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never heard of insurance being affeccted by weight gain during the process - but have seen elsewhere on this site where particular surgeons have refused to do the surgery if the patient gained "x" or more pounds during the process - that is rare from what i've seen you should be fine - just get back on the wagon....

Julie, Don't be too hard on yourself about the weight gain. With all that you are going through, it would be unusual if you didn't gain weight -- it is a very stressful time. Also, please let us know what your DH finds out today. You have been in our prayers.

I have a 6 month waiting period before I can have surgery. People are telling me that Winter months are going to be the hardest time to lose weight. Holiday meals and all. I dont know how the Dr thinks I can lose any more weight. I have tried and failed to lose weight countless times. I dont want to be turned down for lap band due to recent weight gain. I am very scared!! I just dont know what to do! Any suggestions?

Don't be so hard on yourself. I think you did great and some of that "weight gain" is probably Water weight and will probably fall right back off now that you're back to eating like you normally do. I did the same thing back in the summer only I really ate some garbage along the way. I made pretty good choices most of the time but I did have a couple of days where I really made some bad choices. I don't remember now exactly how much but I do remember that I gained several pound(maybe 5 or 6?) and was really upset with myself over it. Fortunately, most of it was apparently Fluid retention because it was gone in under a week plus I even lost another pound or two that week. I talked to my surgeon about it too because, even though I knew that it was fluid retention, I was upset with myself for falling of the wagon and making such poor choices. His response surprised me. He said "Don't beat yourself up. You were on vacation. You should relax and enjoy the things you love when you're on vacation. That's why we have surgery-so we can still enjoy the foods we love, only in smaller amounts.You have no enjoyed your vacation and you've already managed to get right back on track so it's all good." He went on to say that he thinks we should break over and enjoy food more when we're on vacation so that we don't feel deprived when everyone else is indulging. The important thing is that we get back on track when vacation is over. Looking back, it was probably one of the most important lessons I've learned along the way...On one of those days that I spent indulging myself, I literally made myself sick because I ate so many sweets. I don't even WANT to overdo it on things like that now because every time the urge hits, I remember how I felt that day and realize, I don't want to feel like that again. There's nothing that tastes good enough to feel that miserable after eating it. Anyway, my surgeon always tells me that "No one is perfect. No one makes the right choices all of the time. The important thing is that you make the right choices MOST of the time. And if you make a bad choice, don't wait until the next day to start over. You start over as soon as you realize your last choice was a bad one."

The band *is* helping. The doctor's attitude did not help. I don't have any weight gain, it was just that the doctor kept saying that it was only a matter of time before I started making bad choices again and that it would only be natural that I would gain weight. As many people have suggested it just inspires me to prove him wrong. The staples were over my incisions. Instead of stitches to hold the keyhole cuts closed they used staples. Very clever things!

I am confused, what staples did you have? Is the band helping your or not, I could not tell. Just wondering what is causing the weight gain? could the band have slipped?

Hey Jim I also noticed a lack of men on this board - was not sure if it was a tendency of men to not use the board, or the ratio of men vs women in the banding process. I am right behind you mate - got banded 4/10. Post-op days 3 & 4 were hell for me. Sunday (day3) I found I could not keep any liquids down, so monday 630am i jumped into my car and drove the 2 hours to my doctor, he took 1.2 cc outta the tube ('priming' residue) and I felt immediate relief. so, day 4 was marginally better (managed to keep about a half glass of Water down) and then improved each day since.. I am interested in what you are experiencing, so will follow your discussion. You might also attribute the weight gain to the exercise - assuming you were starting-up. (is that not what they always tell you at Weight Watchers - you are building muscle ?) Anyway, good on ya mate. kevin

So I know this is probably on the forum and for the life of me I can't find any posts to fit what I'm asking, so I'm putting this out there. I may be just spoiled from consistently losing every week (except for a short lived plateau around Christmas time) and I'm really happy with my progress, but today I stepped on for my weekly weigh in and had gained a little over a pound. I track on MFP every little morsel and have been walking 5-6 days a weeks around 2/4 miles a day and my calories ranged from 700-1200 over this week and my protein and carbs were on target (this is all I'm supposed to watch per my NUT), so not sure what is going on. I should probably just not worry about it and see what happens next week. But any thoughts? LBT is very supportive and I may just need this, as I know this is not much of a weight gain, but as I'm sure some of you can understand, weight gain (no matter how much/little it is) is hard to accept when you are doing everything right and want to get away from obesity.

