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@@sleevingbeauty17 First of all, great name! The only part that was worrisome to me was a big saga about whether I needed a sleep study. The pulmonologist said it was completely unnecessary, the NP said she was getting confusing messages, the NUT didn't really care but tried to rearrange appointments because she wasn't comfortable holding sessions until that was resolved, and the hospital admin kept scheduling and rescheduling once it was cancelled in the system...even after the date of my surgery! Incompetence... I had some weight gain during pre-op that alarmed both the NUT and the psych, but by the time I was a few minutes into my psych appointment, I could tell he wasn't going to give me trouble about it, because I had come back down by the date of the psych eval.

Weight gain is a trap, and surgery is often the only permanent way out. Set point theory is a really awful thing to think about, especially when it is suggested that set point in the human body can only go up. Asking a morbidly obese person to resist hunger and stay thin after being large is like telling somebody not to breathe. Your body is smarter than your brain, and it will find a way to return to obesity. The brightest, most determined dieter in the world could not truly defeat obesity for life with just diet and exercise. We may have made mistakes to get here, but we are not weak-willed because we couldn't escape without arresting our bodies' ability to defend obesity. For some people, surgery may not even do it. And even then it is not evidence of something wrong with our heads.

Now...definitely check with your doc on this...but maybe look into the diet for women with gestational diabetes? I ate and ate when I first got pregnant. Then I found out I had GD. The diet actually stabilized my weight gain to where the baby was growing but I wasn't gaining.

I won't be having a baby in the next two years but it is a fear in the back of my mind. I would like to know how much those of you who had a baby after the surgery gained and wether it was too difficult to watch out for your cravings during pregnancy. How much did you gain?? At this point, I will starve myself to prevent myself from getting to the point where I was before. I know that is not the wisest thing to say but I will not let it happen again. My fear is that during pregnancy, preventing myself from keeping a healthy diet in fear of gaining massively, might hurt my baby. Which clearly no body wants... I am ranting..[emoji20]

Well I'm originally from Texas and if eating protein was the key to avoiding weight gain, I never would have made it to 185 much less 285! Lol!! But the absolute importance of protein post-op is undeniable. Doctors vary widely on their recommendations - from 60g to 100g a day - but I've never heard of a bariatric surgeon that doesn't stress the importance of protein post-op.

I have BC/BS AZ and I have a problem. Here it is: BC/BS of AZ: Current history and physical, psychological evaluation, nutritional consultation with licensed nutritionist, 5 years medical records, letter of recommendation from PCP, and continuous participation in a weight loss program for 6 months or longer within the past 12 months. Weight loss program includes: · A structured program that includes documentation of diet and dates of participation (a minimum of one face to face visit per week attendance for dietary counseling/education is required. And · A structured exercise program (unless medically contraindicated) designed and supervised by a certified or qualified professional with documentation of attendance (a minimum of three sessions per week of participation in an exercise program is required) and, · Demonstration of a commitment to results by documenting weight loss, maintenance, or no more than a 5 pound weight gain over a minimum six month period. I have everything except for the exercise program. Weight Watchers(2004-6months)Do I have a chance of getting this approved? Has anyone ever got approved with some of these requirements? I guess I am holding on to a little faith that I have left...at this point I have given up and just have to realize that I will be obese for the rest of my life.

The thing about people that had surgeries is they dont seem to realize they still have the porcedure in place and they can again follow the rules and lose weight....maybe with a good therapist,but I believe it is possible.All that the weight gain means is that you are practicing the old habits of your before surgery days. Still,I pray I never lose control to the point of allowing myself to gain that much before I catch myself and stop myself.I am reall praying that. xxo

