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@@sleeve 4 me. I am 10 months out and at my lowest weight (-100 pounds and 12 pounds below goal) But here are my weight "gains" since VSG.... Gained at least 5 pounds immediately post op. Took 11 days to get back to my surgery day weight. Gained 3 pounds at 6 weeks out for no apparent reason, stalled for a month and then continued to lose. Gained 11 pounds in 1 day at 2 1/2 months out after receiving IV fluids when I was severely dehydrated from diarrhea due to a clostridium infection. Gained 4 pounds on vacation at 9 1/2 months out. (Probably water weight from all the alcohol I drank) Dropped those 4 pounds plus 1 extra within 10 days of returning home. Not sure if this is what you were looking for.

I'm sure it's a combination of things, her own personal issues at home. She probably really wants to be supportive but feels awkward about her own weight gain. I think you need to have a heart to heart so it doesn't have more of an affect on your friendship. I had to tell someone, if you can't be supportive then just keep your mouth shut, she may be doing that(?)

@@toveylapgal don't be down. The great thing in my opinion about Lapband surgery is that you get all your learning right up front. You learn to balance your lifestyle and your weight loss and your new band buddy from day one of surgery. RNY paitents and sleeve patients are forced from day one to modify eating but over time they can start to increase their intake and the result of that can be weight gain. The reason for this being that they did not slowly learn to change their diet and lifestyle but were forced to do it as a result of surgery. With the band you have a good 4-6 months of solid learning, adjusting and modifying. The band is also adjustable so when you feel you are getting off the rails you can quickly adjust., All the learning that I gained in the early months and the first year of banding have helped me to change my entire way of living and associating with food and exercise and overall health. Recently I had to have my band nearly emptied and all the Fluid removed due to a stomach dilation from medication I was on. Having no restriction it in the past it would have been easy for me to gain 20 pounds in a month. Thanks to all my learning and lifestyle changes the whole month without a fill I actually lost weight and did not gain. The weight loss was not HUGE but it was not a gain. I just had a fill yesterday to put some fluid back in. They don't put it all back in at once...so I am still going with the flow until I reach that sweet spot again. As for eating after fills...every one and every Dr. is different. The important thing is to do what feels right to you. You don't want to go back to solid foods and get stuck. It will take some time for the fill to settle in...so go slow with it. Try liquids for a couple of days, then move to mushy then soft then full solids as you can tolerate it. If you find that you move to a phase or your already in a phase and things are a bit tighter then go backwards and go to mushy etc. Just watch your portions in doing that because when we consume the slider foods it's easier to eat more then it is when you have to work at chewing and swallowing as you do with solids.

When i first went to the surgeon I went for a consult on the band. She informed me that she was actually taking out more bands tthan she is putting in, but this is for her patients around the 5 year mark. They are experincing problems with continued weight loss, band issues and health complications believed to have been created from the band. She said that if the patient had increased weight gain after removal or at time of removal, was closer to an unhealthy BMI than a healthy one, most insurances were approving the sleeve. Hopefully yours will do the same and it will be smooth so that you can continue on your way.

I'm 16 months post op and haven't lost a thing in 6 months! I've been having a terrible time with low blood sugar (they think I might have reactive hypoglycemia). Whenever I get these lows I feel ravenous and eat more than I normally would! I feel like an epic failure. I want to get back on track and I've tried, but every time I try to eat like I did before having these low blood sugar episodes I get the episodes again. It's a vicious cycle! I'm discouraged and ready to give up on ever being a normal weight again.

Sorry to hear about your weight gain after pregnancy! That is something I fear when my husband and I discuss starting a family. As for the bypass after the sleeve... I was still loosing weight with the sleeve when I had to be revised to the bypass. I am still losing weight but since I'm 200 pounds down and 8 pounds to go to hit my goal it not coming off as fast as it did when I had more to loose. I lost over 40 pounds in the last 5 months since my bypass surgery so I shouldn't be complaining but I really want to hit my goal!!! I was very scared of getting the bypass and having my intense moved around. Very against it and tried everything I could to avoid it but honestly it's not as scary as I thought and really helped with my acid reflux. It dosnt feel much different then having the sleeve except for the dumping syndrome. Haha sounds worse then it is but when I tried drinking orange juice I had horrible stomach cramps and diarrhea for about 15 to 20 minutes. But I'm thankful because now I know oj has a lot of sugar and to stay away!!! It's really just a friendly reminder to stay away from all sugar. Not as scary as it sounds and is the best weight loss option out there. Wish I would have just went for the bypass to begin with!! Let me know what happens and if you do have the bypass! Sending prayers your way!!

