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Tonya, I am totally thinking about you this morning . . . . I started a new maintenace medication for my migraines last Tuesday and weighed this morning - I am up 4 pounds in 8 days. Grrrrr - one of the known side effects of 'neurotin' is weight gain and my Neurologist and I talked about that before I agreed to take it. She told me if I see a gain, then she will give me something else, so guess who I'll be calling at 9am? I am not taking another one of those stupid pills . . . I haven't been able to tell a difference anyway, so it's not like it was my 'miracle med.' So - I have got to get back on track. I need to watch what I eat more closely and get back to exercising. At this mornings weight, I want to lose 20 more pounds . . .

I was banded in Feb, 04, and have never been able to keep a fill. Approx six weeks after a fill, the discomfort would be unbearable, and I would have to get unfilled. Three fills over three years -- three unfills. Done under fluro, esophagitis was always the problem (a sensation of having a lump in your throat; the feeling you get when you start to cry.) Fortunately, I always have restriction w/o any fill, and have manged to lose weight. Fast forward 2 1/2 years, and now I have been diagnosed with GERD. I've had the endoscopy as well as motility study and PH. Lots of reflux going on; sleepless nights due to coughing and wheezing. Aciphex twice a day and now a diagnosis of Barretts esophagus (precancer condition). My surgeon insists that none of this is attributable to the band as "research supports that the band aids GERD symptoms". I believe that the band has put too much pressure on my lower esophagus, and it no longer works as it's supposed to and stays open all the time. This was confirmed by the motility study. So the acid just keeps coming up all day and night. I'm getting very close to having the band removed and possibly trying a VSG. I'm not sure a VSG will help with the GERD symptoms, but I'm afraid of weight gain once the band is removed. My advice is that if you are experiencing heartburn/acid reflux/coughing/wheezing, etc., talk to your doctor. The acid is nasty stuff and can cause some permanent damage if you don't manage it properly.

Hey Fergieis Glad to hear your recovery is going fine - sounds like you are on of the lucky ones who got an easier recovery - I was still getting gas pains up to a month after my surgery. Don't sweat about the weight gain - you are going to be entering the next phase - the notorious "LAP-BAND® hell". You feel great and fine enought to push through and are excited to get started and see the results. However keep in mind that your insides just went through surgury that takes 4-6 weeks to recover from internally. If you are living in Wpg - they probably left a little fill in the band to see how your body reacts, but not enough to make a big difference so that you would notice it. LAP-BAND® Hell begins as you start to see the weight come off, then you plateau and bounce up and down a few pounds and if you lose less than a certain amount of pounds, you get a fill and if lose more, then its 'thanks for coming out - see you next month" and so on, until you hit the "sweet spot" - the correct amount of fill that allows you to lose to your goal weight. Everyone is different. And yes, it is typical to gain right after surgery - remember you were on a liquid diet for 2 weeks or more and light foods afterwards. What I did was replace the huge lunch meal I used to have with a broth Soup (eg veggie or chicken noodle), 1 oz of cheese and crackers dipped in the soup (they get soft) and Water to drink. For Breakfast, I do the carnation breakfast shake and water between lunch and breakfast. A piece of fruit when I get home to tide me over to supper. Supper is a normal meal - protien plus veggies and a reward at the end of the night - one of those 100 calories snack things. you are the first person I have heard of who likes the liquid chalk drink that those Medi protien shakes. Have you tried adding fruit to them - eg; bananna to the chococate - strawberries to the vanilla etc - this may fill you up further as well and prevent cravings. Diet Coke - avoid any carbonated bevvies for at least the first 4 weeks and my advise would be if you want to try - only 2 or 3 slow sips to see how your body reacts - the gas in the coke can give you horrible pains that you will regret if you try too much. I cannot do Diet Coke, it is absolute agony and I will not ever do it again - Club Soda and Lime juice is my bevvie of choice and the only carbonated drink I can do - only 1 and only about once or twice a week but never more than one. Some doctors recommend that carbonated bevs are cut out completely due to the gas. Okay - off the soapbox. BTW - keep us posted on the fight with the gov't and if you get anywhere. CHeers IWBAL

I have the exact same problem since my fill a 1 1/2 years ago, my girlfriend does the same thing. I don't do it all the time mainly if I go out in public, since the surgery my nerves are horrible, but I know if I get it unfilled or reversed I will be miserable because of weight gain, so what do you do?!!!!!!!!!! Anniemay

Hello ! sorry to hear your concern about the scale. Keep in mind all the liquids that you intake that can cause weight gain, I gained 10 pounds while in the hospital because of all the liquids they were giving me and the gas that I had . Don’t get discouraged ! Remember this wasn’t an immediate fix, it’s a tool to help us in the long run. Also the fact that you are incorporating weights you can be gaining MUSCLE as opposed to FAT . Don’t let the scale bring you down because it could be a good thing. More muscle = better fat loss 🙂 You got this ! Don’t give up, you’ve come this far !

