Very upset and disappointed.

[Manda87 3]

Obesity is a disease and according to research may even be brought on by a virus and it is contagious!!! It is not a habit, not a mental issue, and not cureable and may never .

Sorry, but I have to respectfully disagree with you. Yes, obesity is a disease, but it is cureable. Genes have been linked to obesity, but also mental issues have been linked to it too. If you eat because you're depressed, then that's a mental issue. One may ask how does one cure obesity? It's rather a simple answer: lose weight. Once you lose weight you won't be considered obese anymore. Losing weight is hard even with the Lap Band, but you have to make the effort to change your lifestyle. The band won't help you make right food choices. If one is very serious about losing weight they will consult doctors and other health professionals to guide them through their journey.

[sounddude 0]

Sorry, but I have to respectfully disagree with you. Yes, obesity is a disease, but it is cureable. Genes have been linked to obesity, but also mental issues have been linked to it too. If you eat because you're depressed, then that's a mental issue. One may ask how does one cure obesity? It's rather a simple answer: lose weight. Once you lose weight you won't be considered obese anymore. Losing weight is hard even with the Lap Band, but you have to make the effort to change your lifestyle. The band won't help you make right food choices. If one is very serious about losing weight they will consult doctors and other health professionals to guide them through their journey.

I understand your stance, but I promise you there is no cure. The mental issues to obesity are usually brought on by the obesity. You are 100% right that you control what you put in your mouth. My point is you should not have to worry about that with exception to tooth decay, cholesterol and various other allergies and the like. Most people who are thin and lean, have been that way there whole life, and not because they restrict there food choices. They become fit and active because it is enjoyable to do so when you feel good in your body. We have all been brain washed to believe the myth that you are fat because you are lazy and lay around eating all day. Most skinny people eat more and eat junk on a level that I have never known. My skinny friends eat me under the table.

[Manda87 3]

I understand your stance, but I promise you there is no cure. The mental issues to obesity are usually brought on by the obesity. You are 100% right that you control what you put in your mouth. My point is you should not have to worry about that with exception to tooth decay, cholesterol and various other allergies and the like. Most people who are thin and lean, have been that way there whole life, and not because they restrict there food choices. They become fit and active because it is enjoyable to do so when you feel good in your body. We have all been brain washed to believe the myth that you are fat because you are lazy and lay around eating all day. Most skinny people eat more and eat junk on a level that I have never known. My skinny friends eat me under the table.

I still have to disagree with you. There is a cure for obesity: lose weight. The basic definition of obesity or obese it being extremely overweight or having an extreme amount of excess body fat. How do you get rid of an extreme amount of excess body fat? You remove it. Once you remove it, you're cured of your excess body fat.

Most of my family is overweight except my little sister. My little sister is 14 and in a size 4. I was probably in a size 20 at 14. My little sister doesn't eat a lot. I think she only eats when she's hungry. Yes, she does eat junk food, but she doesn't over eat it. For example, she she can have a cookie and be okay with it. However, if I eat a cookie I'll want another one and another one and another one. That is why I don't eat Cookies anymore.

I think there is a lot of excuses that people make to justify their obesity. I use to weigh 327 pounds. I use to blame my family and my genes, but it was mostly my behavior. My genes didn't make me go to McDonalds and they certainly didn't make me eat 12 chocolate chip Cookies. I believe I was already depressed before I ate those 12 cookies. Yes, depression does get worse with weight gain, but I do think it is a major cause of weight gain. (HOWEVER, depression can be a major cause of weight LOSS. Many people who become depress stop eating and lose weight. It's amazing...)

It's all about attitude. If you think you won't ever get healthy or you aren't meant to be healthy (which is probably the stupidest thing I've ever herad) then you won't become healthy because you set yourself up for failure. Those "I can't" attitudes are what brings people to failure. Simply, people need to stop making excuses and do something like getting weight loss surgery, a therapist, a nutritionist, a doctor, etc.

You CAN lose weight. It's about wanting to do it and realizing it's going to take awhile. You certainly didn't get this way overnight.

[BetsyB 9]

Obesity it multifactorial. It is caused by a variety of things--and these differ from person to person.

What is FACT is that it is manageable. Yes, fat cells remain. Those who are obese remain vulnerable to obesity.

But it can be conquered.

However, there is NO way to conquer it if you believe you can't. And sounddude, it sounds like you believe that there is simply no hope for you.

You have given up your power.

For some of us, it's a daily struggle. For others of us, it's not. Either way, plenty of us do, in fact, overcome our obesity. I guarantee that each and every one of us assumes FULL responsibility for our actions---not caring whether a virus triggered activation of a gene that predisposed us to obesity.

