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UPDATE - I changed my calories. Today is Monday, Saturday and Sunday I ate almost 1200 calories. It was exhausting, I never seemed to stop eating and when you have no hunger or desire to eat, it can get obnoxious pretty quick. However. I weighed myself this morning and ... I'm down a pound and a quarter. This is seriously stunning news. I went 5 weeks with absolutely zero movement on the scale - zero, unless you count constipation weight gain and actual gain when I thought going super low cal (600) was the way to go. I have been stuck at 235 for a month and after 48 hours on higher calorie I lose over a pound? Awesome! Now, I don't know what this means, it could just be reactionary weight loss. It has only been 2 days, I will continue the 1200 for 2 more days and keep exercising and monitor. Now I wonder if I should do a reverse shock - stay at 1200 five days a week, then drop down to 800 two days a week. We'll see. The thing is, when I first went from 600 to 800 calories I had initial success that first week, and then no more. If that happens again, I can't just keep increasing my calories.

Hello everyone thx for commenting! I will try the shakes. I have done some research on weight gain shakes. so far I have tried whey protien powder, with oatmeal, banana, peanut butter, and whole milk. it was pretty tasty so I will contiune those in between meals and see how that works. @SqueakyWheel&Ethyl thanks for the kind words, my family and friends all say i look great and dont look sickly skinny as I think I do.. you have a hand full of folks that think i lost too much weight but I am sure they have said it to others and not me. I am actually a little smaller than I was in high school and I have always been very curvy (thick or thin) but now I am starting to see the curvy vanish and that's bothering me more than anything. I guess this is why they say it's important to attend support groups and ect after but I have failed to do so. I have also not been taking my vit. like I should and I also stopped drinking the protien shakes. maybe that all played a part in me loosing too much. I have also checked on my BMI and I currently at a normal and healthy weight just struggling to see that in the mirror!

HOLY F*R*I*T*O*S Y'all I can't believe it but my scale said 216.5 this morning & even once said 216!! I am staying with the 216.5 though, just so I don't get down next week! I am so happy to finally have a week of more than 2 pound or just one. WHOOOHOOO> Ok So ask me how it happened---go ahead ask me again...I got a man! - yep I sure did!!! He is just 32!! HOLY COW!! I call him my "young Boy Toy" I know its not that young but I wanted to date someone in their 40's like 43- 44. Whoohooo I had so much fun this week. My body didn't know what happened- I hadn't fooled around like that in well- here is the scary part--3 1/2 years. Yep- its actually been over 3 years since I really kissed a guy - longer than one min. & almost 4 years(this June) since I have fooled around. All I can say is 'SEX" really can do wonders for weight loss. I got 3 good workouts in besides the "young thang"& still need to step up my water a little more. Down to a "feeling sexy 216.5" this week & hoping for more next week!! Body Fat is 47%. Total loss this week= 2 pds. Really 4 if you included the weight gained over the Super bowl.:clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

Your surgeon knows your medical history. They have read through your psych eval and blood work. The chioce is ultimately up to you. Since you asked about the sleeve I will give you my two cents. Each of us are more than the statistics. I lost 120 pounds in 6 months with the sleeve. My goal was 140. I am five years out and maintaining in the 130s. Nothing magic about the bariatric process. Follow your plan and behavior changes. Weight gain can happen to any type of surgery: Small or large amounts of weight. After a year you may see a ten to twenty pound bounce. It can be lost again. Maintaining is if you have a gain you go back to your bariatric plan and get the weight off. If you can't change your relationship with food and exercise you will not have long term success with any type of surgery. People with bariatrics have revisions due to different issues. (medical, not following their plan, mobility and eating disorders etc) Sleeve realities: Things to know. (1) less chance dumping syndrome if you eat sugar. (some will experience it) If sugar is an issue for you, you might want a different type of surgery. Lots of debate about stomach stretching. (yes it happens but it's rare) I am going to pass on reading any following angry posts about stomach stretching. (2a) Your restriction will be less as time passes. This is normal with the sleeve. Your stomach has not grown back or stretched. It's a new feeling of stomach capacity. It's rare to see revision due to stretching. Think of how much food you would have to binge and force down in one sitting to cause stretching to the point of revision. 2b) Many people confuse grazing with stomach stretching. Grazing is eating several meals throughout the day healthy or unhealthy foods. Your calories will seriously increase. It is as if you didn't have surgery at all. (google it) I also see some surgeons take advantage of gain due to grazing. It's a money maker to do another surgery. This is life long change with any type of surgery. It is still work after you get to gaol.

