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I have taken anti-depressents for 10 years. True, I did gain weight but in hindsight I don't think the meds are responsible at all. The fact that my diet was not balanced, I aged 10 years and didn't exercise is much more likely that I gained about 10 pounds a year, doesn't everyone agree? People with anxiety/depression, even when controlled with meds, tend to be less energetic, which is another factor that contributes to weight gain. I am still taking my meds and still losing weight so my advice, try the meds if you think you need to, they might help. But have a psychiatrist prescribe them, Family Practice MD's don't know enough about mental health meds and might end up giving you a dosage too high or not the best med for you. Good Luck!

Hi everyone, I am here to find a community of people who have had weight loss surgery (VSG for me but any time is fine) and have regained their weight. I can take accountability to my choices and mistakes, this is more a thread where we can encourage and support each other through the experience of once again having to lose weight. Hoping to connect with a few people and get a good exchange going. Yayawhat 😊

Thank you very much! Glad to be able to help. I'm a "pay it forward" kind of guy, and willing to offer any and all help possible to those walking this path with me. There is a lot of surgeon-speak buzzwords and rhetoric tossed around before folks get banded, but not a lot of experienced support after the fact. My surgeon and his team are great folks, but none of them are band patients, so they can only tell me what it's supposed to be like, not how it IS. LBT and forums like it are a wealth of information for those who can use it, but it seems a lot of posts are about problems. Being able to share what "normal" is like for me may help others a bit, who may not be having problems, but who want some ideas of how to make the most of their banding experience. Once the parts are figured out, your day to day routine can be very easy and predictable. One thing I don't talk about too much is the Bodymedia.com armband I wear. It's made by the same company that makes the BodyBugg worn by contestants on The Biggest Loser. This thing is amazing, and does all the hard work for me. Calories in and out, exercise, other activity levels, food eaten, steps taken, sleep quality, and weight gained or lost - it's keeping track so I don't have to. Highly recommend this gadget! Wishing everyone good luck! Dave

So I am 5 years 4 months post op and I got down to my goal weight and then about 2 years ago I started getting my cravings back and started giving into them and started putting the weight back on, I have since gained about 55 lbs back and I am very discouraged, and feel awful. I had a great surgeon that did my surgery, and since my surgery he has left and moved across the country and I trusted him and felt good with him, so after he left I started seeing another doctor in the practice he was in and do not like him, don't feel comfortable with him and so since about a year after my surgery I haven't been back? He didn't seem interested in knowing how I was doing or my progress so I didn't go back, and just kept doing it on my own, but now I am this far and gained weight and I am not happy with myself and I am back to where I was prior to surgery, except I can't eat as much, and as many things. I have made steps in seeing another doctor that a friend of mine referred me to, she goes to this other doctor and she loves her, and so I am going to meet with her and see how I feel. I am nervous that I have stretched out my stomach and I don't know what they can do for that? I am so disappointed in myself, cause I did so good for 3 years and kept it off, and I felt so good, and now these past 2 have just been down hill? Does anyone know if you stretch out your pouch do they do or will they do a revision? Also does that help with the cravings?

I guess it happens everywhere (even here in Italy)... A lady I met a couple of times has been gaining weight since she was approved for surgery. It didn't go well for her and almost ended up in the ER coz she couldn't walk nor breath anymore and now she's fnally on a diet waiting for her surgery. So I guess it's normal, but don't worry: her BMI was much higher (more or less 59), so of course it was different for her and had problems with the sudden weight gain...

When I went for my first appointment in September I was at 35.1 and my surgeon cautioned me about losing weight prior to approval. Well, I did pretty well at maintaining right up until my last appointment. I finally started cutting back on calories and lost about 8 pounds. However, since getting my approval and have a surgery date (12/28) I seem to be shoveling food into mouth as if I'll never eat again! It has me a little frighened, because I'm just adding pounds I'll have to lose again at the end of the month---not to mention that my body feels terrible stuffing food in all the time. Has anyone else hadthis problem right before surgery?

How funny. I just came home and started my period. I bet this is due to water weight gain. I am going to wait and see if it gets better before I remove any fluid.

Para guard IUD. No added weight gain or hormones, love it! Hate depo and pills and this works for me