From https://asmbs.org/patients/life-after-bariatric-surgery Q: Which medications should I avoid after weight loss surgery? A: Your surgeon or bariatric physician can offer guidance on this topic. One clear class of medications to avoid after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is the “Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs” (NSAIDs), which can cause ulcers or stomach irritation in anyone but are especially linked to a kind of ulcer called “marginal ulcer” after gastric bypass. Marginal ulcers can bleed or perforate. Usually they are not fatal, but they can cause a lot of months or years of misery, and are a common cause of re-operation, and even (rarely) reversal of gastric bypass. Some surgeons advise limiting the use of NSAIDs after sleeve gastrectomy and adjustable gastric banding as well. Corticosteroids (such as prednisone) can also cause ulcers and poor healing but may be necessary in some situations. Some long-acting, extended-release, or enteric coated medications may not be absorbed as well after bariatric surgery, so it is important that you work with your surgeon and primary care physician to monitor how well your medications are working. Your doctor may choose an immediate-release medication in some cases if the concern is high enough. Finally, some prescription medications can be associated with weight gain, so you and your doctor can weigh the risk of weight gain versus the benefit of that medication. There may be alternative medications in some cases with less weight gain as a side effect.

I just thought I would share some of my story for those of you who are struggling with getting to the green zone as I am. I was banded in July. I lost 15 lbs in 14 days on the pre op diet. My first fill was 2 CC and I was primed with 1CC during my procedure. I had 5 fills in between then and now. I only lost another 15 and gained 5 back even though I felt like I was eating way less. I realized i had been misleading my Dr., unintentionally. I had been telling them what I was eating. Not what I was capable of eating. When I was discouraged, my portions became larger as I started to give up and not watch what I was putting in my mouth. Had I been more forthcoming with what I was able to eat, he most likely would have been giving me larger fills. I was also discouraged right after a fill. The first week I would be tight and feeling like I was in the green zone and by week 2 I could eat almost anything again. I was embarrassed that I had gained those 5 lbs back and finally worked up the courage to make another fill appointment and get back on track. I went to my fill appointment and waited until my dr came in, fully expecting to be scolded or frowned upon for my weight gain. I explained to him everything that I was experiencing and he gave me a larger fill of .75 CC. I believe my band has just over 5CC now. He also wrote me a prescription for a new drug called contrave. At first I was resistant to try it. I just had weight loss surgery and now it's back to the pills that have never worked for me in the past? He told me it was only temporary and it was a way to jump start my weight loss as the scale was moving in the wrong direction. I agreed. Filled the prescription and waited two days before I started taking it. I read some reviews online and found very few positive ones. I decided to give it a shot anyway despite the negative side effects I read about online. Turns out, it is working for me. I have lost 9 lbs in a very short period of time and the scale is moving in the right direction again. I have my motivation back, however I am experiencing some side effects but very mild and they have lessoned as time went on. So the moral of this story is.. Communicate with your surgeon and be extremely honest. And DON'T give up

Awesome !!!!! You done did it !!!!! Well done. The sipping has become easier for me every day. Now I have to make sure I keep the glass filled with ice and topped off with Water or else I tend to gulp it down (old habits). It's become second nature to have the glass beside me. I hope you progress well. You probably already know this, but stay away from the scale for a while. It seems there is a predictable weight gain during our surgeries and hospital stay (IV fluids doing their thing, inflammation Fluid gain, etc). Just stay strict on the diet and know that it'll all flush out in due time. Great job. You've taken a big step towards becoming healthy. Doing so at a young age is outstanding. Your life will be fun and exiting and HEALTHY. Awesome !!!!

