Search the Community

I have not had the mirena but for the past 3yrs I have had the nexiplon or implenon. It is a stick placed in the arm. I know its not in as long as the iud but this had less complications and no need to worry about a dislodged iud or tubal pregnancies. Or frequently checking it yourself. I love it and since my sleeve I haven't seen any weight gain effects.

Welcome welcome, whiteo6. I am SO GLAD you found us!!! I can definitely tell you that for me, posting regularly on this thread has done one thing for me - it has allowed to get back up quickly after I fall, rather than letting that fall consume me for months resulting in weight gain. I think it has helped keep me accountable and can do so for many, many of us strugglers. I think you should eat until you are satisfied. For me, that usually equates to a cup or a cup and a half, depending on what the item is. On some items, i can only eat half a cup and be stuffed. So it really does depend. Personally, I think if you can eat a couple of cups and not feel satiety, then perhaps you should speak to your surgeon and consider a fill. Have you ever asked your nutritionist about the calorie quantity you should stay at? this really varies based on your height and weight. For me it was 1500 calories and it helps to have a number i can actually focus on, on a daily basis. How many fills have you had??? What are your goals for the next 1 month? I am so excited for you and excited to go on this journey with you. Again, welcome!!!

So glad to see this topic. I'm very curious how I'll be effected. I have PCOS...symptoms include weight gain, some acne, some facial hair (waxing fixes it), and painful cysts etc. I had an IUD implanted in March 2012 but my periods have not gotten any lighter or regular. I'm kinda frustrated with that. I had my sleeve done a week ago today. Weighed yesterday & I've lost 14 lbs so far. Had to lose 30 lbs before surgery. That was hard! I started my period the day before surgery but by the time I was out of surgery...it stopped. Then started again on Sunday. It has been ridiculously heavy. I'm not sure what to make of it. Hoping for light at the end of the tunnel.

Hi Kristie, i think your comment is for me, please forgive my responding if not. Thank you, for your kindness; this whole thread has frankly made me quite sad tonight and your post was a ray of hope. I felt pretty misunderstood. I really appreciate you reaching out and taking the time to post; affinity groups have been very helpful to me in the past and I did hope that I would be able to discuss these intersections of experiences/backgrounds as it relates to my original weight gain, my decision to have WLS, and my plan to keep on track with weight loss and weight stability. Thanks again. Look forward to reading more posts in this forum and trust that I will learn a lot from those who are further in their health paths than I. Good night.

Excellent!!! What do you contribute your success to? I read many posts from people struggling with weight gain and not feeling the restriction after some time. I am four months out and worried about putting the weight back on. Any advice for long term success?

