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Ridiculous. My child's OPINION on my situation pre op, does not make it fact! Nor does it change this actual topic. You can't "help" me like a sleeve. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App In your post, you said you have a food addiction... you said it yourself. That's what she's referring to, not what your daughter said! Sent from my SM-G930T using the BariatricPal App I did briefly discuss food addiction. I presented to be assessed. No food addiction. Turns out most humans have the desire to eat food. Go figure? I felt that I was overeating because I gained weight. A two year nutrition assessment showed that my diet tended toward no cook carbs (sandwiches etc) due to my disability. I have been bedbound and housebound for several protracted periods in the past five years. Resulting in weight gain. Thank you for your indepth interest in my personal story. Each post raises more awareness of my story. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Ridiculous. My child's OPINION on my situation pre op, does not make it fact! Nor does it change this actual topic. You can't "help" me like a sleeve. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App Okay, this is going to be my last post directed towards you specifically. You somehow managed to miss the entire point even though I put it in bold. The point is that now that you're post op you're blaming your weight gain on your situation and specifically saying that you didn't have a problem with food and the entire thing wasn't your fault. When you were pre op, however, you blamed an addiction towards food and said that you couldn't stop overeating. You can't have it both ways, that was the point. It had nothing to do with your daughter. Sounds like you change your story depending on what suits you best. Once again, best of luck.

