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So I'm going on eight years since my rny lost 164lbs but now I've gained 30lbs trying to go baby steps again to loose the pounds back don't want to go back. Have been keeping track of what I've been doing wrong it's not hunger but just I see munching and I join in. The good thing is that when I do eat solids I get full fast and sneeze from being full and u stop eating sadly it doesn't happen with liquids

Thank you so much for clearing that up . so what can I do now is start from the basics again.??? I feel bad because I really don't want any more weight gain .I have gained 3 lbs since thanksgiving. i can't drink anyy plain water w/o feeling full fast. sometimes I overeat and vomit .. Its a strong addiction to food that I have to work on . any groups you can recommend? I had surgery in April and I have lost atotal of 52 lbs but I gained 3 lbs last 2 days . It could have been cookies and cake foir the holidays .. I was eating all bad things .. now i got to get back to that basics and loose this weight .its so hard because i love to cook and I am a mother of 2 small kids that have to eat .. I have to try harder for that maximum weight loss.

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

@@VSGAnn2014 Awesome points and YES, drinking your calories is one of the biggest indicators of weight gain. That's how my husband gained 30 after quitting smoking. Too many Starbucks coffee drinks, beer and soda. (He subsequently lost the 30 he'd put on) This was one of the first things his surgeon told him about WLS patients who gain their weight. DON'T DRINK YOUR CALORIES. He explained it as the one of the mortal sins for WLS patients.

I disagree. If exercise was the answer to losing weight, then why are those who are exercising 3-4+ times a week still having trouble losing weight? As I said before, I lost 70 pounds...and have kept it off...with nothing more than diet. I have *never* exercised with any diet I was on and I still lost weight. Some 'experts' are now saying that exercise is not the key to losing weight and, in fact, may actually be the cause of weight gain because hunger increases. Logically, the Lap Band creates a situation where we should not be able to eat the calories we were prior to the band. The decrease in calories alone should cause weight loss. If not, then there's something wrong with the whole idea of how the Lap Band works. I've received a number of private e-mails from people who have shared with me that they eat just as they did prior to the lab band...but less. They eat like people who are not overweight. They don't count calories. They don't exercise. Their lives no longer revolve around food...either by overeating or by obsessing about calories and exercise. They've lost weight and they are happy. Sounds good to me. Please read my posts again. I don't care if I ever see 130 pounds again. I just want to be at a weight where I can Live! Live! Live! as Auntie Mame says...and that doesn't involve being a gym rat several times a week. I also don't care how long it takes. I'm changing my life...not 'dieting'. The point of this thread though was to find out whether the Lap Band did what it promised...or whether it was nothing more than a mental placebo where diet, exercise and hunger was still the rule of the day for losing the weight. Only a few have answered that question. .

This surgery will not control your hunger. It might change it, lessen it. Food will be different, cravings will be different. But you'll still get hungry. It will also not change your ability to overeat yourself into gaining weight. It will be more difficult than before to overdo it, because you'd have to eat many times a day, but you can definitely still get hungry and eat yourself to weight gain. Ultimately, the surgery doesn't do the "work"....you have to do the work. The surgery gives you a jump start. It gives you restriction so that your ability to screw up in one setting is minimal. And it gives you a chance to revamp your diet and pick a forever diet that is more sensible. It gives you more rapid reward for good habits like exercising, sticking to your calorie budget, and making good choices. But it's no miracle. In the end, all the work is on you.

