Catch*22

My story begins on my 30th birthday...I had a healthy BMI until I was approximately 30 years old.  I quit smoking (add 20lbs) on my 30th birthday.  This was a great decision and I do not regret the cessation of cigarettes as this allowed me to hike, run, and do events that were of a more cardiac nature.  However, shortly after I turned 30, I was diagnosed with Lupus/Lupus Nephritis.  My kidney function began to decrease at a rather rapid pace, so I made a decision with my family and nephrologist to use prednisone.  I was on 120mg of prednisone for approximately 6 months.  The affects to my body were immediate and mixed.  My kidney function stabilized to a slow rate of function decrease, but I put on 60+lbs.  I call this, "the quickest way to add 60lbs". Now I am carrying around an extra 80+lbs.  I tried several ways to lose the weight, but I felt like every time I started on the correct path my Lupus would kick.  The final decision came when I tried to start jogging / running and I broke my tibia, re-tore my ACL (which I had surgery to replace), and tore my MCL.  I went to the orthopedic surgeon and was told that they could not do anything until I lost weight, but I was not allowed to do any weight-bearing exercise.  Sometimes I wonder if physicians think about their requests - lose weight, but do it without moving.My decision to use gastric banding has been a fantastic choice.  I am eating 3 healthy meals each day instead of one evening meal that was heavily laden with simple carbs.  I am a vegetarian, so simple carbs were an easy and quick decision.  I think the banding is helping me on a psychological level that no other method offered.