im 2 weeks out and have seen this.. i gained 2 lbs and freaked out. im told this is normal... as mentioned before.. im very careful now.. because since the swelling has gone down i get hungrier faster and again told this is normal.. i was afraid to eat between meals but did talkt o my nutritionist about it and she recomended i have a yogurt.. or pull my meals slightly closer together.. weight gain is normal because your body is just getting used to having food in it again after going thru the liquids.. your body thinks its not going to get anything so its storing everything you put into it. watch your carb intake and try to stay away from sugar. keep up with ur workout plana nd you will be successful.

Hi All!!! A little about me: I'm 27 and my current weight is 259 (wow did I just say that out loud? Lol) oh and I'm 5'5. I just had my consultation with my surgeon on this past Friday and I'm stoked. My surgeon told me that I was a "star candidate" and the insurance rep told me that my insurance was perfect since it would only cost me about $250 out of pocket for the syrgery. The only thing is that I have to wait another 5 mos before I can have the surgery due to insurance requurements (not so perfect after all). So it'll be around December or January before I'm banded. Like many of you I have been battling with my weight as long as I could remember..I was at my smallest my last two years of hs when I was fitting comfortably in size 12 jeans...and even then I thought I was fat (crazy much?) But since then things have spiraled out of control. I've been up and down beteween 30-40 lbs but the weight loss never lasts and the weight gain is always around the corner. Last year was the first time I contemplated the band but my insurance didn't cover it so I kind of just gave up. Then this year I got a new job with really good benefits and revisited the possibility of having the procedure done. And so here I am. I know that this will be the kick in the pants that I need to get me to the healthy me that lies underneath the fat girl that has been smothering me for all these years.I love swimming and want to start running and I'm so excited that I will finally get the chance to do both freely while eating healthily. So in the closing of my intro I would like to say thank you to all of the members of this platform. The joyrney pics, the success stories, the fall off stories, the pain stories (pre and post op) and just the openess and honesty of each and every one of you has encouraged me to follow in your foot steps and take control of my life. I am open to any comments or suggestions as to how I can be successful in my journey. (Steps down off soap box:) Thanks! Sweets27

I had gastric bypass in 2013. My regain began February 2015 because I stopped exercising, watching what I was eating etc. completely went back to pre surgery eating habits. After surgery I picked up a substance abuse addiction since I could no longer abuse food. In January 2015, i came to know Jesus as my Lord and Savior and He delivered me from all drugs. At that point I went back to food (hence the weight gain) but now with His help I am getting to the root of why I abused food and other things in the first place. Our weight is byproduct of something deeper going on and getting surgery and losing the weight will not solve the root. It's important for us all to get healing from whatever it is that was causing us to abuse food in the first place. This journey has been a wild ride but I wouldn't trade it and where I am for anything.

dang it I just got a KIND reminder that I enrolled in BOOT CAMP!!! I totally forgot to weight in..I had a 13 hour work day on 4/10 and forgot to post my weight. I am going to Contours tomorrow and will get my measurements and weight taken there. I have a scale here and it too will calculate my Weight and BMI I just an usually NAKED when I do it and feel like that is cheating..so I will do it dressed infront of a stranger..... let me go weigh really quick.....DAMN>>I do need to be here...I am back up to 257!!!! THat is 4; F-O-U-R pound weight GAIN!!! OK I am going to do ANOTHER total sweep out of the Pantry and kitchen..absolutely no junk... if you want it dear BF go to the store and buy a single freaking searving and dont you dare bring it back into this house!!!! I cant wait for the weather to be warm enough to get back in the pool!!!! COME ON SUNSHINE!!!! Sarge...sorry to report that I too will be a problem child for you.... my sincerest appologies in advance.... I will post my weight and measurements tomorrow . Good luck to everyone...

