drug companies come out with newer medications. It is a constant battle to find the right medications, at the right dosages, just to make you functional, forget about being happy. Losing weight is almost impossible, especially when so many of the medications cause weight gain. That, coupled with the fact that during the depression you feel like your feet are in cement and you just cannot move from fatigue and exhaustion. I have come to realize that losing weight, even with the band, will be more difficult, and slower that non bi-polar lap-banders. I've had mine almost a year and have only lost 20 pounds. But last year I gained 15, so I figure I am ahead 35. I have learned to be satisfied with slower weight loss, but I am not giving up, I'm in this for the long term. Cindy B.

It's difficult (even with the band) to change the habits of a lifetime. I had some major MAJOR cheats and some weight gain in May while traveling for business. Once home, I started going to support groups again, made an appointment with the surgeon's office to talk with them (and have been going every couple of weeks to keep up with accountability), and cut back the cheats. You can do this..just need to get your head back in the game. Back to basics. xoxo

Hi all, I was banded in 2010 lost over 70lbs great! Had a baby gained back 57 and I'm trying to loose it again... However my husband and i just found out I'm pregnant again... We're excited but I'm scared that I'm going to balloon out out control with my weight... Anyone pregnant with the band and how did u control your weight gain

A girl I met on this site got banded at 19. Sure she wasn't mature, but she worked the band and lost the weight, and it changed her life. She went from being the one that guys walked all over, and the one that people would treat like crap, to being confident, happy and sure of herself, whose confidence shone through. I wish I'd had the option of arresting my weight gain at a young age, so I don't feel like my healthier, fitter self only came into existence in my late 30s. I think if there's been a history of not being able to lose, and the prognosis is that the teen would likely be overweight all their life, then I think helping them sooner rather than later would be beneficial to them. Because it's obvious from this site that age and maturity isn't what makes you prepared for the band.

I'm not sure about the liquids for some reason Iv never been a big drinker of anything so the band just increased what was already a struggle with the whole don't drink and eat thing and wait 30 mins. I didn't revise only because of reflux, It was managed with Prilosec well enough but more so because of just sick of the whole lifestyle that came with the band. Yes I could have loosened or unfilled but only with weight gain. Iv not had even a slight bit of reflux since removing the band but I also had a hiatal hernia repair during the revision. I had many barium swallows over the years since I worked in the surgeons office, a few dilated pouches that I would refill for about a month to correct but they never fully corrected. My esophagus is still dilated even in my recent X-rays.

I gained 6 pounds between Jan 3 and Jan 17 (surgery was Dec 23).... 4 things to consider for ME... I'm girl and it's "that time"...which brings weight gain due to Water retention I started working out hard-core last week, which can make muscles swell...swelling = water retention = weight gain With the total calories I'm eating, it's IMPOSSIBLE for the weight gain to be fat (you have to eat 3500 calories ABOVE what you are burning just by being alive and doing things in order to gain fat...I'm eating 900-1300 calories a day plus working out for the first time in years...it's not possible it's fat) Not enough calories consumed, possibly causing a kick into starvation mode. (I should be getting 1200 calories a day. Sometimes I get there, sometimes I don't) Sodium....if I eat higher sodium foods, there could be additional water retention (canned Soups can be really high in sodium, and my ankles are extra puffy lately, a sure sign of water retention for me). As of this morning...all 6 lbs are gone and I'm back to my scale low weight. Weight fluctuates...especially bad in women at different times during the month. Maybe your fiance will recognize some of the above things as possibilities for her weight gain. Good luck! Becki

so im going to be my normal Smart a$$ self and say..... you can find a study most anywhere that will back what ever one wants to believe. My view.... Children are what they grow up with. If the parents are over weight the child has a higher chance that he/she will be over weight too.... Only because they eat what we eat... if we as adults eat food that is unhealthy so will our children. My parents were not over weight when i grew up... because my mom or dad cooked a meal... We rarely ate out and hardly ever ate at Fast food places. My weight gain came in my late twenties and thirties... Why.. because i move to the city and started eating bad foods. Next time you go eat at a buffett.... Look around at the over weight people there... then look at their children... 90% will be over weight and so will their kids. I think the Food stamp program is another contributor.... It make it too easy to buy unhealthy food choices. Ever get behind a person at the grocery that's paying with Assistance..... it is horrifying ... basket full of candy, chip, Cookies... pre packaged food... tons of soda and ice cream... unhealthy foods... and this is what our youth of today has to chose from in their homes... Video games... another contributor to weight gain.... we NEVER stayed inside.... we were riding bikes, running... building forts... playing hide and seek...... Get the kids eating better by being a good example and make them go play out side.....