Hang in there. I had a weight gain, too, and worried about my sleeve being too big. In fact, that was my initial post. In my case, it turned out to be the type foods I was eating. I've seen the term "Sliders" used for foods that can leak around the sleeve, allowing more than the usual capacity to be eaten. If you are eating that sort of food - liquids or soupy, soft foods - you may defeat the size of your new stomach. I could eat a ton of yogurt and frozen berries, for example, without feeling filled up. Also, if you are eating foods high in fat (cream, especially), starch (like potatoes) or sugar (Fruit drinks, for example), you can defeat your new stomach. You can't go back to french fries and expect the weight loss to continue. But if you stick with low fat Proteins (eggs are not low fat - about 75% of the calories in an egg is from fat) - try for things like chicken breast without skin, white fish, egg whites, whey Protein isolate, etc. and lots of low starch vegetables, you may find that you fill up on much less food. I've heard that you can stretch your stomach if you keep drinking soft drinks. The air will expand the stomach (not to mention the sugar in the drink). Lastly, and this isn't scientific, I've read and suspect it's true that if you wash your food down with drinks, it may also allow you to eat more. Exercise is something that I've found is key. Housework isn't enough (and housework won't help calm your nerves, as walking will). I used to think walking was boring, but that was before I got a Kindle and could read while I worked out on the elliptical or treadmill. Now it's just part of my routine to do 45 minutes a day, every day, while reading a book. Good luck. Don't give up on yourself!

Study Shows Why It’s Hard to Keep Weight Off By GINA KOLATA Published: October 26, 2011 RECOMMEND TWITTER LINKEDIN SIGN IN TO E-MAIL PRINT REPRINTS SHARE For years, studies of obesity have found that soon after fat people lost weight, their metabolism slowed and they experienced hormonal changes that increased their appetites. Scientists hypothesized that these biological changes could explain why most obese dieters quickly gained back much of what they had so painfully lost. GETTY IMAGES But now a group of Australian researchers have taken those investigations a step further to see if the changes persist over a longer time frame. They recruited healthy people who were either overweight or obese and put them on a highly restricted diet that led them to lose at least 10 percent of their body weight. They then kept them on a diet to maintain that weight loss. A year later, the researchers found that the participants’ metabolism and hormone levels had not returned to the levels before the study started. The study, being published Thursday in The New England Journal of Medicine, is small and far from perfect, but confirms their convictions about why it is so hard to lose weight and keep it off, say obesity researchers who were not involved the study. They cautioned that the study had only 50 subjects, and 16 of them quit or did not lose the required 10 percent of body weight. And while the hormones studied have a logical connection with weight gain, the researchers did not show that the hormones were causing the subjects to gain back their weight. Nonetheless, said Dr. Rudolph Leibel, an obesity researcher at Columbia, while it is no surprise that hormone levels changed shortly after the participants lost weight, “what is impressive is that these changes don’t go away.” Dr. Stephen Bloom, an obesity researcher at Hammersmith Hospital in London, said the study needed to be repeated under more rigorous conditions, but added, “It is showing something I believe in deeply — it is very hard to lose weight.” And the reason, he said, is that “your hormones work against you.” In the study, Joseph Proietto and his colleagues at the University of Melbourne recruited people who weighed an average of 209 pounds. At the start of the study, his team measured the participants’ hormone levels and assessed their hunger and appetites after they ate a boiled egg, toast, margarine, orange juice and crackers for breakfast. The dieters then spent 10 weeks on a very low calorie regimen of 500 to 550 calories a day intended to makes them lose 10 percent of their body weight. In fact, their weight loss averaged 14 percent, or 29 pounds. As expected, their hormone levels changed in a way that increased their appetites, and indeed they were hungrier than when they started the study. They were then given diets intended to maintain their weight loss. A year after the subjects had lost the weight, the researchers repeated their measurements. The subjects were gaining the weight back despite the maintenance diet — on average, gaining back half of what they had lost — and the hormone levels offered a possible explanation. One hormone, leptin, which tells the brain how much body fat is present, fell by two-thirds immediately after the subjects lost weight. When leptin falls, appetite increases and metabolism slows. A year after the weight loss diet, leptin levels were still one-third lower than they were at the start of the study, and leptin levels increased as subjects regained their weight. Other hormones that stimulate hunger, in particular ghrelin, whose levels increased, and peptide YY, whose levels decreased, were also changed a year later in a way that made the subjects’ appetites stronger than at the start of the study. The results show, once again, Dr. Leibel said, that losing weight “is not a neutral event,” and that it is no accident that more than 90 percent of people who lose a lot of weight gain it back. “You are putting your body into a circumstance it will resist,” he said. “You are, in a sense, more metabolically normal when you are at a higher body weight.” A solution might be to restore hormones to normal levels by giving drugs after dieters lose weight. But it is also possible, said Dr. Jules Hirsch of Rockefeller University, that researchers just do not know enough about obesity to prescribe solutions. One thing is clear, he said: “A vast effort to persuade the public to change its habits just hasn’t prevented or cured obesity.” “We need more knowledge,” Dr. Hirsch said. “Condemning the public for their uncontrollable hedonism and the food industry for its inequities just doesn’t seem to be turning the tide.”

