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I’m one week out from surgery and my husband and best friend are making menhavwbsecond thoughts. They have no idea they both agree. My husband says I’ve had enough surgeries during my lifetime from car accidents and complications post car accident. I’ve also have a history of sepsis (infection) every time I get opens up for surgery. He know what I went through with all that.ni think he’s just afraid of what could happen or me not pulling through this time ans my friend said likewise. I really and and nee this surgery but now I feel like I’m second guessing myself. My initial plan was to have the sleev but the doctor takes me into duodenal switch because it’s less likely for weight gain. I agreed but also has second thoughts about that particular lad surgery just because of all the additional nutrients you malabsorption va the other surgeries. In my head I was also think duodenal would allow me to lose weight faster than the sleeve. Then again i don’t want to loose too much I don’t want to be looking too skinny from excessive weight lost from duodenal (CW 232 GW 150-160). Although not reversible the sleeve is less invasive and not switching around parts. Then again I’ve had a gastric ballon (obera ballon) and maybe lost 10 pound at most so that was also my reasoning for wanting duodenal switch more aggressive than sleeve as to me the obera balloonMimics restriction just like sleeve but it’s temporary. As you can see I’m a week out from surgery and all over the place. HELP!!! Has anyone that is slightly obese or obese who has extremely hard time losing weight even with diet or excercise had success from the sleeve? How fast did you lose weight?

Nope. Medications don't make you gain or retain weight unless it is in the form of Water weight, which your medication should not be causing. They do however make you hungrier and as a result one of the side effects listed may be weight gain. I use Depo which is notorious for causing weight gain, however ultimately I know that if I eat more, I gain and if I don't eat more, I lose, so the problem is not the depo as much as the hunger it creates. Also, 22 pounds in roughly 5 weeks is completely normal. I think at about 5 weeks I had roughly lost 20 pounds. Slow and steady wins the race. Keep following the plan and you will see results.

I had a conversation yesterday with my OB about this same thing. I expressed to her that I had difficulty losing weight. She told me that 60-70% of her Mirena patients reported the same thing. Not so much of a problem with weight gain, but problems losing with a Mirena. I then told her that I was having WLS, without hesitation she said I should have my Mirena taken out and possibly consider tubal ligation or esure. She also suggested ablation to resolve my issue of heavy cycles. My nutritionist said the same thing - that my Mirena could possibly slow down my loss. I am having it removed. She also indicated that the Mirena was maybe only one factor of many (middle age, insulin resistance, etc.) that was causing me difficulty with losing weight. I'm sure this form of b/c effects everyone differently. I am pre-op, planning a December surgery.

Hi All, Well as a very unhappy bander who had a sleeve surgery date (6/20) Passed nutritionist appt.. pysc evailuation, and was waiting to take the sleeve class tomorrow I received frustrating news today. First, I am self pay, I was self pay in 2008 when I had my band put in. Used the same Dr. here in VA who was to do my sleeve. The call I had today was to tell me that Blis, the co. for self pay catastrophic insurance ( part of my surgery fee now may not approve revision to the sleeve because of all the complications that can occur). My stats are below but I have kept off most all of the 85 lbs. (all but 12-15) in the 3 years I have had my band. Despite all the problems this band has given me. So my BMI is lower than someone who will be a new VSG patient. I have no major health issues, no diabeties, no history of clots, no HBP, I really am healthier than when I had the band surgery. The revisions my DR. has done from band to sleeve have all been paid by health insurance. They have not done a self pay revision. His results are good from what I can tell and he is a Blis participating DR. My question is have any of you had this issue? Scrapping up the $ again was no small feat but now to hear they may not approve it means I might have to sign away permission to pay any and all possible complication costs if he will still do the surgery. Or just have my band out and nothing further done, which scares me of further weight gain. Despite my constant gerd, esophageal spasms. and not being able to eat solid foods well, I need this restriction!

