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Ladies - Do you still put on a few pounds before/during your period? I am expecting mine and the scale is up 3 pounds.... I hate hate hate to see the scale go up !:smile:

Even if you lose under your personal goal, from what I have read of people 24-36 months post-op, there is sort of a "bounce-back" of weight gain--usually between 7-15 lbs. I don't mind being a little under goal because if it happens to me I will be right where I wanted to be in the first place. Being under goal by 13 lbs, I don't feel skinny; I feel slender. I'm 5'8". I stopped losing at 14 months post-op as I added in more food and higher-calorie Snacks. If you can't finish a snack, put it away for later. I often do. Also, I keep snacks in the car and my purse so that I can get in more calories when I am away from home without eating junk food.

I need to cut back on the sugar.... I havent seen any weight gain from it yet but I find mysekf reaching for it a LOT mor often than I had been.... I never really limited the other carbs as long as I ate Proteins first... I recently had hysterectomy and studies show the aveerage weight gain 1 year out is 20 pounds...THAT CANNOT HAPPEN FOR ME so I need to monitor my habits....

Renee, you REALLY need to read Crosswind's post "I left my stomach in Mexicali". It's normal to be wondering if you've lost your mind making this decision. Drastic times call for drastic measures. You've tried everything else, right? And you're tired of being a failure at something so many other humans seem to do effortlessly (lose or maintain their weight), right? Welcome to the club! Life isn't fair!! Some chicks get fantabulous bods and are "bootylicious". Other chicks (like me) get fat reading a grocery list and are relegated to nicknames like "eartha-quake". So, after determining that I've thrown a boat load of money at fighting this "problem" over the years that I could have paid for the surgery 10 times over, I've FINALLY said "stick a fork in me, I'm DONE!" So, while I don't know how things will ultimately turn out (my surgery is April 26th) I do know how it's gone for me in the past -- unrelenting struggles resulting in unrelenting weight gain and self loathing. I'm way too old and way too tired to keep fighting the insanity scenario. I'm going for it and I'm NOT looking back. Empress

The hunger feeling that you are having could be from too much acid.. ask your doctor for a PPI. As for the weight gain, if your band is too tight as your barrium swallow shows, it might be a good idea to get a large unfill, let it rest for 2 weeks then go back for a refill... I found that when my band was playing up an unfill would do the trick... But if you were in the red zone you wouldn't be able to eat much food.. unless you are eating soft slider foods. Because you were banded and lost a significant amount of weight be aware that weight loss is much slower when you get revised for a 2nd surgery... for 14kg i would suggest the unfill and refill technique and try going back to basics. What are you currently eating? How many calories do you consume? Are you exercising? Are you tracking your food?

I am having some issues with swelling that are causing my nausea when I eat. They are hoping this will give me enough to heal. I just have read it can cause weight gain and since every post bariatric patient is concerned about that I thought I'd ask...did you experience normal weight loss on TPN? Also is everything okay now? No leak? If you don't mind me asking

I have taken gabapentin used to take 2400 mg before I switched to lyrica the weight gain was minimal it can be managed by decreasing your calories a bit its a very good drug. Although I would ask about lyrica because its been way better at managing my pain than gabapentin did

Hello all! My name is Stephanie and Im 30 and live in Arizona. I have just made the decision to get sleeved. I am looking for a Dr. in Arizona. I am not against Mexico, but my father, who is helping me with the costs, insist I stay in the US. I am willing to go out of state if I cannot find a qualified Dr. here in AZ. Im having the surgery for many reasons. I have a tumor on my pituitary gland that has caused severe hormone problems that have led to weight gain. Some weight due to hormones and some due to eating my problems away. I also have PCOS and at this time an unable to conceive. I am considered pre diabetic. This scares the heck out of me since my dad has type 1 diabetes, heart disease and is on oxygen. I dont want this to be me. My husband and I want to have a family, and we want to be a healthy family. I have tried diet and excercise, but not with true results. Im hoping this is the tool that can allow me to save my life!

