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I don’t think the stomach they remove really weighs much. I didn’t lose any weight in the hospital. It’s possible that you were slightly dehydrated and lost more water weight in the beginning since you didn’t spend as much time at the hospital hooked up to fluids. Then when you got rehydrated your weight loss that week didn’t show because you added fluid weight?? There are honestly soooo many factors when you just went through major surgery that could cause weight gain or loss. It’s best to not even weigh yourself for the first few weeks. I would just look at the overall if I were you rather than trying to account for every pound because for six weeks out you are going great.

I have found that, as I've pared out sugary (and most artificially-sweetened) foods, my previously overactive sweet tooth has gone into retirement. That doesn't mean that I don't sometimes have treats; I do. But they are just that, occasional treats. I now see the wisdom of my doctor's eating regimen. At first, I followed it simply because I believed (and experienced!) that it would best promote loss. But I know get it: removing certain foods from my repertoire for a period of time quashed the craving monster. And now, when I've been green-lighted to add foods back, they don't trigger craving. It's pretty darn magical--at least for me. The monster has been slain. So, I agree with the advice to get the stuff out of your house. Learn to manage your band, lose a significant percentage of your excess body weight, gain a sense of real mastery of the problem---YOU are in control! And when the time comes, you can indulge---and the strength of any cravings that result will be more manageable, because you will have great coping skills, great weight loss, and a greater sense of control under your belt.

I've been keeping track of my weight loss and knew it would slow down once I started getting off the liquid phase and started introducing food back into my diet, but I've gained a pound now. I'm not eating unhealthy, aside from some frozen yogurt yesterday. Is it normal to see a pound or two weight gain as your eating food and becoming more active in the beginning? My surgery was 3/31/21 and I've lost 29 pounds, but up 1 pound this morning. Sent from my SM-G975U using BariatricPal mobile app

I doubt the weight gain is directly responsible for your misery, but I'm not a doctor. I would recommend you contact a doctor. If it were me, I'd consult a gastroenterologist. Theories on your current situation: Theory #1: You may have long-term, silent reflux. After a while, it sort of erodes the lining of your stomach and causes an ulcer. Theory #2: The changes in your diet may be contributing to an exacerbation of your reflux. If you have reintroduced diet sodas, are they caffeinated? Caffeine can contribute to acid reflux (as per my doctor). The gluten in bread is more challenging to digest. Not to say you're gluten intolerant, it's just the nature of the beast. If you're eating too late into the evening/too soon before bedtime, you may have residual undigested food that's sort of "laying there" and causing your discomfort. Theory #3: The extra weight MIGHT be causing additional pressure on your diaphragm at night and contributing, but is unlikely a primary cause. Theory #4: A combination of theories 1-3. Long-term, untreated GERD can have lasting consequences. Please consult a doctor. In the meantime, if it were me, I'd implement standard GERD strategies: PPIs (prilosec/nexium), make changes in my diet to avoid foods that contribute, sleep on a wedge/inclined bed, do not eat 3 hours before bedtime, etc. Good luck!

Keeping you eye on weight gains and then going back to logging your eating with some exercise will drop your weight back down. Congratulations and celebrate your one year with something for you!! ( not food)

Thanks for that information. I'm hoping I miss the insomnia because one thing I couldn't live without is constant coffee throughout the day and night. Menopause is something I Guess I will bring up at my 3 year appointment with my surgeon. What I can expect and what I can do to minimise any weight gain. Better to be prepared I think. That's one think I can add to my list of things I am great full to the sleeve for I am now so Organised and always planning ahead. So different from my previous lifestyle. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I know it's hard when you see the scale go the wrong way...but rest assured, there is NO way that you actually gained 4 pounds...you would have had to have eaten 14,000 calories for that to happen. It can be so many things....water retention, sodium, muscle gain, etc. I had to finally put the scale away because I was eating 600-700 calories, and gaining 1-2 pounds...it's not real weight gain, so the scale is now hidden and I can only weigh once a week. As my husband tells me ALL the time...I have to look at the entire forest, not just the trees. It'll come off!

