Search the Community

They are right... you probably have no restriction in your band.. i know i dont... I also know the scale can easily show five pounds weight gain around period time. Once it passes and its over.. the scale will go back down.. I just went through it. Right now i am hungry like i was prior to surgery.. I feel like i am on a diet and strictly on will power. i have no restriction in my band...and honestly i cant wait to get some :mad:

CTerry.......I feel your pain! I just went through 2 months of doctors' appointments (some weeks I had 2 or 3), tests, psyche evaluation, diet to lose 5% etc.....only to be turned down by insurance. My BMI does not meet the 40 they require......BUT.....I was told that a BMI of 35+ with at least one co-morbidity would qualify me.....Well, they said no anyway! I have type II diabetes, thyroid disease, mild sleep apnea, mild neuropathy (from diabetes) GERD, Barretts Esophagus (pre-cancer), small hiatal hernia, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.......... I am also post menopausal. Insurance company seems to think my medical issues are not that severe. All of these health issues have contibuted to weight gain and they also contribute to an inability to maintain any weight loss. My endocrinologist basically said that it would take me TWICE as long to lose HALF as much as a "normal" person........ There is no justice in this world. I too just want a chance. I have spent the past week feeling depressed, angry, hopeless etc........but you can be sure that I WILL fight back! Unfortunately, I am a stress eater so of course the day the denial letter arrived, I went on a junk food frenzy..... Seems stupid to hurt myself because I am angry with them! Good luck to you. Let's keep on fighting for our rights.

Hi Rose, Not sure exactly what pouch packing is, but I can guess. I was banded 8/28/08 and did very well for a good while and lost 67lbs. But for some reason, probably due to my abusing my band pb'ing alot, heartburn, nightly cough,acid reflux, I had to get 2 unfills in a row. My doc said he had to take all the Fluid out of my band and have an ultra sound to see what was going on--slippage? It turned out it hadn't slipped thank God, but it took 3 months before I was back to the restriction I needed which is where I am now. I tell you all that because I gained back 27lbs while my fluid was out of my band. Like a dummy I felt like I had a "get out of jail free card" and I didn't eat right, hence the weight gain. So my advice to you is be VERY careful what you eat during this time until you are properly restricted again. Good Luck!

My weight came on after living in a household that watches tv every night- I don't have that in my life prior to the weight gain. I had a solid job before I started gaining- so stress and therefore stress eating and alcohol consumption have contributed. Additionally, I quit being as active after an injury resulting in knee reconstruction, which took 2 months before I could even walk unassisted. After that- I got serious & dedicated- recumbent bike, etc. Started planning our wedding, had a pulmonary embolism in June this year- and it all went to hell from there. Not proud of this story- but it's honest.

I had a Uterine Ablation 4+ year ago and thought that not really enjoying intimate time was a side affect. I see now that it was moats likely depression then the weight gain. I see light at the end of a long lonely dark tunnel.

Definitely much better! Pre-op, I definitely had "stress incontinence" as it's been defined above. And now, 60+ pounds lighter, I don't. I'm not saying if I sneeze or cough a lot that I don't "leak." But it's nothing like the embarrassing condition I'd gotten myself into with weight gain. It was even a qualifying comorbidity for surgery / insurance.

I'm not pregnant but plan on trying for #2 next year. There is a great website for tracking food and helping manage weight gain if you aren't already using it (babyfit.com) I plan on using it when I get pregnant again to track everything. Best of luck to all of you band mommy-to-be's

@@Djmohr @@VSGAnn2014 Thanks for your point of view. I am only two years out. I can see medical issues may be specific to WLS. I have changed from my bariatric team to my family physician and dietician for care. All is normal without them. If I have a complication I would contact my team again. My weight is no longer the topic of conversation with others. The thrill of WLS is gone and its a great place to be. The only thing that reminds me that I'm a wls patient is weight gain. i don't see a difference between me and people that have been at a healthy weight most of their life. I take care of my health and my weight the same as they do.

So I made it a month without a band and no weight gain....was pretty much thinking I was a rock star!!!! I spent Labor Day weekend with my parents and gained 2 1/2 pounds....I've always said no one can be skinny around my mom's cooking!!!!! Darn that woman!!!!

