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I am becoming more and more convinced that I am doing something wrong. I do not feel that I have lost enough weight. My sleeve was 1/20 and I have only lost 37 lbs It has been 2+ months. I see where others have lost that much in the first month! I am very stressed about this and am not sure what to do. I just hit send on an email to the NP at my surgeon's office and anxiously wait for her reply (which might take several days and before anyone says it, I know if it Sunday and she is not working). I am loosing pounds and have lost inches, but I am afraid it should be more. I am watching everything I eat and doing cardio for 30 minutes 5 times a week. I am on several medications for Lupus and Fibromyalgia and they cause weight gain (one of the many reasons I am hear now and could not loose). Could that be why I am not loosing as much? Am I doing something wrong? I know that no one can give me an exact answer to my question, but I could really use some support. Thanks y'all!

Jess, Gallbladders are tricky. Many people experience Biliary Colic and don't attribute it to their Gallbladder. It often resembles indigestion. Some women like me find out about their gallstones during pregnancy as a result of the OB Ultrasounds. I was probably experiencing the symptoms for years without knowing what was the cause. Was this enough to make me have it removed? Nope, but add-in upcoming sleeve surgery (hopefully in July) and now I'm ready. Rapid/Frequent weight gain/loss can contribute to the formation of the stones. I take Zofran as needed for nausea and digestive enzymes for acid, fatty or spicy food. I was sooooo relieved when the surgeon said he would just remove it at the time of the sleeve without forcing me to pay for additional imaging (ultrasounds, HIDA Scans, etc.). I have a $3000 deductible and don't want to incur the costs. Does your surgeon require an abdominal ultrasound prior to surgery? If so, then he/she can make an informed decision about your Gallbladder. Not everyone needs a Cholecystectomy after the sleeve. But those that lose the weight really quickly may be at a higher risk. Hope this helps. Ally

great amazing wonderful post I wonder if a difference between those that lose 60 lbs and those that continue on to lose the extra 40 lbs is just getting back up after a slip and carrying on? Maybe that's determination, I don't know. It's hard after a slip or a weight gain to get back on the horse. Maybe too, others are okay with that 60% of weight loss. Thanks for your insights

So sorry, however I think all of us have been in this exact same place. I was banded in December and while I feel like I've done pretty well. I also will do stupid things. This week was a perfect example. It resulted in my first weight gain. I'm so annoyed at myself, not only because I let it happen, but because I'm thinking of the left over goodies in my fridge! What is that about? Take it one step at a time. Be kind to yourself and get back on track. You can do it! Making the choice to have the procecedrue was the hardest thing. Listen to your body and the rest will follow along.

Hello everyone! I'm 2 years post op and I was wondering if any bypass veterans out there developed an intolerance to dairy this far out after surgery. I've never had a problem before, but now it seems like anytime I eat dairy, especially milk or heavy milk based foods, that I have terrible gas and my tummy rumbles like crazy. Sorry for the info!! I'm blushing as I share this, but I need advice. I bought fat free Lactaid and it was too sweet! Yuck!! I've noticed some weight gain too and constipation issues. Today I got some light unsweetened soy milk and it was pretty good. I'm going to try it in a shake tomorrow. If it is lactose intolerance, I'll be bummed. Yogurt, string cheese, and skim milk are some of my faves. However the gas part is embarrassing and uncomfortable at times. Thanks in advance for any input!!!

I think it's misleading, bordering on threatening, to declare people are "guaranteed" to regain their weight. I hope studies/articles like that will not deter people from having their band removed when it may be medically necessary or scare them into more weightloss surgery before they may be ready. I believe it's possible to continue to lose weight after lapband removal (and with no further surgery) despite the numbers listed in the article. One can learn an awful lot before, during, and after being banded that will assist dramatically in continued weightloss if the band needs to be removed. It's good to get documented info and read different studies while researching, but no one can guarantee anything --- you may lose weight after being banded, you may not. Not everyone does. You may gain weight with band removal, you may not. Not everyone does. I take responsibility for my health and do what is best for me, using my own intelligence and common sense to act accordingly. I guess the "guarantee" of weight gain really struck a nerve here! and Im not intending this to be a negative comment toward the person who posted the info....just what the info, itself, said! ~hiddn

You guys I am kind of afraid. I think im going to loose weight and gain it right back. I have suffered with weight gain all my life. Skinny one day and overweight the next. I can't wait until Tuesday!?!?!