I feel like I know all of the information, I started the process 10 months ago but due to my insurance being so strict I had to attend many classes, seminars, appointments, clearances, over the phone courses, etc. So I feel like the knowledge is there, however from joining this site I am learning new things every day, especially when looking at the post op forums. I know unexpected things will pop up and am prepared for the stalls including the famous 3 week stall and some initial weight gain from water immediately after surgery. Vitamins are something I definitely need to work on. My vitamin D was previously low but I am working on that. Iron is also another issue that I need to be prepared for as I am borderline anemic. I've heard of many post ops being hospitalized and having health issues from not keeping up with their Iron. Working in healthcare I have access to the providers and their knowledge on the subject. One thing with multivitamins is if you overdose on Iron that can be an issue too that can cause issues with your can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and in extreme cases liver failure. Therefore, I am going to be in constant contact with my provider and request routine blood work on all of my levels. Since we have surgery in April, most of us will be meeting our deductibles and out of pocket max so aside from any copay's we can get as much work done that our insurance deems as medically necessary. This includes blood work and labs on nutrition and vitamin levels. For instance, my deductible is $750 and out of pocket max is $3000. Since my surgery is around $30,000 I met my out of pocket max of $3000 and can get as much work done as I need to for the remainder of the year. Again, copay's still need to be paid for each visit. If I get blood work done by my primary care provider my copay is only $10 compared to the $50 to go to a specialist who will do the same thing. So in general I feel like I am pretty prepared when it comes to the aftercare and communication with my provider's and insurance policies to make sure I can keep in touch with my body to know where I am deficient and what vitamins I will need to increase during the weight loss. I still have a lot to learn about the vitamins. I just cannot get past the taste of chewable vitamins. I tried the Flinstone Chewables my surgeon's office recommended and they are absolutely disgusting with an aftertaste that returns all day. Therefore, I think crushing my pills and putting them in yogurt might be my best option. One tablespoon I do not think will be too hard to get down. I have to take anxiety medication anyways so this won't be too hard I think. In regards to protein, I am currently doing Premier Protein and I am in LOVE!! They recently came out with new flavors such as Oreo & Cream, Peaches & Cream, Caramel, Banana & Cream, along with their traditional of Vanilla, Chocolate, and Strawberries & Cream. The reason I chose this was it has 30 grams of protein in 11oz so even if I cannot consume much in a day, 2 shakes meets my minimum protein for the day and can also double as liquids so will at least give me 22 oz of that. It has 1 gram of sugar per shake, 160 calories, 24 vitamins and nutrients, 5 grams of carbs, and 3 grams of fat, so it works perfect for the traditional Keto Diet. Along with this I will buy myself a rotisserie chicken and slowly pick through that throughout the week. Seems like a pretty cheap diet and I can treat myself to steak every once in a while. My nutritionist wants me to get my protein intake for the day before I move to vegetables, and then carbs which I will rarely be able to ever meet during the weight loss period. After surgery I am prepared for the possibility of not being able to consume Premier Protein anymore. A lot of people say dairy becomes hard to consume after surgery, in which case I think the clear, non dairy Isopure would be a great substitute. Popsicles made from protein drinks also sounds like a fabulous idea. I'd love any other suggestions anyone else may have, and am SUPER excited to get to meet some fellow April Sleever's. I'd love to keep in touch so we can all help each other on our journey!!

I haven’t but I would be interested in coordinating to do that. Nice to know that it would be helpful! Welcome to to the forum - I would love to discuss the intersection of sexuality and weight gain.

Did you make a LGBTQ community here?👀😍🥰  I would love to be part of it. My weight gain was partially due to challenges I faced in my sexual orientation journey in my early 20s for sure.

I'm 30 years and I have tried everything to get pregnant but nothing. I even did 3 IVF with no success. My symptoms besides the weight gain is hair loss. Did you get a lot of hair loss. Is there anything you did to make it better.

I had my lap band done in 2008. Since then I have lost weight, gained it back, lost weight again, and then gained it all back again. I believe the weight loss that I have experienced has been due to me starving myself, not to the band. Starving myself is not sustainable and as soon as I start to eat regularly again, I gain about 30 pounds. I am currently at my highest weight (even pre-band. I was banded at 202 lbs) 206 lbs. I have had some trouble with my band. I can only be filled about half-way before I have trouble getting food down. My band doesn't have much liquid in it and it causes me to vomit/pb frequently. Right now I still vomit a few times a week even though my band isn't filled much. Food gets stuck daily for me. I used to have terrible guilt feeling that I had failed my band. Everyone knew I had the band done, so why hadn't I been able to lose a substaintial amount of weight and keep it off? Why was I such a failure? Well, after doing some research, I have come to the conclusion that I haven't failed the band, THE BAND HAS FAILED ME!!! Surgeons are starting to find that the band isn't as successful as they thought it would be. Many people are having their bands revised to the gastric sleeve and some RNY gastric bypass. My surgeon is at the top of the field, a famous weight loss surgeon. His staff is nice to me, but they make me feel guily when I go in. I need to eat less and less, they say. My surgeon recommends for me to eat 900 calories a day. 900 calories! This is madness!!! I am now in the process of contancting a different surgeon about gastric bypass and gastric sleeve. I have severe obstructive sleep apnea, high LDL cholesterol, and have stopped menstruating (I'm only 32). I believe my weight is a contributing factor in these issues. Ladies, I know that some of you feel you could have done better. You feel you could have followed more of the rules, eaten less, snacked less, starved yourself, whatever. But, I want you to seriously consider this idea that maybe the band isn't all it is cracked up to be. Maybe it works for some and not for others. Maybe, the band has failed you!

