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

I have given this thread a lot of thought. I have to say I now understand the "my body, my choice" argument a lot better than I did before. My option is to remain private. I've very grateful I made that choice. I am losing very slowly. I lost as much in the 6 months before my surgery dieting as I have after being sleeved so no one has noticed anything remarkable. I've also lost large quantities of weight before to where this isn't any different to them. I do not want to be responsbile for anyone else's decision. A friend came to me about 8 years ago and tried to talk me into gastric bypass. She'd had it 3 years earlier and lost 150 pounds.She may not have meant it that way, but I felt pressured. Remember what it's like being fat and having someone come and try to fix you? That choice didn't seem right to me and I didn't appreciate her "come to Jesus" moment of sharing with me. Now, I'm sleeved and she's easily gained 1/2 of what she lost back. She no longer offers solutions to people. And I know there's at least a possibiliy that in 5 years I'll be dealing with rebound weight gain. I see it every month in my support group. Everyone should have a responsbile primary care doctor who should be talking to them about surgical options. If they are not, they need a new primary care. And if you are thinking about going into major surgery like this without having been medically cleared, that's also a bad decision. Everyone I know, and I'm not exaggerating this, has access to the internet and there are multiple WLS seminars advertised and offered in our area by 4 different medical facilities each month. I just don't think I need to be putting myself into anyone else's life as an advocate for gastric sleeve. I don't want that responsibiliy and I don't think it's my job. As this thread starts out by saying, this is just my opinion.

I have had the Mirena IUD for 18 months now. I had it placed right after my second child. I started working out hard for a year whilemy husband was deployed, thinking i could be hot stuff by the time he came home. I ate good 95% of the time and felt great so much energy. But I put on 65lbs! I've had so many tests to figure out why i'm huge now! nothing, i'm perfectly healthy. other than being obese. I look up weight gain with an iud online and tons and tons of people share my experience. It's insane. so my question is, doesn anyone else have an IUD and have gained weight since having it placed? i'm thinking of getting it removed, but i love having no period!! my friend has one for 4 years now and went from an 8 to an 18, and hasn't been able to drop 1 lb. and she works out religiously.

Well I am experiencing the week 2/3 stall! No weight gained or lost. I know it's part of the process but still disheartening. Anyone else experiencing this?

I know that years of yoyo dieting has made losing weight slower and harder for me. I actually decided to have WLS after following a 1200 calorie a day plan for almost three months and only losing 5 pounds. I think the drugs you mentioned cause weight gain because people on them eat more calories. Ask your surgeon about your meds and slower weight loss, he/she will know if other patients have this concern. Consider keeping a two week food journal (keep track of carbs, Protein and fat) and review it with the NUT to see what you can change up. I know I started to lose more weight when I added fat to my diet.

I am 6 weeks post op and have a huge problem.... I am gaining a pound a day and have been for nearly a week now!! Im so discouraged! I hardly eat anything but I admit I have been drinking sugary drinks a lot... I started walking a mile a day on the treadmill but still gaining... I am not getting my proteins in... only getting about 30 grams a day instead of the 70 I'm supposed to be getting... One thing new that happened that might be contributing is that I just had my last 4 teeth pulled out and got new dentures top and bottom... having major pain and can't eat much.taking antibiotics and pain killers (Percacet)... the only thing I can really eat is vienna sausage because they are soft.... Please somebody tell me what to do to make this weight gain stop... Is it really just that I drink some koolaid and tea wtih sugar? I mean, I don't do that all day... just periodically...Advice is welcome!!

I just had mine done and from the day I talked to my doctor I 100% knew this is what I had to do! I could lose weight on my own but never could maintain it for any large amount of time, me and my body were so sick of the yoyo weight gain and loss that I knew this would be the only way for me to maintain a healthy weight! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Today I resolve NOT to cheat on my self inflicted preop diet! I almost wish that my surgeon required a preop diet because then I would feel accountable to him, but he doesn't so I have only myself to hold me accountable. That's never worked for very long in the past..... I'm hoping I can make it through the next 3 1/2 weeks without any weight gain!