I did have a therapist throughout but not through my bariatric team and not in connection with being overweight. I don't have a food "addiction". I gained weight during a long term illness that left me bed bound and taking medication that causes weight gain. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App I'm very sorry for your illness and what you have gone through. We all have our own stories of how we became obese. But bottom line, we all got that way because we ate more calories than our bodies needed. Yes, medications, certain illnesses and restricted activity can contribute, but we consciously made the choices of the kind of food and amount of food we ate. We couldn't help ourselves despite the fact our behavior lead to unwanted results. This is the definition of addiction. I hope you are getting better and I truly hope you find peace with your decision to have WLS.

I did have a therapist throughout but not through my bariatric team and not in connection with being overweight. I don't have a food "addiction". I gained weight during a long term illness that left me bed bound and taking medication that causes weight gain. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App I'm very sorry for your illness and what you have gone through. We all have our own stories of how we became obese. But bottom line, we all got that way because we ate more calories than our bodies needed. Yes, medications, certain illnesses and restricted activity can contribute, but we consciously made the choices of the kind of food and amount of food we ate. We couldn't help ourselves despite the fact our behavior lead to unwanted results. This is the definition of addiction. I hope you are getting better and I truly hope you find peace with your decision to have WLS. My becoming disabled suddenly is certainly not common. Being bed bound, alone and unable to cook meant that I was making the only choices that I could. That's not to say that I don't own any responsibility in any part that I may have played in becoming obese. That is why I approached my GP, spent years in the bariatric system, then had surgery based on the advice I received from that team. I was told that "I could not exercise and would only get heavier" if I did not have this done. And of course, who doesn't want to lose the excess weight? I am better and I am at peace. I have lost all of the excess weight now and am on maintenance but still losing weight. I still have clostridium difficile also. Just trying to reassure the OP that they will recover from surgery eventually and that they will find a new "normal", even if this surgery doesn't feel like it was the right thing to do. The OP asked if anyone else felt the way they do. It can feel very isolating when everyone else is thrilled with their sleeve and you hate yours. When I was at my most ill, hospitalised and suffering from all manner of problems (malnutrition, infections etc), most everyone always said the same thing. I know you are deathly ill right now but look how much weight you've lost. People love to talk about it. They want to be excited with you. But sometimes you just feel rotten because you can't simply grab a cup of tea, or a sandwich on the go anymore. No matter what got you here though, there is little point in dwelling on what you can't change. Having acceptance is crucial here. I really feel for everyone who feels low because they think they made a mistake in having WLS. Just hang in there! You can get better, feel better. I have been through purgatory since May and am still quite ill but my body is healing gradually. I had my first B12 injection recently. I am getting back to being myself a bit more everyday. It won't always be so bad. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I had gastric sleeve in Dec. 2013 after having reached a weight of about 440-450 and everything went according to plan the first 18 months or so. Since the spring of 2015 or so, I have been stuck in the 285-305 range (I'm 6'3" and 43 yo) and have been unable to get out of that no matter what I try, to the point where emotionally, I am basically back where I was at my highest weight. I can't stand to look at myself in the mirror, and I'm either a) obsessively counting carbs or calories or b) not caring what I eat and engaging in secret compulsive eating (though on a much, much smaller scale—instead of a dozen donuts, I'm going for one or two and not telling my wife or anyone else). The latest emotional defeat is this: I've spent the last three weeks doing a keto/Atkins-type thing, which was the only thing that ever worked for me before my surgery. Meticulous tracking, urine sticks showing I'm in ketosis, moderate walking exercise, and—here's the catch—a pretty extreme calorie deficit. Most days less than 2k per day, never more than 2,500, and in one four day period, I basically did the surgery prep diet of only protein shakes and broth, at about 800-1200 calories. After all that, I lost 2 pounds, which, when you're 292 pounds, is nothing. I'm already planning to eat poorly and secretly tomorrow, and I have absolutely no idea what to do. I feel essentially the same way I did before my surgery, though less intense, in that it seems like there's really nothing I can do. This is driving my wife crazy, and she's unable to understand or emotionally support me. I'm also trying very hard to not go back to some other addictive patterns. I know the first thing some are going to say is exercise more. I haven't done that lately, and there are two things holding me back on that point. At various periods in the last 4 years, I have done serious, several weeks-long programs with personal trainers in tandem with calorie deficit, and have had literally no success, other than gaining a little muscle, which resulted in a net weight gain. Also, I have some pretty extreme chronic degenerative disc pain, and it's hard to motivate myself to work past that pain when past results from diet and exercise have yielded little to no tangible benefit after great effort. One other thing that may be a factor: I had my gallbladder removed in 2017, and it had been basically shot since at least fall of 2015. I also had hiatal hernia repair the same time I had the gallbladder out. To be honest, I'm not really expecting any useful feedback. This may just be what life is for me now. But I had to say it somehow to someone.