My BMI was 36.6 barely over the threshold and, I did add about four pounds in the early months to make sure I was close. Each test I had, I prayed for a comorbidity. (Sounds so crazy). Each test came back darn good. A brother though, had survived a heart attack, and parents had some diabetic type issues. I had sore joints and a long history of slow and steady weight gain. My insurance approved with 48 hours. I felt like I won the lottery. So, muster up all the familial medical issues to document on your medical history and don't give up!! Good luck!

Hang in there.... I was banded on 1/30, and I too hit a plateau and yes, even saw some weight gain. Remember what you probably heard or read elsewhere - it's going to be about your 3rd or 4th fill before we get to that sweet spot. I had my 2nd fill, and I'm not starting to have some of those sensations that's I've read about.... pain when things get stuck or I don't chew is one that I've really had. Dang, it sure hurts. I can tell a difference already and I finally have some restriction. Now I just need to exericse.

Yikes! I am actually up 2 lbs from two weeks ago. I am not sure what to think. I stopped taking my blood pressure medication last week, so I would like to think that has somethng to do with it. I didn't think it woud cause weight gain because it was a Beta Blocker. I didn't think it would cause a change in Water weight. I hope I am wrong. I guess I'll see what happens. Success to everyone next week!

Hello all! My name is Stephanie and Im 30 and live in Arizona. I have just made the decision to get sleeved. I am looking for a Dr. in Arizona. I am not against Mexico, but my father, who is helping me with the costs, insist I stay in the US. I am willing to go out of state if I cannot find a qualified Dr. here in AZ. Im having the surgery for many reasons. I have a tumor on my pituitary gland that has caused severe hormone problems that have led to weight gain. Some weight due to hormones and some due to eating my problems away. I also have PCOS and at this time an unable to conceive. I am considered pre diabetic. This scares the heck out of me since my dad has type 1 diabetes, heart disease and is on oxygen. I dont want this to be me. My husband and I want to have a family, and we want to be a healthy family. I have tried diet and excercise, but not with true results. Im hoping this is the tool that can allow me to save my life!

It is reassuring to read that others have this struggle too. I know that it's a dilemma that we all share. I also know that in some aspect I just don't want to cook myself. I have cooked for many years and had just decided I didn't want to cook any more. I call it just plain being lazy. But today is a new day and I will work harder to fix my own foods. I've noticed with me, that since I can put a limited amount of foods in my stomach, I am focusing alot more on organic foods like wild salmon, organically grown veggies, and I do avoid the processed foods when I do cook. That's my new goal. Organic foods. I can't handle the thought of eating pesticides in my food any more. I also believe that processed foods contributed a lot to my weight gain. Besides eating way too much. I just realized that I have been getting really picky when eating out, not happy when I don't know the grade of meat I'm getting. Wow, I just realized that I handle my anxiety by going out instead eating at home. Oh, I know I also have to have better time management skills to do a better job with eating healthy. SOrry for the rant. Thank you everyone for your feed back. XOXOXOXO! :wub:

I am 3 months and one week post op and i weigh everyday. i have lost 58 pounds and feel like i am a very slow loser. There are weeks i do not lose anything at all then have dropped up to 6 the next week. My doctor told me to expect this. He said when i do not lose pounds i am most likely losing inches. i thought i would be further along than i am. I keep telling myself that as long as i don't see any weight gain when i step on the scales then i am doing ok.