Hi Chel, Sorry to hear about the allergic reaction to the glue, I hope you are feeling better. I know you already found out about the weight gain being attributed to surgery. I am 15 months post gastric sleeve and I had my gallbladder out about 7 weeks ago. I was pretty surprised that my weight went up almost 9 lbs two weeks after gallbladder removal. After I kinda freaked out about it, I calmed down and thought to myself that the surgery was probably the culprit, and it was...you know, fluid retention etc. Hope you have a speedy recovery!

Katydotrn - especially with an increase in weight and reps, your weight gain was probably new muscle mass. Formation of muscle mass is a little more straightforward than fat loss. You damage the msucle, new muscle comes in place. It happens, period. Breaking down and metabolizing fat reserves, and then getting that change accurately reflected on the scale, is a much more mysterious (aka random) beast.

Do I post? Do I continue to keep to myself on this subject? what the hell.. I'll post...... I can't remember the last time I had sex with dbf, and we've only been together for a little over two years.... the person who says we have bills and kids in common.. I second that.. a lot of bills and a lot of kids.. same morale ethics, same family goals..... but no sex and the most physical contact is a simple peck on the lips at night and in the morning before work..... things started slowing down immediately in the sex department literally a few months into our relationship he started pushing my hands away and it has gone downhill since (and I was in a size 10/12 at the time) God love my mother but she once teased me that he wasn't interested because I had once again REGAINED all my weight.... geesh thanks mom.... anyway my issues go way back with sex.... I was "devirginized" by my exhusband who was also my highschool sweetheart.. we were together for 17 years.. I'd never even SEEN another mans privates until I got divorced LOL... (he cheated on me and left me via note one new years eve) I had no clue, and was devestated.. I though our lack of sex for the 3 months prior was because of his depression over a friends near fatal accident... ANYWAY I swore that I would never go that long without sex again... because had I given him more maybe he wouldn't of cheated... never really liked sex that much.. wasn't adventurous and it was always quick.. (happens a lot I think when two kids grow up together and never learn anything new) OK.. so got divorced immediately hooked up with the rebound psyco loser that immediately cheated on me and got this formerly infertile girl preggers.......... a baby later I finally booted his abusive loser ass to the curb and THEN I WAS REBORN!!!!!!!!! at 34 I was free to date and have fun... I lost 80 lbs and looking good, feeling great, and anxious grandma's to babysit on weekends the miracle baby... I discovered that indeed I did LIKE sex..... I bought books on learning to give myself an orgasm... (because I've never had one) to this day I have no idea what its really like, or if I've had fleeting moments of one and don't know it... I'm almost 40 and don't know what all the talk is about....... sad but true.... yeah I've faked it.. yeah when guys found out they wanted to be the first.... so I let them think it....... but I honestly don't know if I have or not..... OK.. so I had a year of dating around and having fun... and then I met DBF and at first we had sex every day........ and then it was every week, then it was was a couple times a month........ and now I don't know... I do know that I quit buying my BC Ring in december because it was a waste of money...... it hurts my feelings to be denied so I just quit asking or initiating... I've tried to talk to him about it and he just gets pissed off....... I kind of blew up after my band was put in, I lifted my shirt and asked him to feel for my port.. he said NO it kind of grossed him out.. I said WHAT???? He laughed and said that the thought of a port freaked him out and it was gross to him...... TEARS, followed by exclaimination....... "GREAT! NOW MY BAND GROSSES YOU OUT.. WE ARE NEVER HAVING SEX AGAIN ARE WE???" he replied... "JESUS TRACY! Not this AGAIN!" and stomped off to the living room to watch TV. I was left in the kitchen crying and the subject has not been broached again........ (btw his ex wife cheated on him and that is why they are divorced.. I'm guessing he has always had a low libido and yes he wakes up every morning with impressive wood, which I have literally tried to take advantage of and was jokingly swatted away) I have increasingly put on weight since the rejection started happening.. About October of 2005.. he also cooks and would get upset if I didn't eat what he fixed.. the women in his family are heavy.... I know he is deeply insecure about stuff, but extremely macho to the world and even to himself. The problem is that he is a great guy, we don't have kids together but our blended family includes 4 boys that love each other.. he is my sons dad in every way but biology and the same with his boys. We are all about raising kids and doing things as a family and growing old together and yes getting married......... but in my minds eye.. do I go ahead and get married knowing that I will most likely NEVER have intercourse again. I guess my self esteem. I was suprised when he supported my decision to have the band.. he said that he loved me no matter what but he knew that the weight gain had been depressing me...... he did however want to know how it would affect him, and for me to know that I shouldn't expect him to change the way he eats..... he has been pretty good about it.... as he is with most things.. except sex....... and I do miss it... I feel that at 37 I am too young to give it up, especially when there is a very avaible WORKING piece of equipment hooked to the man I love... its not fair that he doesn't want to spend the energy to use it. I do have toys, and I swear some time I'm going to take a day off work to be alone with myself! LOL