I agree, do not skip meals. You increase your metabolism every time you eat. I eat 4 or 5 times a day- 3 meals and 1 or 2 snacks. I also agree your weight gain is not actual fat, but water. Personally, I only weigh myself once a week. The flucuations drive me crazy! I wonder is going on a liquid diet for 2 or 3 days would help get you on the right track. I like Myoplex Lite. You can get it at Walmart. 170 cals. and 20 grams protien. As far as excersise that is wonderful you joined a gym. Now the next step is to go regularly. If you could only do 10 min. for now that's fine. Do that 4-5 times a week and then slowly increase your time. Lastly, please don't beat yourself up. It is not productive. Each day is a chance for you to change your habits. Keep us posted! Best wishes!

I recently got out of an outpatient surgery by Dr. Duckett from Northwest Ohio Surgery Specialists to repair my lapband. I was originally banded on September 2006. Over time; I lost quite a bit of weight- but during the last year; I noticed a sudden to gradual loss of restriction in my band. I found Dr. Duckett of Maumee and made an appointment with him after noticing some weight gain. I told him that I felt that I had gradually lost the restriction in the device. He checked the device and discovered that I was correct under the scope. The band had leaked at the port location and throughout. I have two incisions currently. The first is where my port is located under the left breast- the second is through my belly button. After having the tool for six years; I am glad to get a fresh start and start the journey for a second time. I plan on using this to my convenience to lose weight before my first pregnancy and to lose the weight after I deliver

So what are you eating? If it's anything besides Protein and veggies then YOU are failing your sleeve, not the other way around. If you sit down to a plate of grilled chicken and broccoli, how much can you eat? If it's a cup or less, then your sleeve is doing exactly what it's supposed to. If it's more like 2 cups, then yes, your restriction is not what I would expect for 4 months postop and you may want to discuss this with your surgeon. And remember, you will not feel full on liquids or softer foods or definitely not slider foods. Are you measuring and tracking everything you eat? If so, what are your numbers looking like? If you aren't, maybe that's what you need to do to stay on plan and figure out why you aren't losing. Unless you have other medical issues like hypothyroid or PCOS, or you are taking certain medications that can cause weight gain, you WILL lose weight if you stick with the program. If you are honestly following the plan and still not losing then you should probably chat with your surgeon or PCP to see if there's something else going on.

I just thought that was cool. I had no idea that an individual could have a band like that. I think it should help with the weight gain during pregnancy. My daughter is considering it, but she is trying to work it out with diet and exercise right now. She just had a baby, but I think it scared her to get a lap band with the possibility of becoming pregnant again. That is why you peeked my interest.

So I have been released from the hospital on my second stay after surgery. On Saturday I was unable to eat or drink due to nausea. I was admitted to the hospital and given fluids then sent home to do at home infusions of "TPN". Has anyone been on a TPN infusion to speed up recovery and did you experience weight gain or a slowed weight loss? I got surgery to lose weight dammit!

I was losing until this past week. I have been drinking less Water and more iced tea with artificial sweeteners. I also have had an increase in processed foods. Over the past few days my scale reports weight gain of 6 pounds and I have not had but 1 bowel movement and less frequent urination. I am thinking the weight gain may be a reflection of the lessened trips to dispose of waste and that the lack of bathroom visits has me retaining waste. Any suggestions on how to get my digestive system back in gear? Any supplements or foods that will aid me?