Hi everyone, I had my initial surgery 10 years ago. I lost 98 lbs and it brought my 5'6" frame to a svelte 156.00 lbs. I was looking and feeling great. Then I started to get sick and was passing out about 2 years post-op. I found out my lapband had slipped and I went in for a revision. Again 3 years later I had to have another revision. After that time I gained weight and leveled at 180 lbs. I didn't like the number but with exercise I looked okay and felt good, so I was okay with it. Push forward 4 years and I have gained another 25 lbs and now weight 205 lbs. I have tracked my food intake for one-full year and I average 1100 calories per day. So how in the heck can I now weigh 205 lbs? I went to the surgeon and was sent for a swallow test and was told my lapband had been tilted and was extremely tight and there was no reason to gain weight. I was documenting food right down to one tic tac. Last month I had a double hernia surgery and it was performed by a surgeon who also handles gastric weight loss surgeries (not my original surgeon). He stated that my port was located in a weird area, and not the norm, the port was disconnected from the band and therefore, was not working! Not what I was told by my original surgeon. This surgeon re-connected the band and stated, the band is not tilted, nor is it too tight since it was empty, and he can fill it in February. My question is this: I keep feeling bloated and I continue to gain weight, I am currently 209 lbs. I cannot locate anything online that states how many calories is normal for labband patients. I find diets up to 4 weeks post op but nothing for long term. Would I be okay with 1100 calories and making that up with 75-80 grams of protein per day? Should I be doing less calories? Has anyone been successful with 21 day fix or some other program in addition to the lapband? I really need help I do not want to continue to climb the ladder of weight until I am adjusted. Thank you!

Almost the exact same ..... Banded 2009 at 44bmi 223lbs, stayed at 143lbs till it slipped in 2017. I loved my band tina.... she was awesome. Fast Forward 2.5 years and a 30lb weight gain. Sleeve SX 8/28/2019 at 173lbs. My weight loss was and still is pretty great. I'm down to 120lbs.... and a 21bmi. 14 months ago

My doc (not surgeon) just prescribed a steroid dose pack for me b/c of my back but he mentioned possible weight gain! Well that's the last thing i want! Has anybody had to take something like this? I am debating if I should just wait out the pain and skip the meds or take a chance but I would freak if I gained weight!

I'm 43 yrs old soon to be 44 ...this is my 3rd child ..I'm 16 weeks pregnant...I've already gained 19lbs...I'm getting worried more about weight gain then being an older Mom...I had lost over 60lbs...I was down to164lbs...how is your weight coming?My obgyn suggested an Amniocentesis? I'm not sure what to do??

I experienced the same thing. Was eating less than 900 calories when I reached my goal & struggled for a while to physically eat more at any one time too. I had to snack & increased them until I was snacking 5 times a day. And yes I felt like I was eating all day long. My weight loss continued albeit very slowly & finally about 11 months after goal. I was still seeing my dietician through the first 6 months of this 11 months (Covid hit). For my snacks I added a second sometimes third serve of carbs (multigrain crackers), hummus, nuts, 1or 2 serves of fruit, protein bar, cheese, liverwurst, peanut paste, chia pudding, & used salad dressings. My dietician also suggested adding milk powder to my milk but I found it too sweet except in chia pudding. I eventually reached about 1300 calories. It can take a little time to sort this out in a way the best suits you. While you may lose more initially, you may also have a bounce back in your 2nd/3rd year as @catwoman7 said as you settle into a way of eating that complements how you want to live & enjoy your life. I eventually was able to eat about a recommended portion size of most foods (& I do eat slowly) & reduced my snacks to three a day. I am careful about what I eat 90% of the time. At my lowest I was 48.2kg but settled at 49kg for a good year. I put on 2 kgs a few months ago after I went on a higher dose HRT med & I had to add more protein to my diet due to an absorption issue (from my gall removal last year not my sleeve). I made some small changes to my diet but I still eat more calories as a result of the extra protein so the weight gain is understandable. All the best.

