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I too am having revision surgery on 05/30 because I regained 200 lbs. yes, 200! It worked for me until it didn't and it seemed I gained weight no matter what or how little I ate so its time to do something different. I've had an endoscopy so we know what went wrong where with the surgery as a tool and I have had 14 years (12 as weight gaining) to examine my role in the failure of myself and my tool. I am determined not to make the same mistakes that I can control this time around. I am 53 and don't want to go into old age as a fat woman with a bad knee limited in how i live my life.

i have fibromyagia also ...although i have never had a weight problem until i began a medication for fibro...lyrica...i am concerned that if you have have a by pass surgery and begin taking lyrica for your fibro you may gain weight again...some Water weight and some just regular old weight gain...i gained 40lbs...30 of it was in the first 3 weeks of taking the medication...i just thought this was something you should be aware of...wingnut49421

I do believe that sugar is toxic for us....Here is an article I thought you might like to read and give your opinion on..... Your Brain on Sugar It gives you a rush, messes with your mind, and always leaves you wanting more - and now researchers are calling for the government to regulate the sweet stuff like a drug. Is sugar worse for you than, say, cocaine? According to a 2012 article in the journal Nature, it's a toxic substance that should be regulated like tobacco and alcohol. Researchers point to studies that show that too much sugar (both in the form of natural sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup) not only makes us fat, it also wreaks havoc on our liver, mucks up our metabolism, impairs brain function, and may leave us susceptible to heart disease, diabetes, even cancer. So far, no federal action has been taken (advocates blame industry lobbyists), and experts say simply raising awareness isn't enough, especially when 80 percent of our food choices contain sugar. "It's like watching a train wreck in slow motion," says coauthor Laura Schmidt, Ph.D., a researcher at the University of California, San Francisco. Nevertheless, after the shock of hearing the news, many of us shrugged and turned back to our cupcakes. Yet, truth is, women in their 20s and 30s may already be feeling the effects of too much sugar without even realizing it. Here, the most common sugar-induced issues and how to beat them to prevent long-term damage—and feel your best right now. STRESS EATING For a pick-me-up, you may feel the urge to inhale a bag of M&M's or scarf down a box of Cookies. But the impulse goes deeper. To examine the hold sugar can have over us, substance-abuse researchers have performed brain scans on subjects eating something sweet. What they've seen resembles the mind of a drug addict: When tasting sugar, the brain lights up in the same regions as it would in an alcoholic with a bottle of gin. Dopamine—the so-called reward chemical—spikes and reinforces the desire to have more. (Sugar also fuels the calming hormone serotonin.) THE FIX In times of stress, dieters are more likely to binge, studies conclude. That said, a cookie once in a while (say, twice a week) is fine, but on most days go for oatmeal with brown sugar, suggests Jeffrey Fortuna, Ph.D., a health and behavior lecturer at California State University, Fullerton. The whole grains fill you up and the sweetness is just enough to release serotonin. INEXPLICABLE WEIGHT GAIN You stay away from burgers and drink diet soda. But sugar—both real and artificial—is the secret saboteur. When the pancreas senses sugar, the body releases insulin, which causes cells in the liver, muscle, and fat tissue to take up glucose from the blood, storing it as glycogen for energy. Eat too much at once, though, and insulin levels spike, then drop. The aftermath? You feel tired, then crave more sustenance to perk up. Faux sugars don't help. "Artificial sweeteners travel to the part of the brain associated with desire but not to the part responsible for reward," says Dr. Gene-Jack Wang, a researcher at Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, New York. Nor do they trigger the release of the satiety hormones that real sugar does, so you're more likely to consume more calories. THE FIX Feed sweet cravings with fruit (the Fiber will help keep insulin in check), and sub in sparkling Water for diet soda. If you must indulge, go for a small snack made with real sugar, and eat slowly. Add fruit or yogurt to feel fuller and prevent a crash. BRAIN FOG Blanking out in the middle of a meeting? Research out of the University of California, Los Angeles, suggests that sugar forms free radicals in the brain's membrane and compromises nerve cells' ability to communicate. This could have repercussions in how well we remember instructions, process ideas, and handle our moods, says Fernando Gómez-Pinilla, Ph.D., author of the UCLA study. THE FIX Stay under the USDA limit of 10 teaspoons (40 grams) of added sugar a day. Read labels and available nutrition information at chains: A 16-ounce Starbucks vanilla latte and Einstein Bros. bagel will max out your day's allotment! A wiser choice: black coffee and plain yogurt with antioxidant-rich blueberries and walnuts, sweetened with honey. AGING SKIN Sugar causes premature aging, just as cigarettes and UV rays do. With young skin (generally under 35), when skin support structures collagen and elastin break down from sun or other free-radical exposure, cells repair themselves. But when sugar travels into the skin, its components cause nearby amino acids to form cross-links. These cross-links jam the repair mechanism and, over time, leave you with premature wrinkles. THE FIX Once cross-links form, they won't unhitch, so keep sugar intake to as close to zero as you can. "It's the enemy," says Dr. William Danby, a dermatologist with Dartmouth Medical School in New Hampshire. Avoid soda and processed pastries and trade sugar packets for cinnamon—it slows down cross-linking, as do cloves, oregano, ginger, and garlic. A SLUGGISH WORKOUT Muscles need sugar for fuel, so carbs (which break up into glucose, a type of sim-ple sugar) can kick-start your morning jog. But fruit or prepackaged Snacks touting "natural sweeteners" contain just fructose, which is metabolized in the liver, not the muscles. The result: bloat, or even the runs. THE FIX A glucose-packed snack with just 4 to 8 grams of fructose—it'll help increase glucose absorption, says Dr. Richard Johnson, professor of medicine at the University of Colorado, Denver. Try a sports drink like Gatorade or trail mix with dried fruit an hour before your workout.