I initially empathised with the situation myself being a few weeks in. But the more I read the more I question why ? I don't like seeing false accusations of bullying... Know one here is bullying anyone. However there are many caring posts trying to point out and correct various under thought careless inaccurate statements that have been made. And how ridiculous some seem to them. Everyone has an opinion and is entitled to it. I don't think anyone is obsessed by this thread. Unfortunately anyone posting will get follow up emails pointing new posts out. Most logical people seem infuriated that the gastric sleeve is being portrayed as useless. When if weight loss occurs it is working. It is only useless if given to someone who carelessly made their medical team believe it would work for them. This can be done by someone portraying themselves as medically and mentally fit to cope with having the operation. I have just read a statement referencing mental instability and the use of counselling. No councillor worth their weight would sit reading this thread with a client laughing! It is blatantly clear to everyone with any intelligence that we all individually have to ultimately take responsibility for our own actions and decisions. If we have had the gastric sleeve and regret it that is our own personal problem. The gastric sleeve is nothing more than a simple operation where you have your stomach made smaller. With one aim to lose weight and control it. There is nothing that can go wrong unless you unfortunately get a leak. This is avoided by following all your post op directions given to everyone who has the operation here in the UK. Nothing in your body changes. The only difference is everyone having the operation has to take responsibility for changing their habits of a lifetime and learn to eat properly again. This process is difficult but not impossible. It takes support and mental stability to overcome . Newborn babies suffer colic, wind diarrhoea, allergies and numerous health issues while their bodies adjust to food. If a baby can do it I'm sure so can we. It will tell you anywhere that six weeks is not long enough to fully recover from any major surgery. We have all just had major surgery ! I hate my sleeve! What an admission but it's a very personal one. How awful it would be to have to admit that made made a ridiculously wrong decision for myself. If I was unstable I'd try to blame everyone but me. Probably because I was upset and couldn't cope with the thought I was wrong id want to pass the misery into other folks too. If I was stable I'd tell people I was a fool and if they where considering having the operation to make sure they researched and researched. It wasn't right for me but it does work for many . We must think very logically before complaining the gastric sleeve was not right for us only a few months after the operation. Our bodies minds and diets need a long time to adjust. There is no way in a few months this can happen. Any intelligent adult would wait and make sure they have made a full recovery. We can't make a fully informed decision like this until at least 1-3 years post surgery because everyone is different. By that time we will have reached already our lowest possible weight. We will be healed. We may be gaining again . But hopefully because of personal decisions you will have either succeeded or failed at your initial goal to lose weight and learn to control it. If the gastric sleeve isn't working and there were no post op complications it is a personal problem. We need to ask our support team for help, question what am I doing wrong. If we we are not able to cope with the decision and what we have done. The operation can effect some people mentally. Ask for help. We need to question ourselves why can't I cope ? What can I do to help myself and to make it work? I've just read a statement somewhere on this thread 'I didn't know anything about it ' SERIOUSLY! Come on pull the other one that's Impossible . We all have access to a team of support and the Internet. At any pre-op initial NHS consultation for bariatric surgery we will have been verbally informed exactly what any operation entailed. We are also evaluated and asked what our personal lifestyle and eating habits are like. Know one is just granted this operation thoughtlessly. A lot of people are turned away. If granted the operation on the NHS it's because they consider our obesity to be of serious threat to our health. Having internet access at home anyone with any intelligence making the decision to have a gastric sleeve would start researching. If we didn't do this it only goes prove we don't care about our health. If we don't care why should anyone else care about us ? This type of person is a danger to themselves and yes they should not be given the operation. If? the UKs NHS is actually at fault and have a case to answer too! Here in the UK there is a simple complaints protocol in place that anyone can follow to forward complaint too. The NHS has recently had many major shake ups of hospitals and protocols and It is now more than their jobs worth to treat any complaint with distaste. Their is no fear involved in complaining. They will now bend over backwards to help. I have already read a reference to PALS. http://www.nhs.uk/chq/pages/1082.aspx?CategoryID=68 If? I had a genuine case For malpractice I would not sit on a forum chanting to the world with 'oh woe is me' stamped on my head. I'd pick up the phone and action my concerns today. There are also many medical claims companies that will pursue a claim for anyone. If you can prove you actually have something to complain about. Heres a good link. http://www.patientclaimline.com/?utm_source=PPC&utm_medium=dynamicsa&utm_campaign=medicalnegligence&gclid=CI6ftv6W684CFWUo0wodc-YO5g When given a house moving date by the council, or housing association you have to make a choice do I move? Or don't I ? Know one forces your hand. It's a case again take personal responsibility for our own decisions. We are in control of your own destiny always be logical think what is best for me? If someone is critically ill no healthcare or social team would move you. It would be a case where the candidate would have to prove they where well enough and had enough personal family support to make it possible. CDIFF is nothing to do with the gastric sleeve operation. It is an illness anyone can pick up or carry in our bodies it is sometimes transmitted by poor personal hygiene, and in rare instances during any major surgery. It can generally be caused by over use of antibiotics and a very low immunity due to poor health. CDIFF is highly contagious. If actually diagnosed it would never go untreated! If it is contracted in serious form it can ulcerate the bowel and cause a tear. This need monitoring. In a real emergency symptoms would be high fever and serious illness you would be immediately hospitalised. CDIFF is not caught from dirty living and housing conditions. It can only be caught by poor personal hygiene. This is why hospitals use anti bac everywhere and surgeons scrub up prior to operating. C. difficile bacteria and their spores are found in feces. People can get infected if they touch surfaces contaminated with feces and CDIFF spores and then touch their mouth. Healthcare workers can spread the bacteria to their patients if their hands are contaminated. Can CDIFF be treated?Yes, there are antibiotics that can be used to treat CDIFF. If you have a mild case you are given these antibiotics and advised to carefully self care. In severe cases, a person might have to have surgery to remove the infected part of the intestine. This surgery is needed in only 1 or 2 out of every 100 persons with CDIFF. We all know here in the UK the NHS is funded by our tax contributions however we do not pay enough it is severely underfunded. That is why there are hospitals closing and we have a general shortage of doctors and nurses. Limited care and pay disputes... I have also read references to this. You would have paid nearly £10000 for this op privately. I was too was immobile on heavy medication this all contributed to my problems. However more importantly I stopped exercising. I also ate more calories in a day than I needed. Hence the weight gain. It is a scientific fact. This is why we become over weight. Hospital operation appointments are not rushed. They always ask you have you got any questions. You sign pre- op consent form to say you are happy to have the operation. We must take responsibility for our own decisions. If they are uninformed it is our own fault. Operations are definitely not rushed at all. I have now just read quote "in the pre-op stream people think surgeries should stop for now, while the team concentrate on treating veterans that are sick" My opinion here is this actually an activist statement. It could be instigated by people who dislike the NHS paying to help the obese ? Is this a deliberate attempt to undermine those who have had or are thinking of bariatric surgery? Bariatric surgery is done by a bariatric specialist, they cant mend hearts, age related problems or broken legs? If I said I was losing too much weight and I didn't like it. Folks would laugh at me. Considering the reason I had a gastric sleeve was to lose weight. in the first few months the weight loss is faster . It does slow down. Eventually we learn to control what we lose by how much we consume in a day. It's part of the learning curve. No point in me having a lazy attitude I've got to learn to take responsibility and help myself. Again it's down to being mentally stable intelligent and choosing to do the right thing. Firstly by ringing your support team, group , doctor and getting proper advice . But only we can action that. This site gives you all the information you need. The only thing it can't help you with is your own personal journey... http://www.bariatric-surgery-source.com/bariatric-treatment.html We definitely don't lose the support of your bariatric team only three months after having the operation. We all get follow up appointments. A few weeks months in its all still very very early days. We all need to make sure we get the right help we need. We need to be honest and let the proper people know we need help if we are not coping and struggling. This is a hard journey for any of us to make. But the health improve the that can be made by losing weight would make anyone's life more bearable. I was disabled and on crutches at Christmas. This morning I ran down the stairs to answer the door to the postman. Need I say more... Given time things will get better. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'm so glad that you don't have to deal with the severe cramping; it's the worst part of PCOS, in my opinion. It feels as if someone is squeezing your ovaries as hard as they can, while sticking a knife in them. I just can't imagine how anyone is able to deal with this kind of pain for longer than 2 days. LOL that day, I really did stay in the tub for 2 hours. It was awful. Then I got the shower head, and yeah... You know where I'm going with this. It looked like 4-5 red beta fish fell out of me (good lord that's nasty). What's weird about PCOS is that you don't always have to have cysts on your ovaries. They come and go, but they happen more often than the normal amount. I was given an ultrasound once, and they didn't see any. I always thought that was weird, but it's very possible. The rapid weight gain, testosterone, and irregular periods tells me you definitely have PCOS. I hope this surgery helps us lessen and even completely cure it. >_<

