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Hi Mary: We are the same age and I always like to check in with woman our age because I think it's a challenge with menopausal weight gain that comes with this time. How are you doing? Are you winning the battle? Glad your palpitations went away. I started getting them a year ago and was very scared as I lost a sister to a heart attack. It turns out my palpitations are yet another symptom of fluctuating hormones. I am pre banded but have are almost there just battling with my insurance company but still have so many questions.

I have been on DepoProvera for more than 10 years. I have had no side effects. If there is weight gain, it is minimal and mostly Water. I also don't have to suffer with having periods. In the beginning there were some spotting and breakthrough bleeding issues but they went away fairly quickly. I have had no depression or anything else...mostly bliss since I have no periods and don't even have to go to the dr's office for shots. My niece is an RN and gives them to me. Whatever you decide, good luck! Happy Banding, The Pool Girl

I am just wandering is anyone else gets the dapo birth control shot the one you get every 3 months, I am considering getting the shot only problem is that my obgyn says weight gain is a side effect.

You have already answered your concerns. I believe as you said, if you are contemplating quitting smoking, you will be more capable of handling any potential for weight gain now rather than closer to you goal weight and maintenance. Good luck with your choice. Denise said: On the other hand, if the weight loss is easier in these earlier months, maybe that will minimize any potential weight gain from quitting?

Your plan should mention something about weight gain. My plan required an exercise program with documentation. Sent from my SM-G530T using the BariatricPal App

Pre surgery jitters can make you question your surgery. It’s normal. First months is your best weight loss. Your first year is your golden year. don’t waste it! What will make you successful long term is nothing magic. It’s following your plan. weigh and log your food, hydrate and activity/exercise. Rates of weight loss: Just because one person did not lose much and another lost above the norm does not mean that is what your outcome will be. Don’t compare your weight loss. It will make you crazy. Things to learn from the posts about regain. Weight gain can happen with any type of procedure. “eating around your surgery restriction” You can eat several small meals that total over your weight loss/maintaining calories. (can be combinations of healthy and unhealthy foods) The result is weight gain Some examples of what can trigger people to eat over their weight loss/maintaining calories Complications Head hunger/real hunger medical issues medications stress/emotions menopause pregnancy eating disorders Being complaisant Thinking restriction alone will take and keep the weight off

Hi I am new to this website. I was banded 11/15/10, I love it! I always had a weight problem but if I put my mind to it and followed a diet and exercised I was able to lose weight. Right before I got married I was doing just that watching what I ate and exercising like crazy and not gaining weight but not losing at all. I went for a physical and found out I have hypothyroid. For eight years I had gradual weight gain, surprisingly was able to lose pregnancy weight twice (I attribute that to breastfeeding) but after losing that the gradual weight gain continued. So in complete frustration I talked to my PCP about weight loss and he said his wife who is in practice with him has been working with a bariatric surgeon and he recommended I see them about lapband. He is a pretty conservative guy so for him to reccomend that I took it pretty seriously. I started seeing the surgeon in July 2010 since then I have lost almost 60 lbs, 20 lbs pre-surgury and the rest since. I had my first fill a week ago (2/1/11) and I remembered how being on liquids was like torture, hungry all the time. Back on regular diet now and doing ok. The holidays were difficult because I discovered there wasn't much I couldn't eat. I am having a difficult time getting back to the diet I was doing so well before the holidays but I have started exercising. My hardest times are the weekends when we socialize with others, I need to figure out something to help me eat what and how much I am supposed to. My biggest concern is not causing my band to slip. I realize when I do eat a lot it is nowhere near what I used to eat without the band but still I have the moments. I am looking forward to checking out chat areas on here and learning more and getting and giving support when possible.

This is like torture remembering diets, weight loss, weight gain, especially when I have been in a perpetual state of yo yo dieting for the last 8 years. I have my appointment with the surgeon on January 7th, I will let you know what he says about my diet history sheets. I will provide you with this information, hopefully it will help so you will have an easier time.

