Search the Community

I had my surgery August 6th. I wasn't nervous about the surgery because it was #6 for me. I was nervous about the changes, but I don't regret it for onesingle moment. The first few days have been a little rough, but nothing compared to dying an inch at a time. That is what the weight gain felt like to me. Slowly loosing energy and mobility, being a slave to food,feeling like people were constantly staring and judging. Now I feel like I am back in control of my life, living it for me and my familiy. That is what prompted my decision to be sleeved and that is the decision I will stand on. Good luck to you and may you have a blessed and speedy recovery!

Insurance may cover removal of excess abdominal skin if it causes infections or rashes that do not repsond to medication over a period of months. Keep in mind that a simple skin removal (panniculectomy) is a far cry from a nicely done abdominoplasty. My website has links to many of the INS companies plans a criteria, plus some useful tips for getting coverage: http://www.drlomonaco.com/plastic-surgery-patient-resources.shtml As for pregnancy, I have a number of young patients who are not comfortable with themselves, much less another person, while undressed. Some have never even dated. For these individuals, a tummy tuck prior to pregnancy is a good option. In general, a tummy tuck will "undo" some of the result, but most patients will never re-develop the amount of skin they had after massive weight loss...assuming their pregnancy weight gain is normal.

Nope, never heard of that one. I'd be interested to hear where he's getting that information, and what part of VSG, losing weight, gaining health, increasing your heart health is the contributing factor to an increase of lung collapse.

I get so much pride and joy out of the smallest things that exercise gives me - for instance, I have unfortunately beein in and out of hospitals SO much this year, exercise sure didnt stop me getting cancer (but statisticaly, it WILL minimise the chances of recurrence) but I love getting my blood pressure and pulse taken - everyone always is amazed at ninety someting on fifty something and a pulse of 44, and comments that I'm either already dead or very fit. I like knowing that at least if my digestive system is genetically doomed, I can fight it with my good health and I am sure not going to risk my cardiovascular health knowingly through laziness and inertia. I never would have recovered as quickly as I did and coped with the treatment as well as I did without being so fit - and it was pretty hard, I've got to say, but could have been SO much worse. It was my coping mechanism all through those bleak months of treatment, it really helped to keep me sane. Not that that's all good - I mean I've managed to absolutely deplete my body's Iron stores, given that I'm menopausal and dont lose blood that way, its most likely that my insane 15kms runs whilst having chemo has used up everything my body had. I'm a bit obsessive like that and its important to learn when to take it a bit easy - yes, I'm taking it a little easier now. With regard to the weight gain from exercise, I feel like you do. I just like to see an ultra low weight on the scales and I am not interested in being muscular/curvy and a bit heavier BUT I got skeletal earlier in the year and I knew how important it was to put back muscle, not fat, so I pulled my finger out, ran less and did a lot of Body Pump and got the weight to go on over a period of six months. I've gained back about 10lb but I have not gone up even an inch around my waist, all my skinny jeans fit, and I look much better but still thin, so muscle weight is good weight, it is not something to worry about. Exercise is about a lot more than just weight loss, but the person who can lose 150lb and get down to a BMI of under 25 without some pretty hard and dedicated exercise is one in a million. More often, people lose but only a bit of their excess weight and they have a lot more trouble keeping it off.

Hi Everyone VSG done in November 2012--followed by a total hip replacement that Spring. My chronic hip pain is due to congenital hip dysplasia (second surgery for the other hip yet to be scheduled). I am only 49! Ugh. Initially lost about 60 lbs after my WLS, but have since gained 8# since this past Fall and loooooong, cold, snowy winter here in Boston. I put myself back on track for the past week after dragging out the scale (did not get on this thing all winter long out of fear and presumed weight gain) I've reinsituted a Protein drink or two a day, along with more fluids, more sleep, and omitting all simple carbs. I mean, who was I kidding right? You can"t eat slider foods, overindulge in chocolate and wine and NOT expect to gain weight! I guess I just need to know that others have been in this spot and have climbed out of this self induced pity pot so I won't feel so alone in this. The good news, is that in the past week, I've lost 4 of the 8 gained. (I know it's Water loss, etc but still pretty happy I am seeing the scale go in the other direction! Thanks for reading this and I am glad to be back on this forum and getting real with myself. If you too, have been through this, I would love to hear your struggle and what tips or strategies worked well for you.

Not been there yet, but I see lots of stories like yours -- reversing a small weight gain -- on this forum.