Wow @@Hiraeth you have gone through the wringer! Hoping your symptoms ease up after surgery. I went for a year without a period. 6 weeks post op It came back like it never left. It wasn't painful (never has been) just mild cramping streak of blood when I wipe. It usually would pick up overnight going into day 2 and 3 but again no pain. I used to pass heavy clots in the toilet years back but that didn't last for very long. Anyways day 4 it starts to ease up, day 5 and 6 light spotting then its done. Day 2 and 3 I wear 2 tampons an overnight pad and a pantyliner because I'm OCD like that and I can't have any accidents. I would imagine if they were really heavy like yours I don't know what I'd do!!! Maybe live in the tub? lol. Skin is clear, no excess hair. I have had some skin changes over the years. My face is duller, and dryer, as well as the rest of the skin on my body but I always attributed that to my lack of Water intake. I try to moisturize and exfoliate to compensate. I imagine now that my diet has changed and I'm more conscious about my water intake my skin will get it's healthy glow back. Other than that I'm sure I've had some symptoms especially with having high testosterone levels-- I've been moody, more irritable but that's been going on for years now so it's hard to say but I started noticing it shortly after my diagnosis I'm just used to It now. So mainly my symptoms included absence of periods dry, dull skin infertility (I have 2 but have not used any form of birth control since my 2nd and no pregnancy's) Mood changes due to high testosterone I was diagnosed after discussing symptoms with my OBGYN Rapid weight gain within 2 years, highly irregular cycles, blood work showed high testosterone levels and insulin resistance (6.2 hemoglobin a1c) ultrasound negative for ovarian cysts.