Welcome back! Don't beat yourself up -- this has been a rough year for everyone and A LOT of people have had weight gain during the pandemic. It's not too late to get back on track. There are a lot of options for working out at home. I have no desire to go to a gym (plus, I live in a rural area and it would be a long drive to get to a gym), so I would rather work out at home. I do a YouTube video for cardio every day. There are so many free workout videos available (my favorite is Leslie Sansone). And you can do strength training with an inexpensive set of resistance bands. Maybe you could try cutting out snacks completely. For me, snacking was a big part of my weight problems in the first place, so I am now sticking to three meals per day and not snacking at all between meals, other than protein drinks (and the occasional sugar-free hard candy). I'm only 6 months out from surgery, so I'm sure it's easier for me than it is for you, but I find that a warm beverage fills me up for a while. I think tracking your food intake is really important. I love MyFitnessPal, and something that helps me is to enter my food BEFORE I eat it. If you're not up to that detailed tracking, you could try an app like Ate Food Diary. All you have to do with that is take a picture of what you eat and say whether it's on path or off path.

I don't think I could eat 4000 kcal a day anymore. I would be really uncomfortable. But I can eat 2500 easily if I'm not careful (and...I have). But doing that consistently will definitely cause weight gain. Long term, basically WLS controls how much you can eat at one sitting. Before WLS, I could eat half a large pizza at one sitting. No way could I do that now - it would be physically impossible. I can eat 1-2 pieces, and that's it. HOWEVER, there is nothing stopping me from eating 1-2 pieces at 6:00 pm, then another 1-2 pieces at 7:30 pm, and than another 1-2 pieces at 9:00 pm. Ta da! Half a large pizza in an evening. THAT is what you need to watch. and no - it's not easy to maintain. It's a daily struggle once you get a couple years out. I have to watch my intake and weight like a hawk, because if I don't, my weight starts heading north. But I do it because I don't EVER want to be morbidly obese again. EVER.

No. That's got nothing to do with a PAP. Ways to find it are through blood work and classic symptoms such as irregular or non existent periods, skin tags, dark areas under arms and under breasts, predominant weight gain in the stomach area, inability to get or stay pregnant, major hormonal imbalances, insulin resistance, etc...

I will be praying for you! I understand the BP issue. I have been on BP meds since 1999 after I started having children. I am hoping to be removed from them too. It is a roller last when they change the meds at least it makes me tired. I too am thinking mine is too strong and will have to wait to see him to make the change or send me to the Dr. I hope you get off all the meds and as they remove you, your body transitions smoothly. Thanks for your kind words!!! I can definitely relate to you because I began having issues with hbp after I had my oldest daughter. After being on the meds to control it for so long we must be carefully weaned off of it because our doctors must see our pressure consistently low over a period of time. When I was healthy I only needed a low dose of meds to control it but over the years as weight gain and stress became an issue I needed more meds at higher doses just to keep it at 130/80. I know I will have to see both my PCP and cardiologist so they can work in tandem and make the right decision for me. I pray that we all will reap the benefits of our decisions to have WLS and live healthier lives. I'm praying for you too, God bless.