Predisposition is not fate. Past history does not dictate the future. YOU CAN LOSE WEIGHT.

Does that mean that what works for me would work for you? Not necessarily. I spent lots of time learning what worked for me. Before I even hit an OR, I knew that my body will not lose weight unless I eat around 800 calories a day. Does it suck? Sure--that's not very many calories. But no matter how hard I try to prove it wrong, it is what it is. If I eat more than 1000 calories, I gain. Period.

Is it fair? What's fair? I do what I have to do to lose weight. I have a gastric band to make it easier to stick with 800-900 calories/day. I make very careful food choices, because it's hard to get the nutrients I need each day when eating that amount. I exercise religiously.

Your body may need completely different things. It's your responsibility to find out what those things are, and do them.

You have to knock off the self-destructive, self-defeating behaviors.

It's really as simple (and as terrifyingly difficult) as that.

It's not easy at all--but the formula IS simple: eat less than your body needs. Burn more calories than you put in. Excruciatingly difficult to do, at times---but those of us who do it do, in fact, get the results we want.

We all have barriers to loss. Some of us have huge physical obstacles. Most of us have at least some emotional barriers.

With hard work, we can get past them. You never will, though, if you just accept your, "it's not curable" stance.

Look, you're not doing anything remotely supportive of weight loss. Why don't you give it the effort you're giving to defending the hopelessness of it all? You might be pleasantly surprised.

[Tsaleen 1]

Obesity is not a disease, it is a condition. It is also a compounding condition, being overweight makes it harder to lose weight because of hormonal issues, energy levels, metabolic issues and the way our bodies process insulin.

Sounds like you should at least explore getting converted to bypass surgery, you should at least find out if your insurance will approve it if you continue to have co-morbidities.

Depression meds can cause you to gain weight too, you should evaluate that issue too.

Don't give up on yourself so easily, the hardest part is getting the initial momentum, and then once you get going it gets easier and easier. Obesity is a lifestyle choice, and you don't have to make that choice. Just work on it one pound at a time.

[BetsyB 9]

My point is you should not have to worry about that with exception to tooth decay, cholesterol and various other allergies and the like.

What on earth gives you this idea?! There is no such entitlement!

Can some people eat limitless crap without weight consequences? Yes, but not many. And it catches up with them, usually--either with eventual weight gain or health issues.

Most people who are thin and lean, have been that way there whole life, and not because they restrict there food choices.

Wrong. Most people who are lean and healthy make wise food choices. They balance their indulgences with little restrictions to compensate. They limit their indulgences. They do not compulsively eat. They listen to their bodies and stop eating when they are satisfied, not stuffed.

You're simply NOT going to achieve a state in which you do not have to worry about what you eat. Unless that state is simple resignation to a life of unhealthy morbid obesity.

I have to disagree with the previous poster who said you should explore revision to bypass. While it might ultimately be a good option for you, it's really important to get your mind aligned with the realities of life with a modified body. Bypass requires far more caution, food-wise, and if you have the attitude that you should not have to worry about what you eat, you're not ready for that.

[Willsmom6 0]

As a nurse, one concern I would have with going for another surgery would be the complications you have had with both of your previous surgeries... Good luck with the battle you are waging within yourself, it is very hard and feels pretty terrible but you can overcome it.

[Cleo's Mom 257]

Obesity is a very complicated condition and is recognized by many in the medical field as a disease. An alcoholic who has been sober for 20 years is still considered an alcoholic. An obese person who has issues with food can still have those after weight loss.

This article (from webmd) speaks about how hunger hormones can sabotage our dieting. And hunger is not all head hunger. While that many exist, I believe doctors use that term too often to blame the patient when the band isn't working as it should (despite following all the rules)

Some Dieters Are Set Up to Regain Weight

And I know many thin adults who eat all they want, don't exercise, and by their own admission have inherited thin genes and are lucky. So, not all thin people are these healthy eaters/exercisers.

[Phranp 46]

In your initial post you ended with "any ideas?" A myriad of experienced and caring people responded with support, recommendations and sympathy/empathy. You thanked everyone, but you also shot eveything down as not being possible for you. I said to myself "I think this is something he will have to work out on his own, right now it seems he can't hear anything others are saying." So, I decided not to respond until you posted this:

"Obesity is a disease and according to research may even be brought on by a virus and it is contagious!!! It is not a habit, not a mental issue, and not cureable and may never be."