I didn't lose weight my first three weeks, in fact I maintained the hospital five pound weight gain. Now its six weeks and about forty pounds down. Be patient with your body and kind to yourself. Good luck, it will come.

I am a 37 year old male that has always struggles with my weight. Multiple diets that did nothing more than induce degrees of yo-yo weight gain/loss. I have been a type 1 diabetic since age 7, and now deal with type 2 as well. I have finally made the decision to consider VSG. I am in the baby stages. I have gone to the first seminar and have scheduled my first appointment. I am a bit nervous of the road ahead, but with a brand new baby at home, and my co-morbidities, I fear not seeing her graduate high school even more. I am seeing Dr. Jeffrey Johnsrud at St. Josephs in OC. The whole process is intimidating to me down to and including complications. I am an ICU Nurse and see a lot of normal procedure go wrong, but I keep telling myself I only see a small fraction of bad when overwhelmingly results are great.

I was always very thin until about ten years ago when I gradually started putting on weight. I'm a 55 year old female. Until I was about thirty I was very self conscious about being so thin. (5'6" 120 lbs). When i was in my mid forties, i experienced several life changing events that affected me greatly and I found comfort in food. Over the past ten years I've gained 90 lbs. and feel miserable in my body. I stopped working out and allowed thoughts of food to consume me. It seems it takes a ridiculous amount of food to feel satisfied and full. So the weight gain continues. I've tried several diet programs, traveled across the country to weight loss and fitness camps, only to return to my usual poor eating habits and inactivity. I researched weight loss surgeries and after consulting with my dr., decided on the sleeve. I've done all of my prelimary ore op tests and am awaiting approval from my insurance company. My BMI is at 35, which may make it difficult for the approval I have only told one family member about my intentions and do not plan to tell anyone else. My family lives out

I think one way to get an inkling of whether the band will suit you or not, is to look at your eating patterns. The band restricts you from eating large volumes of food. If your weight problem is more caused by over eating than by eating junk food and high fat/high sugar, then you are more likely to adjust well to it and be successful. If your weight gain is more from too much chocolate, the band will still help control your hunger pangs but you must supply the willpower to eat healthy food instead of indulging your sweet tooth. Unfortunately, the band doesn't stop you eating crisps and icecream :tongue2: Really take stock of what you eat and compare the meal sizes and frequency, including Snacks, with that of your skinniest friends. I've always known that my problem wasn't that I ate a lot of junk, I ate some sure, but not a lot. My problem was that I ate really huge meals and did absolutely no exercise. The point came home to me clearly after being banded when one night I was eating dinner with a couple of very slim girls from work. I was all proud of myself for my tiny portion and wondered if they'd say anything, when I realised that their portions were just as tiny - they ate like that all the time. What I had considered normal was the same portion that a large man doing heavy physical work would eat (and probably still gain weight on). The band works if you work with it. It has freed me from the hunger daemon and allowed me to make healthy choices because I am no longer compelled by a frenzied desire to wolf down everything in sight. Best thing I ever did for myself.

I think many of us feel the same way! I think it is common for the band fills to kick in, even 1-2 weeks after the fill. Also, I think it is common that once you PB a few times, the stomach is swollen, thus tightening our band. Not to mention, hormones, time of day, etc. My motto with fills is...if more often than not you are too tight, then you may need a slight unfill. I HATE being too tight. Also, with the quick weight gain. Sometimes, if I am too tight (low calories) over time, then bamm I am loose and can eat more, my weight loss slows or I even gain a pound or two. I attribute this to my metabolism slowing, due to low calories/starvation mode. Then, once I can eat more my metabolism is still on "slow speed" and takes a while to speed up. Your body want to conserve the food (energy) it is receiving. Give it awhile, those pounds will come off. Shawn

Hey everyone. I had my surgery on 04/18. So ten days have gone by. The first week I struggled getting 2oz of protein shake per day down. And would attempt to drink water. Now, I'm on soft foods. But I'm gaining weight. Is this normal. I was down 7 lbs since surgery and now I'm back up a pound and a half. What's really going on? Has anyone had similar issues?