You are hooked up to IVs when you have the surgery. It's done so you don't become dehydrated. Those fluids can cause a weight gain. You can also have Fluid buildup from the trauma of the surgery itself. I'm not a doctor so I can't explain it in detail but for me, after I had the bi-lateral hip surgery, I gained 15 lbs. It wasn't from food....I was very swollen and that's where the gain came from.

@@alanabee Many surgeons offices require a mental health screening. They are looking to see if you are in the right mind set to be successful with weight loss surgery. Others have suggested seeking counseling before surgery. Its a good idea. I'm two and a half years out. I still maintain my weight in the 130's. Changing your behaviors and your relationship with food is work. Just know it can be done. Your dietician will give you a maintenance meal plan. Each of our plans look differently. What maintenance looks like for me: (1)I make my food choices. (by the time you hit maintenance you will know what your healthy choices are. (I may indulge once in a while) I don't binge. (2) I weigh myself each morning (3) If I see a weight gain, I adjust my eating and increase my exercise to move the scale down to my maintenance weight. I gave myself a weight bounce range. 130 to 142 to maintain

Hi all:scared2: It has been a while since I posted or came on this forum. I had many changes in my life since I the last time I was here. I got re-married, both my parents past away months of each other; I have had lots of stress. On March 3 2009 I had a fill and un-fill within 2 days leaving 8.5cc in my 10cc. Band. For the past 5 months I‘ve been plague with very bad acid reflux (throwing-up in my sleep even 3 to 4 hours after eating) and no restriction. As a result my diet consists of soup, and any mushy food. Today I went for a fill, instead I had barium and esophagus x-ray to find out I am to restricted which cause the acid reflux, and the diet of mushy food caused the weight gain (21lbs) and I had to have my band un-fill. They took out 5cc leaving only 3cc. I feel horrible, like I have to start all over. How will I prevent myself from gaining more weight? 3cc. Is nothing! Help me please, I need help:scared2::biggrin: Thank you

I kept mine secret until one hour before my surgery. I was worried about all the judgment of people thinking this was and easy out. But it was going to come out eventually and I didn't want to lie about my weight loss when people start noticing the quick drop. I didn't want people to talk behind my back trying to figure it out so I decided to be upfront and made it facebook official. I got way more support than I was expecting. And you know what so what if they talk. If they really care about you they will be supportive. Find out who your true friends are. Everyone has seen me struggle all my life and if it wasn't for all the health issues maybe I wouldn't have done it. Its desperation to be healthy. This was my post to everyone VEVY IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT about My Life. For my Family, Friends and inquiring minds who want to know. Soooo, I have made a huge decision that is going to change my life forever. Hopefully for the better. If all goes well.... Some of you may or may not know that I had a lap band procedure done in 2010 to help with weight loss. It did help for a little while. Eventually the band stopped helping me completely and I fell back into old eating habits. Started the whole yo-yo dieting again. I gained it all back then I lost it all again. Then I gained it all back plus some more. The band has been busted for about 3 years but it's still hanging out in my belly. I have been fighting battle of the bulge since I was 8 yrs old. The older you get the harder it is. The bulge always seems to win. The thing that really makes it hard are the underlying health issues. Like PCOS, thyroid, diabetes, depression and anxiety. Then there is the high cholesterol and blood pressure. With all these health problems comes medication for all. Some of the medication causes weight gain but you need them. So conclusion to this battle. I am having the Lapband removed from my stomach and I will be converting to the gastric sleeve. I am so grateful that I have a wonderful husband who has been with me through all of my struggles. He has seen my ups, downs and all arounds. He sees how hard I do work. How hard I try. How much I beat myself up when I don't lose weight even when I have done all of the right things. He has seen me give up hopes and give in to the unhealthy from my disappointment of not winning the battle. He has stood by me through thick and uh, not so thin. I want to thank him very much for helping me with my journey of becoming a healthier me. Because of my fear of judgement I have kept this to myself. But most people would say not to worry about what others think. A lot of people will say well if you just exercise and eat right you will lose weight. Well I do and it does help but it just isn't enough for me. Exercise has become really hard due to arthritis in my right knee and hip but I will continue to fight through the pain. This is not going to be easy!!!!! I love food!!!!!!!!!!! Sugar is the devil!!!!!!!!!! I am giving up all the tasty favorites for a new me. I am going into surgery at 9:30. Wish me luck. See you when I wake I love you all!!!!❤✌ — feeling optimistic.

