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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.

A vit D deficiency can be very serious. There are several negative effects of having low levels (especially over a long period of time) that are irreversible. Definitely look into it and talk to your nut about it. Don't forget that you must take bariatric vitamins for the rest of your life. I have a severe Vit D deficiency that is being treated with high dose supplements for at least 6 months. I stopped taking my vitamins over a year ago and I quickly became deficient. I'm post op 9 years but I'm now having a revision due to weight gain and some other issues.

Hi Bariatric Friends ...... I would like to lose approx. 28 kgs. I have just lost 9.5 kgs. in 10 weeks with Slimming World. I have been discussing Bariatric Sleeve surgery but my daughter is so against me having it done. She says that I will never again be able to enjoy a family meal or a meal out .... that I am not heavy enough to have Bariatric Surgery .... that I can lose this weight by watching my food intake and not necessarily having a bariatric sleeve, which is quite drastic. I have a neurological auto-immune illness, which has caused my weight gain - I was very thin until the onset of this illness. I am on lots of (weight inducing) medication. I am going to be taking this medication for life. I am now wondering whether Bariatric Surgery or basic diet change is the way to go. There is no guarantee that I will lose weight even if I become anorexic because of my illness and the associated medication. Would you recommend surgery or just diet management for my situation. If I could get my jaws wired for a time I could find out if I'm going to lose enough weight to make me happy ...... Thanks in advance for your advice ....... I'm very confused !!

Every morning. I’ve noticed that my large weight gains in the past are all this mysterious weigh-in free time. I literally have almost a decade of data on MyFitnessPal showing drops in weight then a missing 6 month period that then reappears like 50 lbs heavier...then weight loss for a while, missing time, huge weight gain, etc. I try to stick my head in the sand about weight gain. I need to make it a daily habit or I just stop weighing in and I know where that leads.

That's a lot of weight gain! Hopefully, as everyone's life gets back to normal they can lose it.

@tonyab I also struggle from chronic migraines, I was diagnosed with 2 mini strokes. They believe it happened years ago and recently been having high blood pressure, also neurologist believes I might be having vision problems due to the weight gain. I've never been able to lose more than 15 pounds. And even then didn't manage to keep the weight off I gained 20lbs in 1 month and 10 the following (previous 2 months) my PCP also ruled out thyroid problems. How long has your process taken you? Kind of an odd situation to have everything done before even meeting with the surgeon; did you PCP conduct those tests? And will you have all the info transferred over to your WLS clinic? I want my PCP to conduct all the tests since it'll be faster. But not sure if it's acceptable. [emoji272][emoji813]️

Hormones are the worst. My weight issues began with puberty. I bounced between 60 & 75kgs most of my adult life. When I began peri menopause, I gained weight & hit 75 more quickly then ever before When I began menopause I put on another 16kg even more quickly - felt like overnight - & suddenly I weighed 91kg. Couldn’t shift a gram of it. It’s why I turned to surgery. Interestingly, the 49kg I settled at for a good year after surgery was about what I weighed when I was 12 & puberty hit. Then, in late November last year, my GP upped my HRT dose & yep, weight gain: 2kgs in that first month. I modified my diet as soon as I realised & while I I haven’t gained any more, I haven’t been able to lose those kgs either. I wonder if starting with your hormones & maybe trying to sort those out maybe a better place to start.

I am not required to do a 6 month diet, but recently read someone else had been on a 6 month diet and was required to do another 3 or 6 months due to weight gain. Not sure if this is the norm or not.

