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Hi Trixie, I am 4 years out and not happy with my slow continuous weight gain. One of the active Lap Band support groups would be Dr. Fowler at Castle Hospital. His people used to post a lot on this website but have since petered out. I had my band done by Dr. Lapschies at Queens's, but I don't think they have a support group any more. If you ever want to walk, especially on Sunday's, give me a call. I am always looking for people and places to walk. My cell phone# is 383-3820 or my work phone is 971-7199. Aloha, Paula Aurio P.S. also try ObesityHelp.com, the Hawaii State forum. They get more input than this board lately.

Thank you so much . I'm glad to inspire someone but I just feel I am doing average. I want to do way more and be that girl who defeated all the statistics about heart disease, sleep apnea, joint pain, liver issues, edema in extremities, chest pain and generalized depression due to weight gain ( because that is so real whether or not docs acknowledge it or not it is real). Everyday that God gives me strength, I am doing my best to make a difference in my life and I want to be a blessing to others as well. I truly thank everyone here because whether or not you all know it, you have been my source of strength and inspiration throughout this journey and even before I started the journey. So I thank everyone who has commented on a post or sent me a private message to encourage me. I am forever in your debt.

So at what point did you start to lose the water weight gained from the IV fluids? When they weighed me in the hospital it showed I gained about 7-8 pounds. I'm just curious when that went away for you

Hello Sleevetobers!!!! I was sleeved 10/25 and weighed in at 349 day of surgery. My weekly weigh in last Thursday had me at 303 pounds. Doctor has moved me onto puréed and select soft foods. I did have another surgery to remove a large keloid and skin tags on 11/15 and I had a hard time with the recovery from the surgery because of the fasting required before surgery. When I got home I felt weak and was ready to pass out. Before my wife called 911 I urged her to wait til my food got into my system. Once that happened I felt much better. This morning i was scheduled to have surgery to open my sinus passage ways so I can finally breathe through my nose again. It's gonna be nice to not be the 'fat heavy breathing' guy. So when I had surgery this morning I made sure to get my nutrition the previous two days before surgery and upped my calorie intake each day. It worked and my recovery today was fantastic. But when I stepped on the scale this morning I noticed my first weight gain since surgery of 1 pound. I just pray I didn't stunt my metabolism and will be able to continue with my weight loss. This is my last surgery that I will be having, I hope. I haven't hit any stalls yet, but I have been sticking to a low calorie intake. However, food has been so boring for me and since I'm home on disability for probably the next month, I have been playing Mr Mom. The kids love it cause I get down in the kitchen and on the grill. They've been feasting like some kings. I have cheated here and there because the stuff I've been cooking is insane. I've taken a bite a couple times, but spit it out after chewing a little bit and getting the flavor. No beef or pork yet. Does anyone else do this? It's helped but I caught myself actually swallowing a piece of biscuit I made. And the fried Jalapeño with cheese poppers I fried, well I peeled the breading off and ate the jalapeño and cheese. I felt like I had to go to confession and say 10 hail Mary's and our fathers afterwards. It's nice to read about others going through the same things that I'm going through because of the sleeve. It's tough especially since my wife is petite, skinny, and eats whatever she wants. She has a freaky metabolism. I just hope my kids have her metabolism cause they are all skinny and athletic. We don't allow them to drink soda or eat candy and have been raised like that because I didn't want obesity to become an issue in their life like it has mine. My flexibility has increased and now I can finally bend over and tie my shoes without my stomach being in the way. That is amazing cause I had to loosely tie my shoes to slip them on and always had to tie my work boots on a step or curb. I never shared this with anyone because of the embarrassment. But I wanted to yell out kinda like the kid from Big Daddy when he wiped his own arse. It took me back to that simple joy. Hope everyone else is finding these little things that are improving their quality of life like I have recently. Good luck on your journey in weight loss everyone!!! My kids and me at the MLS Cup watching LA Galaxy win back to back titles! Also Beckham's last game with the LA Galaxy. Good times!!! And I didn't have to argue with security regarding the protein shakes and yogurt I took into the stadium for my special diet. Great day!!!

