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I'm sorry those you confided in about your surgery aren't supporting your decision. There's risks involved in every surgery and virtually every medication. What's important is measuring the risk. The VSG is a low-risk surgery, and few people experience long-term complications. For most, it significantly improves their health. You can find medical research about the safety and the effectiveness of WLS. I don't know if that would convince your mother that it's actually a very smart decision that you're making, that will improve your health rather than harm it. There's also risks in not pursuing medical intervention. Obesity significantly contributes to so many health conditions that can shorten or even claim your life. It also just robs you of so much joy. The other poster is completely right that only a small percentage of obese people lose weight and maintain that weight loss on their own. The VSG isn't a diet fad or a quick fix. I had the VSG in August of last year. My mom initially thought that the surgery "wasn't for me" because my BMI was low for it, but I explained that my endocrinologist had recommended it to me because other patients my size and age had benefitted from it. I have PCOS and showed her research about how the VSG has substantially helped to improve the health of women who have it. She got on board. My dad developed type 2 diabetes even though his highest BMI was just in the low 30s. This helps to reduce my risk of having it in the future. I've lost a little over 70 pounds, putting my BMI in the low 20s vs the low 30s. I've gone from a size 14 to a 4-6. I was on a series of medications for PCOS that I've gradually been able to taper off of because the weight loss has helped to improve problems. I've had zero complications. Even on the day of surgery the most pain I experienced was from my period starting and having severe cramps. I'm a professor and was back at work on my feet for most of the day within a few weeks. By 5 weeks post-op I felt well enough to bike to and from work every day instead of driving. I've lost little hair. I have absolutely no loose skin. Every fear I had pre-surgery turned out to not be valid for me. I'm in my early 30s and getting carded again. My blood test results have been excellent. Physically and mentally I feel so much better. I feel like I'm in control of my life, and it isn't being ruled by the scale or what I eat. I don't obsess about food. I don't feel deprived. In the past I'd lose 20 pounds then gain back 30. Besides the typical 2-4 pound fluctuation, I haven't had any weight gain. I've found that a lower-carb (not strict low carb) eating plan works best for my weight loss, and is surprisingly painless for me to follow. I've gone on vacation a few times where I just eat what I wish, within reason, and still have not had weight gain. I'm not daydreaming about danishes, or planning out the indulgences I'll pig out on once I've lost x amount of weight. I can actually eat Pasta, Desserts and treats without seeing a massive weight gain. The difference is that I'm satisfied with a much smaller quantity than before. This surgery is a tremendous gift to my life. I think it will help your life, too. If your loved ones continue to be unsupportive before surgery, just use that as even more of a reason to be successful. This time next year you'll likely have lost a lot of weight and will be feeling fantastic. That will give them (and you) peace of mind. You're being proactive and taking care of yourself.

search this site for the word Aetna a lot of people got approved n appeal . I was so terrified of weight gain during the process , I was on laxatives and liquids only 48 hours before each weigh in

I FEEL YOUR PAIN!!!! UGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I want to scream !!!!!!!! Yes,I completely understand the frustration, I too, have been denied in Dec and I hired an advocate to fight this denial. all of my paperwork was submitted with my first appeal and just last week 7/22/16 they upheld the denial even though I have one of the co morbidities listed and I have followed the 3 month program monitoring for surgery. so my advocate called Aetna on a conference call and the Medical general surgeon (who is not a bariatric surgeon) who made the decision to deny my claim was not helpful AT ALL! she just kept reading from a script explaining the details of my policy which we already knew. so finally, Dr says, bec you did not schedule your surgery within the 6 months of your initial start date and you gained 1.5 lbs your claim was denied. start date was 6/25/16 - 9/16/16 paper work submitted for authorization and immediately denied. COME ON' 1.5 lbs, that could be anything from clothing, time of the month ..... anything !!! I can see if it was a significant weight gain like 10 lbs. they need to have more so we are going for a second appeal and I really need to find out if I am spinning my wheels or do I just need to start over... I wish there is something more we all can do to fight the insurance companies to stop denying surgeries for the simplest thing.