I stumbled upon this excellent article discussing NJ Governor Chris Christie's weight struggle. As a NJ resident, it is a frequent topic when discussing him. I think this Dr. makes an excellent comparison of morbid obesity to heart disease when discussing societal discrimination. Interested to hear others opinions. THE MORBID OBESITY EPIDEMIC AND GOVERNOR CHRISTIE by Mitchell Roslin, MD, FACS As a physician that specializes in the treatment of morbid and severe obesity, the recent exchange between Governor Chris Christie and Dr. Connie Mariano, made me contemplate many of the misunderstood and misappropriated issues and perceptions that surround obesity in our society. Governor Christie decided to appear on The Late Show with David Letterman. To demonstrate his humor and humility, he pulled a doughnut from his pocket and began to eat while Letterman chuckled. The following day, a former White House physician, Dr. Connie Mariano declared that the Governor’s weight was no laughing matter. Furthermore, she stated that he was a ticking time bomb, and if elected president, could die in office. To some, these comments may represent the honest opinion of a famous physician. From my perspective, they demonstrate how unique obesity is over every other medical condition. The difference in our collective perception and beliefs regarding obesity and other chronic medical issues can be shown by comparing the medical history of Governor Christie to that of former Vice President Richard Cheney. d**k Cheney was 59 years old when he was elected, with George W. Bush, to serve as Vice President. As Vice President, he was barely one medical event or disaster away from becoming Commander in Chief. While Dr. Mariano may believe that Christie is a ticking time bomb, Cheney was alive in 2000 because of timely medical care and the incredible advancements made in his lifetime in the management of coronary artery disease. Before, during, and after office, Cheney has been the recipient of virtually every new procedure and technique to treat heart disease. He had his first major heart attack at the age of 37. Prior to becoming Vice President he had four heart attacks, a cardiac arrest and underwent open-heart surgery. While in office, he had multiple angioplasties and stents placed, as well as an implantable defibrillator to treat a potentially fatal arrhythmia. After leaving office, he underwent heart transplantation. While many would not describe Cheney as an empathetic figure, his medical condition was handled with respect and compassion. Despite the multiple cardiac events that occurred, his capacity to serve – based on his medical condition -was rarely questioned. Where it was fair to debate his policies and positions, he was never attacked and/or viewed as being incapable because of the severity of his heart disease. During hurricane Sandy and its aftermath, we all saw Governor Christie climbing through rubble and traveling throughout the state of New Jersey. Appearing with President Obama, he was vibrant and full of energy. Appearing on television regularly, his size could not be missed. However, he never appeared to be limited or impacted by his girth, nor was he hospitalized or treated for any medical issue during this stressful period. The contrast and irony is startling. Christie, who has never had a major medical issue in office, is labeled to be a ticking time bomb. Yet, little attention has been paid to Cheney’s extensive medical condition and complex cardiac history. In fact, you could say that his bomb had already detonated. The difference? Christie’s obesity is not transparent. Everyday, every second, all can see his girth. In contrast, the blockages in Cheney’s heart cannot be seen. While intellectually, we can understand their significance, an angiogram or a map of his circulation is not shown by his side. Much more is also taking place. It is with trepidation and even fear of legal implications that one questions whether someone can or cannot perform their professional tasks secondary to a medical condition. Yet, the implication of Dr. Mariano’s statement is that corporeal weight and body habitus can be implicated in the determining whether someone is qualified for employment. She questioned whether Governor Christie would be able to perform the duties of national office. Thus, on the basis of size, he may not be the right man for the job. If we extrapolate this thought, it would mean that all employers could believe that a person of ideal weight many be better able to work in their establishment than a severely obese individual. Thus, when it comes to obesity, it is acceptable to discriminate. Unfortunately, this is not new news. To protect individuals that have other medical conditions, we have even passed laws such as HIPAA to preserve their privacy. It certainly can be argued that if you are an employer, you would not want to hire someone with a similar cardiac history as Vice President Cheney. Individuals, such as Mr. Cheney, are more likely to miss work time and cost more to employers and tax payers to provide sufficient health care, regarding their dire conditions. That is why, for most positions, your medical record is kept private. In contrast, in the case of morbid obesity, there is no anonymity and a test is not needed to diagnose. It is physically and socially self-evident. Imagine someone of Dr. Mariano’s status commenting on an issue of race, religion, sexual orientation, or even other any other status of adverse medical condition. Her comments would be treated with outrage. It seems that obesity is the last bastion of accepted prejudice. In a world were we have become socially and legally evolved enough to understand and accept all divergent