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That is funny... That would be nice if it was a permanent feature. Maybe your esophagus where they put the band is permanently warped. Maybe when they had to repair it they had to stitch that area nice and tight. Who knows. I am glad to hear your still hanging in there. No weight gain so far? Good deal... Oh, I watched a news story the other day. Recall my telling you about that research group that found obese people dont have a particular nerve functioning properly? It was a while ago, well now another group has been doing trials for some time using a stomach pace maker. Huge SUCCESS! It zaps your stomach with tiny electric currents triggering the non-working nerve and stimulating the part of your stomach that says your full. The trial people were saying they feel "Thanksgiving full" all the time and have lost tons of weight. The surgery is even less invasive than the band surgery. You should try to look it up sometime. They didn't think it would be FDA approved for 2 more years but I found it fascinating all the same. If I have future band problems I would be happy to know there is something out there too help me if I NEED the help. Who knows what will be out there for weight in the next few years. Funny thing, if that little pacemaker is correcting an obvious malfunction problem wouldn't the medical/insurance world have to concede and take some of the blame off of our heads. A normal pace maker helps heart misfunctions: a stomach pace maker helps stomach misfunctions. Sounds reasonable. Sorry this goes on and on, I just got excited and have been wanting to tell you about it. Glad to see you and I wish you all the best, Teresa

AWH- So sweet and sentimental sounding Lisa. I know what you mean though about wanting a child just to fall into your lap. Another fear I would have about getting pregnant is the weight gain part, ESPECIALLY if I get it all lost this time around. I don't know what I would do. LOL, Teresa

Cindy, First I want to say DONT GIVE UP! Loosing 55lbs without a good fill is excellent! Everyone here have given you great ideas! PLEASE get some blood work to check your thyroid function, hormone levels and your blood sugar and have them check for insulin resistance. If they find an inbalance it could be easily fixed with medication and you'll be on your way to loosing again! DId you know that one of the side effects of birth control pills is weight gain? This could be hindering your efforts. I know the pills are important for you to have but maybe you need a different kind of pill. I also think you need a good fill. Making better choices is much easier when you can only fit a little food in your pouch! I was making bad choices too before I was restricted. Sometimes we have a little tinkering to do with our band before it works well! Hang in there. Please let us know how you're doing. Marsha, RN

Hi Cindy, I love chocolate too and although I hate sugar added to foods and drinks,chocolate is another matter...I have only been banded 11 days but today had to have chocolate and then felt quite sick! My breakfast was always cereal and toast but now I have a Swedish crispread(it is a large triangular shape)with a scrape of butter and marmalade as I used to have on my toast. I have yoghourt instead of cereal and have felt O.K. with that up to now. I have also been on anti-depressants most of my life and am also on hormones but HRT as I had a hysterectomy and opherectomy 8 years ago. I thought these medications may be responsible for my weight gain but it seems not. I also had repeated blood tests for hormonal imbalance but it didn't show anything major. I think with me it is all more emotional and just a love of chocolate like so many of the rest of the world! There has been loads of good advice like substituting with low calorie/low sugar bars and having a little of what you like rather than depriving yourself etc. I am sure you will continue and do well after all you have lost over 50 lbs! I can't imagine being that far on but am hoping I can. I hope you feel better about things soon and put your mind at rest by having all the blood tests etc.