Does gastric dilatation limit the success of sleeve gastrectomy as a sole operation for morbid obesity? http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16469218 Research Study http://www.weightlosstriumph.com/does-gastric-dilation-limit-the-success-of-sleeve-gastrectomy.html further discussion of research results Great news! This research indicates that dilataion (stomach streching) does not necessarily lead to weight gain. In fact, most of the research that I've done (scientifically based) parallels the results of this study. The reason I've researched this topic is because my capacity has increased after one year post op and sometimes wonder if my stomach is dilated. I don't think my eating behaviors caused dilatation because I can only remember 3-4 times that I ate to the point of discomfort in the past year. Even if my stomach is dilated, I can still keep the weight off. The surgery did its job by helping me lose over 150 pounds and now I have to put my effort into overdrive during the maintenance phase. For me, this maintenance phase is actually harder than the weight loss phase because it is less structured and I really have to watch my portions because my stomach can hold so much more than before. The article recommends revision surgery through bypass or duodenal switch if the stomach becomes dilated. However, according to Dr. Weiner (well known bariatric surgeon, search on youtube for his videos), most patients that undergo this revision only lose an average of 15-25 pounds afterward. He often notices (during the revision surgery) that many patients DO NOT even have a dilated stomach. FYI: Dilation (stretching) does happen, but mostly to larger sleeves. You are going to have many people tell you that it just can't happen, they are wrong. This seems to have a great deal to do with how much of the fundus is cut out. The remaining fundus can stretch up to four times it's original size. Research shows that about 50% of the ghrelin is still produced in our bodies. I can also attest to the fact that my hunger and cravings are about at 40% compared to before surgery. I've read that most sleeves hold about 2 ounces after surgery but will eventually hold 4-6 ounces. This means that it is normal for the sleeve to enlarge 2-3 times its original size over time, despite not overeating. Really, what counts is NOT the size of our stomach, but what we put in it. I've seen patients regain weight no matter what their sleeve size. It's interesting to note that I've lost much more weight than those that boast at meetings that they are full after a few tablespoons. Even if your capacity has increased, the key is to stay positive! You can and will be successful! Further info: http://myaceinhand.blogspot.com/2012/01/bougie-size.html

congratulations on your loss!! I am only one month out and have lost 35 pounds. That is a pretty good start, however im noticing now even tho im eating small portions three times a day and only snack is a v-8 to get in my veggies i barely eat. im crawling. however. i did start walking and have lost three pounds this week, didnt walk last night and went up by .3 pounds. My opinion is once i get to goal which is along way away lol. but hey im 1/4 there lol. is to ensure to keep up on fills if needed and watching any weight gain and even if a 5 pound fluctuate to call the doc right away. that is my plan anyhow. i am determined to keep this weight off for life!!!! Today is hard because we are having a sweet potluck with all sorts of desserts. I just made sugar free jello to take with light fruit mix. i will have some.. anyhoo back to subject. this is the best decision i ever made ever ever. i love my band. i havent even had a fill and i cant eat very much at all. im hoping with my first fill , it will give me good restriction. crossing fingers. im not worried about the regain later down the road because for me its all about upkeep for a lifetime.

I am a 49 year old man living on Cape Cod with my wife and our two children. My weight over the decades has slowly crept up and hitting an all time high of 287pounds. I have had 9 knee surgeries on my right knee since i was 17yo. When the knee hurts and buckles the weight scrambles on.The more the weight the more the knee gives out. Then came the sleep apnea, Then the Blood pressure pills. Then the cholesterol meds. This path was leading to early death or total knee replacement before 50 and the weight gain roller ride. I am actively in the last phases of all the preop requirements and have a surgery date for early March. I believe this is the best course of action for my life and achieving my goal to live to 100. The alternative is to dire. I would like to read more on the first few days after surgery and how quickly one can return to work and family life.I not looking for horror stories. Thank you John