I have been on Antidepressants for years. I have tried zoloft, prozac, wellbutrin, effexor and now Pristiq. Some of these caused weight gain, well probably most of them. The Effexor was probably the worst. I had other side effects from Effexor. Since being on Pristiq, which I know is just an updated version of effexor, a lot of the symtoms have gone away. So they must have somehow improved on the drug. The pills are small enough that there is no problem getting it down. I am on a fairly low dose, the lowest I've been on in years.

Thank you, DJMohr. I do eat slowly & I do drink a lot of water. Mind you it's flavoured with crystal lite. My issues are grazing & meds. I graze on carbs...millennium mix from nut mans. I am on a lot of antidepressants, & hormones for menopause. These all add to my weight gain. On blood pressure meds too now. I would love to get off of these!! That's why I was thinking the sooner than later might be best for me & why I am even considering paying what is a fortune to me. Getting off these meds would help immensely. That & the grazing of course....

So I was advanced to purée food on Thursday. And I know how bad it is to step on the scale everyday, but I have been because i want to see results. Now I have heard of stalls within 2-3 weeks out post op but I haven't heard of weight gain. Within the first week I lost a good 12lbs but within the second week the weight has slowly been creeping back up. A total of 2lb within the 1 1/2 week. I have been going to the gym and lifting slight weights (doctor approved). I would be happy at a stall (staying the same weight) vs. gaining. I know people say you can't compare yourself to the next person but it would be nice to know that someone else went through this and passed through it too. I'm sure you guys must know how scary it can be to step on the scale and see the weight going up after all you just went through. It's scary to think this too might not work for you... Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

You're married, you're a mother and what does that mean? That you're no longer officially a woman? You've already done that one by bloating up, but you decided to give it up by losing weight. Men look at women. It's one of the things they do. Do you know that you're looking, too? How else would you notice that you're being noticed? If it really makes you want to turn and run, you'll be doing a lot of running and very little in the way of getting errands completed. As you continue losing, will it get 'worse?' You'll be noticed more? I promise it isn't terminal. It sounds, from your telling, that something changed when you were younger, hence, the weight-gain. You once were comfortable in your own body, but then hid it away under extra weight. Lots of people, women and men, have to adjust emotionally to losing weight and all that goes with it. You may have other things going on that compound it. Consider seeing a therapist, preferably one with knowledge of body issues. Your losing weight is a gift to yourself. It would be a shame not to enjoy it.

I have gained a bit of weight back, and I have to admit that it's hard not to freak out completely. I was reading up on post wls weight gain and came across this procedure. Have any of you used it? I am thinking it would be very extreme for the amount of weight I've gained. But I am curious.... http://gastro.ucla.edu/site.cfm?id=321

I am a 75 year old male that weighed 420 pounds when I first considered lapband surgery. My original consultation was to be in September 2008 but was interupted by a hospital stay and the consultation was postponed to December. While in the hospital, I was on a restrictive diet and lost weight. I decided to maintain a 12-1400 calorie diet upon release and have continued to lose weight. I know weigh 352 pounds. I am completing the pre operation tests and have an appointment with the surgeon the end on March and I assume a surgery date could be set at the time. I know the arguments that weight loss after dieting is usually followed by weight gain, but I feel very motivated by my results to date and am debating not going ahead with the surgery. To date, my diabetes, kidney and heart have all improved with the weight lost to date I am intersted in hearing from older memebers as how the judge the lapband proceedure and are there others who were able to reject the operation after positive diet results

I've had a pretty major flare-up of my ulcerative colitis which resulted in me getting severely dehydrated on Wednesday and ending up in the ER for an EKG, fluids and bloodwork. All was OK except the dehydration, so I was sent home with strict orders for gatorade, a potassium drink supplement for 10 days (YUCK) and my gastroenterologist prescribed me a 5-week course of prednisone. I'm hoping the prednisone works quickly because the flare-up is pretty miserable and has kept me from working out for close to a month. My weight loss has stayed pretty consistent but I expect that the pred will cause some temporary water-weight gain and facial swelling, so I'm preparing myself for looking like the "old me" for a bit. I know any weight gain will drop right off when I taper down from the pred, but I reserve the right to be whiny for a while about this. Carry on!

