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My concern isn't that I'm going to start over eating. My concern is that I'm so afraid of gaining weight that I under eat and then exercise it all off. The protein pack is a small snack pack that I have as breakfast. Every time I have something more substantial, I'm so freaked out that it's going to cause weight gain that I restrict even more and ignore more hunger. Clearly I went from over eating to not eating enough or more substantial foods. My friend said I need to eat more than just enough to survive, that I have to actually eat to live properly and happily. It's just hard to do that these days.

I am 7 years out. I was 168lbs but I’m back to 205. My goal is 170-175lb. Medication changes caused my weight gain.

As @catwoman7 said some of those changes you mentioned are just temporary. Like hair loss usually persists for about 3 months & your hormones settle once you’ve lost most of your weight (oestrogen is stored in fat so as you lose all the excess oestrogen is released into blood stream). Large weight regain can occur because of complacency & people slipping back into old eating habits. It can occur because how they were eating wasn’t sustainable &/or was too restrictive. It didn’t allow them to live their life as they wanted & hindered them doing what they enjoyed. Or they didn’t do the head work to understand & learn to manage their old eating behaviours & what drove them to eat. All things the surgery doesn’t do anything about. But it does give you the time to explore these factors. Also remember the average weight loss at about the three year mark is 60% of the weight that had to be lost. This can include the bounce back ‘resettling’ weight gain, complacency & adjusting to a more flexible eating plan. Or it could just be the weight your body is happier at. Sure there is always a chance to develop an issue that has to be monitored but it’s rare. Comparatively, there are very few complications from weight loss surgery. Some of the issues may not have anything to do with the surgery. I have a protein malabsorption issue. Not from my 3 yr old sleeve but from my gall being removed last year. (Malabsorption issues are very rare with sleeve.) I have low BP. I had a genetic predisposition before surgery now it’s all the time because of my lower weight not the surgery. Gerd is probably the highest risk after sleeve - about 15-20% I believe. But it can be managed or treated by a revision to bypass. Some issues may be revealed because you likely are being monitored medically more closely now then before or your weight & associated comorbidities may have been masking what were pre existing conditions. You’ll likely read & hear about people with problems because they they post to seek help & support. They don’t often post about what the cause was or the remedy. In comparison, people tend not to post or talk about their successes. I know many people who’ve had the surgery. No one has experienced long term or developed new issues because of the surgery. A couple regained most of their weight because they went back to their old eating habits. Certainly the benefits far outweigh any temporary side effects or the very rare problem.

I was on metformin at one time, but it made me violently sick and passed out several times while on it, so I'll never agree to be put on it again. It also caused an issue with my pancreas (already had an issue, but it enflamed it?) I can't do keto/low carb because I literally stop losing weight, but my diet is mostly protein/veg with a little bit of sweet potato or a couple of tbsp of quinoa or brown jasmine rice, depends on the meal. I've noticed the 2 weeks I was below 35g carbs after surgery I not only had issues with low blood sugar, but I also didn't lose any weight during that time. I was low carb for years and never lost weight, no one can really explain why since my blood work does show insulin resistance. I don't take any medicine for hashimotos. Many people with hashimotos thyroiditis get put on thyroid medicine. I was on Leothyronine (NP thyroid did not work for me, caused major weight gain), but since surgery we've done the labs 3xs and my provider said not to take it and we will re-test in 90 days unless my weight loss stops completely. Hopefully that means I won't need it at all in the future. I'm still AIP-ish in eating, which is what helps the most with hashis symptoms. Luckily, eggs don't cause a flareup and most fermented dairy doesn't either. However, milk-based products and casein does.

Hi everyone! I'm 5'2 236 lbs BMI is 43. I'm scheduled for gastric sleeve on August 9th. After doing some research I'm seeing that many gain back if not, all their weight. I totally understand that this surgery is merely a tool, but up to me, to change my bad eating habits. I'm just wondering if anyone had permanent or serious health changes due to the surgery? Eg; fatigue due to vitamin loss, hormonal changes, permanent hair loss, no weight loss at all, etc. And anything you would share with me! Thank you!