This is a great thread. The only book that has really helped me is the Beck Diet Solution. I really need to get the work book. I like it because it gives you stuff to do to try to combat snacking and learning to say no to weight gaining foods.

I have lifelong major depressive disorder and have been on all kinds of meds. I've been taking Wellbutrin since 1995 and have added and subtracted other meds along the way. My long-term psychiatrist always said that it was very important that I sleep, which was a big problem. Benzos don't work for me (Valium, etc). The best thing that worked was a combination of Ambien and Thorazine. But who wants to take Thorazine?! So after a while he suggested Seroquel (just for the insomnia, I'm not bipolar or schizophrenic). Started at 100 mg maybe 8 years ago. Gradually worked my way down to 25 mg. Then my doctor died. In the midst of this, I had a VSG in Jan 2010. Beginning weight was 385, day of surgery 361, lowest 285, today 335. I've learned to eat around the restriction, obviously, but could the Seroquel be part of the problem? Meanwhile, I'm not sure the Seroquel is working as well for sleep. My new doctor isn't too happy to prescribe it. She would like to see me off of it because it's not supposed to be a sleep medicine, although she's always saying what a low dose it is. (200mg is a low dose; 800mg is a high dose.) So I don't think she'll increase it. Seroquel is known to increase weight, but she says the effect lasts about 12 hours, so since I take it at night, it shouldn't be a problem. But since it's not working well anyway, and since it might be causing weight gain, I decided to go off of it on a trial basis. Today is day 4. The first two nights were hell. The second two nights were better, but still not good enough to function. But I do feel less driven to eat. Do you think that Seroquel could be a factor in my less than stellar weight loss results? How long should I suffer through sleepless nights before going back on it? Should I try something else to sleep?

I found myself sabotaging myself also. But then, I was having trouble seeing a thinner me. The weight gain in part, was to be invisible , and I just was not ready for all the attention that loosing weight was creating. Crazy huh? I'm a bit of an introvert, it's sort of like learning to swim, take a big gasping breath of air, then plunge head first back in the water!

switched from orals to Mirena about 18 months after my sleeve (due to age and extended length of time being on estrogen) and LOVE it. no weight gain that i can pinpoint directly (i have had about 18-20 lb regain but more related to stress eating and falling off my plan). also no more periods at all, which is expected with Mirena. No issues, i would recommend to anybody.

Hi Everyone! My name is Rosie and I had the sleeve done in Dec 2016. I lost 100 lbs and I was so excited. Fast forward to 2018, my husband dies. I meet my now husband and gain 50 lbs. Yes I got comfortable. I miss the old me! The more confident me. So since then I started seeing a psychiatrist to address my food addiction tendencies. I am now on medication to help with my ADHD and depression, which I Feel contributed to my weight gain. I am attempting to be more mindful in my eating. I'm here for support and encouragement. My husband wants to lose weight, so I'm doing the Dr. Now caloric diet. Heavy on protein and light on carbs. Today is day one! Woohoo! I'm excited about whats in store by both fixing my head space and how much I eat.

I think bottom line its calories in equals weight gain. I notice at about eight months out the carbonation doesn't bother me much, but I still notice it..I would imagine if you were to drink two or three drinks like we probably used to pre surgery then yes, it might well affect your pouch. One or two sips? Probably not. But...I met a lady prior to my surgery that had gastric bypass about 10 years ago, and she was 400 lbs if she was an ounce. She told me, (when I told her that I wasn't sure I could give pop up) you can do that! (I.e. drink pop) no you can't. Not unless you want to go back to where you were weight wise. Pop is a small price to pay for skinny jeans and turning guys heads. I hated being fat. I hated being prejudiced against. I hated looking in the mirror. I hated clothes shopping. I hated my hubby looking at other women all the time. I don't love pop that much to lose all these other things I have retrieved back in my life.