hello everyone. my name is della and i was just banded on monday the 4th. i am doing pretty good ,better than i thought,but i do notice a tight/pressure like feeling in my chest/upper stomach and was wondering if anyone else experienced that at all? also i weighed 286lbs day of and day after discharge i weighed 293?????? i had lost 13lbs on my pre op diet and after i have gained 7lbs!!! what is that about??? could it be the iv fluids? :thumbup:

There are anti-depressants that can cause weight gain. My PCP put me on Wellbutrion which is considered weight neutral and in fact some studies have shown weight loss with taking it. Maybe you could try another med? But of course if it is working well for you that may not be the best thing. I'm sure eventually it would stop causing gain and you could work on taking it back off. Although not unusual, def something to talk about with your dr though. I know personally for me weight gain would make me more depressed which would defeat the purpose of the meds. Let me know what happens!

Until you have a complete blood work up for Hypothyroidism, a complete work up for Adrenal function and a complete hormone level check. If your doctor fails to preform these not so basic tests, he or she could be selling you a surgery you do not need. Or a surgery that will not give you results like you expect. You need to be sure your labs include Free T4 and Free T3, Cortisol levels via saliva or urine, and hormone levels. Too much estrogen will keep weight on you as well. Look into Liver Detox, the best plan for weight loss will not work if your liver is not functioning properly. I found out I was hypothryoid. I dropped 18 lbs on medication in the first 2 months. I've slowed down to a hault. But that is the plight of hypo patients and no amount of intake restriction is going to resolve the weight gain issues of a hypothryoid person. I'm still reading, but thus far it's a no. I'm waiting for my 6 mo mark on meds to have my levels drawn, then I might get an increase in medication and drop more. At the same time I was going through my journey to dx. My bf went in for LB surgery. She lost some weight during the pre-op and 2 wk post-op and then stopped. She stopped while still on a liquid and soft diet! She has had another fill and still no more weight loss. She is in debt, depressed, and still just as fat as she was in September. She did not get the lab work ups she should have had IMO. She was sold up the river that a surgery was the answer to her problems. She still suffers from depression which is a major sign of hypothryoidism in additon to low energy and lack of weight loss. Just don't get sold up the river is all I'm saying. You have to be your own advocate for better health. Be sure you find out if you have underlying causes. Doctors usually only run the TSH thyroid test and for millions it will come back fine when in fact the main hormone tellers T3 and T4 are not fine and have not been checked. I spent almost a year finding a doctor to actually run the right tests and then he was so shocked I spent another 3 months going to another doctor who was a jack a$$ and back again to my doc. The JA would not run the thyroid antibody tests, the cortisol and adrenal tests, the hormone tests, nothing total waste of my time and money. All he saw was a fat woman w a normal TSH test, he ignorned my super low T4 and T3 levels. There is a stigma against fat -- I'm fat only b/c I over indulge or am lazy. I'm not lazy, I'm not an over indulger. And docs can't get their heads around it. I was told a doc automatically triples what a fat person tells them they eat and subtracts 3X what a fat person tells them they exercise. I'm shot down just by walking in the freakin door! Just don't get sold up the river like my bf. I feel for her, I really do. I so want her to go to a doctor and insist on the right tests.

