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This a a great thread! Thank you for being brave enough to address binge eating. I'm worried about having food cravings that I can't satisfy after surgery. I started counseling recently for behavior modification to address the unhealthy eating habits and events in my life that have led to my weight gain. Surgery is such a drastic measure that I want to be sure I will be able to keep it off. I'm so scared, but so excited too!

I feel like the person I used to be before my weight gain, like the person I always was on the inside is showing on the outside again. Physically, I can do more, faster, and with less effort. I have less aches and pains. I still can't believe it's me when I pass by a reflective window or mirror. I want to stop and stare but I know how weird that would look, lol. I wonder how it feels to a person who has always been thin, because I keep thinking of myself as "normal" now, and it makes me sad to think that I ever thought of myself as less worthy because of my weight. We are our own worst critics. I still obsess about diet and exercise. I have to, because it would be so easy to revert to old habits. I'm sure the people around me are sick of hearing about it! I need to find some groups that want to exercise and do active things as a form of socializing instead of going out to eat.

Hi. Has anyone out there had success despite taking mood stabilizers that can cause weight gain? I’m on a low dose of lithium and am considering Gastric Sleeve. I obviously don’t want to just regain all of the weight due to the meds. Thanks

i am 5 days post-op. just got off the plane and weighed myself when i got home. i have gained 2 pounds! i just read someones post who is one week out and has lost 16 pounds already. i have had nothing but clear liquids for 8 days and feel like i walked home from san diego to oklahoma city. how can this be? im feeling really bummed right now. has this happend to anyone else?

I had a breast reduction prior to the sleeve. I went from a really large I think DD or larger to a high B cup, which increased to a C with weight gain. The surgeries are nothing alike, I needed more help with the reduction because of the initial restriction in movement. I did have to lie on my back for both operations to sleep but couldn't use the restroom on my own after the reduction. I don't remember how long until I drove but I remember every bump in the road when in a car was uncomfortable. Hope that helps

I completely understand. I'm in the same boat. I'm so excited for this journey, it's odd to me because everything is happening so smoothly. The only small hiccup that I had was my surgeon strongly suggested that I have the bypass and not the sleeve after he observed my results from my endoscopy. I have to terrible reflux, who knew? My surgeon said there's a very small percentage of people who have it, but have no real symptoms, well nothing making me uncomfortable or pain, just a lot of burping. So now I'm on the bypass track, which is completely fine with me. I've completed my first appointment, endoscopy, 2 of 3 dietician appts, psych evaluation, I'll be attending a support group next Monday. I just have to make sure there's no weight gain. I didn't have to lose weight before the surgery. I do have a 3 day liquid diet. I'm 5', 243 lbs, with a bmi 47. I'm excited too! I just excited to start seeing results! Oh! My surgery date is October 12th. If there are any other October dates, I'd love to buddy up. ???? Good luck to everyone!

thanks for replies, I actualy figured out why i gained so much so fast and was extreamly swollen apparently i have a sodiuma allergy or my body is unable to process all the sodium and salt so i started limiting sodium from my diet and im at a steady weight gain now. i just have to read all labels...

PCOS, insulin resistance, dodgy boderline thyroid issues (with horrendously strong family history) and all the other associated horrors here. Does anyone else, like me, get bored of listing it all?! Gave up taking Metformin 1,700mg per day 2 months ago in preparation for the op. May sound odd, but because of the lack of conclusive findings on whether PCOS causes weight gain, or whether weight gain causes PCOS - I am approaching this as well, 'me'. Besides, Metformin is a bloody horrible drug and makes me feel extremely icky, crotchety and gives me the constant runs (although I concede this might be helpful with all the Protein we're supposed to be consuming). So, I'm just going to see if the weight loss will improve/rectify my symptoms naturally. Additionally, Metformin makes you VERY fertile (if you do have sporadic periods). I don't fancy my body responding positively to the weightloss (if albeit a bit slowly at the start due to the insulin resistance issue) and then the Metformin boosting my fertility out of the ballpark leaving me with an unplanned pregnancy! I don't know whether this is the right thing to do, as not taking it affects your HDL/LDL levels/ Liver Function, etc. I don't have access to my consultant gynae where I am. However, based on what my surgeon said about this surgery largely reversing 'most' 'issues' which present themselves and are enduring to significant excess weight - I'm willing to give it a go. Surgery is on Thursday - so it won't be long till I find out! Who knew I'd become a 'tree-hugger' in my old age? I will not, however, be going so far as to grow my armpit hair... That is a step too far. Even for me! Best of luck to all xx

