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I asked my surgeon generally about this because I am also looking to have kids in a few years after the sleeve. When I asked specifically about weight gain, my dietician said that most women gain way too much weight with their pregnancies and that it should really only be about 25 to 30 pounds of weight gain for a healthy woman. She told me that it will be easier to gain with the sleeve (since it doesn't have a malabsorptive aspect by itself), but that women also gain normally after gastric bypass. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I have been banded for 6 days and I have lost 12 pounds so far. I pretty much living on 1 protein shake, some broth, and popsicles. I was wondering if once I start eating solid food, will I gain some weight back. I intend on following a low cal. diet, and exercise. Has anyone experienced weight gain after they were back on solids?

I have been on Paxil for GAD since 2000 when I was 120 lbs of solid muscle. I've tried weaning down my dosage or changing meds and never been able to come off it. But, since it's cheap now, I don't think it's a bad thing to be on. It had nothing to do with my weight gain, btw. You should see your GP about trying a SSRI/NSSRI. You may be able to take it short term, as most people do. It should not medically affect your surgery in any way. Self medicating is always a bad idea, especially since (#1. you're not a doctor and #2.) valium can cause hypotension and reduce the amount of oxygen to the heart muscle, so if you were having a heart attack, would be more harm than good. p.s. I'm not a doctor either!

Ok ok, I know that it should be expected to gain weight when we finally switch back to solids from liquids. But, when I see 5 pounds come back after losing 16...I feel like a failure. I did what I could to prevent it, but it still happend. I want a HUGE fill so that I will have super duper restriction. When will this weight gain stop?? How can I slow it down?? Lots of exercise maybe?? I know I'm being a drama queen, but I was so excited about the lap-band that I could hardly contain myself...watching the scale go up is something that I hoped wouldn't happen. I am so tired of being fat!!! I am tired or snoring and not sleeping well!! I am tired of being unable to jog or climb up stairs without being winded!! I AM FED UP WITH MYSELF!!! Whew...thanks for listening.

Very interesting research study released that I thought I'd share. (CBS) Is loading up on lots of Protein the best way to lose weight? Some dieters think increasing or cutting back on protein will trick the body's metabolism into causing weight loss. But a new study suggests if you're going to eat a lot, changing the amount of protein in your diet probably won't help you lose weight. In fact, too little protein might make you fatter. "You don't fool nature by adding more or less protein," study author Dr. George Bray, an obesity researcher Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, told Health.com. "You may fool the scale, but you don't fool the metabolic processes which store excess calories as fat." For the study, published in the Jan. 4 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers took 25 healthy, normal-weight men and women between the ages of 18 and 35, and put them on either a low protein diet where 5 percent of their caloric intake came from Proteins, a normal protein diet (15 percent from proteins), or a high protein diet (25 percent from proteins) for about 12 weeks. The researchers overfed the study participants by nearly an extra 1,000 calories for the last eight weeks of the study to see whether the amount of protein had an effect on excess calories when it came to weight gain. By study's end, all participants gained weight, regardless of diet. Those who ate a low protein diet gained about half as much weight as those eating the normal protein and high protein diets. But the researchers found those eating less protein saw reductions in their lean body mass, and stored a higher percentage of calories as fat. Those overeating a high protein diet gained more lean body mass and stored fewer calories as fat. "You may gain less weight by overeating on a low-protein diet, but it's because you lose lean body mass, not because you store less fat," study author Dr. George Bray, an obesity researcher Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, told USA Today. The bottom line? Overeating - regardless of the amount of protein in your diet - will cause you to gain weight. "Most people are overeating and for those people who are, they need to pay attention to what they are putting into their mouths," study co-author Dr. Leanne Redman, an assistant professor of endocrinology at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La., told HealthDay. "If you overeat a high-fat, low-protein diet, you may gain weight at a lower rate, but you are gaining more fat and losing more muscle." http://www.cbsnews.c...or-weight-loss/

I have been gaining and lossing the same 10lbs for 3 months. I can not keep most meats down. I almost always PB my first meal of the day and then it seems I can eat like a pig. I think I am to tight for a fills but I am having trouble reaching my goal. I am 9 months post op. And I am so happy with my weight loss, but could use help in getting off the last 30 lbs.