You're right on schedule to have the fear factor, because the dream is becoming real and we all have the fear that any dream may turn into a nightmare. If you're anything like me you have cried over what may happen and even feel a little guilty. I am a mother of 6, the oldest daughter 23 is married and have given me 2 of the cutest grandsons.When would she not need me? She is a new mother and has many questions on how to do things. My 19 year old son who is becoming an independent young man. Who would tell him how to prepare for the financial problems or his need for little extra cash? Who would tell my budding 11 year old girl what a wonderful person she is and what are cuties? What about my 4 year old son who has a speach disability, he has yet to say his own name and I want to hear it. Then there are my youngest twin girls. 3 years of life and wraped up into me. The truth is if your a mother there is NEVER an opertune time to die for you or for them. I took that knowledge and asked myself how did I want to live the rest of my life. As it was, My bmi was 32, just obese, however I have a heart murmur under illness. Bad knees ( I was a competitive skater as a child )and the extra weight would make them ache. I had a hysterectomy and could not stop the weight gain through exercise and a 1200 calorie diet. I was going to bed at 8 pm out of fatigue. Would my health get better if I would not get the surgery? No, The more weight I put on my heart the more dangerous the surgery, the more weight I put on my knees the harder it would be for me to walk post surgery. In 20 years time if I hadn't had vsg I would be just like my family members who wake up to watch tv until bed time ( If my heart held out ).I decided my children deserved better, I deserved better! I took strength from the pioneers. They came to a world with peril because it gave them and their offspring a chance of a better life. I wanted a better life for me and my family. Although I would not have to go any where near the trama our pioneers did. I had a thought of using the braveory they might have had, to have my surgery. My Dr. can't find my murmur now and it's only been a few months. I have so much energy and I don't even want to go to bed until 11pm and I don't remember when my knees last ached. I can now give my youngest the same play time my oldest had. I'm so glad I had this surgery and I didn't let my fears stop me.

I do find that snacking leads to stalls and or weight gain for me. I have to be very careful because I also get reactive hypoglycemia so i pretty much eat very small meals all day long. That is a slippery slope and can feel much like grazing which is the worst thing i can do. Early on while in weight loss mode my nut had me drink milk for a snack. it gives you added Protein, turns to a solid keeping you full for quite a while. And.....best of all you can add different types of tea to it. My favorite all time snack especially in the winter is chocolate chai tea. I use the loose tea version from teavanna and steep it for 3 minutes. It is especially delicious, hits the spot with NO added sugar other than what is in the milk. I use lactaid because i still have a lactose intolerance. If i dont have that, i will eat full fat cheese, pepperoni, shrimp, almonds and sometimes bariatric pal hot chocolate or bariatric pal vanilla capacciono.