Hi All, I was banded in 2011 and it was a move that everybody in my family was against, I started to lose the weight and was very happy, reached my ''initial'' goal within a year and was very happy... Had a little bit of extra skin as I was too scared to work out. During this year, I was lucky enough to get my entire family living in the same city as myself, and we ALL enjoy food so much, so any gathering with parents, brother, and sister meant food, food, and more food. I was eating good portions, and had started to take my band for granted, forgetting about the rules of of not eating too fast or drinking and eating at the same time Anyways, my troubles started about 6 months ago, when I was under a tremendous amount of pressure at work, and at home as my husband had to travel and we'd be separated for a whole year... lots of stress and angry days and nights starting causing me pain the upper part of my stomach (which is normal for me even before the band)... Started getting stuck more often, but it would come and go as sometimes I would be able to eat very well, and other times it would be a hassle... didn't really do anything about it, then started to get acid reflex, and continued to ignore things.. Then I had a 1cc unfill, but the symptoms continued, and i continued to ignore them... things were getting worse, and i started to cough at night, eating became a nightmare, and I started resorting more to fluids thinking it is probably stress and will be better soon. Lately things were way worse and I felt like i had it, so I went for an endoscopy (which is covered by my insurance) and was told that probably the pouch above the band is dilated and I must see my surgeon (whom I no longer live in the same country as) Anyways, I went to the surgeon whom I was doing all the follow up with, and he jumped directly into conclusions saying I must remove the band..... I panicked and cried, so he said then you can do an xray. The report of the xray Dr. came good, saying there is no slip and the band is ok, but the surgeon said that there IS a minor slip that the dr. missed and he unfilled me completely and asked me to go on a liquid diet for a month, then if the xray showed no improvement then I would have to remove the band. I am completely shocked, and so so so so worried… I have paid for this from my own money and removing the band would cost a fortune, let alone the other factor which is weight gain… I am completely lost and feel like it is the literary the end of the world…. Any help or similar experiences or links to videos or articles would be AMAZING…. I can’t seem to find anything other than the horrible stories online. I also need some thoughts on the liquid diet, can drink fruits and veggies smoothies? Grinded veggies and meat Soup? What are the things to stay away from (band safety wise not weight gain wise)? And would I be able to eat any mushies? Or is it liquids only? Thank you so much for any help or reply that you might leave…. Appreciate it like you can’t imagine.

I thank those who post about sudden or long term problems with the band. It would appear things are going along ok for some of them for years and then big problems and weight gain. Frankly, this scares me. I've adjusted to banded life for over 8 years and am very compliant....but hear others are as well and then BOOM ... Their life changes. Maybe long term success with the band people just don't post often? I know there are many of us out in the world????just wanting to believe that I suppose

Hello. I got pregnant after having the band for one year. I never had to have my fluid removed. This was based on careful watch of my and the baby's weight gain. As long as the OB-GYN is informed they will monitor your and your baby's weight gain. If insufficient, they may ask that the fluid be taken out (at least in part) to allow for better nutrition. Also, other considerations..if you end up being one of those mom's that vomit excessively, you may want to have all the fluid taken out as a precaution. Not for baby, but to prevent slips etc. Also, be realistic about your nutrition. If you find yourself not eating, not eating balanced and you know this may pose a risk...time for an unfill to allow for greater variety or portions. Hormones can be tricky on the band (for instance some woman find their bands tighter during their PM). If you find your band being more restrictive than normal, have a partial unfill to accomodate. Be in constant and honest communication with your ob-gyn to ensure that you and your baby stay healthy during your pregnancy. Congrats!