Hello, I'm incredibly new here but i've been reading people's posts. I still considering weight loss surgery and I will most likely do it due to my years of weight gain and loss and my family history of health problems associated with obesity. I just wanted to say hello and tell you that I think you are courageous. You made a really big decision for yourself and from what I understand it is normal to grieve or feel symptoms of depression as you consider the many ways your life has changed. You chose surgery for a reason. I think that finding new ways to celebrate ourselves can be a challenge to anyone. I wish you happiness and the drive to hydrate ; )

I was seriously ill in April and had no choce, my band was infected and had to be removed. I was devastated and very concerned about just what has happened, I have started gaining weight. I saw my doctor today and was told putting another band in could be very risky and lead to even worse complications. I am seeing a nutrtionist and having medobolic testing next month to see if we can figure out why the weight came back on so fast. I am very afraid that I will go back to how I was before the surgery. I went from 267 to 138. I am now 158 and am afraid to even get on the scale anymore for fear it will show more weight gain. Any ideas I will gladly listen too. All advice is welcome and it sure is nice to know I am not the only one this has happened to or that feels like every pound just makes you look terrible.

I'm feeling pretty depressed and guilty and discouraged and and and... and I'm tired of feeling this way! I've got my band in april of last year and didnt get my first fill until 6 months later. I've lost 55 pounds since but just cant seem to stay on track these days. Ice cream.. crackers.. mini candy bars at work... sometimes in the afternoon at work, I cant stop thinking about a snack. I obsess over it and end up becoming grouchy because I cant stop thinking about it. I end up feeling deprived and punished because I cant eat what I want... then the guilt that I even feel like that in the first place makes it worse. sigh... WHATS WRONG WITH ME??? I'm so happy with my success so far, but I feel I cant do it anymore. I was going to the gym 3 times a week, so even when I cheated, I wouldnt gain. Unfortunately I fell and hurt my ankle 4 weeks ago and can only do so much before I'm in too much pain.... so now I only go 1 or 2 times a week. I was working back to my consistency, but then I must of reinjured it because it started swelling up and hurting so I am back to square one. Boo! Although I know my depression meds contribute to my weight gain and my lust for sweets, it doesnt make me feel any better. Feels like excuses. Its my 41st bday today and I had wanted to reach my first goal of 200 pounds by today, but am 11 pounds short... and its my fault. I get up every morning and tell myself that today I wont eat anything I am not suppose to and that I will go to the gym and be proud of myself... but that never seams to happen 100%. I'm sorry I didnt have any words of wisdom or positive energy to contribute... maybe I shouldnt of posted at all... anyway, good luck to you...

I was banded in February 2008. I blew that. I lost like 24 pounds. Then in June 2011, I was having problems. I had upper GI test and hiatal hernia. When I had surgery for that, he did a band revision. I said this is it.... Time to shine! NOT! I have two of my grand kids and it is hard when they want something for me not to dig in. I have fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and plantar facciitis. It is hard for me to move with pain and exhaustion. The meds I take cause weight gain!! I actually gave up. I stopped going for fills. I was due last month and said what's the point. I need help!!

