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For my visit, I talked on the phone to a nurse and after met virtually with the physician's assistant and dietitian. I can post about my dietitian's visit later if anyone is interested. First, I spoke with the nurse over the phone for about 15 minutes. She asked the following questions: What type of surgery or intervention are you interested in? What is your current weight? What is your blood pressure? Tell me about any prior surgeries? Next, I met with the physicians assistant (PA-C), for about 50 minutes. She asked the following questions: What is your weight history? How long have you struggled with weight? What do you think is the cause of weight gain? What are your lifestyle habits? Have you taken weight loss medication? Did the weight loss medication work for you? How much weight have you gained in the last year? What is motivating you to lose weight? What type of exercise are you doing? What's your living situation like? Do you eat out? Who does the cooking in the household? Do you eat three meals a day? Do you snack? What are you snacking on? Do you struggle with emotional eating? Have you been diagnosed with a kidney stone? Do you have an irregular heart rhythm? Have you had an EKG? Any bleeding disorders or blood clots? Have you been diagnosed with an eating disorder? Have you met with a therapist? Do you have heartburn? Do you have a stomach ulcer? Do you use your CPAP? Multiple family planning questions. Next, we discussed my medical history. She gave a general overview of: Obesity Metabolic processes Emotional health Coping skills Lifestyle changes Weight loss medications Expectations The differences in surgery, benefits, and risks associated with the sleeve and RNY were discussed. She made a surgical recommendation. There is a 2-form of contraception requirement. I was given an outline of tasks to complete. Those were: scheduling a blood draw and contacting my sleep center to request my CPAP usage download. A scheduler will call to schedule a psychological assessment, physical therapy, and an appointment with the nurse clinician who'll act as my contact throughout the process. It was also encouraged that I attend the support group for bariatric and weight management patients. Lastly, I was given the clinic's late policy and the reminder that if I gain 10 pounds before surgery, I will be re-evaluated to be sure I'm a good surgical candidate. I had the blood draw and eight tubes were taken. I was tested for vitamin deficiencies including B1, B6, D. Also, calcium, iron, prediabetes, cholesterol, creatinine for kidney function, parathyroid hormone, and others. Hope this helps anyone curious about the first visit.

Aha..that is so interesting. Good to hear that it's a natural process when it works. Ive heard all these horror stories about weight gain afterwards. Im still working on my new eating style and trying to get rid of falling back to my old ways.

I was sleeved September 28th and Day 13 where do I end up? Yep hospital with dehydration and pancreatitis. Yes to the lose stool! Have Gerd but not extreme! So day 2 in hospital with tons of Fluid and I'm sure weight gain although I just don't get it when your not eating how the crap do you gain weight! Frustrated here so I hope you feel better!

120 grams of protein a day plus food intake is exactly what body builders do to bulk up. That is where the weight gain came from... That has been corrected The problem here lies in the fact she feels no restriction since day one and not only no restriction but she has not become ill from eating a normal size meal. She has been posting from the beginning that something was different with her intake levels and recovery. It's one thing to have head hunger and eat and you regret it because you're vomiting or have the slimes with pain in your stomach. She has not had adverse reactions to consumption. I'm positive the reduction in protein intake will help her weight gain but when you have a surgery for restriction then by god you deserve to have that restriction. Restriction is exactly what saves all of us from ourselves.

Musicalmomma- Thanks for the explanation of weight gain! I was a bit freaked out.

Marlynn,Michelle and Jojo, it is tomorrow for us! It sounds like we are stretched across the day. Michelle you are fortunate to have it first thing, I wish I could just go to the hospital when I wake up and have it done. I don't have to be to the hospital until noon, surgery at 2! I am scared and excited at the same time like you all! Wow, it is finally here.. I am so freaked! Good luck to you guys! Huntersmom, great question about the scale. My husband has this large scale, old thing, not digital. My last try at Weight Watchers, I did not have a scale. I did not like weighing every day, it fluctuates to much and gets you discouraged. I still will keep it to once a week. I will put this on my list to buy! Welcome ML and Stef. You will love this thread, we are a hopping group and you learn so much, at least I do. Good to know about the possible 8-10lb weight gain I may experience tomorrow and friday, it is a mental let down, but knowing it is what it is, and it will be shed away, I can deal with it. Thanks for the Heads Up! I will check in the morning before my DH takes me to bandland! I need to write down the page( now46), so I know where to start when I get back home on Friday. There have been so many pages this week, busy we are.