Hello! I'm unable to find much about this online, so thought I'd see if anyone has had a similar experience post-removal. Long story short: I was banded about 11 years ago, lap band slipped, I was scheduled for removal. My original surgeon had moved to CA, so I went through Northwestern Hospital. (Sidenote: I HIGHLY recommend them! They went above and beyond when it came to ensuring my safety throughout the entire process). The surgery went very well and immediately afterwards, all of the side effects I'd been experiencing (horrendous acid reflux, pain, spitting up blood) were 100% gone. My doctor mentioned that he left the stitches in place that were holding my band in, explaining that this would give me a bit of restriction still and hopefully deter weight gain. It's now been almost exactly one month since surgery. I've been trying to watch how much I've been eating and signed up for a gluten free healthy food service. However, yesterday I celebrated my birthday and ate wayyyy too much. For the first time since before my surgery, I was spitting up food. Today, I have a weird sensation around the area where my band would have been - not pain per se, but it's not comfortable. Almost feels like gas pains. I'm back to the meal plan (i.e. smaller portions) today, but still regurgitating small bits of food a few hours after eating. My questions: - Has anyone who's had the band removed had their stitches left in place? - If so, has anyone else experienced this sensation? - Is it possible to rip these stitches from over-eating?! I'm an idiot and was *supposed* to have my follow-up appointment tomorrow, but rescheduled for next week. Now, I'm kicking myself and worried that perhaps I ripped the stitches or something.

Hello. May I ask who your insurance was with and also did you have to pay out of pocket expenses. My BMI is 37 but I have really bad swelling in my joints and pain due to my weight gain. Please help!

I have PCOS I found out after I had the mirena taken out and I just wasnt getting my period, the weight gain was crazy, a beard on my chin and acne like I was a teen uggh I hope the sleeve helps with some of these symptoms... Sent from my SM-G900P using BariatricPal mobile app

Hello friend! I'm sorry you are struggling! I found the months of pre-OP preparation extremely uncomfortable emotionally, which I'm guessing must be the same for you? My partner at work, who is a health care provider like me, actually gained 10 pounds the 2 months prior to her surgery. She's been wildly successful since her sleeve, tho. You may be in for a question or two about the weight gain, but you can just be honest and tell them what has been stressing you out. Once you get that surgery date, the stress of waiting for approval will be behind you and you can focus on the future with great encouragement! And truly, once you have the sleeve on your side, you can spend more time focusing on healthy, non-food ways to soothe yourself when times get tough. You'll even have the energy to work out, which is awesome for mind as well as body strength! Blessings to you!

Hi there, I have been reading all the stories on this site for some time now & after getting some great advice on here, I feel it's time to tell my story. We were do I start! I am 35 years, weigh about 93kg & live in Australia. Up to around 8 or 9 years of age I lived a very healthy lifestyle of Water skiing on weekends with my family. I don't remember having any over eating problem however I do remember being told I didn't eat enough. At around 9 my parents separated & that's where the over eating began. I have suffered with weight problem ever since. Although I know how my problem started & accept that, how does one break life long habits when they can never avoid the drug (food). I have been anorexic, bulimic, binger & now just over eating sloth. I smoked when i was younger & had no problem cold turkey to give up. I don't have any other strong holds in my life so "why can't I beat this". Well I have tried every diet (as most of us on this site have) and I have had success loosing up to 25kg only to regain the weight again & again. I think I'm a strong person & I put everything in to what every project I'm doing but I just feel like such a failure when it comes to weight loss. Why is it so hard to stay slim! Last time I lost weight I said that's it never again!! I threw out all my fat clothes ( really regretting that now I have nothing to wear lol) I even went as far as to enroll myself in a fitness course. I spent 1 year full time studying fitness & nutrition once again I lost weight about 10kg & got a job as a fitness instructor (to my amazement) I was teaching les mills classes at around 85kg the weight was too much on my back & I was still eating more & more the stress became to much & I stopped. Since then I have gone back into a downwards spiral I'm still working in a gym but as a receptionist and i know everyone is noticing the weight gain. The more I'm there the worse I feel with the continued feelings of failure. Well that's where I am now. I feel I can't be on this merry-go-round any longer. Ive stopped solialising, caring for myself & I'm just a shell. I remember one small time in my life where I loved myself I was slim wore pretty clothes & loved the way it felt "I was slim"! My super has been released & I now have to take the big leap to book the surgery. I hope this tool will help me towards releasing my from my life long battle. Thanks for reading & would love to hear back from you. Your friend and colleague in the battle of the bulge