Hello, I was sleeved on Sep.7th, 2013. I am 7 months post-op and have gone down from 232 pounds to 153 pounds that's 80pounds since surgery. This Sunday I found out I'm pregnant and eventho I'm excited I'm also very concerned since I can't eat enough for one person let alone another human being. I also have struggled with my water intake and protein. But anyways... I have questions for anyone who has been sleeved and been pregnant! can u share with me your experience, your struggles, the weight gain, the weight loss after birth, was it easy was it hard... etc... Thankyou!!!

I say the same thing, about a 3rd revision, but for different reasons than most wls peeps. I gained almost 100 lbs (was "only" a 100 lbs overweight with no cormorbidities when I had my rny in 12/2001) starting at 6 1/2 years post rny, due to medications that caused both a chemically induced obsession with food and effected me metabolically, even though I threw up almost everything I ate, due to a gi bleed history from rny, for years. And my gastric bypass was reversed in 9/2010. I remain though in the wls communities to be a supportive peer, even though my responses are not necessarily popular. I'm not anti-rny, though nor anti-wls . I am saying that is it possible that you're on medications that can cause either weight gain or stalls weight loss. Or do you have a health history such as PCOS, thyroid, etc that sometimes can be problematic, as far as easier weight gain and/or slower weight loss? There's not much I haven't seen or heard in the almost 15 years I've participated in wls communities. I've seen people not be able to eat much and regain all their weight back. I've seen people be able to eat everything, i.e. my 13 1/2 year post rny sister who's maintained 95% of her weight loss and doesn't follow a bariatric regimen at all, but she does work out A LOT and is tiny, is super healthy and has never had one complication, doesn't dump, etc, as well as some other people I know. I don't talk about how I lose weight, but it wouldn't work for me, to follow a newbie bariatric regimen, even with thyroid and metabolic issues.As starvation no longer works. I'm OK with being 65-70 lbs lbs and almost 10 sizes smaller than my biggest both before bariatric surgery and after bariatric surgery (I was a size 24/3-4x both in 2001 and in 2009). I'm on average now of 12/14 and misses XL in most clothes. Sometimes smaller, sometimes bigger, depending on who makes the clothes. If you feel overall good, it might be easier on you both physically and mentally to concentrate on weight lost, not weight found. I choose to concentrate on being a 12/14 vs a 24 than the 2/4 I was, at my smallest. But if you do want to lose more weight, maybe it might help to rule out obstacles such as medical and medication issues that can cause weight gain or hamper weight loss. Hope this helps... Best of luck to you...

So you've lost about 40lb in two months, that is excellent given your start weight, I would say your fluctuations are just that and no cause for panic. The small weight gains you've experienced (along with the excellent weight loss) may be your weight loss pattern. Very few people lose weight on a continually down pattern...most of us have stalls, weight gains and and losses, this is just how our bodies are even with weight loss surgery.

Did anyone gain during 6 month suprovosed and still got approved if so how much did u gain?

I had my surgery done on Dec. 26. I started out at 305 and went through education classes and at the time of surgery was done to 285. It has been one week since my surgery and I have followed the clear liquid diet to a tea. I had some kidney complications and they had to pump me full of IV fluids. The fluid weight is making my legs and feet swell. Has anyone gone through something similar and have any advice for me?

I have NYSHIP as well, why do you think they wont cover you? The NYSHIP group is very big, which is why the coverage is more than most. As long as you went to a surgical group with experience with NYSHIP, you met the prerequisites, I'm not sure why they would deny you. My surgical group said, they never have problems with NYSHIP, including if patients have slight weight gain or loss during the 6 month monitored diet.