Kudos to you and your decision to go through with it... I do not and I repeat DO NOT plan on walking around with an unreasonable amount of loose skin. I don't imagine I'll have a lot but after losing 110 lbs much can be expected. I'm going to a seminar in Sept at my surgeons clinic about cosmetic surgery following bariatric surgery. I am looking to get it as soon as I can if I have to. I know for sure boobs. I had them before weight gain but they were on the droopy side so... yeah I'm doing that. I'm watching my tummy. Never really had one prior to weight gain... when I 've lost in the past it always snatched back. Its pulling in real nicely right now thanks to PLANK TWISTS but again 110 lbs later who knows. I hadn't thought about arms and thighs until the last year. So I'm trying to figure out which is more important to me right now and so far 1. Boobs 2. Arms and Tummy are in for a close 2nd 3. Butt 5. Thighs I would probably never do that much plastic surgery in my lifetime. So it's likely I may pick 2-3 body parts and make it count in one procedure. Keep us posted on your progress!!! Wishing you a peaceful and speeeeeeeeedy recovery.

My dr gave me Seroquel XR to help my bipolar and anxiety but I've read that Seroquel slows your metabolism and I want to know if anyone had these issues and what meds are you taking that seems to work. I have Xanax for my anxiety but I need something for my bipolar issues. They said even if you don't eat with the Seroquel you're still gonna gain weight. I need some insight. Thank you. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hi, @@ava32! I really am sorry to hear you have to deal with fat-shamers at work. That's got to be all kinds of stressful. Tuning it out is definitely the way to go! (Though, I don't know that I'd have that much restraint and grace, honestly.) I told a very small handful of people I'm close to, but they were carefully selected. Not even my brother knows. Right now I'm a full-time student, so I don't have to deal with co-workers but I won't be telling any of my professors or classmates. My health is nobody's business unless I want to make it so. Please don't feel pressured to tell people if you don't want to. People are nosey and will probably ask what kind of surgery you're having when you ask for time off, but you're not obligated to inform them. All you have to say is that you're having surgery to explain why you need the recovery time off and if they ask what it's for, you can tell them you prefer to keep your health and medical details to yourself. There is no shame in being quiet about it. They don't have to like it, they just have to respect it. As far as dealing with the stigma of not losing it on my own, maybe I'm an outlier here, but I don't really care? I've been fat since I was probably 9 years old after a trauma triggered my weight gain. I picked up habits from family and voila, here we are. I was 11 when I went on my first diet, not self-imposed. I've tried at least once a year, had some successful times, and used a number of methods, but nothing worked. I always gained it back. There have been COUNTLESS things I've missed out on because of my weight. Because of my weight, I don't really live anymore. I have been simply existing for the last 20 years. It's felt like being trapped behind a plate of glass while watching everyone else live their lives. I'm adventurous and actually enjoy working out, hiking, running, outdoorsy stuff, but for the most part, I can't because of my back and knee pain. What I want most in the world is to one day have a family. Someone I love, kids, dogs, etc. I want to really be there in the moment instead of in my head worrying about the pain, how hot I am, how I look, my shorts riding up or cutting into my tummy, etc. I don't want to pass my eating habits or lack of activity and enthusiasm to my future hypothetical children. That is something I would feel guilty about. I do not at all feel guilty for taking advantage of better living through science and medicine. Having the surgery doesn't mean there's no work involved. Figuring out your diet, managing that during your busy life, making a commitment to working out...those are things you will be doing after the surgery. The very same things someone would be doing who did not have WLS. You'll be doing just as much work as they will. The only difference is that for people who have WLS, doing those things on their own have already proven to not work. The surgery gives you a tool to help it work. It gives you a boost, but it definitely isn't work-free. Please stay true to what is right for you and don't let the obtuse, judgemental opinions of anyone else drive you away from staying true to you. You are doing this for you, not for anyone else. Your opinion is the only one that matters here. Sent From BariatricPal App