Even ten is fine. I can swim, shower, eat, chat with the boyfriend and then online chat here on the forum for a while. I usually go to bed at 11:30. I like that you are a vet. Am very interested in seeing the successful maintenance experiences now that I'm in that phase and have been for about two years. I was at one point, 112 lbs. I knew I wouldn't stay there but was hoping to be around 120. I'm finding it hard to stay around 125. Some of it is likely due to certain meds that note weight gain, but I also know that I don't follow the plan as strictly as I used to. I do know that if I go over 130, I have to just put the brakes on and get the weight down again. I'm sure that like most folks, I fear gaining it back and I know now that it's very possible to do that no matter what surgery one has had.

Good Morning everyone! I needed some feedback and support regarding insurance not paying for bariatric surgery, I also have Aetna POS here in Louisiana and I too went through the 90 day program one of Aetna requirements, I fit all of the criteria and just last week received noticed I was denied because I gained 1 lb and did not schedule my procedure within 6 months of my initial start date. I was in shock, upset, and very disappointed. how can this be, initial program date 6/25/15 last weigh in date 9/16/15 and immediately was denied, I researched and hired obesity advocate /attorneys to fight this since Dec 2015 to start the first appeal process and last week the appeal was denied because I gained 1 lb. I do not understand that policy, I weighed in summer which means my clothes were lighter, then last weigh in was September which my clothes would have been a little heavier 1 lb is not a significant amount of weight to consider because 1 to 2 lbs can come from many factors such as clothes, time of the month, or if I had a snack or lunch prior to the appointment my clothes alone would weigh 1 to 2 lbs COME ON'. I can understand if I gained 5 lbs to 10 lbs of weight. OMG!! I want to scream...... Has anyone experienced AETNA denying surgery for weight gain and then was approved after it was appealed first or second time? Now we are going for round 2 and want to know if it is worth it bec I am so disappointed with Aetna. HELP!! please ADVISE!!

Good Morning everyone! I needed some feedback and support regarding insurance not paying for bariatric surgery, I also have Aetna POS here in Louisiana and I too went through the 90 day program one of Aetna requirements, I fit all of the criteria and just last week received noticed I was denied because I gained 1 lb and did not schedule my procedure within 6 months of my initial start date. I was in shock, upset, and very disappointed. how can this be, initial program date 6/25/15 last weigh in date 9/16/15 and immediately was denied, I researched and hired obesity advocate /attorneys to fight this since Dec 2015 to start the first appeal process and last week the appeal was denied because I gained 1 lb. I do not understand that policy, I weighed in summer which means my clothes were lighter, then last weigh in was September which my clothes would have been a little heavier 1 lb is not a significant amount of weight to consider because 1 to 2 lbs can come from many factors such as clothes, time of the month, or if I had a snack or lunch prior to the appointment my clothes alone would weigh 1 to 2 lbs COME ON'. I can understand if I gained 5 lbs to 10 lbs of weight. OMG!! I want to scream...... Has anyone experienced AETNA denying surgery for weight gain and then was approved after it was appealed first or second time? Now we are going for round 2 and want to know if it is worth it bec I am so disappointed with Aetna. HELP!! please ADVISE!!

Good Morning everyone! I needed some feedback and support regarding insurance not paying for bariatric surgery, I also have Aetna POS here in Louisiana and I too went through the 90 day program one of Aetna requirements, I fit all of the criteria and just last week received noticed I was denied because I gained 1 lb and did not schedule my procedure within 6 months of my initial start date. I was in shock, upset, and very disappointed. how can this be, initial program date 6/25/15 last weigh in date 9/16/15 and immediately was denied, I researched and hired obesity advocate /attorneys to fight this since Dec 2015 to start the first appeal process and last week the appeal was denied because I gained 1 lb. I do not understand that policy, I weighed in summer which means my clothes were lighter, then last weigh in was September which my clothes would have been a little heavier 1 lb is not a significant amount of weight to consider because 1 to 2 lbs can come from many factors such as clothes, time of the month, or if I had a snack or lunch prior to the appointment my clothes alone would weigh 1 to 2 lbs COME ON'. I can understand if I gained 5 lbs to 10 lbs of weight. OMG!! I want to scream...... Has anyone experienced AETNA denying surgery for weight gain and then was approved after it was appealed first or second time? Now we are going for round 2 and want to know if it is worth it bec I am so disappointed with Aetna. HELP!! please ADVISE!!