THIS WAS LAST YEAR'S BIRTHDAY BLOG TITLED: 'ITS MY 41ST BIRTHDAY AND I'LL CRY IF I WANT TO': I'm feeling pretty depressed and guilty and discouraged and and and... and I'm tired of feeling this way! I've got my band in april of last year and didnt get my first fill until 6 months later. I've lost 55 pounds since but just cant seem to stay on track these days. Ice cream.. crackers.. mini candy bars at work... sometimes in the afternoon at work, I cant stop thinking about a snack. I obsess over it and end up becoming grouchy because I cant stop thinking about it. I end up feeling deprived and punished because I cant eat what I want... then the guilt that I even feel like that in the first place makes it worse. sigh... WHATS WRONG WITH ME??? I'm so happy with my success so far, but I feel I cant do it anymore. I was going to the gym 3 times a week, so even when I cheated, I wouldnt gain. Unfortunately I fell and hurt my ankle 4 weeks ago and can only do so much before I'm in too much pain.... so now I only go 1 or 2 times a week. I was working back to my consistency, but then I must of reinjured it because it started swelling up and hurting so I am back to square one. Boo! Although I know my depression meds contribute to my weight gain and my lust for sweets, it doesnt make me feel any better. Feels like excuses. Its my 41st bday today and I had wanted to reach my first goal of 200 pounds by today, but am 11 pounds short... and its my fault. I get up every morning and tell myself that today I wont eat anything I am not suppose to and that I will go to the gym and be proud of myself... but that never seams to happen 100%. I'm sorry I didnt have any words of wisdom or positive energy to contribute... maybe I shouldnt of posted at all... anyway, good luck to you... ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This year my perspective is so much different from last year! It's my 42nd birthday and I dont want to cry! These are some things I've learned since last year: I've learned that I'm NOT perfect and that's OK. Really, it is! I've realized that I will still have bad days and struggle with my depression, but good days are always around the bend. I dont feel out of control or hopeless anymore. Thats a good thing! I've learned that having the right amount of saline in your band is the key! My doc will only give .5 ccs at a time and it's taken me two years EXACTLY to reach my sweet spot! On my last fill (April 2010), I went for a fill and since I have lost 12 pounds! I even cancelled an appointment I scheduled for today. I rescheduled for August-just in case. I've learned that control, exercise and making wise food choices is important, but if you dont have the right amount in your band, it will be harder. I've learned that although I've come far, its not over. There is ALWAYS room for improvement and I'm alive and capable to do whatever I set my mind to! Splurging on chocolate or pizza once in awhile isnt a make or break deal! There is always a tomorrow to start fresh. ALWAYS. I've learned that I'm happier with my current body image than I have been in probably 15 years! I'm far from being 'thin', but I'm a hell of a lot better off than I was two years ago!!! Happy Birthday to me! Happy Birthday to me! Happy Birthday to a healthier-happier meeeeeee! Happy Birthday to me!

So my VSG surgery on August 26 everything appeared to be going fine.... the last 4 days my scale has crept up from 242... to 245! I dont understand why this would happen, I'm following my plan, maybe a little short on water, but not much and I'm not premenstrual atm...... what would cause this...its disappointing seeing it go up ..... makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong.... help.... has this happened to others? Sent from my SM-G965W using BariatricPal mobile app

I agree that everyones weight gain is different. One thing I remember from being banded in pregnant is that I was sooo hungry the first trimester that there were times were I felt like if I didn't eat something soon I would eat the bark off of the trees, lol. I also remember going shopping at the grocery store and eating something by the time I was in the car. Early pregnancy gave me a voracious appetite, and then I was fine thereafter. As far as losing 30 pounds post delivery, I had lost that much by two weeks out. Not everyone does, but if you are retaining a lot of Water it can happen. One unfortunate thing I noticed after pregnancy is that it is a lot harder to get back into losing mode. Our bodies are readjusting. There is also some difficulty switching from the "I'm feeding my baby so I can splurge a little" during pregnancy back to toeing the line. The other factor is that you are extremely busy with a new baby and time to focus on yourself or your health is hard to come by. My baby is 8 months old, I weigh 146 now but I did weigh 138 prior to pregnancy. I was 188 on the day of delivery. At the rate I am going post pregnancy over the last few months, I am lucky to lose 1 pound a month. I am not exactly where I want to be, but I am OK under 150 pounds. Not gaining for me is an accomplishment in itself. Good luck everyone with losing those post baby pounds.

Actually, a band too tight often leads weight gain. When your band is too tight, people often resort to slider foods or develop "soft calorie syndrome" leading to weight gain from not eating the right foods. Have a look at this article: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/page/index.html/_/support/post-op-support/tighter-isnt-always-better-r118 Plus, reflux is a major red flag sign of a band too tight. You don't need a fill, in fact you still may need some Fluid removed. I would recommend seeing your nutritionist to get back on track by eating the right foods in the right quantities. Best wishes.

My husband has always loved me big or small. I had a woman ask me once " what does your husband say about your weight gain" I told her "he loves me the same" she said "oh what a good man he is to love you after gaining weight" what??? Like he's a saint for sticking around?? Lol.. But he is a great man for many reasons . He wasn't really thrilled when I told him about the sleeve. But I asked him please come to a consultation with the doctor with me. At the doctors I let him see how much I weighed and laid everything out on the table for him to see. I mean I was big enough to qualify! I think he really didn't want to believe I was that big but I was. He is now my biggest supporter and likes seeing me happy!

