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Losing 10 lb in two weeks is a tall order, particularly if you have already been losing some in the months before. Those who report losing that much are either doing so during a longer pre-op diet/exercise program that many docs and insurance companies require, or they had no significant prior weight loss effort so that their 2 week program loss was their initial loss. It is not unusual to have a fairly large initial drop the first couple weeks of any kind of weight loss program. What happens is that most of the initial loss is from your limited stores of carbs and Protein, which lose at a rate of around 2000 calories per pound. After those first couple of weeks you will often experience a stall when your body realizes that something serious is going on starvationwise and works to adjust things before tapping your fat reserves, which then burn at a rate of around 3500 calories per pound, so your rate of loss slows some, but you are then burning mostly fat, which is the whole idea. You have likely already gotten into this fat burning mode from your efforts since June, so there really is nothing to worry about - things are going as they should. Also, don't be surprised to see some weight gain when you get home from the hospital - they are going to keep you well hydrated with that nice IV bag feeding your arm. I think I gained about five pounds during that time, but it comes off quickly in a couple of days as you literally pee the weight away! Good luck with it all - you already have a great start.

I knew it would happen. I was totally prepared to gain weight from the IV fluids. They weighed me 2 days post surgery and I was up nearly all of the weight that I had lost on the pre-op diet. I weighed this morning, a week post surgery, and I am still up 2-3 lbs. What gives? I can see that I have lost weight. When will it show up on the scale? Grumble. I know patience ... something that I don't have. Mary

I am looking to get Gastric sleeve done. I am concerned that surgery will not be succesful because i am bipolar and one of my medications is seraqul. Seraquel is known for weight gain. Seraquel has been working very good for my bipolar. Does anyone know if Seraquel and gastric sleeve would be successful?

I'd talk to your pdoc about it and also any future possible bariatric doc. As far as I know, once you're habituated to seroquel the weight gain stops. But you may find you lose slower than normal and maybe not as much weight overall as others, that's what Dr Weiner said on one of his YouTube videos. Hope that helps. Sent from my SM-G930F using BariatricPal mobile app

Hello.... Newbie here. I just found this forum and was glad to see some responses that answered some of my questions from other sleevers. My scary issue is that I don't feel full?!! I had my sleeve performed on 3/2/15. My original Weight was 249, pre op 239 and now currently at 225. I'm not complaining about my weight loss as I think this is awesome!!! My concern is that I don't feel full. I am on my 3rd week of full liquids and when I drink my fluids and can't tell when to stop. Obviously I follow the measurements but my concern is that this was the reason of my weight gain. I keep eating!!! Am I doing this wrong, how do you know when to stop?

Hello, I had my surgery 11/17/14. HW: 294, CW: 241. My surgeon Atlanta Surgical Associates. Dr. Qammar Rashid. Decatur, Georgia. So far I'm still getting adjusted. I get frustrated because I've only lost 52 lbs then I think Wow!! You've lost 52 lbs. The key is not comparing your weight loss to someone else. I still have questions, good days and bad. I had a carb craving so bad a week ago that I thought I would surely pay the price in weight gain. No weight gain though only the dreaded plateau!! Also I have eaten at times 1600+ calories in a day!! That comes with snacking!! No more room for snacking!! Protein, Protein, Protein!! I focus my efforts now on 12 months post op to determine if the surgery was successful. You have to because right now everything is about learning what works today. This is more than a journey, finally, it's a change of life.