Hi Julie, yes I believe the Overstitch is fairly new, although not to sure how new it is. It was new to me and my surgeon is quite experienced and up to date with new developments and I think he'd done about 5 previously and only in recent weeks. They go in endoscopically and put some permanent sutures in the stoma, then if needed also in the pouch to reduce the size of that as well. I don't think they could do it to a patient with a band in because you don't have a pouch or stoma. And it wouldn't be a stand alone procedure as it's designed to be a remedy for gastric bypass patients experiencing weight gain due to enlarged stomas / pouches. Although I believe they can do something similar to a gastric sleeve endoscopically which I think is gastric plication. (If I am not 100% correct anyone please feel free to correct me) :-) Now as for the cost, my surgeon didn't charge me for this Overstich or the Gastric bypass. I've been quite lucky. I paid the full price for the band 13 years ago, which I had done in the South off France. Then 10 years later after I had moved to Australia from England, I had the band removed and the sleeve done in the same operation. My private health care insurance covered most of it, I think I had to pay $3000 extra towards it. Then as my sleeve failed, the same surgeon did the bypass for 'free' just charging my healthcare fund with no co-payment, and the same for my Overestich. No co-payment. He accepted just the payment from my health care fund here in Australia. All I had to pay for was a payment towards the anaesthetist fees which in total were $800 and Medicare paid $300 so all I paid all up was $500 which I was very pleased about. :-) Now to answer your last question about pain, I experienced next to no pain at all. I had a slight scrape on my lips from the scope, like I've had bigger pimples really. And a very mild sore throat when I woke up. The kind of sore throat you had after slight cough for a few days. Gone all together within 24 hours. Hardly worth mentioning. I was prescribed antiemetics and some strong pain relief, however, didn't fill the script as my nausea and pain were zero, seriously nothing at all painwise post op. I should add though that I was the same after gastric sleeve and bypass. No pain, no wind, no pain relief needed, I was up doing laps of the ward same day as both operations and declined all pain relief. I've either been very lucky or have a high pain threshold or a mixture of the two! Never even had reflux or anything. Oh and time in theatre was 1hr 20mins, think that it normally takes around 45 minutes, but I had sutures to both the stoma and pouch, and there was an Overstitch rep or something in the theatre watching the procedure and asking questions / having things explained I think, so that may have added time, not that it bothered me, I wouldn't have known if the operation took 10 minutes or 10 hours, i just closed my eyes and then woke up, felt like milliseconds haha, I went home after about 2 hours with a recommendation to follow a liquid diet for 1 week then soft / puréed for the second week, then a normal diet after that with lots of chewing and not to push the amount of food eaten. Now I am at the stage of puréed food and cottage cheese, I am eating around 100mls and feel as full as an egg. Have lost over 10kg and am only 4kg away from my target and about 1kg away from being in the healthy weight / BMI range, but I did start the Saxenda injections one week before the Overstitch and they are definitely helping, I felt the appetite suppressing effects of the Saxenda even just on the initial starting dose of 0.6ml, am now up to 2.4ml and will be on the maximum dose of 3ml starting this Friday. Apparently a fair few people stop taking the Saxenda because of the most common side effects which are abdominal pain, headaches and nausea, which I haven't experienced any of at all, must be my high pain threshold again! :-) The thing with the Overstitch is that I guess it can stretch again over time if it's not looked after. I'd imagine it wouldn't be able to stretch as much as without the stitches as they'd continue to provide some resistance, although I'm not sure if there have been any long term studies on this yet, again happy to be corrected if anyone knows anymore about this. Not sure what could be done after stretching the Overstitch, maybe another Overstitch or change to a Duodenal Switch. In wouldn't be too keen on the DS as I'm already severely anaemic, even though I'm not feeling any ill effects. My doctor said my iron levels and ferritin are in the low single digits and I shouldn't be feeling at the very least tired and exhausted but I'm not for some reason. Anyway, I'm hoping I won't need any more revisions. I have enough already!! So here goes, fingers crossed for me. Anymore questions, just ask, more than happy to share my journey / experiences. John :-)

OP: Have you tried therapy to address your emotional/overeating tendencies? And is your “hunger” actual physical hunger OR could it be head hunger, due to GERD, or are you still chasing the full feeling you had with the band? Relying on appetite suppressants after so many WLS procedures will also not address the root cause(s) of your weight gain. One’s pouch or sleeve is just a tool and long term success must include healthy eating and portion control. Good luck!

I waited far too long after my soaring weight gain during and after pregnancy to get my surgery. Good for you for not waiting any longer!