Sara-You can start walking right away! the strength training they want you to wait 6 weeks, but I started just doing light stuff at 4 weeks and I was fine. I did squats, lunges, 5lbs curls/flies/chest press, and I tried to walk a mile a day. I would have to go back and look at my old posts and see what I really did! LOL but that is what I remember. At 4 weeks I hired a private trainer and it was the best decision I ever made! So everyone else who is struggling with the eating and the ups and downs of weight, I have a suggestions. Counseling! I started this journey with bimonthly counseling sessions and during really tough times I increased it to weekly. September was a very emotional month for me as some of you can remember and she helped me stay sane and maintain my weight for the month and get back on track. I don't think I could have done it without her. I know I am an emotional eater and will always be an emotional eater, but having that person to help me sort out my emotions so when I do eat I don't over eat have been really important. We all have baggage that has caused our weight gain and until we work on it and deal with it we will always struggle with eating. I originally thought I could just get the band see my doctors monthly and therapist every few weeks and be fine. but I quickly learned that was not enough. Here is what I have in place now: 1. Personal trainer once a month and a semi-private circuit training with him 4 days a week, once a month nutrition check in 2. counseling 2 times a month 3. My fitness pal daily 4. Lapbandtalk weekly or more if needed 5. Dr. visit monthly 6. Hospital support group monthly (I can't always make it) that is a lot of support and I needed every one of them to get where I am today. Well of to meet with my trainer for my 1 year anniversary with him! I am going to have full measurements and a weigh in!! I will report back as to how many inches I have lost. Oh and he is going to look at myfitnesspal diary and help me with better choices, since they have not been so great lately!! TTYL

I think it's so insane that one little post upset so many as it wasn't intended to. First of all I commend a doctor who doesn't take anyone's money to do this surgery. It shows he has some scruples. It's not only doctors who have strict criteria it's the insurance companies that are dictating who gets this surgery and it's very common for an insurance company to expect you to have a BMI of 40 or have a BMI of 35+ with multiple comorbs. Mine did and I'm sure there are plenty others. I met that criteria without a problem. I admit there was information I was lacking before getting the lap band and it didn't work out for me as planned. Mistake made. Lap banding may not seem as drastic or invasive as RNY etc... but it's still surgery and there are still many risks and there are still chances it may not work or eventually you'll have complications and have to have it removed anyway, possibly struggle with weight gain again and consider revision surgery. I feel bad for self pay people also because I can't imagine what happens when you have complications and have to pay for that down the road. Anyway it was a simple poll posted by Froggi and possibly made people think about what they were doing especially with such low BMIs. Maybe a bit of work on learning to love ourselves at a heavier weight is more important and constantly struggling to be a certain size dictated by our society and shoved in our faces constantly. And having surgery for that purpose might be a bit extreme even if it is only a lap band. Just a thought Nancy.:smile:

Dr Schulman, First, thanks for taking time to answer all our questions! This thread is very informative. I had my lapband in August, 2006. I've lost a little over 100 pounds and seem to have stabalized at 210. Over the last year I've stayed pretty consistent at that weight, gaining and losing the same 5 pounds. I have a rather large apron and a bulge in my upper abdomen that will not go away, no matter what exercises I do! So my first question is, how common is it to do a full tt on someone over 200lbs? Will it cause any further complications? I'm very healthy, low blood pressure, exercise, no diabetes, and a non-smoker. I had a consult with a ps this week and he recommended a full tummy tuck using an anchor incision to take care of the bulge in the center and remove the apron. He also recommended doing a breast lift at the same time. Is it safe to do the lift and tt at the same time, as he recomended? And what kind of recovery can I expect? I sit at a desk reading books all day for work, and he said it should only be a week or two before I can go back. Will the drains be out before then? Also, do you know where I can find pictures of tt with the anchor incision? I've found a couple on the web, but not many! It's hard to find info on tt for heavier people, which is frustrating. I really want to have this done, as the results he thinks I can expect sound promising! Thanks for your help.