Hope they didnt spend a fortune on this study. People with major depression use all kinds of substances to numb out...food, drugs, alcohol, sex, ...food releases endorphins (ergo comfort food) it affects the hypothalmus the pleasure center. You can feel, numb. sleepy, coma like, comforted for the moment. All addictive substances work the same way. However a person with a MDD will not overeat lettuce and an alcholic will not overdrink milk. Each chooses chemically altering , brain altering things Psych med hugely affect weight gain and metabolism. I added a med that I totally forgot about and then gaimed ike 60lbs. But I wasnt eating more. I went to all kinds of doctors, who either ruled out hypothyroidism or frankly didnt beleive me that I was not overeating. "Calories in Calories out" PAHLEEZE. They I remembered this drug that was added, research it, caused weight gain, removed it and weight came off. It affect sex drive too...so save that study money. Depression can make people eat..then eating wheat flour and sugar for an addict will set up a chemical dependency and then the depression/wt gain vicious cycle is in motion. Then your in chicken or egg territory. Basically its addiction and when you a depressed you want to alter your feelings fast and often. And if you are a sugar addict, the quicket way to get the sugar craving going is drinking alcohol. Its like injecting sugar right into your veins. If you are not an alcoholic, you will then be off on a food binge from a drink. . HOW DO YOU GET PAID TO DO THESE STUDIES???? HIRE ME PLEASE

With doing the boot camp exercising, your body is changing; and a weight gain is not uncommon as you are building muscle, not fat. That being said, STOP the alcohol as much as possible; all empty calories!!! Have Water with some fruit in it (or bring one of those flavor dispenser/packets with you)...be the designated driver... that stuff is not doing you ANY favors... Next find out if there is a bariatric center near you and if they have meetings, a lot of centers have to have a monthly meeting for post-bariatric members to keep their certification. It has been proven that if you attend these meetings you are more likely to succeed in your endeavor! Helpful hints are always given at these, including easy recipes! try "The World According to Eggface" for recipes, she's got some great stuff... your weight loss is nothing to sneeze at...it's great! when was the last time you lost that much weight in that amount of time?!?! If you are like the rest of us, the answer is "never"! Don't discount yourself...you can't compare yourself to others! And lastly, remember, Protein FIRST! Good luck, you've got this!

@@robisfubar I'm sorry for youre stuggles. Ok...I'm no expert. Just some things to think about. Track food! love my fitness pal for tracking its makes things so simple.. How many carbs and fats are you eating? Some people are carb sensitive. Once you add them it triggers hunger and weight gain. How many calories Vs How many calories burned? How much exercise is required on your drs plan? Mine is 6 days a week at a hour minimum. Starvation not an option for me. Besides messing up your metabolism it triggers more hunger and sets me up for failure. You are lossing weight! woohoo go you. Never stop never give up. You have invested the money into this. Invest the time into yourself. you are so worth it. Wishing you the best, Jenn