Our American culture is so funny- we often avoid stating the most obvious things! This is not true in other cultures, I'm thinking specifically of America's Deaf culture (think of a culture whose many norms are based on what is seen with the eyes) where it would be considered extremely rude or worrisome if people didn't comment on a noticeable physical change! I'm thinking of the previous post that described the experience of direct comments at the Chinese restaurant, and wonder if that culture has a similar norm. I am being banded in just over a week, and everyone in my small office of 8 knows about it. They have been extremely supportive, and many of them are dealing with their own weight or dietary issues. My best friend is very engaged in this process, since she is overweight herself and curious about the LapBand. Her older sister, a very overweight bully who has never really liked me, knows about what I'm doing and has stated that she is going to do it 'the right way' by eating less and exercising. She views the band in a negative light, and I have to confess that I am really looking forward to showing her just how wrong she is! So many of us already know that losing it is one thing, but keeping it off is another thing altogether. Even my surgeon has confirmed that the physiological component of a body like mine (that makes very efficient use of every single calorie, eager to turn as many as possible to fat) is tough to beat without the additional support of a tool like the LapBand. I have already considered how to respond to the 'how much?' question- I do not plan to give an actual number. For me, that is the painful part, as I hate to acknowledge that I had so much to lose! I am tall enough to hide a fair amount of weight, so my number could elicit the sort of shocked response that I don't want to hear from just anyone. Breezy answers such as 'almost enough!', or 'enough to feel great/need new clothes!' are vague but affirmative enough, when delivered with the right attitude. For people who press, a simple 'why do you want to know/does it really matter to you?' may be required to end that line of questioning. As for folks who may declare that I have 'taken the easy way' (even though that we all know that the LapBand is not exactly that) my response is going to be, 'what is so wrong with that?'. Who wouldn't elect to go an easy route, instead of a hard one? Ever heard of the 'path of least resistance' theory? As far as I'm concerned, I've outgrown the need to suffer and will take whatever ease comes my way. It doesn't mean I'm lazy, it means I am practical! My guess is that I am bound to encounter a variety of caring and cruel remarks along this journey of mine. My in-laws know nothing of what I am doing, and I have no intention of telling them. My DH has promised to keep this secret with me. My FIL always calls me 'skinny', which is far from accurate, and my MIL is always talking about the tiny sizes that she can now fit into as she ages and shrinks. I find that exposure to these comments is toxic, so I avoid it. DH knows, and because they live several hours from us it is easy to keep our distance. I am already practicing my response to their comments when we see them this summer- I don't plan to mention the band at all, but will refer to doing 'lots more walking and careful eating', which will be true! Only those people who I consider truly supportive and considerate will be allowed access to pertinent details, and hopefully this will help alleviate my own embarrassment about my weight gain as I strive to make it a thing of the past. Sorry for the long post, but this thread topic is actually quite thought-provoking for me! thanks to all of you for your posts, and the support that reading them gives me.

Hello all, I'm Karen. And I am new to all of this, so I hope i do it right. I am a 33 year old wife and mom living in gloucester point VA. Kind of secluded spot, but I have lived in Gloucester most of my life. I have a husband (14 years and counting) and an 11 year old son. I have always been well not skinny. In high school i was a size 16 which to the kids then was practically the size of a house!!!! I am also legally blind, which does tie into my story because I have been that way since 1990. After being married, I had to have knee surgery on both knees from an acident. That is when the real weight gain began. Having no weight bearing for 6 months, no matter how good your diet is, really does bad tricks to your body. I gained most of my weight then. Since then, I have been in and out of the orthopedic ofice. Being almost blind, i can't get out and excercise as much as i would like. I do things close to home, but i can drive, and everyone works so it is difficult to get a ride to the gym. I tried to keep my diet good, but i gave in sometimes. I think thte real deal breaker for me was when last year, I had lost 30 poundsand i was so excited!!! I was getting ready to head out the door and i tweaked my knee, well poop!!! I was in a knee immobilizer for a month,a nd all the weight i lost came rushing back. Even though I kept to my diet, the inactivity killed me. I was SO mad!! Then the orthopedic said the next fix for my knees would be replacement. Um....NO I got in touch with the weight loss surgery center here in Newport News and went to the first seminar in January. I was scared, but I pushed through with it, and had my Sleeve Gastrectomy on May 19th. My doctor is Dr. Terracina at Mary Immaculate Hospital. I have had no ill effects from the surgery thus far. Everything seems to be going well. I can say i don't care for the liquid diet lol, and am not looking forward the the puree either, but if it leads to a healthier me, I'm all for it. So, my weight loss so far is 23 pounds. I was scared really bad as I thought fast loss was bad, but after talking to my doctors I am assured it is normal for rapid loss in the beginning. Well, that is my story up til now. I am getting ready to go and work the treadmill for a while. Karen S.