Hi JakeLancaster , You would not believe how many people claimed that the smaller Bougie is actually the better choice and if I would have done this blind without researching on the internet I probably would have followed their advise. But I am glad that after the moment my first surgeon (band surgeon who is retired now) suggested a revision and my second surgeon who actually did my surgery confirmed that it would be a good idea to make a sleeve when the band is removed, I started researching. Great topic, I am scheduled for my band to sleeve revision. I think the starting BMI has a lot to do with it too. I would be scared of the 44 size bougie, I really want this to be the last surgery. I get the acid problem with the band though and understand why you choose the large bougie I just do not want to risk it. I am prepared to lose slower than I did with my band, I was told revisions lose slower but your averages sound great. See you on the other side in a couple of weeks! I had only 2 months to make my decision. I was for hrs on the internet trying to find the newest research published by the medical world , newest studies and so on. I am glad I did!! Because even though I value VERY much real life report from Sleevers I still think that each and everyone of us has a subjective approach, which is often mixed with emotional statements. When I went to my last meeting with my surgeon I had a list of questions I needed to be answered by her. I made my decision depending on her answers at the end. I asked about : - which size of staples to use since different cases demand different staple sizes to prevent leakage - wanted to discuss her position on oversewing or not - and buttressing or not - on the problem with the hourglass shape or the twisted stomach in case of an ear curve which happens to be a problem with many surgeon because of the way they staple - on the fact that the staple line distance to the pylorus and the sphincter is crucial in regards to prevention of damage to both - and last but not least the size of my bougie because research shows clearly that there is no difference in the success of weight loss results with bougie sizes between 32F up to 40+ F The surgery in itself through the removal of 75% to 85% of ones stomach and therefor the reduction of the ghrelin (hunger producing hormone) production completely changes our metabolic biochemistry, which at the end causes us to lose weight. But the fact that a smaller bougie size is proven to have a significantly higher affect on GERD occurrence and on leakage made me 150% sure that I choosing a smaller size was a risk I was not willing to take. I can say I'm only one week out of surgery but I did not regret anything. I have no acid reflux symptoms not the slidest nor to I feel I could eat more than my fellow sleever. I am in close contact to sleeve friends who had been sleeved on the same day and when I read what they can eat and what I can eat there is no difference in size or portion. I agree with you Cowgirljane 100% the quality of life is much higher with the sleeve than it is or was with the band. I can not count all the times I was vomiting, the permanent hunger, or almost suffocating in my sleep because of horrific GERD or feeling I would die and having to go to emergency because some kind of food got stuck again and closed my stomach that I felt I was drowning on my own saliva. Since I have my band out and my sleeve in, I actually feel normal again..... I just feel like life is perfect and I just can only eat 2 or 3 spoons full of whatever I am eating for a meal. I feel as full and satisfied as I would have eaten 2 plates of food. I even do not feel the desire to step on the scale every day, which I did with each and every diet or with the band. I feel like all will come as it is supposed to be and that I will be back to my normal slim healthy weight before my illness. It almost sounds corny but I wake up every morning thinking : OMG I am so so happy . Happy I am alive . Happy I got rid of this band. Happy I made the decision to get the sleeve. Happy I feel like I am being a fully integrated part of our social life again soon. Happy I can do stuff with my grandchildren again. Happy I can go to every normal cloths store like before my illness and before my outrages weight gain soon. Happy Happy Happy that me second half of my life started last Monday!!

Combination of poor eating habits, lack of exercise, compounded by thryroid disorder. This past year I have not been able to walk more than 5 minutes due to arthritis os.my lower back, which has added to weight gain. I did not begin to have a weight problem until my mid twenties, the same time I was diagnosed with Hashimotos thyroiditis. Sent from my SM-G930T using BariatricPal mobile app

A lot easier to correct a minor fluctuation than a Major" WTF did I Just Do? "15- 20 pound Weight Gain , isn't it?