Remember the post-op diet is not for losing weight it is for healing! My doctor told me not to worry about gaining weight, because my body would need the extra calories to recover from surgery. Make sure that you are constantly drinking water all day long to keep your body from retaining water. (Drinking water is a full time job!) Exercise is a great thing for the heart burn and such, and you are correct you are gaining muscle so that does account for some gain. Bottom line is don't let some weight gain depress you, because you are doing nothing wrong; it is all par for the course. Do not compare yourself to anyone elses journey, just do what feels right for you. Take care of yourself and focus on recovery-I promise weight loss witll come.

Both the “RNY” and DS are kinda of Bileopancreatic Diversions but they are vastly different in possible outcomes. You will get a bigger weight loss from the DS and better chance of no weight gain as time goes on. However you might consider that the Gastric Sleeve might be all you need if your issue is just portion control. And you can have that revised to the DS if your weight loss is not ideal. But you’ll be eating more normally but smaller portions.

I haven't found any Protein bars that are high protein, low carb, so I haven't taken to eating them. If you are tired of them, then by all means you should switch. Can you not get in your protein by eating meat, cheese, eggs etc? Also, look here http://theworldaccor...e.blogspot.com/ . she has great protein rich recipes. I'd say the weight gain is from TOM - I gain about 5 lbs . oh well, c'est la vie! I am having trouble getting my protein in through my meals...I'm still not able to eat a lot. I go to Dr. Cywes/ Dr. Pinnar too. Thanks for the link, I will be sure to check it out.

Hi All! Its been a while since I posted anything or been active. I found out in November that I was pregnant. I was 8 months out of surgery when I got pregnant. My fiance and I had just gotten engaged a few months before and were planning our wedding. So it was definitely a surprise! I was really nervous about proceeding with the pregnancy. I just knew I would be ready in just one more year (I've been saying that for the last 5 years!) BUT I was pregnant now, 33, in a great relationship, with a stable income, healthier then Ive been in a while and all out of excuses not to start my family. So my journey began... I am currently 23 weeks pregnant! This is my first pregnancy so I have nothing to compare it with but this has been my experience in case any of you find yourself in my situation. Its hard to find doctors who understand how VSG affects my pregnancy. They understand that I need to be monitored more but don't really get the nuances. One example; I was given this HUGE jug to collect my urine over 24 hours. When I returned it, I was told that they need AT LEAST 4X more urine than I had collected. They were convinced I didn't collect all my urine. I told them that was everything I had to give! They told me to drink more water. Now this community knows how hard that task is. I still can not eat and drink at the same time. I also cant just drink a gallon of water in one go. It feels like a herculean task. I have tried 3 times and have still not filled this jug! I've learned that drinking tea increases my urine output so I have hope for my next attempt. I was really sick throughout my first and second trimester. I already had bad acid reflux before and after surgery and was taking omeprazole to relieve it. Turns out you can't take anything stronger than Tums while pregnant. So on top of the normal nausea, I felt the need to throw up to relieve my indigestion and heartburn. I started really hating food when everyone else kept trying to feed me more! I've been feeling better now though. I was allowed to take pepcid and it actually helps. Now, I have the desire to eat more but still cant eat more than a few bites of anything in one sitting. My food also takes forever to digest so I have to be really picky about what I eat. Fruits are my best friend! I kept my surgery a secret. My fiance and sister are the only ones I told about my VSG. So no one really gets why Im having a hard time eating more. They also keep wanting to see my belly but Im not sure how to explain my incisions. It feels too late to say anything now... so its awkward and more isolating than it could have been. But my family can be SUPER judgy so I think they would just find a way to make me feel bad about it and I don't need the added stress. I get to do more sonograms than your average mom to be. Because of my VSG and previous hypertension, I'm monitored more and have more doctor visits. I really don't mind! I love getting to see whats going on in there! So far so good... mostly. I keep expecting the docs to say my baby isn't growing or Im malnourished but that doesn't seem to be the case. Everything is progressing normally and baby looks good. They did mention that one of babys kidneys is not eliminating waste as it should. The other kidney is fine but they want to keep an eye on it. Of course we are worried but its actually pretty common and generally resolves itself. If it doesn't, there is a small procedure to fix it after birth (if necessary) so we are trying not to sweat it. I got Covid. I'm a teacher and as soon as the mask mandate was removed, I got COVID. Never mind that Ive been vaccinated, boosted and was still wearing my mask! Im actually recovering now. (SIDE NOTE: We seem to be having a second surge at my school. I wonder if any other teachers (or parents) have noticed that?) I was EXTREMELY sick the first week. I was lightheaded, coughing, full of mucus, achy and just couldn't get out of bed. I also couldn't take any medicines because of the pregnancy. My mom kept sending me home remedies but when I looked them up, there was always a warning for pregnant people. I just had to ride it out. Baby seems ok but I'll know more at my appointment next week. As far as my VSG goals... I was 195-200 lbs when I found out I was pregnant (SW:267) and had been stalled there for almost 2 months. I was getting a bit discouraged because my whole weight loss process had been so slow and felt harder for me than it seemed like it was for some people here. I also had a friend who had her VSG after me and had lost almost twice as much weight as I had so I knew it wasn't in my head. I started drinking again and sneaking in more cheat snacks. When I found out I was pregnant, I cut out all alcohol and was really strict about making sure the little food I ate was good for baby. I dropped 20-25 more pounds. Im currently 175 lbs. I havent really gained any weight. Part of me is happy about that and still trying to get to my goal of 155 while pregnant. But I know I have to put on weight for baby. It's really a mind f**k. Doctors say the baby is growing normally so there isn't much to worry about... yet. Technically I'm still overweight and they don't recommend as much weight gain for overweight moms. Im entering my third trimester now and am supposed to put on 1-2 lbs a week. We'll see how that goes. Im still trending downwards... If you made it to the end, thanks for reading through this entire post. I hope it helps. I hope to update you with only good news in the weeks to come! Last note, I'm having a girl! So exciting!!! My VSG has definitely complicated things but I think we made the right decision and I am really excited about entering this next chapter of my life healthier than I have been in years!

