Search the Community

I had one a few years ago but had weight gain because I had to eat so much for my pregnancy but I am thinking of doing a revision soon! Everything will be great! GO for short walks every day after your surgery twice a day. Helps with gas, pain and healing! dont cheat on the after diet, it will hurt so bad! and take your vitamins and protein ❤️ also always stop eating before your stuffed even after you start being able to eat more

This story has a beginning, but the end is still nowhere in sight. I am the oldest of three kids. My mother is one of those breathtaking, exotic beauties that you just can't help but admire. My father was a handsome man—full of life. We were adorable children—happy and content. I looked like my Dad, but was starting to look like Mom every day. The happiness didn't last. When Dad left, depression took over and I had no one to talk to besides my siblings, who were too young to confide in. That's when my brother and sister and I discovered how comforting food was. Through the years my body grew out as well as up, and I noticed something. My brother and sister where growing up to be beautiful, slender people, and I got fat. Really fat. To this day I still don't understand how genetics can bless two siblings and curse the other, but that is my lot in life. I hated my body and as the years extended into adolescence and adulthood, the hatred toward my excess fat turned into self-loathing, which led to more weight gain and more fat, more tears, and more heartbreak. I couldn't stand the person I had become, but through years of dieting and killing myself trying to do extreme workouts and diets, I decided to just accept the perceived fact that I would always be fat, sad, and alone. It seemed the only person who truly understood my heartache was my cousin, sister, and EC (Eternal Companion,) MexicanGirl. She was going through the same thing. We loved each other, supported each other, confided in each other, and yes, ate together and got fatter together. Then it came. The worst day of my life.The day Dad died, my heart failed. The wind was taken out of my lungs and with it, my will to live. I sunk into the deepest, blackest despair. I cried every night and prayed to God that he would take me home to be with my Dad before I woke up in the morning. If it weren't for MexicanGirl, I don't think I would be alive right now writing this. When I woke up, I was bursting out of all of my clothes and I didn't recognize myself in pictures. I thought back to when I lost Dad. More than anything, I want to be a wife and a mother. I didn't see myself getting there, and even if that miracle did happen, I couldn't bear the thought of my own daughter holding my hand as I die too young and not having the heart to let go until rigor mortis set in and she has to pry her hand out of mine like I did with Dad. I knew I needed to break the cycle. I knew that if I kept going down this path, I would become a diabetic like Dad and die too early. I had to stop it. I researched more diets and exercise programs. Nothing felt right. I knew I would fail them all. Then one day at church, I heard this new girl in the pew in front of me talking to my other cousin about her upcoming marriage. I didn't know here, but I felt very strongly that I needed to introduce myself and offer to design her wedding invitations. Her name is Katie, and we quickly became friends. She told me that she was getting weight loss surgery in a few days. I was intrigued. I stewed over this new thought for a while—even did a little research and dreamed about someday being able to afford something like that. I was impressed with how quickly she was losing weight. One night, MexicanGirl and I were at Walmart and Katie called wanting to hang out. She came to Walmart. They where introduced and we stood right there in the plus-size clothing section talking about her experiences with the Gastric Sleeve. I felt something. I didn't know what, but now I know it was a glimmer of hope. I thought about it over and over. I was a woman obsesed. Finally I turned to my EC about my feelings and to my pleasant surprise, she felt the same way. We decided we were going to take serious measures to research the sleeve to see if it was right for us. We spent hours reading and watching other people's stories on YouTube. We invited Katie out for Breakfast. She brought us her Kaiser Bariatric Surgery program binder and ansered all our questions. That day, we knew. We had to do this! MexicanGirl called her doctor that day and scheduled her intro class. I was still waiting to get approved for medical insurance, but I went with her to her intro class. She was referred into the Kaiser South Sacramento Bariatric program and we went to her orientation together. We decided not to undergo the sleeve and opted for the RNY Gastric Bypass instead. Shortly after I was able to get into Kaiser and on March 26th, 2014, We met our Surgeons! MexicanGirl got Dr. Neuhouse and I got Dr. Grinberg. At my orientation, I clocked in at my highest weight ever, 287! I lost 5 pounds right away which gave me a start weight of 283. Dr. Grinberg congratulated me on my loss and told me I needed to lose 15 more pounds and get down to 268 before I could schedule a surgery date. We were given a 1200 calorie diet to follow and that day we went to Ihop for a meal of pancakes and got started. The first ten pounds came off pretty easily. We ate right, we walked, we did Turbo Jam, we attempted yoga (owie!) and tried Zumba. I moved in with MexicanGirl so we could support each other, as neither of our families understood our struggles. MexicanGirl's weight melted right off and before we knew it, she was below her pre-op goal weight. The last five pounds were murder for me. It was going so slow! One day, I gained .8 pounds on the doctor scale. I was so upset! I cried and felt like a failure, but MexicanGirl gave me the kick in the pants I needed. I called my nutritionist who told me that I was doing e everything right and to stop kicking myself over less than a pound. Two days later I was 267! As MexicanGirl was already below her goal weight, we were both able to get our surgery dates. One June 16th, 2014, we are BOTH getting the Gastric Bypass surgeries that we so desperately need! For the first time in my life, my future looks bright. I am looking forward to getting healthy. I want to run, jump, and dance. I want to go on hikes without feeling like I'm going to drop dead. I am going to meet my future husband and my body won't make me feel unworthy of him. I will have children, and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. When i am old, and wise, I will greet death like and old friend, because it will be my time. My children will not bury me prematurely. I am grateful to my Heavenly Father for making this available to us. I know my Daddy is looking down and me and is rooting me on! June 16th, here I come!