Weight gain is a common side effect for a lot of BCP. Certain formulations have a higher chance of it than others, so talk to your gyn.

I am donell1000 and I have alcohol and "dry goods" free for 22 years. I sleeved 6_10_2016. What is interesting about getting sleeved is that it feels somewhat like doing a 28 day detox/rehab. Each day I learn something new about myself and I have to work my weight-loss program the same way I work my recovery. What I am trying to wrap my mind around is how someone can loose weight and then gain it back. Is it just going back to eating the wrong foods? Does the smaller sleeved stomach grow back in size? Please let me know your thoughts... How to Prevent Weight Gain After Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery

No solution or answer, but I also had breathing issues with my band. I was banded in August 2013 and about a year later started having breathing issues. My Dr. said everything was fine but ended up get it unfilled for relief and slowly began with the weight gain. I had the removal in August 2015 and hoping to finally have a revision this August to the sleeve. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

None of the following is meant to sound mean or critical (please don't read it that way - just being honest and trying to hit points you may not have considered or might be in denial about). It's great that you're exercising because it's going to make you feel better overall, but weight gain/loss is 90% food and diet related. My doc said that all people will lose even eating absolute crap for the first year, but they will regain if they don't take the time to throw out all they know about food/eating and relearn how to properly eat healthy and figure out correct (small) portion sizing. Your problem seems to be that you're eating things you shouldn't (simple carbs/sugar) and possibly eating too many calories, and that is causing you to regain (simple carbs and sugar are usually high calorie, low nutrition slider foods that make it really easy to overeat). Are you tracking every bite and sip of food/drink? You probably should be measuring and tracking all of it, especially since you're regaining. You likely are overeating and eating foods low in nutrition as well. It would give you a much better idea of whether the failure is your sleeve or more likely - a disconnect with what and how much you you actually eat. I imagine even consulting another surgeon, they'd like to see how many calories you're consuming and what those calories are made up from to make a truly honest opinion about whether another surgery is a good step for you or not. Simple carbs and sugar are known to cause you to crave them all the more once you start eating them regularly, so that would explain the feelings of hunger. (you're not really hungry if you are eating good protein/complex carbs and getting enough calories - it's cravings or head hunger) I would think the answer is counseling with a therapist familiar with food addictions, and a serious mental reset regarding your relationship with food, not more surgery. I'd suggest you go back to the beginning of a sleeve diet - do a week of Protein liquids, then mushies, then onto solids. Get your Water and protein and eat good veggies and healthy complex carbs in moderation. You need to research healthy meals and throw out the crap foods and seriously dedicate yourself to resetting your whole food relationship. That's what we are supposed to do during the honeymoon phase of the sleeve (roughly the first year). If you didn't get your diet stuff down cold, then you won't do well over the long term. It's a sad fact, but most surgeons aren't really driving that point home. The weight loss effects won't last if you regularly eat crap foods. The surgeries allow you a measure of control for you to get back to basics without the gnawing hunger and drastically reduce the portion sizes in the beginning... so you can lose weight and relearn how to eat properly. Maybe once you've got that stuff down well, you can add back in some sugar treats for very special occasions, but they should never, ever be something you eat regularly again. But maybe, if you can't control yourself, it might come down to eliminating them completely if you want to stay healthy. I know it's sucky that you aren't doing so well right now, but you can get stuff figured out if you're willing to do the hard work. It might be worth it rather than going to another surgery and hoping that it does all the work; because it won't. You have to do it, the surgery(ies) are just a tool, but they won't work if you don't commit to using them properly. Good luck!!

I think a 3rd surgery for 6kg is a little drastic.... have you tried going back to basics? Are you tracking your food? Reaching Protein goals? Whats your diet like? In my opinion.... 6kg weight gain in 3 years is not bad at all... you can get rid of that with 2 weeks of following your original pre op diet...

Yes, totally normal! It'll disappear soon. I had my surgery Monday, came home with weight gain on Tuesday (but had heard about that on YouTube so was expecting it), and today, I'm 5 pounds below my day-of-surgery weight.

