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Come to think of it ’m the same!! The last photo of me looking ‘normal’ was the end of Feb was and wearing 33” Jeans. was I don’t know what my weight was before but it must of been around 14-14.5 stone as all my clothes fit (size 33” men’s waist) but now none of my jeans fit and must be about a size 36” waist. Before I never really set to a strict diet, in fact I don’t know how I didn’t put in weight! My housemate is a couple of years younger and eats more than me but he must have a look at higher metabolism as he eats worse and more than Me yet stays around 31”/32” waist and about 12 stone. Does anyone have any ideas as what’s wrong with me and what to do? I read about the pouch reset to shrink the stomach and kick start the metabolism again? Im eating relatively well at the moment also, yesterday breakfast was 3 eggs with 1.5 pieces of sliced toast and butter, some grapes and followed by supper consisting of the follow (rough measurements based off visual inspection of 125g of Halloumi • Grilled Halloumi (125g) • Chop Ham Chunks (100g) • Mixed Salad (Filled base of bowel) • Sweet Chilli Sauce (30ml) The rest the Day I had Tea and nibbles on grapes. Zero exercise apart from walking the dogs (same as before) I never really exercised much apart from the daily dog walk and my weight still hung around 14/14.5 stone. Before the weight gain I would eat loads of rubbish and just slightly less than the average adult at meals but would make up for it in snacks etc. i really don’t know what’s going on It’s like my body just uses all the food as don’t often need to go to the toilet like I used to. Not sure if it’s because I’m eating less post weight gain?!

Hello everyone!! I am back on and in need of some input. I will have my band now for 6 yrs in July. When I first got the band it worked great! For the past couple years I have been at a stall then all of a sudden I began gaining weight.. Knowing that muscle weighs more then fat I am just hoping my weight gain is muscle.. My tummy is big with fat and then with all the muscle back there which I can totally feel my mid section is bigger and my jeans don't fit ;-( this makes me sad and adds to the discouragement. A couple years ago I had issues with high cholesterol and my fibromyagla got really bad. So I began hitting the gym a min of 3 days a week I really got into the gym and to my surprise really enjoyed it. Not at all a fan of cardio and to be honest I detest it!! Anyway I also began doing organic and seriously paying better attn to what I put in my mouth. I do not eat out and I am a great cook thanks to this band. I am not a huge carbs eater other then things that are natural organic carbs, fresh fruits and veggies. I have a 10cc band and it was full to 8 1/2 and it really did take a long time to eat things when I went back home to St Louis in Nov last year my surgeon took out a tiny bit of Fluid did not help ;-( He backed out some because he said it was taking way to long for me to eat things.. I love the surgeon I have here in the So Jersey area however his office staff are a ridiculous bunch of nit wits and that I simply can not deal with!! So I am looking now for a new doctor here in NJ Bottom line here is I eat healthy and I do workout again a min of 3day a week sometimes 4 or 5 days. I have muscles in places I never knew I had them and my pants will not button!! My jeans are tight, my thighs are bigger, my butt is bigger, everything is bigger even the numbers on the scale!! What on earth am I doing wrong I feel now like I am d&*(%^ if I do and if I don't!! I have gotten very discouraged and feel like giving up at this point. I would love to hear some input and thoughts. I think I need to be here again for some great support from all of us who have been there and done that! Thanks Michele

I am exactly two months out from surgery and I've lost over 50 lbs!! I am so excited. I have cheated a couple of times, but I've definitely paid the price...fortunately no weight gain though. However, there is a program called Lindora TLC offered through My Lap Band Journey on Lapband.com. I am very interested in this. I was supposed to start on the 8th but I didn't know it started. Has anyone tried this and had success. Please let me know.