My stats when I was banded: 5'6", 195 lbs, 57 years old. I paid for my own operation. My weight gain was post menopausal and getting worse every year. I am glad I was able to get banded when I did and the band worked really well for me as my problem was simple portion control. Exercise just made me firmer but I was still apple-type chubby and we all know that dieting is just a yo-yo trip.

froggi you are absoultely right - i have no frame of reference of those in the higher BMI range. being 5'2 and 198lbs as joy states, puts her BMI at 35.2. that's obese. your surgeon would ask her to leave? i just have such issues all around with parameters put on Age or Weight and who deserves surgery. i gotta tell ya, if i could have had the band placed in my 20's to PREVENT weight gain - more so than weight loss ; i would have paid the coin to do so, like i did when i DID get the band and insurance thought i needed to diet. i read the previous posts about young adults/teenagers getting banded; i think the parents of these youngsters are best equipped to decided their childrens mental health to handle WLS. i must say the mental anguish of being the "fat" kid must certainly far outweigh learning to deal w/the tool...MO only,

Hi Marisol, Everyone is different, but I can honestly say that gastric bypass was never an option for me. Because: 1) It's a more dangerous surgery (more complications/risks possible) 2) It's permanent (unlike lapband) 3) Causes "dumping" and horrendous smells (by gas and/or "dumping") 4) Like any weight loss, if you don't maintain your lifestyle changes you WILL gain the weight back (but at least with lapband it's again not permanent, so your risks associated with weight gain are lower at least) 5) If you don't follow the proper diet (ESPECIALLY YOUR DAILY VITAMINS), you are really setting yourself up for serious problems (I have a personal story about a family member to back this one up - but I won't post it here to avoid upsetting anyone. If you want to know it, just let me know and I'll send you an email with the details) Anyhow - those are just the primary reasons I felt lapband was a choice and gastric bypass was not. Hope that helps.....

No, it doesn't work remotely like that. All insurance companies care about is that you dot the "i"s and cross the "t"s even when their "i"s and "t"s make no sense and are just arbitrary rules they put in place to make it harder to get approval. If you jump through the hoops correctly and meet the criteria, you get approved. If someone who weighs 200 lb. jumps through the hoops correctly and meets the criteria, they get approved. It's a bureaucracy. If anything, works it the opposite of how you imagine it because of how the rules are set up. Take me. I've struggled with my weight since I was 8 or 9. I went on my first diet at age 13. Because I fought the weight gain, it took me until 25 to be obese. Because I am short and 200 lb. is a LOT of weight on me, I spent much of my adulthood hovering between obese and morbidly obese. But in the US the NIH and insurance companies have picked the arbitrary BMI of 40 as their cut off. That's okay, though, as my BMI was 41 when I decided to get surgery. But insurance companies have added all these other wrinkles and they favor the long-term MO and the SMO. For example: 1) Some ask for a 5 year history of MO. This is NOT the NIH criteria. The NIH says only a "history of obesity". So someone like me may not have been MO for 5 years in a row because I was constantly dieting and dropping below a BMI of 40 and then gaining the weight back and going over 40. Someone who is SMO has no problem providing a 5 year weight history. 2) Many ask for a 3 or 6 month doctor supervised diet. Again, this is not in the NIH criteria. They just say a history of failed diet attempts. Which I have. But if I had gone on a 3 month or 6 month diet and had really tried hard and done well, I would have dropped my BMI below 40 again. Some insurances would then use that against me to deny me. 3) Many surgeons then ask the patient to lose 10% of their body weight even though clinic evidence to support this practice is weak. Again, if I comply with this requirement, my BMI drops below 40 and I risk insurance not approving my surgery. Neither 2 nor 3 are a big issue for the SMO. It's impossible to lose enough in even 6 months to get a BMI of 50 to drop below 40 and 10% of 300 or 400 or more isn't enough to do it either. 4) Co-morbidities. I had some. But many insurance companies puts extra restrictions on them and mine refused to count any of the ones I had. They weren't "bad enough". This is not an issue for heavier people as they qualify just on weight alone. Plus, even if their insurance company requires co-morbidities, they are more likely to have them. The bottom line for me is that WLS works when you have 50 or more pounds to lose and dieting & exercise without surgery does not. Obesity is a disease that costs society. We have a treatment that works to combat this disease, yet we put restrictions on it and force people to get heavier and sicker than they need to before we give them the treatment. That is not how medicine is supposed to work. The funny thing is that there are other diseases that are much more of a lifestyle choice than obesity. My MIL died of lung cancer which she got from smoking. Smoking was totally her own choice. Yet when she was diagnosed, the medical profession treated her like any other sick person and not like someone who had chosen to have a disease and therefore had to constantly prove her worthiness before she got treatment.