You sound pretty determined. Your determination will be your strongest asset in regaining your health and staying healthy. I will double down on what others have already said -- that WLS long-term success requires significant lifestyle and behavioral changes -- re what you eat, how much you exercise / move, your eating habits (eating slower, not drinking with meals, etc.), and for many people changing the ground rules for many of their relationships, both personal and professional. Some resources that have been hugely helpful to me in addressing these changes in my own life include: * I've been in therapy for two years (started just before WLS -- I'm sleeved). It's been so helpful in helping me learn how to care for my own needs before caring for others' needs. My greatly improved self-care has been critical to my losing 100 pounds and maintaining that weight loss for a year. * I'm a pretty regular measurer of my foods and liquids. Without that consistency I'd definitely be experiencing "portion creep." Two of the foods I consistently underestimate are cheese and nuts. My eye thinks that 1.5 - 2.0 ounces of cheese is 1 ounce. And my guesstimates about nuts are just, well, nuts! As high-calorie as both these foods are, they can present problems over time. And they're not the only ones. * I have planned and tracked all my meals / Snacks / everything on the online food tracker at www.myfitnesspal.com. * I weigh every morning. Not everyone can or even should do this. But everyone should weigh at the same interval -- whether it's once a day, every week, every month, etc. It's easy when you don't weigh regularly to ignore the impact of developing eating problems and the resulting weight gain. That's how some people wake up one morning and realize they've "suddenly" regained 20 pounds. Re measuring and tracking, I do not know how anyone knows for sure how much they're eating without measuring and tracking or how their intake might be slowly changing over time. I challenge everyone pre-op to measure and then track their food intake for at least one week to learn and/or confirm just how much they're actually eating in terms of macronutrients (calories / Protein / carbs / fat). Finally, the folks who seem (to me) to have the most problems along the way are those who have WLS so they'll "never have to diet again." Usually what they mean is that they don't want to ever have to make any future tough choices about what to eat or how much to eat -- because they expect their new gastrointestinal system will make those choices for them or somehow negate the impact of the bad choices they do make. Please believe me when I say that even after WLS you will still have to make plenty of tough choices about what to eat and drink. You're about to put your foot on the road to health. That road and your journey will never end. Good luck to you.

Great message, Ro. Those of us whose weight loss slowed down over the holidays, came skidding to a halt, or went into reverse are still doing a lot better than we would have without the band. My average holiday weight gain in the last 15 years was about 8 lbs. So I figure I can throw that on top of the measly 2.5 lbs. I've lost in the past six weeks and claim that I've lost 10.5. Greg, fear not -- I'm sure lots of us have girdles you can borrow if you go up a dress size.

@the realmeishere I was having extreme weight gain in a short period, 20lbs in 6 weeks... As well as thinning hair and acne which I never had a pimple as a teenager... None of it life threatening but to me if things are happening that never have before you need to pay attention...no doctor before the endocrinologist ever mentioned it... It's just another test the perform on the blood they draw, don't see why you can't request to have one. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

That's a great post and terrific questions! I've found just the opposite- I'm finding myself reconnecting with friends I've let go as I went into hiding the larger- and more depressed because of it- I got. My weight gain came over the course of nine years, with years 3-7 being the worst. I began "hiding". This spring, after about a month after surgery, I came out of hiding. Friends were excited to see me! They missed me!!!! How happy I was, not only to pick up where we left off, but that I was finally feeling good. I was never a drinker, but most gatherings do revolve around great food. I ate before I went out, and didn't think twice. No one noticed I wasn't eating because we were too happy chatting. It is certainly liberating to be out and about. Now, almost 10 weeks out, the difference in me is very noticeable, and when I see someone I haven't in a couple of years, usually it's accompanied by a "Lisa, you look great! Are you feeling better??" I've not opened up about my surgery. But they knew I was sick. I simply reply "thank you, yes, feeling much better and I'm finally off all the steroids. ". My advice- surprise yourself with the people who were/are close to you. They will simply be happy you are feeling better, motivated, etc. and likely just accept the fact that you are THERE.

Dr Weiner mentioned metformin for weight loss in his videos and I did a bit of research and it has been used to offset a lot of psychiatric medications with side effects of weight gain. Never tried it but another thing he said about weight loss medications is you have to stay on them long term or you may gain the weight back. This shouldn’t be an issue for you though since you will be having surgery I assume.

I second what Nika said. Just hang in there! I had some serious regret my first week with all the complications I had, but every week has gotten better and better and so has my outlook. Don't beat yourself up too badly about not losing a bunch of weight yet. It'll come in time. I was very frustrated because I came home weighing more than what I did my day of surgery. Having to lose the "hospital" weight gain made the first week and a half frustrating, but once I got past that hump things were better. I will say the better I do on my fluids, Vitamins, and Protein the better the weight seems to come off. It does make a difference. Keep your chin up!