Hi Cindy, I am sorry you are having a difficult time with the band. I too love sweet sugary things. Honestly you are far more experienced about the band than I am but I have learned a LOT over the past 8.5 weeks since being banded. I never could do the atkins way either. I tried before being banded and HATED it. This is what I do: 1) FITDAY- I can't emphasize this enough. I never have been good about counting calories but for some reason I just love using this program and have become very good about it. I average 1200-1500 calories a day. 2) Allow yourself treats- I LOVE chocolate. I allow myself about 200-250 calories a day on 1 candy bar. I am probably not the smartest about it because I save it FOR bedtime but I depend on that one chocolate treat. Also find low calorie Snacks. I found Lite cheese puffs (organic even) at a local store and they only have 130 calories for 2 cups. I typically only eat about a 1/2 serving when I have them. I also found Turkey hot dogs with only 70 calories apiece. When I know I am going to be having a higher calorie dinner, I try to find a lower calorie item for Breakfast or lunch. 2 of these hotdogs dipped in a little catchup and mustard only have 150 calories. Healthy Choice ice cream products are DELICIOUS and very low in calories and fat. 3) Throw out your scale! I have never owned my own scale because I refuse to be dependant on it. I drive to my doctors office once a week, ask the receptionist very politely if I can use their scale and they are always more than happy to oblige. Their scales are far more accurate than a chinsy bathroom scale is anyday. You do NOT gain 4 lbs in one day no matter what the crappy scale says. Yesterday I was curious and happened to be at costco. I decided to check out their scales and check my weight. Know what I discovered? The first time I tried it actually said I had GAINED weight, I thought huh? so I stepped back on it a second time. It read 1 lb less but still more than my recorded weight last week. I went for my official weigh in today and guess what? I nearly lost 4 lbs!!! The scale at costco was one of those fancy digital ones but completely WRONG!!! 4) Excercise: Like you and everybody else, I absolutely detest most excercise but found I LOVE Water aerobics. Its fun, easy on your joints and it is truly a workout. It is especially nice this summer. 5) Get on this website EVERY single day!!!! You will make good friends here and we are all in the same boat. You have the band and now live with it. I am not sooo different from you really. I have not had a fill yet ever so my hunger levels shouldn't be too different from yours. Eat right throughout the day and then allow yourself a treat. I think by going back and forth between sugar overload and then no sugar you are definitely confusing your system and causing your own withdrawl symptoms. Try to level everything out. As well, weight loss will cause mood swings. I remember a couple of weeks ago I had just found I had lost 4 lbs and was joyous, and not five minutes later I was thinking about something and wanted to bawl. I did find a list of anti depressants on another band link that supposedly didn't cause weight gain but actually weight loss. If you really think you need those I can try to find that link again. Please do not give up!!! Teresa

i haven't had any blood work done in awhile not since i stop seeing my doc that did my surgery. I think i have a hormone imbalance or something though. I find myself literally craving something sweet or sugary so much that i have no control over myself. I used to be so good and doing that controlling what i would eat and how much. I haven't had but one fill which they messed up so no i have no fill as of right now but am trying to schedule one next month. Im just depressed, i don't know if it could be because of my hormonal imbalance or what maybe it's my birth control pills but i have never been this bad before. I am newly married and I think my husband is ready to throw me back he's a sweet man but i put him through so much, im so short tempered now and i never used to be that way. I know im an emotional eater but this is ridiculous. I have an apointment with the doc today to discuss my birth control pills and see about the hormonal imbalance. IM just scared that i have sabotoged my band so much and that my eating habits won't change. I will ask her when im there today about the blood work. Does that have something to do with how i am feeling or my weight gain or ?? Thank you so much Cindy

I am with you Donali, my mom loves to buy clothes and fairly often they are too small for me (yes even my adorable mom under-estimates me). I have two whole drawers full of new clothes still with tags on in varying sizes. Just in the last few weeks I am fitting back into my last year summer clothes (recall I had a 40 lb weight gain last year that scared me into getting the band). I can't wait to where smaller and smaller things. T

I get the depo-provera shots and have for years. I imagine that is one thing that has kept me heavy and gaining weight over the years. I was due for a shot as soon as I got back home after surgery and went and got it. I have been losing just fine though. Even though the hormones of the pill may typically cause weight gain, I don't think it will be able to counteract the band. I am not an expert though, Teresa

Donali: You will succeed I am positive to maintain and to even continue to lose. Don't get discouraged if you see a weight gain in the first few months after the removal of your band. I am sure that will be normal but to acknowledge that and stay on track. The only that I might add to your wonderful list is to add a "fasting" day in there. Maybe do one day either a week or every two weeks of a juice fast with Protein Bars or Protein Drinks as supplements. I do that now and it jump starts my weight loss when I hit a wall. It also helps cleanse the system of all the abuse we sometimes throw into it. Keep up the positive attitude and all things are possible. We are all here for you.