Anti depressants are notorious for causing weight gain, often because appetite increases. Your doctor needs to check the anecdotal evidence about Trintellux. Maybe there is another med you could try? Weight gain In clinical studies, people who took Trintellix didn’t have a significant change in their weight. But after this drug was approved, some people taking Trintellix reported weight gain while taking the drug. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/trintellix#side-effects My GP increased my HRT 6 months ago & I gained a couple of kgs pretty quickly (& started getting random pimples too - WTF?). I also was increasing my protein intake & I blamed that at first. I cut out some things from I ate, added a little more activity but no change to my weight. Now, I’m putting 90% of the blame on the HRT. But what do you do? Symptoms or some extra kg. Don’t let it demoralise you. You’ve done so well with your weight loss. All the best.

Has anyone else taken this for depression and noticed weight gain. I added it about a month ago and have gained a couple pounds. It’s supposed to be weight neutral according to my dr?? In all fairness I have been eating more but it’s almost as if the medication is making me more hungry.

I have BCBS IL and it is a 3 month process for me. One nutritionist appointment a month with no weight gain, a psych evaluation, lab work with an H. pylori test, documented 3 year weight history, and a letter of medical necessity from primary care doctor. If insurance approves after everything then my surgery date will be sometime in August/September.

You may find you can’t stand anything sweet after surgery as your taste buds temporarily change. This a good thing as it can help reduce your desire for sweet foods. I never really craved sugar but I enjoyed dessert & having something sweet after dinner every night & a sweet treat morning or afternoon snack on the weekend (I have 6 high end patisseries & bakeries in a 2km radius around my house 😱). Now, I rarely have desserts, cakes, biscuits, pastries, etc. (couple of times a year) & don’t eat chocolate or lollies at all. Don’t miss it either. Watch artificial sweeteners as they continue to feed your desire for sugar & they have lots of side effects including weight gain (makes your body hold on to calories), allergies, etc. About 1/2 my fluid intake comes from plain water. I was allowed green tea from surgery & I have a large mug (400ml) every day. I also let sparkling water go flat & I have 400-500mls a day. The mineral taste was a nice change to plain water. I was also allowed rolled oats from purée (instant to begin) & I used a lot of milk so I get extra fluid that way. I also found a good low calorie high protein yoghurt drink. (You can make your own by mixing yoghurt with milk.) Keep a glass of water beside you all the time even by your bed. It actually just becomes a habit.

I would suggest meeting with a dietician/nutritionist to get a good idea of what to eat and with a bariatric therapist to work on the eating disorder. Also, make sure whoever is prescribing medication for anxiety and depression prescribes medications that don't cause weight gain, as many do. Have you had surgery yet? Your profile says you are pre-op.

I experienced the same thing. Was eating less than 900 calories when I reached my goal & struggled for a while to physically eat more at any one time too. I had to snack & increased them until I was snacking 5 times a day. And yes I felt like I was eating all day long. My weight loss continued albeit very slowly & finally about 11 months after goal. I was still seeing my dietician through the first 6 months of this 11 months (Covid hit). For my snacks I added a second sometimes third serve of carbs (multigrain crackers), hummus, nuts, 1or 2 serves of fruit, protein bar, cheese, liverwurst, peanut paste, chia pudding, & used salad dressings. My dietician also suggested adding milk powder to my milk but I found it too sweet except in chia pudding. I eventually reached about 1300 calories. It can take a little time to sort this out in a way the best suits you. While you may lose more initially, you may also have a bounce back in your 2nd/3rd year as @catwoman7 said as you settle into a way of eating that complements how you want to live & enjoy your life. I eventually was able to eat about a recommended portion size of most foods (& I do eat slowly) & reduced my snacks to three a day. I am careful about what I eat 90% of the time. At my lowest I was 48.2kg but settled at 49kg for a good year. I put on 2 kgs a few months ago after I went on a higher dose HRT med & I had to add more protein to my diet due to an absorption issue (from my gall removal last year not my sleeve). I made some small changes to my diet but I still eat more calories as a result of the extra protein so the weight gain is understandable. All the best.