I read an interesting article on here yesterday that really made me stop to think - why was I overweight? Was I just going to blame my bad habits on my parents for the rest of my life? Or was there something more to it than that? Part of the reason I've avoided thinking about it before is because to do so would be admitting to myself that I had a problem. When someone talks about overeating or people with eating problems, I immediately conjure up in my mind people that snack on potato chips constantly, eat half a cake for a snack, and chug a 2 liter bottle of coke with each meal. And since I didn't eat like that, then I'm obviously not in the same category as those people, right? Well, it's only now that I'm beginning to see and accept that I *am* overweight, that I *do* look overweight to my peers, and that hardly anyone who is overweight eats an entire pizza in a single sitting. So I sat down and really thought about the painful things (yep, I cried) and tried to get to the bottom of what was behind my weight gain and poor eating habits. Why do I eat? Denial - If I didn't eat at all during the morning, then I must have some extra calories to spare in the evenings. If I didn't diet then I couldn't fail. If I didn't diet then that meant I didn't need to diet. Control - Eat what I want, no one can tell me not to. Not missing out on my favorite foods. Sadness - I earned or deserved it. Ability to relax or distract myself and not think too much. Boredom - Keeps me busy, something easy and enjoyable to do. Better than just sitting and doing nothing. Rewarding - I cooked it, accomplished that it turned out great. Some of my earliest memories of food as a child were that of my dad eating the last of my favorite food. Many times we'd have left overs and if I wanted to save something for myself for later, I'd have to choose between eating when I wasn't hungry or eating more than I needed. Often I would find myself in the situation where my dad would have a large dinner and eat the last of whatever I was saving for myself and I was forced to have something else that I didn't want or sometimes I just chose not to eat. I also remember very vividly this fear of eating something "ok" only to find out that my parents had decided to have pizza for dinner after my dad got home. So more times than I would like to remember I would have 2 dinners because I didn't want to "miss out" on the special food that was ordered or prepared later in the evening. My parents were also ALWAYS dieting. We did Atkins on and off for years. After I moved out I really began to resent them for this. I was obsessed with thinking about food and diet and my weight - eventually to the point that I swung to the other end of spectrum and avoided all diets and forms of calorie control. I wanted desperately to be accepting of my body and who was, I some how tricked myself into thinking that to love myself mean I wasn't suppose to care about what I ate. I tried a couple of diets after highschool, but I didn't want to turn into one of those compulsive dieters that spends most of their life yo-yo-ing and failing. I didn't want to fall for fads. I didn't want to turn into someone that hated my body. Now as an adult, I am beginning to realize and accept the fact that I have complete control over my body. That no one is going to run off and hide my favorite mashed potatoes. And if for some reason I run out of a certain meal before I am tired of it, I can always make more when I need to. Food is becoming more about "what I need to survive" and variety and less about what I am craving. And I'm getting better at saying no to cravings and impulses or limiting the extent to which I give in (having only 1 cupcake every couple days, as opposed to a huge slice of cake with dinner). The food isn't going anywhere and I don't need to eat it before it disappears. I am giving our family more structure so that our daughter doesn't have to have the same worries I did as a child - and I want more than anything, even if I can never save myself, to teach her positive attitudes about food and have her educated about the effects of foods on the body so that she can make healthy choices and live wisely. I don't want her scared of food or obsessed with food - I want her to learn to be normal. Or even if she has some of the same issues I do, to have the confidence and education to make wise choices.

Only 1 pound? Don't feel too bad. If you're anything like me, in the past my holiday gains could be more like 5-15 pounds. I heard the national average for holiday weight gain is 8lbs. :-)

I have consistently been of the belief that some form of counseling should be considered by all of us while losing the weight, either to figure out what triggered teh weight gain to begin with, or to help us deal with the weight loss and "new us" as it happens. There WILL be emotions revolving around this, whether hormonal or not. Some of us have never been thin. Others haven't been thin in a long time. Still others will be dealing with attention we never had before or haven't had in a long time. And others may start getting attention from the opposite sex while our spouses act like we're a bump on a log. There are a lot of things that will stir around massive weight loss, and I personally feel it is imperative that some form of therapy be involved. I think a lot of people go into this thinking that our problems will all go away as the pounds melt off. As some here have already mentioned, the weight gains we had were indicative of a much deeper issue. Those issues are still there for many of us, simply covered up by a lot of eating and fat. It's like burying a body... it may be out of sight for a time, but once dug up, the "evidence" is still there. I recommend a good self-help book if you can't afford a therapist; or check your church, if you are a member, to see if they offer something. You might even find a therapy organization that has a sliding scale, or Overeater's Anonymous which may be free (sorry, not sure). Anything that helps you uncover the root of your issues will do wonders -- it doesn't have to be a professional. Good luck, MrsFlipFlops. I feel where you're coming from, I really do.