Emotional eating is one of the biggest causes of overeating, weight gain, and weight re-gain. April is Emotional Overeating Awareness month and to commemorate this, I'm offering a free teleclass to answer your questions about how to take control of emotional eating and struggles with food, weight and healthy lifestyle. The teleseminar will take place on Wednesday, April 22, 2009 at noon Pacific and 3pm Eastern. Creating change isn’t automatic and it isn’t always easy. However, it DOESN’T need to be a struggle. Join me for this free teleseminar where I'll answer your questions about how to end emotional eating battles and make peace with food—once and for all. Just go here to register and submit your question.

Averaging 800 calories a day at eight weeks out, any weight gain is most likely Water and will quickly disappear. Walking will almost certainly increase your weight loss and reduce the time it takes. It also will help you maintain your goal weight. Lots of options - early morning, late evening, lunch time, neighborhood, treadmill, nearby park, mall - whatever fits with your schedule and your preferences. Start slow and work your way up over time. Even 20 minutes will make a big difference. Set a goal of at least three times a week, four is even better. If you stick with it, you may find that it quickly becomes addictive!

I am doing well and steadily getting better. My plastic surgeon said the staph infection set me back about a weeks worth of recovery but he is very happy with how I'm doing now. My hubby just took some pics of me a few minutes ago and I will post them here pretty quick. I have been taking it easy and laying around in my bed and watching a LOT of daytime television. (Don't ya just love Dr. Phil??) On the 19th of September I will be 3 weeks post op. I feel pretty darn good to be honest with ya. I cannot stand up straight all the way yet but I think that is how it is supposed to be right now. Thank you all for your kind words and information. Answered tons of questions I had about my bloatedness and sudden weight gain. I lost all the weight as quickly as I gained it. I am back down to 169 lbs again. So happy. Cannot wait to get the ok from my doc to start exercising again. I cannot wait to start toning up now. I have had a phone interview as far as that original E.R. doc is concerned. The hospital and most of all my plastic surgeon are keeping me abreast of the situation and said it is most certainly not over yet. I will keep ya posted.:clap2:

You will be alright. Although for future reference, remember to stop after you initially make a bad choice. That thinking of "I might as well eat all that I want, since I've already blown it" will get you into trouble. One bad food choice shouldn't have too much of an effect on your weight loss. It is the continuation of bad choices after the initial one that will lead to weight gain. Think about it, when you run a red light, do you decide to go ahead and run red lights for the rest of the day? No, that would be silly. It is the same for food choices. If you make a small slip up, own up to it and move on with your bariatric diet.

On my liquid phase I lost about 16 pounds. I'm on my 3rd week (mushy foods) and after going from the liquid stage to the mushy foods I went up about 4 pounds. On liquids I was on about 300 to 400 calories a day to now about 700 - 1,000 per day. Why the weight gain if the calories are still low (under 1200)? When does the weight start coming off at a normal rate of 1 to 2 pounds a week? Once I start regular food and go to maybe 1200 will I gain all my weight back? Please let me know if this is typical in the beginning? Thanks,

I'm certainly no expert but if you went from 1200 cal to 1600-1800 cal and gained weight then maybe that WOULD explain the gain... I'm no doctor or anything but the addition of calories and the weight gain seem to be linked,... Perhaps a trip to the nutritionist might be in order... Good luck mate...

It's completely normal to have concerns before starting a pre-op program. Firstly, congratulations on taking steps to improve your health! Quitting vaping is a significant achievement, and worrying about weight gain is understandable. Remember, everyone's journey is unique. Personally, for me, it was hard to quit vaping. I quit because I was slowly decreasing the amount of nicotine I was using. The last smoking devices I was using were purchased from this website and were disposable vapes with a low percentage of nicotine because I had a terrible nicotine addiction. So, focus on the positive changes you're making for your health. Trust the process and stay committed to your goals. Consider seeking support from your healthcare team for guidance and reassurance. Remember, you're not alone in this journey. Stay strong and stay focused on your goals. You've got this!