Hello WSLers Long time listener, first time caller. I was sleeved on 11/22/21. I had lost over 40lbs since my surgery, but now seem to be gaining a pound a day the last few days. My diet has remained the same, 1-2 Premiere Protein shakes, 5 oz of non/low fat yogurt, and 4 bites of misc protein from dinner. Getting 64 oz or more of water has been brutal. Any ideas on the weight gain? It's really screwing with my head. Walking (exercise) has been limited, since I am currently experiencing my fourth gout attack since my surgery. I've been taking 600mg Allopurinol daily and 0.6mg of Colchicine during flare ups. It's been brutal. I have not had an attack in a while. Regards Dan

Sheryl, I know exactly how you feel. I love hiking and there are so many gorgeous trails in Oregon. Now I can barely walk to my bedroom. I love the gym. I loved lifting weights and feeling strong. I loved having my thighs so toned. Now I don't know if I'll ever be able to go back to the gym. I loved to dance too! I loved my ballroom classes. Like I said, now I can barely walk. The scary part is I could end up worse than I am now. They are talking about putting in a plate and screws and cadaver bone and a cage around it all. The risk for infection is a lot higher for people who have had a previous infection. oh great. They said I am looking at a year of recovery. Plus all my post op appointments are now 100 miles away. I've made appointments with a rhuematologist and my Hep C doctor and both are also 100 miles away. I don't even know if I can get to either of these doctors because if my ins. approves my back surgery, I am not sure if I'll be able to ride in a car. I did have a longer period of being thin and fit before I fell apart but I am still not readyt to give it up. I've decided to stop taking gabapentin to see if it will stop my weight gain. I can't keep gaining weight. i will not be able to deal with the depression.

I have no side effects or weight gain. and much calmer so maybe you just need to find what WORKS for your body. There are some newer drugs that are time released and less side effects. Aren't Xanax habit forming and addictive? My son loves them. . I've never taken them so not sure about them. For me, it's easier to just take my one small dose a day.

So I ended up not having the sardines or salad, instead I had about 2 ounces of curried chicken salad around 2pm, then a serving of cashews and a serving of jack cheese for dinner. I was preoccupied with a new painting I'm working on so before I knew it it was 8:30pm and too late to make a real meal. Today will be same tea and milk, same protein shake, same curried chicken, and definitely the salad tonight - I won't let myself start painting until I've made the salad! I switched mood meds, per my Drs advice, from Zoloft to velafaxine and upon doing so I discovered that one of the side effects of Zoloft is weight gain! WTF!!! I never knew that!!! I'm not going to blame all of my gain in the Zoloft but hell, that couldn't have helped!!

Hi all, Well this morning I got on the scale and for the first time that half a kilo I have been dancing around on the scales for the past few weeks was gone. I actually punched the air with joy when I saw 84.9 kilos! :clap2: WOOOOOO!!! thats a total of 30 kilos lost for me. I am so happy!:biggrin1: I agree with Susannah. If this woman wasn't willing to be honest about how she managed the loss, then she should have just kept her pride and acomplishment about it to her self. She was entirely deceitful, and we all know that obese people will try anything - there must be hundreds of people eating aroudn the inside of thier plates and STARVING, wondering how the heck she did it. Silly woman! I admit I have band shame. I am disgusted that I let myself get as obese as I was. I knew that there was no way I could lose all the weight myself again, only to put it and more back on the next time (such has been the cycle of my life). I think its a personal choice as to whether we divulge the knowledge of our bands, and I for one don't want to have to defend the decision I made for a second. For me, and I am working on this one, the judgement of others plays a major role in my own feeling of personal worth and self esteem. I guess that comes from years of being the bigger girl/person in every circle I travelled in (even when I was "thin" I was still the biggest girl!). HOpefully one day I can be like Susannah and tell those people casting judgement to mind their own business. I guess thats just another step in the process of sorting out my food/weight gain/personal issues which the band is helping me with

Hi, I don't know if this is the right thread and this is my first post, but I am so impatient! I went to the info session on Aug 14 and have done the psych exam and visited the dietitian twice. I have been told that I need to lose 5 pounds prior to the surgery but have gained 2 so now I need to lose 7 pounds. I am so ready to get this thing on the road but don't know when my surgery will be scheduled. My next dietitian appt is this Monday and I'm hoping to hear good news, however; I know she's going to talk to me about my weight gain. Here's what I need to know... 1. How long from the info session to surgery does it take? 2. Does the weight loss affect when the doctor schedules the surgery? 3. Am I being unrealistic and need to calm down?