Are you afraid of an unhappy outcome of your weight loss surgery? You're not alone. Use your fear to conquer obstacles rather than letting it conquer you For most of us starting a WLS journey, bariatric surgery is vast, uncharted territory, full of unknowns. We long for a happy outcome – maximum weight loss with minimum problems. We listen to stories told by other patients with a combination of hope (to be as successful as they’ve been) and fear (that we won’t experience the side effects or complications they talk about). No one wants to be haunted by the specter of anxiety and dread, but I think a little bit of fear is a good thing. I don’t want fear to dominate my life, but without it, I’m likely to become complacent about my weight loss success and/or revert to the old, all-too-comfortable ways that made me obese in the first place. In small doses, fear keeps me on my toes. Like pain tolerance, fear tolerance varies from one person to the next. Perhaps I’m able to tolerate and use fear because my childhood and adolescence were so full of fear-provoking experiences. By the time I was in my late 20’s, I actually got a little thrill out of fear, possibly because it stimulates adrenalin production. There’s nothing quite like a knife coming at you to activate your fight-or-flight system, causing a perverse fear “rush”. At the same time, prolonged exposure to fear has also taught me to respect it. I don’t play with fear the way daredevils like Evel Knievel did, risking life and limb for the brief thrill of jumping 14 buses at a time with his motorcycle. But I do like the way fear can clear my mental field, forcing me to draw a line between important and unimportant. When the choice is survival or surrender, I’d rather choose survival. I’m not a quitter. When challenged, I’m going to fight back, especially if something precious like my health is at stake. If fear tends to paralyze rather than mobilize you, you may have to use your own compass to navigate a problem, or play follow-the-leader (provided you have a trustworthy leader) instead. Whatever you do, don’t give in. Giving in turns you into a victim (click here to read an article about victim mentality: http://www.lapbandta...-of-obesity-r79), which is not a position of strength in any battle worth fighting. And your health is worth fighting for, isn’t it? So, how can you make fear a working partner in your WLS journey? Let’s take a closer look at two of the more common faces of fear. FEAR OF FAILURE Somewhere between my first, mandatory pre-op educational seminar and my pre-op liver shrink diet, I became uncomfortably aware of a shadow that followed me everywhere. It was dark and scary, and even bigger than I was. It was my fear of failure. After decades of struggle – diets, weight loss, weight gain – I felt that WLS was my absolute last chance to be healthy. And after slogging through all those pre-op tests, evaluations, consults and procedures, I danged well was not going to fail this time. Since I had to admit that my weight management skills were sadly lacking back then (as amply proven by the number on the scale and the numbers in my medical files), the only option available to me was to become the most compliant patient my surgeon ever had (click here to read an article about patient compliance: http://www.lapbandta...g-deal-abo-r112). I had to believe that he and his staff knew what they were doing and would guide me well. I’m a very curious and often mouthy person, so I asked a lot of questions and did my best to understand what was going on in me and around me, but I spent very little time trying to second-guess the instructions I was given. That approach freed up a lot of time and energy that I was then able to devote to changing my eating and other behaviors in ways that helped my weight loss. FEAR OF COMPLICATIONS Compliance served me well I this area also. I can’t claim that I was never tempted to cheat on my pre or post-op diets or to test my band’s limits. I can’t claim that I believed I’d be forever exempt from the side effects and complications I heard about from other WLS patients. But when my dietitian told me (for example) that I’d be mighty sorry if I accidentally swallowed a wad of chewing gum and had to have it scraped out of my stoma, I quickly lost my interest in chewing gum. When I observed that many bandsters experienced certain types of side effects and complications after engaging in certain types of risky behaviors, I resolved not to follow them down the road of no return. Eventually I discovered that life after WLS can deliver some unpleasant surprises, just as in every other aspect of life. I had to learn some things the hard way, like: If you swallow a large antibiotic capsule that can’t pass through your stoma and slowly dissolves into a corrosive mess, you will end up in the ER thinking you’re having a heart attack (and end up with a big unfill). And no, liquid antibiotics don’t taste good, but they taste a lot better than the weight I regained after that unfill. Most of the mistakes I made were the result of impatience or carelessness, but I did my best to learn from those mistakes and keep moving on. A handful of mistakes was about all it took for me to decide not to challenge the validity of my surgeon’s and dietitian’s instructions, and that kept me trudging along the bandwagon trail, getting ever closer to my weight goal. And once I reached that wonderful place, I was determined to stay there!