Hi there, I rarely open this app but I share this experience. Perhaps after so long I was called online by your post? Lol The short answer is yes you can lose weight and stay on your meds. Your personal experience may differ from that of others but you can still be successful. Now the long answer: I'm over ten years post op and I have used a variety of what I call "My personal crazy pills" long before having gastric bypass surgery. I still take a combination of meds today. Please note that I am not applying my description of my drugs to you. I use this catch all phrase "tongue in cheek" rather go through the list of med cocktails I've had over time. My weight loss was painfully slow. Everyone does not have that quick pounds off honeymoon period we hear about. This was disheartening because I had no warning. FOLLOW YOUR PLAN TO THE LETTER! Many meds interfere with weight loss even immediately after surgery. I experienced rapid weight gain within the first two weeks. Fortunately, I had a great surgeon who understood this. I started as a size 2x in LizClaiborne/ EvanPicone clothing and I've maintained a 2/4 in BananaRepublic/ AnneTaylor sizes. It took me over a year and a half to get there while others lost the same amount of weight in under half that time. Despite weight changes I have never bought a larger size and I shop with a tape measure to be certain of this. Like most, I have had some regain and re loss but overall I'm keeping the weight off. I'm a long time user of a variety of meds that could negatively effect anyone's weight loss. Steroids plus a few other daily meds top up "My personal crazy pills". You can do just fine with what my doctor called metabolic challenges. Keep in mind slow weight loss does not mean you won't have long term success. Permanent weight loss is more important than fast weight loss. Follow your health plan and build physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Avoid comparing yourself to others. You don't know how another's story truly compares to your own. With commitment you'll be sharing your positive experience with someone else a decade from now. YOU CAN DO THIS!

Here is a real interesting article about carbs: http://www.marksdail...rate-continuum/ I was looking for a threshold of what constitutes "low carb". I am usually teetering around 100g. I was never scared of carbs, but I guess since it seems to work for others, maybe I should try it. But then, I just hate the thought of trying to figure out good carbs, bad carbs in my log. I mean, an orange has 20g of carbs, and I don't want to fear those - how do I split that in MFP. Anyway, I found the below really interesting, here is part of the article that I'd like to share. From that, I will really try to stay between 50 and 100g: 300 or more grams/day - Danger Zone! Easy to reach with the “normal” American diet (cereals, Pasta, rice, bread, waffles, pancakes, muffins, soft drinks, packaged Snacks, sweets, desserts). High risk of excess fat storage, inflammation, increased disease markers including Metabolic Syndrome or diabetes. Sharp reduction of grains and other processed carbs is critical unless you are on the “chronic cardio” treadmill (which has its own major drawbacks). 150-300 grams/day – Steady, Insidious Weight Gain Continued higher insulin-stimulating effect prevents efficient fat burning and contributes to widespread chronic disease conditions. This range – irresponsibly recommended by the USDA and other diet authorities – can lead to the statistical US average gain of 1.5 pounds of fat per year for forty years. 100-150 grams/day – Primal Blueprint Maintenance Range This range based on body weight and activity level. When combined with Primal exercises, allows for genetically optimal fat burning and muscle development. Range derived from Grok’s (ancestors’) example of enjoying abundant vegetables and fruits and avoiding grains and sugars. 50-100 grams/day – Primal Sweet Spot for Effortless Weight Loss Minimizes insulin production and ramps up fat metabolism. By meeting average daily Protein requirements (.7 – 1 gram per pound of lean bodyweight formula), eating nutritious vegetables and fruits (easy to stay in 50-100 gram range, even with generous servings), and staying satisfied with delicious high fat foods (meat, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds), you can lose one to two pounds of body fat per week and then keep it off forever by eating in the maintenance range. 0-50 grams/day – Ketosis and Accelerated Fat Burning Acceptable for a day or two of Intermittent Fasting towards aggressive weight loss efforts, provided adequate protein, fat and supplements are consumed otherwise. May be ideal for many diabetics. Not necessarily recommended as a long-term practice for otherwise healthy people due to resultant deprivation of high nutrient value vegetables and fruits.