I am 41 years old, married to a wonderful man, and the mother of two young adult children. I hope that my Lap Band story will inspire others whose lives – like mine - have been disrupted by serious weight gain... and then restored. I am the happiest person now: happy with my body, grateful for the opportunity I took to change my life, and excited about life each and every day. I went from 254 pounds to 137 and will soon reach my goal of 130. It's still unbelievable to me to have the life back that I thought I'd never have again. I wasn't always obese and drained of energy and self-confidence. Years ago, I weighed a fairly steady 145 pounds and had an hourglass figure. At 5' 6", I was slim on top and carried more weight in my hips, but I was well within the range of normal and I led an active life. I was in good shape, working out 5 or 6 times a week and I'm an OB/Gyn Medical Assistant, so that means being on my feet all day long. I was also disciplined and consistent in my eating and exercising habits and all together, that was enough to keep myself looking fit over the years. During my first pregnancy, I continued to eat well and exercise regularly. I gained a very typical 35 pounds, and lost it all in six months by simply eating well and resuming my usual workout routine. I felt good about that and just went back to living my normal life. My problems began during my second pregnancy when I suddenly developed dangerously high blood pressure and toxemia. I was given steroid injections, and had to be hospitalized twice for high blood pressure. At 28 weeks, I was put on complete bed rest and, at 33 weeks, underwent an emergency C-section. I was very fortunate to survive and to bring a healthy baby girl into the world, because I was close to having a stroke when they took her. The doctors said that either one of us could have died due to the severity of my medical condition. My metabolism was completely different after that. I had gained 80 pounds during the pregnancy and weeks of bed rest and I couldn't get the weight off after my daughter was born no matter how hard I tried. And I tried everything: Jenny Craig, NutriSystem, and many other diet and exercise plans. The fact is that I had a new body, and I didn't know how to make it do what it used to do. My weight gain was steady and terrifying, despite my best efforts, and it got to the point where I hated looking at myself in the mirror. During the years that followed, I kept trying to get into shape. I exercised, I did MediFast shakes, and I continued trying new diets but nothing worked. I would lose 40 pounds and it would come right back on, and I wasn't a junk food eater. You can imagine how frustrating it was: no matter how careful I was, no matter how hard I worked out, nothing changed. I just kept gaining weight and it was heart wrenching. I cried so much, and endured criticism from certain people who said, "Gosh, you were so slender before. Why can't you lose the weight?" They just didn't understand. I thought I'd always be like that: fat, with no energy, and deeply unhappy. On the outside, I put up a good front and people were always telling me, "You look so happy!" That's because I kept my feelings inside, but I literally felt uncomfortable in my own skin. In the meanwhile, my oldest daughter was grappling with a weight problem herself, something she likely inherited from her father's side of the family. She started going online and exploring gastric bypass surgery. I understood how she felt and thought if she wants to do something about this, it's important and I'm going to help her any way I can because I know how she feels. I attended one of Dr. Haiavy's seminars on lap band surgery not long after that to see if it might help my daughter. After the seminar, I decided to make an appointment for her to consult with him and it occurred to me that maybe I should get one myself. So, I made appointments for both of us. That was the real turning point, when I began to have hope. I found out that it wasn't me – I actually had a metabolic problem. During my consultation, it turned out that my daughter wasn't overweight enough to qualify for the procedure, which is reserved for those who are significantly overweight. During my own consultation with Dr. Haiavy, we went over my health history and pregnancies. He told me that my metabolic system had been altered by the second pregnancy, and wasn't functioning normally. He also confirmed my belief that even if I lost weight, it would come back. I was so relieved! He was putting words to my experience, and validating what I had been through. Now that I knew what the problem was, I could focus on finding a solution. I decided that I wanted to undergo the lap band surgery. I felt absolutely clear about the decision, despite the changes I would have to make in my lifestyle afterwards. Dr. Haiavy told me all about the procedure and the pros and cons, and answered my questions. He also referred me to a dietician for a consultation. Then I waited for about a month until my insurance company determined that they would approve the surgery. During the consultations, I learned what I would and wouldn't be able to eat following lap band surgery, and which Vitamins I would have to take for the rest of my life to make up for what I wouldn't be able to absorb. I learned that bariatric patients have to take chewable vitamins at much higher dosage levels than regular Multivitamins in order to get enough nutrition. I take Bariatric Advantage, which is packed with B6, B12, Calcium, zinc, vitamins E, D, A, K, and so on. I was excited the day of the surgery and it went well. Going in, being prepped, talking to Dr. Haiavy, and having the procedure done in Dr. Haiavy's surgical center...it was quick and I wasn't nervous. It only took about an hour and a few hours later I was able to go home. The recovery process was surprisingly quick and uneventful. I was definitely sore and stayed down for two days, but I only missed three days of work since I scheduled before the weekend. I was on a liquid diet – including Jell-O, broth, and a little yogurt. I was definitely tired that first week back to work, but I got through it and after that I felt fine. The eating reality after lap band surgery requires a change in lifestyle and there's no getting around it. You can only eat 3 or four ounces of food at a time, a tablespoon of this and a tablespoon of that because that's all your stomach can hold at any given time. It was strange at first. I tended to over-serve myself, proving the saying that your eyes (and brain) are bigger than your stomach! You think you can eat more, because your brain says you can, and it has to adjust to your new physical reality. I started using a baby spoon to make sure I didn't take big bites of food, and I still use one because it works. There are foods you can't have, such as rice, Pasta, bread, and French fries, but I don't mind the diet change for the most part. It's a little tougher if I'm in a restaurant. I have to be very careful and I usually order fish, mashed potatoes, and a vegetable – eating a little, and taking the rest home for a meal the next day. It sounds like a big sacrifice, but the bottom line is that I wanted to be at a normal weight more than anything and it's well worth it. It takes awhile to adapt, because you have to eat consciously and carefully. It took a few months for me to make all the adjustments, but I got used to it. Then the weight just falls off! I had my surgery in June of 2009 and lost 10 pounds the first week, then four additional pounds during the next month. It didn't seem like enough at the time, but Dr. Haiavy had told me I would need to be patient and that weight loss happens differently for each person. The band itself has to be adjusted properly and it takes awhile to figure that out. Well, he was right. I lost another 15 pounds, then another 12, and then the rest of it followed. I went from 256 pounds to 138 (my goal weight is 135) and it it's just been amazing. The interesting thing is that I used to be too thin on top and somewhat bottom-heavy, but when I lost all the weight, my body changed. My weight actually redistributed itself and now my body is more balanced – top and bottom – and it looks better than it ever did before. I'm completely proportioned now. I did so well that Dr. Haiavy invited me to come to a seminar he was having for other doctors, to share my experience, and I agreed. When his office manager saw me, she couldn't believe the change in me! She said, "You look amazing!" and that made me feel so good. The doctors had the same reaction, because I didn't look like I'd lost a lot of weight. I just looked normal, as if I'd never been fat. It was a wonderful experience for me. I exercised consistently during the months I was losing and it made a big difference. I found a cheap exercise bike I liked it because it had a feature that enabled me to move my arms while I pedaled, and I was on that bike 5 days a week, 45 minutes at a time. I also used ankle weights on my arms and circled them around to tone my upper arms, but I didn't do any weight lifting or other kinds of exercise. I just stayed with it. The transformation from Size 22 to Size 4. A funny thing happened during that time. I had no clothing that fit me, so I went to a department store and found, to my delight, that I could fit into a size 14 pair of jeans. I was thrilled! A month later, I went back and fit (snugly) into size 12. I thought, 'Well, I can't keep going in and buying jeans I only wear for a few weeks before they don't fit,' but less than a month later, I was back at the store again and it was size 10, then 8, then 6...and finally Size 4. Incredible! I never imagined I could be a Size 4 person, but I am. My life now: words can't express it. I still bike and I like to take walks in the hills around my home. Of course, I work on my feet too so I get plenty of exercise. My cholesterol levels are great and my blood pressure was 112 over 70 the last time it was checked. And I continue to wear Size 4. I'm so happy... and before I was crying on the inside all the time. My husband has been incredibly supportive all along and didn't know how unhappy I was. Now sometimes I glance at myself in the mirror and say, "Oh, my gosh! It's me!" The feeling is...well words just can't express it. I'm so happy with who I am now, and with the way that I look and the amount of energy I have. Every time I get an invitation in the mail for a social gathering, I say, "Oh, RSVP...I'm going!" My daughter was able to have the lap band procedure done two weeks before I had mine. She's also 5' 3" tall and she went from 254 pounds to 137 pounds, on her way to her weight goal of 130. We can wear jeans, little summer dresses, and shorts, and it's so much fun to shop for clothing now. Recently, I went to a wedding and recalled how awful it was for me - to be so heavy and to dread having to go to events where I had to find something nice to wear. This time, it was like a celebration, and I found the most beautiful dress. Having lap band surgery is not a cop out and it's not the easy way out. I'm often asked, "Why was the lap band surgery so successful for you?" Well, the answer is simple: I was compliant. Some people have the surgery and they're looking for a miracle, but they don't want to do the work it takes to get the best long-term results. But I knew I had to do the work. My doctor told me, "it's 40% surgery and 60% the patient." I took that to heart. You have to eat right, you have to exercise, and you have to make these changes permanent. I never miss an appointment with my doctor. I eat what I was supposed to eat and I learned quickly that you really have to do what your doctor tells you to do. I've heard people say that having the surgery is taking the easy way out. Well, I say, 'No it isn't!' It's harder, in a way, because you have to give up a lot. It was important for me to know that I had to do the work. If you're considering lap band surgery, here's what I'd like to share with you. I want to tell you the truth. It's not easy. You have to work at it. There are many foods I can no longer eat, and I'll always have to eat tiny amounts of food at any meal. You have to do what your doctor tells you to do. You have to really, really want it. You need to exercise and you have to train yourself not to cheat on your diet. But, you have choices. You can be fat or you can be slim and give up certain foods. It's not a big loss, when you look at what you can be, and you don't really miss the things you give up after awhile. You look great and you feel good about yourself and it changes your life in so many positive ways. If you put in the effort, the payoff is phenomenal. Give them a call, they really took great care of me at Surgical Arts of Inland Empire. 909-579-3111 or their website at www.surgicalartsinlandempire.com