pictures are included so please be advised before hand I do include the surgery pictures just not to gross just the healed scars and all of what a fleur de lis tummy tuck looks like!!! 💢‼️‼️ Well it will soon be my 2 year anniversary for the gastric sleeve and let me tell you what kinda of world wind it has been! To this day if I eat more then 4 ounces of steak I can’t eat anything for the rest of the day since it feels stuck but so far I have been able to eat regular foods. My breads still have to be toasted to not get the tummy gurgles. My stomach talks to everyone especially at night so if I am in a night class and I haven’t smacked at my usually 4 hours it’s like “hey professor hear me answer you” so YES my stomach after I eat speaks to the whole room and after hours as well. The bathroom problem is still a problem so I can poop regularly for 2-3 days and after I’m stuck for 2 day with nothing unless I have a day full of meals then I am golden. I also had a fleur de lis tummy tuck back in January. And that itself was a mess and such a hard recovery which was worth it to fit into my clothes, just wish I didn’t have those hiccups. food wise I have been eating a bit more from what I did in the beginning but never a full size normal plate always the little cereal bowl. So I would say I can eat about a cup or so of food depending on the food heavy steaks only 4-5 ounces and some side dishes. But it’s always at 8 ounces max on good days and other day a bit more. I was seeing a nutritionist even at 2 years in and she had been amazing. weight gain and loss : before my surgeries I was at 256lb after I lost 92 pounds, then after the tummy tuck they removed about 10lbs of skin from my mid section. i was down to 147lbs in January of 2021 after the tummy tuck then now in November I have normalized to a regular weight of 154lbs -156lbs in all it had been a very very long journey and I would say for the most part I would do it again if given the opportunity. now for the pictures guys it has been really really amazing to see me like this find me on Instagram ☺️ @aishas1992

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! 😊

I totally understand that feeling, as well. I would crop mine as well, if possible. but usually if it's a group pic that I would be in, i tried to get to the back so that my body (or at least most of it) was hidden behind others. My friend found a pic of me when I was at my highest weight of 289 and gave it to me (a year or two ago) because she knew I had come a ways from that. I am still down to 250 at this point, although I had gotten down to 215, so I have definitely been on that rollercoaster of just that part of weight gain for 2 or more years now. I refuse to ever get back to that weight. Pictures can be a wake up calll, for sure.

I was banded in 2006 (private pay) and thought I did fairly well going from 220lb to 150lb in the first year or so. Over the next 10 years, I had my third child and managed to maintain about a 55lb loss. I was and remain dedicated to work outs 4-5 days a week. However, I never felt like I ever found that "sweet spot" with my fills. I had to make a 14 hour round trip for fills and the surgeon I had was the least compassionate, most fat phobic person I've ever encountered. How he got into that line of work I'll never know. Unfortunately, he was the only option in near my home town at the time when Lap-band was fairly new in Canada. I spent most of the time either feeling hungry or nauseated/stuffed and if I'm honest with myself, I think a threw up at least once almost every day of that 10 years (surgically induced bulimia?) Last year things got bad with my band. It became way too tight (even when completely unfilled) and I experienced terrible reflux at night and could barely tolerate fluids. It had to be removed. Luckily another surgeon closer to my home had started to do band surgery and was willing to remove it. He said with the earlier versions of the Lap-band, they often become inflexible and too tight after a long period of time. With this surgeon, my only option was to replace it with another gastric band (Mid-band is his device of choice). I could not convert to a sleeve or bypass as this is not offered as a private pay option in the province where I reside. There is a 5-7 year waitlist for government-funded weight loss surgeries. He said he wanted to see how I did with it out and that he "had faith in" my ability to keep the weight off. Well, I think we all know what the research says about gastric band removals. Despite my best efforts to watch what I ate and maintain my exercise routine, I regained almost all of the weight. Even though I eat a healthy diet (way healthier than what I could tolerate with the band), in less than a year I found myself 10lbs shy of my highest weight. My blood sugar and blood pressure are creeping up and I'm noticing more PCOS symptoms again. So, I started researching self-pay options for gastric sleeve surgery out of province. The surgeon I consulted with feels that the MGB is the best option for me. I'm not thrilled about paying for this again along with airfare and hotel. And not only do I get the pleasure of paying for WLS twice, it's extra because revision surgery requires more OR time. But I think my health is worth it. I'm booked for September 28th and have started my 2-week pre-op liquid diet (blech!) Part of me is scared that the surgery won't work. I feel like I have the slowest metabolism in the world. This, combined with my meds that promote weight gain and my PCOS, makes it feel like the odds are against me. However, my surgeon reassures me I'll do well. I've found reading about others' successful revisions also very encouraging. Thanks for reading my story.

Thank you- I'm 36 but I also have some auto immune stuff going on which really causes extreme fatigue. I don't want to blame that because that's not it totally but it certainly has been the reason for my recent weight gains. I'm SO happy to hear that you were approved. Bah! This is NOT fun. Thank you again

For me it was when I could not adequately clean personal areas in the shower. Once I hit that I was done and had my surgery about a month later. My weight gain has been due to medication so my approval was quick and easy!

So I just got home from being dlweved. Stepped on the scale and im 12 lbs heavier than I wad when I went in. Anyone else have this happen. Im so bummed

I had a friend do really well on Depo too, but not me. I was a total psycho hose beast. Horrible to everyone, acne, weight gain, neverending period for 3 months... yeah. Itwas bad. LOL It's so weird and kinda cool how different everyone is.

i get the shot, i have PCOS which is tiny cysts all over my ovaries that caused super heavy periods and the shot makes you stop aving your period all together. I know that's not what all women are looking for but for me it's great. I have had so side effects, no weight gain, no headaches or cramps. i love it!