Sorry Kat, I should have written that. Having it that long I just assume (wrongly)everyone else must know. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) It affect a woman’s menstrual cycle, fertility, hormones, insulin production, heart, blood vessels, and appearance (hair growth). Women with PCOS have these characteristics: high levels of male hormones, also called androgens an irregular or no menstrual cycle may or may not have many small cysts in their ovaries. Cysts are fluid-filled sacs. PCOS is the most common hormonal reproductive problem in women of childbearing age. An estimated five to 10 percent of women of childbearing age have PCOS. No one knows the exact cause of PCOS. Women with PCOS frequently have a mother or sister with PCOS. But there is not yet enough evidence to say there is a genetic link to this disorder. Many women with PCOS have a weight problem. So researchers are looking at the relationship between PCOS and the body’s ability to make insulin. Insulin is a hormone that regulates the change of sugar, starches, and other food into energy for the body’s use or for storage. Since some women with PCOS make too much insulin, it’s possible that the ovaries react by making too many male hormones, called androgens. This can lead to acne, excessive hair growth, weight gain, and ovulation problems.

I am so enjoying reading this post. I had the band placed 8/2007, removed due to slippage 3/2008 and getting a new one 9/15/2008. I am also nervous even though I have been there before. Any surgery give me the shakes. I know the band can work as I lost 63 pounds, and have gained some back. I want that "tool" back and that "tool" does work, if you work with it. Don't expect quick or rapid weight loss as that just does not happen. But, hey, any weight loss is better than weight gain. I had great support the first time, but now many people can't believe I am going to "go through it again". Then there are those that say, "until eveyone walks in my shoes, it is my decision and to let those nay-sayers go." Teri, I have them in my own family also, and I just don't get into discussions about it with them any more. As long as my DH is in agreement, I am fine. He has to live with me and put up with my PBing, and not eating like the old me. He was so supportive the first time and is looking forward to me losing more and getting healthier. He has always been slim ( the typical Jack Sprat could eat no fat, his wife could eat no lean LOL), and is anticipating me doing stuff with him that I could not do before because of my weight. Hang in there everyone. Let the nerves run their course, and keep looking forward.

Hi Phy: I think I would rather go in slow and be able to eat and not feel too much restriction in the beginning and then gradually work up to the right "sweet spot" as they call it. it's great you can eat everything but less of it. That's the idea and eventually you will have permanent weight loss. You are lucky you are doing it now because by the time you get to my age 48 you will have gotten to a healthy weight. I am going through perimenopause and I can not keep up with this constant weight gain due to hormones and low blood sugar which makes me crave sweets. It sort of feels like pregnancy again ...just great but with the band already in place you can breeze right through it or get more restriciton during this time. Congratualtions on getting banded!

I was banded last Friday and am surprised by the amount of pain I am in - I decided to weigh myself today and found that I had gained 1 1/2 pounds even though I am eating at the most 3 Protein shakes a day and Water. I decided today to stop using the pain medication prescribed by my Dr. I(in case it was increasing my constipation) even though I still feel very sore, especially when I lie down or get up from a lie-down position. I haven't been able to have a bowel movement and am wondering if that is increasing the soreness I am feeling. I started to take Colase (stool softener) and today I took Correctol but still no luck. I'm sort of ranting today - feeling uncertain about what to expect and whether this is normal. All I know is that I hurt, am constipated, have no hunger, but am gaining weight. Oh yeah! The other thing is that I am on an Insulin Pump and I haven't needed to add any insulin since this started which means the pump is giving me about 70 units a day spread out over 24 hours. Prior to getting the banding, I was using about 300 units a day and still had uncontrollable blood sugar levels.

Sounds like we are all going through the same thing. I am sitting here feeling really bloated... I am amazed at how much I have been able to fit in in the last 2 days. I went for a long walk today and will continue to do so in the next week just to keep the weight gain at bay. Good luck everyone with getting back on track.

