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It’s been a little more than 5 years that I had sleeve. I started at 225 lbs and went to a minimum of 145lbs. Then had some weight gain and peaked around 163lbs at 2 years mark. Since then I have been vigilant and last three years been 155Lbs with a couple of pounds variation.

Good topic! I'm 28 and have had the crunchy knees (mostly on the right) for quite a few years but then again I was almost 400lbs. =/ I feel a lot less strain on my knees now 100lbs down but still find the high impact excercises to be too much for my joints. Stairs wreak havoc on my knees so while I choose to live on the second floor and take the stairs at work I never do the stair master in the gym. Ellipitical and treadmill are much easier on me, walking is much better than jogging when you're still heavier also. You can still do your zumba my trainer recommends just subsituting alternative movements for the jumping up and down. At the end of the day you just want to burn calories and strengthen your muscles and you don't need to high impact excercises to do that. Bad knees can eventually undo all the success you've had in weight loss. As a nurse in a rehab I've seen countless people come in who have waited to lose weight and get knee replacements and find the new sedentary lifestyle and slow progressing physical therapy that follows crossed with sudden stress of the trauma of surgery and change in diet to be the catalysts for the return of old habits and worse, rapid weight gain. Talk to your doc about treatments for cartilage loss and inflamation. Try using proper body mechanics at all times, wear good shoes, continue losing weight and pay attention to the warning signs that your activity is doing more harm than good. Go easy on those joints, don't replace the waddle for a limp!

So I was watching these videos by one of the WLS Surgeons and he isn't pro-sweeterners! He thinks it can also spike Insulin by your body responding to the sweet taste in the mouth. And can also cause weight gain! I do have medical knowledge and Insulin is only secreted in response to Glucose molecules attaching to the receptors in your Pancreas, so him extrapolating Insulin release to the taste itself kinda doesn't make sense to me! May be Slpenda, aspartame etc may not be the best alternatives but natural sweeteners seem safe so far especially how Keto diet is revolves a lot around such natural sweeteners! Thoughts? Are you a fan? Whether or not sweeteners are safe to be used in your weight loss journey esp cause many of us may not tolerate sugar well for life! https://youtu.be/DTIK8n0WTBU

weight gain and loss is driven by hormones and men and women have a very different mix going on inside. This will have an effect on the pace of weight loss. Nothing fair about it but you can't change biology. If he keeps those bad habits it will bite his ass down the road with weight regain.

Hi All, I am a science teacher in Michigan and I have been to one appointment and one session of the seminar series. I have diabetes and a BMI of 38 and I am hoping to really reduce the diabetes and gain some of my energy back. I am tired by the end of the day and I can see that my lessons, while good, are not like the ones when I was younger and thinner. I want to get back to that. I am very well thought of in my community but I can tell a difference and I know that things could be better. In the title for this post, I state that I am nervous and depressed. Am I doing the right thing? Having the kind of change that I read in many of your posts is certainly supportive and I would like to have those changes as well. This is a drastic step to take but I am in need of something drastic since nothing else has helped. I am very apprehensive about never again having foods that I currently enjoy, like a bagel. I keep finding myself thinking "Is this my last ....?" I have heard of others going out for their "last real meal" and having their "last ice cream" and so on. I guess that it is natural to think of things in those terms since eating will never be the same again. But it also brings to mind the condemned man and his last meal. His life is about to change and so is mine. Being able to eat such a small amount makes me wonder if a certain amount of depression creeps in as you realize that doing something like sharing a pizza with a friend now means having only part of one slice, assuming that your digestion can handle even that. Eating is so social and such a part of our culture. Making this step kind of feels like it did when I moved away from all of my family after college. I got used to it and ultimately liked it but I certainly had lots of strong feelings about it before and during that process. I am not worried at all about the procedure, just the changes that will take place in my life. Will the good things be as good as I hope they will be and how do I minimize the negative parts? I know that I am going into this with the understanding that it is for life. But, am I choosing the Lap Band option over the bypass because of my perception of the finality of the bypass? The Lap Band can be removed even though that is not a common procedure, but it is some kind of back door that could be used if ultimately needed. I am choosing this surgery so that I can live longer and have better health during whatever time I have left. I do not see another option since I have tried other diets and so on and like most of us those things did not work or they did not last. While I know that dieting like that has a very low success rate, I guess that I do feel the guilt of being overweight and that I am taking the route that is perceived by many as being the easy way out, even though that is not the case. It is a hard way to go, but it seems to be made possible because of our sense of responsibility after the surgery and the immediate reminders that we get because of the Lap Band. If you do not follow the rules, bad things could happen (not just weight gain). As I reread this post, it seems to come off as pretty gloomy. However, it did do me some good to write this down knowing that someone else could possibly read it. I have not talked so candidly with my wife but the relative anonymity of a post helps with the inhibitions. Thanks for reading, SciTeach