Some banders can eat bread if it's toasted. But yes, rice, bread, Pasta are all carbs and add to weight gain. some people can tolerate those foods and choose not to eat them, others can tolerate them and eat small amounts and some can't eat them. How tight your band is can have an affect on which of those foods you cant eat. Some banders want/need very tight restriction to lose weight, others need less "help" from the band and a lower restriction gives them the "willpower" they need, so how tight YOU need or want your band will allow you some control over which foods you can eat. I can eat toasted bread and I do occassionally, but I know I'll slow down my weight loss and since I can resist the bread, with the help of my band, I just don't eat it often. Same with pasta and rice. I choose not to eat them. Before they band, resisting them was much more difficult.

My perspective from three years and seven months out from sleeve. My hunger and the way it made me feel was a part of why I had surgery. My health was my number one reason. Imagine having control over your food life. Food no longer controlled you. What would that feel like to you? Surgery will not take away hunger. You may not feel hungry or feel like eating in the first few months. You will have times of head hunger and real hunger. My hunger is not like it was pre surgery. It is manageable. Get in touch with a bariatric program in your area. Find out if they give seminars. Medical facts, risks and statistics are going to help you in your research phase. You are going to read many peoples personal experiences online. Some negative some positive. Your surgery experience is going to be unique to you. Many people are here for support that will be able to relate. It's normal to fear the unknown outcome of surgery. Common fears I hear are... Am I doing the right thing. risks of complications or death with surgery. will I fail another attempt of getting my weight off What if I have loose skin and what will that look like for me Hair shedding/thinning. It will grow back. what happens if I have a weight gain Will food be as good as it was (addiction) will I feel satisfied on smaller portions of food. Can I have discipline and control of food. I couldn't have lost this weight without my sleeve. I'm thankful. For me I have no regrets or complications. I bounced back quickly from surgery. I had to learn to control head hunger and deal with emotional/stress eating. I had a gain after goal and I worked it back down (136 pounds today). This is still work after goal. If you go back to old behaviors you will gain. This is about learning a new lifestyle. This is about getting your health and your life back. You can have this long term if you are willing to change and work for it.

How many pounds should you fluctuate in the same day? Weighed 224 this morning and now weigh 228??? I know normally you shouldnt weigh twice so close together but my son said stand on it mommy lol so i did...is this normal? Sent from my DROID BIONIC using VST

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

In my past diet attempts...I'd hang on to larger clothing fearing the rebound weight gain. I also invested in some great pieces..Ugg killed me to let them go. Once I got to maintenance mode. I started investing in clothing again. Shopping became an addiction lol I needed space in my closet. Cleaned out the last of the larger clothing (with the exception of one pair starting weight jeans) Donate or give your friends the last of your larger stuff. It's going to give the excuse *smile* to go buy new things for yourself.

