Search the Community

We are certainly all different, but I've done several n=1 experiments, and I have learned much about my body and metabolism. I have learned that anything beyond a small to moderate amount of cheese will stall my weight loss totally. So the many delicious and low carb cheese recipes come with the added knowledge that the scale will not budge. Starches are my Achilles' tendon. My blood sugar is impacted much more by bread than by sugar itself. The effect is longer and more pronounced, and thus anything made with wheat flour (whole grain or otherwise) will promote Water weight retention and weight gain besides. There is no moderate amount of starch for me, it has to be cut out totally. Corn products, be it through sugar or tortillas or whatever will make me crave more of the same to an almost unbearable extent. I will literally dream about tacos and wake up unsure if it was all a dream (nightmare) or I really ate like 12 tacos. Corn syrup is so ubiquitous in North America that it basically means eating real foods only to avoid them. No amount of time seems to improve my cravings for corn based foods, so I have to accept the reality that I can NEVER indulge that disastrous addiction. No different than a heroin addict having to swear the stuff off totally, lest they be dragged back into the life.

I was sleeved (after having my lap band removed) in march 2013. It's been a while. I've had to reconnect bc of weight gain, oh yeah it's real. I'm 5' 9" HW: 259...left: 170 cw:201....when I saw that number over 200 I almost passed out. Yesterday I saw my nutritionist and that was hard bc I've had to relive my worst fear. I will not go back. I've signed up for several 5ks, 10k's and half marathon over the next year. I'm currently walking on an incline on the treadmill bc that burns the calories the fastest. I've paid for weight training and hot yoga, which I will implement over the next few weeks. I will not go back. I've come way too far. But I need support. So if anyone has advice, pls share. My motivation is here bc of fear but I'd like it to stay bc I'm comfortable with how I'm challenging myself. Please join me MyFitnessPal: treciagesq99 Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