I just give up weighing during my friend -- it is discouraging! I never really had the weight gain with my period prior to banding. Everything is different now with my cycle -- including the 2X month frequency! But I have noticed that if I lose weight it is after the friend comes & goes -- definately not during! And cheri, don't feel bad, I had2 muffins yesterday since my friend is here......I PBd on one and still had another later -- how stong is that munchie urge!?!?!?

Wow, why are you only eating 500 calories? That is not enough so I agree that you should up your calories a little more. At least to 1000. Or, instead of listening to us...could you ask your nutritionist? But, like others have mentioned...this temporary plateau or weight gain during the first few weeks after surgery is normal! Dont stress. It happened to most of us:)

Hi all. Wow. What a thread. I'm 34 y/o and my dad has 22 years sobriety. His older brother went into treatment shortly after him and has been sober ever since. Their dad, my Pop, has kidney issues due to alcohol, and his father died due to alcohol. So it definitely is in my family. I was 12 and turned 13 while he was in treatment. Happy birthday Cori! As mentioned by Green, my house was full of parties and fighting. My mom was 14 and my dad was 22 when they got married. They were 5 months pregnant with lil ole me. So the odds were stacked against them from the get go. My lil bro and I both knew what beer was, pot and it's accessories, heck we even knew that the white stuff was used in one of the rooms and to stay out when it was. There was lots of fighting. Lots of verbal and emotional abuse. I don't think there was physical, but Mom has admitted in the past that it probably bordered on physical abuse. If my bro and I were woken up during a fight, we'd get up and get dressed and go get each other and be packed and ready to go if Mom walked out. As far as Dad's alcoholism, we never knew what kind of mood he'd be in when he came home from work. Starting at least half an hour before he'd get home, we'd all change our mood and just sit waiting to see how he was going to be. Whether we could have fun or not. I've never been a Daddy's girl. I was always jealous of the girls who had that special relationship with their Dad. I've always loved my dad but I hated him for a very long time. 2 weeks before he went into treatment, he left us. I saw him a couple times and it was very hard. Then his work said either he got treatment or he was going to lose his job. While my dad was in treatment, in order to see him, we had to attend a program of our own. At the time, they only had Al-Anon and Growing Tree (for kids 11 and under). I went to Al-Anon one week with my mom, but I was 12 years old. Everyone there was in their upper teens or adults. They couldn't relate with me. So after that I went to the Growing Tree with my lil bro. But yet again, I was too old for that. So I mostly was like a helper with their activities. I didn't have any counseling of my own. After Dad got out of treatment, we stopped doing anything. So I never really dealt with my feelings about his alcoholism. He still scared me for many years. At times, I still have that feeling. Even though I know he'd do anything in the world for me. While he was in treatment, was the first time he told me he loved me. I still have the letter. Mom and Dad's relationship improved over time. Their 35th anniversary is in June. They're happy. And the fact that he was in treatment seems to be a thing of the past. I will say that because I never dealt with my issues about my dad's alcoholism back when I was a kid, it had definitely affected me later in life. I have Cerebral Palsy. I just basically walk funny. I use crutches now and then if I need some added support. No big deal. I've always had a weight problem. I've always had a problem with depression. But because of the kind of house I grew up in, everything was kept to just the family. So a bright, happy smile was always on my face, no matter how horrible I felt. When I was 22, I had moved into my best friend's apartment, a couple hours away. One extremely depressing, lonely night, I considered suicide. I didnt do it, obviously. But it was my lowest of lows. After a few days of not being able to put a smile on at all, and my best friend being worried, I finally called Mom and Dad to tell them. Mom answered and got mad and tossed the phone to Dad. He and I have never really been able to talk. We've had maybe a 3 heart to hearts ever. We talked for over an hour, and I told him how I blamed myself all these years for his alcoholism. "If he hadn't met my mom when she was so young, and if she hadn't gotten pregnant with me. If I hadn't been born with a handicap." I felt his alcoholism stemmed from all that. Even though I knew our family history. He said it was by no means my fault. I believed him, but to this day, part of me feels like it is. When I got a little older I did start dating someone for about 10 months who had been sober a while and still attended AA meetings, so I started going to Al-Anon while he was in another room with AA. I'll admit, it helped me then. I stopped going to meetings when I broke up with my ex. I know my depression and weight gain is due to lots and lots of issues but I think a core part of it was my dad's alcoholism. Even though he's made amends in his own ways, the feelings are still there. The main thing I got from it was that I didn't have my first drink until I was 21. And even though my brother and I know how to party and can get pretty drunk (definitely a thing of the past for me now!). Neither of us made a habit of it. I maybe have drank 6 times a year, 1 big blowout. Wow, what a ramble. I hope you don't mind me going all over the place.