Hi ! I am Bonnie, 59 years old and live in IOWA. Married 41 years with two daughters and 4 grandchildren.They are everything they are cracked up to be. I had a Realize band 8/24/2010 and have lost 62 pounds to date. I am at a weight standstill for a couple weeks and getting frustrated. I had a fill about two weeks ago and am pretty tight at 8cc in 11cc band. I really really need to eat slowly and chew. I can get "stuck" on yogurt in the am, but loser in pm. We have two golden retrievers, treated like children. I work three days a week, I am an RN and manage a medical office. I started at 266 and a size 22 and now able to wear a 14W. We are going scuba diving in May in Florida, something I have not done in 8 years due to a big weight gain during stress. Nice to meet you folks. I know I come to this sight daily for help and inspiration.

I haven't been to the doctor for about a 2 months i haven't lost any weight. I was on all kinds of depression medication and stopped taking everything. I know that weight gain is a side effect of stopping medication like that, however I'm scared my doctor is going to get mad that I haven't lost any weight. I have an appointment today to get a fill, I just don't want the doctor to get at me or deny me a full... Has anyone else went through this?

Holy Cow said the Bovine Priest!!! Those are some shocking numbers, and I now see the main contributer (other than myself) for my weight gain. Chili's, which was my favorite restaurant for years, was killing me!! I am shocked by how high some of those fat content numbers are!

It could be something more serious if you're gaining weight without a diet change. Perhaps a serious medical, hormonal or prescription issue? You said you moved too, maybe stress/depression; it plays a HUGE roll on weight gain/loss. Definitely be persistent in getting in touch with your doctors. I'm sorry they've been so difficult to deal with. Try to do an elimination diet, maybe the shakes aren't taking well to your body now after some time. I know when something works for me (even in a positive way) I find my body builds a tolerance for it and it never works the same way! I'm unsure if you can have two procedures entirely different from one another, but I'm sure it is possible. I can't imagine it being terribly healthy or wise though, I'm sure your surgeon would have a better understanding of your body.

Have you had the sleeve or planning to? I totally get where your coming from. We've all been through all the emotions you feel. Before I was sleeved (wish I did it sooner) I would be do upset over my weight gains & the only thing that made me better was eating a whole pizza pie or tons of pasta! It made no sense. I hope you start to feel better & you can rant all you want on here. We all understand!