I started my weight gain and life at 18 when I graduated highschool and met my husband. We dropped school (college), got a apartment, it didnt work out (no good food) and money, so we went back to our parents, and then he went into the navy, we got married and I followed him. At 18 I graduated from High School as a varsity cheerleader, 5'10" and 185 pounds. When I got married at 21, I was 250 pounds, felt pretty good with my life, but went through birth control changes and 1 abortion and 4 miscarriages. From 21-24 I stayed at 250 pounds. Then I got pregnant in January 2009, I was 276 and only gained 14 pounds of baby. At time of birth I was healthy for the most part and 300 pounds. I dropped 50 pounds the first month, from breast feeding and then gained it all back because I couldn't anymore. So I have been bouncing from 298 to 310, I have continued to have 3 more miscarriages, and am now at my highest at 315. I do not snack during the day, mostly at night, and mostly during my frequent acid reflex/heartburn episodes. I had a hard time dieting because of heartburn. Exercise is hard since I have high level of asthma, a heel spur, allergies, knee arthritis, and a bad back. So where I am at now is very up in the air. I have my consultation in 2 days. I want another child, but tricare (military insurance) will not approve testing to find out why I am miscarrying until I have lost weight. So I am doing lapband, which is not my first choice...I would rather have a child then lap band, then (military approved tummy tuck). But my husband also wants me to wait, so his choice is lap band, child, tummy tuck. I am confused. I just turned 26, and I want another child before 30. I may just end of with just one child. Any advice is wanted.

Here is a real interesting article about carbs: http://www.marksdail...rate-continuum/ I was looking for a threshold of what constitutes "low carb". I am usually teetering around 100g. I was never scared of carbs, but I guess since it seems to work for others, maybe I should try it. But then, I just hate the thought of trying to figure out good carbs, bad carbs in my log. I mean, an orange has 20g of carbs, and I don't want to fear those - how do I split that in MFP. Anyway, I found the below really interesting, here is part of the article that I'd like to share. From that, I will really try to stay between 50 and 100g: 300 or more grams/day - Danger Zone! Easy to reach with the “normal” American diet (cereals, Pasta, rice, bread, waffles, pancakes, muffins, soft drinks, packaged Snacks, sweets, desserts). High risk of excess fat storage, inflammation, increased disease markers including Metabolic Syndrome or diabetes. Sharp reduction of grains and other processed carbs is critical unless you are on the “chronic cardio” treadmill (which has its own major drawbacks). 150-300 grams/day – Steady, Insidious Weight Gain Continued higher insulin-stimulating effect prevents efficient fat burning and contributes to widespread chronic disease conditions. This range – irresponsibly recommended by the USDA and other diet authorities – can lead to the statistical US average gain of 1.5 pounds of fat per year for forty years. 100-150 grams/day – Primal Blueprint Maintenance Range This range based on body weight and activity level. When combined with Primal exercises, allows for genetically optimal fat burning and muscle development. Range derived from Grok’s (ancestors’) example of enjoying abundant vegetables and fruits and avoiding grains and sugars. 50-100 grams/day – Primal Sweet Spot for Effortless Weight Loss Minimizes insulin production and ramps up fat metabolism. By meeting average daily Protein requirements (.7 – 1 gram per pound of lean bodyweight formula), eating nutritious vegetables and fruits (easy to stay in 50-100 gram range, even with generous servings), and staying satisfied with delicious high fat foods (meat, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds), you can lose one to two pounds of body fat per week and then keep it off forever by eating in the maintenance range. 0-50 grams/day – Ketosis and Accelerated Fat Burning Acceptable for a day or two of Intermittent Fasting towards aggressive weight loss efforts, provided adequate protein, fat and supplements are consumed otherwise. May be ideal for many diabetics. Not necessarily recommended as a long-term practice for otherwise healthy people due to resultant deprivation of high nutrient value vegetables and fruits.

I'am currently in my 6 months of monitored diet. My first appointment was in February and I was 253 lbs (I'm 5'3), I went to my first consultation two weeks later and gained 2 lbs. At my second doctors appointment I weighed in at the same 255 lbs. My insurance doesn't say that if I gain weight, that I will be denied, but I've read things online that says people have heard if you gain weight you can get denied. The reason for the weight gain is stress. I recently got moved to the third shift, and I'm struggling getting my eating times switched around, sleep schedule adjusted, and had to file a sexual harassment claim against a co-worker. So, the stress is there and I go to food for "relief". I did tell my doctor this information, and she wrote it on the sheet that I recently moved to third shift, but idk. Now, I'm just so scared that I'll get denied because of a measly 2 lbs weight gain.... Please help! TIA!