issues, whether they be diverse in ethnic, religious, economic, racial and sexual identifications, obesity still endears itself to cultural stereotyping and profiling. It may be my prejudice, but I think Dr. Mariano was saying much more with her comments: if you are not able to balance your caloric intake, do you have the self-control to balance our budget? Can a person who is morbidly obese be a proper role model to be Commander In Chief? If you do not have the discipline to manage yourself, how can you manage our country? Also if you are not potentially in denial, would you not seek treatment and accept responsibility for creating then solving your own medical problem that would impede you from such? All such simply continues to add to the misperceptions and misappropriations regarding obesity. They also explain why surveys and studies have shown that people would rather be dead than severely obese. No matter how ridiculous this sounds, when you are obese, society looks at you with scorn. You are responsible for your condition. As a result, little compassion is expressed. Besides having a strong family history for heart disease, Vice President Cheney smoked heavily for 20 years prior to his first heart attack. Although, this certainly contributed to his heart disease, his heart disease was viewed as a medical condition, and not equated with character flaws. Obesity is not viewed with such largesse toward any individual. Another unspoken message was that Governor Christie was in denial or should be actively working to lose weight. The truth, in my opinion, is that he struggles everyday and is very much aware of the issue and frustrated by it. It has been my experience that people who are successful and severely obese wonder: ‘how can I succeed in most everything else and still fail this battle?’. So what have we learned about obesity? Is there truth to Dr Mariano’s comments? Is this just another essay that states that no one should be held accountable or have personal responsibility? Severe and morbid obesity combined with a sedentary lifestyle is the biggest medical issue that people, and de facto, our country faces. Despite medical innovation, life expectancy is expected to decline, only seconded to the epidemic of obesity and diabetes. Thus, clearly, someone that is as obese as Governor Christie is at a substantially increased risk of significant heath detriment than someone of similar age, who has a normal body mass. His statement that he is the healthiest fat person is one that I hear commonly. It usually means that he requires no medication for hypertension, diabetes and hypercholesterolemia. Obesity is representative of an energy imbalance. The causes are multifactorial and the impact variable. Not all severely obese individuals are diabetic or prone to heart disease. Those such propensities depends on the distribution of the adipose or fat tissue. Those that have central obesity, especially with fat in their abdominal cavity, are much more likely to have metabolic disease. When the majority of fat resides in the subcutaneous tissues these co-morbidities are less likely. However, their excess adiposity has other consequences. There are only few people that I have cared for that are Governor Christie’s size that do not have sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a condition that generally results in patients awakening at night to get adequate oxygen, due to the stress on the body of excess weight. The blood vessels in the lungs contract and this puts strain on the heart. As a result, the heart is more likely to have rhythm disturbances. In addition, excess corporeal weight causes undue and substantial wear on joints and the lower extremities. It is a misnomer that Gov. Christie does not care about his physical state or is in denial about such. Besides surgery, there is absolutely no documented or successful treatment option. Laymen watch popular television shows like the Biggest Loser or daytime talk shows and think that weight loss is easy. Unfortunately, the majority of people that lose large sums of weight – regardless of whatever method – suffer cataclysmic recidivism. Intuitively, most believe that we can be trained or be taught to change our behavior and maintain weight loss. However, science contradicts these widely-held beliefs. The body resists weight loss. When caloric intake is curtailed, we respond by becoming more efficient and reducing our metabolic rate. A registry is kept of people that have lost substantial sums of weight and maintained the weight loss for five or more years. On average, to preserve their weight, at the new loss state, they eat less than 1200 calories and exercise more than an hour per day. The story of Dr. Stuart Berger is typical of the weight loss struggle. Dr. Berger was perhaps the first famous television diet doctor. While in medical school at Tufts University, he weighed in excess of 400 pounds. He lost a substantial sum of weight and authored The South Hampton Diet. His diet book was widely-publicized and he became a weight-loss guru. He died from heart disease at the age of 42. At the time of his death, his weight was again 400 pounds. With the development of minimally invasive techniques, bariatric surgery has become safer than virtually any other abdominal or weight-loss operation. Despite these improvements, surgery is a frightening proposition. Family and friends who believe that all that is needed is further education and more willpower discourage many people. This circle also differentiates obesity. In most every other condition when you reach a threshold, treatment is mandatory. In obesity, the desperation of the patients and their desire to seek options determines who gets treated. The