I had gastric sleeve in 2011. Lowest weight was 148. I now weigh 195 lbs. Where am I going wrong. I heard that I can reset my sleeve is this true. If so what do I do. And does the sleeve stretch itself out. My highest weight was 275. And for those who say this surgery is cheating I've worked harder at keeping my weight down with this than if I just pitched a tent in the gym and lived there. Lol Sent from my SM-J327T using BariatricPal mobile app

This won't be extremely long update since it's been just a few days since my last one, but a few had ask me to update after this appointment since this is the 12 week update with the "special" ultrasound to look for any "markers" for defects, or abnormalities. 1) Labs were pulled (results will take 7-14 days) 2) Sprout is measuring on target, and the placenta, heart, all "genetic markers" were NORMAL which is a huge relief. Doc is extremly pleased with my progress, and my little 4lb weight gain. I have definitely "popped" in the bump department even since Sunday. 3) The ugly night time reflux is creeping in. I think it's because I have have allowed an old"fat habit" to creep in. A huge contributor to my former 270lb self was night time eating. I loved having that "full belly" before bedtime, eat something/anything/lots of anything, and go to sleep. Well, I've had 3 nights of waking up spewing acid. It's beyond unpleasant, and I didn't even realize I was doing it. I wasn't eating "horrible stuff" or necessarily junk food, a handful of nuts, a granola bar, 1/2 cup of oatmeal, a few crackers with cheese, well I wasn't even feeling "full" but apparently, my sleeve is full, or partially, and with the "bump" swollen uterus, increased blood volume, bloating, my stomach's reaction is straight up ACID from hell. So, I'm back to not eating 1-2 hours before I lay down for the night. It's been miserable, and it's only been after eating and then laying down and dozing off. So, I'm being more aware of my eating at night. 4) They would not confirm gender. Apparently at 12 weeks, they all look like BOYS. Next follow up with my regular OB is Monday, and next high risk appt is at 18 weeks unless something with my labs comes back questionable/suspicious. Sprout 12 weeks Waving at Us ! ! ! Getting pictues was purely crazy, he was jumping all over my uterus, went head down, butt out, and was pretty much doing cartwheels in my uterus after the first 5-7 minutes of the tech squishing on my belly. Apparently, Sprout is not a fan of his space being invaded. And the Bump: No, I'm not holding it "up", I'm just making the dress cling to the belly LOL