In your GP's annual physical you can ask to have your estrogen/progesterone tested. When women stop ovulating they lose progesterone, when we age our estrogen hikes to try to pump out more eggs anyway and with fat it really hikes high and everything gets bogged down. Google Estrogen dominance, it's terrible. There are different signs of it and sometimes there are no signs. Susanne Somers used bio identical hormone replacement therapy. If you keep the fat off your estrogen won't hike as high but one of the side effects of estrogen dominance is weight gain I take progesterone cream. Progesterone relaxes your muscles, helps you sleep, helps immune function, balances estrogen etc. I recommend a blood test every few years along with your physical just to keep an eye on it. http://www.ehow.com/how_4423839_increase-progesterone-naturally.html I never thought i'd have to deal with this at 37.

Well, the advise wasn't just for you, it was also for the other people who read the posts. I don't think you're rude, just ignorant and judgemental. I'm sure there are some readers who think...what the hell did you do to gain the weight back? Then, hopefully they don't start freaking out. The VGS is a tool not an end all to weight loss and neither is the DS. I clearly answered you; however you didn't get it. I did PM you and due to your avoidance, I didn't disclose everything that you wanted to know that that time. My girlfriend had a VGS & DS 7 years ago, spent over $10,000 cash and had the surgery in Brazil. She was there 30 days. When I asked the previous questions, it was for me to understand your situation and to be able to relay to my friend so I could give the best information to you. Actually, I've been on another sites that have years of success. Actually, you are the first one that has "struggled" and gained the weight back that has posted about it. I'm not saying there are not people out there in your situation, just saying your the first that has this issue on a post that I've read. I know I don't know everything; however I know more than you think. Like I've mentioned before, I've seen first hand what my friend went through (did I personally experience that...no). Also, I never had a weight problem growing up or most of my adult life. It wasn't until I experienced serious injuries: fractured back, fractured pelvis, bilateral fractured wrists, and bilateral sprained ankles which put me on the weight gain track. I understand your frustration when it comes to working out and not being able to lose the weight...s/p injuries. And other stuff that's not relavant. Cockiness is projection from you my dear. Just because I "joined" this site a few days ago and was sleeved 7 months ago, is not where I base my information from. I have practiced medicine the past 6 years (I have prescribed and recommended this procedure to my patients) and have worked in the medical field the past 20 years (EMT/Firefighter, ER RN, helicopter/fixed wing flight nurse) along with 12 years of law. It's your assumption that I don't know anything and regret you're annoyed. Good luck to you and God Bless.

Hey Donnie - Thank you for sharing. I started noticing weight gain. So I found another bariatric doctor (because mine conveniently left state) and he did an endoscopy and found it. The thing is it had been eroded for awhile so what I dont understand is why didnt my surgeon find it. I hated my band. It hasnt done half of what I was told it would. And I was a self pay for it so I feel like its money down the drain. However, I spoke with my insurance company this morning and they say with a medically necessary letter the surgery could be approved. My doctor is already working on it so hopefully I will know something soon.