Hello, all. I was "sleeved" on Nov 18. I lost a lot of weight preceding the surgery (40 lbs) thanks to Phentermine. Then I lost another 15 pounds in the week around the surgery because those Protein drinks (isopure) are only 160 calories each. But once I started in on Soups in phase 2, I just stopped losing and haven't lost a pound in the last two weeks. In fact, I gained 3 pounds. I feel hungry a lot and can eat nearly 2 cups before my body says "stop" (hiccups are the warning). Is that normal? I don't want to overstress my stomach but also expect the surgery to help out in the portion control. Since I lost so much before, I'm not too worried, but I'll be concerned if I don't start losing again soon. I suspect that the problem is that liquids aren't constrained by the size of the new stomach, so I can eat more before feeling "full." I also suspect that the weight gain is just recovery from the surgery, not a gain in body fat. But I don't know what to expect. Anyone else able to eat more than they thought a 60ml stomach should hold? Any advice about portions and hunger management? Anyone else gain weight after surgery? How long did it take until you started losing again? Thanks for your comments.

I was banded 11/9/15. I had lost 25 lbs presurg and then between fills 1 and 2, I gained back 6. Fill 2 was three days ago and I am down 7. Bad bad decisions over the holidays made me pick that stupid 6 lbs back up. I was so frustrated about gaining weight and thinking my band wasn't working that I just ate and ate. And ate the wrong food. Restriction does help but this weight gain was my fault and my fault alone. Now that I have finally conquered the "blame", I am feeling much more confident about this journey. Hopefully this feeling lasts. Good luck everyone.

I had poor weight loss with the band as well as many side effects so on 11/21/11 I had a revision done by one of the top surgeons in Mexico. I weighed in at 298 before the preop diet. At surgery I was 293. After the 3 week liquid diet post op I got to 282 and was overjoyed. I started darting food again and went to 285. I emailed the nutritionist who gave me a diet to follow. I was unable to eat all that she expected me to eat and got to 290!!!!! She emailed me back and said it must be metabolic as there was no logical reason based upon my weight. Surgery and diet this should happen. I made an appt with my family doc to get a referral to an endo. I had already explained that my thyroid tests were normal. Part of me thinks I should see the endo, but I must admit that I don't know what else can be done if my thyroid is normal. I know I am fine on the diet . One other thing is that I have bipolar disorder and take several meds that have weight gain as side effects. I can't cut back on them because I will end up living on the street without them. Anyone else having a similar problem?

Hi everyone, I'm new here! I'm also newly sleeved (8/10/2017) and reading a lot about everyone's experiences and questions/answers has helped me so much already! My story is a long one but I'll make it short and sweet! As a child, I had a lot of trouble losing weight. Eventually my mother took me to see a pediatric endocrinologist who diagnosed me with PCOS which has been the bane of my existence. This contributed to weight gain for the next several years. I wanted to try all other alternatives before this and found a great endocrinologist to work with a few years later. I was very successful using non-insulin Victoza (liraglutide). It's a once daily injection in your belly. I lost about 50 pounds and was so happy, until the insurance companies came in and essentially ruined my life. 🤷🏼‍♀️ So naturally over the next few years I gained it all back - and then some. Fast forward to September 2016, my wonderful boyfriend gets sleeved. I commit myself to taking care of him and supporting him in his journey. May 2017 I start to get my ducks in a row for surgery. I held off for so long fighting with my insurance to pay for it, but it never happens (that's a whole different ordeal). I proceeded as a hybrid/self pay. Which is basically getting the insurance company to pay for them to go in and do a liver biopsy (I had a slightly enlarged liver) and I picked up the tab for the cost of the procedure. I am now 1 week post op and even though I have mixed emotions right now, I don't have any regrets. Thanks for taking the time to read my little story and I'd be glad to answer any questions! HW - 315 SW - 293 CW - 276 GW - 180