I still get surprised every time I hear someone in favor of bypass...partially because of my own thoughts on it, but also because I feel like there are so many advantages to the band. I will admit that the fast weight loss that results from RNY is tempting. But that's, to me, the only advantage over the band. Again, maybe it's just me, but have you noticed that a LOT of bypass patients LOOK like bypass patients? I feel like they always have a different look to them...like a partially full bag or something. I would consider the slower weight loss with the band a plus, actually. It gives your body more time to catch up with the weight loss. Furthermore, have you heard that bypass patients have approximately one year to lose the weight they're going to lose? And typically, after that year is up, there is at least some uptick in weight...the graphical curves I've seen show the band as a slow but steady loss that eventally surpasses bypass because bypass patients typically gain at least a little (if not all) weight back. Here's a sample of my "pro" list for the band, if it helps: 1. MUCH less invasive of a procedure 2. Reversible, if needed 3. Fewer complications 4. No malabsorption problems or Vitamin deficiency 5. No dumping 6. Corrects overeating behavior 7. LIFELONG modifications to increase nutritional intake when needed (eg, pregnancy, endurance training) and decrease when needed (eg, weight gain, slow weight loss) I think my biggest plus on the band side is that it's a TOOL. I see it as something to help me lose weight now--slowly but surely--and help me maintain over the long term. Of course, it's a personal decision, and we know that RNY works. I know that, for me, the band is better because I need more help with portions, etc. I love that I could have all the restriction removed by removing saline...but then fill it back up if I slip. My mind has wandered over to bypass only when I crave that quick fix (not that it's easy...but it's definitely quicker). Good luck with your decision!!

I woke up one day a couple of weeks ago and boom no restriction, well hardly any. I have had perfect restriction for mths or so. My Dr was worried and did more checks today. I dont have a leak or a slip so he put it down to one of those things. He finally gave me .5ml today because I have put on 4 kgs in the last few weeks and I was really starting to panic about the weight gain thing. I know one day I can eat something and the next day I cant, but I am used to that now, this lack of restriction lasted like I said 2 or 3 weeks, so I know it was pretty much gone.

First of all your tired from smoking pot. Secondly you can drink if you want but its just empty calories and no you dont get drunk quicker with the band because it goes right through to the bottom part of the stomach. Dont you think that smoking pot is the reason for your weight gain to begin with. If you want to smoke and drink whats the point. In answer to your question yes you can drink and smoke but really whats the point of having surgery.

My surgery has finally been scheduled and I go for a 2 hour nurse education and final weigh in on Wednesday (09-07). I was told that even a 2lb weight gain since my last visit will cause my surgery to be cancelled. I started a liquid diet this past Wednesday and the scales aren't budging. This is the week before my period is due and I always put on 4-6 pounds of Water weight. I've been working toward gastric bypass surgery since last December as my insurance company has a list of requirements as long as my arm. I'm terrified that my surgery is going to be cancelled. I'm an emotional wreck. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I have been having anxiety about gaining weight. I would be fine if I stayed where I'm at. I'm a size 8. But I even have bad dreams about gaining it all back. I think it's because all my other attempts have failed at weightloss. Is anyone else having these same dreams/ anxiety/ fears???

I vote scale. Don't need to weigh frequently, but weight loss can creep back quickly. At the advice of my surgeon: If you weigh weekly, you'll never miss a 5 lb. weight gain and can adjust in the moment and not have to dig out of a hole.

The important thing is that while gaining weight, which is a measure of your body's total mass, you're not gaining fat. With what you're eating, it's physically impossible to gain 2# of fat in that amount of time. It's critical to see & understand the difference there. Weight does NOT equal fat. The most common cause of rapid weight gain is Water retention. There are tons of things out there that cause this: menstruation (typically you start to retain 2 weeks prior and hold it until a few days after), eating salty foods, not drinking enough water, medication, diet, season/temperature, etc. This is why scales have killed so many diets. Someone could have lost 10# of fat, but retained 12# of water, and they think "Well crap, if I'm giving all this up and *gaining* 2# screw it, I'm going to McDonald's!" If you want a true measure of what's going on, rely on measurements and body fat analysis. Scales really don't tell you anything other than what everything in and on your body weighs at any given point in time.