I agree that there is a honeymoon phase here. Its like prepping for the wedding. We plan plan plan and shut out anyone who tells us the groom or bride isn't perfect and that things won't be perfect after the wedding. Anybody whose been married as long as I have, 35 years, knows that it takes a lot of work to be married. I admit I was given only the bright picture from my WLS team. My only support group was from a coworker who had had the surgery 8 or 9 months earlier and was in the honeymoon phase herself. I didn't find this site until after surgery. I'm sort of glad I didn't. I see a whole lot of positive here, but I also see a whole lot of whining. I might have backed out. What a pity that would have been. What I was not told: The weight gain was never about food really, maintenance would not be about food and Long term reality wouldn't be about food. Yes, food definitely plays an important role in all of this, but it's not the biggest issue. We all eat excessively, too fast or whatever, for other reasons.Until we deal with that, we still have a problem. Maybe not even an eating problem. I have not sought counseling, but I spend aot of time analyzing why I eat and I know for sure it's not hunger. I did the Protein shake diet for 2 days this week and experienced real hunger for the first time in a year and a half. I found that this hunger was very easy to satisfy with another Protein Shake. The feeling that I've always called hunger cannot be satisfied with food, as hard as I try. My surgeon says in his blog if you find yourself hungry, ask yourself if a carrot will satisfy that hunger. If not, it's not really hunger. I tried this the other day and it actually does work. Ok, so I'm rambling now, so I'll just finish by saying, The wedding won't change the groom/bride. The WLS isn't going to change your relationship with food. You have to do that yourself. The WLS is a tool and a very helpful one. If somebody handed you a wrench and told you to take out a bolt, you'd still have to do the work. Its certainly easier with a wrench. So figure it out. If you can afford counseling, great. If not, your on your own. You can still do it. But do some research and see if you can figure out why you use food to deal with every day issues. I never could figure out drug addicts and why they used drugs as a crutch. But, I've used food the same way. I still do find myself doing this, but at least I know I'm doing it and that makes it easier to not do it. I said easier....not easy.

You're not the 1st patient who gained back 10 lbs. Nip the weight gain in the bud NOW, before it gets to 20 lbs and more. Your Dr. is there to help you, and get you back on track, not criticize a patient. Good luck, you got this !

I have had crohns for 23rd and too have had weight gain from the years off and on prednisone. I hope to have less pain,less bowel movements and urgency, my energy back and my sense if feeling normal again. Knock on wood I have the same positive outcome. I see my surgeon Nov 13 and he will give me my date, here's to hoping everything goes smooth with my insurance approval. I'm excited and nervous.

Hi everyone. I've been snacking and sure enough I am 4 lbs. Heavier. I can bearly eat anything at meals, but have been eating a lot of yogurt. I bought desserts and I'm ashamed. Do any of you know of anyone who has done this. I had lost 31 lbs. In 1 month and I was so proud. I know what the weight gain is from, but I am constipated, too. I did not have this surgery, just to gain 4 lbs.back. I'm so sad. I was doing so well. I'm so sorry to whine. Will I be okay???

@@chellede Your doing well. Don't stress it, you are going to lose and you are not that far out from the surgery date. TOM and sodium and 101 other things can cause weight gain on a scale. You could go the gym and have some lactic acid in your muscles and see a bit of gain so don't weigh ever single day. Once a week maybe hide the scale all the other days. Try to stick with what your doc told you so that your compliant and keeping your pouch at the right size. Take your time to eat what ever it is and enjoy the aroma, texture and flavor of the food. Keep up the good work!

My doctor helped me make the decision. He said I was a candidate for RNY or Sleeve. At first I was going to go with sleeve. During one of our appointments two things changed my mind. 1 the chance of weight gain is higher with sleeve. 2 he said the chance of leaks after 2 weeks are actually less with RNY. Besides taking care of the diabetes those two things changed my mind.

Hi I am only 3 weeks out and getting concerned. The scale dropped like lightening the first 8 days. Since then it's barely moved and in the last 3 days I've gained. Is that normal? I am following everything to the letter so I'm not sure where and if I'm actually falling short. Please help

I didn't think cauliflower had many carbs in it! That is crazy. Sheryl, I hope you continue to like this guy. I envy you having actual meet up groups that do things. I like my little small town sometimes, but for the most part I hate it because there are no opportunities for anything here. Bill is quitting the job. He was trying to counsel and teach very disturbed kids. One girl tried to kill her mother and one boy tried to kill his father. Bill has no way to discipline them when they tell him to F off, etc. due to the rules. All he can do is send them out of class back to their rooms, which is what they want. The money is poor and he feels it's not worth the aggravation. i try to distance myself from him as much as I can and just go out on dates with him. I've learned he's fun when he has an idea of something he wants to do, or a place he wants to take me to, but I can't get wrapped up in his drama. Jim is crazy in love with me. I don't know what to do about that. He tells me this all the time that it is true and " he's been looking for me all his life." He calls me constantly and asks if there is anything I need. As a single woman, there are always odd jobs I could have him do. I can't encourage him. I like to go dancing with him, but he keeps talking about a future together and I don't see my future with him. I'm having fun going out to dance as often as I can with my women friends, but I'm afraid it's going to come to a complete halt after the beginning of Nov. when I have my surgery. The doctor gave me a prescription today for an antidepressant that is supposed to help with anxiety and sleep, and I looked it up and it says causes appetite increase and weight gain. I will try it for a couple of days and see if I start to have carb cravings. That is what Elavil did to me, and I gained 40 lbs on it. This one is an old antidepressant, Doxepin.