Two things are possible, and one of them was my story as well. First possibility: I lost about 20 lbs during pre-op as well (2 weeks), and that makes it more likely that a stall will occur right away after surgery. It will pick up again, I promise. Second possibility: you may have gotten a lot of Fluid in the hospital from the IV...this initial would cause weight gain that can take up to a week to completely get out of your system. So, you may have lost some fat already, but until you completely lose the excess fluid weight, you will not see a net loss.

BMI Doesn't Tell The Whole Story, Health Risks Begin In Overweight Range 6/9/09 Being overweight is a health concern, and using only body mass index (BMI) to determine weight classification may not give an accurate picture of a person's health, according to an advisory published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. About one-third of the U.S. population is overweight - the middle range between normal weight and obesity. Overweight in adults is a BMI of 25.0 to 29.9. BMI is a numerical value of weight in relation to height. Studies that examined the relationship between overweight (as measured by BMI) and risk of death from all causes (often referred to as total mortality) have had contradictory results. However, considering death from all causes overlooks the role that overweight may play in the development of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Even among the young, overweight is related to the development of serious risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as high blood pressure, obesity, elevated levels of cholesterol and type 2 diabetes. Part of the problem with quantifying the true impact of overweight lies in the way it's commonly measured, say the experts. The widely-used body mass index doesn't distinguish between fat mass which is related to important health concerns - such as type 2 diabetes - and lean mass, including muscle, which reduces health risks. Also, BMI does not directly measure the distribution of fat, such as whether there is greater fat at the waist than at the hips, which may be more detrimental to health. Focusing on the relationship between total mortality and BMI misses the "larger picture," the statement said. "This larger picture includes important relationships between BMI and other health outcomes, such as cardiovascular disease and its risk factors," said Cora E. Lewis, M.D., M.S.P.H., lead author of the advisory and professor of medicine and public health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. "Arguably, the most important relationship among the cardiovascular disease risk factors is diabetes, which is significantly more common in overweight than in normal-weight people." The advisory recommends doing research on overweight and health, beyond studies that focus solely on the relationship between total body mass index and risk of death. "Meanwhile, we cannot afford to wait for this research to begin addressing the problem of overweight in our patients and in our society," write the advisory authors. An increasing number of children are overweight, which puts them at risk for developing higher than normal blood pressure, blood cholesterol and blood sugar. "Weight gain is progressive and weight loss difficult. Although a young child is unlikely to have a heart attack, overweight children are likely to become overweight or obese adults, which puts them at risk for cardiovascular events as they mature. Achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight is of high importance for all Americans," said Lewis. Physical inactivity and excess weight increase risk of death and other adverse health outcomes; so overweight and obese persons in particular would benefit from adopting a physically active lifestyle and healthy eating habits. Advisory co-authors include Kathleen M. McTigue, M.D., M.P.H.; Lora E. Burke, Ph.D., M.P.H.; Paul Poirier, M.D., Ph.D.; Robert H. Eckel, M.D.; Barbara V. Howard, Ph.D.; David B. Allison, Ph.D.; Shiriki Kumanyika, Ph.D., M.P.H.; and F. Xavier Pi-Sunyer, M.D. Author disclosures are available on the manuscript. Source: Maggie Francis American Heart Association

I am 1 year out from the vertical or gastric sleeve. I chose this for several reasons. I had gained weight due to another health issue, where I had to take medications that caused a long term(10 years) weight gain of 75 lbs. I am still on some of these meds so weight loss continues to be an issue with me. Although I do not regret the decision to have wt. loss surgery, I do think I made a mistake in the type I chose. It is permanent-which seemed a good thing at the time, It is advertised as lowering your hunger-it does not, I am extremely hungry often, but am only able to eat very small portions, while drinking next to nothing during meals. I no longer can enjoy meals or activities surrounding get-togethers involving food. I become extremely uncomfortable quickly-often having to lie down somewhere until I recover. I have adjusted by eating very little in groups & not at all at work. Yes, I have lost weight but only 40 lbs so far. I experience GI difficulties all the time. Nausea, and worst is the gas-all the time-noisy like nothing I have had or experienced other than through teen-age movie antics. I am always uncomfortable worrying I will embarrass myself in this way. I would strongly suggest to anyone thinking of this to do the lap-band instead! I know people who have had this successfully & wish that I had one. It can be removed. I am stuck with this altered stomach-an organ that cannot be replaced & I did this to myself. I have no problem with wt. loss surgery itself. My recovery was uneventful. But, if I could go back & have the choice over I certainly would! I am depressed in a way that I wasn't prior to the surgery. Does anyone have a similiar experience or know of solutions to make me more comfortable?