No Gerd, just weight gain. Scariest thing ever. I do also get a muscle cramp in my abdominal area which takes about 15-20 seconds to ease. I get it whenever I do anything strenuous with my stomach like crunches Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hi All, I haven't been on this app in years. I was sleeved (after having my lap band removed) in 2013. It's been a while. I've had to reconnect bc of weight gain, oh yeah it's real. I'm 5' 9" HW: 259...left: 170 cw:201....when I saw that number over 200 I almost passed out. I just came back from my nutritionist and that was hard bc I've had to relive my worst fear. I will not go back. I've signed up for several 5ks, 10k's and half marathon over the next year. I'm currently walking on an incline on the treadmill bc that burns the calories the fastest. I've paid for weight training and hot yoga, which I will implement over the next few weeks. I will not go back. I've come way too far. But I need support. So if anyone has advice, pls share. My motivation is here bc of fear but I'd like it to stay bc I'm comfortable with how I'm challenging myself. Please join me MyFitnessPal: treciagesq99 Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Copied from another website in that it keeps disappearing from here. My coordinator was Shelly @ 5414502285. I've had problems for years that have caused me weight gain. Those problems are related to an overproduction of a hormone in my stomach that causes hunger. I have considered weight loss surgery in the past disregarded it after complications when my mom had weight loss surgery in 2001. She died in early 2002. She died of lung cancer that would have been present when they did her weight loss surgery but it was never caught. My weight has fluctuated a bit over the years with the highest weight that I have had of 333 pounds right around the time that my mom died to as low as 267 pounds just before my son was born in 2009. Various stresses in life have caused these fluctuations and I've never been able to truly get down to a normal weight. A few years ago I gained 30 pounds just by quitting drinking diet dr. Pepper. It turns out that I was allergic to the sweetener used in it. I was having multiple medical issues and almost all of it went away when I quit drinking diet dr. Pepper. Then due to my metabolism slowing down from the lack of caffeine my weight started to increase. In eight weeks from the time that I quit I gained those 30 pounds and I haven't been able to lose them since. I have been through all kinds of different diets throughout the years. The one that worked the best for me was the Atkins diet. Two years ago my doctor mentioned to me that I would be an excellent candidate for weight loss surgery. Through doing a bit of research we found that an ulcer caused my hormone imbalance in my stomach that we were unaware of. That hormone was 8 to 10 times higher then and somebody in my otherwise same shape. Half an hour after I would eat my levels would be 26 to 28 times higher. I spoke with my insurance company and they do not cover weight loss surgeries. I considered my options and decided to stay as a fat man for a while. My job requires that I have a commercial driver's license and I had heard rumor that the Department of Transportation was planning on changing the requirements for the medical card that if you have a BMI of 35 or higher they would require you to prove that you do not have sleep apnea. I do not have sleep apnea, it can be picked up on an overnight oximetry. I have used an oximeter many times but that is not considered proof. The combination of the Department of Transportation regulations changing and knowing that I physically had a problem with me made me decide to do weight loss surgery. Fortunately my boss, a respiratory therapist, had weight loss surgery last year in Tijuana Mexico. From talking with her I found out that two of her family members both members of the medical professions also went to the same doctor in Mexico as well as her dad and a friend of theirs. I met with all five of these people and came to the conclusion that I was extremely comfortable with the surgeon. He has an amazing track record. He has performed over 3,500 surgeries with never so much as a single infection. The three people that I know in the medical field all said that this is the cleanest facility they have ever been to period. The decision was made and I was comfortable after doing some research on my own. What I was unaware of is that part of this Medical Group also does stem cell therapy, immunotherapy ,cancer therapy, and they are also able to completely stabilize most medical issues. My wife and I were so impressed with everything that they did for us and everything that we saw. We were treated like family not like patients or a family member of a patient. They have the ability to cure, not treat, but CURE my wife's lupus. We plan to do whatever it takes to return there next year for her. Very impressed. I am also a member of a bariatric website. What I'm posting below I have posted on that website. Hopefully this will open some people's eyes to the quality of Medical Care and the possibilities that are out there. I will say though make sure you do your research! There are many bad companies down there as well. Please don't hesitate to check out somebody through the Mexico board of Medicine. So yesterday was my day to get the sleeve. I'm down here in Tijuana Mexico with doctor Mauricio gutierez at Trinity Medical. I got down here on Sunday and they treated my wife two tacos for lunch and lobster for dinner at local restaurants. They also took us sightseeing. One of the restaurants was absolutely gorgeous out on the coast. Everybody that we've met here has been beyond anything I've ever received in the states. I have to admit that shortly after the sleeve I was in quite a bit of pain but I'm over that now. Most everything is just a little discomfort. In about 10 hours I get to have my compression socks off anb the IV removed. Part of their follow-up care while I'm here is to take us shopping. While doing so they will have a member of the staff pounding on my back to help with releasing the gas. I couldn't have been treated better. Little bit of strangeness last night. I rolled on my left side and I felt what can only be described as a fart inside the tissue of my back. It scared the heck out of me. I immediately rolled back on my back and let out a rather large burp. I did find that rolling from one side to my back and then over to the other side and back to my back got a lot of the gas out. Kind of interesting. They are taking my sweetie for an hour of massage this afternoon. We're getting treated nicer than we've ever been. One thing that I'm quite happy about is that everything went good during my pre op so they didn't need to put in a drain. From what I've heard that is the worst part of this. They estimate that my liver shrunk 40-50% and I didn't have bleeding. Whew! Everything is going well. I'm definitely weak and tired. I slept 18 of the last 24 hours. I overdid it yesterday by trying stairs and I paid for it. We will be back home tonight around 8pm. All that is left is x-rays and a leak test in the morning and I'm good to go. This morning I got to see the flip side of things. I mentioned xrays and a leak test. We did that in a different hospital. I saw 4 other people who looked like death warmed over. They were struggling bad. We overheard that one of the girls had a leak and it will obviously have to be repaired. Scary stuff! My xrays and test were great. I'm in the San Diego airport suckling on Vitamin Water and looking forward to being home. Ahhh the joys of home! Home that place where my devoted chocolate lab (chocolate moose) was so excited that she started jumping the moment that she saw me. I just barely kept her off my chest. It is also where our neurotic, psychotic love ball of a cat launched onto me in the middle of the night. Ouch! Needless to say he got thrown out of the bedroom with the door closed behind him! He has been a purrrrrfect angel this morning because he knows that he screwed up. I started the liquid diet on 8/19/16. My surgery was 8/29/16. I have copies of all of the blood tests, the EKG, the X-rays and everything that was in their chart notes. So far I have lost 25 pounds and 10.5 inches total. I've already dropped a notch in my belt.

