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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?

We all lose at our own rate & unfortunately our rate of loss slows as we get closer to goal. I wouldn’t worry about the 3lb weight gain. Yes, it could be a fluctuation & it could be as you said, you’re not monitoring your food intake as often & have gone off plan. Getting back on your plan is your best way forward. I wouldn’t worry too much about your level of activity. I really didn’t & still don’t exercise. I lost all my weight & more. The truth is exercise accounts only for a 10-20% loss of the weight you have to lose. Got 50lbs to lose, exercising will account for only 5-10lbs. Of course there are physical, emotional & psychological benefits to exercise which will influence your decision but how much & how often you exercise is ultimately yours.

Hi I am always worried about weight gain after my surgery I am 4 months post op , and there's days that go by and I only eat very few calories but all from healthy foods and there is usually one day out of the week that I feel that I m like a little piggy , and I m scared to death to get on the scale the next day but it's CRAZY because instead of gaining any weight I actually usually loose more? Has anyone else been seeing this? Sent from my REVVL V+ 5G using BariatricPal mobile app

After waiting for what seemed like forever, more weight gain, and health scared due to my weight, I finally officially have my initial consults with my Bariatric surgeon team on Monday!!!!

After waiting for what seemed like forever, more weight gain, and health scared due to my weight, I finally officially have my initial consults with my Bariatric surgeon team on Monday!!!!

The problem with traditional dieting is that after you've lost weight, your body literally fights you to the death to put it back on. This has been scientifically proven. I'm sure this has something to do with the fact that humans have evolved to survive in a feast and famine environment throughout 99% of our history. Nowadays, the feast never ends. This is a relatively new phenomenon, and our bodies haven't had time to catch up yet from an evolutionary perspective. It's the reason why the lasting success rates of programs like Weight Watchers, etc are incredibly low. I believe the weight gain relapse odds plummet after two years of keeping the weight off. Most people don't have that much willpower. The only program besides surgery that I've seen truly work is Overeaters Anonymous, and that's for the people who truly work it. This generally means meetings multiple times a week, step work with a sponsor, service work, etc. It's a complete psychological and lifestyle change. Give it another shot if you want, but one thing I'd say is to trust your track record rather than your emotions. It sounds like you've been dieting on and off forever. What'll make this time any different? If nothing changes, nothing changes. I don't think anyone here wanted to have surgery. We did it because we were at our wits end. As for the people in your life who're telling you not to do it, ask yourself how much they really know about it. Like I used to, they probably think it's only for people big enough to be on TLC, super drastic, etc. It's really not, and frankly, I don't think anyone really needs a football sized stomach that produces tons of ghrelin in this day in age. It sounds like you've done a lot of research on the matter. You have a well-informed opinion, which means that you can disregard ones that aren't well-informed. A calculus student probably wouldn't take an algebra student seriously if the algebra student looked over his work and told him that it was all wrong. Btw, staying obese is generally far riskier than bariatric surgery. Diabetes, clogged arteries, high blood pressure, etc versus some very minor surgery risks. I don't know what your personal health situation is, so take what I just said with a grain of salt, but if a decent surgeon looks you over and says you're good to go, you're probably good to go.

Welcome. i’m very glad I had the surgery. I generally eat what I want & it doesn’t restrict me dining out or socialising with friends. There are foods I choose not to eat (sweet things, highly processed foods, etc.) because I want to maintain my weight loss. I know I will always monitor & watch what I eat & how much. Bad eating habits, poor food choices, cravings, etc. will always be there. The surgery doesn’t remove or stop them. It just gives you time to recognise what they are & why you’re experiencing them & find ways to manage them. There are some foods that sit heavily in my tummy & make me feel full sooner like bread, pasta, rice & potato though some eat them without issue. It’s just who we are as individuals. There can be other odd things you may not tolerate temporarily after surgery or less common long term but there are plenty of alternatives for food allergies & intolerances about these days. Personally, I’ve not vomited as such but have regurgitated a couple of times when I ate something too dry or coarse. It passes quickly & I don’t feel sick or have discomfort like after vomiting. I did have nausea from my vitamins & on odd days for no obvious reason except having a sensitive & fussy tummy after surgery & when losing. Don’t have it all now now. The reality is you will be eating a much more nutritious & balanced diet so your health will improve greatly. A gastric sleeve will (Mayo Clinic) reduce your risk of potentially life-threatening weight-related health problems, including: Heart disease High blood pressure High cholesterol Obstructive sleep apnea Type 2 diabetes Stroke Cancer Infertility Sure I have reflux, but I had it before surgery (managed it well with dietary choices). It’s not worse just different now. Had no comorbidities before surgery but they likely were just waiting to start. A lot of my big weight gain in the last few years was tied to being peri menopausal & then menopausal. I’d struggle lose 2 pounds & gain it straight back hard to fight your hormones & your body. You’ll probably find a lot of negative stories here but that’s because they’re likely looking for advice, support, etc. If things are going well, you tend not to post just reply. Having a support system is important whether family &/or friends. As is having a supportive surgeon, GP, dietician & therapist, if you have one. My surgeon, his associates & my GP are great. Still see my surgeon’s associate every three months for follow ups & blood tests. And my GP reviews everything with me whenever I see her. If anything looks unusual, they monitor & investigate further. That would be my only point to consider with seeking out of state or country surgery - the follow ups.