Hi PEvette- I actively sought therapy prior to getting sleeved for resolution with my food issues. Like you, I had been heavy since I was a child but I managed to drop 80 lbs. on three different occasions and then promptly gain it all plus 10 lbs. back. I wanted to figure out why I have done this, why food had such a hold on me and whatever I needed to know to finally be successful. The therapist I choose helped me with all aspects of my life because, really, all aspects of my like contributed to my dependency on food. She then helped me discover where my relationship with food went wrong, what my triggers were for poor choices and how to change my behaviors. The work we did before surgery was huge in prepping me mentally for life with a small stomach. I continued to see her for the first four months post-op as I found that I needed a sounding board as I worked out my new lifestyle. I stopped seeing her for about 6 months and just last week popped in for a "check up". It seems I am hung up at 205 and I am making poor choices keeping me here. I actually have anxiety about what life will be like once I get under 200 (totally weird, I know). Anyway, having that pre-established relationship allowed me to drop in and work on getting my head right. Basically, she helped me recognize that I fear that once I hit goal I will start to gain again like in the past. Long story short, I am big fan of using a therapist in this journey. I believe our head/emotions are big part of what lead to the weight gain and this tool will not be effective unless we get those right. I figured that if I was willing to permanently remove 80% of my stomach, then I better be willing to talk with someone to make sure this tool worked forever. But, this is just me and my experience. Others may feel differently. Best of luck to you on your journey! Amanda