Look, it does and it doesnt eliminate the willpower factor. If you really cant choose a healthy diet and cut out a lot of the crap, you're not going to be very successful with a lapband. Mind you, you may still lose a fair bit of weight, but you're unlikely to lose all of your excess. But when you're not starving hungry all the time and when a little bit of something satisifies you, that cuts you some leeway. For example: fish and chips is a common take out food here in Australia -battered and deep fried fish, hot chips (thick french fries), potato cakes (battered and fried potato fritters) and fried dim sims, not to mention the great Aussie classic, the chiko roll! I wont even try to explain what that is. I used to easily eat a piece of battered flake (shark) - which was huge, 2 potato cakes, a dim sim and a heaping of chips - easily 1500 calories, if not more and easily about 70 or 80 grams of fat. These days I try to avoid fish and chips. But if I eat them, i can get through about 1/3 of a piece of flake and about five or six chips, maybe 300 calories worth. It simply doesnt do the damage it did. I took my son down to get some Mcdonalds for lunch the other day (special treat) and much as I felt like something, its not worth it. I cant eat it, it wont go down, it makes me feel sick. No willpower required and I walk out of Maccas empty handed. I used to love my wine, but it can burn my stomach and cause reflux. A small glass is about as much as I can tolerate. 100 calories instead of 300 for three glasses. I dont cut out any foods, dont do the high Protein thing, eat entirely normally, mostly good foods, sometimes treats but i cant eat a lot and do a lot of damage. If I fall off the wagon and eat poorly for weeks, I dont gain weight. I feel crap and down on myself, but no weight gain. If I chose, i could fill the between meal hours with Cookies, ice cream and chocolate, all of which are easy to eat and dont fill you. I choose not to. I also choose to run for an hour a day or do circuit training. The band doesnt help with that. You do have to have some internal conviction and motivation. But you wouldnt be considering WLS if you werent ready to dig deep and find that.

Congrats on your surgery and new tool! I agree on waiting on weighing yourself! That water weight gain is serious lol. i have renpho. It connects to my phone via Bluetooth and keeps everything documented for me so I can go back and see what I weighed at week 2, 10 and so on. It also is a body mass analyzer so it tells me how much bone density, body fat and blah blah blah. It keeps track of my BMI as well. I have it set up so when I open the app, it shows me what my current weight is but also how much I’ve lost and how many BMI points I’ve lost. You can also do body measurements and keep track of them on there. I believe it’s called a renpho body smart scale and is on amazon for about $32.

Hi I can relate to your problem because I have that problem I am bipolar rapid cycling. I take 22 pills a dayand just 10 of them are psychiatric drugs some weight gaining. I've had bipolar diagnosed for over 15 years and the symptoms for another 15+ years. I was banded 8-23. No fills yet as I have alot of stuck problems, sliming, and somedays just have protein smoothies. But I have learned from my many bouts of sliming that I can eat foods and meats cooked in a certain way. My best protein I can eat is fish...tilapia...fried in a little olive oil and take small bites and chew usually get a portion down no problem but do have times when I eat too fast or to big of a bite I get stuck. I am learning my abilities to eat with the lap band. If you aren't filled too tight , I feel you have a mental block....afraid to eat not even trying to see what works. I've had 30+ years of depression and I could write a book on my experiences. It took me 20 years before I forgave my abusers the shackles of hate fell off and I began to heal. But I'm on anti depressents , antipsychotics, antianxiety, and two or three others that I will never get off of...I have to work around them while working with my band. I still don't like to go out much..but I do. I start my exercise program at a gym through my mentalhealth disability social security where my insurance pays for fees. How long will I keep at it? I don't know but I keep trying. I have several chronics diseases...like diabetes, low thyroid, etc that also works against me losing weight. If you really want this....eating, losing weight, feeling better, then you need to come at this from all different sides. Do your health assessment, nutritionist, and begin from the beginning again but with thoughts of how you CAN do this. I know depression leaches out every ounce of will if you let it control you and you don't fight against it. It festers and gets a little more of you each day if you don't do something positive to stave it off. See your mental health provider and maybe you need a psychologist to talk to. But don't jyst sit there and let it win....fight back...it's your only life you'll have..how willing are you take it back and start to enjoy and join life again? I wish you only the best...it's a hard life...but it is a life with happiness and sadness..ups and downs...love...friendships...hope for better things to come. Refigure your reasons for having surgery...you made the decision to better your life don't stop now when the hard work has to begin. You won't be sorry. Don't just stagnant...push yourself forward. Things can and will get better if you only fight back a little each day until one day you are more up than down. It happened to me. It won't happen overnight but it can happen. Remember the band is the tool...it's up to you to use it wisely. Blessings and prayers my friend. It's hard but doable. And you can do this. Keep in touch.