You guys I am kind of afraid. I think im going to loose weight and gain it right back. I have suffered with weight gain all my life. Skinnt one day and overweight the next. I can't wait until Tuesday!?!?!

Hey there I'm doing well! Went to my group nutrition class which was about lifestyle and diet before and after surgery. Was very informational appointment. I have to do a FULL liquid diet no 1 meal a day for me even though others have been allowed to by their surgeon but each surgeon can be different. On the sleeve vs bypass this is strictly my opinion whichever WLS u choose is a personal decision between u and ur surgeon based on ur unique situation. Bypass may be a better option for some but not everyone and this goes for the sleeve, bypass, band, switch, and any other WLS. In regards to weigh loss and the ability to gain it back if we don't work our tool weight gain is a great possibility. Now for me I'm not putting my body through holy hell to have this major surgery if I'm not willing to make the lifestyle changes. None of these interventions or surgeries are a magical fix they r tool that we have to actually use and work at to help us not only lose the weight but to also become healthier beings. Weight loss is a huge plus but we also have to focus on the wealth of other benefits we are getting not just the weight loss. I don't knock anyone choice of WLS I just suggest u do the research, know urself, be open with ur surgeon and pick the best surgical procedure for u. We r all in this together and here to support one another regardless of which procedure we decide to have.

When I was still eating at McD's, I remember telling someone, "I don't even like it!" And yet, there I was - eating it again and again even though there were consequences (weight gain and bad feelings) for doing it. As a general thing - people don't like to give things up unless they have something to replace those things. Drive-thrus offer that immediate gratification. How else can you get that? The other thing that has worked for me is setting rules about those kinds of places. For example, at McD's - no more fries, remove the bun from any burgers. With enough rules in place - it just wasn't worth it to go there anymore - and now I don't.

I'm up 4 pounds this week and I've been more active than ever, burning around 3500 cals on the 3 days I worked out. Because I weigh daily, I noticed a spike in my weight the day after an intense workout ( cardio+strength training). Is this normal?

I wish you all the best. I still struggle with the fear of weight gain and find that there are days (like today) where I cannot stop eating. Even though I am choosing Protein first and trying to keep track of what I eat, I get over whelmed with depression and then "the moose is loose" in the kitchen. The food I have in the house is "safe" but when I go to my parents home I have even a bigger challenge. Tonight I was offered a mini bag of popcorn only to realize it was kettle corn. Like an idiot, I ate the bag (didn't want to offend dad) and then I was nauseated. I am still on the weight loss diet and loose about 1/2 lb a week. Though I am getting closer to my goal, I fear the day when I start gaining. I know this is a life long struggle and the surgery is a tool to help meet my goal. Fighting the head/mind games will be an ongoing battle for the rest of my life. It helps to read that others have the same struggles.

Right on Miss Mac! I totally feel you!! You have an acre in your backyard?! Sooo awesome! Sucks about the weather. I live in Cali & where I live it's 60-70 all the time. We just hit 80 today! So with this beautiful weather I have no excuse to get me butt outside. You are right I have been sidelined the past few months w the weight gain. I've been overweight my whole life but I've always been active. Gym, 5 triathlons, 1/2 marathon, mud runs, 5ks, I just can't wait to do these this w/o carrying 75-100 extra pounds! Finally going to be the athlete I want to be!

I was allowed to pick up 5 pounds each arm at one month, but was able to do bodyweight exercises at two weeks. No pull ups from a bar, but things like walking lunges with no weights, push ups against the wall, modified boxing exercises, step up calf raises, up and down stairs, walking and speedwalking to my heart's content.......that kind of stuff. Obliques were out of the question until six weeks. The inner workings of your incisions will let you know pretty quickly if you are over-reaching your healing. I tried picking up my 30 pound kettle bell last week, but that clearly is not gonna happen for a while. I could not even get it off the floor. Just this week (nearing 3 months) I have increased my weights to 8 pounds each hand. I wanted to go to ten, but I could barely pick the weights up. I am learning about Paleo Eating and Paleo Fitness from MarksDailyApple.com, and even purchased some Vibram Five Finger Barefoot Shoes, which I LOVE LOVE LOVE for exercise. I am having my boyfriend help me build a fitness course around the perimeter of our back yard, which is about a 1/4 acre. A lot of what I need to do is post-stroke therapy at a modified level, but I am fighting this fat with every weapon I can come up with. Mark explains Paleo Fitness basics as several primal efforts: our ancient ancestors (mine are orkney Island Stone Masons) did not chase mastadons all day. Their day included activities like these: Move Frequently At A Slow Pace Lift Heavy Things Sprint Once In A While Get Adequate sleep Play (No chronic cardio and exercise bulemia) I really like his approach to fitness. Between surgery and the Paleo Lifestyle, I am becoming a fat-burning beast! Since you sound like a fellow beastie who was sidelined with weight gain like I was, you may already know about Paleo. I used to belong to the National and Campers and Hikers Association back in the day and was even a decent archer and pistol packin' mama. I miss it, but I've gotten cushy in my old age. Now that I am post-op and healing, I will be glad to get outside in those barefoot shoes as soon an this frikin' Chicago weather warms up. I wish you good luck and good health.