It seems it may be related to an excess of all vitamins not just B12 . A lot of foods are fortified with vitamins to supposedly improve people’s health. Everyone eats more, but generally eats poorly then they take vitamins to make them ‘healthier’. I’d question whether the weight gain is from too many vitamins or too much poor food or both. Apparently though, having a B12 deficiency may lead to weight gain. As I said in my earlier post, if your bloods show you are lacking in a specific vitamin or mineral, a supplement is a solution (as is modifying your diet to include good natural sources of the lacking vitamin/s). But if you have ample, you don’t need it. Two articles I found you may want to read: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-b12-deficiency-and-weight-gain#deficiency https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3932423/

My surgeons office says it’s normal for weight loss to be slow to start and sometimes even a little weight gain until week 6. If you are frustrated with it, can always switch something up. Eat more calories, workout a little longer, do a different workout entirely. I’ve been hiking with my dog the last few days for longer than our usual neighborhood walk and the scale is trending down. I’m out of the week 3 stall now it seems. The different elevation is probably helping me too—our usual walk is very flat, this new route is a little hilly.

If your high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high sugar levels were caused by your weight gain & food choices (the higher your weight the higher the levels rose) then yes, if you lose weight after the surgery, change your eating habits & maintain the loss & changes, the symptoms should not return to their previous high levels or will at least maintain at a lower, healthier point. If these issues have a genetic predisposition (occur in your family & are not weight related), they will always be something you have to watch. E.g. type 1 diabetes is genetic which you can manage but can’t change but type 2 is caused by lifestyle choices like obesity which you can do something about. After my surgery my cholesterol went from borderline high to the low end of the healthy range. My blood pressure was normal before surgery & now it’s low all the time. (Didn’t have sugar issues before but I know I have further reduced my risk for diabetes greatly. But talk to your surgeon & doctor for the best information especially as your medication contributed to your weight gain.

Thank you both. I spoke to a relative regarding the bruising - he's a retired oncologist and hematologist. He thinks it's likely a vitamin K deficiency, but also suggested bloodwork, which I fully intend to request during my physical. He also asked if I take Ibuprofen on a regular basis (which I do due to the aches & pains) and he said that could cause it as well. Hoping that's all it is. As for the brain fog, memory loss, and mood swings, I totally agree that it could be hormones. My biggest concern though is the weight gain. I've worked so hard to get where I am...I got on the scale this morning and I'm up another .5#. I just want to cry.

a 10- to 20-lb weight gain after you hit your lowest weight is very common - usually in year 2 or 3. bruising - I don't think I've ever heard this and I've been hanging out here for seven years, so it may be unrelated to your surgery. I'd check with your PCP P.S. you can always lose weight by cutting calories, but if your body is most comfortable at 155, it'll be a challenge to lose weight and keep it off. It can be done, it'll just be a challenge if you have to fight your body to do it. also - brain fog and fatigue - I haven't heard that either, but I suppose it could be related to a deficiency. Hopefully they'll do bloodwork while you're there so they can see if your deficient in anything, Deficiencies are pretty rare if you keep on top of your supplements, though - and you're a sleeve patient, so they're rarer still. Hopefully your physical exam will uncover whatever it is that's going on.

Well, as the title says I'm about 21 months out and now starting to gain. I got down to 143 (my goal was 130, but I was comfortable in the 140s). I'm now back up to 155. Over the past year, I've also developed a bruising issue and have multiple bruises on my arms and legs, mostly on the left side; random but moderate/severe aches & pains; brain fog; severe fatigue, and other idiopathic symptoms. I have a physical scheduled for mid-June, but I'm wondering if any of these things are common after surgery. As for my weight gain, nothing has really changed. I still eat very clean, limit myself to two low-sugar/low-calorie alcoholic beverages a week, and really try to take care of myself. With the aches, pains & fatigue, I'm finding it difficult to keep up with working out, but to be honest, I probably wasn't working out as much as I should be anyway. Mostly walking & biking. I'm also at the age where hormones are likely changing (I'll be 50 in two months). Any idea what might be going on or how to restart the weight loss? Thanks.