New to the board and find the information very helpful. I had my VG lapband removed (after 2 years) on October 19, 2010. Had major slippage with 40% of stomach going through-band. The band had only a small fill may have had something to do with it? No erosion or complications during removal. (Glad it is out - knew it was not the long term answer). I did well with the band losing most all desired weight but feel as though I need to move forward with VSG too not allow any weight gain. I want to get VSG but have been told to wait 6 weeks - 3 months. What have you been told or what is most common in this scenario? In advance thank you for the input. I am also considering Dr. Rod or Dr. Aceves for VSG - they both seem to have a good reputation. Thoughts???

First, congratulations on your weight loss. It’s a fabulous achievement - please remember that. The hard truth is not everyone gets to their goal weight. Your goal weight is a number you chose for various reasons significant to you but your body has it’s own goal weight - its set point. This is the weight your body is happiest at. It is a weight that’s easiest to maintain & your body will keep pulling you back to. Your set point is what makes it hard to lose weight & easy to put back on any you did lose back. The surgery lowered your set point from what it was but you can’t control what the lower level will be. Be careful as you can increase your set point again by eating to excess & making poor food choices. Yes, increasing your physical activity & building muscle will increase your hunger. The trick is to balance the hunger with the calories your body needs. Check your basal metabolic rate to give you an idea if what calories your body may need to maintain. Seeking support from a therapist may help especially with your cravings & late night hunger. Many find therapy very beneficial to support their weight loss & manage their maintenance. Therapy will help you identify what’s behind your cravings & hunger & reflect on your relationship with food. Your surgeon or team should be able to refer you to a suitable therapist (one who specialises in disordered eating & is knowledgeable of bariatric surgery). All the best. PS - I found it helpful to get the ‘bad’ food out of my house. If it’s not there I can’t eat it. I know it’s not always possible especially if you have a family but even if you got rid of the your favourites would help. Try to pick a healthier option. Want sweet try some fruit. Want salty or crunchy try roasted fava beans or chick peas. Of course even ‘good’ food eaten to excess will lead to weight gain.

I have been on Omeperozole for years to to GERD. I don't think it contributed to my weight gain...my poor habits did. You should be fine. It does a great job keep acid down when taken regularly.

I have never heard of weight gain being a side effect of omeprazole, but I expect that if one looks into all of the fine print that accompanies the Rx instructions that there is some fraction of a percent of people in some study that did, and that has to be included in the data sheet. People have been taking it post op for years and losing weight as expected for their surgery, so don't worry about that. Zantac is a completely different class of drug from omeprazole, so whatever problem it is having at the moment doesn't apply to omeprazole, which along with all PPIs have their own potential issues (as indeed, do all drugs...) and they apply to long term (years) use rather than short or intermediate term. As for not losing weight at the moment, do a search here for three (or third) week stall - it is entirely normal to have a weight stall around this time.

Hey all, So I got my insurance approval and have surgery this Thursday, August 13 and my doctor is not requiring me to do the liquid diet. I had one last get together, plus my time of the month, somehow gained like 10 pounds from my original weight. I’m so upset about it. But my pre-op appointment is at the hospital this Tuesday and worried about my weight gain. I’m doing the liquid diet on my own starting tomorrow. When I called my doctors office they said it should be fine. But I’m still nervous, has anyone day of surgery denied? Thank you!

My Dr gave me a RX for omeprazole right after surgery and told me to take it for 6 months. My surgery was on Sept 4th. so three weeks ago. I have to be honest i am nervous since Zantac was recalled and also i have read that the side effects of Omeprazole is weight gain. In the three weeks since my surgery I have only lost 13lbs. I have between 65-100 Protein, around 600 calories or less and drink between 80 oz to a gallon of water a day so i cant for the life of me figure out why i am not losing more weight. I wasn't given a pre op diet. I just have to do liquids the day prior to surgery. I am desperate for advice or insight because I am sort of freaking out. Could the medication be preventing my weightless?

not chewing for a long time is hard. That was the one thing I did miss. Losing a lot of weight with the pre op diet is great. You may have a weight gain after the surgery because of the gasses etc. Don't let this bother you. We have all been there. Congrats! on quitting smoking. They say quitting and dieting together is very hard. I never smoked so I don't know. Good luck with your surgery. We are all here if you need help, questions answered or just vent. Arlene

*PBing, sliming, vomiting, slippage, weight gain, slow process, have to be committed, severe incision pain, gas killing me, starving, hungry, port problems, taking forever to hit the sweet spont, nauseous, etc.* Granted, I'm just under 3 months out, but I've experienced almost NONE of those things. Nausea MY OWN FAULT the two times I ate too much sugar. PAIN, once when I ate too fast. The rest? No problem. No gas pain. No port pain. No slippage (at least not yet). No other issues. But even if I had ALL of those, the weight loss and improved health would be worth it. Because, bottom line, that's what it's all about. If most of us could do it on our own we would have already done so. Whatever you decide, think it through thoroughly!~