I find this thread so interesting...I have never really followed the rules very well which has worked for me so I guess I am very lucky. At Year 3 I do still try to get my Protein in and I don't really drink with my meals, but I eat whatever I want, just in small quantities and I exercise faithfully. Still, I did have a 4 lb weight gain so I went to the 5 Day Pouch test and I am now 1 lb under goal. Very happy with that for Year 3. I just don't want dieting and food to control my life any more so I am just trying to be like a normal weight person.

Hi, I am so glad you asked that question. My husband and I went for surgery on 12/30/10 and we noticed a weight loss initially and then a weight gain. As of last night we are back to the weight we were post op in the doctors office. I guess this is the body adjusting to the eating and the trauma it went through for surgery. I would like to know what the nutritionist says because we have considered following weight watchers but if our stomach can't handle the amount of calories they are talking about eating I am not sure what plan to follow to allow for maximum nutrition health.

I was banded in February 2008. I blew that. I lost like 24 pounds. Then in June 2011, I was having problems. I had upper GI test and hiatal hernia. When I had surgery for that, he did a band revision. I said this is it.... Time to shine! NOT! I have two of my grand kids and it is hard when they want something for me not to dig in. I have fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and plantar facciitis. It is hard for me to move with pain and exhaustion. The meds I take cause weight gain!! I actually gave up. I stopped going for fills. I was due last month and said what's the point. I need help!!

Normally following a tight regime of a controlled diet and regular exercises are the measures prescribed for weight loss. Most of the people find it difficult to follow these measures over an extended period. It is claimed that with Alli you can escape these grating restrictions and can follow near-normal routines; slowly but steadily you can manage to lose weight and lead a healthier life. Alli is a FDA approved OTC weight loss product. Alli is not a dietary supplement; it is claimed to help you lose weight gradually; by working as a fat binder or fat blocker. Excessive intake of calories causes increase of weight; and fats contribute far more calories in food-intake as compared to Proteins and carbohydrates. Fat in our diet is the main culprit in weight gain. When taken in the prescribed manner, the active ingredient of Alli attach themselves to some of the natural enzymes in the digestive system; this prevents these enzymes from breaking down over 25% of the fat you eat. This undigested fat cannot be absorbed by the body and it passes through the body in the natural way. This excess fat is prevented from contributing to weight gain. Alli only works on enzymes that would normally help in digestion of fat. So carbohydrates and proteins are not affected and these nutrients are absorbed by the body in the normal manner. Alli works only in your digestive system; it does not act on your heart or brain. You would not feel unsettling effects such as sleeplessness, racing heart or jitters which are commonly experienced with other weight loss drugs or supplements. When you use Alli to lose weight, you may have to observe certain drastic dietary restrictions, depending on your existing diet. Manufacturers of Alli advise you to consume reduced-calorie meals of 15gms or less of fats on an average. For some this may be a rather severe restriction, but that is the price to pay for being able to have the option of slow but steady weight loss leading to a better life. You may suffer certain side effects such as loose motion, frequent bowel movements, gas, etc. if you do not observe the restriction of 15 gms of fat. Obviously if you are able to adjust to the dietary limitations and put up with the side effects – “treatment effects” as the makers of Alli call them – Alli should be able to work for you.

You are over thinking it as we all did, I had gerd before surgery I was on 40mg nexium as well as gaviscon liquid and tablets just to keep on top of it. I now take 20mg nexium and that's it and I am not sure I even need that but haven't been game to come off it yet. My surgeon said weightloss would help my gerd which it did. I have noticed the people who get gerd and revise to bypass also had a substantial weight gain as well. I have had zero issues with keeping food and drink down, had a few little omg I shouldn't have eaten/ drunk that so quick but after a few minutes it's all good and you don't do it again lol but honestly I a a week away from 12 months and I have zero problems. At the moment I am recovering from covid and I am suffering from lack of desire to eat or drink and have a bit of nausea but that's from covid not surgery.

We can't really say for sure whether you need to do more ab exercises without knowing what you are doing now. But one thing you can do to make your workout more effective if you are not already doing it, is to make sure you keep your ab muscles tight as possible during your entire workout routine whether you are working your abs, legs, arm or doing cardio. It is hard to remember to keep up but it is effective. It helps to tighten your abs and improve posture. I actually had the opposite problem, my scale wouldn't budge but I was noticing my clothes getting looser. But the same problem as far as losing last in the stomach. It has always been the first area to show weight gain and it has been the last area to shrink and it is mainly genetics. My decision to continue to lose weight past my goal is because I still carry a little bit of a gut but I have been persistent and it is slowly going away.