Every day I think about my surgery and alternate between relief that it is almost here and doubt that I'm doing the right thing. I tell myself that cutting away most of a perfectly normal organ is no big deal and the surgery is pretty routine by now. Then I wonder what my new normal will feel like once I get through my recovery period. I think that is the part that causes the most anxiety for me; who will I be once the majority of the weight loss is past and the novelty has worn off? Will I have some kind of normal life or will I never feel like myself again? Does anyone else feel like this? Then I kick myself because I've been working towards this surgery since last Nov so I'm going to make it work and try not to worry about possible future anxiety. I dont know if anyone else did this, but during my 6 months of supervised weight loss, I didn't take it seriously at first, and considered it just part of the hoops I had to jump through for insurance. I gained a few pounds here and there and got a serious warning after the surgery class at the hospital where they told us that weight gain at this time could be grounds for a denial. I began my diet and managed to drop 10 pounds by my final doctor appt but I was worried before that weigh-in. Now I'm 3 days in to my pre-surgery diet and I got a bit of a late start due to work travel. I missed the first 3 days of my diet but have been determined to make it up since the goal is to have a less fatty liver so no cheating during these 7 days. I thought this would be harder but I'm doing pretty well I think. I can't take some of my Vitamins but I'm not as hungry as I thought I'd be. I think I've sort of psyched myself into this liquids and one small meal zone so that food isn't really an issue for now. Feels like that could change any time but I'll take my victories where I find them. Went to dinner with my family last night, an italian place, but I was up to the challenge. I would rather get creative with menu choices than tell my husband no dinners out. We all needed this time to hang out together. I ordered a half-size spinach salad with grilled chicken and skipped the bread and I felt great and salad was good. After surgery I'm taking two weeks off from eating out at restaurants but pre-surgery I have more menu options. I think this is the point where some might be tempted to cancel surgery because weight loss is going well. Did anyone cancel their surgery less than a week out? This must be diet amnesia because I'm sure we've all been on diets where we lost and gained it back. I know that I couldn't sustain this forever on my own and would invent a reason not to continue with a diet (vacation, stress at work, travel, family issues, etc) I think the success of this surgery is that we don't have to worry about weak willpower and failure. I'm lucky that I don't really have a sweet tooth but I'll probably have a pizza or burrito attack at some point. Right now, I'm living on every type of low or no sugar drinks and Atkins shakes. I like the Atkins shakes but I need to remember to order the powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury Protein for after surgery... What sustains me are the success stories here where so many have lost weight and feel great. All of the medical statistics in the world can't compete with these real-life stories and I thank you all for sharing. I'm trying to keep up with this tradition and promise full disclosure along the way. My pre-op appt. is this Wed and surgery Thurs. Strangly, after reading other stories, I'm most worried about the gas pains! I wonder how soon after surgery I can drive and will feel like going out. I haven't seen many details so would love to hear what I might expect. I'm hoping for another significant weight loss this Wed and will share my experience. To those just starting out, hang on, it's a bit of an emotional roller coaster!

I also had my band put in in 2010. After a year (exactly a year a week) and abysmal weight loss (@25lbs) my doctor discovered my tubing had kinked. He said he needed to go back in to fix it but it happened right after the bliss insurance expired (it is only for 12 months) and I was a cash purchase becuase my insurance doesn’t cover it. He could some how massage my abdominal wall and manipulate tube and get it to fill, but it was always a chance it wouldn’t work. And he wouldn’t fill too much because he was worried he wouldn’t be able to go in and let some out if the kink got worse. Then one day I noticed I would choke/vomit up everything solid, mushy and liquid. I even tried just sucking on ice cubes to stay hydrated. Nothing worked. Ended up at emergency room, doctor was called and greatly reduced band fill. Told me to get upper gi to check for damage and see him in three weeks. He forgot to leave script, came in mail about week later. When I called to schedule my appointment for upper gi a few days later (I was in no hurry since he wouldn’t refill for at least 6 weeks) I was told there was a problem with the script and to call doctor back for correction. When I called back I found out my surgeon had left for a tour with doctors w/o borders to Sudan. WTH. Went to a new recommended doc for a fill in a couple months after and she couldn’t fill it because of the kink. so here I am 8 years later and ready to start again with fills not even knowing if it will work. I called a new surgeon to make an appointment yesterday. I of course haven’t told them about the kinks or my upper gi appointment. That never came to pass. I would prefer a revision, but Medicare will not pay for revision unless there is a problem. Best case scenario is the kink worked it’s self out, it with additional weight gain I doubt it. Or next best for me is there is a band problem and Medicare will pay for revision. It’s kind of sad that my second best option is hoping for problems. Sorry for the length. I just know this is one group of people who understand the frustration. Sorry this was so long.