Here is what I have found--- When you lose the weight, YES others are attracted to you simply for the PHYSICAL change(s). I have always had an outgoing, engaging personality. It may have been muffled under the excess weight, but that was more due to my withdrawal from life. Do I find myself approached more? Yes. Unequivocally yes. Did I have a hard time "accepting" this fact? Yes and no. Here is why- prior to weight gain, I enjoyed a great deal of interaction socially ( not romantically- being married and all) from both sexes. It was my normal. Do I sit and think "well screw you, you uppity socialite who NOW speaks to me"? Yep. I live in a community that is both Upper Middle class and extremely wealthy. We all intermingle, but the "super wealthy" women didn't give me the time of day when I was overweight. Now they fawn over me. Ha! Screw them. Didn't need them before, certainly don't now. Here is also something I've seen--- There are those out there who will want to "score" with you, emotionally, physically, whichever, JUST for the hell of it...the game. You MAY find someone who "tells" you things just because...but don't fall for that BS. Be your best person, emotionally, physically, spiritually. Don't derail your happiness and success based on "what if". Don't let anyone or the fear of someone hurting you dictate where you eventually land weight-wise. YOU CHOOSE who you want to let into your life!!!! I'd go so far as to say when the time is RIGHT, choose people who didn't know you pre-op Finally, you only become as invisible as you want to be. Having an outgoing, life-loving personality draws people to me. I don't say this to feather my own cap. It just is what it is. If you are outgoing and engaging, you don't disappear, you THRIVE. If you prefer to keep to yourself, then do that. Summed up/-- you get to call all of the shots. How, when and with whom is up to you. Just don't fall prey to men who promise love and adoration just to score...no different now or thinner. Jerks abound. You're doing this for you. No one else and you don't need their validation. Totally agree with everything you said here. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hi all! I found out yesterday that my surgery date is Dec. 21. Now this is strange because I just submitted the final bit of documentation that was needed to submit to insurance. So as far as I know, they hadn't submitted anything to the insurance company for approval yet. I was in seeing my hematologist yesterday, and she happened so tell me that they had contacted her about the availability of a date for me (I'm going through some not fun, non-obesity related heal nonsense). This struck me as weird, since, as I've said they had JUST received the required documents for submission... My pre-op is Dec. 8th and the surgery is tentatively scheduled for Dec. 21. Did this happen to anyone else? Were you given a slot before everything was submitted? Also, I'm a little nervous. I was in the hospital for about a month this past summer. I lost about 30 pounds, but since I've been out I've slowly gained some back. My weight was pretty stable for a while, and in these last weeks I've gained about 4 pounds. It may not sound like much, but I'm nervous they may delay my surgery due to this weight gain. I hadn't been eating really since I was sick, and have had a good appetite for a while now. Should I be nervous?