I am actually feeling great. I am actually going to start riding my bicycle hopefully in the next couple weeks. Just gotta get it tuned up. I stopped riding over a year ago due to the weight gain and i was beyond the capacity of the bicycle lol. Sucked too because that bicycle was expensive lol.

Hi everyone. I found this forum while trying to research the gastric surgery options. Both my GP and my GYN have suggested a sleeve because of my weight gain and the depression it causes. I will be 50 years old in August and every time I think about how I have struggled with my weight all my life, I start ugly crying. I am 5'2" and 212lbs which is the heaviest I have ever been. I feel old and tired and cant reach my feet. I am terrified of getting this surgery. I have been able to get to a healthy weight only once after having my kids and it was a very strict low carb diet and working out 5 days a week but I was not able to sustain it and it only lasted about a year before I crashed and then Covid happened and I gained more, then my mom died and I gained more. I am reading how stressful the pre-op liquid diet is, and how much pain is suffering from post-op gas and its just worrying me more. My first appt with a gastroenterologist is in 3 weeks.

Hi all. I'm so glad I found this thread! I have PCOS and hypothyroidism and my biggest fear is that I'll have this surgery and still be unable to lose weight. You all have given me some hope and a lot to think about. I wish there was more research into PCOS and I wish doctors would take it more seriously. Doctors always say my PCOS will get better if I lose weight, but I can't lose weight because of the PCOS. And the assumption is that being overweight causes PCOS. But I started getting all the symptoms of PCOS when I was super skinny. Then I started to gain weight. So I firmly believe that PCOS comes first and it causes the weight gain.

I was told that you should never drink soda or anything carbonated nor chew gum because it puts gas in your belly and causes it to expand therefore you can eat more food then weight gain continues… I’ve had sips here and there and can certainly feel the difference within myself…I was sleeved 5 yrs ago and gained a little but am back on track and back down the 15lbs I put back on…

I decided to talk with my husband and children about it, my mother and my brother. Some online friends I have met through my business . I lost 30 in the first 2 months of my 6 month program. My mom, brother and husband are on board, but all asked me to reconsider and loose it naturally. I was a skinny person with crazy high metabolism until 30, received medical attention for anxiety and severe depression and poof, weight gain constantly since. I am 41 now. Always was active and was labeled medically induced morbidly obese. I have been to ‘diet doctors’ nutritionists, doctors, tried getting off the medication and gain plus all the time. I was literally doing one meal at dinner and ‘testing’ shakes and purée phase foods for the other meals. Because honestly I am terribly anxious for the liquid diet. Which I happened to start yesterday. I in total lost 50, but gained back 5-10 in a nervous dip and adding back to 3 meals. Trying the yogurt recipes (I gain with yogurt 😢) My doctors still want me to stick with the yogurt. I do know that carbs are my gains. I have my RNY scheduled May 10 and can’t wait. It’s not a secret, but I am not trying to tell anyone because it’s my body and my decision. Judgements are always made and sometimes (always) my family (aunts uncles cousins) can be completely rude. All in all, I am doing this for myself and my children, I want to live and annoy them for a long time and love the families they ave. So don’t worry about anyone else. Immediate support group small~ All I need 🥰

I read an article that, simply put, explained weight gain from consuming artificial sweeteners occurred because the body tastes sweet & so expects there to be sweet it can use for energy. (Our body does need some glucose to function.) But because there isn’t any glucose, your body thinks something is wrong & will store calories you consume as future energy i.e. as fat. Does make sense as your body will go into starvation mode & store as many calories as it can in times when food intake is low. It’s why many find their weight loss eventually stops on ultra low calorie diets. And of course artificial sweeteners do absolutely nothing to modify/eradicate your cravings for sweet things. Plus there’s a lot of the studies about the negative impact of them on gut health & your immune system. It’s hard to get sweeteners completely out of your diet as they’re in so many things but at least reducing the amount you’re consuming can only be a good thing.

My team said medically I can but they strongly advise against it. This is because there is a correlation between soda and weight gain (even diet soda). It hasn’t been explained yet but the correlation still exists and shows up study after study.