For me, I don't think my antidepressant (was Luvox, now Lexapro) contributed to weight gain. If anything, it helped, since I was/am an emotional eater. Back when we were trying to find a med that worked well for me, I loved Wellbutrin for the energy boost I got (works on your dopamine levels, which regular SSRIs do not). Unfortunately it did nothing for my depression, so I just cried more energetically. Weight loss has done nothing for my depression, which really does seem chemical rather than situational or related to some past trauma. I had kind of hoped that I'd be able to get off meds once I reached goal; that maybe in some miraculous way, losing weight would adjust whatever chemical imbalance is occuring, in a similar way to how my hormones are starting to balance out with the weight loss. Granted, I'm still quite a ways off from goal, but just the fact that I will probably need to up my dosage at my next re-prescription time rather than decrease it tells me this is pretty much permanent for me. In the early days, I tried several times to wean off them, but always ended up deeply mired in depression again and had to go back on. My doc pretty much told me to forget ever going off of them, that I'd likely be on them for life. It's been 12 years now. And yes, I've tried therapy. :redface: Therapy was helpful for dealing with some of my issues, but not for the depression. :grouphug: BTW, I had a friend who went on Paxil and she did have issues with weight gain. She ended up bulimic as well as obsessive about exercise. :biggrin: I think some meds do cause weight gain, or interfere with losing. Or maybe it's a combination of the med and how certain people respond to it?

Recently, I was reading the back of a Special K® Protein cereal box and saw a statement that lack of sleep can increase the feeling of hunger by 25 percent. Since I’m in a profession that is science based, I did some research on the National Library of Medicine website to verify this. Recently, I was reading the back of a Special K® Protein cereal box and saw a statement that lack of sleep can increase the feeling of hunger by 25 percent. Since I’m in a profession that is science based, I did some research on the National Library of Medicine website to verify this. I didn’t find the study that supported detailed that 25 percent increase in hunger when you don’t sleep enough. However, there were several areas where researchers are linking poor sleep and weight gain. If you are tired, you usually don’t feel like exercising. You move less, so you burn fewer calories. Being tired makes you more likely to choose a food like cake instead of salad. There were a couple of studies that did find an increase in ghrelin after poor sleep. Ghrelin is the gut hormone that makes you hungry. Sounds like the perfect storm for weight gain, right? You produce less ghrelin after surgery, which leads to less food intake. Part of weight loss after surgery is that you produce less ghrelin, which leads to less food intake. If eating more healthfully is a challenge for you, it may be that you need to start with better sleeping habits. By the way, that Special K protein cereal is a great add-in to light Greek yogurt. This is a great snack before surgery and about two months after surgery. Happy Zzzz’s!

Thanks, Shawn! 5 pounds of muscle, I wish! LOL! I meant to say that I'd stressed the weights so heavily that I was retaining water-weight to cushion those aching muscles. I have more obsession than umpph lately...I really want to eat what I want to eat, and then over train in the gym, which is my "quasi" trade off, with benefits :thumbup: You're absolutely right, Wheetsin! But when that weight gain is staring you in the face, it's very hard to be rational. Sigh. Salsa, you crack me up...how funny! I used to do the drive thru, and haven't in so long. My weakness was the filet o fish and the hottest, greasiest fries available! And those 99 cent double cheeseburgers. Just typing it now makes me wanna choke! I think you are right also. 30 lbs. ago my rings were loosening. For a few days here, they wouldn't spin. Yep, t'was Water weight, and it went away by this morning! I did get a small fill, .1cc. I am leary at this high level, but wanted more help from the band as my willpower and choices were starting to slack. If restricted enough, my choices don't include 'bad' ones. Thanks to all for holding me up thru this rough spot!