A friend of mine had gastric bypass surgery in Greenville NC. She did so well that I started to think of it as an option for myself. I mentioned it to my family practice doc in New Bern NC. He told me that he had heard really good things about the weight loss surgeons in Morehead City NC which is a lot closer to my home in Havelock NC. I checked into it and attended a seminar . I decided on lap band and the rest is history. It was a great decision for me. I have lost 98 p but ounds so far and am getting close to reaching my goal. I look and feel better than I have in years. I still have the fibromyalgia that contributed to my weight gain but it's easier to deal with without all of that extra weight ! My surgeon and his PA and the rest of his staff are really helpful and supportive !

Not to be the bearer of bad news, but no surgery is going to fix head hunger. In the early stages, yes, you're experiencing actual hunger. I've said this a half million times on here, but my example is this: I can eat right before I leave work and feel super full. An hour later when I get home I feel hungry again. Why? Because it's head hunger and old (bad) habits of always eating as soon as I got home from work. No different than my old smoking habits. Got done with a meal. Had to smoke. Didn't matter if I had a smoke five minutes before dinner. I always had to have one right after. It's the habit of it and my brain telling me I "need" it even though I actually don't. Studies will show differently, but on average water in an empty stomach can pass through in 5-15 minutes. Yes, there are a host of things to take into account but the point is people act surprised when they drink and don't feel a full sensation. Grazing is one of the hardest battles to fight. That can easily lead to weight gain and slow down your progress. If you aren't doing a food journal do one. If you aren't actually measuring your food get a scale and measuring cups. The mental side to WLS is something that (IMO) isn't stressed enough to many. My doc's office did a pretty good job of prepping us for it, but it's still difficult when it actually comes time to fight back against old habits.

I dont know if it is just the Women in our age group... (mid to late 20's ) but, I have read ALOT of similar stories..... including mine. Got married in early 20's.... weight was fine, then KABLAM! Grown Up DUTIES! Depresion kicks in, anxiety, sadness, over-eating, and weight gain, sadness. Having kids just adds to all of it! Life is just a HUGE battle. I dont know if it is that we expected married life to be different or we are just exagerating, but it is soooooo hard to deal with daily issues especialy with all this extra weight. I am not the best person to give advice, but I sure can listen (or read) lol I am very proud of Women Our age to take control of our lives NOW. :thumbup:Good for you! This will really be a NEW BEGINING for our Generation.... watch you will see! I wish you the best on your journey and Thanx for sharing your story! (its relieving to hear I am not alone)

I am curious to hear from other bandsters who have had a tummy tuck and then gained some weight back. How does your stomach 'feel' now? I was banded on 1-12-07 and had a tummy tuck on 2-19-08 after losing about 50 pounds. Since that time, I have had to start taking a couple of different medications for almost daily migraines, and have gained back around 15 pounds. I am so disappointed and just feel miserable about it. I am going to work really hard to get the weight off again so that I don't feel like a COMPLETE failure, but am having a hard time ending my pity-party . . . I need one more fill to hopefully get me back to my 'sweet spot' (life was good when I was at my sweet spot!) and I have that appt. scheduled for next Tuesday morning. I know that not having enough fill for the past 6 months has allowed me too much room for error in my eating. I have got to get the structure back and then figure out how to deal with the medications. I am concerned too, because before I had the TT, my stomach felt 'normal' other than being able to feel the port. Now I often have discomfort in my abdomen that feels like it is sometimes going to pop. It feels so tight and uncomfortable and my upper abdomen looks like a watermelon. I didn't start this thread to whine, I just wanted to see if there were others out there who either had, or are experencing the same things I am. I would love to hear from you if you don't mind sharing. Thanks in advance for your input.