My name is Carlie. I am 27 years old and I have struggled with weight my entire life. I live in Tucson, Arizona. I love to travel, volunteer, dance, workout, run, exercise, hike, rock climb, play the violin, go to movies, listen to music and spend time with my family. I was banded two weeks ago. I am trying to change old patterns. I love eating anything unhealthy (donuts, Cookies, candy, ice cream etc.), but up until now have maintained a decent weight. Recently, since December I have gained 70 pounds, which is the most I have ever weighed equalling 192. My weight gain was extremely rapid. I have a scary family medical family history. I am excited to have the band, but I feel I am not following all the rules. I don't think I am doing everything I am supposed to. Please help. Sincerely, Carlie:eek:

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in 1993. I've been on medication ever since and regardless of how much weight I've gained or lost, the need for medication hasn't changed. I still go in every 12 months for re-evaluation and testing-- and sometimes more often if I'm feeling like it needs to be adjusted. I was banded in December, and though I've only lost 50 pounds, I'm currently weighing in at my lowest in 15 years. Once the medication is properly adjusted, I feel much more like my old self. I still struggled with carrying extra weight and all that entailed until being banded. I was more tired, less likely to engage in anything physical--just getting up every day was a struggle at 300 pounds. While I'm sure my thyroid contributed to my initial weight gain, I can't claim that I got to 300 because of it.....my meds are on target and I still kept the weight. I had to change my lifestyle, and only the band helped me do that. Good luck. It does take a while to get your medication on the right track--like upwards of 6 months, but it will make a huge difference. It just requires patience. Hope it all works out for you.

I went for my 1st doctor visit today as I was sleeved on Jan 17th and had a few complications. I was on an IV for 4 days and I could not drink by mouth. So today when I went to have my 1st checkup I had gained 3lbs. I was in total shock. How could this be I have been on liquids for 4 weeks and gained 3lbs. The doctor explained to me it was just Water weight due to the IV. I am so frustrated and hope I made the right choice. I have not done anything that I shouldn't have and I want this to work. Need suggestions please.