The Lap Band Zone II: "Dealing with civilian response" By Aaron Grossman, Babyboomers.tv staff writer, "More Salt than Pepper" I had Lap-Band surgery six weeks ago. Since then, I’ve lost 45 pounds and my doctor has eliminated the massive dosage of blood pressure medication I was taking. For more information on what Lap-Band Surgery entails and my reasons for opting into it, click here . I’ve encountered mostly positive reactions to my decision of taking the somewhat drastic step of bariatric surgery in order to arrest my compulsive overeating. Actually, I’ve encountered only overwhelmingly positive feedback to my significant weight loss. That’s natural: I look better; I’m starting to resemble the person I used to be before I blew up into a medically obese creature; and, my sunny demeanor is returning in place of the cynical, clearly frustrated persona I had adopted during my long descent into “fattitude.” However, there are other reactions with which I find myself contending. Most commonly, there are many folks who just don’t know what Lap-Band surgery is. Or, others who mistake it for full-scale bariatric bypass surgery. My surgery was laparoscopic -- 5 small incisions used to insert the Lap-Band itself along with a “port.” Once explained, they silently nod their heads and I can hear them thinking … “Why would he choose this invasive technique just to lose weight?” Or, “What’s the matter, he can’t stick to a diet?” These observations belie the more extreme reaction which I have actually had said to me personally … “Surgery? That’s the easy way out of dieting.” In fact, there are just such reactions to news from Australia that the government is considering paying for Lap-Band surgery for morbidly obese patients who can’t afford the procedure. This, in an effort to forestall the exorbitant medical insurance costs of the consequences of obesity: high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiac conditions, strokes, etc. Click here for more details. But, when you dig a little further or just Twitter reactions to the news from Australia, there is a range of vitriolic (anonymous) email responses: • “Why can’t these fatties just stop their whining and shut their mouths?” • “This is such a f_ _ _ ing easy way out and a waste of taxpayer money for those of who really should lose weight by shutting their traps.” • “Why are governments looking at lap band surgery for obese people? Why not start by censoring what they put in their mouth first???” The diet / fitness / healthful eating discourse has never been serene. Witness Oprah Winfrey berating herself for her recent weight gain in the January, 2009 issue of O: “I'm mad at myself. I'm embarrassed. I can't believe that after all these years, all the things I know how to do, I'm still talking about my weight. I look at my thinner self and think, "How did I let this happen again?" There are many of us who were born into the “lucky gene club” --- they eat as much as, if not more than, the rest of us but their metabolism burns white hot and they go through life without fat (or guilt.) There are others who successfully work hard at achieving the balance of sensible eating, a fitness plan and a moderate lifestyle. However, Reuters reported in January, 2009 that “the number of obese American adults outweighs the number of those who are merely overweight, according to the latest statistics from the federal government.” • Numbers posted by the National Center for Health Statistics show that more than 34 percent of Americans are obese, compared to 32.7 percent who are overweight. Speaking for myself, I had reached my personal point of ‘no return.’ I had been on too many diets only to gain the weight back. While I knew I was capable of great discipline and had spent thousands of hours in the gym, the lure of food as an anesthetic to life’s woes had proven too great for me. After much research, attending numerous support groups and speaking with many post-operative Lap-Band patients, I concluded that the surgery would be right for me. The notion of inserting a tool which could physically signal that I was too full to eat more food resonated with me. So, off I went. To those who say it’s the ‘easy way out,’ here’s my reply: I went through both abdominal surgery and the attendant recovery from its unpleasant discomfort; I no longer drink coffee, carbonated beverages or distilled spirits; I will probably never again eat hard, crusty bread, well-done meat or anything else that can’t pass through an opening the size of a toothpaste cap in my ‘new’ stomach; if I do overeat, I’ll get sick, nauseous or vomit; in the worst scenario, I’ll be hospitalized from eating the wrong food or the wrong amounts. This is the ‘easy way out?’ On the other hand, in 6 short weeks, I’ve lost 45 pounds and have eliminated virtually all of my blood pressure medication; I can walk 6 ½ miles without getting winded or having to stop from joint pain; and, I am happy to do chores around the house again. I achieved this, in no small fashion, with the love and support of my family and, yes, relying on good old fashioned discipline to consume the right foods in the correct proportions. At the end of the day, Lap-Band surgery has empowered me to take control of my food intake and regain my sense of self. It has not always been easy and it is definitely not for everyone. But it’s working for me right now. The very best part … and it didn’t happen as a result of the ‘easy way out’ … is hearing friends and loved ones tell me “Welcome, you’re back again.” F. Scott Fitzgerald famously said “There are no second acts in American lives.” He was wrong – I’m living it right now.