@@PinkPolkadot619 So sorry about your weight gain. I had quite a few of those this month. Absolutely floored with the realization. It's the worst feeling and I so understand. Today I was up .6 and I have no clue why because I was very good and moved around all day yesterday. This past month has been very slow for me and there were days I was down right depressed at my lack of weight loss progress. But we'll get there. Patience is always challenging. Sending a big hug

Hi everyone! I'm interested to hear how you're faring! I've been doing pretty well. Had been maintaining at about 148 for several months, but then in October, the docs removed half of my thyroid. My weight went up steadily 2-3 pounds a week for about a month. Now I'm steady at about 159. The endocrinologist says it wasn't the surgery, but I have my doubts. It was either the world's biggest coincidence that my honeymoon period and malabsorption ended the same week as that surgery, or my 1/2 thyroid isn't as effective as my full thyroid was. I won't have a follow up with him for labs until next month, but at least the weight-gain has stopped. I was really panicked that month when it was going up steadily. I had actually gotten into the 160s, but I was carrying a lot of fluid (to the point that my legs were "weeping"), so the cardiologist increased my diuretics. Other than that, enjoying life with my new, smaller bod!

sorry beni it does suck sometimes!! like i posted my meal plan yesterday and threw up my 0.4 oz prk chop i think i ate too fast ugggh there goes Protein down the toilet!! Meal Plan Monday b- Premier Protein premade shake s- 1% milk with sugar free chai l-guacamole with fage 2blsp chia seed corn tortilla chips 8 s-light fit cocunut greek yogurt 1 oz- 2x protein cream cheese 1 tblsp, smoked ham paper thin 3 slices, dill pickle spear rolled in one d-?? i m filled to the brim went to gyn to look into birth control options im almost 49y this month and already done having kids 4 total so may go for in ofc fallopian tube blockage and another procedure that burns the uterus so no more periods better than hormonal options with possible weight gain no thanks!!!!

My NUT has me on some restrictions until i get my weight off. Then it's management and enjoy food w/in reason. If you can handle food in moderation, then go ahead and enjoy small things. I CANNOT. Carbs affect me in more ways than I could have ever imagined. From inflammation to weight gain and everything in between. I "allowed" myself high carb 'healthy' Protein bars 2 weeks ago and wow have i paid for it. I think I finally have my cravings back under control. So for me, for now, I do have dietary restrictions. Again, This new life isn't a one fits all.

I was told that you should never drink soda or anything carbonated nor chew gum because it puts gas in your belly and causes it to expand therefore you can eat more food then weight gain continues… I’ve had sips here and there and can certainly feel the difference within myself…I was sleeved 5 yrs ago and gained a little but am back on track and back down the 15lbs I put back on…

I have had it for years, but was only diagnosed this year. My symptoms are: infertility or inability to get pregnant because of not ovulating increased growth of hair on the face, chest, stomach, back, thumbs, or toes acne, oily skin, or dandruff weight gain or obesity, usually carrying extra weight around the waist type 2 diabetes (I don't quite have it, but am borderline, with pre-diabetes) skin tags, or tiny excess flaps of skin in the armpits or neck area sleep apnea―excessive snoring and breathing stops at times while asleep

Janet... I had a 6 pound weight gain after surgery. Don't fret. It took me almost 6 days to see a drop on the scale at home. If your bowels are not moving, that can have an impact. Also all those fluids in the hospital really did a number on me. As soon as I was able to drink more water and get in some proper nutrition, things really improved. I was 314 day of surgery. Two days post op on hospital scale I was 320!!! Today, I am 307. Take heart, it will get better. I am living proof. I thought what the heck...only I can go for WLS and GAIN weight!!!! Hang in there. You will do fine and sorry about the bruising. I still hurt too and bending over really gives me pain. We are going to make it. I know we will. Cyber hug to you.