Thank you everyone who gave your advise. I now have a better understanding of why this evaluation is so important. When I asked the scheduler at the surgeons office why she said it was just to make sure I wasn't crazy. But going to talk about the addiction to food and the fact that I will no longer be able to use it as my comfort, my friend, or my crutch is a very scary thought. I know that going in but it will be nice to talk with a professional to be able to help me through it. I do have an addiction to food and I have no idea why or when it really started. I have not always been the "fat" girl. It used to be just the opposite. I graduated high school 20 years ago weighing a mere 87 lbs. No I never had anorexia or any kind of eating disorder. I just couldn't gain weight. I never in a million years thought I would be at the weight I am today. My weight gain didn't start until after my 2nd child. My first pregnancy I only gained 25 lbs putting me at 125lbs at delivery. At my 2week check up post delivery I was down to 90lbs.I lost more than I had gained, and they made me stop breast feeding. My 2nd pregnancy I gained 20 and never lost any of it, it just went up. And since then 8 years now I am up to 209 and 5ft tall. I don't think I ever suffered from post pardum, but I do suffer from depression and always have even in high school. So who knows. I do know that I am ready to make this necessary change in my life. I am slowly killing myself with food and it needs to stop. I will read on this forum everyday to educate my self, get inspiration and anything else I can to help me along my way. Thank you for all the support A.

If you don't want to read the whole dang story just move onto the colored text at the very bottom of this post. I am so conflicted right now! My husband and I have always planned on having a large family. However I'm starting to feel like I'd be the dumbest person alive to actually INTENTIONALLY get pregnant after getting WLS and reaching goal. Especially considering how much it costs out of pocket for us to get pregnant without insurance for my infertility issues!!! We can certainly afford both......but I can't help but feel like maybe I'm being stupid not waiting to get the VSG. But then, when the thought of waiting occurs to me.....I feel like hell because I know that we will have to wait at least 2 years (as usual) to even begin TTC, and with my infertility/pcos it'll be more like at least 3 years to actually fall pregnant. That is so long to remain unhealthy and unable to enjoy my life with my children. I fear becoming diabetic and getting hbp and high cholesterol as I'm already bordeline...and it's only getting worse the longer I wait to lose all this weight! I also feel like if I waited for the WLS, I'd be stealing a further 3 years plus from my children to have a normal healthy mom who can do everything with and for them that a mom should! UGH! So confused. The thing is.....Both times I've been pregnant, I have had IUGR babies due to my severe loss of appetite coupled with the first two trimesters of nausea. I lose 20-30 lbs everytime I become pregnant, and that effects the growth of the babies not getting enough nutrients like they should. I always thought that even if I wasn't getting any food, the baby was supposed to be fine as he would just take from my body, and the ill effects would just be mine, and mine alone! That is what the doctors told me the BOTH times. But apparently they changed their minds after I had my second child the same way! This last pregnancy I had gestational diabetes, which wasn't even a concern the first time. Both babies weighed approximately 4lbs at birth, and had stopped growing at 37 weeks, and were always measuring 2+ weeks smaller during all of the ultrasounds. Proving that they were not getting what they needed to grow properly. Thank goodness they are both incredibly healthy now and are doing exceptionally well and are not only caught up, but hitting milestones far ahead of their age groups! But the problem still remains, because of my weight and the ever looming PCOS, and pregnancy hormones making me severely ill and causing my loss of appetite due to the PCOS....it's a never ending cycle you know? I know that if I lost the weight, I'd no longer have PCOS, my hormones would be healthy and normal for once. And any pregnancy from then on forward could only be healthier. My doctors say the same thing. However, we are simply not ready to get pregnant so soon yet as the little one is only 8 months today. However, if I do get the WLS and hit goal by 1 year and maintain for the 2 years after, and THEN decide to get pregnant, I fear that I might just actually GAIN all the weight back trying to EAT and KEEP THINGS DOWN this time around. I know that any time I become pregnant in the future I am dedicated to eating ALOT, whether I can keep it down or not, and eating very healthy despite weight gain or whatever else. I CANNOT have IUGR babies any longer, and my doctor agrees that I am one of those women who absolutely need to eat twice as much in order to keep the growing child healthy. Because of this, I feel like I may ruin all of my success after WLS. Basically.....I just wanted to know if any of you knows what the likelyhood of gaining all of my weight back and becoming unhealthy like I am today after the procedure is? I don't want to get the procedure now, and have a pregnancy throw me off and back on the train to imminent disease and early death! But, I don't want to not have any more children either. That is just not fair to my husband, and not to myself. Very selfish of me if that thought ever even occurred to me, which it wouldn't! I know some of you will say that I simply should not have any more children, especially since I have 2 already and my pregnancies barely go well. But my doctor's have pinpointed the actual problem and are willing, as am I, to do anything (even if it means to become hospitalized for the first 2 trimesters in order to keep an eye on my food/appetite and the babies growth) to keep the same from happening again. My doctors have both suggested that WLS would be the best option for me, for my health AND for the health of my future pregnancies and children in so many ways. But............why can't I shake the fear that if I end up pregnant after the procedure and eat like I'm supposed to, and successfully gain weight (albeit 11-20 lbs only, since that is the goal my docs have for me since I always lose weight during pregnancy) that I won't be able to get rid of it and then I'll eventually be back where I am because my stomach will have stretched due to the eating!!! Am I losing my mind here (my doctor sure thinks I am) or are my fears legitimate and rational? In a nutshell: I am afraid of gaining the weight back if I fall pregnant 2-3 years after the procedure. I have a habit of losing too much weight DURING a pregnancy, and gaining it back plus some immediately afterwards when I regain my appetite that was suppressed due to my reaction to the hormones during gestation. I can't decide if I should have the surgery now or after I'm through having children. My dilemma is: If I have all of the children I want than I will be waiting 5+ years to have the WLS, and will be in a much much worse place health-wise by then, than I am now. I feel like I'll have stolen those years from my children's lives as well, they deserve all of their mommy...not just what she can barely give. Not to mention the fact that who knows where we may be financially in 5+ years, yes we do have it well planned....but goodness, in this day and age of recession ya never really know do you? Insurance so far, isn't an option, who's to say it would be in the future. I just want to know if you guys think what I fear is likely? If so, how likely is it? Has this happened to anyone after the VSG and having fallen pregnant? If I exercise and keep my calories/carbs down will that help. I just fear that the extra eating I'll have to do to gain enough healthy weight during a pregnancy will stretch my stomach and it will be a never-ending cycle afterwords.