Wow! I've never lost weight like this in my entire life. I stepped into my spinal specialists office March 1 and he put me on steroids for my excruiating back and hip pain and told me to stop working out. So paranoid me starts drinking lemon water because I knew it would flush out excess fluids and in my mind counteract the weight gain affects of steroids. I went back to my Dr. yesterday to get a steroid shot in my back. He said my face looked alot more relaxed, but I still had pain. Nothing like it was the week before but still a problem. Not sure I will ever be back to normal but I am feeling alot better. I've been trying not to jump on the scale every day but that hasn't happened because I am steadily losing a pound a day now! It's like it is just melting off my body. My doctor told me it is because of the pain I was in that held on to the weight, now that I am feeling better, my body is letting it go. I believe maybe part of that is true, but not to the extent of losing 7 lbs in 10 days! So as long as I'm on the these steroids and still losing weight, and even when I get off the steroids, I am still drinking lemon water. I've read about it online and it states that it cleanses the body of toxins and flushes them out. I believe it, I am feeling soooooo much better too. And I am only 3.5 lbs away from passing the dreaded 200 lbs mark! That day will be a celebration and you will hear from me on that day for sure!!!!!

Does anyone have advise for me? I am considering rebanding after my band was removed April 2006. I have gained 27 lbs. ,and each week another 2 lbs. jumps on board. I stayed in the hospital ,and , according to surgeon, almost died because the band hand completly cut off the blood flow to my stomach. I can't stand what's happening to me(weight gain); but I am scared, too. My rebanding cannot be done laproscopically. Advise, anyone! DDee

I take meds for my hyperthyroid, no weight gain here, I think you should try it and see what happens, I sleep a lot better and the sleep we need to help with weight loss.

Anyone else see a gain of a few pounds the week or even a few days before period? I know I haven't been eating different and the scale says I'm up 3 lbs? I guess this is what happens when you go from not having periods forever to actually getting them

That's a good point. When I went in there I already knew about the hyperthyroid. The first doctor I saw nine years ago made me eat a nuke and get radioactive to check for nodules and etc. I did not have Grave's Disease. She considered it "idiopathic". The next doctor I had, who hated me, told me I was slightly hyperthyroid and that was "good news", because I was then not *hypothyroid". i remember telling him I thought this was part of the reason I ate so much -- I could easily put down a whole Domino's bacon chicken ranch pizza by myself in those days, and I remember him saying to me, " Well, we should talk about why you're eating a whole pizza, that's not good for you at all." And I just sort of looked at him. ( Are we not talking about that right now? Hello?) But I did go in complaining of exhaustion and anxiety this time- actually I just have trouble sleeping mostly. So I had Iron deficiency anemia and hyperthyroid, sort of as usual, but she wanted to treat my anxiety with beta blockers and tricyclics because, basically, all doctors seem to think I'm trying to hit them up for benzos. Which I should add, I am -- I don't abuse them but it is darn nice to have one or two floating around in your purse for luck. If I had deformed left cardiac ventricle or frequent bouts of tachycardia and excessive sweating and all that, I would go on the things. If I had any other risk factor for a heart attack or stroke, I would definitely go on them. But I don't want to fight off another fifty pounds for freakin *insomnia*. I'm not even convinced the problem is actually my thyroid. None of these last two doctors did that other test -- the FT4 or whatever it's called. I'm really sensitive to drugs that cause weight gain. Not only that, I think...well, really -- my sense is that one should do as little messing with one's thyroid as possible because endocrinology is the most delicate of sciences. I'm not going to start drugging it or hacking at it just because some doctor I've known for ten minutes tells me to do it. I swear I think doctors just throw drugs at people lately. Maybe it will work, who knows, I'm being "treated". But here's the kicker question: is it really a better medical decision to prescribe two heavy duty meds on top of one another after a glance at a lab printout and five minutes talking to me than it would have been to just write me a prescription for Ativan? Bah.