My last visit in Sept at the surgeons office, they told me next visit in October that they will be scheduling the date. I emailed the insurance coordinator to ask her if that means it's already approved. She said no, that I sill have to finish up my 4 visits/3 months. I just don't know why they would schedule the date without having the approval. Sounds odd, no? And besides weight gain...what would be a reason for denial? I lost 3 lbs from my first weigh in, but would I be denied if I gained anything over my first weigh in...or if I gain any of those 3 lbs back,is that considered grounds for denial as well?

I want to say ditto to everyone's comments. I also want to say if you are anything like me I didn't want to eat a single thing for weeks. I had some trouble making meals for my family during that time too. I just didn't want to smell or look at food. Also in case you are not feeling this way. You should make sure you have healthy choices in your program available. Put yourself first! I don't know if anyone else feels this way. I feel part of my weight gain was me not putting ME first! They may not understand all of this at the beginning. But when they see the person you become they will support you. I was only 3 weeks out and started doing so many things I hadn't done in 10 years! Wishing you luck for your surgery and the holidays.

Hey! First off, congratulations on even making the decision to go through with the surgery.I have aetna and I got approved in September. My surgery is scheduled for November. With aetna they required a 3 month supervised visit with the NUT & NP. I started that in June. I also had to provide my highest weights from two years ago, have a psych evaluation, which was the most boring thing ever, and a sleep study. Aetna'so policy states that you can't have a net gain...AT ALL. So when I had a weight gain of about 2-3 pounds I wanted to give up. My NUT told me they would write an explanation in my reports for that weight gain. My sleep study test came back negative...which was a bittersweet thing. My only real health issue was that I was borderline diabetic and that I had been overweight pretty much my whole life. I surprisingly got approved about two weeks after all my paperwork was sent in. So Aetna isn't always the big bad wolf lol. Good luck!

Hi Everyone, My name is Eli and I am 21 years old. I just wanted to share my amazing journey with everyone and hopefully help anyone that needs it. Since I was a young boy I struggled with weight loss. I put weight on and I took weight off and it didn't seem like I could ever get it right. Growing up, all of my friends were thin so they never understood what it was really like to be overweight, nobody actually understands unless they actually walk a mile in your shoes. I was miserable, depressed, and felt like there was nothing in the world that could help me. As a lineman for my high school football team I justified my extreme weight gain with the fact that I needed to be bigger to play my position and this mindset caused my weight to spiral out of control. When I graduated high school in 2011 I weighed the most I ever did and it took a huge toll on me as I was about to go away to college and had literally no self-esteem. Jumping ahead to my sophomore year of college I had now put on even more weight and it was affecting me more then ever. My grades were slipping, it didn't seem like any girl would ever want to talk to me, and most of all it was hard to look at myself in the mirror. When I came home from school after my sophomore year I weighed about 320 pounds, which was by far the most I ever weighed. When I came home in May that year I just came to the realization of what I did to myself and I asked myself, "How did I let this happen?" Before I continue I want everyone to know that this is not a sob story and that there is a huge gleaming light at the end of that tunnel. When the conversation of weight loss surgery was brought up for the first time I honestly felt offended because I never thought that it would possibly come to that and after countless talks with family members and friends I finally agreed to schedule an appointment and the Center for Bariatric Surgery and Weight Loss in Ridgewood, New Jersey in June of 2013. Fast forward to September of that year I had completed all of my pre-surgery requirements and a date for surgery was scheduled. My surgery happened on November 4th at New York-Presbyterian in New York City. Let me tell you that November 4th, 2013 was the first day of the rest of my life. I'll save the details of pre-surgery, hospital stay, and post-surgery for another post. On the day of surgery I weighed 316 pounds having lost a little in the months prior to my surgery date. Now, in October of 2014 I am proud to say that I weigh 196 pounds putting my total weight loss at 120 pounds. My life has changed in the most extreme way, not just with how I physically look and feel, but mentally, I am a different person. I am the happiest I've been in my entire life. I understand that there are countless reservations people have before making probably the hardest decision of your entire life, because for me it was, but I can also proudly say that it was the best decision I have made in my entire life. I understand that you might feel that there is no way out of being overweight, but I'm here to tell you that there is. I am willing to talk to anyone who has questions and I am always available because I understand how hard it is to make this decision. PLEASE don't hesitate to ask me anything. Thank you for listening to my journey and my story and I hope this might help anyone who is on the fence or anyone who is scared or nervous. Lastly, I'd like to say how amazing the last year of my life has been and I hope everyone can share the same happiness I do. -Eli