I confess that it is still hard giving away my clothes that are too big. I confess I am worried about weight gain during my hospitalization after undergoing neurosurgery again for the second time in one year. I confess that I was very annoyed that my surgeon restricted my workouts pre-op, which added to me not reaching and being stuck at 99lbs. I confess that I've had a few glasses of wine to prepare myself for going into the hospital in the morning. I confess I've been so stressed about surgery again that I haven't gotten in my usual protein and water intake over the last week.

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

I agree 100% thank you to everyone for their help & thoughts. I will try more eggs, chicken & definitely need to drink more water. 3 of my medications cause weight gain :-( im also asthmatic so excersise can be tricky. Along with being a fussy eater. X

This is what my plan is ...I am 5'2 and my personal goal is 130 but I will really just go until I feel comfortable. I am def going to need some plastics for stomach and breasts after all the trauma I have put them through(3 csections weight gains and losses along with breast feeding) I am 150 today I do want to stay curvy and have thus far so we shall see:)

Pamela, that sucks about the airline schedule!! What a pain to have to deal with!! Tracy I am waiting for the spark to rejuice myself. If you find it let me know!! I am trying to stay positive about this weight gain, but not being very strong. It really has gotten me down a lot!! I am now a little over 300 a place I never wanted to visit again. I have an appointment on the 14th for a fill and will weigh then, but I really don't think I have lost anything. Really need to get inside my head and see what the problem is. Why are some people sooo successful. Why can't I feel the way I did a month or so after my surgery? At that point I thought there is no way anyone could gain weight!! Eat around the band? What does that mean? I want this so bad, so why am I struggling with it? What makes some people struggle with it, and some people have it come easy for them. It doesn't mean that I am weaker or less deserving. I learned this the hard way. When I had my brain tumor, it is a death sentance for a lot of people, I was one of the lucky ones, but it didn't mean anything, the people that died from it were not any less special or deserving of life. It was just in their cards. Wow am I getting very deep or what!! I am going to stop now. Jane

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

I think I would go in with the idea of only get .1. If you gurgle with .2 then that is too much. You are probably real close to your spot so go real conservative. I've decided it's worth the extra money to me to go real slow. You also may want to rethink getting a fill this soon. I don't think the weight gain is really from you overeating and not after 2 week and not after being real tight. Now the real cause of the weight gain. Yes it could very well be the antismoking medicine. It also could be the gratification you are seeking with food instead of cigs. Why don't you log what you are eating to be sure? I also think it's hard to do both - weight loss and give up smoking. I commend you for trying, but I know it must be frustrating. Two big oral gratifications taken away at the same time. You might have to substitute with another oral fix. OK you guys minds out of the gutter - I was thinking singing or humming or whistling or public speaking or .... Also might want to think of some of that hard candy that has few calories. It could be something to suck on instead of thinking of cigs. Also, I saw a suggestion to pop one of those Listerine mouth referesher sheets that disolve in your mouth. They are supposed to take away the urge to eat. I haven't tried that.

Morning Girls, Up and trying to get my butt moving. I'll be leaving here soon to go to Curves for my workout. Than I have a full day. One of those things is going with the nextdoor neighbor to her sons Baketball game at the high school. Pam, you better quit tempting all of us. You may be surprised sometime with a knock on the door and us all standing there in our shorts and t-shirts waitng for the Margi's Terri, Hugs to you. TrackyK, Keeping fingers crossed you neck gets better. Michelle, We Frontlined all 3 kitties last night and they are still mad this morning. They can't figure out why we aren't petting them. I was laying in bed this morning thinking to myself how I haven't had the best last 4months with my weight loss. I actually gained 4 pounds in that amount of time. But I thought to myself that had I not had my Band, that that lost of 4 would certainly would have been a 40 pound weight gain. I've seen this happen before, lose to only gain it back faster. I Love my Band. Everyone have a great day.

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.