It depends on how soon you get pregnant and it's very individual in any case. Most that wait experience a normal weight gain. For instance, I gained 32 pounds. Right on track with a normal pregnancy and the first time I gained a normal amount. I've seen posts from anywhere in the low twenties to more than fifty pounds. Much of it is individual and whether or not you have complications will effect your gain. Those that get pregnant while still in their early stages post op might continue to lose for several months of their pregnancy. Some simply stall out and start to gain. Again, it's very individual. We have a few cheerleaders here for just getting pregnant right away, and that's fine if you're willing to do it. I would not intentionally get pregnant if you still have trouble eating your nutritional guidelines, though. I'd very carefully weigh the pros and cons of where you're at in your loss as well as nutritionally and make a smart decision that will work for you. I was seriously deficient in several vitamins/minerals until more than a year post op. Additionally, I had tremendous restriction until almost 1.5 years out from surgery. I still get an overfull feeling from eating one hard boiled egg. Because I'm also lactose intolerant and developed an aversion to meat while pregnant (I had terrible morning sickness for almost six months of my pregnancy) I had a hard time eating. If I hadn't had the capacity to eat what few carb-laden meals I could manage I would have had a real problem. I'm actually amazed I gained weight at all because I felt sick almost the entire time. And my baby was born small - 6 pounds, 7 ounces and they induced me a week early because they were worried about IUGR. Again, it's an individual thing and you aren't going to know how it will happen until you've already made the choice. But weigh that against your fertility, too. For instance, if your fertility is definitely decreasing (say, for age or poor egg quality that will only get worse with time) you should move ahead sooner rather than later. I can say that it's always possible to pick up and lose weight again. However, weight loss does seem to slow down a bit once you pass a certain point. I am having a heck of a time losing the last few pounds from my pregnancy. They have come off and gone on again more than once in the past three months. It is not easy to transition back into losing weight once your body has been eating more and gaining, that's for sure. If you're close to a year out and close to goal I'd say jump on and do it. If you're still in the early stages of loss or having a sleeve it's one thing for it to happen unexpectedly and quite another to choose to do it. I'm just putting that out there, because there are a lot of women that have surgery to increase their fertility, and who knows who will wind up here reading this? Both of you are far enough out that you should be okay but make sure you're prepared. Good luck! ~Cheri

So on my journey, I am a 41 BMI, just have flucuated over the last three years between 36 and 41. So, I have read in my policy that ins. wants to see above 40 BMI for three years. So, my doc (without even me suggesting) sends me in for a sleep study because I have "enlarged, huge tonsils", weight gain, headaches, tired all of the time, and snore loudly. Sometimes, I actually wake myself of snoring/choking. So , after I complete sleep study and technition tells me that she doen't think I have apnea but RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME and a weird R.E.M. disorder????? She says I had a little apnea but I mostly slep on my back, so that is to be expected! She I also said I fell asleep right away (which I did not and didn't seem to realize I had woken up at least 7 times in six hours.) Once I even woke up like on my own snore gasping. She said to wait 10 days for Pulminoligist to read results and write report, but that he usually agreed with her. Are you kidding me? I told my doc I had to pay the $1800 for the study completing out of my own pocket, so to be really sure and he was. He put me through other bloodwork like thyroid, low iron/anemia, etc. Doc said he was giving me all those tests to rule out, but was pretty sure I would end of doing sleep study and it would confirm apnea and my tonsils would have to come out! Plus, I would sure like to know how they monitered oxygen levels in my blood, because no blood was ever taken. Anybody ever had the heart specialist reading stuff the techs did not? Anyone else ever experience anything like like? I am really bummed about all of this. I was getting my hopes up that I might actually feel rested in the mornings with treatment, but I guess I still feel crappy with no answers and two grand less. Any advice or comments appreciated because I am feeling really down now.

LOL! Once I do, I will let you know! I have been on solids for 2 days and the only "solid" I have eaten is a salad! I am too afraid of weight gain and I really really want this to work!

At a group pre-op meeting, my surgeon's nurse practitioner warned us to not gain weight during our pre-op diets, and to emphasize her point, she told us our surgeon had already postponed three surgeries that week due to weight gain. That statement helped me stick with it.