There is actually a very rare disorder where someone who has WLS (of any kind) and they can't stop losing weight. But it's extremely rare and death is the final outcome. There was a gal in England who died of it a few years ago. Very sad. But most people who think they are losing too much have inappropriate goals. Many people who have always been overweight just can't fathom a low BMI (low in the normal range). My sister, who is similar height and build to me, thinks that 150 is her perfect goal. That is still overweight BMI for us. I am shooting for 110 which is a healthy BMI and weight that I have found easy to maintain as an adult. She thinks she would be near death below 140.... So when this question comes up I have to say, you really need more details to be of any assistance. I know of one person who has not been able to stop losing weight...and she died. But again, it's so incredibly rare that I'm unlikely to hear of another any time soon. BTW, there are healthy ways to increase your calories without resorting to slider foods. Caloric additives are used in the medical world daily for low weight patients of all ages. My son took them for several years. They are fully balanced for healthy weight gain and are available by prescription from a medical specialist in this area (not a nut...a doc).

I would be careful with the weight gain. It may come back to haunt you. Most insurance companies want a two year previous weight history and for you to at least show you can lose weight. I wouldnt advise you not to do something but just consider all angles. Good Luck

So I already got the appr9val from my insurance company for the surgery but since I have had my depo shit and gained like 10 pounds this month so very nervous to go for my final weight in. Any one experience this. I haven't changed my diet I don't know what's going on Sent from my VS880PP using the BariatricPal App

LL ~ before I admit this I must let everyone know that I am a man who is at peace with his manhood. In fact after this post I am going to pre-tend to drink a beer, get in my truck and go shoot a couple of small animals from a moving vehicle... A redneck at heart. but I have to say LL I also went to Dracula the ballet and loved it... I took my wife as was only her second time at a ballet... first was a couple of weeks ago with kids at Cinderella. Dracula was great but I had to remind my wife that the men dancers attire was padded in certain regions!!! Anyway I am a big Anne Rice fan and it was great to see another person appreciate her. I can see you are doing great and have started your journey. One thing that worked for me was using a Diet and Excercise software to record weight, food and excersise to graphically show my progress. I admit I weigh everyday but know that small weight gains or plateaus happen and shrug them off. My wife is even using the software know for herself... thin as she is just for health reasons. Anyway rock on and good luck CanadianMacDaddy ~ on his way to Home Depot and Canadian Tire to look at some power tools and car parts.... manly stuff not Ballet !!!

Weight gain right after surgery is to be expected. They told me in the hospital I would be up apprx. Ten pounds due to all of the I've fluids and advised me to wait a week or two after I got home to weigh myself. When I did weigh myself after two weeks I was down 17 pounds.

Creamy soups really helped me. Don't worry about the weight gain. I had lost a little bit then bam gained about 6 or 8 lbs. It went away after I had a fill. Until you have restriction the band is not performing up to expectations.

Hi everybody, A little background info: Had vsg in Fall 2012, lost 120 lbs, felt amazing! I got married, had a baby in Fall 2014, gained weight. Had another baby in Summer 2016, gained even more weight. I sought the advice of my bariatric surgeon, he recommended full bypass, and gave me a goal to lose 15 lbs, before he would schedule. Well, I've lost 40 lbs. I feel like I should be able to get back to my goal weight (165lbs) without having a bypass...but the task of losing another 80 pounds seems almost impossible. Has anyone on here, lost that much weight, without additional surgery? Thanks for reading.