Hey Sara - my insurance covers this but I feel your pain with the infertility. I am still paying off my IVF. My husband and I struggled for a long time but we were blessed with children so keep working on it. I now have four crazy kids and a heap of credit card bills but I wouldn't change it for the world. As for the friend thing - I couldn't speak to my best friend for two weeks after she announced she was pregnant. I wanted so much to be happy for her but she told me on a day that I found out I wasn't. anyway, enough about me. keep you chin up and look into what Mrs Fuller said. Stress is a big factor in weight gain AND infertility so try and reduce yours. Best of luck to you. I'll keep you in my prayers

I know here lately I've posted and sounded down and maybe I am, I've got a lot going on in my life. Tonight I was watching an episode of I think it's titled "my 600 lb life and where are they now", well I live with my mom and have lived with her for the past year for several reasons, one she's 74 and needs me but for the main reason, I can't find a job and I need her as much as she needs me because I can't make ends meet on my alimony alone since my divorce 2 yrs ago and live by myself. Well, while watching this show I could really relate to these people who had had gastric bypass and their eating issues so I paused the DVR and said to my mom "you know I really need help with my eating issues". Just yesterday or last night I posted on here that I crave something sweet after meals and it is an awful feeling and I didn't know how to deal with it. Her reply was harsh, guess I wasn't ready to hear it and wanted her support. She basically said to deal with it. My feelings to the issue is, this is a real sickness, people are addicted to food as some are addicted to alcohol or drugs. I need to learn how to channel those feelings of wanting to eat at non-eating times to something else. I am paying for my own health ins and it costs a lot over $500/mo for me and my deductible is $2500 and I've had to stop going to my psychiatrist because each visit was going towards my deductible and I couldn't afford to pay out of pocket. I'm crushed, I've been a patient of his for 7 yrs. I did find a psychologist here where I live but she keeps pushing me to do things that cost me, like hobbies and although that is fine and dandy I can't afford it. Now lets talk about exercise: Mom says tonight "I'll pay for a membership to a gym if you'll go", great I say but she doesn't understand that I can barely walk around the block here at home before I have to walk in the door and take a pain pill to kill the pain in my knee that I've had 2 surgeries on. I just feel like she doesn't understand or I feel all alone in this right now. Yes, I've come out of the closet yesterday on here that I'm Bipolar, I take meds for it and they leave me hungover the next day so I usually sleep in till 10:30 and cause insomnia so I'm up till the wee hrs of the night/morning going to bed and the one drug that knocks me out causes some weight gain and cravings but its the only thing that will put me to sleep at night and control my moods. Going back to my psychiatrist, he kept a close eye on me and my bipolar and all my meds, now my reg dr handles all my meds. I have a feeling some of this is mild depression going on, but I just don't have the money to make an appt with my old dr right now. sheesh. My Lap Band dr has me come in once a month for fills and that has been costing me over $100 a time, I'm up to my eyeballs in medical bills. No wonder my hair is falling out. Going back to exercise, I tried to do a Burpee, omg, I couldn't even accomplish that, couldn't squat because of my knee. I thought I was going to have to call the fire dept to get me up. Thanks for listening. Donna