differences in how obesity is handled and viewed continue when the decision to pursue treatment occurs. Rather than have a physician decide when a patient is ready or qualifies for a specific procedure, insurance companies require a detailed pre-certification process. This typically includes documentation of a recent diet that is supervised by a physician and includes monthly medical visits. For people like Governor Christie, this means that their life-long struggle is unimportant. Instead, they need to duplicate and relive their frustrations to obtain treatment. Such an approval process exists in no other area of medicine. d**k Cheney did not have to document his gym regimen before one of his many heart surgeries was approved. When proper treatments are met with such difficult fiduciary remuneration, it is not surprising that there are few new remedies. It is estimated that 36% of the American population is now obese. At current growth rates, by the year 2050 the entire population will be obese. Thus it would seem that products that effectively treat obesity would have a large market and a priority for ambitious entrepreneurs. Yet, this is not the case. There has been only one medical device and one pharmaceutical product approved by the FDA in the past ten years. The reasons are multifold. There is no agreement about who should be treated for obesity. There is no agreement as to what constitutes successful or meaningful treatment. Additionally, obtaining insurance reimbursement for obesity treatments is an obstacle. The approval process for surgery is arduous. Less than 30% of insurance plans cover weight-loss pharmaceuticals. In comparison, look at the new products and procedures that were developed for heart disease during d**k Cheney’s life. They include stents, defibrillators, as well as surgical procedures such as coronary artery bypass grafting and cardiac transplantation. All benefited from widespread public acceptance and a clear path for reimbursement. More than 20 years ago, former Surgeon General, Dr. Everett Koop, wrote Shape Up America. He became the first public health figure to recognize the significance of the obesity epidemic. Regardless of the dangers of obesity that have been published since its publication, the emphasis has been placed on education rather than cure. Hence, the epidemic has continued. We must realize that behavioral modification techniques that have not even succeeded in halting the rise in the prevalence of obesity are unlikely to be successful as a treatment for morbid obesity. Stated succinctly, prevention and treatment are different. We prevent bacterial infections by washing hands and avoiding contact with infected sources. We treat people, de rigeur, with surgical debridement and medications such as antibiotics. It is possible that if Vice President Cheney never smoked, he would not have had a heart attack at 37 years of age. However, no one would treat his heart disease by only having him stop smoking and change his diet. While an important component, such efforts would be combined with medications. Yet, in obesity, we still want to believe that the same techniques that are used to prevent weight gain will result in successful treatment. It is time to address the obesity epidemic. Just as we check blood pressure, we need to measure body-mass index. At a young age, those with a mildly elevated BMI need to be referred for treatment. There needs to be reimbursement for these treatments. If initial approaches are not successful, a different approach is warranted. At the end of the line will be surgical procedures. The combination of a mandatory treatment threshold and reimbursement will stimulate the search for better solutions. Coverage should be mandatory. Only with mandatory coverage will insurance companies take preventive efforts seriously. We also need to face that combatting the obesity epidemic will require difficult decisions that will limit personal choice. I am not sure that Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s sugar tax will be successful or the correct approach. But, I highly commend his attempt to bring awareness to this issue. It is naïve to continue to rely on nutritional education. We need to be bold and explore even unpopular options. These may include higher prices for items such as soda and other simple carbohydrates. An emphasis has to be placed on physical fitness. Each week, I see people in their early twenties that are permanently disabled secondary to medical issues caused by morbid obesity. Our society cannot afford for this trend to continue. What about Governor Christie? We should judge him based on his ability to govern and the record he has assembled. Should he ever feel his obesity is interfering with his public duties, effective surgical treatment exists. In all probability he could return to his normal duties in 7 to 10 days. With current surgical techniques, his obesity is far easier to treat than Vice President Cheney’s heart disease. What we also have to realize is that Dr. Mariano was talking about a lot more than the medical implications of obesity. What I heard was a fat man does not appear to be presidential. Additionally, by not addressing his obesity he has character flaws that she does not find acceptable. However, looks can be deceiving. FDR led us through WWII, and The Depression from a wheelchair. What should not be questioned is Christie’s determination and inner strength. As a leader, as a person. Despite constant ridicule and jokes about his weight, he has risen to become a national leader and is being urged to run for president. To survive the discrimination he has faced, he probably has had to perform better than those who merely look the part.