Posted by Lindata "I never ever thought I would one day be technically 100 pounds overweight. Looking at myself, I would think where would 100 pounds come off of me? Now that I've lost some of that weight it's like blinders have been taken off - I can't believe I COULDN'T see the weight. I really believed I looked way thinner than I did. How is it that we can lie to ourselves and believe what we say?" I do the same thing, Linda. I'll look in the mirror and try to figure out where the rest of the weight will come off of. Even before I lost any weight, I couldn't imagine myself so big unless I looked in the mirror. Whenever I had to write my weight down for anything, I would mistakenly put a "1" where the "2" had to be. At least I'm back into the 100's but I still have so much to go. You're very fortunate to have married a man who loves you no matter what. I wasn't so lucky. I have seen a big change in my husband's attitude with me according to my weight. He married a slim young woman who allowed the stresses of life to affect her eating habits. I can't even blame my weight gain on having children. I only gained 28 pounds with each child which came right off. A rocky marriage, a partial hysterectomy, a car accident, and the loss of my parents are to blame for my lack of control. food became my drug of choice. Like Judy, I think it is the most difficult addiction to overcome. We need to eat so keeping the "drug" out of the house is impossible. The demons are always there tempting me. At least the band helps keep them at bay.

Definitely do it! At 71, 100lbs overweight, in pain constantly, both knees destroyed by arthritis, peripheral neuropathy in both feet with hot burning pins and needles when standing and walking, back pain. My journey started in orthopedics with knees, steroid injections, worked well most of the time, but didn't stop the occasional fall [3 to 4 times a year]. I knew sooner or later something would break. I would have had knee replacement sooner except for covid & elective surgeries were cancelled for two years [socialized medicine ***]. No weight gain, but developed hypertension. Researched weight loss thru ***, and because I had obstructive sleep apnea, I would qualify, and found this bariatric surgery should be first before the knees. I researched, attended classes, youtube videos, surgeons, after care, supplements etc. I wanted the Roux-N-Y but at my age surgeon said no, VSG. The surgeon recommended to me, is EXTREMELY strict and no BS kind of guy, he canceled my first surgery date because he didn't like something I did, so I really buckled down to his protocol. I knew I would have nausea and vomiting from anesthesia so I told EVERYONE, to give me whatever so this didn't happen. Well...it happened, no medication, and postop recovery the uncontrollable violent projectile dry heaves started, nurse good, gave IV Zofran, the IV Reglan and within a few minutes it stopped, but it was bad. I went home the next day. I had all my foods for week two, supplements etc. I am keeping up with supplements and fluids but not hungry. Dr said eat 1/4 cup every 2-3 hours otherwise your body will try to hold on to everything and the metabolism shifts. I'm going to add the vitamin patches from Bariatric Pal to my daily regimen of chews and capsules, [ I am very fatigued] for a while and see how this works. I use Mira Lax/:axa Clear equivalent in my morning water bottle and use a stool softener at night. Find whatever works for you, the stool softeners alone did not work for me. Trying to find my new normal, I knew it would be a process. I have NO regrets, and would tell anyone considering surgery to 'go for it' and FOLLOW directions strictly. Once I pass the phase of full liquids and get into pureed foods it will be another advancement. During surgery found a hiatal hernia and did the repair. Who Knew?! I didn't, glad it's done. My significant weight loss will help me in recovery for total knee replacement. I'm looking forward to repairing the rest of my body in my older age. Best wishes to you. Surgery May 15.

hi there, just wanted to put in my two cents worth. I was banded 6 almost 7 years ago, lost 99lb - 45kgs and have been on maintenance for 4.5hrs. I found it easy in the start but then i stopped losing so i stated exercising and lost weight. If you are willing to make the change you wil lose the weight it is that simple. People do eat around the band and they dont exercise and then wonder why they dont lose weight, i don't mean to be harsh but if your not going to do it properly you cant expect results. The most important thing with the band is going to the Dr regularly for fills and weigh in's. I'm still getting fills on occasion, though they are very small and i see my doctor every few months to check im keeping the weight under control, the band isnt something you can just let go once you have lost the weight. I know the band has complications but in reality if you have no complications with the band and aren't able to lose weight your not doing what you should be doing, exercise and eat right... don't get me wrong i know plateau's exist and they suck! Anywho, if you are willing to make changes then you will lose the weight :-) and keep it off, it can be hard if you have medication or illness that causes weight gain though Bel

I have my first appointment scheduled with the surgeon, nutritionist, and psych for September 23rd. From my research, my insurance requires 3 months pre-op of monitoring, etc. I've seen plenty of post of people denied coverage for any weight gain during this time. My hope is for a January/February surgery date. My main concern: in my 3 months will be a wedding (not mine, a friend) with shower and bachelorette, my birthday, Halloween, thanksgiving and Christmas. I have never NOT gained during the fall/holidays. Is anyone else facing this situation? How do you plan to make it through?