I live fairly close to Monroeville. My Dr. didn't measure me during our consultation. My husband and I went together and sat in a room and discussed the procedure with the Dr. he did take my vitals and looked at pressed on my stomach. I never took off my clothes. I know that there were a lot of woman that wore weights and put weights in their pockets when I was attending my lifestyle classes. They were in a similiar position as you...right on the borderline of meeting the criteria for approval. The medical assistant will ask you to remove your shoes and socks but that's it. At one time someone suggested that you could put fishing weights in your bra as well. I would take those measures as well as drink a ton of Water before going into your appointment. My insurance did not allow any weight gain during the six month lifestyle phase...there were times when I wished I had done the weights...but I ended up being able to take off 5 pounds during the lifestyle classes. Good luck!

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.

Hi Ashley and welcome! 👋 congrats on meeting your surgery goal weight! The psych eval was very straightforward for me. I was open and honest about why I wanted the surgery, my history of weight gain, loss and regain. Yo-yo dieting and all the self esteem issues that go along with a weight-focused society. You’ll have a pre-op diet before surgery, so it’s easiest to start making small changes now. I started swapping a protein shake for a meal once per day about a month before my pre-op diet started. I also weaned myself off of caffeine. It really helped! I also have a therapist, which I highly recommend if you can. She has helped me realize so many pitfalls of my unhealthy relationship with food. If I didn’t have her to lean on, I’m not sure I would be as successful as I am today. These are my best pieces of advice. Good luck!! Let us know when you get a surgery date set! 😊

Until recently, I had been in an 18 year relationship, married for 10 of them. Sadly, part of the reason the marriage ended was my huge weight gain. I've read a lot of posts about amazing and supportive partners/spouses and I wonder what it is like to go through this alone. I do have close friends but it's just not the same and most of them live other places. Where did you get your support? Does it feel lonely? I have to admit one of the big reasons I'm doing this surgery is so I can find a partner again. (Where I live in NYC no one would touch me with a 10 foot pole (or anyone for that matter, unless they are a size 6 (?) or below!)) Anyway just looking for inspiration from some others!

If you're in pain then you need to have some fluid taken out, in my opinion. The risk of injury to your stomach from a too tight band is too great compared to the possibility of weight gain. Then you need to make an appt with a doctor/surgeon and talk about your options (including financial options.)

Hey girlfriends, So of course, as my surgery date draws near, I've been thinking a lot about my upcoming "sleevization" and all my previous weight loss attempts. My last big weight loss was in 2010/2011. I worked HARD dieting and exercising (sometimes for 2 hours a night 3 days a week) and went from 270 to 187lbs. Size 22 to 14 (and some 12's). It was SUCH a struggle and such a victory. I've battled with weight my entire life and had REALLY made a lifestyle change. I became a beast in the gym and truly evolved from an exercise hater to an exercise lover. Right towards the end of my journey, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and got pretty sick. Couldn't really exercise anymore and thus, my healthy lifestyle went right out the winda! After a few months on prednisone (the devils choice pharmaceutical), I had gained a whopping 50lbs. Once I got there, I just said "FML" (f*** my life) and spiraled into a pity party complete with cakes, ice cream, donuts, Cookies, etc. Shortly after that, a bipolar II diagnosis came along. Perfect timing right? More meds, more weight gain and here I am at 279lbs. As I gained the weight back, I furiously put ALL of my cute little clothes into plastic bin exile because looking at them was even more excruciating than my disease. As I've now made the decision to try to end this lifelong nightmare by having VSG, I have new hope for myself and my life. So, last night I pulled those bins out of the closet in my spare bedroom. I smelled and touched them. I imagined myself back in those clothes. I remembered how cute and sexy I was. I began to really, really miss the girl who used to wear those clothes. I broke out into full on sobs holding those clothes in my hands. I cried for the loss of who I was. I cried because a bunch of things beyond my control started my descent back to this place. I cried because instead of getting back on track after getting off prednisone (which I will NEVER go on again), I gave up on my healthy lifestyle AND I gave up on myself. I cried because I MISSED working out IMMENSELY but felt too much shame in my fat body to go back to the gym. Lastly, I cried because I knew that soon, I'd be making my way back into those clothes. That vision moved me very deeply. It was much more of an emotional experience than I expected. I'll be back in those clothes again. It's the most empowering, assuring feeling I think I've ever felt. Have any of you had experiences like this or am I the only assclown sitting in the closet and crying while clutching clothes I can't even stuff a calf into?