I am down 1 pound this morning, and TOM has visited today. Usually, that means weight gain!! I am also back in moderate ketosis. Are you a nurse, Mamato?? Before i started staying home with all these kiddos I was a nurse. Well, still am just not working right now!! Way to go everyone!! Here's to another great day!!

Thank you for sharing. Sadly I am in the same position and today is my 3rd day without alcohol and the withdrawals have been so bad that I needed medication from the doctor to get through it. My blood pressure raised at such high levels it was dangerous. All this is such a shock to me and before my bypass back in December 2017 I was never really interested in alcohol but over the last few years my drinking has increased so much so it had taken over my life…I seemed to look forward to the joy it gave me and the quick fix that food no longer could give me. I am hoping I can keep going and start to feel better soon. I hope to learn to live my life without alcohol and the extra weight gain from the late night snacks and start to enjoy eating healthy and to feel alive again! 🙏🏽

Hi and a belated Happy Post-Thanksgiving to all! I still haven't got used to the snail's pace of the dial-up I have at home and don't get the chance to post while at work at my new job now. I'm about 2-3 pounds up from my lowest post-band weight from early October. But I've been doing NOTHING to try to lose weight either so I can't complain. In fact I'm a bit happy that I can live for short periods like this without worrying about any real weight gain. I'm a bit torn between just coasting through the rest of the holidays without a gain or loss and start afresh then or trying to kick it back into gear and lose another 8 pounds before the end of the year. (8 would put me under the next decade) But despite that short spell where I was losing 5 pounds a week after 2 months at the same relative weight) even 3 pounds seems like an impossible feat. Too bad I wasn't so lazy/busy I got an interesting recipe pre-TDay for pumpkin pie made with Tofu to bump up the protein. Didn't get a chance to make it though. I was asked a couple months ago to host a Holiday party for any and all area Bandsters. I'm still planning on doing it but probably won't have it until the 1st or 2nd weekend of January. Maybe I can try to make the Tofu/Pumpkin dessert then. A great and completely decadent dessert I did have over the holidays was a pumpkin crisp. Made just like apple or cherry crisp you know "fruit" in a bottom of a pie-crustless pan covered with a crumb topping. I tried to fool myself into thinking that the lack of a pie crust cut down on the carbs and made my 3 servings in 2 days "OK" I feel like I'm in DT's over it now that I'm back home. DH is out shopping and I'd kill to eat some more but before he returned but it's at my mothers house not here. I suppose that is a blessing. Will try to be better about posting. Especially since I haven't been to a support meeting for several months.

I'm a 40DDD. I hope I don't lose much in the breast department. Before my weight gain I think I was a 36 C\D cup. I'm not certain since I never measured before. My family is well endowed for the most part so maybe mine is genetically okay.