Ahhhh. Hugs and more hugs to you! Reading your thoughts above, you have a very full plate right now and “Ideally, want to finish your studies and then get the surgery”. Repeatedly you express this wish. You deserve to complete your studies uninterrupted, so then you can devote more focus to your next life milestone, WLS. IMHO, I wholeheartedly agree on that strategy. I finished my master’s at age 40 while working full time and recall the dedication, focus and discipline required to keep it all rolling at a very high level. I also had L5, S1 microdiscectomy and laminectomy 18 months ago. To add in WLS and the preparation pre and post op would have stressed me to no end, and yours is a step more intense than mine, PhD and fusion. You’ve put so much into your journey already, and we’re talking a short time frame in the big scheme of things to finish your studies. I would focus on keeping your spirits up right now in knowing and believing it WILL all be accomplished within a very near term time frame. I do recall the horror of the weight gain with spinal surgery, but again, I would strive to eat as healthy as possible but don’t stress over it. Focus on the things you CAN control, finishing your studies without losing your ever lovin’ mind is right there at the top of the list. Throw off those chains of guilt that you’re not prioritizing your health! You ARE prioritizing it in being self loving and practical to not further overload. Breathe.... You got this girll!

That is great! It is good when you find something that really works for you. I imagine you will continue to do well on it. I had my sleeve 15 months ago and my bipolar meds really didn't seem to interfere with weight loss at all. Funny, because when I first started the bipolar meds about 10 years ago, the weight gain went way up!

I was on Seroquel for several months. Lots of weight gain. However, I switched over to other meds way before WLS, so I can't answer as to how my life on Seroquel after WLS would be. I can say though, that I have lost over 150 pounds in 16 months, and I take bipolar meds.

Shamrock... PCOS stands for Poly sistic ovarian syndrome. Us who have it do not have a normal matabolism. Our bodies are insulin resistent. It is nothing that you can develop after surgery. Its just a "disease" that a lot of women have that causes weight gain, skin tags, certain discoloartion of the skin, and some even have extra testostresomes or how ever you spell it, lol which can cause hair to grow in weird areas, like the face. Also your period could be irregular. But i was diagnosed awhile ago and tried taking met formin for mine, but it made me very sick to my stomach so i stopped. My doctor says my PCOS is the reason for most of my weight gain. But who knows.....

Thank you everyone! I don’t want to blame quarantine, but that is the time frame of my weight gain! I love the idea of dancing around (I play “Just Dance” with my stepson)! I appreciate the words of encouragement! I’m so proud of where I am, but I have that creeping fear of going back. So while 7 lbs isn’t a lot, I certainly want my clothing to fit better 😝 I just got off my elliptical; a step in the right direction

All you need to do is look in the mirror and be honest. You'll know if the weight gain is mostly muscle or fat. As far as what you told your doc, what you REALLY meant was that you would not gain back any fat. The number on the scale isn't very important. He can look at you or check your body fat % (not BMI) and know what happened. As far as your 20 lbs+ go, based on your lifting advances I would guess maybe at most 10lbs of muscle, plus some Water weight if you're better hydrated now and maybe a bit of fat.

Anxious to hear how Old Profile's surgery went. I am meeting with my surgeon next week to discuss bypass revision surgery for fixing GERD, hiatal hernia, and had weight gain after sleeve. Best of luck to you!!

Yep, had the full work up! All normal. My weight gain was probably 60% medical, annnnd 40% bad habits. I had HG while pregnant, resulting in being on TPN through an PICC line for 6months. I then had to do food therapy to reintroduce solid foods, and put on weight RAPIDLY. The past 30lbs though, that was all me only making time for one large meal a day.

Well I came to this blog and start this journey speaking honestly. I have used Alli for the past 3 years. I spoke to my nutritionist and she said I could still use it with the band. I don't see a problem with it unless it is used as an excuse to overeat. It deters overeating of fat. It only handles about 50% of 12 grams eaten at a meal. If you overeat fat you will suffer. One reason I like using it is that I am regular and never constipated. Obviously it hasn't helped to loose weight or I wouldn't be getting banded but I have maintained my weight for about 1 year without weight gain. Most of my weight re-gain had been right after breast cancer when I felt so out of control of my life..............Well there it is the truth.:thumbup: