Search the Community

well it is day # 21 post op. doing really well, still having to battle the food demons, but guess what I am in control this time around, so haha food. No weight lost no weight gained cant wait to go the my doctor in 2 weeks and fingers crossed i will get a fill.

Hi there, I just joined this site looking for support and suggestions on my 1st major weight gain 16 years post a very successful gastric bypass surgery. I am 52, had the surgery at 36, and lost 198 lbs, and maintained a goal weight of 170 lbs, with a yearly fluctuation of 10 lbs, or so, post operatively. I also maintain yearly blood work that drives my nutrition and supplemental needs with my primary doctor. I gained about 20 lbs about 4 years ago after back surgery, but brought it down again within the year. Here is my problem, last January I started menopause, stopped oral contraceptive, and have experienced heavy insomnia, hot flashes, hormone shifts, and large weight gain of 50 lbs for the year. I have to add that this total change in my physical, and emotional health, has led to some depression, which of course does not help. I am still going through Menopause but I feel more emotionally stable and ready to address the weight gain. My question is, where do I start? My surgeon had always said "you have a permanent tool at your disposal, so if you feel yourself slipping from your program, then go back to the beginning" which I have always assumed he meant to start at only fluids and gradually increase intake from there, but I've never truly slipped with a significant weight gain in 15 years, so never had to go back. I would appreciate surgeon and fellow post operative patients advice and suggestions please.

actually yes, I got diagnosed with a liver disease and during treatment for that, in order to keep my liver and kidneys from failing, I was put on HUGE amounts of steroids - which then caused steroid secreting tumors in my body, which created a huge weight gain. I gained weight from breathing. After the sleeve and having the tumors removed, life has been GRAND.

All the PBing starts a vicious cycle of swelling your stomach. I got to the point after this fill that I could not even drink coffee in the mornings, and coffee usually opens me up, so I can eat by 11 or noon. I had them take out about .5cc's and I am better now. I can actually eat solid foods in the morning. Here is the thing. You think by not being able to eat, that you are doing yourelf a favor weight loss wise, but in essence, you are not, you are slowing your metabolism down. That is what happened to me. I could not eat anything but slider foods (high in calories), and then the metabolism slowed down (body thought it was starving) which inturn equaled weight gain. As soon as I had .5cc saline removed, I lost 3 Lbs in the first 2 days, just because I could actually eat something. So be careful! You do not want the vicious cycle to start.

I gained 50 pounds after banding. Has anyone else been unsuccessful in losing weight after banding?

I am having the surgery on Wednesday. I am really hoping it will help with my pain being fibro or back/hip issues. I have been off all the fibro meds for about a year now & only take pain pills. I tried everything & did not see any relief only side effects & weight gain. I am hoping my stomach heals quickly so I can get back on my supplements.

I understand what you are saying and for me the issue with weight gain ,which i am NOT in any way obsessing over, is more of a mental factor i guess. When i started my lap band journey i was 320lbs and heavy like this my whole life and in less than a year i have dropped 140lbs!!! That's a huge accomplishment to me!! So the thought of putting on 15+lbs, even though its a Excellent reason, is really scary especially after my whole life of trying I'm down to a small and healthy size. Think about it: if you had just worked your butt off losing 140lbs and you are feeling AWESOME how would you feel if your doctor said ok now i want a 20lbs weight GAIN...It would be a little frustrating mentally wouldn't it?... Not sure if you understand what i mean but mentally its scary....I know its for a good reason and i want the baby and myself to be healthy more than anything!! This reason being said I'm not obsessing over the weight gain and i cant lie i had my frustrations at first but after letting it all sink in I'm ok with it all now...

I agree with the previous posts. IV fluids can cause significant weight gain. Hang in there! It’ll come off.

Hall says his findings have implications for the diet wars — vegan versus low-carb or low-fat diets. "They all have something in common. ... Proponents of healthy versions of those diets suggest that people cut out ultra-processed foods." He says that this elimination might account for at least part of the success that people have on these diets. Popkin says the take-home message for consumers is, "We should try to eat as much real food as we can. That can be plant food. It can be animal food. It can be beef, pork, chicken, fish or vegetables and fruits. And one has to be very careful once one begins to go into other kinds of food." https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2019/05/16/723693839/its-not-just-salt-sugar-fat-study-finds-ultra-processed-foods-drive-weight-gain?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=science Full study is linked in NPR article

I have my preop on Tuesday and I have gained 5 lbs from the last time I was in, I wanted to get some last minute bad choices in before I get it done and now I’m paying for it, are they going to give me a hard time about it? Anyone else gain just before too? I get it done a week from now, the 22nd of January. I have t been told to go on a liquid diet yet though, will they most likely put me on one for the last week?