So far I am the first person on this thread to say this but until I was 32 I couldn't keep weight on. I grew up in a house with what I thought of as normal sized people. My family was all healthy weight. I was called names because I was so thin and I promise it hurts just as bad. Now as a obese person I have had a hard time feeling bad about the weight gain. I don't make fun of obese people in fact I tend to be attracted to heavy men. I guess everything is in how you percieve it. I am having lapband because I want to stop taking all this medicine that I am on. I am 5'7" and I would be happy at 160lbs all day long. Personally I am a happy fat girl but it is making me sick so the time has come to do something and I don't seem to be able to diet and excerise to lose it. I joined Curves today and have surgery Dec. 4 so wish me luck!

You are owning up to your failure and that takes guts. Drinking is one big weight gain problem and if you put your mind to it then yes you will succeed. 24 minutes is better then nothing. I wish you nothing but success.

This was very interesting to read, and I am surprised more people have not responded. Do people (especially ones that have been together for 3 years) really not know the art of communication? Have we become such an electronic world that we have forgotten how to sit down with our partners and talk, and I mean TALK ~ not just a comment about "maybe we should work out together". I am a 39yo gay male, and my partner is 19yo; in December we will have been together 2 years. Before we got together, I never thought much about my health, my weight, or my long term. However, after spending just a year with him, I knew that I wanted to be around for him as long as I could. So, it was announced that my insurance would finally cover the lap band procedure. Did I just go and sign up? NO! I sat down with my partner and told him my thoughts. Part of the reason he fell in love with me was because I was an older "bigger" man, a BEAR if you will. I was 340lbs and 37 when we met! So ok, how am I going to suddenly become thin (thinner) without discussing it with him? We sat and talked a long time about it, the decision wasn't completely made for several weeks. My constant question to him was, "will you still love me and be attracted to me if I am thin?". What I love even more about him was that he didn't lie, he said he didn't know. It is very similar to asking your partner if they would mind if you had a sex change, you will NOT be the same person they fell in love with. I gave him time, he gave me time and we sat down again, and TOGETHER, as a COUPLE we made the decision for me to go forward with the lap band. He realized that he would rather have me around for a lifetime than be with someone that he was just attracted to physically, he realized he loved ALL of me! Now I am banded, have lost 52lbs and am more healthy than I have ever been in my life; and most importantly, I know that I have a partner that I can talk to and who will be honest with me. How much more rewarding can you get. So I say to the girl who was upset with her girlfriends weight, instead of asking her to work out, did you try sitting down with her and talking about how she feels, and is there something she is going through causing her weight gain? Did you ask her if there is anything you can do to help her (and suggesting working out is not asking a question). Did you ask if she is happy with herself? Perhaps you need to look closer at yourself, she has given YOU a good 3 years, but have you given HER a good 3 years? My suggestion to you would be to take a class on etiquette, couth, and communication because it seems you lack all 3! In any relationship our goal is to support our partner, encourage our partner, and the two most important are LOVE and RESPECT our partner. So I suggest she rethink things, and decide if she loves her partner, or her partners body; and if she can't answer that honestly, she needs to give her partner the respect she deserves and move on. Sorry if I went off there a bit, but I feel pretty strongly about relationships, and that girl who made the post on Craigs List needs some help! Jason

I weighed myself and the scale showed I gained 6 lbs. I don't eat much, barely 4 ounces. I eat healthy, when I can eat. I can't figure out what I am doing wrong. I can see I lost weight, I wear a size 18 - 20. I was wearing 24. I don't want to gain back the weight.

