I am no doctor and cannot diagnose you...however, I would check with your doctor conerning this pain. If you have not been following your diet as strickly as possible, it may be possible to have some kidney problems. This is fixable. Eat smaller meals and don't get to that "full" feeling. Stop eating while you are ahead and eat smaller meals more often. But I would suggest you check with your doctor. PROTEIN is important...but so is a lot of water...water flushes out the system. I had a little of that discomfort too...and sometimes I still do. I drink lots of water and back off the food intake and eat healthy when I do eat and it seems to help. Always remember to take every vitamin the doctor has suggested. I would be interested in knowing what vitamins you are on...if you don't mind. There are a few that I am taking that help with that as well. Amy

First of all...I think you look wonderful and have done a terrific job!! Congratulations! Second...I just had a meeting with my doctor a few weeks ago and he told me that I need not panic on the amount of food That I ingest and not to worry about it. As long as you are conentrating on eating protein and getting your "vities" down along with water and exercise. If you panic...you release a hormone that makes you want to eat more. It's ok to gain a few pounds. It's normal and ok. Because in time. If you continue to follow your diet...they will come off and if they don't, you still look great and feel great. The biggest problem I see is the panic mode. Take one day at a time and don't weigh yourself so much either. This list of food you had that particular day was actually a meal or such that I would eat. and at those intervals as well. I do eat starches and snacks as well. But I limit them and it looks like you have limited them too. I think you are doing great. Just to remind you....when you had that surgery, you were wired inside so as not to gain a ton of weight back. My doctor told me its ok and normal to gain a little once you have plateaued. But you will never get as big as you were before because your insides are wired differently and there is truly no way of gaining all of that back. It goes through your system soooooo much faster and doesnt have the time to sit very long. I just want to encourage you to relax and take meals in stride. If you don't get that "full" feeling, start making sure you only eat so many ounces at a meal each time and eventually your stomach will adjust and you will start feeling the full feeling again after it gets used to the smaller amounts. Honestly, I think that you have nothing to worry about. Stress of moving ( think you said you were moving...sorry!) or any stress can add pounds even if you are not eating anything at all....so take a deep breath and take one meal and one day at a time. By the way are you taking vitamin b-1? It's a metabolisim booster and helps you maintain. If you are not taking that...give it a shot...just one a day and you can get it over the counter. Any brand will do. I know it's easy for me to say don't panic...but I have been where you are at and gained a couple of pounds and didn't want to ...but I did what I suggsted to you and I did't lose the extra couple of pounds but I lost inches and maintained for the last 4 months now and I DO eat some of the "bad" stuff....just in moderation. I have confidence in you and I think you are doing great. If you need anything or just want to talk...let me know Amy

Ronda, I had Surgery January 2, 2004 and it's obviously been a year. What vitamins do you take? The vitamins in my opinion along with your current exercise program and protein intake is your best bet. The "Complete" Multi vitamin (not flinstones by now) but a (and it has to say "complete") just swallowable pill works great with energy and helps get you moving even more. I found the flynstones vitamins didn't give me the energy I needed. Also, vitamin B-1 is a motabolism booster. You can get it over the counter as well. This alone has been a lifesaver. I did plateau around the same time as you, but have since slowly lost a few more pounds. Just keep a positive mind set and keep up the water, protein and vitamins. I also want to suggest you take a calcium tablet a day as well. I take vitamin b-12 once a week or more as well. These vitamins are the best thing. If I don't take them...I can tell a big difference. Especially is I don't take the B-1 metabolism booster. Eat smaller meals more often and make sure the protein is eaten first and if there is room for more...do the vegies next. Staying away from sugar is a must to contiune to lose the weight as well. Starches and sugar make you plateau so much quicker and it really does stop the weight loss. I wish you luck and feel where you are at...but keep trying. and if you are already taking those vitamins....don't give up...just keep trying and stick with a liquid protein diet for a few more weeks or a coupld of months. I found the Atkins protein shakes taste great and travel easily! Try some of those. They fill you up and taste great! If you like coffee...they have a late that is out of this world! Please let me know if you need anything else. I would be glad to help in anyway possible. Amy

Thank you very much Kim, for the encouragement! You are doing great too, by the way, and I don't think a once-in-a-blue-moon donut will destroy your program, so that's no biggie. It's when we do it every day that it can be scary. I appreciate your comments, and by the way, you look great! Talk to you later, Michael

Hi Leanne - Thanks very much for your reply. I am calmer today - in hindsight, I am trying to now be logical and come to grips with the fact that I will not lose forever, and that some weight fluctuation is normal. When I started this whole process, my original goal was to weigh 220 pounds - I thought that would be a miracle. And here I am now, at 173 (I was 170, but I had gained the 3 pounds in the past two weeks). Also, once our body stabilizes, it will fluctuate, so I am still way ahead of the game. I don't know why I "lost it" like that on the message board, and I apologize. It was the first significant gain that I have ever had since surgery, so I guess I was just thrown off guard. It is really a scary thing, but I am back today, watching my protein and eating the best that I can. Thanks again for the reply - I really appreciate it. Have a lovely day! - Michael