It's been 8 months since my surgery. For me, the honeymoon phase of never being hungry is O-V-E-R. I caught myself grazing a few times this week, and those calories add up. My old habits made me fat, so it's time for new ones. I needed to find out how naturally thin people eat, so I did a little Google-fu and found this article on Prevention.com that pretty much breaks down the difference between the fats and the fat-nots. I'm posting a slightly shortened/edited version of the article here. Most of you will know this stuff (I'd forgotten all about HALT), but I hope it's helpful to some of you. Habit #2 might be my biggest issue. In my brain, hunger = brink of death = MUST EAT RIGHT NOW. 8 Habits of Skinny People 1. They Choose Satisfied Over Stuffed On a fullness scale of 1 to 10, skinny people stop eating at a level of 6 or 7. The rest of us may keep going to an 8 or 10. Why? Maybe you mistakenly equate the sensation of fullness with satisfaction and feel deprived if you stop short. Or maybe you were raised to clean your plate. Copy Them: About halfway through your next meal, stop eating and rate your level of fullness on a scale of 1-10. Do it again when you have about five bites left. The goal is to increase your awareness of how satisfied you feel during a meal. (Bonus: It also slows down your eating, which allows the sensation of fullness to settle in.) 2. They Realize Hunger Isn't An Emergency We often view hunger as a condition that needs to be cured. If you fear hunger, you might routinely overeat to avoid it. Thin people tolerate it because they know hunger pangs always come and go, buying them some time to eat later. Copy Them: Pick a busy day to purposely delay lunch by an hour or two, and see that you can still function just fine. Then next time you feel those grumbles, maybe you'll hold off before making a beeline for the fridge. 3. They Don't Use food To Cure The Blues It's not that skinny people are immune to emotional eating, they just tend to recognize when they're doing it and stop. Copy Them: Add the word 'Halt' to your vocabulary. More than just a command, it's an acronym that stands for Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired --the four most common triggers for emotional eating. If you're truly hungry, eat a balanced snack to tide you over until your next meal. But if you're angry, lonely, or tired, seek an alternative calorie-free solution to your emotional need. (Personal note: Food as a solution makes no sense. If a friend told you they were lonely, would you tell them that a fish stick will fix it? Sorry, Finding Nemo. Fish are food, not friends.) 4. They Eat More Fruit Skinny people, on average, have one more serving of fruit and eat more Fiber and less fat per day than overweight people. Copy Them: Find ways to add whole fruits (not juices) to your meals and Snacks. Sprinkle berries on your yogurt. Add sliced pears to your turkey sandwich, or bake an apple for dessert. Keep a bowl of fruit on your kitchen table or desk to motivate you to think fruit first, vending machine never. 5. They're Creatures Of Habit A varied diet is good, but too much variety can backfire. Too many tastes and textures encourage you to overeat. Thin people have a "food groove". Most of their meals consist of staples. There are a few surprises thrown in, but for the most part, their diets are fairly predictable. Copy Them: Try to eat as consistently as possible with your major meals--have Cereal for Breakfast, a salad at lunch, and so forth. It's okay to add grilled chicken to the salad one day and tuna the next, but by sticking to a loosely prescribed meal schedule, you limit the opportunities to overindulge. 6. They Have A Self-Control Gene Researchers at Tufts University found that the biggest predictor of weight gain among women in their 50s and 60s was their level of disinhibition, or unrestrained behavior. Women with low disinhibition (in other words, a finely tuned sense of restraint) had the lowest body mass index. High disinhibition (i.e., low restraint) was linked to an adult weight gain of as much as 33 pounds. Copy Them: Prepare for moments when your disinhibition is likely to be higher--such as when you're in a festive atmosphere with a large group of friends. If you're at a party, tell yourself you'll take one of every fourth passed hors d'oeuvre. If you're out at dinner, order an appetizer portion and share dessert. Or if you're stressed, make sure you have a source of crunchy snacks (like fruit or carrot sticks) at the ready. 7. They're Movers And Shakers On average, skinny women are on their feet an extra 2 1/2 hours per day--which can help burn off 33 pounds a year. Copy Them: Try a reality check. People often overestimate how active they really are. Most people actually spend 16 to 20 hours a day just sitting. Wear a pedometer on an average day, and see how close you get to the recommended 10,000 steps. Your day should combine 30 minutes of structured exercise with a variety of healthy habits, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator or mopping the floor with extra vigor. 8. They Sleep--Well Skinny women snooze 2 more hours per week, compared with overweight people. Researchers theorize that a lack of shut-eye is linked to lower levels of appetite-suppressing hormones like leptin and higher levels of the appetite-boosting hormone ghrelin. Copy Them: Break it down: Two extra hours of sleep a week is only 17 more minutes a day--a lot more manageable, even for the most packed of schedules. Start there and slowly work toward 8 hours of snooze time a night. This might be a little tl;dr for some of you, but I tried to trim the fat! Pun totally intended.