Wow, that's really crummy of your PCP. Having such a huge life-change ignored feels just as bad as if he were totally negative about it. I am thinking about finding a new PCP, too. My husband and I are going to be having lap band surgery in about 6 months (insurance requirements - DOH). We have been seeing a husband and wife pair of doctor's as our PCP's for about seven years. About 6 months ago, before I had even really decided to get WLS, my doctor and I were discussing my latest weight gain and how difficult the previous year had been for me. I asked her opinion of WLS and was totally FLOORED when she looked me straight in the eye and said she "I think it's the absolute worst thing you could do". I was shocked. She went on to tell me about studies and there being no evidence that long-term weight loss was the norm after WLS and more negative stuff that ended with her telling me about what a "wonderful example of someone who got it right, the actor Jason Alexander", was. Apparently, she saw him on tv talking about how seeing a shrink and "fixing what was going on in his head finally helped him lose the weight". So, not only was she basically insinuating that I would be stupid and wrong to get WLS and that I was crazy, to boot. My husband has since found out, through conversations with her husband, his PCP, feels pretty much the same. We just really need to find another doctor, because we are both dreading telling them about my decision to have WLS and just don't really want to hear what they has to say on the matter. We've only told my Mom and my best friend about our decision, who are both very supportive. I am nervous about telling my sister, too.

My cycle regulated within two months of surgery. I have endo, not PCOS. I found that my hormones just caused all sorts of issues. I had trouble with Mirena post op because my body didn't react the same way to the hormones and I could not lose weight with it in. I had mine removed. I'd go back to it as an option after this pregnancy, because it works very well for my endo (that's the only reason I take it, surprise pregnancy is not in the cards for me) but that's only because I'm not trying to lose weight any more. So watch the bc choices post op. If you notice that you react differently than before surgery, do not be surprised and be willing to consider other options. I also had the usual bloat and weight gain even after surgery. In fact, I only lost weight during about a ten day period each month. I would stay at one weight for about two weeks, gain a few pounds during my period and then shed any weight I'd lose that month in the final week to ten days of the month. With the exception of two stalls, this was my normal weight loss pattern. I think the hormone issues caused me to lose weight more slowly (just over six pounds a month) but I still reached goal. In my time here (three years registered, three and half including my lurk months) I've seen a huge number of women report improvements in their PCOS and endometriosis after losing a significant amount of weight. Be wary, because there are also a huge number of surprise pregnancies by women as their fertility increases and they weren't prepared with a birth control option! Good luck. It is totally normal to have a wacky cycle for a short time post op, and for some even for several months as your body adjusts to the rapid changes. I've read that our fat cells store hormones and as we lose weight they are released into the body. I'm not sure how true this is, but a number of us experience hormonal fluctuations that do crazy things to us after surgery, until our bodies adjust. ~Cheri

Yep, you read that right. I really haven't run into any real problems. I am 1.5 weeks out from Surgery and things have been smooth. -- No major pain after surgery, other than my wrist arm swelling from the vein they blew -- still hurts -- No major gas pain -- No nausea -- No close calls with throwing up -- Able to drink fluids relatively easily, albeit slowly -- Moved to full liquids per my Dr's plan easily -- I am getting 60+ grams of Protein, and close to the 64 oz of Fluid (remembering to sip Water and waiting the 30+ minutes after is annoying) -- Since moving to full liquids, I am been getting 600 to 700 calories in, is that too much? -- Finally lost the water weight gain plus, and an additional 4.2 lbs since the surgery for a total of nearly 12 lbs -- Traveled to my client site and worked pretty much my same routine of super fulls days, i.e, 10+ hours (yes, I did crash as soon as I got back to the hotel) Now, for the minor complaint, when will my wrist along the vein stop hurting? It hurts to stretch the arm out and to touch it. OK, I know I will hit a stall, I am thinking moving to more solid foods might present a problem, I just know I will hit a road bump at some point and will be on here asking for help. But, until then, pre-op patients, please know that the ride can be smooth. I know so far I have been one of the lucky ones. Thank you to who ever is watching out for me, I really appreciate it. Mary