I have suffered from severe depression and fibromyalgia for years. I have had several hospitalizations, and so many med changes I lost count. I even had electro-convulsive therapy. I had to give up my career and take my disability.That's a story all on its own. I opted for the sleeve, because my health had begun to fail me and I had to get the weight off. A lot of it is from medications I have taken over the years. Research your meds, and if any of them cause weight gain, you have to switch or you'll have a hard time losing. I ended up having severe bile reflux--my gallbladder was removed years before my WLS, so bile just backed up into my sleeve and into my esophagus. It was torture. I had to have a revision to bypass to cure the reflux. My psychiatrist had to change two of my meds because they were extended release and I need immediate release now. I have never felt better psychologically. My meds are working great, and the weight loss helps immensely. I still have to do the work in therapy, but for now I am doing surprisingly well. This is a decision that will always fall under great scrutiny; so many people know nothing about WLS and some of them believe in incorrect information. You will have to defend your decision often in the beginning. You are the one who has to live with it and make all the changes. You may just have to wait until you prove them wrong before they will accept it. Some people never will. They will maintain that you should have done it on your own. I make no apologies for my decision. It was right for me. All you can do is try to educate them as to why this is the choice you have made. If you truly believe it is best for you, then do it. Just make sure you are ready to change every aspect of your relationship with food if you have to. It is worth it. Even if you feel alone at first, trust in your decision and follow your instinct about it. Good luck to you. I hope you find your way to what is best for you.

Are we talking insure off the shelf in walmart? Ignore this if it does not apply to topic Have you seen the macro nutrients? Lots of sugar and carbs. They are used for weight gain for senior citizens. Sent from my SM-G920T using the BariatricPal App

Hi everyone I was sleeved 29/3 I'm down 42kgs so 84 pounds started to eat some carbs and sugars recently and my weight has stalled I'm 3kgs away from goal but struggling to get back on track to no sugars and carbs I was happy with myself being disciplined. I worry a lot about weight gain in the future if I can't control myself now this really is a mind over matter thing I find once I had a taste of carbs I want them and think about them. I don't want the honeymoon to be over not yet I'm grateful everyday I made this decision I've spent alot of money on this surgery I simply cannot fail I need to remember nothing tastes as good as skinny feels I love being slimmer I feel so good so confident more social Sent from my iPhone

When I had my rapid weight gain, I couldn't stand having a photo taken, and I couldn't stand looking in the mirror .... Yes, I never want to look like that, ever again! Months later, I am no longer photo shy. All the Best @@Treadmillwalker I am looking forward to your updates, later on

There will always be more Christmases with all the same favorite holiday foods you're used to but you will never have another chance to get this right. Get it right Now. The amount you ate is about what I might eat now 2 yrs post-op, but I would never have dared at 6 days out. And trust me, once you start breaking little rules, you break more rules and it's all downhill from there. I'm currently fighting back some recent weight gain that I know is due to completely poor food choices. A chip here and there was no big deal or a 1/4 c of dessert on an occassion. But then every third day was an occassion, then every stressful day at work was a occassion, now the people at the bakery know me by name and I'm up 15 stupid pounds and the thing is-chocolate tasted gross for months after surgery but I almost forced myself to eat it because I felt deprived on some level. But I wasn't and you aren't either. Trust me, some day you will get to Sample and taste all of those foods again, but not now and not altogether as a mini-feast. You survived this ordeal but Stop It Right Now-the disappointment you feel now will not even compare if you sabotage this amazing and severe step you have taken. If I could undo all the cheetos and macaroons of the past 2 months I would-my life would be the same but my clothes would fit a hell of a lot better. I didn't need them and I don't. Catch yourself now and put it an end to it, letting this be a lesson and not an "well I did it the one time and it was okay so . . ." One time makes two times okay and three and so on.... Anyway, congratulations on surgery and stick with the liquids. If pudding is a trigger then get rid of it.6 days out of surgery I was eating 1/3 cup of pureed bean Soup at the very most or a 1/3 scrambled egg...