Donali, we're here for you, just as you have been here numerous times for us. Let us carry the load for a while and give your shoulders some rest. We know a band erosion is not a good thing. We know that it has to be removed. Your body will heal and then you can be rebanded. You don't want to leave that band in where it can get entangled and cause even more complications. Even temporarily without your band, you have such a wonderful set routine in your eating habits. You are so conscientous of your meals, vitamins, portion control. You will gain little, if no weight gain, during this down time. You've worked to hard to get where you are today. I look to see you continuing losing weight, maybe just on a little different plain. We're here for you! Take care and try to "destress".

http://www.smh.com/sections/services-procedures/medlib/docs_articles/Bariatric/bariatric_pdf_articles/bariatric_surgery/Spivak%20&%20Favretti%20-%20Avoiding%20Postoperative%20Complications%20with%20the%20LAP-BAND%20System.pdf In many cases, the first indication of possible erosion is an infection at the access port site. The connecting tube provides drainage of gastric content to the port site, which causes the infection. Erosion should be ruled out at the first sign of port infection. http://www.inamed.com/pdf/health/94800-12_LB_Product_Data_Sheet.pdf Erosion of the band into stomach tissue has been associated with revision surgery, after the use of gastric-irritating medications, after stomach damage and after extensive dissection or use of electrocautery, and during early experience. Symptoms of band erosion may include reduced weight loss, weight gain, access port infection, or abdominal pain. Re-operation to remove the device is required.

This has been my experience on who to tell? I just had my lapband done May 25th and initially told just immediate family members and two close friends. I was reluctant to tell a sister who quite frankly, has been condescending relative to my weight gain over the past ten years. To my surprise.... my two close friends were more than supportive and did have the capacity and sensitivity to understand the weight struggle (they both have weight issues but are not considered morbidly obese as I am.) My point being, I for one, am glad I chose to take a leap of faith and tell them because I do have thier support and it helps a lot, with one caveat, do not tell people that you know are not supportive or opportunistic in trying to sabatoge your weight loss journey. Just my two cents.

Will Miss Birdee... take satisfaction in this... you made a very intelligent and healthy choice for your body now and down the road. Your body can absorb all of the nurtrients it needs and when you are an older Birdie... your bones will thank you! It's too bad she didn't listen to you and one day she may look back and think... *Damn... that Birdee was really smart and I wish I would have listened to her instead of being a boogerbutt* :cool: My Sissy is having trouble with weight gain with her RNY GBP... but... she is also putting on the breaks and trying to work with the tool that she went through so much to get! Before your band... if you lost this much weight... would you have gained it back by now... plus more????? I know that is why I am hopeful about getting banded... not because I will lose the weight fast... because I will lose it for good! (((hugs)))

Thanks Donali... I know that my weight problem has taken on a life of it's own over the years... and I also know that I have let it stop me from enjoying life to the fullest. I think that being taunted and teased on a daily bases from third grade on somehow pounded the idea that my weight was directly connected to my worth. That seed of thought has grown with each passing year and has become stronger and stronger. I am so ready to spread the Round-up and tend to a healthier garden of thought. Please be assured that I don't look upon the Lap Band as a miracle cure. I do look upon this surgery as providing me with a tool that will help control the quantities of food that I eat as I learn to deal with emotions and fears differently. I am really not counting on quick weight-loss with this surgery... mostly my hopes are focused on permanent weight-loss. My sister had the quick weight-loss with the RNY... but she is now battling weight gain much like she did before her surgery. I hope that the surgery I have chosen will give me lifelong success in a time period that the changes in my head can keep up with the changes in my body. It's like quitting smoking... I just couldn't do it without the patch... I needed help... I needed a tool to help me make a better choice. I think that is why waiting for the surgery has benn tough... I want to stop thinking about this... planning for this... waiting for this... I just want to get the surgery behind me so that I can start the journey to a healthier and happier me. Donali... you are awesome and you look MAUVELOUS DARLINK! Thank you so much for reminding me to look at the other great things in life that are totally unrelated to my weight.