Congrats on this big first step! It's wonderful news that you're able to take decisive action and make such a major decision to improve your life! I'm worried when I hear you say you hope the surgery will make you stop hating yourself. This surgery is a great health improver, but there's no guarantee how you'll feel about yourself afterwards. You could easily end up skinny but unhappy. I'd guess we all come into this with pretty low self image due to all of our previous failures at weight loss. But I would recommend taking some time to understand what's contributed to your self image and weight issues to this point before actually having the surgery. For most people it's not just stomach capacity that led to the weight gain. For those of us using insurance, we had to sit down with a psyche professional and they usually poke around and try to unpack these issues for each of us. Your doctor can probably recommend someone similar that works with MWL patients. I think it'd be a great benefit to you if you reached out to them for some counseling before making your mind up. I hope I don't sound preachy. I would just hate to see you spend all that money and go through everything and end up unhappy. I will pray for you and I hope you get to a really great place!

Hi all. I had my surgery on Jan 16 and am currently one week post op. So far so good! The only issue I've noticed is I can consume anything cold. But down 10 lbs :-) A little back story. I'm 25 and was diagnosed with a hormonal disorder when I was 14. It's caused a lot if weight gain, blood sugar problems, and infertility. I've always been athletic, played volleyball and was a runner most of my school years, but I was always the chunky one. After high school I got married and have been a nanny/homemaker. To no avail, my husband and I have not been able to conceive. So 120 lbs later and countless failed diets, except use routines, and fertility treatments, I am here. I feel good about my decision. I'm hoping to get to know other RNYers and have a support system since my surgeons office is 4 hours away and I won't be able to make the support meetings. I've read so many post and have so much respect for this outlet and the people who bare the souls on here! Hope to get to know y'all Mandi

thanks all for the input, I have tried to limit my carb intake and up my water- im currently at 285. my first weigh in was 276 and my second at 281, I have to weigh in next week for sure im hoping to get back down to 281 so I don't show a gain. I did start birth control so im hoping a note from the doctor may explain some of the weight gain. when is everyone else due to submit to insurance for approval? I would love to be able to talk to others with emblem health!

I was sleeved 12-19-11. I came home 12-21-11 and found out I gained 10 lbs (331 lbs). It finally came off 12-25-11. I did not know about the weight gain. I felt cheated. But today 12-29-11 I weigh 214. I feel better.

Hi everyone, I am not yet banded but after thinking about it for the last year, I want to do it and I am working on insurance approval right now. I am doubtful that they will do it, so if I have to self pay I am sure that won't stop me. I have a 37 BMI with Acid Reflux, depression from the weight gain (I am sure that covers a lot of us and I was gestational insulin dependent diabetic when I was pregant (3yrs ago). I check my sugar and I have had numbers in the 200's-300s at time but it goes pretty low like 78 after eating too so my A1C is I belive .1 away from being considered Type 2 Diabetes but I am taking the Glucophage to keep it down currently. I have Priority Health and you have to have <35BMI and two comorbidities. I am not real hopeful that I will be approved, although my Dr. is.... Anyway I was wondering if anyone is in a similar situation and my biggest battle with keeping the weight off is hunger - the glucophage is helping with that - but I feel hungry all of the time and fighting with that is very hard. Do you feel the banding does a good job with reducing hunger after a while? I have a son turning 3 and a supportive and loving husband that I want to be able to keep up with. I find that my body image/self esteem keeps me from doing so many things that I did before. Well, I hope to learn a lot from everyone here. Thanks and I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday weekend:laugh:

I think alot of people see an initial weight gain right after they get home from the hospital because they've had you on IV fluids continuous and medications can sometimes affect things too. Hang in there, you'll see the scale go down soon.