@@tfowler I hope you had a great weekend! We really enjoyed the lake and the turkey burgers were a huge hit! I went low carb with mine and wrapped it in lettuce instead of a bun. I am finding eating healthy to be a lot easier than I thought it would be. I have my last doctors appointment today and then my scope is on the 17th. I can't believe how fast the time is flying by! I understand completely about wanting to be healthy and not be the "fat" relative. I have a younger cousin who asked me why I had gotten fat. Like your sister, my aunt punished her even though I insisted that it was not her fault. I am the biggest member of my family. Obesity is not hereditary in my case, but endocrine problems are. I just happened to get the endocrine issue that causes weight gain and makes it extremely hard to lose weight. My family thinks that it is so easy to just eat right and exercise, but I have been there and done that, and in the end, diet and exercise don't work for me. I am so ready for this battle to be over and to start my new life! I know you are excited as well, only two more weeks!!! YAY!

I wish you all the best..... continue your research. Look into the sleeve too. I love my band, i just didn't love having to go to the dr. and get fills. and i don't like the idea about erosion and slips... etc. That scares me. My current insurance does not cover WLS, so if anything goes wrong... i'm on my own. I personally would not do the Gastric Bypass.... too scary for me. And it has a higher re weight gain than any of the surgeries.... Look into them all and talk to your doctor and really think about the changes you will have to make for a life time. It's not like weight watchers were you can just stop counting point and not weight in.... or Jenny and stop buying her food.... This is forever.... I haven't had a hamburger on bun in three years.... or a deep dish slice of pizza.. But it's all worth it. Saturday will be my three year anniversary... and i LOVE the new me. Get healthy for you and your future family..... All the rest is just "icing on the cake" so to speak.... One more thing.... you also have to take into consideration how this will not only effect you, but your entire family..... My husband didn't want me to get the band at all and still make remarks about it. He was very secure with me at 223#. He knew that at that weight i had no self confidence and most men would not take a second look at me... Now he has a hard time with the size 6 Christina and has even said that losing weight was the worse thing that happened to us... He hates when other men look at me and feels like one day i will get a better "offer" and leave him.... On the other hand.. he loves the new me in Private... loves the more energy me, the more sexual me, the more confident me...but only in private. My daughter in law (whom i love very much) had a hard time with my weight loss. She was jealous of it, and still is... but it's getting better. My Sister in law, that had the band done in Mexico two years before me, gained weight with the band... (three weeks ago had GB) will not come around me if my brother was with her. He would com pair she and i and say..... why can't you lose weight... my sister did. Which was wrong on his part, but it's what happened. Be prepared to lose friends.... your fat friends won't want to be around you because you will be thinner and will be jealous of you and your thinner friends will start sabotaging you, because they will fear you... no longer will you be "the fat friend".... They will say things like... how much weight are you planning on losing... your getting too thin. Your face is sunk in... You want to come eat ice-cream... a little bit won't hurt..... So you will start getting the attention of being the thin girl in the fat group and the pretty thin girl in the thin group....

Boo, your day is coming (the plateau break). Never you worry -- it's coming. Dawn, you're very welcome and I'm glad you liked it. Kat, no one in the history of time deserved some time away like you and Rick. I'm so glad you got out on the open road. I'm home from Texas. Too much good food, too little exercise, but great times with friends and no weight gain. Tomorrow it's back to the WL grind. Emotionally, it's very hard for me to not be at work right now. I know I'll get attached to the new job once I'm there, but for the moment, I just miss my friends and the connection I felt working there. I feel unplugged. I'm trying not to eat my way through it.

I'm pre-op also. I love this idea, visualizing where you want to be. I was also a skinny child (underweight, even) and never a thin adult. I had a breast reduction at 17, but of course a lot of that grew back with the weight gain. I feel like I have a pretty good sense of my shape ... but I'm nervous! I've had children, gained and lost 50+ pounds a couple of times, and feel like my body is constantly changing. But, this is it. I feel like this is the last shot I have at gaining some control over my weight, which has started putting pressure on my knees and back and making me feel old before my time. Based on what I vaguely remember about my healthy younger body, I'm thinking my shape will be a bit like this:

Interesting read. I can't help though but think about how much weight people gain during a time period of 11 years who never were obese in their whole life, maybe not even overweight. I just need to look at colleagues and friends. Weight gain (sometimes really significant) between the age of 35-50 seems to be quite common. So while I definitely don't want to dismiss weight regain over a time span that long, one should maybe also take a look outside the realm of the bariatric world and be careful what to label as "failure" or not (though this usually seems to be more of a patient-problem than a doctor-problem). If "goal" is BMI 24.9 or less you're definitely right. Now I'm going to talk about something that is really rarely talked about in the WLS community (we seem to have exactly one moderately active thread about this): eating disorders or disordered eating. When one takes a look at "failure rates" of treatment of patients suffering from eating disorders like anorexia or bulimia, bariatric patients don't seem to have worse outcomes so we don't seem to be exceptionally "bad patients". Too many patients seem to only change gear and develop overly restrictive eating habits, starve themselves and compulsively exercise, all too often encouraged not only by the scales showing less weight, but also by their environment and even their treatment teams.

This just breaks my heart. I'm sorry to tell you, but if your husband was gay before you married him, then he is gay now. He is not interested in sex with you because he is not interested in sex with any woman. I'm just astounded at the number of gay men who marry women in a feeble attempt to reject their homosexuality. It just doesn't work and the wife and the children are the ones who get hurt. This has obviously taken a huge toll on your self-esteem and probably greatly contributed to your weight gain. This is an emotionally abusive situation and you need to do something to get out of it. As long as you stay with your husband, you will never know what it's like to be truly and deeply in love with a man who feels the same way about you. Please don't deny yourself that. Life is too short to be miserable.

"Surgery through the nose" Good grief, I should be happy that there won't be any scars but all I can think of are all the nose picking jokes the guys down in service are going to come up with. Question though for any of you that have had this or know someone who has. Do you know if they have had to go on anytype of hormone replacement therapy? I know the pituitary gland is like some sort of master gland that regulates other hormones and their glands such as the thyroid, growth hormone and prolactin. My particular tumor is affecting my prolactin growth, so I don't know if they remove the tumor is it only going to effect the prolactin hormone growth or all the hormones that the pituitary controls. It may sound petty but my biggest fear is that the surgery will screw up my thyroid levels which are perfectly fine right now and that I thought I had heard that thyroid problems can cause weight gain. Just what I don't want after all the time, money and effort I've put into this band.