No, You may see a Water weight gain throughout your journey but In order for you to gain weight from fat you will have to eat extremely off your plan and way over your calorie intake. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'm in month 2 of a 3 month medically supervised diet as required by my insurance. My first month I lost 17 lbs. This last month I had a harder time staying on track and also weighed in when I was seriously bloated from menstruation. As a result, I gained 8 lbs. I'm terrified that insurance won't approve me. I'm confident that I can lose this month and that I will have lost weight overall during the 3 month period, but I can't erase that +8 for this months weigh-in. Please, if anyone has gone through this, can you tell me how insurance handled it? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I haven't had any cortisone injections post-op (nor do I ever plan on getting them again) but I had to respond because it was cortisone injections that caused my first significant weight gain as an adult. I was a relatively thin person until I was given steroid injections to treat pain caused by a car accident. I gained 30 lbs very quickly. Steroids cause weight gain. They also have a myriad of other unpleasant side effects. I avoid them unless there are absolutely no other treatment options.

I have a question. I feel like since I will be having this surgery I am eating more. Ugh I ate so much today I got sick to my stomach can't figure this out. I need to get control. Has this happened to any of you? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

A few weeks ago I got the insurance approval from Cigna and my doctor said a surgery date for October 17th of this year was approximately is about 52 days from now... Yesterday, much to my surprise, I got a call from my doctor saying that there was a cancellation and that they were wondering if I wanted to move my surgery date up to September 19th of this year which is 23 days from now... I had a moment where I got really nervous and fearful and a little panicky going from 52 days to 23 days and 10 seconds is quite a lot to prepare yourself for dot dot dot worrying about my bills and the time off from work and this and that took me by surprise... And then I took a deep breath and I realize that in 23 days my life will be completely different... Little back story about me I grew up very active I played softball my whole life I went to state twice I went to college on a softball scholarship and have numerous trophies from weightlifting where I still currently hold the record and woman squats at 425 pounds and bench press @ 140 pounds at my high school... So to say that I was always very sick would be an understatement although I was still Baker I guess my goal weight is 135 140 whereas in high school I was around 1:55 160 but I was very strong I had a lot of muscle... And then I went to college and I just started gaining weight I still worked out I still was his ass if I just could not lose weight I didn't know what was going on I just thought it was a really bad case of the Freshman 15 then I started noticing that I wasn't having a menstrual cycle or it was very irregular and about three years of going through weight gain fluctuating and all that I went to the doctor... I was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome when I was 21 in 3 years I had gained 80 pounds and I went from 162 to 240 pounds... I had always been active I still was active I just couldn't go to sleep we tried various options of metformin and hormone supplements to try to treat all didn't work I didn't lose any way you could just got sick... I waited 5 years... 5 years to go back to the doctor because I was ashamed of myself I was afraid they were going to tell me that I was incredibly unhealthy and that I was doing something wrong finally after 3 years of not actually having a single menstrual cycle and went to the doctor... I told them that I have had a personal trainer for 12 months who also help me with nutrition and meal planning and in that 12 months I have lost 7 pounds that was it I work out 5 times a week for 90 minutes and all I lost was 7 pounds when I went to the doctor I went for a weight loss supplements... And that was when he weighed me and that my biggest I was 288 pounds with a BMI of 49.5... And that's when it hit me I went from a BMI of 9 249.5 in less than 10 years... He didn't hit me with some statistics on my family history and blood pressure and the fears of cancer for people with polycystic ovarian syndrome in my family history and then he hit me with the biggest statistic I've ever heard... Without bariatric surgery, my chances of conceiving a child was that a mere 8%... I can handle being big I can handle high blood pressure and maybe people staring at me and looking at me like I'm huge for people from high school not recognizing me but it was the thought of never having my own child that sent me over the edge that was when I decided that this was it something that I could delay any longer sure when I was 21 and the last thing on my mind was having a child that has a seizure at 26 it's a very real... So in April I decided that I was going to have bariatric surgery I did everything that my doctor asked and then some followed insurance policies and procedures and in the Five Short months I got approval now to some people this is a chance to look at it as Samantha a chance to fit into that little black dress that makes them feel sexy to have people's head turn and look at you and just say wow look at her but when I got the call saying that I got approval and my surgery date I cried because it was a group of individuals telling me that I get a chance to be a mom I am so happy... I'm so relieved that this is something that I did my life has not been easy I've had to fight tooth and nail for everything that I have and for once I feel like something's on my side I know this is going to be the hardest thing that I've ever had to do but hard things seem a little bit easier when you know that at the end of the line there's a happy ending... I know I can't have children for two years after that surgery and it's going to put you right at the right age when I want to... The surgery means so much more to me then just looking good... This is my happily ever after. this is my chance to be the me that I was supposed to be all along and to be one hell of a mother... Just wanted to share with everybody I might be going through the same thing that I am... Sent from my LGMS631 using the BariatricPal App