I thought someone might find this helpful. It's the approval guidelines for BC/BS Regence. Even if this isn't your ins. co. it's a good guideline. Policy/Criteria 1.Gastric bypass using a Roux-en-Y anastomosis with an alimentary limb of 150 cm or less, or adjustable gastric banding, consisting of an adjustable external band placed around the stomach, may be considered medically necessary in the treatment of morbid obesity when all of the following criteria are met: A.BMI greater than or equal to 40 kg/m2; or BMI greater than or equal to 35 kg/m2 with at least two of the following comorbid conditions which have not responded to medical management and which are generally expected to improve as a result of obesity surgical treatment: 1)Hypertension 2)Dyslipidemia 3)Type 2 diabetes 4)Coronary heart disease 5)Sleep apnea B.Documentation of active participation for at least one year in a structured, medically supervised nonsurgical weight reduction program, meeting all of the following criteria: 1)Medical supervision must be provided by an MD, DO, NP, PA or a registered dietitian under the supervision of an MD, DO, NP, or PA; and 2)Participation must occur during at least 12 consecutive months within the 24 months prior to the request for surgery; and 3)Documentation must confirm structured oversight and active participation, including: a.At least four visits over the course of 12 months, occurring approximately once every three months; and b.Assessment and counseling concerning weight, diet, exercise, and behavior modification; and c.Either weight loss or no further weight gain over the course of 12 months. C.Evaluation by a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist documents the absence of significant psychopathology that can limit an individual's understanding of the procedure or ability to comply with medical/surgical recommendations (e.g., active substance abuse, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, uncontrolled depression); and D.Documentation of willingness to comply with preoperative and postoperative treatment plans; and E.Age greater than or equal to 18 years. Surgery for Morbid Obesity

I think what happens, and I could be wrong, is that we develop a mindset of being able to eat whatever we want because the band limits the amount. Then, if we lose the fill, we question why am I gaining weight when I'm eating the same things I did before?! The fact is, that without that restriction, we do get hungry and it does take more food to fill us up. So eating more of the "same thing you ate before" is naturally going to cause weight gain. Add to that the stress and worry of gaining without that fill, and in come the comfort foods. It is not natural to eat 1/2 to 1 cup of food and be full. So don't be so hard on yourself. What has happened is very understandable and can be reversed. It was a hard lesson learned, but it sounds like one that you will not soon forget. As for the feelings of envy and and bitterness... I think those most likely equate to fear. When we feel ourselves slipping backwards into the dark pit we just climbed out of, it's hard to keep a smile and cheer on the ones who are still climbing. Tomorrow is a new day, with lots of choices to be made. And you have the power to make whatever choice you truly want to make for yourself. Beating yourself up isn't going to give you the desire to keep trying. So do try to remember to be kind to yourself. This is probably one of the hardest things you've ever tried to overcome, and the battle is far from being over. *hugs*

Denise, something you should also be aware is that there is currently research on stress and weight gain. Some of the stress hormones that we generate actually cause us to gain weight. Not a fun thing. Something about "flight or fight." One of the companies I worked for went out of business and I wasn't able to find a job that paid even close to what I was making. I finally took at job at about 2/3 of what I had been making. After talking things over with my son and DH, I went back to school to get my university degree. It will take me to the next level. Good luck on your decision.

Actually, I noted Oprah's weight gain early on. In fact as she put the weight on, I realized that with all the help she had, she still put the weight back on. It helped me realize that I needed the WLS. Thanks Oprah!!!! 12 days away from a real life change. My only fear is that she really secretly did have LB surgery and gained it back. In other words, I only care if it is something I have to worry about after my band. She is a money making machine, I admire that.

I love that show too. My husband has such a weak stomach I have to watch it in private. The lap band show has not aired here yet, next week I guess. I TIVO them, so I know I could not have missed it...I hope! I think the psychiatrist has NO idea what it is like to be overweight. I know that weight gain/loss is a huge psychological hurdle, but she seems to think everyone is going to sabatoge their surgery. Maybe they will, but they will die without it. Thank you for starting this thread, I love this show, but can't ever talk about it with anyone!

It will certainly pass. I was concerned as well during my stalls (yes plural, they can happen at any time! 3 weeks is just most common) I'm lucky enough to have a scale that does body fat as well, so I could see the weight gain, but I also could see the fat loss. Your body will pause and re-calibrate itself when it needs to, these are the "stalls". There is also a stall around when you start to change up your food intake levels, consistency, even type of food depending on your personal situation. The most important thing to remember is, keep hitting your metrics, keep up the exercise and you'll be just fine!