Well of course she did... After all... I am the good twin!!!! Kewl on the eDiets charts... I used mine from the last number of years there as well!!!! Hey... are you still a member there??? There is a support group under the WLS heading there that a gal named Sanda started and it was ALL about GBP/RNY. I barged my way in there and said that I thought it would be important for people to know that there is a safer option for those that can't "stomach" the idea of GBS. I whined when she went to other posts and did a promo for the support group without mentioning the Lap Band and she nicely added to the info. (o: I would love to have another pre-bander there... the dynamic pre-band duo!!!!!! Lets let all of those folks know that they have a safer option! I promise to be the evil twin if ya come and join me! Good luck with re-submitting the "proof" ... I didn't have all of my booklets from WW but I was able to get my old info from Jenny Craig and of course the LOOOOOOOG print out from eDiets showing my huge weight loss and then my HUGE weight gain. I am keeping my fingers crossed for you and hope we can still manage a bandarama with dates that are close! Okay... can only hold out another hour before I call... pretty soon I'll just be able to tell them my name and they'll be like... OHHHHH you again. (o: Darcy

I am really glad to hear you're going to be able to do this. Good luck to you. :cool: I've heard from people who had tummy tucks that generally even if they had more weight gain/loss after the tuck that their tummy still looked better than it did before the plastic surgery...so I think it's probably well worth it even if you need touch up work later. A tummy tuck is the one plastic surgery procedure I would dearly love to have. I haven't had any kids (or any other abdominal procedures) but my panniculus is about a "grade 2" also. Everyone thought my skin would snap back from the weight loss because I'm relatively young (I'm 21) but I have a lot of stretch marks on my tummy and I think it was just stretched beyond the point of return at my highest weight. It's bad enough that I had a lady I was helping at work ask me if I was pregnant! Agh! (By the way, for those who don't already realize it, it's NEVER a good idea to ask a woman if she's pregnant unless you already know the answer - both of us felt bad after I had to tell her, no, I'm not pregnant :cool: ) I would LOVE to be able to get a tummy tuck right now but haven't really pursued it because I thought that the surgeons would surely decline to do it until I'm at goal. It gives me hope that you have found surgeons who are willing to do it.

Hey, I heard about that guy who ate McDonalds for a month and ended up 30 pounds fatter, higher cholesterol, BP, etc... But wait... Now there's a guy challeging this weight gain. I heard him on my local station 2 weeks ago. He said he can eat McDonald's every day at every meal and remain happy - his theory is the first guy made all bad choices. So guy number two is going to do it being careful about menu selections and getting plenty of exercise... oh, and he's a body builder to begin with. So, if you have a lil yogurt cup for b-fast, plain broiled chicken for lunch, and salad sans dressing at dinner, sure, you can stay healthy while living off McD's. But who the heck can say "no" to all the other goodies other than some health freak? The reality of tomorrow's band is starting to sink in as I try to maintain my liquid fast. I'm so thankful all you people have faith in me while mine lacks (hopefully temporarily.) Thanks George, for making it not so scary!

Hey Nikki - Congrats on the upcoming addition to your family! Having never been pregnant myself, I can't offer any advice/insight into the weight gain of pregnancy, but I can say this for sure - once your baby is born, your band will still be there to help you get the baby weight off. Your doc may even be willing to give you a slight fill even though you're pregnant if you are able to eat more than you and your baby need to be healthy. But even if not, not to worry! Trust in your band buddy, it will help you once again the day you are only eating for one. Stay positive and happy, love yourself and your new addition.

Hi, Isn't is frustrating sometimes how fills vary? I personally think, both before and after my banding, that those dreaded female hormones play a significant role in appetite and in all kinds of swelling and water retention. Does your recent weight gain coincide with a hormonal fluctuation perhaps? I have heard from others here that sometimes fills do take a while to kick in, and that the restriction does tend to fluctuate (for hormonal or WHATEVER reasons). I think it is positively SEXIST that the two gentlemen who I have seen post here (Leo and ??) have lost tons of weight with no fills!!! Guys, really, I am happy for you!! Please keep how ever many chins you may have UP Alexandra, and thanks for sharing. Frustation needs empathy!