After reading what you wrote, I have come to the conclusion that she really equates food with friendship and socializing. When I was thinner years back, my best friend used to bring Dunkin Donuts munchkins and other junk food over. My other two best friends did the same. I was the one in the group that told them to please stop bringing it over my house, as I didn't want to gain any more weight- at the time I had about 25-30 to lose from my second pregnancy. I was successful maintaining this weight, until I had my tonsils out and another pregnancy after my tonsilectomy (sp). Of course, being tired and sick most of the time, I ate, and ate, and ate.....and here I am. Oh, and I also had a friend who owns a pizza and sub shop- you can imagine the feasts she would bring over, or have at her home for all of us to enjoy. Of course, she brought salad, too, for me. To this day, my friends are all the same, much heavier than I am. I don't see them as much, as I live further away now. However, I did have a couple of other friends who told me they thought my weight gain was on their shoulders. I said no, it was mine- I really enjoyed their friendship, and at the cost of my health, continued to maintain it, and still do, but at a distance (I don't get to see them as much anymore, live about 2 hours away). I am the one who should have put my foot down harder and made it more clearer like I did one time- I had my friend bring her boxes of goodies out to the car- and had her take them home with her. She got the hint, and didn't bring anything over for a long time, until an incident in her life happened that caused her to want junk food all the time (her husband was sick, and eventually died from cancer). I didn't have the heart to berate her at that time. However, I told her I wasn't going to eat them, as I wanted to stay healthy and lose weight. Of course, I didn't succeed, but that's on my shoulders, not hers. What I am saying is, some people really do equate food with socializing. Most of us oldies were brought up that if you visited a family member or friend's house, you brought something to eat with you as a courtesy. Get togethers with family and friends always have food.....birthday parties, retirement parties, weddings, holidays, think about it, it's always about food, and in some cases, drinks (alcohol). So, many times, people like your co-worker don't always realize that they are doing this- it's ingrained in their minds to share their food and friendship. We all know how deadly that can be, but at the same time, these friends can also be a God send to us, too, in other ways. I wouldn't have traded them back then for anything, and I feel that way now. Maybe just saw less of them for my health's sake- we got together daily, sometimes from early in the morning til later in the evenings. We had a lot of great times, too, and when we weren't eating, we were laughing and having the times of our lives, while the kids all played, LOL I hope your co-worker can eventually see the harm she is causing. Again, it may not be intentional- this may be something she is just so used to doing, she isn't aware of it. Bringing food to your office might be her way of just wanting to say hi, but she uses food as an excuse to drop by. She sounds very lonely to me as well- so food is her vehicle to conversations. Maybe a little one to one chat about this may do her and you the world of good.

Thank you so much for replying. I'm going to spend my last pre open weekend reminding my family I need there support. I have four adult children that remember me before the weight gain. I'm so looking forward to shopping for my cruise this fall

So I had a few minutes to spare and found myself rehashing all the "what if's" of wls. It almost feels like my health and happiness are hinged on this. I guess in a way it is. In my immediate family there is a history of CAD, DM, CVA's, Colon CA, etc. So the reality of it is if I don't lose the weight, the aforementioned is what I have in my future. Not acceptable. I've lost weight a hundred times over only to gain it right back. I don't eat unhealthy foods, I just eat too much. I exercise about 3x's per week, I drink water, limit my intake of sodas and I've never smoked a cigarette. I'm 5'2 and about 206lbs today. My belly is about to burst out of my size 14 jeans that are too small, but I continue to wear them anyway (denial). I am sick of painful joints, back pain, being winded with activity, avoiding social events, sleeping all weekend, urinary incontinence and all the other stuff that goes with being fat. So I was desperate... I am refinancing my first home (2yrs into mortgage) in order to pay for this. My employer has an obesity exclusion on our insurance at work... I expect they'll remove that exclusion as the company grows, but for now I'm on my own. I could make a list a mile long of "what if's" as to why NOT to have surgery, but instead I choose to focus on the "what if's" as to why it's so crucial for me to have surgery. What if I have a heart attack? What if I am dx'd with Diabetes? What if I have a stroke? What if I get cancer? Who'll take care of my son, my mother, my niece, my employees, etc. Who will fight for what's right for the patients I take care of? Who will grow old with my BFF? The thought of all those haunting questions are much scarier to me than the "what if's" that go with surgery. When my daddy went in to have an abdominal aneurysm removed he told a friend of his he'd die without the surgery. His buddy asked him "but what if you die from the surgery?" My daddy (always full of advice) simply told him he at least had to try.... and try he did. I do have some concerns about undergoing major surgery in order to lose weight. It terrifies me. Change is terrifying, but oh so necessary. So why should I have surgery? Physically - I want to be able to go for a walk or run, I want to not have huge "cankles" at the end of the day, I want to not be out of breath coming back from the mailbox, I want to be free of arthritic pain in my hips, I want to put on clothes without a struggle. Emotionally - I want to be proud of who I see in the mirror, I want to get off the vicious cycle of weight gain & depression, I want the inner me to like the outter me. Spiritually - I have no excuse for not going to church, except that I feel so ashamed of the weight I've put on. I know they aren't staring at me, but that is exactly how it feels. I want to be able to go to the altar and worship once again... Financially - I love my job, but since I've put on the weight I've stopped scheduling speaking engagements (something I LOVE), calling on new accounts, visiting old accounts, speaking at meetings, etc. It's almost like I've given up on me. So the more of all that stuff I do, the more money I can make Socially - I have no social life anymore. I hate going to anything where there is a crowd of people. I avoid it all costs. My clothes are too small, I feel horrible and I just wind up miserable. I have the most amazing boyfriend who LOVES to get out and socialize and yet he's stuck with me... at home... every weekend. So there ya go... I don't feel like I really have a choice. It's either another yo-yo round of dieting with impending disappointment from the scales or a true lifestyle change... I'm 40yrs old and I have so much living and loving left to do. This is for a better me so I can be a better mom, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, girlfriend, boss and hopefully encourage others to do the same. Here's to the living, loving and laughing that is yet to come!