Thanks everyone and @@Julie norton , my ass did go away, but the skin that covered it is still there in a big glob at the bottom of my former ass. My thigh skin is pooled at my knees and if it werent for my saggy boob skin that I have to pick up and stuff in my little B cup, I would probably be in a training bra????. Believe me, naked Kindle is not a pretty Kindle. I just wanted to add a bit of advice for the newbies. There are certain things that can be a normal parts of this process.... No appetite, struggling to get in fluids and Protein, getting sick from certain foods, hunger, diarrhea, constipation, reflux, pain, nausea, stalls, weight gains, hair loss, emotions, etc. Expect them all. If they don't happen you will be pleasantly surprised. If they do, roll with it, figure out a way to overcome it and know that it's normal. And remember there are dozens of ways to make the sleeve work for you. Take all of the advice you get from your bariatric team as well as on here and figure out what works for YOU. Take responsibility for forming a plan you can live with. Always remember the ultimate goal should be a healthier you, the weight loss is a bonus. OWN your journey...it's yours and yours alone.

OK, time flies, and my 6 months post op are coming up in few days. I wrote a detailed 3 months post op journey, with all the great health changes and weight loss. I am still enjoying the great health changes, and my weight is still going down, albeit bit slower now. No more acid reflux for me, yay! Weaning myself off Nexium slowly, and so far so good. I want to show few photos, I have 2 lots of Befores, as I was slim prior to my massive, rapid weight gain in 2014-2016. So, here are a couple of me in 2009, and 2013 Then the 2014-2016 photos. I hate them, especially the one on the right. The weight gain aged me so much, and I felt deformed, my eyes became slits, big arms etc. I actually don't have a photo of myself at my heaviest (222 Ib), I refused to have photos taken by then, and couldn't look in the mirror. I put on 90.2 Ib in 2 years! And finally post WLS, at 3 months (left) and now (right). I will take some body shots soon and post these. For now, just face shots, but I feel like I had a natural face lift Starting to look normal again. Still have 22-30 Ib to go, but already the changes are great! Very happy with my sleeve!

Hello ladies, So, I had my blood results back and they indicated that I am early stages of meopause or perimenopause cos my monthlies ain't quite stopped, although they are all over the place. I went to see a specialist and she has given me HRT, mainly due to my age - going through this a lil early at nearly 40! She recommended this as low levels of estrogen can have long term problems for young 'uns?!! To be honest, this is not what I wanted to hear... I ain't sure why, as the friends I have spoken to about it don't really see it as a huge issue... perhaps I am being too sensitive. Anyway, I have started the evorel conti Patches... put my first one on today! Just wanted to put it out there to see if anyone else had used them and what it was like? I suppose I am really worried about weight gain, as I have read that it can be a side effect... I don't want to sound superficial but I can't help it. I am almost positive that the hormone thing is the reason that I still haven't lost any weight since the end of Jan and the thought of gaining really freaks me out. I asked her about this issue and she said she is a firm believer in 'you are what you eat' and that as long as I eat Protein and veggies I shouldn't gain and should continue to lose... hmmmm... thoughts or comments would be warmly rec'd ( and I'll try not to cry...lol)

Hello my name is jeanell and back in March of 2005 I had RNY surgery in Denver, CO. My doctor was Michael A. Snyder. I lost a total of 110lbs but gradually started gaining 5yrs post op. I started noticing that food was causing digestive issues no matter if it was healthy or not and I was getting no Satiety with food. The symptoms got worse and exercise and diet was not stopping my weight gain. I finally decided to go back to my surgeon 10yrs pot-op and after gaining 60lbs. I found out that I definitely had issues with my stoma being enlarged and that a revision would be necessary. It has been 5 days since my revision surgery and I hope and pray I get back on track. I will definitely make sure that I follow all the rules of the tool and pay attention to my body. I actually had a hernia that required repairing during the revision surgery. My plan is to get as much support as I can because this procedure and journey is very exhausting mentally,emotionally and physically. I am excited that they have apps and forums like this to assist with this journey. I look forward to discussing my journey. Regards, Jeanell

