My one year anniversary is this Sunday. I have lost all my excess weight and in fact I was told by my Doctor yesterday that I need to put on a few pounds. I can't believe I have struggled with my weight all my life and now I need to gain a few pounds. I am so scared about gaining weight because I know how it feels to be fat. I know it is a mental thing, but I am still afraid. Has anyone else every had this problem? Please help me.

I also have seen a dramatic slowdown. Between Feb-March 9 I lost 11# which was the most I have lost since the very beginning, then March-April was nothing, now April-May was 3#s. I am with you on wanting just a little more. I have 13 more until my BMI is in the "Normal" range. I would love to lose more, but I would be just fine with that! Good luck and stay active! Jeanette Lap RNY 5-9-03 264/149/136

Hey everybody! I know we will have a lot of posts like this this month, but I just have to say how thrilled I am to look at the future of my life from this side of this year. I am SO happy with the progress I have made in the last 365 days. This surgery has really changed my life. The one thing I wanted as a result of the surgery is to be healthy and not have to focus my every moment on food as I had for every diet I was on and also feel starved each night. Now, I make healthy decisions about what I want to eat, (protein first!) and am very seldom am hungry. This is what "normal" people feel like, I am sure! I have lost 115# starting at 264, now weighing 149. I would like to make it to 136 to have a BMI in the "normal" range. I also have gone from a size 26 pants, 3xl tops to a size-12 pants, M-L tops. WOW what a difference! Just thought I would share my joy with all my OH Friends! Jeanette =)

My spouse is having a very hard time - especially because we've had to be apart (job changes) the whole year since the surgery. Each time I see him I'm a lot smaller and he says I look awful - too thin - doesn't recognize me ( I went from 290 to 130 in one year - because of some complications for 6 months)- He loved me large and loved my breasts - now they are flat as pancakes and he can't adjust. It's been a real problem and we started couples therapy and individual therapy - we've been married for 30 years. he gained a lot of weight over the past 10 yrs and we were always fat together - I lost 120 lbs on overeaters 20 yrs ago - and he did not have this response then - he was also not as overweight as he is now. he admits to being jealous and frightened that I will be attractive to others and become attracted to someone else - but also says I "just don't look right". The only thing that helps me work through this is that those who never knew me at 290 - think I was always thin - and think I look slender and healthy. To be pointed out as "the skinny lady on the row machine" in my exercise group is a completely new experience - I know that I'm healthier - so I try to gently keep reminding him that the "me" has not changed - just the outside (and who could be attracted to all those hanging folds? ) Therapy is helping us. Hope you can work it through with your spouse.

I'm new to the web site - Anniversary date May 12th - a year since surgery. I had three endosccopic balloon procedures and was unable to eat much for 6 months after the surgery - then had food aversions for another 3 months I lost a LOT of weight fast - 290 to 130 in 12 months - but lots of nutritional problems came with that weight loss. I thought I would never want to eat - BUT - now, a year later - old habits and cravings have returned I can eat sugar - and that is really depressing me - not white sugar - but in the form of grapes and fruits - crave them now like I used to crave cakes. Also - thought I would never be able to eat a whole cup - 8 oz but have no problem now eating a Weigh****cher meal - the whole thing and grapes after - except for the occasional discomfort when I reach the overload point and want to throw up - and sometimes do. I'm a nurse and have not yet had any dumping syndrome side effects - I am very anxious that this food tolerance is going to start putting the weight on again - I know several people *****gained about 20 pounds once they started eating again. Trying to balance my caloric increase with exercise.