It is a lot of weight too lose in such a short period of time. Probably a lot of it due to water. You may experience some weight gain. (Maybe as much as 10 pounds or as little as 1) Your body sometimes goes into starvation mode after a dramatic loss and will plateau. Don't get discouraged, even if you do gain back, it will come off in due time. I know, if you're like me once you start losing you get energized to check the scale often. Once you go to solids and before your first fill. Stay off the scales more often. Just concentrate on chewing thoroughly and drinking your 64 oz

Congrats to all of you who have stoped smoking, its a hard thing to do as I smoked for 23 yrs. ashame to admit to it but I did. I wanted to quit so many times before I finally gave it up but it was always the throuh of weight gain that kept me smoking, but one day I just decided on my last day of smoking and when it came I make that commitment and have not been sorry that was 6yrs ago and many lbs in weight gain but I now feel must better and have lost the cough and the control that smoking had over me and with the band the 40lbs I have lost to date have made up for the weight I gained after stopping. Good luck to all of you Angelina

Thanks for explaining NSVs. When I first read Alexandra's, I thought, hmmm, I can figure it out, but I couldn't! I have had a mini NSV - my wedding rings, they're comfortable for the first time in years! My birthstone ring is spinning around. It does seem more real than scale weight. I'm exactly one month post op, had my one month follow-up with my internist, and was surprised that I've lost 18 lbs.! I don't have a scale, and the last time I weighed myself at my sister's I had a week of no weight loss, preceded by a week of a weight gain! Can't wait to begin feeling more comfortable in my clothes.

LMAO....I think maybe that explains it then...I'm not sure if my doctor had 4400 calories running thru my veins but I considering the weight gain I wouldn't doubt it one bit. Thanks for the info. I go back in a week for a follow up..maybe I'll ask him about it then. Linda

Its like the Elephant in the corner no one wants to discuss. I was banded on 2/27/04. Lost 18 pouds in one week. I am a former college football player that lost a grip on eating. My highest weight day of surgery was 305. I am now 287 8 days later., however I am 6-2 tall. (Trust me proportions sound better than they really are at his stage of my life, lost alot of muscle mass.) Anyway, I really was interested in Gastric Bypass Surgery. My Dr, However felt this was a little extreme for my overall situation, and not being severely obsese. BMI on day of surgery was 40.1, Barely obtained Insurance authorization. I guess barely big enough for gastric banding. How do you guys feel. I really wish I had the malabsorbtion aspect as Gastric Bypass patients do. I kind of feel I only went half way with this thing. Not too mention we have to deal with fills. Rare, but possible slippage, etc. Don't get me wrong. I am happy thus far. I am afraid of weight gain when I am off liquids, but still cant have my first fill yet. Anyone else feel this way?, or chose to be banded instead and are happy with it?. I have two friends that went through GBS with Dr. Abkin in New Jersey and are doing great. Sorry if This eamil annoyed anybody, however I HAD TO BRING THIS UP>>>

Misty, I was not diagnosed with PCOS but Insulin Resistance...one of the lucky few who has regular periods... I've been banded a little over 3 months and am down 41 lbs...this has been the easiest thing I've ever done to lose weight...I just don't have the appetite, especially for carbs as I did before I was banded. To get diagnosed with PCOS or IR, most likely your physician will take a fasting insulin...if you exhibit any other of the signs, weight gain (which we all have) skin tags, excessive hair growth, acne, messed up cycles, etc, you most likely have it if your results come back with impaired fasting glucose. I was being treated with Glucophage XR (brand name of metformin) and that was working well for me...lost a few lbs in the three months I was on it but felt 100% better...I was having dizzy, sweaty, nauseaous episodes everytime I ate something... Just so you know PCOS goes hand in hand with obesity...it's the chicken and the egg syndrome...your more prone to PCOS or IR if you are obese and vice versa PCOS and IR could make you overweight...generally losing a small amount of weight can help resolve many if not all the symptoms of PCOS and IR. If you have more questions on PCOS or IR I highly recommend the website www.soulcysters.com. There is tons of information and extremely helpful people on this website for those of use who deal with PCOS and IR. I would also highly recommend you contact your physician to run some basic labs on you to determine if you have PCOS. Good Luck!