Hey Melissa. . . I'm new to this site too and am hoping for a mid-Jan. 2010 surgery date (see my doc next week). This site and postings have been very informative. I, too, am very sad and have been for so long . . . losing weight, gaining weight, then starting all over with this rollacoaster....this is not how I want to spend the rest of my life and it sounds like you don't either. Wishing you the best as you make your decision.barbara

Hello everyone! I am super new to this and just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Tricia, and I am a 37 year old mother of 2. My son is out of the house now and about to give my a grandbaby in October! My daughter is a teenager and very supportive of me. I smoke, which is something everyone wants me to give up...but what about the weight gain? Maybe the band will help me with that also. Has anyone else given up smoking after the band? I am very excited about going to see Dr. Spivak on Wednesday. I am also very nervous. I know I am ready for this, but if one more person asks me "Are you really sure you want to go through with it?" I think I will scream. Of course I am ready. I have been overweight since I was in high school well really junior high but very overweight since high school. I am 5'3" tall so 10 pounds looks like 50. I am so tired of looking in the mirror and being disgusted at what I see looking back. I am normally an upbeat person, but I am miserable when it comes to my body. I really hope they approve me for surgery. The only other stomach surgeries I have had are my two babies by c-section. I totaled my BMI and it was 38. I've heard it has to be 40, but on one of the websites I went to it said I was a candidate.(I guess because I'm short!?) Anyway, I feel like if they won't do it because I'm not at 40 I will just cry...fall into a deep depression and eat my way to 40. Not that I want to, but I'm afraid that is what would happen. I want this so bad! Not just to be able to look in the mirror and be happy, but to be healthy for myself and my family. I want to be able to walk normal again, without swelling and pain. I had reconstructive surgery on my ankle about 5 years ago and fusion in 2004. I feel that the more weight I can take off my weak ankle, the more active I can be. One more thing before I go. I have been doing alot of research on doctors close to me. A friend of mine used Dr Spiegel and loves him. I'm sure I would feel the same way, but I have chosen to go with Dr. Spivak. I could not handle the office staff of Dr. Spiegel. After my first emergency surgery on my ankle, I LOVED my doctor. BUT...The office staff there was so rude and uncaring that I would cry on the drive to his office. People need to understand that we are going through a major life change and a little smile goes a long way with some. Sorry this was so long. Good luck to everyone! Love and Laughter, Tricia:nervous

A big hello from Brisbane!! Your doctor is right, your fill will have settled, allowing you to eat more than you could when you were first filled. You will find that your next fill (depending on how much more your doc adds) will make a big difference in your restriction. Your weight loss will be a bit up and down at first. The weight we lose on fluids is a one time deal. We typically never lose weight that fast again. And sometimes, when people go from fluids to solids, there is even a slight weight gain. The trick is to not freak out, and keep eating right and exercising. Congrats! Sam.

Hello I'm new to the forum and thought I'd introduce myself im Bec I'm 31 i live in Australia and I've just booked in to have a lap band in October, I'm so excited to finally be able to shed the kilos, I've tried diet after diet exercised personal trainers you name it I've tried it, I have just also been diagnosed with PCOS and found out my weight gain is caused from that so lapband it is for me I look forward to getting to know you all Bec x

shake the other partner psychologically when one loses weight, gains confidence and starts getting more attention. But the experience taught me that someone who is jealous of something that makes me better, healthier and stronger never had my best interests at heart. Dating after that was a struggle, until I met my current boyfriend six months ago. Most guys got scared because they were afraid to take me to dinner, afraid they would break my new diet resolve, and when they saw a picture of what I used to look like, they started to wonder what would happen if I gained a few pounds again. What else has surprised me about losing weight? No one ever told me that it would upset me when severely obese people get special attention because they choose to be heavy -- like when TV shows feature people who are happy to weigh 600 pounds, or people who post YouTube videos professing love of their excess weight. Don't get me wrong, I think it is great that people are comfortable in their own skin, because many times I'm not always comfortable in my own skin. But for me, being heavy wasn't a choice. So I guess I have a hard time identifying with them. Obesity is debilitating to your health. I used gastric bypass surgery as a tool to save my life so that I wouldn't develop diabetes, have a heart attack at age 35, have a stroke, and to hopefully lower my risk of cancer. Now I have no tolerance for excuses about not being able to eat healthy and exercise. See, here's the bottom line: The biggest thing that no one ever tells you about losing weight is that eventually, the number on the scale no longer matters. What matters is how you feel, how you look and how happy you are. I know at my current weight I am still medically obese, but I have a clean bill of health. Through my bad days and my good days, I am happier now than I have ever been. When I struggle or feel myself about to slip into old habits, I pull out a picture of what I used to look like. And I remind myself that nothing tastes as good as being healthy feels.