Too much protein can lead to weight gain according to my NUT

I too, feel I have a leak, though I feel I have had mine since day one. I have not lost more than 5 llbs, since my May 19, 2010 surgery. I kept going back to my dr and they never offered to do anything. They kept telling me that the band wasn't a cure and it is a tool only. I kept telling them that something was wrong and I am not loosing the weight. Finaly in November, I told them to take out all the Fluid. I was 2 cc short. They told me that they could have missed. GREAT! Now, I don't know what I have in. They gave me a total of 8 ccs and a week later I was back because it was too much. I have a VERY slow leak. After 8months of the medical people telling me that it was me and I am not eating right, I made appointment with another Dr., and before I even saw them, they asked for an upper GI. I have a nice band with NO restriction. Even I could see that the band is just sitting there doing nothing, did not slow the birium drink at all. Then dr doing the procedure, the tech and me all saw it do NOTHING!!! My symptoms consist of very, very little restriction and weight gain. I currently weight 5 lbs more then I did at surgery day. I work out and try to watch what I eat, but to be honest, I was loosing more on Atkins and no band. What happens now?? I don't know what I am going to do now. What about you?

Hi I can relate to your story. I’ve been diagnosed with PCOS . I had my first child no problem but due to extra weight gain I’m not having regular periods and ovulation is difficult. I’m going to have sleeve operation in September/October loose the excess weight so I can conceive naturally

You're still filled with fluids from surgery - you likely gained several pounds just from that. The only thing you should be concerned about is healing and getting in Water and any liquid nourishment you're able to tolerate. Weight gain/loss is meaningless right now. Stay off the scale for at least the next few weeks unless you can accept that your body's priority right now is healing and that may mean lots of changes in weight - fluctuations up and down are really and truly pointless to worry about until later.

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

I know exactly how you feel. I am 55lbs away from my goal when I found out I was pregnant. I have not been on the scale in over a week and I am afraid to do so. I find I don't know what even to eat anymore. My weight is already beginning to shift to my front. My tummy is already getting bigger. And I am terrified and mortified all at the same time. It is a head game. It is hard to switch your mind it to the "its ok if I gain weight" mode. I gained 18lbs with my last pregnancy. That would be all well in good if I hadn't started out at 214lbs. Not sure if I have any advice just to say that I understand and you are extremely lucky to be only 6lbs away from your goal weight. the truth is, you won't gain 67lbs this time, and what you do gain will hopefully be gone shortly after your blessed event. And then, if you breast feed you will lose those 6lbs in no time. I have decided to not weigh myself except for once a week. Maybe. Hang in there, and I can tell you that if the morning (noon and night) si!ckness hits you, you won't care about the weight gain. You will eat whatever makes you feel better!! LOL Good luck and congrats on the baby

Thanks for the info, @mayasmomma. I take it for medical necessity, not birth control. I had lost 74 pounds a couple of years ago - and almost as soon as I got the shot - my weight shot right back up and brought friends! I had no idea what was going on or why I was gaining weight until afterwards, and someone told me that Depo was problematic! Ugh. I was so upset! I cannot take traditional birth control pills any longer because I've had pulmonary emboli and DVT, and they've tried me on a range of other pills, none have been successful in controlling my menstrual problems. The Depo shot was like a Godsend. Until I found out about the weight gain, of course! It's a certain type of hormone I have to have in certain doses. I will talk to my gyno about it, however - maybe there's something else I can take! As much as I hate it, I'm terrified to come off of the Depo!

It's good to use the fear of weight gain to keep you on track. You are working your plan. The scale will move in your favor again.

Ok My pre surgery weight was 245.. Pre-Pre pregnancy weight 160lbs 10 weeks pregnant 148 down 12 lbs due to being way to tight and morning sickness 14 weeks pregnant 152 lbs up 4lbs 18 weeks pregnant 160lbs up 8 lbs (back to pre pregnancy weight) 22 weeks pregnant 170lbs up 10lbs:blink: (got an unfil at 19 weeks) Current weight at 25 weeks pregnant 178lbs :thumbup: im still watching what i eat but keep gaining i dont know what to do!??! please help me! what have you ladies gained?

Hi all, I'm having the surgery done on the 10th. I've gained 5 lbs in about a week/week 1/2. I'm worried that if it's so easy for me to gain weight (I have a friend that is too thin and can't put on weight no matter how hard she tries), will it stay the same after the surgery? Does your body chemistry completely change after? I don't plan on having a feast or anything after But I am concerned I will be able to gain easily like I am now... Has anyone else had this issue too?

I've had that pain twice in my life. Once from weight gain. Second time from stress. First time from added weight from pregnancy. Went away after I lost the preg weight gain. 2nd time I was very stressed. Work and home. Missed my parents, had not seen them in four years. They came to visit and I was very happy to see them. The pain disappeared the 2nd day of their stay. I would bet that you have an excellent chance of the pain going away after your weight loss. Sent from my Z970 using Tapatalk

If you're on a stall, and especially if you have a lot of salt so as to pick up water weight, you can see some minor temporary weight gain.

I was banded almost 3 years ago. I actually reached my pre-band goal. I wore a size 10... ok, maybe it was only for a day or two.. but i did get size 10 on my butt. THEN... I gave up the other butts. I quit my 2 1/2 pack a day smoking habit after 25 years. (started when i was bairly a teen) I've gained 30 pounds in 9 months since quitting. I have good restriction. I suck at dieting. I joined weight watchers, thought i had a great week.. I gained a half a pound. I feel huge again. I'm only down 30 pounds from my banding weight. I don't eat much. I just make the same bad choices too often. Tell me there's hope?????

Hi fellow N.C.ers! I've got so many questions my head is spinning. I'm trying to weigh all my options. I'm in process of getting a job as a state employee and hopefully it will be soon. I am currently being tested and having physicals required for the job process. So although it looks like the job is in the bag, I'm not on the payroll yet. Before all this came about, I was contemplating going to Mexico for the surgery.Now that this job is on the horizon, I may take the insurance route. The only thing about that is the anexiety of all I may have to go through with the ins. co. : diet documentation, testing etc. I've read so many post from people that have problems and delays from ins, so much so that it makes the Mexico deal seem more appealing. However, if I go with the Mexico, then theres the aftercare delimas. Bottom line is I'm as ready as I'll ever be physically and emotionally right now. I have been sorting all that out a long time. My biggest delima is that I want to do something within the next few months. I struggle with weight gain, it is hard just to maintain and not gain. I want to do something before they have to make my back door bigger so I can get out and go anywhere for surgery. Yes, that is an exaggeration of the situation, but that is how urgent it feels to me. Anyone with any advice or information would be greatly appreciated. thanks for reading and Happy New Year to all.....and God Bless

I am 5 months post op and at a weight where I can finally run again without hurting my joints. I can run a mile without stopping which is a sheer miracle. I absolutely love running but I'm afraid now that I am consistent with it, I will begin to gain muscle and I may gain weight. I know that's dumb. How do you battle the scale and weight loss while also working out and building muscle? I don't know why but I'm so afraid I'll stop losing weight. I have 25 pounds to go, so I know I'm close and I don't want to mess it up!