I got sleeved 4/10. I'm not able to answer your question precisely but I'm kind of in the same boat. Currently I don't eat with my family, but I do eat with my friends. I simply check if the menu offers soup or ask if they can accommodate me. If all else fails, I order herbal tea with artificial sweetener. I've only went out with my best friend, who knows I had the surgery. It's definitely not recommended to do so now but I just had my graduation ceremony. My aunt did the gastric sleeve years before I did. I don't think she began to eat "normally" until after a year. She never fully finishes a meal but will want a small snack afterwards (yogurt). She can't handle spicy food for anything, even now. She doesn't follow the rule of 30 anymore. Almost every time she eats out, she gets heartburn, indigestion, etc. When she finishes eating, it's not because she's happily satisfied but because she's uncomfortable. That's not to say that she doesn't enjoy her food. Obviously, this is when we would go out for rich, once-in-a-while type food. She doesn't really experience this with home cooked foods. Bear in mind, she also fell into some of her old habits. Thankfully, she didn't have too much weight gain. I've also noticed she's a lot pickier now, taste wise. Downright acts like a food critic. Overall, she definitely eats enough that it isn't obvious she had WLS. She just appears to be finnicky with a sensitive stomach. Her initial recovery was a month long so that spared her from dealing with people who didn't know she did the procedure. When she went back to work, her coworkers were all up in her business demanding to know why she was eating so little (and not out of concern). They would bring her sweets even though they were fully aware she was dropping weight. It was clear they were trying to sabotage her. Outside of work, the only people she's had to deal with were family and her husband's friends. So, she only had serious social gatherings around the holidays, and she was sleeved in the Spring. WLS is obviously not ideal if you have a robust social life. For me, even when I get to my soft food stage, I'll still order soup at restaurants because I'm not going to ask them to make my food nursing-home soft in front of who I'm having dinner with. If anybody has an issue, I'll say I ate earlier. Can't drink after WLS. I'll say I've gone sober. Drinking ages you, anyway.

Yeah, everyone defines a stall differently. Personally I use at least “1 week of consecutive days of non-weight-nor-inches loss” as a definition. I mean, I could drop a good 2 lbs with a nice poop (i pooped every 3-4 days - sometimes even longer than that - back in weight loss phase, so that made sense) …and yes, I used to weigh myself before and after poops cuz it was fun for me 😂) What some people consider stalls, others call daily fluctuations. But however you define it, just keep on trucking, and aim to keep the anxiety at bay. Remember: stress (i.e., cortisol) has a positive correlation to weight gain (i.e., increased hunger and over-eating) Good Luck! ❤️

Your rate of loss always slows as you get closer to your goal weight. You can always depend on that. The heady high rates of loss you experience at the beginning don’t last. You can also stall any number of times along the way. The small weight gain you are seeing at the moment could be related to your health issues or it could be your natural weight fluctuation becoming more noticeable as you get closer to your goal. It could also be your body resettling after your holiday loss & getting you back to where you would have been without the holiday. I’d go for option D - stop panicking & let your body catch up & I’d also add wait for your health to improve. Doesn’t hurt to do a check of your food choices, portion sizes, calories, protein & fluid intake, etc. Though you may be currently struggling with food, there may be something you are missing or could tweak to keep you closer to your plan. All the best

Has anyone here had a gastric sleeve and also has Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS)? I just need to know that someone else safely had it done and didn't have a major multi-systemic reaction to the surgery or in post-op. I'm prone to anaphylaxis but I've had other surgeries (knees and shoulder) since diagnosis and with my surgical team being cautious I made it through surgery without having a major reaction. I previously had a consult with a bariatric surgeon and she said she wouldn't touch me; that it was too risky. But that was maybe three years ago and I'm definitely more stable now than I was then. My pain doctor wants me to get a second opinion so I'm going to meeting with a bariatric surgeon in a few weeks and also meeting with my mast cell doctor. I was just hoping that someone who it has experience with it could reassure me that it can be done safely. Concerns I have: - my diet already has to be restrictive because of the MCAS. I worry about getting enough protein in when I have to avoid tree nuts and all meat products. I can have milk (lactose free) and eggs. - I read that my meds have to be crushed or split post-surgery. Is that for forever? I have some capsules that I take that can't be crushed or broken. I also have liquid medication I take that gets diluted I'm about a cup of water. I use that water to take all of my pills, and there's a fair amount of pills. - exercise is an issue for me. I've anaphylaxed during an easy yoga class before. I've built up to be able to do seven to ten minutes on a seated elliptical or seated stepper. But I'm not going to be running any 5ks anytime soon. Is it still an effective surgery if my workout options afterwards are extremely limited because of my MCAS? - if I'm on meds that have caused weight gain for me, is it possible to still lose weight while being on the med? I can't safely go off of the meds unfortunately. I think I'm just scared to get my hopes up that this surgery could be a safe and effective tool to help me lose weight. I'm 5'4 and 400 lbs. I need help. The likelihood that my surgeon will be familiar with or educated in mast cell diseases is really low and I know that I'll have to do a lot of advocating for myself. If you've made it this far thank you for listening. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I mean we all have things that attract us to someone and stuff that does not attract us. Would you expect someone who really isnt attracted to their significant other to fake it? 3 years tho is a long time to not really show any intimate affection. i would be having a discussion probably within the first few months. me personally i know what i am attracted to and what i am not attracted to. and i have been told by a girlfriend before that they are not attracted to me anymore due to my weight gain. but the good thing is they told me. but still the original poster its a bit messed up for being married that long and only now showing interest when you are loosing some weight.