TTC lets see. Toronto Transit Commission - no. Tao Te Ching - no. The Tom Tom Club - no. Top Teen of Canada - no. Telecommunication Technology Committee - no. Texas Technological College - no. And the lists goes on-and-on. O.K. you mean "trying to conceive". Congratulations on your weight loss. 208 pounds is fantastic. Generally it is recommended that you not get pregnant during the 12-18 months after surgery because low caloric intake cannot support a pregnancy. But since you are in year 2, it sounds like you have a "green" light. Many individuals become more fertile after weight loss surgery. It is important to gain some weight during pregnancy for the health of the little one. You should be able to lose this weight after delivery, provide the weight gain is from good foods with plenty of Protein and Vitamin C.

I have had a weight problem for over 10 years. It started out with just 20-30 pounds over weight but as I grew older and stressed I ate more and more. I would lose weight but I never maintained the loss. The biggest gain for me started about 3 years ago when I made the decision to move away from my family for my career. At first I was okay no weight gain but as I began missing my family the more I pulled away from the life I had created away from home and would dwell on how much I missed home. That's when I started eating more and more. Before I knew it I was 70 lbs heavier. I tried Zumba and walking to get the weight off but somehow I ended up with a cyst on my knee. Walking or even bending my knees have become painful. In Jan 2013 I made the decision to change careers and move back home. I started getting interviews quickly and was able to obtain a job doing exactly what I wanted for a great company. So that brings me to now. I'm happy again but now I have all this weight that is still here. My blood pressure is only maintained with medicine. I received a call from True Results to check to see if I qualified for insurance to cover it. (I had tried once before but didn't have a high enough BMI). On July 30th I went in to my appointment expecting to go home disappointed but I left with the goal of an early September surgery date. Insurance approved my surgery late August for September 19th. I am not sure my goal weight yet I would like to be down to 140 from 269 but I'm not sure if that's too much. I'm excited and nervous but ready. I still haven't told many people that I'm doing the surgery. I have some friends that I knew would support me that I told but I have others that are overweight and are content. They will not understand that for my health it's the right option. This is long winded. I started writing and I just couldn't stop.

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!

I agree with everything that has been said here so far - no one is the perfect patient. (Well, maybe this elusive unicorn is out there, but fear not, sister - you are in good, imperfect company!) I agree with other folks that have said that this weight gain is not really an embarrassment, so much as a hiccup. You absolutely DESERVE to get back on track. You are worth it, right? RIGHT. :-) The best thing to conquer the disgust you feel with yourself and your depression is to get out of the pattern of having no control over your band, and get some professional help! If your Doc or surgeon is not available, find someone who is. Make some calls, get on the web, do some research... the moment you begin to take this matter into your own hands, the faster a solution will present itself and the better you will be able to sleep at night. We are cheering you on! Keep us posted...!