Hey everyone! I am getting sleeved tomorrow and I'm as nervous as all get-out. This will be my 6th surgery over all- when I was a kid, I had open heart surgery. Then I had a lap band in 2009. Two skin removal surgeries in 2013. And I had a lap band removal in 2014. Now, I'm getting the sleeve. I have this nervous feeling that my body wont be able to handle anesthesia for a sixth time. I know there are a lot of people who have had more surgeries than me, but my anxiety has to manifest somehow, I guess. I'm also excited, though. Here's a little bit about my back story: I was 385 lbs at 21 years old when I had the lap band in 2009. Lost 170 lbs and ended up being around 212 lbs at my lowest, after skin removal. I was a size 10/12, down from a tight size 28. In 2014, I had weird abdominal pain and swelling they couldn't figure out (turned out to be a kidney infection) so as part of the testing, they did a CT on me. When they did the CT, they found that the lap band had moved from its position. Explained the year and a half of upper abdominal pain I was ignoring and my weight gain. I had gained about 30 lbs by then. They removed the saline from my lap band and I instantly gained 10 lbs. So when I met with my surgeon, he gave me three options: (1) fix the band, (2) remove the band, (3) convert to a sleeve. He was pushing for the last option, but I was sick and incredibly gun shy about having another surgery. I was not ready to have them do anything else to my body. And my husband and I also wanted to start trying to have a baby, and I would have been postponed by at least a year. So I told him to just take out the band. I knew how to work out and eat right and I had worked my ass off before, so I didn't see why I couldn't do so again. Probably the worst decision I have ever made. I experienced injury after injury that led to more and more weight gain, compounded by the depression (triggered by a lot of things, not least of which was losing one of my biggest life accomplishments, weight loss). Two years later, I'm 322 lbs (as of today- my highest pre-op weight was 338, pre-liquid diet), I'm on a CPAP, my knees creak all day, I have a bulging disc in my back, I can feel my skin stretching around my plastic surgery incisions (which is another huge worry of mine- the plastic surgery recovery was far worse than the lap band itself, so I really don't want to have to redo it), I'm prediabetic again, my PCOS is back, and my life is basically on hold. My worry that I would postpone trying for a baby for a year became 2 years of weight gain that will lead to at least another year, if not longer, of postponing the baby. That's 3 years, instead of the 1 if I had gotten the sleeve 2 years ago. But hindsight is 20/20, I guess. And if I wasn't ready for the sleeve, then I wouldn't have done well on it. So I'm glad that I'm doing it now. And I already feel better after losing 18 lbs on the liquid diet. My clothes fit better, I don't hear myself breathing as loudly as before all day. It's only gonna get better from here. I can't wait to get back to working out 6 days a week. Besides the clothes and the confidence, the thing I miss most is being strong and working out. I was doing an hour of cardio 6 days a week, yoga 5 days a week, and strength training 4 days a week. At 212 lbs., I was fit, pain free, with a flat stomach and probably no more than 30 lbs to lose. I need to get back to that, and continue down to a lower weight. If you pray, please pray for me tonight. If you don't, send out good vibes into the universe for me. And if you need a prayer, I was taught that the prayers of the sick are closer to God, so I'm happy to pray for you during my recovery. Much love to you all, Ayah

@@JupiterinVirgo thank you for your post I just got home from the hospital and I am feeling pretty good. I am sore but my surgery was just 2 days ago. I really need this to work for me...I can't wait until I start seeing weight loss instead of my usual weight gain. I am feeling hopeful so I think thats a good start

Weight gain can cause testosterone levels in men to drop significantly. Pair that with the fact that many blood pressure/cholesterol and depression meds can jack with both sexual interest and equipment functioning and it's a recipe for disaster. I am like you and went through a similar issue with hubs. I finally convinced him to have his testosterone checked and his was ridiculously low. He found that embarassing for some reason but he also felt better knowing there was a reason for the lack of interest. The gel actually didn't work for him and he has to take injections once a week right now. The good news is that testosterone therapy has greatly improved his mood, his energy level and he dropped 50lbs. in three months on it. Oh yeah, that not interested issue cleared up pretty darn quick. FTW!

For me, this has been the best thing ever! I have been struggling with weight gain for the last 8 years, and was finally diagnosed with PCOS 2 years ago. This surgery is working so well for me. I have done every diet known, only to lose a few pounds and gain it back + some. Since surgery, my energy levels have increased tremendously, I haven't needed any diabetes meds, I just got taken off BP meds, and after another blood test in 3 months, I may be taken off cholesterol meds as well. My periods have already become "normal" (shorter and less heavy) and on time! I feel like a new person already!

food funerals are a very common topic on this website. I struggle to understand it, but that's just my own experience. I paid out of pocket for the procedure and so I was committed with my mind and pocketbook to making sure I am successful, no matter what. When I received my preop and post op plans, I started comparing all my food choices against my surgeon's directions. If it was something I shouldn't be eating to be successful after surgery, I tried to cut it out before starting the process. I ended up doing an extra few weeks of preop because I was anxious to get the ball rolling. The kinds of foods I crave are my nemesis, not my friends. I wouldn't mourn the loss of someone that ruined my life and ditto for the foods that contributed to my weight gain. Good riddance, I say.