The Lap Band Zone II: "Dealing with civilian response" By Aaron Grossman, Babyboomers.tv staff writer, "More Salt than Pepper" I had Lap-Band surgery six weeks ago. Since then, I’ve lost 45 pounds and my doctor has eliminated the massive dosage of blood pressure medication I was taking. For more information on what Lap-Band Surgery entails and my reasons for opting into it, click here . I’ve encountered mostly positive reactions to my decision of taking the somewhat drastic step of bariatric surgery in order to arrest my compulsive overeating. Actually, I’ve encountered only overwhelmingly positive feedback to my significant weight loss. That’s natural: I look better; I’m starting to resemble the person I used to be before I blew up into a medically obese creature; and, my sunny demeanor is returning in place of the cynical, clearly frustrated persona I had adopted during my long descent into “fattitude.” However, there are other reactions with which I find myself contending. Most commonly, there are many folks who just don’t know what Lap-Band surgery is. Or, others who mistake it for full-scale bariatric bypass surgery. My surgery was laparoscopic -- 5 small incisions used to insert the Lap-Band itself along with a “port.” Once explained, they silently nod their heads and I can hear them thinking … “Why would he choose this invasive technique just to lose weight?” Or, “What’s the matter, he can’t stick to a diet?” These observations belie the more extreme reaction which I have actually had said to me personally … “Surgery? That’s the easy way out of dieting.” In fact, there are just such reactions to news from Australia that the government is considering paying for Lap-Band surgery for morbidly obese patients who can’t afford the procedure. This, in an effort to forestall the exorbitant medical insurance costs of the consequences of obesity: high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiac conditions, strokes, etc. Click here for more details. But, when you dig a little further or just Twitter reactions to the news from Australia, there is a range of vitriolic (anonymous) email responses: • “Why can’t these fatties just stop their whining and shut their mouths?” • “This is such a f_ _ _ ing easy way out and a waste of taxpayer money for those of who really should lose weight by shutting their traps.” • “Why are governments looking at lap band surgery for obese people? Why not start by censoring what they put in their mouth first???” The diet / fitness / healthful eating discourse has never been serene. Witness Oprah Winfrey berating herself for her recent weight gain in the January, 2009 issue of O: “I'm mad at myself. I'm embarrassed. I can't believe that after all these years, all the things I know how to do, I'm still talking about my weight. I look at my thinner self and think, "How did I let this happen again?" There are many of us who were born into the “lucky gene club” --- they eat as much as, if not more than, the rest of us but their metabolism burns white hot and they go through life without fat (or guilt.) There are others who successfully work hard at achieving the balance of sensible eating, a fitness plan and a moderate lifestyle. However, Reuters reported in January, 2009 that “the number of obese American adults outweighs the number of those who are merely overweight, according to the latest statistics from the federal government.” • Numbers posted by the National Center for Health Statistics show that more than 34 percent of Americans are obese, compared to 32.7 percent who are overweight. Speaking for myself, I had reached my personal point of ‘no return.’ I had been on too many diets only to gain the weight back. While I knew I was capable of great discipline and had spent thousands of hours in the gym, the lure of food as an anesthetic to life’s woes had proven too great for me. After much research, attending numerous support groups and speaking with many post-operative Lap-Band patients, I concluded that the surgery would be right for me. The notion of inserting a tool which could physically signal that I was too full to eat more food resonated with me. So, off I went. To those who say it’s the ‘easy way out,’ here’s my reply: I went through both abdominal surgery and the attendant recovery from its unpleasant discomfort; I no longer drink coffee, carbonated beverages or distilled spirits; I will probably never again eat hard, crusty bread, well-done meat or anything else that can’t pass through an opening the size of a toothpaste cap in my ‘new’ stomach; if I do overeat, I’ll get sick, nauseous or vomit; in the worst scenario, I’ll be hospitalized from eating the wrong food or the wrong amounts. This is the ‘easy way out?’ On the other hand, in 6 short weeks, I’ve lost 45 pounds and have eliminated virtually all of my blood pressure medication; I can walk 6 ½ miles without getting winded or having to stop from joint pain; and, I am happy to do chores around the house again. I achieved this, in no small fashion, with the love and support of my family and, yes, relying on good old fashioned discipline to consume the right foods in the correct proportions. At the end of the day, Lap-Band surgery has empowered me to take control of my food intake and regain my sense of self. It has not always been easy and it is definitely not for everyone. But it’s working for me right now. The very best part … and it didn’t happen as a result of the ‘easy way out’ … is hearing friends and loved ones tell me “Welcome, you’re back again.” F. Scott Fitzgerald famously said “There are no second acts in American lives.” He was wrong – I’m living it right now.