I know. I brought it up a couple of times with the pdocs but they have not been keen. I don't want it for weightloss so much as I want a bipolar med that won't cause weight gain [emoji30] Sent from my SM-G930F using BariatricPal mobile app

Dr Phil's wife did a show for him about the change and talked about some drops you can put under your tongue for hot flashes. Here, I found this info on drphil.com: supplements for Menopausal and Hormonal Symptoms Robin McGraw shares a list of natural supplements that have helped her put her hormones back in balance and ease menopausal symptoms. To Relieve Menopausal Symptoms Black Cohosh B12 and B6 Vitamins Folic Acid Inositol "These four items are very good for overall menopausal symptoms," explains Robin, "especially black cohosh, which is good for hot flashes. The B12, B6 and folic acid help with mood and to ease you through the transition. The inositol also helps with mood. You take it at night and it helps you to sleep." Essential Oils Flax Seed Oil Evening Primrose Oil Vitamin E Omega-3 "These are really good overall for hormone symptoms," says Robin. "Essential oils are good for joints because sore joints can be a symptom of menopause." Menopause and Weight Gain Robin goes on to explain that weight gain can be a symptom of menopause because menopause affects the thyroid gland, which helps regulate body weight. "When you get your blood work done, there is a range for the thyroid and your doctor can tell you if yours is normal. I bought a basil thermometer and every morning for 10 days, I put it under my arm and recorded my temperature. If it's even a degree below 98, then you are susceptible to having a low thyroid. Mine was 95. My doctor had told me I was fine, but mine was very low so I went on natural hormone therapy."

I was lucky that I'd just been banded the previous holiday season. This season, however, ooh boy. I'm really rather disappointed with how easily I excused my poor choices with "it's the holidaaaays~!" The weight gain on the scale still makes me cringe, though thankfully I'm losing again. I'm certainly glad to be back on track though.

I was on Prozac, i did gain weight on it, but i blame myself and not the pills. when I asked my doctor about anti depressants and weight gain I was told Paxil tends to make people gain the most weight and Wellbutrin tends to make people lose weight. Prozac can go either way.

No one is demonizing carbs. There is no such thing as NO carb diet. Low carb is instructed by many surgeons/dieticians. All plans are different. I am carb sensitive. I am a type one diabetic. My body does not process carbs or sugar correctly. I keep my carbs in the range where I lose/maintain my weight. I distance run. I carb load for seven days pre-race. It’s instant weight gain. I go back to weight loss mode to work it off.

Lelafox Like me, you're just starting on this journey. You know when you take your walks, you probably have to walk some hills before you get to the end. Those hills can be steep and hard but you have to keep walking to get to your goal. Remember, those hills eventually reach a peak and then you start going down. Just keep trucking up and working hard and when it seems you can't make it any further do it anyway and soon it will feel like a breeze. Be grateful for those hills because they make you stronger and more ready to tackle the next one. Vacations and minor weight gains are just a blip in the whole weight-loss journey. In a year, when you've reached your goal, you'll realize that. You'll be the one encouraging others on this site to keep on fighting and working through those difficult times. I've got a couple of trips coming up in the next couple of weeks and I'm not going to stress over it. If I gain a little, that's just the way it goes. Vacations are so difficult because you lose a certain amount of control, your routine changes, and your body probably is responding to the change in diet. You know, last week I was a little depressed because I didn't lose any weight for the first time, but this week I lost 6.5 lbs! I just had to remind myself what the rules were and follow them. Good luck to you. I've sent up a little prayer for you.

I have not had the mirena but for the past 3yrs I have had the nexiplon or implenon. It is a stick placed in the arm. I know its not in as long as the iud but this had less complications and no need to worry about a dislodged iud or tubal pregnancies. Or frequently checking it yourself. I love it and since my sleeve I haven't seen any weight gain effects.