I can't make a decision for you, but I can shed some light on my thought process as I had the same thoughts and fears you did. I went around and around with this for more than two years. I was really scared of the small, but real possibility that something could go wrong. I have two children and a husband who is disabled with muscular dystrophy. He is completely dependent on me for all things. While he is a wonderful husband and father, he cannot drive the kids around to their activities, or get himself to their stuff. If something happened to me, it would be devastating to my family beyond just the loss of a mother. I was 272 lbs when I finally made my decision. I had no other co morbitities other than some mild sleep apnea. But the reality is, the chances of my having a heart attack, or developing diabetes and all the complications that go with it are much higher than 1%!! Then where would I be, and where would that leave them? I was only living half my life....if even that. I tried doing it on my own, but the reality has always been, I would have some success and then gain it all back plus an extra ten pounds for good measure. I finally decided enough was enough. I did my research, found a really good surgeon who has logged several hundred of the proceedure I was doing. It was time to give my trust to GOD, the surgeon and his team. I figured if it was my time, then it would be my time one way or another regardless if I went through the surgery or not. I was part of the 99.9% where everything goes right. I have read the posts of people who have had terrible complications. My heart goes out to them. I also see how that can really scare someone who is still deciding. But, now that I have done this and taken the chance, I am so happy that I did. I have undone over 15 years of weight gain in just three months. I am finally eating healthy and feeding my family healthy and enjoying it. I still have just a little under half way to go, but I now know it is doable! I have so much more energy for my family and feel like I am living life again. Yes, there is some risk, but it is a calculated and small risk to take, with huge gains on the other side.

Boniluu - heart goes out to you. Right now, I too am tight - probably too tight. I have PBed daily since my fill 2 weeks ago. The chest pains, slime and reguritation is awful. That said, I have dorpped 8 pounds in 14 days (the 4 I gained + 4 more). I see the doctor again July 6th and unless things change, I will ask for a very slight unfill. I worry about getting enough nutrition plus these "episodes" are very embarrasing. I actually drive around with a roll of papertowels next to me in the car and carry them with me. I wanted a good fill because of the weight gain so I got what I asked for. I can get fluids down and Protein shakes so I won't starve. Hey guys, take care and hang in there. Melinda in Florida

Generally when we undergo an operation in a hospital we are treated with antibiotics to protect us from harmful bacteria present in a hospital. This kills not only the bad bacteria but also the good gut bacteria in our colons. As a result, many of us take probiotics to reestablish the colonies of good bacteria in our gut. I came across research of gut flora this morning that seemed interesting. Our body’s microbiome, the bacteria living in symbiotic harmony in our gut provides us with a source of wellness. Two small, exploratory studies, analyzed microblome in terms of change and resilience. Influence of Geographical Change In the first study, researchers looked at the diversity of our gut flora as individuals immigrated and assimilated, changing diet and geography. The inspiration may have been the finding that immigrants to the US often develop weight gain and Western diseases - obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and coronary artery disease. While refeeding of individuals who came from food challenged areas is felt to be part of the issue, changing diet has also been implicated. The authors collected stool samples, 24-hour food recall surveys and demographics from two distinct Thai populations, the Hmong and Karen. Individuals included those still living in Thailand as well as immigrants (1st generation) and their children (2nd generation). Thai immigrants were chosen because the study was conducted in Minnesota a central site for their immigration; women formed the predominant research population because they were more frequently the immigrants. Americans of European ancestry served as the control. * Microbiologic richness and diversity were greatest in current Thai residents. * 30% of that diversity was lost in the first generation immigrants, and the diversity continued to decline and resemble that of the control group as time in the US increased and in the 2nd generation, American born Thai children. * Bacteroides strains replaced Prevotella strains among immigrants, the extent of that shift again associated with length of residence in the US. * The loss of Prevotella was felt to be the driving force behind a decreasing functional ability of the microbiome to degrade dietary fibers indigenous to the native Thai diet. Think of it as use it or lose it. * Dietary shifts to a Western diet was felt to account for only about 16% of total variation. * Westernization of the microbiome began within nine months of arrival. Resilience A second, "proof of concept" like study, looked at 12 healthy men treated for four days with an antibiotic cocktail meant to mimic common first-line choices for intensive care patients. [1] The outcome was the effect on the gut microbiome over a subsequent six month period, again measured by stool cultures taken at various time intervals. It is no surprise, at least to clinicians, that the antibiotics did not sterilize the gut, but it did bring about changes. * There was an immediate drop in the diversity and richness of the microbiologic populations, but by Day 8 diversity was returning although it never reached baseline values. * By Day 8, the relative abundance of about 50 species changed, some increasing and others decreasing – clearly, the ecology was different. And while some bacterial species were still absent after six months, by Day 42, the ecology had, for the most part, returned to its baseline. * Antibiotic resistance was only one of many virulence factors enhanced by the antibiotic exposure that lead to an early increase in pathologic bacteria. But over time the pathologic bacteria were again overrun by more symbiotic species. Virulence factors * Interestingly, Clostridium species which had not been seen initially were now present – this is a species that forms spores as protection in an unhealthy environment and then returns to its other form when “the coast is clear;” it is the source of antibiotic-related hospital-acquired morbidity, C. difficile diarrhea. Source: I Sing The Body's Microbiome So what are some of the takeaways? First, antibiotic treatment does not sterilize the gut microbiome. But it does reduce the diversity and richness of gut bacteria. Recovery of the colonies of good gut bacteria begins about 8 days after the antibiotic treatment end. So a patient is more vulnerable to pathologic bacteria during that time. For example - it is the source of antibiotic-related hospital-acquired morbidity, C. difficile diarrhea. Therefore using probiotics after the antibiotic treatment ends and you leave the hospital is a good approach in order to quickly reestablish the diversity of good gut bacteria.