I say dump the alcohol and food and go back to the Sex....It burns alot of calories and is an enjoyable gratifing exercise. Then go back to eating small portions and make sure you get your Protein first...then your fruits and veggies. But stay away from the booze as was said earlier straight sugar and that causes weight gain like non other. Make sure you get your liquids in and start making your yougurt smoothies again, the boyfriend will love them and they are good for you both! Good Luck in your continued weight loss, I know you can do it!

I have tried that but I had an LEEP PROCEDURE and it scarred my cervix so the pain was CRUCIAL. So I tried the skyla iud today same thing [emoji30] and I'm afraid to take bc pills because I know some have weight gain.

I am not about to judge your marriage, but I would definitely tell your husband. And if need be, tell him the day before the surgery. It is already going to happen, so he can either jump on board and be supportive, or he can choose to be selfish and not support your decision. Mine doesnt like the idea of the surgery, infact, he uses the "you are perfect the way you are" excuse, but that simply doesnt cut it for ME. People have to understand that you want this to be a happier, healthier you. If they cant understand it, or choose to be ignorant, then they arent worth having around. I have told most of my friends, my husband, my sister and my Mom. My Mom was supportive at first, but changed her mind quickly when she read something somewhere about some program that could speed up my metabolism. Everyone else has been supportive. They just want me to be ME again. I havent told my Dad because in the past few years he has started to really judge me because of my weight gain. He categorizes me as "lazy" and "weak." Perhaps I am those, perhaps he is mistaken. I just dont want to surround myself with people who are going to put me down and not be supportive. I think you should tell your husband because he is your husband, and in case something happens (NOT THAT IT IS GOING TO). You need all the support you can get. And if he doesnt want to give it, sorry, but to hell with him! If he does, then that is fantastic!! BEST OF LUCK and let us know how things go!

I'm pretty good support system-wise. Literally five people in my family have gotten the same exact surgery (including my mother) so I can probably go to one of them for help. It's just that I'm horrible with keeping secrets and how do you hide eating habits when your two closest friends love to eat? It's just frustrating because I KNOW my two closest friends won't understand. Not because they're skinny, but because I've never mentioned a thing about my weight loss or weight gain to them. Yet at the same time, they're probably the ones that deserve to know. I can tell I'm getting nowhere with this. Thanks for all the suggestions though.

I was "sleeved" on this past Friday - feeling better just low low energy. I've been on a all clear liquids diet since then - just jello and broth til tomorrow and then I can add protein shakes back (yay - substance!) I was in the hospital for 24 hours and came home weighing 7 pounds more than I went in with! And it's not like I binged on anything other than iv fluid. Slowwwwly that weight has come off and I'm finally at where I started - 6 days later. I was expecting to have dropped some weight this week - it's very discouraging. Has anyone else experienced a weight gain right off the bat?

smacke20 - Being from the US I don't know how much a "stone" is, but any gain is a gain and I know your pain. I am now up 10 pounds. I feel FAT. I walk 3 miles everyday and work out each evening..still up. The doctor told me to relax, that this is normal and it will come back off. Just hang in there and give it time. He is watching to make sure I don't keep going up. I hope you have leveled off on your weight gain by now (sorry for answering so late) but if not, stay active. Walk, swim, workout..whatever it takes. I am eating too much, too large a portions and some wrong things. It is ALL ME and I am the only one who can get it under control, but - that is why I got the band in the 1st place - no control. I guess now, I have no choice but to figure it out..I sure don't want to gain all 124 pounds back..YUCK.. Melinda in Florida

Yeah, that's part of who we were, and some of that person is still in there. The things/feelings that drove us to WLS are probably the things that well up once in a while, so I'm not surprised from the emotion that comes with it. The thing for me is that I am the SAME person, and my thin self sort of wonders how/why I let that happen (extreme weight gain), so that's where I struggle. My daughter graduated from high school last week, and we had a big graduation party yesterday. She made big picture collage and she put a few of me on there from before. I had the same sort of reaction you describe looking at a particular picture. It was a family picture from my husbands side, and there I was, looking the absolute best I could look, but huge. Literally huge. I had on a pretty teal colored sweater, and it really stands out in that picture....and it just makes me a little sick to see it. I took up so much space in the picture, literally the same amount of space as 2 people. Now I am half the size I used to be. That picture was one of about 50-60 on a very full board, but somehow I feel like that one 4x6 print dominates the board. That's how I used to feel all the time, that my size made me the negative center of attention. On a more positive note, people came to the party and some that I haven't seen in a year didn't recognize me! People I invited came and walked right past me, lol. So, I try not to dwell on how things used to be, because you can't change the past. It is what it is, and the future is so much brighter. I'm glad it's only a distant memory and I'm not living it everyday any more.