Well, the guidelines for bariatric surgery are continuously evolving. There is evidence of the benefit of bariatric surgery for Class 1 Obesity (30+BMI) as well as the benefit for overweight patients with significant comorbidities, of which I have about 10. That, coupled with a rapid weight gain over the past year does actually qualify me for surgery. My original sleeve was made larger than most because of my severe GERD. Unfortunately the sleeve has made it worse. My surgeon recommended a bypass prior to my sleeve surgery, but I was too scared to do it. Remember that there is a broad range of what is considered safe medical practice, and there are indeed reputable surgeons who will do bariatric surgery for patients like me. I support everyone in doing whatever is best for them, including choosing their surgeon and procedure. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Thanksgiving has passed by without weight gain and now on to surgery Wednesday! I was so afraid that I would eat way too much during thanksgiving and gain the weight back and my surgery would be cancelled. But that didn't happen thank goodness!!! Wednesday is my big day and can't wait to join the losers bench. All prayers for surgery and recovery are welcome!!! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I am speaking from my past WLS years ago, and had same issue. After weight gain, I realized I stopped food tracking and planning, and backed off of sensible exercise. Once I got back on track, it came back off. Not till my past banding deteriorated so far, that I could not eat anything healthy like meats, veggies and fruits without getting sick, did the weight come back on and I could not stop it. (Also caused my immunity system to shut down) I suggest you honestly evaluate your full program, and find what is missing. Feel free to post here and we may be able to support in more details.

There's a site called bariactriceating.com that has a bot, back on track for weight gain, this may help you..good luck.. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using the BariatricPal App

Hi all, I am 5 years post op. I stopped paying attention after I got thin at about 10 months. So the "Honeymoon". Seems to fall off about then. ,your pyloric valve has relaxed and you are feeling good/looking good! You have to keep going, do not think it will keep falling off (losing your hair as well). Keep exercising, keep drinking your Water and ALWAYS eat your Protein first. I can eat a whole lot more now, I get hungry, made excuses and have gained 50 lbs back in about 3 years. I am back on this forum looking for inspiration to get back using my tool, and pray I can somehow regain more restriction. I never have gone back to drinking while I eat, I have never missed my Vitamins. I did end up having 2 grand mal seizures, not certain but I am on medication which was when my weight gain began. I don't want any more excuses - I want my weight loss back. If anyone would like to ask,any real life questions about the journey, feel free To ask just about anything :-) I am happy to share what I know.

BTW I have never had any trouble with weight gain while marathon training. I mean you do have to be conscious of the "rungries" as they call it, but I don't experience it any more marathon training than half marathon training. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I take 2 calcium 600 mg daily, 2 multi vitamin bariatric advantage. I also get a monthly b 12 shot. That's it. I try to eat a lot of protein. I don't count anymore. I have blood work every 6 months and the protein is always good. Mostly I eat protein first and then whatever. When I eat something not good for me the worst result is gas or diarrhea. No weight gain. I drink water all day and swim for exercise.

*My feelings are hurt. I gained 3 pounds already since Thanksgiving. I was two pounds from goal and now I have to lose the damn pounds again. Smh I'm tired of my s**t and the roller coaster. * Gotta do better... Start measuring my ingredients in my home cooked meals because I've never paid it any mind..Now it matters. Back on the success train now. Thanks for reading. Lol K Bye