I think we all have days when we want to shove the food in with both hands. For me, that impulse is SO strong, that I have to give in so I can move on from it. It's mostly about "hand to mouth" time, so I make a bowl of popcorn, sit down & have at it. If that didn't do it, I'll have one of my favorite Protein bars. Usually, though, after a bowl of popcorn, halfway through the Protein Bar I'm already feeling maxed out. So, I give into the intense need to eat, but I choose differently. Prior to surgery it would have been a trip to the market, and back home with a package of Cookies, or ½ gallon of ice cream. I don't believe any of us are ever really cured from this affliction. To have long term success, I believe we need to stop thinking of our new way of eating as some sort of diet; one day we're on, and the next we're off. Every day isn't a popcorn/protein bar day, but when I'm jumping out of my skin with the intense need to eat, I simply....do. I just stay away from things that will cause weight gain, or send me down a road I really don't want to go.

I saw this online in another site and thought I would share with everyone. It got me to thinking about ways to insure my success: 1. Not taking Vitamins and supplements. 2. Assuming you have been cured of "obesity". We have to live a healthy WLS life-style for the rest of our lives or the weight WILL come back. 3. Drinking with meals. The tool of not drinking with meals is a critical key to long term success. 4. Not eating right. In today's society it is a challenge to eat right. Make it easy on yourself. Don't skip meals, don't keep unhealthy Snacks around, feed yourself at regular intervals so you won't make poor choices about meals. Consider having some personal absolutes such as: avoid all fried foods, avoid all sugary foods, always use low-fat options, or only eat in a restaurant once per week. 5. Not Drinking enough Water. Most WLS patients are at risk for dehydration. Drinking a minimum of 64oz per day will help you to avoid this risk. Drinking water flushes out your system, helps you lose weight and avoid kidney stones. 6. Grazing. Nibbling small amounts here and there throughout the day can make your weight creep up. Make a plan for what you will do when you crave food so you will do something constructive that will not involve eating. 7. Not exercising regularly. Exercise is one of the best weapons a WLS patient has to fight regain. It boosts your spirits and keeps our metabolism running strong. When you exercise you build muscle. The more muscle you have the more calories you will burn even at rest. 8. Eating the wrong carbs (or too many). Face it, refined carbs are addictive. If you eat them you will only crave more of them. Eat complex carbs. 9. Drinking Sodas. Some people claim that drinking sodas stretched their pouches. What we know for sure is that sodas keep you from getting hydration you need after WLS. Diet soda has been connected to weight gain in the general population. Find other drinks to fall in love with. 10. Drinking Alcohol. If you drank alcohol before WLS you will probably want to drink it post surgery. Most surgeons recommend waiting one year after surgery before drinking. Be very cautious, you may get drunker quicker which can cause health problems and put you in dangerous situations. Alcohol is connected to weight gain because it has 7 calories per gram where Protein and vegetables only have 4 calories per gram. It is noted that some people develop ad addiction to alcohol after WLS so be very cautious. If you notice a problem, contact your doctor.

Hello guys for those with Aetna if you were denied was it because of recent weight gain.. I did my last weigh in and I told them its the time of the month and also going through other things I put on couple of lbs I wanted to scream..but I hope I don't get denied I will prob be devasted...thanks for any help!

I am at week 5 and starting soft solid foods. Since I've started the pureed foods last week I have stalled in my weight loss and when I weighed in on Monday (I weigh only on Mondays) I gained back 2 pounds. Is this normal? Has anyone else had this problem. I was sleeved 2/17/14 and am down 18 pounds, I'm a bit disappointed it is not more at this point. I started doing weight resistence training and 20 minutes of cardio this week hoping this will start bringing me down again. Any advice?