I was drinking, even chugging, until after my second or third fill. You are not going to hurt yourself, but there will come a point when you just can't take it in as quickly. And I have nothing to add to Janet's advice about solids and weight gain (or weight-loss-stall). DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT!!! You are already way ahead of the game, and this is all about your health not numbers on a scale. Just be good to yourself, take the solid food slowly, and stay calm!

You guys are all right and I know things could be worse and that is true with anything in life. I just needed to vent and was having problems. I did not mean to be a whiner. As for the starting over comment, no I did not gain the weight back. I had to start over with nothing in the band and slowly go back up again which can mean a little weight gain is possible. Again sorry for being a whiner I just needed to talk to someone but I guess I come off wrong. I just needed some support as so many people do not understand unless they have been thru it. GOd bless.

How many calories you consume is what determines whether or not you gain or lose weight. If you ate a pound of lettuce, it would have far less of an effect on weight gain/loss than if you ate a pound of chocolate. 1 pound of weight gain or loss is equivalent to 3500 calories. Everyone burns a certain amount of calories by just existing and this amount is different for each individual and depends on many factors. The more you exercise the more you burn. Let's say that you burn 1000 calories by just existing (no additional exercise, movement, etc.) and you eat 4500 calories in a day, scientifically speaking you should gain 1 pound... but there are other factors that also play into how much you might gain/lose... if you are retaining Water, you may find that even though you didn't consume enough calories to gain a pound, it may still happen. All in all, gaining a pound has nothing to do with eating a pound of food. You win this one over dear old dad. Have a good day.

Thank you to all. I don't think I would have gotten so upset if he hadnt already said some rude things. Before surgery he said,"How on earth do you expect this to work? How are you going to keep the weight off? How did you gain so much to begin with?! If you're hungry all the time you're just going to gain it all back." When he met me I was about 30 pounds lighter than I am today. When we were dating he cheated on me several times with much older women. But I forgave him and we got married anyways. Ever since being diagnosed with Bipolar and having to be on all these meds with horrible weight gain side effects I gained a lot of weight. I've never been this big before. I'm proud of my weight loss and I know I will get back in shape. It just makes me so sad how cold he is. It's obvious he's not attracted to me. I guess I can't help but want to wow him and shock him with the new me. But another part feels like I shouldn't have to go to those lengths for him. He doesn't give a crap what I think about him.

I have PCOS, but I'm pre-op. I've been on depoprovera for a few years, and I love it. No period, and no mood swings. I can't say that it causes weight gain, because I've been around this weight since diagnosis in my early 20s... long before depo.

Aspartame has been know to produces headaches, body aches, bloating, and gas. CNN had a report about how artificial sweeteners may actually cause the body to not metabolize foods correctly. Crystal Light is synthetic - made in a chemistry lab. They are artificial. The body is not designed to process or digest synthetics. Its like eating plastic. Can we digest plastic? These ingredients are known to cause addictions, allergies, and some researchers have even claimed ... weight gain. Just because something is low in calories doesn't mean its necessarily good for you. If you don't know what an ingredient is, research it first before taking it in. ------- For the record, here are the ingredients in the ready-to-drink raspberry ice flavor of Crystal Light: Ingredients: Water, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, CITRIC ACID, MALIC ACID, SUCRALOSE AND ACESULFAME POTASSIUM (SWEETENERS), RED 40, SODIUM BENZOATE, POTASSIUM SORBATE, AND Calcium DISODIUM EDTA (PRESERVATIVES). Now, here's that same flavor in the powder mix version: Ingredients: MALTODEXTRIN (FROM CORN), CITRIC AND MALIC ACIDS (PROVIDES TARTNESS), RASPBERRY juice SOLIDS, ASPARTAME (SWEETENER), RED 40, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, CALCIUM PHOSPHATE (PREVENTS CAKING), ACESULFAME POTASSIUM (SWEETENER), BLUE 1. Drink safe!!