Congratulations!! You are doing the hardest part right now. I know six months sounds like a really long time, but it will go much quicker than you anticipate. Also, take this time to really study your habits and your motivations. The prep work you do makes a huge difference in how you feel during and after the surgery. I actually liked (afterwards... not during lol) that I had to do a pre-surgery thing because when I went in for my surgery there were no surprises and following the diet afterwards was easier because I knew what to expect and because I had already worked on some of the emotions behind the weight gain. Congrats again Courntey! I was you a year ago and now I have had my surgery and I am nearly 90 lbs down It was the best thing I ever did for myself!

Hi- I have been considering WLS for the past year. I have been overweight for about 10 years. Most of my weight gain has been caused by the hunger that has been driven by the medication I take. I don't have insurance, because in Canada it is difficult to get insurance. I have saved my money and now I am going to meet with my doctor. Overall I am healthy; no major illnesses, except for the Bipolar. My main depression is driven by my weight to be honest, so I REALLY want to get WLS. My fear is that because I am bipolar, I will be denied. We don't do psych consults here, but just the same...I am very nervous. I see this proceedure part of the solution to help get myself on track. But I am afraid to be let down. My question does anyone who has WLS also suffer from serious mental illness or bipolar, and did you have problems getting the WLS? Were the doctors concerned by your mental illness. As a side note for the most part I have been stable for the last year. Was anyone denied based on mental illness? I am very committed. I just need some feed back...and more importantly hope.

Did you spend the night in the hospital? How long were you on IV fluids? I spent the night and was on IV's the whole time. My understanding is there is a lot of glucose in them. Between that and the constant intake of fluids, weight gain is going to happen. I weighed 7 pounds more when I left the hospital than when I went in. The good news is, that weight will probably come off in your first week at home.

The lap band did not work too well for me. I guess because I worked around it. I had a lot of restriction and only lost 26 lbs in the first year. Well I had an ovary erupt due to a tumor. Ever since then I have been maxed out on my fills and losing weight FAST. I'm down 100lbs. Everyone says you can be too full. No I think thats a bunch of crap. I got some taken out so I could just eat small amounts and I gained weight. I got another fill and it started falling back off. I dont diet I dont exercise. I eat maybe a cup of food a day. I think some women have hormone problems and dont realize what that has to do with weight gain.

Zoe, I'm sorry to hear about your back trouble. I really hope that the steroids help you asap so that you can feel better and not have to worry about those things causing any weight gain. I'm struggling a little also with weight gain, but mine seems to be attributed to lack of finding the oh so ever sweet fill spot A little background... I have the Swedish band that holds 10-11cc's, so it's the larger band... I flew back to Monterrey for my first fill. I was filled to 5.0cc's (no significant restriction felt) A month after that, I had my second fill with Dr. Houston. He filled me to 6.4cc's. (perfect restriction, a little too tight at first, but I hung in there and it loosened up) On February 19, I was in Monterrey with a couple of ladies who were getting lapband surgery, and Dr. Rodriguez said that he would give me a fill if I wanted/needed one. Since I was already planning on getting another fill soon, I took him up on his offer. (No restriction at all after this fill, as a matter of fact, I felt wide open again) A week ago Friday I went back to Dr. Houston for another fill. (Still no restriction) He said that I only had 4.5cc's in my band. I knew that my restriction had disappeared, not sure what happened in Mexico. Dr. Houston filled me to 6.2cc's using flouro. He said that he didn't want to go any tighter than that based on what he saw on the screen. Last Friday I went in to Dr. Houston for yet another fill, this time he filled me to 7.8cc's! I thought for sure this would do the trick, but to no avail, I still have very little restriction. I'm kind of giving up (for now) on fills....I'm going to see how I do over the next 4 weeks. I keep gaining a couple pounds, then putting myself on a stricter diet and it taking a couple weeks for me to lose those two pounds. Hopefully I will reach that "sweet spot" again with my fill level and start the losing ways again. For now, I'm just kind of frustrated, but have worked too hard to start gaining weight again so I'm going to be extra careful about what I eat and start moving (ugh) a little more. At least the weather is starting to get nicer, maybe I'll be more enthusiastic about riding my bike again. Hang in there! Hopefully you can discontinue the steroids soon~

welcome to the site. Congratulations on the weightloss so far. Weight gain is not a good thing but it happens and I`ve had my fair share during the course of my weightloss journey. Are you due a fill? If you`re not restricted enough, my advice will be to get a fill instead of struggling along. Good luck and Happy New Year to you.