Initially I was going to Mexico for self pay because my BMI was 36 and I had no co-morbidities. But I figured, why not give it a shot through insurance first, that way I can justify spending out of pocket when I have good insurance. My first appointment was 2/7 and my surgery was 3/23 here in the US fully covered. Most insurances only give you the very basics when calling for the criteria. Either 40 BMI or over 30 with co-morbidities of severe sleep apnea, high blood presssure, cardiac problems, diabetes, athsma, high cholesterol and maybe one other. I didn't have any of them and I'm thinking to myself, I'm trying to PREVENT that! And WHY would you want to wait until they are developed and THEN perform a surgery on a sick patient!?! So I went to my Doc in NY in HOPES of having sleep apnea. My requirements were blood work, check up and clearance from pulmonary doc, cardiologist, primary doc, NUT, psych doc and endoscopy. It was a PAIN to find a nutritionist and psychologist who dealt with weight loss surgery but I called some local weight loss practices and was able to find local people. my doc is an hour away because I didn't want my family/friends to know my plans, they so have all of the specialists in house at their main office, but none are covered by insurance and it was more inconvenient due to the distance for me. I left that first appointment and literally scheduled the cardiologist, pulmonary, nutritionist, and endoscopy in the parking lot and all within 1 1/2 weeks. The psyc took me 2 weeks and I had just seen my primary doc for extensive blood work. I did a sleep study at home and had the results about 2 weeks after the first appointment. I was not hopeful when the results were mild-no sleep apnea. I called my insurance company and was told that those are just the basic guidelines, and if the doctor could articulate why the VSG was medically necessary (I.e. Mild apnea interfering with my rest, I DO have a host of documented orthopedic issues that were exasperated by my weight gain over that past few years and mild reflux) that I could be approved. And 2 days later I WAS approved. You would have thought I won an all expense paid vacation when I got the call! I guess technically I did! I'll take my Mexico self-pay money and go to Mexico for some fun!! BTW, my insurance did require 6 months of weigh-ins, but somehow i got around that (I wasn't going to call and ask why) Not sure how. My doctors office took care of all of the insurance approvals so I had minimal dealings with them. so all in all there were definitely hoops, but I was on such a mission to get this done, I used it's a motivator. It also felt good knowing I had been examined and had minimal health problems going into surgery. I had a required class just before surgery with a bariatric nurse at the hospital (going over the diet, the procedure, and what to expect, etc.) and the pre-op blood work and the rest is history. from start to finish, just over 6 weeks from first appointment to surgery. I'm 2 1/2 weeks post op and I feel great.

Hi Michelle...well done you! Wishing you every success with your fills...It’s weird how dr’s differ with their advice my dr advised 3 months unfill and Not to go onto shakes or mushy food was really adamant about it, he said to eat normally within the band requirements obviously meaning portion control and watch the calorie intake to assist with not gaining weight which I’ve been trying but goodness it’s so hard and the hunger I’ve gained a few pounds and only week 3 so far I don’t know what to do for the best not sure why their advice differs so...I’m trying it his way but it’s not curbing the hunger...you seemed to be better on shakes less hungry ? I need some motivation to stop this weight gain and hunger [emoji30]

I'm having a heck of a time figuring this out. I've never been on any form of birth control, DH is the only man I've been with that way and we've only gotten pregnant once, this past July and then I miscarried. Well, the social worker at my surgeon's office said I have to wait 18 months before TTC again after I get the band. :faint:I HATE that, but I'll do it just so everything turns out healthy. I can't figure out what to do. pills will NOT work for me - I'm terrible at remembering that stuff and I know I'll get pregnant if remembering everyday is up to me. I've been looking into the Nuvaring, but I'm really nervous to take any kind of birth control because of the weight-gain thing. Does anybody have the Nuva Ring and is still losing weight? I hate this kind of stuff. I haven't even seen a regular gyno since 2004 when I got fed up with all the infertility testing and quit going. I'm sorry if this is in the wrong forum - I wasn't sure where to put it.