I felt the same way...I started my journey back in Dec, 2019 (right b4 Covid). So I stayed over again in Sept, 2021. My surgery is now scheduled for June 6. I have been told that if you have the sleeve done initially, that if there is a weight gain later in life, that they MAY be able to perform a full gastric bypass at that time. Sent from my SM-G981V using BariatricPal mobile app

Not every one develops gall stones after weight loss surgery. Many actually had them already. They are caused by high cholesterol or high bilirubin levels & can develop during menopause. As you lose weight cholesterol, which is stored in your fat, is released as you lose weight & can cause stones to form. They found a stone at about my 6/7 month mark after a ultra sound to check my liver function. Don’t know when mine formed as I was menopausal before my sleeve, my cholesterol had gone from a steady for years 5 to 5.6 as I lost weight (it’s 4.1 now) & I have high bilirubin. I won the lottery of causes. Never had symptoms before my first attack 25 months after my sleeve surgery. I had my gall removed about two weeks later. The gall removal surgery recovery was similar but different to my sleeve. After sleeve, I had no gas or pulled or strained abdominal muscles. I had a lot of gas pains & muscle strain affecting my movements for a good week after the gall surgery. But no restricted diet, constipation or diarrhoea, no swallowing issues of course so that was a plus. My surgeon used the same incision sites he’d made for my sleeve. I was home the next day. Same weight restrictions for lifting & same no driving for a week again. He sent me home with some opioid pain meds but I didn’t take them. Did take one nurofen, with his permission, on day 3 but no pain meds at all after that. Just put up with the gas & muscle pain. Haven’t heard about a potential for weight gain. I have gained 2kgs in the last five months but continued to maintain my weight for 6 months after the gall was removed. I attribute the weight gain to starting a higher dose HRT & working on increasing my protein in that same five months. Plus I’m at the 3 year mark & there is always a potential for weight gain during that 2 or 3 year mark. Since my gall removal I don’t absorb protein well anymore which was unexpected & is likely just me. We tried medication (creons) for 3 months which didn’t seem to help hence my increasing my protein intake. I’m back on creons to give them a longer go. I am noticing my hair is thinner (not shedding like after the sleeve) & my nails are weaker because of the protein issue. The other odd side effect of no gall is I have random diarrhoea attacks. Usually every 2 or 3 weeks. Almost like there’s a build up acid, which the gall used to regulate. It irritates the bowel & causes the diarrhoea. My sister in law is the same & she hasn’t had weight loss surgery. My aunt says if she eats anything fatty she gets nauseous. Not everyone is prescribed meds for gall stones after surgery. Personally, it seems odd to prescribe meds to dissolve gall stones before you have them. I did ask my surgeon about dissolving the stone after my attack but he said: if you grow one stone you will grow another so it’s best to remove the gall. I have three friends who have had sleeve surgeries too within the last 4 years. None of us were prescribed urisidiol or similar & I’m the only one to form a stone. But your surgeon must have their reasons for doing so.

Hi all, I had my first gallbladder attack and ended up in ER. I have multiple stones and they are recommending removal. I’m reading a lot about weight gain post removal- has anyone experienced this? What was your experience like recovering from gallbladder removal post vsg?