Hey everyone- I got authorized to start working out last week from my doctor. I'm three weeks post op and have been going to the gym every other day. I noticed a 1lb weight gain this morning. Now I'm worried if I keep working out, will it slow down my weight loss? Should I hold off for a bit? I'm also coming up on the 3 week stall so I'm just thinking about everything. Based on your experiences , what have you determined about working out?

I finally found an article about food addiction written in a way that is easily understood by all. Below you will find the normal behavior versus the addictive behavior. Here's an excerpt from that section: Dependence on food will be habitual, while addiction to food will be somewhat unpredictable (e.g., a morning cup of coffee versus the sudden, inexplicable drive to eat four servings of cheesecake) Dependence on food will have few, if any, emotional causes, but addiction to food is provoked by emotions and circumstances that cause feelings of powerlessness (e.g., a treat to get through a trying day at work versus a binge to avoid focusing on painful thoughts Dependence on food will have few, if any, emotional effects, whereas addiction to food will cause great anxiety if not properly attended to (e.g., being cranky due to caffeine deprivation versus feeling panicked because a planned binge is interrupted) Dependence on food will cause minimal interference in other areas of a person’s life, but addiction to food will disturb every aspect (e.g., a love for red wine with dinner versus preferring to eat alone for the sake of overeating) Dependence on food can be controlled at will, but food addiction appears as an unstoppable force in the person’s life (e.g., giving up pizza after noticing slight weight gain versus trying to stick to a healthy eating plan but derailing constantly; having a divided mind that seems to want opposite things) Dependence on food is pleasurable, but food addiction is a torment (e.g., traditional Christmas cookies versus the horror one has that one has eaten the whole box of cookies, coupled with the knowledge that one isn’t done yet) Dependence on food is casual, whereas food addiction appears to the addicted person to be closely tied to his or her identity (e.g., the guilty pleasure of Cheetos versus the shame and feelings of inadequacy that often accompany a binge) Perhaps one of the most important paragraphs is below: (helpful to read the entire article) What happened in this scenario demonstrates what, for many people, is the central issue of food addiction. Bingeing allows the food-addicted person to avoid dealing with threatening emotions (such as his or her perceived failure, powerlessness, or inferiority) by replacing them with guilt and shame, which are also threatening, but in a familiar, almost comfortable way. In the mind of the food-addicted person, the pivotal issue is lack of willpower. But in truth, they are using food to defend themselves against the pain in their life. By facilitating this transfer and avoidance of emotions, food has become a drug, and it is at this point that the food-addicted person needs to seek help. Bingeing has a different meaning for most people. When I was obese I thought it meant that you ate in the closet in the dark with a whole package of Oreos and a gallon of milk. Of course I didn't do that so I didn't think it applied to my behavior. (umm...denial) Finally I realized that my weekend routine of buying a huge Bucket 'O Chicken and locking myself in my apartment from Friday evening until going to work on Monday morning was certainly a form of bingeing. The same thing applied to my Quarter Pounder with Cheese obsession. I'm sure the Dallas quarterly earnings dropped significantly around the time I woke up to my dependence on this junk food. Most importantly please, please, please....do not walk the path of shame. From that same paragraph the very important part of the article... "In the mind of the food-addicted person, the pivotal issue is lack of willpower. But in truth, they are using food to defend themselves against the pain in their life." How sad it is that we are just trying to avoid the pain of life by using food. The problem is that it never works without paying a great price. Ask for help, educate yourself, and know that freedom from this disease is truly possible.