I supposed the OP has already worked this out since the post was 2015 but I just want to add that the surgeons do then to weight loss drugs as one of the tools in their belts post surgery now. They have quite a few in addition to phentermine nowadays too. For anyone out there experiencing weight gain please touch base with your team. I was unable to take the meds because if interactions with other meds I was on but that was definitely an option that was presented to me early on and for someone with only a fair amount of weight to lose it could help. I have taken phentermine in the past and it did reduce my appetite significantly. My problem is I wake up several times and night and eat too so once the med wore off I was hungry. For those reasons they didn’t work for me but they do work for many people.

honestly, there are more people who never make it all the way to their goal than there are those who lose too much, but that said, you can always increase your calories to either stop your weight loss or gain a few pounds if you think you're getting too thin. So I wouldn't worry about that at all. I lost 100% of my excess weight and yes, for a time I was "too thin", but I was also aware that a majority of us have a 10-20 lb rebound weight gain during year 3. And I did. In addition, even before the rebound gain, things (fat, I guess?) tends to re-distribute itself after a big loss, so even though I weighed the same for awhile, I started looking a lot better. My face filled out, etc - even before that gain. as far as it being hard - the first year, it wasn't too bad - esp before my hunger and appetite came back at month 5. For those first few months, for the first time in my life, I wasn't thinking about food at all the time. In fact, I didn't think about it much at all - and at times didn't even want any. Even though it was weird not to ever be hungry and to not give a flip about food, I found it very liberating! But things changed at month 5 when suddenly my hunger came back (and it does for most of us sometime during the first year). Then you're dealing with the hunger beast again, although it's not as strong as it was before surgery. But I wanted more than anything to lose this weight once and for all, so I really stuck to my program and lost it all (weight loss didn't stop until I was almost two years out, though - I had A LOT to lose!) it does get harder after the first year because diet fatigue sets in, as well as some old habits. You really, really have to watch yourself. And eight years out, I have to continue to watch myself. It's so easy to slip into old habits. But I have a "drop dead weight" limit - I weigh myself once a week now, and if I hit that limit - or come close to it - I cut back until my weight is safely within the limit again. But this really isn't any different from most of my never-been-obese friends. So many of us have to monitor our weight and to cut back when it starts getting too high. anyway, yes, it can be hard - esp when your hunger comes back and your motivation starts to wane, but unlike before, your effort actually pays off. You put in the work, and the weight comes off (or stays off). Before, the most I could ever lose is about 50 lbs (and even that was rare - most of my dieting ended up with a 10 or 20 lb loss). And inevitably, it will all come back. Happened every time. BUt this time, it worked!

absolutely not. My LBL was the WORST decision I have EVER made. I have said so many times that I wish I could go back in time. I am seven years out. The scar is horrifying. All weight gain went to upper body and I feel like a linebacker.

i got the lapband because i was fat/lazy and overate huge amounts of fast foods, chips etc...i feel once a person accepts what the problem is, they can fix it. i do not have any fills *just a starting primer at surgery and i have no idea how much* but i do watch my caloric intake and try to eat better foods...and i feel is someone gains (65 pounds after a fill), they overate/drank more calories than their bodies burned off and hence the weight gain...i can say this and its true because i did not get over 300+ by dieting.....that being said, you stated you were a success, excuse me, you still are.... so to lose weight, do what you and everyone who has the band is suppose to do...eat better foods in the allotted amounts (stopping at 20 min mark) and let the band control the quantity..i understand fills help with the controlling the quantity......and because you can eat more then the 1 cup (or whatever your dr recommends) doesnt mean you should...that goes for whether someone has the sleeve or band or ds or bypass..you drink/eat more calories than you burn off and you WILL gain weight. again, BEST of luck to you. hope it truly works out.

I plan fully on committing to this. I never said I wasn't going to. I was asking if this can help when weight gain before was from eating crap vs eating large portions of everything.

KAYDOLL....good to see you girl!!! Your pics were FABULOUS! As my best friends little boy would say...You looked "fergilicious"! NAT...Congrats on the compliments!! Always nice to hear, I know! STEPH...Did you know you can burn about 500 calories an hour just GARDENING!?? Who knew!? So I definitely got my workout yesterday, even though I didn't get on the torture machine! LOL My doggie and I went for a really nice long walk tonight....it is beautiful weather outside! BOO....So sorry to hear about your Man troubles and the weight gain!! But you know we've said this before to others, and we'll say it to you...when you're struggling, That's when you need to come here and vent the most! We're here for you if you need a shoulder to lean on or a kick in the ass! SOOO glad to hear that the breast isn't as bad as it could have been, and know its still stressful....but we're here for ya girl!! Ok, so I'm at about 900-1000 calories today b/c I had quiche for dinner (didn't want meat cuz I was too afraid of it getting stuck like Pork did for me last night). Got in some exercise today, and am feeling pretty good! Only a few more pounds til my 50 pound mark!! I hope to be there...maybe by Mothers Day? LOL We'll see! Have a great evening everyone!