Since having my surgery on October 20, 2011, I have set a "main" goal every year. Year one was obvious, get to the weight that my body wanted to be at. Approximately fourteen months post-op I hit 155 lbs, my weight loss leveled out, I felt great about my weight, about myself, and about what I had accomplished. Year two. I had read so many times about "bounce back weight gain". Usually ten or fifteen pounds but sometimes much more. I researched everything I could find and there appeared to be no physical or metabolic justification for the weight gain. It was/is quite common, but I could find no science to explain it. So my year two goal became to avoid the bounce back. I established a window of 151 to 156 lbs that I was determined to maintain. I changed my weigh-ins schedule from my year one weekly weight checks to year two daily checks. My weight in year two was seldom below 151 (maybe two or three times) and never above 156. Year three. As you get further out veterans who have "been there done that" often drop off of the forums. It became more difficult to identify potential "bumps in the road" that were common in the third year post-op period. Then over a period of time I read a number of posts by a five year veteran who repeatedly stressed that maintaining your weight becomes more difficult, m u c h more difficult, after the two year mark. And responses to this member's posts seemed to confirm that many had experienced the same difficulties. Once again I looked to science for an explanation and possible suggestions for avoiding or at least minimizing the challenges. And once again I was unable to identify any credible science to explain the problem. So my year three goal became more of a mental challenge than a physical one. I had lost 130 lbs. And I had maintained it for a year. The goal for year three became to maintain my commitment, and my focus, on following my plan that had resulted in the success I had achieved. Stay positive. Stay patient. Monitor my weight daily and respond very quickly to weight changes. Making slight increases or decreases in my calorie goal depending on whether I needed to gain or lose two or three pounds. Exercise to my ability. Continue to maintain a food log. The result? I frankly never experienced any identifiable change in my diet, in the effort required to maintain my weight, or in my confidence that I was in complete and absolute control of my weight. No changes. None. Zip. And my weight this morning? 154.2 I only have one problem - I'm at a total loss for a year four goal! Everyone's thoughts, suggestions, ideas or experiences are most welcome!! You guys have a terrific day and regardless of where you're at in your journey always remember - follow your plan and you're gonna love the new you!

I have watched a lot of sleeves, in my work, and seen the increase in one stage revisions, and finally, I decided to go from Band to sleeve, on the 15 th September, so I texted the surgeon and made appointment with him, made gastroscopy appointment to check hiatal hernia and oesophagus, and spoke to surgeons rooms to book surgery. I was operated on last Tuesday 14th, and was home on the Wednesday.. Shoulder tip and back pain were my main issues but managed fine. I am still on free fluids, and have no hunger what so ever. I am managing on around 80 grams of protein, added to either soup or yoghurt and thinned down with skim milk.. Otherwise a lot of herbal teas, and one black coffee per day. And water.. So far so good.. I see surgeon on Wednesday.. I was a maladapted eater for over 18 months, and it had also given up smoking, had shocking reflux and heartburn, and basically bloody miserable with 40 pounds weight gain and as slipped band..so I feel so released, so relaxed, so new, happy.. I have been given an opportunity to do this the right way. The band was a Dream come true in 2007 for me, and I lost 65 pounds with it, but life wasn't always good.. Work lunches were a moment of panic, breakfast was hit and miss, and the reflux was a killer, sleeping with 3 pillows. Going out to dinner meant scouring the menu for a risotto or a mashed potato side dish with fish, and long haul flights meant I could not eat after for 24 hours due to restriction..plus hit and miss with travel insurance coverage on each trip.. Sometimes they would cover me, other times, not, which is scary , going to the USA, and being technically uninsured..(live in Australia) Now? One pillow..no gaviscon, so blockage, no cravings, no more weight gain, and I was a 10 coffees a day person, and now no coffee or cigarette cravings.. Weird, really weird.. But, yes, very very very happy with my decision..