Hi, I am 37 and I started my weight loss journey on July 28th. I attended my first nutritional visit on 8-11-16, and i had my psychological visit. I am a new vegetarian. I weighed in at 5'4, 234 with the surgeon, and 241 with my nutritionist. So far I've only lost 3 lbs with this new lifestyle. I have PCOS symptoms of acne, weight gain, irregular periods, mood swings. I'm so frustrated with all of this! Which surgery option is best for my situation? Is there anyone out there with success with PCOS and weight loss surgery? I'm also thinking of going to another surgeon, because every time I call or email them, I get their live voicemail and they won't return my call or email. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using the BariatricPal App

You answered your question. It seems like you know the math and the chemistry more calories=weight gain. Congrats on your results from your hard work, you rock!

@@judy vsg Yes, being hyper kept my weight off for most of my life, but it turned 2 years ago, while still hyper and I had a massive, rapid weight gain. I became one of those 5% hyperthyroid sufferers that gained weight! I did not like my shaking hands, the sweats and feeling hot all the time, the irritability, racing pulse, high blood pressure, horrible headaches, muscle spasms, the runs and insomnia. Now, with treatment most of those symptoms disappeared, except insomnia and feeling hot on and off. Thank you for your well wishes.

@@jenn1, I LOOOOVE that meme! LMAO!!! I LOVE a great leg day...usually takes me two hours to get through my leg workout, and I know it was good when I can barely walk out of that gym! I got back into weight lifting two years ago. I lift 5-6 days a week, breaking up my workouts in various ways. Legs days are always stand alone, the other muscle groups are usually paired with a push and pull exercise, combining bi's and tri's, or chest and bi's, back and shoulders, etc. If I am targeting a specific muscle for growth, I will do stand alone workouts for that muscle as well, working it twice a week/or every 3-4 days. Like some of the others, I do not care about weight gain, as long as it is muscle mass that is packing on. I have actually added about 15 pounds of mass since hitting my lowest post surgery weight. I still wear the same size despite the added weight, I am just a lot leaner and packing extra mass. I have also added a lot of strength since starting this venture. When I first started, I couldn't even squat 95 pounds! Last leg day I got in 6 reps 205 (I haven't maxed out in a while, but after that session I know its increased)! I love lifting, I consider myself an officially addicted bonafide gym rat!!! It just sucks that is so much harder for females to add mass . It's taken me these two years to finally get to point that you can tell I'm packing some mass without having to lift the weight or flex. Anyway, loved the topic...thanks for posting!