Greetings. This has not been a wonderful week for me. I started a new job and have made some really crappy food/eating choices and as a result have gained 1 lb. My first non weight loss week since starting this journey. A combination of lack of protien rich foods and eating more than three times a day is *not* good! Also, I pb'd last night for the first time since getting the band. It was weird, the milk I'd just sipped to get it to go down was still cold. Gross. So I'm about to get up and start my exercise regimine, which up until now has been ignored. My dog will be so excited. It's a beautiful time of year here in Richmond and absolutely zero reason why I should not go walk/jog around. I'm extremely optimistic that next week will be a loss and Monday after the holiday I have an appointment for my second fill! Warm wishes to you all.

Im finding people who struggle to maintain weight after passing a 3 year mark. The first 3 years seem like magic in comparison. What do other long term sleevers experience? Several of us have been discussing this issue on "wt gained after sleeve" but people who are recently sleeved are writing about stalls. What we are experiencing is NOT a stall but an actual trend of weight gained. Sometimes in spite of sticking to same regimen (diet and exercise ) and sometimes because of physical difficulties interfering. Words of wisdom, anyone? We dont want to face total failure.

Your story echoes many of ours, just different names and places. Puberty is not an uncommon trigger for weight gain, many of us where rail thin till the big P and then BAM! It hits us, middle age widens us even more and before you know it we are morbidly obese. Most all of us here have a success story that we can share, there are a very few who have failures. You have to weigh the risk VS reward. We all wish you the very best as you start your new adventure in weight loss.

I am ready to do this. I am 100lbs from my goal weight of 135lbs. I have healthy eating habits but I eat too much. I can't control my portions ill have the steak and veggies but overdo it on the portion size of the meats. I'm not a huge picker but occasionally those cookies will torture me and I overindulge plus I eat super fast. I lose control over how much I eat. I am hoping if I continue to eat healthy protein and veggies the Lapband will help with the feeling full quicker so not only do I not go for seconds But i can't even finish my first a plate. There is this supposedly "new" belt type thing you wear on the outside I tried this its actually approved by insurance comp I didn't pay a penny for it, but it hurts soooooooooooo bad to wear this thing all day I had bruises I think you don't feel hungry bc your in pain. It did help me to eat less but I couldn t utilize properly bc it cut in so bad. I haven't come to the Lapband decision lightly. It's been a 2 year decision on and off again before I went for my first consult and finally after my 3 rd child and a 115lbs weight gain over. 9 year period I am ready to make changes and eat less. I don't want to be the "fat" mom. I want my kids to see me eating right and pick up from my healthy eating and portion sizes and I'm hoping from the less weight and healthy eating ill have more energy to exercise on a daily basis not just once a week sometimes twice.

A typical person can eat ONE brownie or baby cone of ice cream (take the cone and fill it to the top without going over the top). I think where most of us got into trouble was eating 4 brownies (or the whole pan), and always ordering a large ice cream. After hitting maintenance, try a normal amount. If it sets up the cravings or weight gain, then that won't work for you. While still losing, sweets should be either a spoonful or off limits. "Healthy" sweets are a problem for me because they tend to taste more like food, and I eat more of it... so much so it would have been better to have had a small real sweet. Play around with it to see what works for you!

I am 8 years out from my sleeve surgery and have gained about 50lbs. Anyone else have this issue? Any ideas on how to lose the weight? I can't lose it the way I use to lose weight, pre surgery habits. Any ideas?

divorced......, There are plenty of folks around who have had them removed, I being one of them although our circumstances are much different. In fact this is the first I've heard of undigested food collecting above the band and causing an infection. I know a weight gain is traumatic but it seems like you have more important issues on the table right now and doing whatever you can do to make yourself healthier is what is important right now. Good luck to you, Nancy.