The medical issue is major depression and anxiety. I've tried going of the meds over the past 10 years but it always ended in a mental breakdown so I'm not trying that again. Even with the meds I'm so so.. But I have a wife and 4 kids and got to keep on jugging onwards. Yes the weight came on in the first two years and I've been steady at 270 for the post 8 years. Doctor says my blood work shows fatty liver which would be good if I were a duck and very high cholesterol. I really want to do the sleeve if it will help me get on the right path but it's so expensive in the states..... Regarding taking took the shrink about the weight gain.... My exclusive is that they just look at the DSM and quote "you shouldn't have weight gain" they are pompous.

@@aron how awful bad enough to gain weight because you are over eating, not eating well etc but when you are taking meds that make you gain too?? horrible - no control over meds you must take are you still gaining weight? or was it just those couple of years at the beginning? can your doc research your problem with that medicine/pill? hopefully he can find something comparable that won't have weight gain as a side effect my 13 year old grand-son was diagnosed with ADD a couple of years ago he ballooned up from head to toe with his weight gain doc took him off that med - changed it to something comparable!! new med did the trick for his ADD weight came off gradually in a few months (probably less then 70 lbs) you must continue to work with the sleeve/WLS for the rest of your life eat in moderation, lots of Water, eat slowly, plenty of Protein etc remember, "I'm watching you" I "THINK" you should/will lose weight with the sleeve but due to the med, will the weight stay off?? doc can advice you more than i can (i'm not a professional med person!!) whatever your health issue is "maybe" it will lesson with weight loss/sleeve tough decision surgery or not hope to see you in sleeveland good luck kathy

Thanks for the response. I'm on SSRI meds that I'm unable to do without and the only one that works well for me is prozac. Ive been on other meds with much higher weight gain. I'm just starting out into looking at this as an option. Ive never been able to maintain a diet of 1000 calories a day... Not even close. The meds make you both hungrier and slow you ability to lose weight. Do people on this forum have experience with doing or at least research doing sleeve in Mexico... Is that really crazy to think about? not because I'm cheap but rather it's because i don't have the money to do it here in the states.. But if Mexico is considered crazy if like to know. Thank you for your help

Thanks fort there response. I'm on SSRI meds that I'm unable to do without and the only one that works well for me is prozac. Ice been on integers that either did not work or had weight gain where I was 290 which is 20 more than I am now. I'm just starting out into looking at this as an option. Ice never been able to maintain a diet of 1000 calories a day... Not even close. The meds make you both hungrier and slow you ability to lose weight. Do people on this forum have experience with doing our at least researching doing sleeve in Mexico... Which is not because I'm cheap but rather it's because i don't have the money to do it here in the states.. Thank you for your help

Does Gastric sleeve help weight gain thats due to meds that you must stay on long term? I'm on meds that made me gain 70 pounds in 2 years and i cant lose more than 10 before i hit a wall. Would the Sleeve help me?

Hi, I'm on Meds that I have to stay on, Ive been on them for 10 years but it resulted in me gaining 70 pounds in the first two years. I've tried many things but it doesn't budge. Would gastric sleeve help me? Thank you.

I wasn't told about the weight gain from the IV, my NUT didn't tell me about the three week stall, but I'm pretty sure I remember being told that stalls were normal.

7 months out but I WAS NOT told. I remembered how brutal IV weight gain was from my C-sections. You should lose about 10 lbs or more of baby and amniotic fluid but you gain 15 (25 net from IV fluids). Prior experience was my only clue....and I wasn't told before my csections either!

I was sleeved 7-12 and only had to do 5 days of Protein n Water now can do pureed foods. My question is...how the hell am I gaining weight already?!?! I lost 21 lbs on 2 week liquid diet then 5 lbs after surgery n now I'm up 5 lbs from my lowest! I'm agrivated, disappointed, wondering what I'm doing so wrong? I drink my water, I can have pureed meat n can't eat a lot of it obviously a cpl small bites n I'm done. I just wonder am I doing something wrong? Is this not gonna work for me even though my stomach is small? Maybe I'm just meant to be fat no matter what... ☆Jeni☆

Yes, yes, yes. About 6 weeks post op I began having major depression issues. I started on Zoloft, and it really helped. However, for three weeks I took the smallest dose and didn't gain or lose any weight. I had a follow up with my surgeon and he was concerned that I started a new med without contacting him. He explained that most SRIs have a side effect of weight gain and since I wasn't losing, I needed to stop taking them. I weaned off and instantly began losing rapidly. Unfortunately, I can also feel the depression creeping back. I'm trying to work through it with long walks and summer activities. Also, I see a therapist. It's a bad and strange place to be because on one hand, I'm happy about my success. On the other, I'm grieving my old life, clothes, habits and activities. It's hard but you'll get through it! Just remember not to make any serious decisions (like changing jobs or ending relationship) while you're recovering.