I am currently 11 months post op and sitting at 56kgs and pre op I was 102kgs. I find that no matter what I do or what I try I can’t stop the weight loss and I’m starting to feel and look unhealthy. Has any had this issue and tried any shakes or supplements to help gain a few kgs, because my food consumption is so low there is no chance of myself gaining a few kgs back that way

1- Fruit. I'm out 16 months from surgery and started to incorporate fruits back into my diet. My mistake was doing it via smoothies. This lead to a six pound gain in a week and a half. I stopped the smoothies and lost the weight. Eat the fruit whole, smoothies incorporate a large amount of fruit that I wouldn't have eaten if I ate them whole. 2- Coffee- I started coffee at six months. Be careful as coffee is a diuretic and will cause you urinate thus losing the liquids you need to be healthier. 3- Life after WLS- It's a good life but not utopia. You'll revel at the rapid weight loss and then you'll realize that you will need to work to keep it off. It does not stay off all by itself you will need to have a plan of action in order to keep the weight off. A simple act like drinking fruit smoothies gave a weight gain so , you see it's a thing that you will need to keep an eye on. If you're healthy now just think how healthy you'll be after the weight is lost. Good luck and I wish you and everyone on these boards the best.

Hi, Weight gain / weight loss is such a psychological roller-coaster. It's easy to eat the wrong things. I think we're testing our limits as far as what we can eat & still lose weight with so we grab the quickest thing, which is typically not the healthiest option. As for staying motivated overall, you need to remember why you did this surgery in the first place. Why did you want to have it? What was the final straw that made you say, that's it, I need WLS. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength. Contact your NUT for advice, or find a bariatric dietician that can help you re-focus your energy on eating the right things. I don't think doing something drastic, like going back to week 1, is the best idea, because you'll feel like you're depriving yourself. Call the Dr/ the NUT, and get advice on how to proceed. You need help, and seeing this now, before things gets worse is the best thing you can do. It's not even so much gaining weight back, or not losing any more, but making sure you eat healthy & get the needed nutrition you're body needs. The last thing you want is to suffer for weight related health issues. Good luck sweetie!

A sudden weight gain might be pointing to an underlying new condition (hypothyroidism or the like). Be sure to explore/rule out a physical cause. If you've just let yourself go, then getting back to basics will help. Protein, nonstarchy veggies, limited carbs, vitamins, non-caloric beverages. Good luck!

Don't forget that as you exercise you are building muscle, which will give you a little weight gain. Drink lots of water and don't drink when you eat. Stop focusing on the scale and just enjoy your day. It will come off whether you stress about it or not.

I have gained 2 pounds. I know it sounds like nothing but I seem to be able to eat a lot and whatever I want. I think I am not filled enough. Any suggestions?

Hello, I will be banded on April 16th. I'm doing it for the same reasons you mentioned. Lose weight, gain it back plus some. I'll bet that next to the secondary medical and health issues associated with obesity, most people have been banded because they too have struggled with the yo-yo diets and frustration of losing weight and then regaining with added pounds. Check with your insurance to see if the surgery is covered and what the criteria is. Straight up; what it all boils down to is Banding is forced portion control for those of us who are unable to reach and maintain a healthy weight on our own. I confess, I fit into that category and I know the consequences of my current weight, so I'm happy to have this surgical option. Best wishes!

So two weeks ago I had brachioplasty, I had a substantial unfil per my lb doctors suggestion to decrease risk for aspiration. Prior to this I was super tight & hit 120 weight loss bringing me 14 lbs from my goal weight. Immediatly after surgery I weighed myself & had a 13 lb weight gain. I know it was all fluid. So I decided to have my husband hide my scale & just let myself focus on healing noy my weight. So 2 weeks later & I'm up 23 lbs!!!!! Ahhhh!!!! I realize my eating has not been the greatest. I have indulged a bit to much. Pizza, steak, bread... things I haven't ate in about 10 months. I'm disappointed in myself:( I feel like a failure & that I haven't overcome my battle with food in the slightest. A combination of being able to eat anything & not being able to exercise has taken a hefty toll & quick! So my plastic surgeon has cleared me for light exercise as long as I don't work up a heavy sweat, my incision in my armpit is gaping & needs resutured. Tonight I did go for a mile walk & tomorrow I'm checking my eating habits. Tracking my calories & staying away from fast food! So I asked my husband tonight to unhide my scale...t hey refused & told me he doesn't want me obsessing over it. I'm kinda pissed @ him & am half tempted to go buy a new one!