I appreciate everyone's feed back, apologize for being MIA, been working doubles last few days and at work right now. I must say I really appreciate a few comments made here by some of you. #1 my post is not about the biggest loser but my question was about how many of us know what got us here. Some say there are no issues they are just fat because they like to eat and this is where I agree with Bittersweet*, tunnel vision is never a good thing and I find it ironic how some of you feel because you may not feel as if something in your life has impacted your diet in the past but to automatically assume someone is overweight simply because they are greedy is just as ignorant as many feeling that all fat people are lazy. NOT TRUE!!! #2 the reason I believe there is something underlying to obesity is because if you go back into the forum and follow the post regarding what will we NOT miss, it is heart breaking. My post included because it made me ask, if we so want to accomplish these things and feel these different ways then why continue to sabotage ourselves. I understand that this weight loss/weight gain life is hard but every time we reach for a cookie, cake, bread, rib, ice cream, extra butter, chocolate, Mexican, Chinese, fast food, burger or any of those things we felt we needed then truth is, that feeling of wanting/needing that meal trumped the things we want for ourselves like wearing a bikini, being more active with our children, living longer lives, etc. this is what made me wonder what is holding me back and I guess I should have phrased the question better. #3 I will share my own story quickly as I can if I haven't bored you to tears yet. I grew up in a household where everything must be cleaned off of our plates. Constantly told to eat until I am full and a grandmother that catered and made sure I had a home made cake made for me once a week. Always told I was pretty and curvy so I showed confidence and many commented on wishing they had my confidence but I had very little to none. I stopped going to college because I hated the small chairs I had to squeeze into. Post poned nursing school until I could find a school that did not mandate white scrubs because I thought I looked like a huge gallon of milk! Married the first man that made me feel beautiful, he was my trophy. Had 2 daughters that love the outdoors but I only take them out when it's not too humid or too many people. The majority of our trips are to the movies which Involves nachos, popcorn, sodas and candy. Finally lost 65lbs in 2011 and never felt better, even dated a man that I fell in love with. Then the weight began creeping back on the last year after our breakup, having many issues with my family and also dealing with a stressful change of companies at work. ..I can go on forever but my question to myself is if I've never felt better and happier than when I was 225 then why did I stop, why not continue. Why go back to donuts, Snacks, ordering out every day, etc. yes this is my personal story but I believe there is still something underlying like maybe the fear of being successful, being completely confident. As the surgery day gets closer I wonder if I even understand the magnitude of this life change. To be completely satisfied and even happy with the way I look and more importantly feel. How great it will be to go to a shoe store and try on shoes with ease, going to Disney and Water parks with my kids, not hiding food from my own kids because I'm even embarrassed that they see me eating Ben & Jerry's again and too many more to list. But bottom line is if I want these things so badly, why couldn't I focus on those great things that are possible for a lifetime including decreased risk for almost every disease out there, opposed to picking up those things to put in my mouth that feels great until feeling horrible about all I just ate minutes later. Bottom line is, it is my personal opinion that there is more to being obese than just liking food. I know plenty of healthy people that love food and not obese or even overweight. You don't have to agree with me but at least think about it for a minute.

I started my program over 300 lbs. Highest weight ever: 335 Start weight: 312 Weight on the day of the surgery: 294 Sleeved on 5/5/14 Current weight: 226 I'm dealing with the monthly 3 to 5 lb weight gain from my period right now. Bloating can suck it. But I hope to be below 200 by the end of the year.