Congrats to everyone! I have not had the time to do my fills and I guess that is my big problem. I went from 220 to 172 in about 6 months and didn't get a fill until I started to gain back weight. The fill didn't really do much. I gained more weight and went up to 194. Granted, I only had 2 fills this whole time and I am in the VG band which I understand you have to be a little more aggressive. I was embarrassed to go back to the doctor b/c of the weight gain, so I lost 14 pounds in the last month on a low carb/low calorie diet. I have an appointment to get an adjustment next Friday and hopefully I can get back on track. Currently, I have 5 cc in the large VG band and have little restriction right now. So, hopefully I will be re-committing myself to the band once again next week. I wish I could be a success story (by now) like everyone else here!

I completed all my requirements the end of March, met my surgeon April 9 and told my surgery date would be May 28. I was so bummed, 7 weeks of waiting. I have been going crazy. I honestly think I could write a book with all the research I have done in the last 6 months and now I was being told I needed to wait almost 2 more months. I thought I was going to lose my mind. Every day has been a battle of making sure I have been doing everything and to be told I have 7 more weeks of walking on egg shells. Luckily for me I did not have to lose any pre surgery weight, but it is just as hard maintaining my weight, especially knowing that I cannot gain any weight. Four months ago I went up two pounds and was reminded of the program's no weight gain policy, it didn't matter that I was just 3months smoke free, where many individuals that quit smoking gain 20 plus pounds within the first 6 months. With this extra time I have been trying to keep busy, I have all my vitamins, protein powder, stuff for the hospital... Now if I could only make the weeks fly by. I teach middle school and course this is Spring vacation so I have a week off and the forecast is rain all week so I cannot even go outside and enjoy a good walk. I know I need to not be so impatient, up it is so hard, I have never wanted anything as much as I want this. Sometimes I wonder if I have my hopes for this too high and once it happens it will be a big let down.

Hey guys! Remember me?? I was banded on July 5th 2006.. OMG what a roller coaster I have gone thru.. I have only lost 20 lbs. First thing is, I was my Doc's guinea pig. I was his first band. (of course he had a specialist with him to do the surgery) Filling was new to him and he thought he was filling me up but in actuality, he wasn't. I also have a wiggler port. It takes 2 people to fill me. One to stabilize it and another to inject. Doc says I might have to get that stabilized in the future but it is okay for now. That was the first problem. Second problem was me. I totally BLEW it over the holidays. I got a mixer (Artisan) for christmas from my fiance and was "going to bake for the family and friends".. well, apparently that means for myself too.. UGH.. When I went for my January check up, I gained 6.. thats right 6 pounds!! Boy did the nurse ream me out.. whew.. she made me cry but then felt bad and hugged me.. she said I had to get some "tough love" .. I then went home and went thru my kitchen. I got rid of the crackers, pretzels, bread, micro popcorn etc. (just like Dr. Phil says, get rid of the triggers) And then I did the unthinkable... I JOINED THE GYM! ME! wow.. If you would have asked me if I would join a gym a year ago, I would have laughed in your face! And it is a regular gym.. not curves or a gym geared towards "fat people".. do you know it was sooooo hard to walk in there the first time.. My friend couldnt make it so I went alone! I went alone!.. I got there, scanned in, went to the locker room and even struck up a conversation with a young girl (24ish) who was all thin and trim.. she said to me, "comon! lets grab a treadmill before they are gone!".. So there I was.. working out with a stranger.. a nice one at that! Me, Ms. Low Selfesteem.. I walked on that thing for 30 mins and then rode a recumbant bike for 15 mins. WOW.. and I actually liked it! I go every other day now. Last thing that inhibited rapid weight loss is that I suffer from "seasonal" depression so I am on wellbutrin. My doc says wellbutrin can cause weight gain. yay.. but I will be off that shortly.. Fast forward to this past Friday... I went for a check up and lost 7 lbs!! and Doc gave me a 2cc fill.. aggressive I know but I tell you.. I feel restriction now.. for the first time in 8 months!!! So with my new exercise routine and FINALLY getting restriction.. my ticker better show some loss! I have given up some comfort foods and what not and that is very hard.. things like pizza, rice, regular pasta (I do still eat wheat pasta but only once a week or so) That is my update and I am so glad to be back. So sorry this was so long but I really wanted to get stuff off my chest. Love and loss (weight loss that is!), Donnamarie