That's Awesome Teresa! WTG girl!!!!! Next weigh-in you're going to get safely below that number... I just know it! You should be pretty darn proud of yourself for accomplishing weight-loss while under so much stress! I hope the Wellbutrin does the trick for you... it turned me into a space cadet... so it was Zoloft for me! The nice thing about Wellbutrin is that taking it is not associated with weight-gain and it tends to curb any type of addictive behaviors. There is usually 0 sexual side effects which is also a bonus. Lisa... I'm going to work on my whining skills... My hubby will be thanking you. Can't wait to see picks of your digs when you're finished! Marie... where are ya sweetie pie??? Betty... Your appointment is just around the corner... YAY! Rebecca... How goes it for you? Michelle... WHere the heck is menopause when we need it eh? I know that's why I am craving naughty things... pretty soon my face will be erupting as well... ahhhhh... the joys of being a woman... do they never end??? Penni... Hope you made it home safe and sound and hopes and prayers being send for your friends on the island. I'm still a big butthead today... but... planning on hitting the road to run errands and then attack the yard with the lawnmower... maybe that'll cheer me up....LOLOL.

Betty, you're funny because I'm trying to downplay the whole Harley Girl thing. I laugh at our friend, Chuck, all the time. He's 60 years old. One day out of the blue he rode up on a brand new Harley - huge. One of those touring bikes. A month later he showed up on the bike wearing leather pants, leather vest with tons of patches, Harley hat, huge Harley belt buckle, Harley boots. I call him Harley Barbie. I think he looks like an idiot but I love him anyway! Sorry, but this one got me cracking up. The bike is fun, and we did get a few patches for a purse and a welding cap, but I don't want to be a biker mamma! Chris even tried doing weird things to the beard he's trying to grow. I told him that if I wanted to marry a biker, I would have married a bad ass dude with tons of money! I don't like driving the bike because my fingers go numb (carpal tunnel) but I'm doing it to stand up for all women across the country - gotta teach men a lesson for all womenkind! He thought he bought himself a $30,000 toy. B.S. I gotta fight fire with fire, and it gives him grey hair every time I get on that bike. As soon as I'm licensed, I'll disappear for hours at a time. I'll probably just go to a friend's house and park it in the garage, but I'll tell him I took it to the mountains or something. He will NOT win this game! I can't do the weekly weigh-in challenge. Too frustrating. I gained all my weight back that I lot in August, which means if I gain even one pound tonight, I'll have gained weight in August. I got up, walked my dogs, made my shake, had some extra water and measured out a tiny little tuna lunch. My portion control has gotten way out of hand along with my drinking. I obsess over everything, so I've even exercised more than normal. Now I don't want anyone blaming my weight gain on muscle, cuz I haven't beefed up too much. Problem is I'm a compulsive overeater. The band alone isn't doing the trick for me, so I have lots of extra brain-struggling to deal with. It's all in my head. My big, fat, stubborn head!

thinopia-I also have Hashimoto's thyroiditis (the autoimmune hypothyroid), so I do have what my endocrinologist calls "the double whammy" with PCOS AND hypothyroidism. He never pushes WLS, but does say I need to lose weight. With PCOS, it's the chicken or the egg-does PCOS cause weight gain (which I believe it does, b/c I had no problems with weight growing up until I got in my early 20s), but then weight gain makes PCOS symptoms worse. If only it were easy to lose weight. I seem to put on 10-15 pounds in just a couple of months by doing nothing different. I will have to be private pay because DH's insurance does not cover WLS at all. I guess I just wonder that if I am going to get similar results with WLS as what I would with a physician supervised diet/exercise program, then I am not sure if I want to do surgery. Of course the surgeon is going to recommend surgery, b/c that's money in his pocket, so it's not like they don't have some kind of bias. I haven't gone to an informational seminar yet-I am supposed to go next week. The surgeon also has medically supervised diet program-either 6 weeks or 6 months where they do a program just for you, and even go to the grocery store with you. You also meet with someone who has a degree in exercise physiology to train 2 times per week. I am really torn, because I get so inspired by the weight loss that I have seen people talk about with VSG, but then I wonder with the PCOS and the hypothyroidism (which is only getting worse as I get older and my body destroys my thyroid and I have to go on higher doses of thyroid medicine as time goes on), if I will have all the wonderful results as what everyone else has had. I did print out the paperwork for the surgeon I am going to, and he does have a specific section for PCOS. I don't know if they cover that in the informational seminar, or if that part is covered during the consult with the surgeon ( I don't know if you have to commit to anything prior to meeting with the surgeon).