I too have had the gurling i had the sleve on june 6 th and so much want to eat food lol i have been on this pr op and post op diet since may 29th im wondering how soon did you get to start eating food again i go for my post op on june 21 st all seems to be going well i was able to return back to work on june 13th and just have been a little more tired then usuall but am able to walk the 2 blocks to and from the office i work in i too also had some weight gain in hosp i started my weight at 352 on day of surgery i was 320 and am now at about the 320 mark still coming home from hosp at 327 which i found to be very depressing wondering what the normal weight loss for all of you were from week to week

I having been watching your post, and waiting to see replies. I have basically gained back all but 5 pounds of my pre-surgery weight. I spoke with the MD about my weight gain, since I have been filled and unfilled. He said if we couldn't get weight off with the band, he would recommend bypass. I was banded in May 07, and had lost a max of 59 pounds.

Hey y'all! I was banded on 8/6/09 (I weighed 265 the day of my first appt with the doctor and then more the two weeks before surgery on the liquid only diet - lost about 17 pounds after surgery but gained 4 of those pounds back before my first fill which was this past Monday 9/28/09. Got 5 cc's in an 11 cc band. Since the fill I've lost 7 pounds! I have not felt hungry at all since the fill. I had to be on liquids for 2 days after fill and ate some black eyed peas last night. I wasn't hungry but I ate a small bowl knowing I had to eat and finished it all but did not feel stuffed, just content. I do have a tootheache that is not letting me think of anything but pain right now so I have not even thought about Breakfast and it's noon already. Once I see the dentist at 1:30 today it might be game on with the food, don't know yet. My doctor told me DO NOT weigh yourself between my followup visit and my first fill. He did not want me to get frustrated because I probably would gain a little weight. He said he would be happy if I maintained but if I gained he would not berate me because he said, let's face it, you got the band for a reason - dieting wasn't working for me so he did not expect me to lose during the bandster hell period. I didn't listen and weighed myself every day. Fortunately I did lose so he would not have even known about that 4 pound gain since I had lost 13 according to his scale and the last time I was there! They do have a new rule they explained to me though. My next appointment is October 28th and if I want/need a fill then I have to bring a food journal with me to show them that I am trying but it's not working. I have to show proof that I am actually dieting instead of just getting the fill for the heck of it. Don't beat yourself up over the weight gain. Apparently the doctors are prepared for it! Oh, and GEAUX TIGERS!!!

The first thing to do is take stock of what you are doing now. For the next week, don't change anything, just write everything down. (What you eat, how long, and what sort of exercise, types of medications taken). Once you have the list, you can figure out how many calories, protein, carbs, and fats you are getting.. pay attention to the intensity of the exercise.. heart rate, (if you can).. and see if weight gain is a side effect of your medications. With all that information, you'll be able to see where things could be helped, or come back on here, and you'll get some *hopefully* helpful advice.

Had my sleeve at age 59. Lost 105 pounds in first 10 months and maintained. Gained 10 at year 2; lost 10 at year 2.5; lost 5 at year 3. I was a crazy nut about following my bari program (eating and lifestyle change) exactly for the first 2 years. I've relaxed a bit now because I am confident in how I control my choices. Used to be a power walker (up to 10 miles a day), but had to give that up 'cuz of hip problems. Exercise now is very limited, just walking 30 min/day on soft carpet, and Water aerobics 2-3x/week. I DO think about the natural weight gain thing because of aging, but so far so good. I have identified that those starchy carbs are my enemy so hopefully staying away from them will keep my weight stable. I do have those flappy bat wings now that I could do without, but in the "big picture" I'll live with 'em!

Nannie, did you read this article about weight gain? Its 8 pages long...but has some really interesting info.... http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/magazine/tara-parker-pope-fat-trap.html?pagewanted=1&_r=3&adxnnlx=1325167965-awQ/TLyuKlv21t2HqMl8kg

i had my plastics done just shy of 14 mnths post op. i would have done it earlier (at 7 mnths post op when i reached goal) but my surgeon of choice was booked up. i had tummy tuck, arm lift and boob lift in one shot. second best decision ever (after wls, ha). if its worth anything, i understand that further weight LOSS affects the results more than further weight GAIN. but i mean, if you have the means and inclination, you can always have revision plastics if need be.