I am currently in the same situation and I feel like my ship is sinking fast... I was banded December 7th 2009, and I have lost about 8 pounds since then! I am up to 9cc's in an 11'cc band and I can still eat bread, have never had anything get "stuck", never slimed or PB'd or anything that lets me know I am in band land. I can not eat quite as much as I used to pre-band, but I can eat ALL the same foods. I had taken up walking 3 miles a day 3-4 times a week and I did this for a month thining that would give me a "boost" and when I went to the doctor last month - again - NOTHING. I don't have any motivation and I am starting to regret putting my body through this for it not to work. I have ugly scars in my stomach from this operation and only 8 pounds to show for it. I didn't tell many of my friends or family about having surgery, but those that I told didn't think I "needed" it and now that I'm six months out and still look the same, all I am getting is "I told you so's"... I did my research and I thought I was making the best choice for me to FINALLY get a hold of my weight gain and after being initally denied by my insurance, when my appeal got approved I was rejoicing!! I thought this was it and all the years of battling my bulge would soon be behind me as me and my band tackled the never ending world of food... NOT so much. I am torn between going for my appointment next week and just saying "to hell with it" and not going back at all anymore. The doctor has already told me that I am the only patient he has ever had that has had this much fluid in their band and still not be fully restricted. ~sighs~ :thumbup:

There are a few reasons you are feeling tired without any reason. One of them is anemia, which is a lack of red blood cells and conversely, oxygen from the lungs is not properly brought to the tissues and cells. Anemia may be caused by deficiency of vitamins or minerals, internal bleeding or chronic diseases. Women who are at “that time” of the month are susceptible to anemia as blood is lost during menstruation. Still, iron deficiency due to menstruation is less than in pregnant women or lactating mothers, as their body needs extra iron to maintain healthy blood levels. Things may also go wrong when your thyroid glands refuse to cooperate with you. Thyroid hormones, thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) are responsible for metabolic processes in the body. Too much thyroid hormone causes hyperthyroidism which speeds up metabolism while too little thyroid hormone slows down metabolism. Hyperthyroidism causes fatigue and muscle weakness and starts in the thighs. Doing energy demanding activities become difficult and other symptoms include weight loss, feeling warm, shorter menstruations, increased heart rate and thirst. Hypothyroidism also causes fatigue and muscle weakness. The symptoms are reversed to hyperthyroidism such as weight gain, feeling cold and longer menstruations. Diabetes, notorious for causing a range of problems in the body, is also related to fatigue. As glucose is the staple fuel of the body, it is not utilized properly in patients with type 2 diabetes as the absence of insulin causes the glucose to build up in the body. Without its staple fuel, the tissues of the body are not nourished properly and causes fatigue. Sadly, being sad can also be the reason you feel tired. Depression induces negative feelings and also has negative effects on the body as it causes a reduction in energy levels, changes in sleep and eating patterns, decreased concentration and overall laziness and worthlessness which keeps you in bed all day. Reference: http://bit.ly/2f9bC1e

anyone having problems with weight gain years after gastric bypass surgery? I need support! help please, we can do this together and lose that weight gain! Thanks in advance, Sharowna