I lost 110 lbs during my 7-month process to get the sleeve (had to have 6 months with monthly meetings with a nutritionist). I very nearly canceled my surgery. Here's why I didn't: - The chance of losing a significant amount of weight and KEEPING it off is really low. Within 5 years something like 95-98% of people who lost weight gained it back, usually with some extra on top. Even if I lost all the weight I needed to using diet/exercise, I have never maintained a loss. My sleeve is the tool that will help me do that. - My years of overeating had really messed up my stomach. My portions of food were still too big. I completely overhauled my diet and started eating low-carb, high Protein. However, I still ate quite a lot. I would just fill up on salad or veggies, usually at least 3 normal-sized servings. If I tried smaller portions, the hunger got overwhelming and I would end up cheating. I just didn't want to take the chance. Yeah, I MIGHT be able to do this without surgery, but with surgery my chances are much, much better. I NEVER want to be 400 lbs again. Also, both my surgeon and my nutritionist said that my loss prior to surgery is a really good sign that the sleeve will work wonderfully for me, especially over the long term.

I always thought it was a complete farce- the idea that a person could gain weight exercising simply by putting on muscle mass. I was wrong! One day about a month ago, I suddenly started craving Protein again- something I haven’t really craved in 6 months or so. Of course, at this point, I know when my body is trying to tell me something, so I went back to the old (and very useful) rules for the band and began eating protein before anything else. Within a few days, two things started to happen. 1) I started gaining weight. 2) I could quite suddenly began noticing increased strength at the gym. For a few days, I was a little worried about the weight gain, but a trip to Old Navy, Macy’s, and Express put my fears to rest- I’d dropped a clothing size. I am now a size 4 rather than a size 6. So I’m ok like this! I’ve started losing the weight again but chances are I will fluctuate like this forever; drifting between 125 and 135 lbs. I figure as long as I maintain a good cardio and weight training routine and listen to my body, I’ll be just fine!

Hey Guys! My date is December 13th with Dr. Pompa in TJ. Can't wait to be on the other side! I start my liquid pre-op one week before, but I'm thinking of doing low carb for a few weeks before that so I can stop this barreling train of weight gain I'm on.

My mom is like that. She lost around 30 lbs a few years ago and she's like, "why can't you just eat smaller quantities and maintain a healthy lifestyle and exercise every day and make sure you you don't exceed 1500 calories" yadda yadda yadda. Easier said than done. I'm one of the few people on earth who know that she has been vomiting her meals into plastic bags, for years. I think that any diet that's success depends entirely on my willpower is doomed to fail eventually. I'm just not that strong a person. And truth is 95% of diets result in failure and weight gain (try googling a UCLA research about dieting, that's where I got the 95% number from). Sleeve gastrectomy has a 70% success rate, that's more than any diet can offer.

Out of the blue I looked up Star Jones to see how she was doing, since her successful gastric bypass. First news headline I see " Disaster after weight loss surgery" picture of Star from every angle wearing a white one piece bathing suit. I guess she had gained back 80 lbs and many articles ridiculed her for her weight gain. Now, I am not a fan nor hater... I just wanted to see how WLS can be maintained. I am 80% committed to having the gastric sleeve and my worst nightmare is gaining the weight back few years down the road and for people to make snarky comments. I feel bad for Star since she was so successful with her procedure and I am not completely sure why the restriction is eliminated with WLS after couple of years. Anybody else share the same fear?