So I'm kind of a unique case- I had the lap band in 2009. Was 385 (I'm 5'4") at my highest, got down to 217 at my wedding in December 2013. Was working out 6 days a week, was a size 10-12, and had an ass you could bounce a quarter off of hahaha. But all of 2014 I was getting crazy stomach pain and gaining weight. I had moved and lost my gym routine so I thought it was that and jumped back into the gym and injured myself. Put on more weight during recovering from that. Then I had inexplicable back and pelvic pain (which later turned out to be a kidney infection)- during a CT scan for this pelvic pain they saw that my lap band had slipped, so that must have been what caused all that pain and weight gain. They gave me the option in Nov 2014 to convert to a sleeve but I was very gun shy and thought I worked so hard and I know how to lose weight, I can do it on my own. I don't want any more complications. So they took it out. I was 250 at that point. I ended up gaining 70 more lbs over the next two years. This was after I had gotten skin removal surgery (which sucks btw lol). I was incredibly depressed, gaining weight, unable to get in control of it, unemployed etc etc etc. So finally I in February of 2016 I thought I need to just bite the bullet and get the sleeve. I don't want to wait until I'm 385 lbs again to get motivated- I need something to help me now. So I started the process. I wavered on it a lot, which is why it took me 8 months instead of 6 to get approved- I kept going back on the idea of getting the surgery. Here's what I'm worried about: 1. What if I get a leak 2. What if I lose all the weight only to gain it back again 3. What if my skin sags so the horrible skin surgeries weren't worth it? I've got seams like a build-a-bear already- how much would it suck to be a build a bear AND have loose skin. All in all though, the pros outweighs the cons. Last time when I had Bariatric surgery I was 21. I didn't feel the effects of being obese on my body. Now I'm 65 lbs lighter than before and my back and knees and ankles kill. I have sleep apnea. My prediabetes and blood pressure are creeping up. My social life is suffering. My three-year-old marriage is suffering. The fears I have are far outweighed by the reality I live in. @@OhHeyMarina, you've got this girl. You will come out much healthier and happier. Don't worry about the loose skin. You may have some, but skin is an amazing organ and actually does snap back pretty well. If you're weight lifting and moisturizing well, you're gonna limit the amount of excess skin. And if not, you can always get it lifted. I'm telling you, nothing is not worth feeling thin and healthy. Wearing the clothes you want and feeling healthy on your body. You're making an investment in your life- ylure getting sleeved so you won't have the pitfall I had. Just stay on track and make that lifestyle change and it will be so worth it!

Did any one else gain weight right after surgery? While recovering? Sent from my LGLS991 using the BariatricPal App

Hey everyone, my name is Frank. I'm 29 years old and I'm a paramedic in the Tampa Bay Area. I'm currently 326lbs and was 356lbs at my heaviest. At 6'3" I carry the weight a little better than some are capable of doing so when I talk about getting the sleeve done a lot of people seem surprised and try to discourage me from doing it. These people never saw me at 220lbs 10 years ago and I was a stud. A femur fracture and some tough events in my life lead to a steady weight gain and I've battled with it for some time now. Back in August 2016 I did my research and made the decision to move forward with my decision to get a VSG. My surgeon is Dr. Richard Gordon out of Largo, FL and I will be having the surgery at Mease Dunedin Hospital just north of Clearwater. My insurance requires 3 months of a physicians supervised diet so I've been doing that. I've also met with the nutritionist, had my abdominal Ultrasound, a sleep Study and this week will have an endoscopy done as well as my psych eval. All that willl be left after this week is one more meeting with my physician as well as a pre-op EKG, Chest X-Ray, and Blood work. Hoping for a mid-January surgery and excited for the lifestyle change that comes with it. I love reading all of your individual journeys and hope to share as much of mine as I feel comfortable with. I feel like this adds a special level of support and accountability that my peers who haven't experienced this can't provide. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Obesity is a disease in of itself, and a lot of us don't have a food addiction. I didn't. I was diagnosed with PCOS two years ago, but I have probably had it for years. In 2014, before my diagnosis, I gained 50 lbs from May to August with no negative changes in my diet. Matter of fact, I changed my diet to no avail. The weight gain was due to the PCOS, not my diet. I'm having gastric bypass surgery after doing a lot of research. I still need my brain and hormones reset in order to lose weight and keep it off. I also did not have a weight problem when I was a child. I only started to have weight issues after I had my daughter. I couldn't lose the weight and keep it off. My point is there are many reasons why people need wls. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

There are many reasons people gain weight back. Try not to foucus on other peoples weight gain or weight loss. Concetrate on your own sucess and goals for surgery. The goal is healthy. ; I'm two and a half years out. I maintain in the 130's. I weigh myself every morning. If I see a weight gain I adjust my food and workout. So far so good. Sent from my SM-G920T using the BariatricPal App