HP, JJ, ZZ ~ Thanks so much for the welcome back! I love you girls so much! I'm glad to be here again! ZZ ~ What kind of help are you needing from your LBT buddies? Someone to feel your pain, or someone to get real with you. I can do either, just let me know where you are in your head, girlfriend. CharlieTuna ~ I don't know how long you've been here. I almost called you CT. Did Juli do here knicknaming duties with you yet? <wink> Losing the inches is fantastic! Just fantastic! Those bad old scales don't tell a good story at all...pounds are not the way to measure....it's just the way everyone is used to. Inches and body fat % is the way to measure. Clothing is the way to measure. Particularly if you work out. So tell me what you do for excercise and resistance training and tell me about your diet? Maybe I can help? I would be willing to bet that you and ZZ have the very same problem right now with weight gain: you are not eating enough or often enough. That scares your body into storing (depositing fat) every bit of energy (food) you put into it if it thinks there is a shortage of food available. HP ~ Inquiring minds want to know? What is the spinning program that you joined and downloaded? I need something to make the trainer more interesting. Is it expensive?

Kari You sound like me - you really aren't into form fitting clothing. I think this goes to the whole - not comfortable with your body image. I still long for my elastic waist pants and baggy tops - you know that comfort factor - well I told a gf a long time ago - "don't wear baggy clothes - cuz then it's to easy not to notice weight gain" she reminds me of this every now and then.. I feel like an imposter today... Don't ask me why while I was getting ready for work this morning - I am feeling like i weight 250 still. Hormones I guess. who the heck knows.. maybe it's cuz I do have on elastic waist pants - Brandy- congrats on 150's ... Linda - you will get your exercise watching a 16 month old... Blue- 1.5 a week is great girl - be happy... and yes take the diet out of your vocaublary.

good afternoon, everyone! internet access slightly improved but have to use DH laptop. Sitting outside on the patio w/very good reception here. Saw the article about Fergie in this morning's paper. Have fun, Janet! Hope I take it easy on the liquid calories today, too, as the neighbors invited us over for "Happy Hour" and I think they're fixing margaritas! Maybe I'll bring a bottle of wine... fewer calories, I think. Figured out today that I'd shorted myself on one exercise session, so I updated my signature. slight weight gain this week, though.... we won't talk about that. I'm doing my usual... 3 1/2 lb loss X2, then a little gain. next week I'll be back down again. It was very nice to get a new military ID this week with a little better picture and the weight changed!

Below is an edited version from 3 weeks ago when I was conceivably talking about getting a bypass with the medical group. Now the Doctor Thinks a Sleeve Would be Better Then a Bypass. With battling weight most of my life 10 years ago I got a lap band put in. I am now 57 years old, 15 years ago I was diagnosed with type two diabetes At the time my Lap Band was put in my weight was 230 pounds. That might not sound like a lot of weight but for a male 5’8 it was a lot for me. In addition to having type two diabetes I have also had two neck surgeries and three back surgeries over the years. The Lap Band gave me significant weight loss. I got down from 230 to 160-165. I also lowered my Metformin from 1000 mg to 500 mg. I lost approximately 70 pounds of weight and maintained this weight for about nine years. To say that it was an easy road for me would be lying, I was constantly having the band loosened tightened loose and tightened like being on a roller coaster. I had problems with the Lap Band being so tight that I was having major acid reflux problems. In addition to that I had some small ulcers around my esophagus next to my Lap Band. Last year I decided I had enough of this and had a lot of Fluid taken out of my band. The major acid reflex went away immediately however, I still have some ongoing small minor heartburn and a small cough because the Lap Band is still in place but a lot of the fluid has been taken out. Because of that removal of fluid I have gained back for the first time in 10 years 35 pounds. Now I am back up to taking the same amount of diabetic medicine Metformin 1000 mg because of the 35 pound weight gain. The bariatric center in Los Angeles is now recommending that I conceivably switch to a Sleeve. This decision is not completely final yet and the acid reflex problems I’ve had for so many years which only really developed soon after getting the Lap Band 10 years ago. As in all surgeries there are risk concerns for changing the body anatomy, any advice or opinions from anyone that has been down this same kind of road would be much appreciated. Thank you for your time and concern. Hopefully one day I can help someone else.