I truly believe genetics play a role in obesity, also LIFESTYLE plays a huge role as well. Take for instance an Obese family -- They may never exercise, eat very high calorie foods daily, burger, fries, cakes, donuts, pizza, Pasta, fried foods, etc. -- I believe THIS type of obesity comes from eating the wrong foods and not exercising. Some people ARE TRULY naturally thin -- have high metabolisms, some people have medical conditions that make them naturally thin, I've known a few Type 1 diabetics, to be naturally thin, some people with chron's disease and have to frequent the bathroom, are thinner because more is leaving the body than staying in....so SOME people have illness that MAKE them thin....such as some people have illness that can cause weight gain. Some people will say some thin people eat what they want and never gain weight, but if you REALLY watch those thin people they do NOT eat that often, I have a niece that has always been thin and she eats junk all the time, HOWEVER, she barely eats food if you watch her carefully. She may eat a GOOD meal once or twice a week. But if you track most OBESE people and what they eat they are CONSTANTLY EATING, regardless if it is healthy food or junk. So I believe genetics has some play into obesity, but CALORIES IN AND CALORIES OUT, and what we eat -- and exercise plays a huge roles in obesity...

I LOVE your motivation! You keep me smiling:) This lap band has really changed me too. I feel great, full of energy and I love how I can actually feel fullness. I honestly can't remember feeling full before this band...thus the weight gain. I can't wait to hear your success stories and now especially about when you hit the 30 pount mark. That will be such a huge milestone for you! You are doing great and thanks for always being so positive. {{{Hugs}}}

Erin, I wouldn't take it personally that your aunt does not ask you to go riding. I must admit, there are very few people that are allowed to get on my horses. I have to know how they ride and feel like they will be safe on my horses and that my horse will be safe in their care. Some of us are very protective of our horses - it's not personal. I had a friend that wanted to sit in my saddle while it was on the horse. I reluctantly agreed to avoid being rude. She landed on the back with a THUD - my horse was not impressed. I honestly didn't think I was going to be able to get her off fast enough to avoid her being injured. hmarko, I'm so sorry for your loss. I also lost a horse a couple of years ago, just before the weight gain started. It's like losing a part of us.

I want to preface by saying that this is not about my Dr., but about the manufacturer of my band. Now to start my story. I was banded in July 08 and did very well for the first year. I lost about 65 lbs and am very happy with my band experience. I lost my Father to cancer in April 09 and became too tight. I tried to deal with it. But my husband also lost his job, so I had to wait for money to get a flight to Denver to get an unfill (I only see my surgeons office for fills because it costs about the same to get a plane ticket and go to his office as it is to get a fill here). So I went in for an unfill in October and it helped immensely. I returned in January to get another fill, and hadn't gained, but had lost a little. By April I had the feeling I needed another fill, so I got one. 3 days later I felt NO restriction. I made another appointment and flew out to figure out what was going wrong. My Surgeon pulled out the saline and there was only 1.2cc's (supposed to be 6.4) So he determined I had a leak. So I schedule a port replacement at my surgeons urging. I had gained 20 lbs by the time I had my replacement. My surgeon discovered that my tubing had eroded causing a 1/8 inch tear. He informed me that I was the 4th case he had been involved with that had this problem. Always in the same place in the tubing and is a manufacturers defect. He also informed me that he will be talking with the manufacturers of my band about their financial responsibility for the cost of the parts and the replacement surgery. I feel that is completely appropriate. They have damaged his reputation with their faulty product. What I want to know is, should I go after them for the cost of the flights, hotel, medications, weight gain, physical toll, emotional damage? Or do you think I am making too much out of this? I am obviously new to this and would love some constructive input.