I am 13 months out from surgery (at goal weight) and frequent the BP boards for the exact reasons you stated. I agree that it is way too easy to become relaxed once you are at maintenance and let old habits creep in. I find "checking in" daily helps me with accountability and even though reading the same posts over and over again from the newbies about hair loss, Protein intake, incision care, the best Protein drinks to buy, Vitamins making them sick, etc. gets really boring after awhile, I'm also reminded of the rules over and over again that I should be following that I sometimes have become relaxed on! Reading these posts and sharing my experience helps keep me on track! I help them to help me! Sadly, it becomes all too common for those of us farther out from surgery to abandon the support of these boards. I think that is a BIG MISTAKE. The reality is there IS truth to a honeymoon phase. There will come a time were you will stop losing weight. There will come a time where you can eat whatever you want. I chuckle every time I read a post from someone who just had surgery worried that they can hardly eat anything. Now with that being said, I can now sit in a restaurant and eat like a "normal" person but my new normal is far from where I was pre-surgery. I know how big my new tummy is and I don't try and eat beyond it's capability. I still get a full feeling after eating 3/4-1 cup of food. Certain foods now make me feel sick (sandwiches) so I avoid them. I didn't come into this process with food addiction issues (PCOS contributed to my weight gain) so I had one less thing to make the process difficult. With that being said, I even find old habits starting to creep in. My tendency not to plan meals ahead of time and eat on the go was a biggie for me. I was finding myself eating out more than a few times this past week. These extra calories will add up over time. I'm being extra vigilant planning meals ahead of time this week. We all need to take a look at what contributed to our weight gain. Especially those dealing with food addiction issues. It is common to substitute one addiction for another. What I can say, is losing weight has been the easy part in this process for me. I was able to get to my goal weight without issue. What I wasn't prepared for was the process I would go through in accepting my new body. I still view my body with a fat lens at times and its only when I see myself in photographs that I realize how much weight I've lost! Anyway.... Welcome back! There's no judging here. The fact that you came back and made your post shows how committed you are. I applaud you for sharing your experience with others. Let the newbies learn from our mistakes. We will continue to pick ourselves up and carry on. This is a ongoing journey that never ends. We are all here to support you. ????

My wife was originally planning on having WLS (specifically VSG) after watching my successful recovery with relatively minor complications and successful weight loss. She was going to wait 6 months after my post op to see how things are progressing for me before making a decision to attend a WLS consulatation. Regardless, her latest decision is to not have WLS for a couple reasons. 1. Slimes and throwing up: She didn't like all the slimes and throwing up I went through when adjusting to the solids phase. It was mainly my fault because I am a fast eater and it took me a while to learn to "hear" the full signals. I had to learn how much to eat, how fast to eat and what types of food my sleeve an tolerate over time. Regardless, she didn't like seeing me in the bathroom so much after eating. I am better now, but still have issues with eating stringy things like roast bean or string green Beans in addition to fatty meats. Truely, it feels like dumping syndrome. I do try to explain to her that not everyone slimes and throws up and most of the time, it was my fault. 2. Auto-immune disease: She has at least 1 auto-immune disease. The one that she has requires an infusion of remicade every 6 weeks. This is one expensive infusion. It is called Ankylosing Spondylitis. You can follow the link for more details. It is basically an auto-immune disesase that attacks all the joints and there is no cure. When we talked to the surgeon during one of my pre-op visits, he said that people with auto-immune diseases might have more complications, but did not go into the details. She might also have PCOS. We do not know yet and will find out soon. This is where I could really use some advise from others. She has about 150 lb to lose as we both ended up in the same weight range at our heaviest earlier this year. Maybe it is because of life stresses? Who knows. The fact is that her extra weight may be contributing to other complications like high blood pressure, pregnancy issues, lack of desire to be outdoors like walking and hiking and on and on. There are plenty of reasons here alone that would make sense for her to consider it. She has tried manu diets (as I have), but has never lost more than 10-20 lbs on them. Atkins, weight watchers, etc. I've had fairly good results from the diets because I am very focused when something needs to be done, but then I lose my focus and the weight comes back. Hence, WLS was the only tool left for me in order to stop the up and down of weight gain and weight loss. She used to be "thin" (size 12) in high school, so I am pretty sure she remembers what that is like. She was a pretty hot girl in her younger days. In college she was slightly overweight, but still very hot and sexy (we got married then). We both put on a lot of weight in the last 12 years of our marriage. I don't hold the weight against her (never have), but I would like her to be healthy to avoid future weight-related complications. The weight does not cause her to be unhappy about her life (mainly family is what makes her happy). She is usually in a positive mood and certainly brings happiness and well-being to my life. I would like her to consider WLS because it is life-changing and truely opens up a lot of opportunities that did not exist before. However, I don't want to push her into something she is against. Any thoughts?

fantastic weight lost...I was banded Jan15 and have lost 40 lbs .. I know this was the best thing for me.. I know I will healthier and happier for the years to come... I can't believe I have not had any weight gain since starting this... not that I have tried but usually by now on any other weight loss deal I would have gained weight back...