Tomorrow is my one year anniversay and I told my husband this morning that I want to do something special for myself to celebrate. He told me celebrate what-- Did you lose 100 pounds in one year? You cheated on cake and icecream and ate shit sometimes: I told him this was when I was depressed -MOST OF IT WAS BROUGHT ON BY YOU ! ALSO I HAD MY MEDICATION CHANGED 5 TIMES IN 5 MONTHS - MOST CAUSED WEIGHT GAIN THE DOCTOR SAID! He said your going to celebrate a 50 pound weight loss, you act like your lost 100 pounds! I wanted to buy myself an I-pod to encourage me to get back into my exercise routine and to get to the gym. I saw some great sales and he said no,your going to put us back into debut with your spending! So what did I end up getting $40 dollar gold earrings from a gift card that my husband got for Nurse's day ( He is a transporter at a Hospital and they gave the Nurses and Transporters gift cards a while back) so he gave it to me . Iam so mad right now! What made it worse was he came on this site and looked at the post and saw all of your before and after pictures and said - see these woman lost almost 100 pounds WHY COULDN'T YOU ! I HAVE NEVER FELT SO HURT AND LIKE A FALIURE ! My surgery was done on a Tuesday so it was technically a yeas ago today on June 13th. I look at my day of surgery picture and Iam no longer that person , I will never be her :cry. This dam insensitive bastard! Thanks for letting me vent! Lisa

I can do relate to you. The weird weight gains and slow losses are frustrating. I’ve been using happy scale to track weight loss, so I can see a slow loss is happening. It’s just frustrating because I was losing faster on a higher calorie diet before the surgery than I am now. My nut has told me not to worry and that things will start happening soon. It’s hard to be patient, though. Especially when reading that the first 2-3 months after are when you experience the greatest weight loss. And at almost a month out, I haven’t lost a great deal at all.

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 started this thread 11 months ago. I am back to report that in May of last year I started gradually falling off my wagon mostly due to the expectations of others and because so many (not here but in real life) mocked my WOL and guilted me and I fell for it. My own fault but it is hard to stay strong and put self first. When you fall off besides weight gain I find that I get depressed eating carbs and sugar and am just not happy at all! It is like a deep dark hole that you don’t know how to get out of it and the vortex of eating for comfort and carbs just keep sucking you in. I gained about 25 back of the 35 I had lost last spring. I am re reading what I wrote above to get myself back on track with baby steps. I never read some of these comments before so will comment now that I never had experience with met forum as was never diabetic (though close). When I am a carb eater I do get shakes and ravenous however and “need” a fix or feel nauseous. I did not want to advertise my “failure” but decided to do so to let anyone reading to feel they are not alone if they also struggle. Only seeing success stories can be depressing when you are struggling so wanted to let everyone to know to keep fighting the good fight and never give up!

@@M2G so nice to hear from you! The group is not so active anymore, so checking in weekly would be a short read. I have to say, a desk job ( which I have!) is killer. It is killer on your back and it encourages weight gain. You need to fight it extra hard. My year in review: Weight: I got 10# over goal this summer, now back to goal! Fitness: Not so hot. I got out of all my routines due to some physical issue and I now longer have those defined muscles I loved! Health: A year of challenges, right breast implant had to be removed after a very scary several month period of trying to figure out if I had some dreadful cancer or something (I don't). Hip is bad but I found a better doctor and am rehabbing it well. He guesses I have another 3-4 years before replacement. Emotional: I finally decided to go on wellbutrin for my anxiety. In GENERAL it is so much improved. I still have 'bouts of problems but it is like a burden lifted that has allowed me to progress on on other areas of my life. Home: remodel mostly done. New countertops remain. I love the new look/new floorplan Work: I hate it, but assigned to a new project in 2016 so hopefully re-energized Horses: Sold my young mare as she was too aggressive on the ground and other people couldn't handle her. I need easy. Living situation: Boys are rent paying roomies now. I fear I am holding them back from moving on in life, my counselor fears I am being held back. Dating: After a very discouraging time dating Scott from late Feb to end of May who turned out to be crazy and (side note, no sex!). I wasn;t in love, but this failure, this realization of how someone could seem so sane and even fooled my friends really discouraged me. Since then, I have had a lot of fun casually dating - not serious about anyone. I turned down two date requests for New Years Eve and doing stuff with girlfriends instead. I hate to admit it, but I feel myself giving up hope on EVER finding a good, serious, healthy long term relationship. I don't know why this bothers me, I don't know why I can't just let go and accept spinsterhood (haha) but so far it is something I still want. Plans for 2016: Reduce my body fat %, get a few pounds under goal, get my hip rehabbed enough I can hike again, keep trying to learn to dance, give golf a try. with the help of wellbutrin I have been able to address many lingering nagging things in life, but 2016 is the year I really want to figure out my retirement/next steps in life ideas. Wellbutrin can give a person impulsive thoughts and I just increased the dose.... so last night I thought about "selling everything and becoming a vagabond" - keeping my job, which is portable, but really, see more of the country, maybe even of the world while still working. The thing that holds me back is I fear I will become lonely not having my social network around me.... so, probably wont do that, but it is fun to dream, isn't it?