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?

People in our society notice weight gain and weight loss. While some of us may find it offensive that we personally get noticed for either gaining or losing, social interaction is likely to be the result of weight loss even if we resent people who never sought us out before the lap band or other assistance in weight loss. The process is going to be slow but people will first notice your face getting thinner because you are consuming(hopefully) less sugar--no soda, juices, etc.--more water and sugar free Crystal Light lemonade. You will be having broth which is high in sodium and Boost which is just high in calories to get you your protein intake--I guarantee you that you will be wondering in six weeks if the band is working because you are able to eat so much--this means it is time to ask the doctor for a fill(2cc) each month for the next five or six and then, the weight will start to drop along with exercise. Since we are nearly in spring, this is a great time to get out and walk and keep walking all spring and summer. After six months of good behaviour , I would be shocked to hear you are not a happier person with more attention than you have dreamed about since you were a kid. Good luck

I have a friend who is getting VSG (she doesn't have an acct here) and she wanted me to ask you guys a question. If you gain roughly 5-6lbs BEFORE your surgery will it be cancelled? I personally have no idea because my surgery is scheduled for next month but hers is NEXT week!

You know I never really thought about it. But I am on ALOT of meds that can cause weight gain. Prozac Depo shot Steroids and steroid shots Tizanidine An OAB medication that causes Fluid retention sometimes. And I'm sure there's more. I take 15 prescriptions all together. What happens after my surgery? Should I switch medications? I definitely want to switch out Depo I started the shot in March and have gained 40lbs on top of my steroids. Thoughts? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I am looking to see if anyone has gotten sleeved with the minimum bmi standard. I have tried so many diets only to have them ending in more weight gain. I wouldn't even be as upset about my weight or bmi number if it weren't for HOW i carry the weight. I am a big ol apple! Im looking to find others who are in my boat and what their outcomes have been post op.

I understand that. I lost weight years back before my back got so bad. But I began eating more and more because of people's comments. I don't blame them for my weight gain, but I don't intend to let them derail me this time Sent from my SM-G955U using BariatricPal mobile app

I'm so sorry that you have to go thru this with your mom. It' is so hard to have your life changed and all out of whack too. I think you are very courageous> I also took care of my Mom and my Mother in Law in their last days. It was very hard to leave to go even to the store. You worry the whole time you are gone. Maybe you can go back to your basic program. I know it will be hard but you don't want your weight gains to continue. I would go back to measuring everything. Write everything you eat and drink down in a journal. It helps when you can actually, see where you are at. I don't know if this will help but good luck. BTW be sure you are getting your water and protein in.

It sounds you know what has led to your weight gain. I recommend that you go back to basics and make an appointment with your NUT. Embrace the Stall! http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/351046-Embrace-the-Stall