Hi. I've been lurking for months, but this is my first post. I've come to an abrupt end of my pre-surgical rigamarole, and am just waiting for the bariatric clinic to call me in order to schedule an appointment with my surgeon for the final consultation before scheduling surgery - I wasn't expecting it to be so soon, as I only started the process on April 11th. My insurance - Excellus BCBS - requires a 6 month stretch of supervised weight loss only if they don't feel that your previous attempts at weight loss were serious enough. I guess 25+ years of constant struggle was adequate, because after my 2nd nutritionist follow-up (a group seminar and 2 follow-ups scheduled a month apart are my clinic's required minimum) I was handed my post-surgical diet info and was told to expect a call within a week. Yikes! Anyway. My name is Amanda, I'll be 38 in a month (sigh) and am 5'7" and currently about 282 (and an increasingly snug size 22.) I'm married and I have a 5 year old daughter and I live in Rochester, NY. I'm an MFA grad student and work (incongruously to the MFA) in inpatient pharmacy compounding services at the big hospital in town. I have been fat since I was about 6 years old. When I was a teenager, I was about 170-180 and thought I was the fattest thing on two legs. I look back at pictures of myself and my heart breaks for all that self-hatred, sadness, and lost time - not only because I realize now that I wasn't fat at all (you wanna see fat, 16 year old Amanda?? I'll show you FAT!! flubflabflub) but also because I realize how much it never mattered to my friends and family. This is stuff I still struggle with, though. I started gaining rapidly around 18, and have more or less hit peak mass. I was abut 245 when I met my husband 11 years ago, 270ish after having my daughter 5 years ago, and was 291 when I was weighed at the beginning of the bariatric surgery process. I've attributed my weight gain over the last decade to the insidious "domestic spread" - both husband and I have gotten fatter in that time. But that doesn't explain away all the years before that. I have a progressive, hereditary autoimmune connective tissue disease that is treated sort of like cancer - I get infusions at the cancer center every month through a port in my chest and take a low dose of oral chemo at home every week. Women with autoimmune diseases sometimes see a worsening in disease progression after pregnancy, and this was certainly my experience. I've been having to treat my disease aggressively over the past 5 years, and I've recently reached a really stupid cyclical point where the more I weigh, the less effective my treatments are, the more immobile and depressed I become, the more weight I gain, the less effective my treatments are, and so on. This decline in my health and quality of life is what pushed me to reserve a spot in a bariatric seminar in April. As the reality of surgery looms on the horizon, I've begun to worry about some stuff. Somehow I managed to avoid that certain heartbreak that is endemic to fat kids - I was never bullied for my weight (I was popular in my high school, even as a weird kid with green hair and combat boots,) I have never been (obviously, anyways) discriminated against because of my weight, I've always been lucky in love and never had a problem with finding romantic companionship, and so on. The only person that has ever had a problem with my fatness is me. It's been the thing that I've blamed for every disappointment or unhappiness in my life, even though, intellectually, I know that's total nonsense. I worry about what will occupy my thoughts once the fat is gone. What will it be like to thoughtlessly sit in a chair without anxious thoughts of weight limits and chair-smashing public humiliation? What will it be like to not have to obsessively strategize my wardrobe for maximum chub-concealment? What will it be like to simply take up less space? I feel as though I have never not been fat, and I have no idea what to expect. So, Hi!

I agree on pants first. I was a 44" waist and didn't buy new pants until I was down 50 lbs. I bought 40's, 38's, and now 36's. I was a discount store shopper and never spent more than $25 on pants. I did TOTAL PURGES at goal. Gave away eight 55 gallon trash bags full of clothes. Looking back at my pre-wls weight gains, I never averaged more than 2-3 lbs a year, so I figure I'm 5+ years away from 38's worst case!