I just had the bypass surgery on Monday was discharged yesterday while walking today I stopped at the scale bc I was curious obviously, but I am 5 lbs more than when they weighed me before taking me in to surgery! Has this happened to anyone else? Should I be worried? I also have a low grade fever the nurses didn't think it was anything to worry about. Looking for feedback from anyone who has had the surgery. I wish the nurses were more knowledgeable where I was, my dr was great but they just started doing the gastric bypass at this particular hospital and the nurses did not know much about the proceedure, one even tried giving me a can of ginger ale to help calm my belly. I told her it's a good thing I did alot of research before hand or her giving me that could of caused big problems. I told her the dr had an order in for meds for nausea she was like "oh ok I'll get that from the pharmacy but in the meantime the ginger ale should help" I kept my cool but my husband was furious and let them all know it.. anyway off topic, weight gain after surgery anyone?[emoji36]

@@Katieisin Good luck post op, and I hope all goes well for you. I did not have a band, just the sleeve in March 2016. Initially I had bad reflux problems, and I swapped from rabeprazole to Nexium 40mg, and this worked wonders for me. Now, 5 1/2 months later, I am slowly weaning myself of Nexium, and so far so good. Nexium is long lasting, so I am now taking it every 2nd day, instead of every day. I have lost 28 kg so far, and even though I am not exercising much lately, I still keep losing. I also see my bariatric psychologist for support, and read up a lot on this forum. I have an auto-immune thyroid disease, and this helped my massive, rapid weight-gain in the past 2 years. At 54, I hope you also had your female hormones checked, as an imbalance there can also help weight-gain. You are early post op, and it is great that you are following your post op plan. For me, the only time I had few stalls or small weight gain was when I deviated from my food plan, and had slider foods such as ice-cream or frozen yoghurt in larger quantities. This aggravated my sugar craving, so I stopped eating those foods and substituted fruit instead. I also weaned myself off Equal, and have been using Stevia instead. Much better as Stevia does not play havoc with blood sugar levels. As far as I know, the sleeve has worked for many of us, providing we stick to the food plan and portion sizes. My appetite has diminished significantly at the moment, even though I can now eat slightly larger portions, but with Protein first and eating good food, I am still losing weight. Next step, after I reach my goal weight-gain, will be maintenance. I will see my dietician then, again. So, give it time and good luck! Say hello to Melbourne from me I used to live in Melbourne and in Sydney before Queensland.

I had a very bad episode on vacation last year. I passed out in front of my grand daughter and worse the tide was coming in on the Bay of Fundy. As much as I am now used to this condition it can still rear up even when I am properly maintaining my Protein intake and everything. I find that if I get too excited about something happening it can happen anyway. My count goes down below 2 which 5 is normal. It has caused some issues with my over all health and some weight gain. It is just another symptom of the choices we make regarding what we feel is best for our overall health. Even with this nasty part of it. I am still happy I did it....

Cortisone is a steroid and one of the side effects could be weight gain. I have gotten one cortisone shot before and didn't experience weight gain from that one. However, I took another form of steroids called methylprednisolone and put on over 15 pounds. Please see the link below for more information on cortisone shots: http://www.webmd.com/arthritis/what-are-cortisone-shots . I was diagnosed with a herniated disc several years ago. What I found to be helpful that alleviated ongoing, intermittent back pain (which when it occurred was very excruciating) was Chiropractic treatment. I wish you all the best with getting the weight back off and hope that you can find an alternative treatment to the cortisone shots!

@@Pinkberry2 I don't believe weight gain can be associated with gallbladder removal.

I had to have my gallbladder out in early 2001. I had lost 40 measly pounds in 3 or 4 months on Weight Watchers. My youngest daughter was 3 at the time and I remember telling the surgeon I had experienced a lot of heartburn with her (my fourth pregnancy) He said I probably had gallstones even back then. I gained a lot of weight through 4 pregnancies in 6 years. Anyway, like most of us yo yo dieters I did gain the 40 pounds back, and then some, but I don't think lack of a gallbladder causes weight gain. I did have diarrhea for years off and on after the surgery, but it was better than the churning and burning in my stomach caused by gallstones. Avoiding heavy or fatty foods helped, but WLS people should be doing that anyway. Sent from my Nexus 6P using the BariatricPal App

Hmmm, I hear about stalls, but not much about weight gain unless you're eating carbs. Are you drinking enough liquid and exercising?