Wow, it took me a few days to figure out how to get back into this forum. I'm grateful for the many comments on here. It's gives me hope. I heard the wrong things early in my glory days of weight dropping off. " if you are able to keep the weight off 3 years you will not have any problems ". Unfortunately I took it to heart and allowed myself to eat whatever I wanted. My weight did go up and down some about 10lbs. I worked full time at a physical job and exercised my days off. I hit 40, job change, weight gain. Found out about disabilitys more weight gain. Lost our home in a house fire, more weight gain. I have always known I'm a sugar addict. Most of the time Doctors and professionals laughed like I'm Kidding. I wish, but notice they don't laugh at alcoholism or drug addiction. So long story short I lost my job, home, had a scary gun accident that left me with PTSD and 75lbs of extra fat. I'm feeling depressed beyond understanding to most. Sugar feels like my only comfort in life. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hi All! I'm 51, born and raised in Massachusetts, and married 28 years. Like so many of you I've battled being overweight ALL my life. I have NO "skinny" pictures in my family album. "Chubette" was a word I grew up with (pre "plus size" lingo for those yunguns out there...). I have lost over 100 pounds TWICE in my lifetime with the disappointing and devastating weight gain occuring within two years afterward. (Neither time did the 100 pound loss actually put me in the category of "thin".) There have been MANY MANY in-between weight losses ranging from 10-60 pounds at a time, NONE of them have obviously "stuck"! :faint: That is why I AM SO EXCITED :biggrin1: to DARE to BELIEVE that THIS time it will stay GONE FOREVER! I am not so ignorant to believe that it won't come with hard work and persistence, (As my history shows...) but what I needed most before banding was HOPE! Hope that THIS time will be different! That THIS time, even if not "thin" by the world's standards, I CAN BE less heavy and healthy (and STAY that way!) I read about the lap band on the internet years ago when I was in behavioral counseling for weight loss (which didn't work, obviously)... the hospital was just introducing the gastric bypass at the time which was offered to me, but I refused. I told them, SOME day, when this band comes to the U.S. (they had never heard of it) MAYBE I'll consider it! Well, SOME day has finally arrived for me and I feel wonderful, grateful, and HOPEFUL! A great BIG thank you to everyone who posts, I have "devoured" every wonderful word over the past couple months! This is a place of HOPE and I so appreciate you all! :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

I'm not going to post my weight (gain or loss) for awhile. I really need to concentrate more on other areas and the scale is driving me mad. So, I'm going to put the scale in the closet and, if it's ok, I'll post my weight again in a couple of weeks.

What a great day Bonnie. What a great accomplishment. So much of this is about our thinking, not our eating. "As a man thinketh, so he is." I think my theory on my weight gain is right. I got up and peed a lot last night, and this morning I am down 3 pounds!!! That still puts me 2 pounds above my ticker weight, but man am I happy to see those scales going back down. I was beginning to freak out a little. When I gained a few pounds those fears of being obese forever crept back in. Suddenly I could see myself at 255 again, with little power to make good choices (the old me). Man the psychological realities of adjusting to not being obese.... I hope some day I don't fear "gaining it all back". Anyway, still working toward ketosis by morning!! Make it a great one everybody!!

Karey yes. I was told that depending on my mindset, situation on child bearing (if I was done) then I should consider waiting 6 months from reaching goal weight or 20lbs above goal weight to have plastic surgery. Would make no sense to have a tt when you haven't given your skin time to bounce back, however....for me... I have always had a small flap, even before my son. I was ..oh gosh 120lbs - 140lbs and still had a pouch. I knew I'd get it right away because I knew the flap would never go away. The doctors that I consulted with did not disagree with me when I told them about my history with my pouch. They seemed to not be against the surgery. My surgeon was the only one to question every aspect of my weight loss and my plastic surgery goals and expectations. He factored in the weight I was before the sudden weight gain. My weight gain was due to pregnancy in 2001. I was 145lbs before my pregnancy with my daughter, then shot up to 240lbs. He asked me how active I was before the gain..which I was always very active. I swam alot, took aerobics classes 4 times per week and some light weight training. He then asked me how long ago I was banded and how much have i lost with the band. Asked me about my new eating habits, etc. Alot of probing and finally ...an "OK, I think you're ready".

Sleeved on 5/22 and went in at 299.5, highest weight of my life. This morning I was 275. Thankfully I didn't have the water weight gain but we all have our problems. Maybe it was a trade out for the vomiting blood, and severe spasms due to hernia repair (I didn't know I had). Ill admit day 1-3 I was hating life and was definitely one of the 'OMG what have I done!' people. Today tho is day 12, and each day has gotten a little better. I track EVERYTHING on my fitness pal app and I'm getting at least 60oz of liquid and 60 protein....finally. Still having spasms occasionally and the tightness/bloating nearly every time I eat. I'm guessing from hernia repair. My diet phases seem to be different then most i've seen on here. I went home on full liquids and moved to soft foods after one week. Everything seems to be looking up. I'm starting to get excited about losing weight