I haven't posted anything on my blog for a while, because I always have to sit and get my thoughts organized and think about what I want to say. And quite truthfully, I have been to lazy to organize my thoughts and try to put them down in any coherant manner! But today I am taking a few minutes to sit and rest (have been cleaning house and baking all day long, preparing to go to work) and I thought, I really need to write down how I am thinking, doing, feeling, etc. It is Friday, and it is my weekend to work. Have to work tonight at 7:00 PM till 7:30 AM tomorrow morning, and again tomorrow night and Sunday night. So my weekend will be totally taken up with work. Will get off Monday morning at 7:30 AM, and have a couple of days off. I always get frantic before I have to work 3 or 4 nights in a row, trying to get my house clean, my laundry caught up, everything done that I know needs to be done, so that I don't have to worry about it while I am working, and think about getting it done when I get home. (I sleep at the hospital where I work when I work consecutive nights like this weekend. So won't even be home again till sometime Monday morning.) Today I weighed myself and saw that I am still gaining and losing the same 2 or 3 pounds that I have gained and lost a gazillion times since the beginning of December. And I asked myself "WHEN am I going to get serious and really TRY to make it past this stall that I have been in for almost three months now?" It is so easy to try "just a bite" of whatever is handy, or whatever I am baking, etc. And before I know it, I have eaten a couple hundred calories, just "trying a bite"! Today, I have decided that I need to get serious. I know, I have said this before, but today I mean it. I am starting to get concerned that I will never reach goal if I don't REALLY get serious about this whole weight loss thing. I mean, for YEARS and YEARS I have played the weight loss game. Lose a few pounds and then eat something that I know I shouldn't, and start the deadly weight gain again. So today, I went to the (dreaded, filthy, overcluttered, badly needing to be cleaned out) basement, and hauled my treadmill and exercise bike upstairs, where I would have to see them EVERYDAY that I am home, and get on them and do something good for myself! I just last week finished re-painting and decorating our bedroom, and there is now room for both of them in our bedroom. So I am placing them there, and going to MAKE myself get on each of them every day I am here at home. Furthermore, I am also going to start a log, and keep track of how much time I put in on each. I used to have a boss that always said "that which gets measured gets done", meaning the things that are important to you to accomplish need to be measured to make sure you are making progress toward getting them done. So fellow sleevers, wish me well! I need encouragement to get this thing accomplished. I REALLY WANT to make it to goal! I want to make a permanent change in my lifestyle and be healthier and happier. I just need to get off my behind and get serious, and get busy. That's it for today. Hope you all have a great weekend! (P.S. The baking I mentioned is for my daughter. I don't bake much for us anymore, cause I tend to eat it. I made pastries for her card party tonight, but they are ones that don't taste good till after they are baked, so I didn't even try them! Good for me!)

Mine fit my thumb now!! I'm going to wait til I get to goal to get them resized. I had to resize them because of my weight gain, so I will probably have to get the stones reset instead!!! KInda cool thought, a new band for a new me!!!! ~cheri

Congrats on a huge accomplishment! Don't know what to say on the Skinny Popcorn. I do know from watching, that the people who tend to maintain their original losses are very strict with themselves. But I also know, that for me personally, saying I won't ever have something again or will never be a "weensy bit bad" is not practical. It's pretty magical thinking IMHO. So I'd tend to look at your popcorn fettish like this: if you can eat your serving appropriate size and it doesn't hurt the new anatomy, cause weight gain/stall, or cause cravings to get out of control, and you can dictate the frequency of eating it--then no problemo. If on the other hand, it causes the binge monster to visit, makes you stall or gain, and you end up wanting more and more and more of it at increasingly shorter intervals--then it's a trigger food and should be avoided at this time. I'm gonna shoot for a 95/5 plan where 95% of the time I eat like a saint. The other 5% of the time, I will enjoy like a sinner. And I will have a safety window. At the high end=angelic behavior; at the low end=devil behavior.

Hi Trixie, I am 4 years out and not happy with my slow continuous weight gain. One of the active Lap Band support groups would be Dr. Fowler at Castle Hospital. His people used to post a lot on this website but have since petered out. I had my band done by Dr. Lapschies at Queens's, but I don't think they have a support group any more. If you ever want to walk, especially on Sunday's, give me a call. I am always looking for people and places to walk. My cell phone# is 383-3820 or my work phone is 971-7199. Aloha, Paula Aurio P.S. also try ObesityHelp.com, the Hawaii State forum. They get more input than this board lately.