Hubby likes to eat out a lot and over a 20plus year marriage it has added to the weight gaining for me. Not now. He orders ala carte grilled shrimp at longhorn (I get the veggie he doesn't want or we share), or I order soup or we share his meal. I have been blessed with NOT having a waiter/waitress make a big deal about me not ordering. Last night I decided to quit getting water for my drink, I got a look. I explained when she made sure I didn't want anything to drink that I am not suppose to drink because I had WLS. If I have a drink I tend to sip - when my mouth gets dry from chewing some foods. To stop over drinking before and after I will just NOT get a drink. I will steal a sip (if desperate) from hubbys drink ;D

I waited far too long after my soaring weight gain during and after pregnancy to get my surgery. Good for you for not waiting any longer!

Hey Lissa, as far as last year it was. I'm so glad I stopped taking it when I did. I heard of weight gain but didn't think it was going to be so much...

I have been at the same weight for more than a month now. I have had sinus issues, on meds for that and I am sure they cause weight gain. I am off the meds now and the sinuses are mostly clear so I am hopeful I can start losing again. It can be a slow process, I have learned patience through all this.

Reversals are actually done a lot more often than you would think. I may be doing this by the end of the year. There are Facebook groups for gastric bypass takedowns and support. Lots of people have had mechanical issues and needed reversals. They are definitely high risk, however if they can take you apart, they can put you back together, although I wouldn't go to just anyone that's for sure!. I'm personally experiencing malnutrition, and severe weight loss (and no, none of this is my doing. I did all that I was supposed to over the last 16 years). Had a revision in September, and still having complications. Seeing my doctor again next week to discuss next step, which is most likely the takedown. They also do them on those who continue to get ulcers, or severe dumping (which I also get from everything I eat). In regard to weight gain from the reversal, it's one's choice to eat badly and put the weight back on, just like you can start making bad choices with rny and never expect to stretch your stomach. It happens in most cases. I learned a lot about eating well, healthy/organic, locally grown as often as possible. (wish I knew then what I know now, I regret my surgery a lot) I would actually give anything to eat a salad or a piece of fish right now, instead I am getting tpn through a picc line. So even though you follow the plan, like I did it doesn't mean you wont have issues.

1. Don't worry about losing weight after the first surgery pounds fall off. It usually takes three months and several fills after surgery for the physician to fill the band enough such that it gives you really great restriction. Many people lose 20 lbs right after surgery, and put back on 5 or 10 lbs before the band has been filled enough. Those pounds will definately come off again. 2. Stay away from alcoholic beverages, they are enjoyable and a source of comfort, but it will significantly slow your weight gain. 3. I can no longer enjoy a beer. The carbonation is such that it prevents me from eating anything on my plate. 4. Don't view the lap band as the magic band. You still have to help it work by changing some bad habits. Here are my bad habits: alcoholic beverages, popcorn and eating while watching the television. The lap band does not prohibit my intake of either alcohol or popcorn (for that matter, anything that is crispy and crunchy I can still consume in large quantities). Therefore, I must keep the beverages and popcorn out of my house. The lap band does not prevent me from watching television. in summary, if you had bad behaviors before the lap band, you will have bad behaviors after the lap band. 5. The lap band does work!! Even if you are a horrible cheater like me. While my weight loss is not as fast as I want, I have pretty much done everything to cheat it, but I have still lost weight, and am not gaining it. Want to know anymore?