But we can help by not worshiping thinness or youth. Going back to aging gracefully like our grandmothers did and didn't have to be thin once they hit menopause or get botox or plastic surgery or have larger breasts. I feel bad for the next generation. I know this topic is way too volatile for a WLS forum so I will leave before I start a war, lol! Anyone wonder how much yo yo dieting attributed to our weight gains and if we had only ate normally and not had to try every diet out there we may be much thinner and healthier than we are now and possibly WLS would never have entered into the picture? Doing my part tomorrow by removing the collar and leash and going back to being a normal human being who doesn't spend 100% of her time worrying about how she looks or how many points are in that and getting her life back!:tongue:

So, I totally did things "against suggestions" totally by accident but I'll share.... I had surgery on May 9th 2006. The last week of May I called my surgeon's office to find out if having surgery messed with your cycles. I knew I couldn't get pregnant as I was rx'd infertile several years ago. Right. :biggrin1: Doctors make best guesses and sometimes, wonderfully, they are wrong. On June 2, 2006 at 36 years old my pregnancy was confirmed...my first child. WOO HOO! I had a pretty event free pregnancy. Because I was so close out of surgery, I didn't have a fill. I was diabetic before surgery and became insulin dependant while pregnant. No high blood pressure, no crazy weight gain. I gained 17 lbs and Joslyn was 8.5 of it. The band probably kept me from putting on more weight....well, that and being crazy about controlling my blood sugars. So, my opinion? Do things when they feel right to you. My baby is healthy and beautiful. I had no complications with the band at all. I'm excited to report I just got my first fill and am still 30 lbs less than when I had surgery last year. ROCK!! Not waiting a full year won't be the end of the world. Anything can be managed.

The process for my surgery in Alabama will not take a long time so I am excitedly nervous. I just attended a college homecoming and I looked like I had eaten everything that everyone else lost. My surgery is the jumpstart to a brand new life. I have been defining myself by what I cannot do and I have a child who is watching me fail this test with obesity. I can't let that happen. I also have to remove the crutch I have used for all of my failures in life. My fear of success rest on my body image. I know it shouldn't but it does right now. I am in need of counseling. I am going to get it. My weight gain is a manifestation of something else and need to find out what. I don't want to go down this path again - EVER!!!!!

@@Pi Sano for me, at a little over 3 'months post op i can tell you bloated feeling will go away and get better stick to your plan Water sip sip sip. You will feel it fill up and small sips make it more comfortable. You will likely find as i did that it takes quite a long time to finish especially at first. This show rationale for post op liquid diet as it would be hard to abide by 30/30 rule with constant sips! food you loved well I guess that is a philosophical discussion for many on this board. I believe it is about a new way of eating and living as we have changed our body to help change the outcome of eating in long run. That means a long run of eating differently and recognizing what that means to you personally. Will you indulge? Can you one day? Should you and how do you balance quality of that indulgence and monitoring any weight gain? For me that seems way off in future. But many foods can be changed to high Protein and diet friendly --- bunless cheeseburgers, "pizza" interpreted as sauce and cheese on parmasean crisp (or other variations). Your body has changed, now is time for mind and actions to support!