Dependence on food will be habitual, while addiction to food will be somewhat unpredictable (e.g., a morning cup of coffee versus the sudden, inexplicable drive to eat four servings of cheesecake) Dependence on food will have few, if any, emotional causes, but addiction to food is provoked by emotions and circumstances that cause feelings of powerlessness (e.g., a treat to get through a trying day at work versus a binge to avoid focusing on painful thoughts Dependence on food will have few, if any, emotional effects, whereas addiction to food will cause great anxiety if not properly attended to (e.g., being cranky due to caffeine deprivation versus feeling panicked because a planned binge is interrupted) Dependence on food will cause minimal interference in other areas of a person’s life, but addiction to food will disturb every aspect (e.g., a love for red wine with dinner versus preferring to eat alone for the sake of overeating) Dependence on food can be controlled at will, but food addiction appears as an unstoppable force in the person’s life (e.g., giving up pizza after noticing slight weight gain versus trying to stick to a healthy eating plan but derailing constantly; having a divided mind that seems to want opposite things) Dependence on food is pleasurable, but food addiction is a torment (e.g., traditional Christmas cookies versus the horror one has that one has eaten the whole box of cookies, coupled with the knowledge that one isn’t done yet) Dependence on food is casual, whereas food addiction appears to the addicted person to be closely tied to his or her identity (e.g., the guilty pleasure of Cheetos versus the shame and feelings of inadequacy that often accompany a binge) Perhaps one of the most important paragraphs is below: (helpful to read the entire article) What happened in this scenario demonstrates what, for many people, is the central issue of food addiction. Bingeing allows the food-addicted person to avoid dealing with threatening emotions (such as his or her perceived failure, powerlessness, or inferiority) by replacing them with guilt and shame, which are also threatening, but in a familiar, almost comfortable way. In the mind of the food-addicted person, the pivotal issue is lack of willpower. But in truth, they are using food to defend themselves against the pain in their life. By facilitating this transfer and avoidance of emotions, food has become a drug, and it is at this point that the food-addicted person needs to seek help. Bingeing has a different meaning for most people. When I was obese I thought it meant that you ate in the closet in the dark with a whole package of Oreos and a gallon of milk. Of course I didn't do that so I didn't think it applied to my behavior. (umm...denial) Finally I realized that my weekend routine of buying a huge Bucket 'O Chicken and locking myself in my apartment from Friday evening until going to work on Monday morning was certainly a form of bingeing. The same thing applied to my Quarter Pounder with Cheese obsession. I'm sure the Dallas quarterly earnings dropped significantly around the time I woke up to my dependence on this junk food. Most importantly please, please, please....do not walk the path of shame. From that same paragraph the very important part of the article... "In the mind of the food-addicted person, the pivotal issue is lack of willpower. But in truth, they are using food to defend themselves against the pain in their life." How sad it is that we are just trying to avoid the pain of life by using food. The problem is that it never works without paying a great price. Ask for help, educate yourself, and know that freedom from this disease is truly possible.

Lol o crap really hope my feet don't lose to much weight. I was a 6.5 then with the weight gain a 7 and that has to be 7 wide with. I got at least 6 new pair of shoes at size 7. Just figured before the weight gain I was 6.5 so a 7 even if I lose should still..I'm praying fit. Got these killer Coach wedge sneakers Omg lol

Honestly, I think we all compare with each other's results on this journey and I think it can be a bit emotionally damaging especially when we see those large numbers other people are putting out there (congrats to them btw). The problem I have is that I'm not losing 1 or 2lbs per week at all (I wish it were that steady). I'm on this weird stair step trend where I drop a couple pounds, gain a couple, lose some again and then stall for a few weeks. It makes me feel like I'm not doing my personal best and that's the psychological part I've hated about this journey. The diets I'd been on since 2012 had been more of a steady loss so I ended up getting used to that type of weight loss cycle. But this one is taking quite a bit of getting used to for me. Maybe I have some Fluid retention which causes the crazy fluctuations...IDK All in all I'm very happy I got the surgery and wouldn't change a thing. I know that in the long run VSG will help me stay the course and give me the opportunity to bounce back from any future weight gain I may have. I absolutely know for a fact I wouldn't be able to do it on my own if I hadn't gone this route so I'm extremely thankful I could afford to pay for this. Good luck to everyone who's working hard to stay the course and I'm happy to be on this journey with you all!

I'm having the RNY as well. 3 day clear liquid. No weight gain before surgery. I asked my doctor and he said there really are just different views on things and that every individual is different. My liver is not enlarged so I'm good with 3 days. He said if my liver had been enlarged, we would be using a different pre-op plan. Based on what I have read here, there are many factors and philosophies. Size, age, comorbidity factors, pre-op nutrition requirements etc. Just like post-op- none of our experiences will be exactly the same.

I did a clean up. I kept only the basics. The last time I lost a lot of weight (gained it all back) I didn't do a clean up and felt it was ok to have them to fall back on. New you new start. I feel like I'm a newborn. My surgery is mid April and I've lost 25 pounds already on my own. Can't wait for the surgery. Purging is good for the soul!! Screw size 24!!! You'll be buying 10's soon enough! Good luck