For all you single ladies out there, or ones in relationships that could be better... And even the married ones. This topic applies to all of us women who may have lost touch or never understood how to value ourselves. I've been doing a lot of thinking about self worth, what to look for in a potential partner, and how to make sure I respect myself and demand respect from others. When is was younger, I settled for men who were not good enough to be with. I did have standards for myself and I knew what I wanted in a man, but I never went for that. After a series of boyfriends who didn't respect me I settled for the first man to get serious about me. And that led to years of an unhappy and abusive relationship. Being overweight young, or simply struggling with insecurity, sets us up for bad relationship choices. As I gained weight my standards for myself and what I would put up with only got worse. There is a fear that one is not worthy of love from a high value person. Only the broken men made me feel comfortable because I was so insecure. I'm setting out to change this. I recently got into a relationship with a person far below my worth and dropped my standards for myself almost immediately for him. After surviving my 8 years of hell with my kids dad and losing all this weight, here I was again in the same situation!! This needs to end. I am creating a list of "standards" for myself based on how I want to be treated, what i will and won't do in a dating situation, the values I must have in another person and the reasons I deserve these things. I'm building a framework for my own worth and self confidence to keep myself reminded that in my search for a partner, there is a destination in mind. After losing so much weight I feel like a different person. I won't repeat the patterns of insecurity that ultimately led to my unhappiness and weight gain. I want to set the bar high and this time, no settling for less than Im worth in love and life. I know it's up to me to set the standards by which I'm treated!

Congratulation on your surgery! No worries. All normal. Weight gain immediately after surgery happens--lots of excess fluids are in your body.

I weighed on my one week post opt day and had gained 4 pounds. I have had nothing but liquids, I believe it may have been because I had not had a bowl movent after surgery, I have now, will weigh at surgens on Friday. I am expecting some loss.

Yes those numbers are correct. But, I only had a total of 60 lbs to lose prior to surgery. I lost 25 w/i about 2-3 months but it has slowed since.When band was too tight I was eating higher calorie "slider foods" that caused the weight gain. In addition, I am too indulgent at social settings and that is my biggest obsticle b/c I tell myself "I deserve It" problem is I am very social!!!! I need to stop lying to myself. I know what I have to do...I just have a hard time actually doing it in this environment. I m having no issues with the surgery itself, I truly beleive in this surgery. I don't even feel as though I have had any procedure in terms of after effects, side effects etc. It is absolutely the best thing I have done for my weight and health issues. Biggest perk: being satisfied with less food/weight loss. Biggest drawback: not a big one but probably the scars. Back on track and I feel terrific

When I got pregnant, my band tightened. It became hard to eat so I had to get a slight unfill. I had 1.5 cc's taken out. I had lost 10 pounds in a month without much morning sickness. It just depends on you and what your surgeon thinks. My surgeon told me they don't normally do unfills unless there is a problem. I definitely had a problem. Especially since I was already at goal. For me to lose more weight wasn't good. Now I am on a normal weight gain path with my pregnancy and am still eating healthy. Just make sure you keep your surgeon and you OB in the loop with everything. They can both be amazingly helpful! Congrats on your pregnancy!

Did everything go smoothly? I am in the same situation. I have been approved but the surgeon's office cancelled my surgery due to 15 lb weight gain since August. They are requiring me to lose the weight before they will put me back on the schedule. This would be fine if I wasn't starting a new job in a couple of months and NEEDING to have surgery done before I start. It's either now or wait another 6 months and that is out of the question. It took me 6 months of a preop diet, another month before I got insurance approval, scheduled a month out only to be taken off the schedule a week before my surgery date. Taking 3-4 weeks to lose the 15 lbs and waiting a month before surgery will kill my timeline. I feel like I need to get the ball rolling with another surgeon ASAP. I really don't have time to wait. I have BC/BS of Michigan. Please help!

Hey y'all, I had my sleeve on the 5th of this month and everything was great. I lost 15lbs in the first week but now I've stepped on the scale and it says I'm up five pounds. I've been drinking the Protein shakes and having a few sips of Soup. I haven't tried to sneak any Cookies or cakes or anything but this is super disheartening. Is this a normal thing where it takes your body a little bit to get used to the fact that you only have a small portion of your stomach? My step-mom said it happened to her but it's still disappointing. My expectation are all out of whack because even if I did gain and my scale isn't wrong 10lbs is still great. Let me know if you've had a similar experience.