Have you tried meditation, deep breathing, etc.? Stress and anxiety can actually cause weight gain as many of us know. It doesn't really boost the metabolism. Also, exercise can help. I'm the worst one to give advice on that, but your body has to burn off the adrenaline and cortisol produced when we panic/stress. I have a walk planned this evening with a friend around a local lake, but then Aunt Flo showed up this morning, so I'm in pain! Has anyone had worse periods since banding? Mine are awful. I never had a problem with my periods until recently. Maybe I'm just getting older and its not band related. Hang in there Cathy. Glad you had fun in Cali Leece. Stay away from chocolate Cindy!(Or have a protein shake or a chocolate vitamin or a sugar free/fat free/caffeine free mocha or something and gradually the cravings should subside!)

Genn So sorry to hear of your injury. Take care. Barbara4 Time of day, amount of clothing, etc. have a lot to do with how much is on the scale. Surgi-Center scale is also digital and they do sometimes go off. My only logged number is what I weigh in the morning sans clothing on my own scale. I hope for a low number at doc's but don't get too jazzed if it's off from mine. You're buying smaller clothing, getting compliments and feeling good--that doesn't sound like a true weight gain. Even the digital scale at my former Weight Watcher's meeting was off. Talk about some unhappy weigh-ins until they announced the malfunction. My advice to anyone who will listen--claim the lowest number you've seen on your scale. Don't get discouraged when larger numbers come back. New numbers are shy, but they always come back with another smaller friend. If I post a gain, it will be because I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I messed up (more than just one meal). So far the band doesn't let me stray too far. Socalgal3--Congrats on being anonymous. Would love a comment on your experience being anonymous. Chuckle--A darling cousin of mine had WLS several years back. Her Mother and Dad announced the news prior to a family reunion. Saw her at a wedding and asked her about WLS. She said "don't know how that rumor got started--it was lo carb diet". I can't go back in the closet, but I do intend to keep any more info to myself.

Hi all! Well My MIL is still in alot pain but no major organs damaged as I mentioned yesterday. I had alot of fun yesterday picking out new linoleum for my apartment- it looks like wood so it gives the look of wooden floors. It should be installed sometime this week ! What a difference a weekend makes, here in New York this weekend its low 70's and beautiful, compared to the Nor-eater that destroyed my basement apartment carpets and some furniture last week. On the negative side my psychiatrist has changed my Bipolar medication once again ! The Depakote was not working that well so now he has me on Tegretol and I have to go back to him in two weeks to see if he wants to keep me on this new medication. I hate when my medication gets changed since these medications have side effects and weight gain is one of them. Its been so hard to say on track lately I go up and down. I have gone as far up as 240 and back down to 225 in one month. Righ now Iam at 235 but Iam not changing the ticker until I go see the Nurse NP. My cravings when on these medications have been Sweets! Iam trying not go over board, but its so dam hard:think ! I have to for my next appointment on April 25th but, Iam not looking foward to it since I have been really terrible with my eating over the past month! It been because of the continued medication changes and my depression. I was a Complusive Overeater before I had the surgery and Emotional eater. I turn to food for comfort, being in a depressed state from my Bipolar this month with the medication, I have been turning to my old food choices.:think Its so hard for me having Bipolar1 and having my band, but Iam trying the best I can to work through it all. Thanks to this board and my friends here, I know I can post my feelings and know Iam not alone ! Lisa

Christa- I am more than happy to also post daily. I need that accountability too! Just think of your weight gain as muscle! Muscle weighs more than fat remember? Just keep doing the right thing and the scale will follow! Are you measuring inches too? Try various indicators of success besides just that pesky scale!