I imagine you are speaking of the "adenovirus 36" which may actually be rewriting fat cells in children, causing them to gain more weight. I suggest you keep reading because even with the parts that could be valid it still does not apply to EVERYONE that is overweight. Not everyone is overweight because they have "a virus". Seriously? And, if it's so contagious why am I the ONLY "fat" person in my immediate family. Afterall, I shared a bedroom with my sister for many, many years as a child. When she got sick, I got sick (and so did my brother) and vice versa (measles, chicken pox, etc.) and yet today my sister is 5'6" and weighs 124 lbs. Hmmmmm, curiouser and curiouser.

But okay, I'll bite, we have a virus and while it is not impossible for us to lose weight it will take work. Still, according to you "You are 100% right that you control what you put in your mouth. My point is you should not have to worry about that..." Seriously? You think that food/weight issues are the only thing that challenge people in life? How about the dyslexic? The person with dyslexia is NEVER, EVER going to see words the way you and I do. No one is going to change the way books are printed to suit them. Yet, they learn to read and write. Is it struggle? YES! But, they know they have this disorder and still they OVERCOME it no matter that they may struggle the rest of their lives. Overcoming their struggle enhances their lives (just as losing weight - no matter the difficulty - improves our health). So, even if I have a "fat" virus that makes losing weight a challenge, I think it is worth it to lose the weight, no matter the struggle. I also have spinal stenosis with NO option for cure. But you know what helps? Strengthening the muscles in my back. You know how I strengthen the muscles in my back? By doing PAINFUL exercises until my back is stronger AND THEN I continue to exercise so that the muscles STAY strong. Who said life had to be easy???? Hell, my back problems are just the tip of the iceberg ... but I won't go into that because IT DOES NOT MATTER. Life goes on and I, for one, am SO glad it does. I am happy and thankful for my life every single day. The good AND the bad.

Do I wish I had the same attitude about food that my sister does? Sure. She can forget to eat for an entire day and think nothing of it. But hell I'm almost 55 years old. Where would I be if I had spent my life lamenting the fact that my sister doesn't even think about food while, during periods of my life, I could think of nothing else?

If you want a reason to give up on yourself, you're not going to get it on this forum. No matter how much sympathy and/or empathy we may have for your plight, THIS is not the place to go to find people that believe that "all is lost". That's not what we are here for, not this site. WE come here to support each other and to help each other when we are struggling. We never say "okay, you're right, you should just give up". AND, we are NEVER going to believe that obesity is not curable, mostly because ... IT IS curable. So, you can bring every pseudo scientific study under the sun to this forum that you can find, but you will NEVER convince the HUNDREDS (if not thousands) of successful lapbanders that have lost hundreds of pounds, that there is ANYTHING they cannot achieve.

Please know that I do not intend to be mean, but you struck a nerve with that comment about it being impossible to cure obesity. Pish-Tosh! LOL

I sincerly wish you well and hope you have a happy life.

[jaymie 0]

You need therapy, now bro.

[sounddude 0]

Wow! I am not certain of what to say, but I will try. Sorry to anyone who I struck a nerve with. I know as well as anyone on this or any other site that obesity is a continuos struggle only manageable by us the eater. That being said I know I have been doomed with this deck of cards to play for life. I am not new to being fat, I have fought this since I was 5 years old wich makes it a 32 year long battle of loss and gain. I am an expert on losing weight. I can lose 100lbs with no input or band ever and have several times in the past. It is simple to do. NO SUGAR, and only meat, cheese, and green veggies and watch all the pounds go bye bye. I have advised people with sucess my whole life when asked mostly by those who have always been thin and as they get older start packing on pounds and know that I know how to drop weight. I tell them dont you dare diet. All a diet will do is make you fat. I tell them to exercise and dont change there eating because I am convinced it is everyones beginning to a roller coaster ride. Those who listen to me get back to healthy and enjoy life, those who dont join me on my eternal Quest.

Now I am not giving up, I am frustrated and stating that I got a band with the hope that I could get some sense of management for life. Other than making me miserable at times and almost killing me, it has done nothing of the sort to help.

So I have to go back to what I know. meat and greens and no sugar.

This is not normal, it is not a lifestyle of social acceptance, but it is what works.

I am happy for anyone who has had sucess with the band and I applaud and commend you.

Now for my statement that obesity is not cureable. You can say all you want to the contrary, but you are wrong!

It is not cureable, it is not always a virus, but could be. Fat cells once you have them are always there period. You can manage the disease by deflating them and decreasing the comorbidities that go with them when inflated, but you will struggle with it for life once you have it, and that is not "normal" biology. If you eat you will be fat again, and again. So it is highly treatable and manageable, but it is 100% not cureable.

When the scientific community comes up with a way to reduce fat cells, and fat cell memory and boost metabolic rates, they would be on to a cure, but it is big business being fat so we may never get a cure.

This is a statement, not a dismissal of responsibility to continue the battle.

Sorry if I offended anyone.