I was sleeved on April 23. I have been doing well, losing steadily and not panicking at the stalls. However, today I got on the scale and am UP 8 pounds from a week ago! Yesterday, I noticed I was hungrier than usual, but still only chose foods allowed on my plan (lean Protein and veg). I'm going to start workouts today, but this can't be normal! I am not premenstrual, so it can't be that. Eight pounds!!! How can this be?

Currently I'm waiting on insurance approval for the lap band with Dr. Felix. I'm nervous and excited. Unfortunately, my normal method of dealing with emotion is to overeat...so I've gained about 10 pounds since my first appointment which was in late November. 10 POUNDS!!! AHHHHH!!! Did anyone else have this problem during pre-op? I'm not on any sort of diet yet. I feel like I'm in lap band no man's land. I'm pre-pre-op. How weird. I'm angry at myself which then leads to...guess what... more eating! :faint: I'm really doubting my ability to be able to do this. I know that this is just pre-surgery jitters and I know that this is just a tool. I really do believe that I can be sucessful... but I am really nervous about this most recent weight gain. :cry The only reason I haven't gained more is that I've had the flu twice and keep landing myself in the ER with dehydration from being so sick. Please HELP. Thanks for reading. You guys are all such an inspiration to me and I feel so grateful to have LBT in my life. Sheila 300 / 270- Went to a weight loss program over the summer and slowly gaining it all back =( P.S. While I was writing this post, my insurance company called me and I was denied. Sometimes, life stinks.

Exact same medical issue. Sleeved 4 yes ago. Hiatal hernia present, mild weight gain, surgeon recommended sleeve to bypass conversion on March 19th Sent from my LM-Q710(FGN) using BariatricPal mobile app

Hi, has anyone had a problem with weight gain and staying on when getting on birth control? I took the birth control out in july. I had a baby, and after the baby continued my weightloss down to 216, then got on BC that has caused me to gain weight at 248, after I took it out up until now I have fluctuated between 245-250, but cannot get back on my weight loss journey. I wanted to get down to 180 and then go for my tummy tuck. Anyone have any suggestions? It has been 6 months and I just cannot get it off ???? Sent from my SM-N920T using the BariatricPal App

I suspect that some of the weight gain is due to Over eating a using the birth control as an excuse. No oral hormone tx can cause a 15 pound weight gain. That being said there are people who suddenly gain a great deal of weight with implants and chemical IUDs. This is not a normal side effect. The cause should be ruled out even if you change methods, a visit to an endocrinologist might be in order. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

39 lbs. may not seem like a lot to you right now, but it's more than 10% of your body weight lost. That is significant. I have read lots of posts here where menstrual cycles started again (if they had stopped due to weight gain) or became more regular. My cycle was not the most reliable pre-op. After about 2 months, it is like clockwork. As with anything that dramatically changes, check with your doctor and let them know what is going on just to be on the safe side.

I could use some guidance. I know they say you shouldn’t weigh yourself often at home, but I weighed myself this morning for the first time in a week. I gained 3 pounds! I haven’t done anything different and I’m only a month postop, so I am only eating puréed and soft foods. Has this happened to anybody else? Any advice to get through this and not be totally depressed?

After waiting for 6 weeks I finally saw the Surgeon on July 22nd. He felt I would be a godd candidate for the Lapband. He wants me to take 2 Nutrition classes, get a Psychological Evaluation, a cardiac evaluation (I have no heart problems so not sure why) and bloodwork done. He also wants me to get with my PCP and find something other than Voltaren to take for the pain. Plus I need to get with the Pain management Dr to get off of Lyrica. It seems the Lyrica causes weight gain. I already had the Psychological Evaluation this week. Next Monday I can get the blood work done and Thursday will be the first Nutrition class. I will need to call for a Cardiac evaluation and schedule the 2nd nutrition class. When the Surgeon's office has all the evaluations I will be able to see him again, get a surgery date, final insurance approval and attend the preop class. When I asked how many more weeks he stated about 6 to 8 weeks. So we are looking at a possible Sept surgery date. In the mean time on July 17th I had three Thoracic Facet Joint Injections in my spine and have been finally able to do things for the first time in over 10 years. I still have some pain but not the knife stabbing, take away my breath kind of pain. I am walking about 6 to 9 minutes with 2 canes where as before I could barely walk 1 to 2 minutes. Instead of rolling around on the desk chair in the house I am now walking. I have been swimming and in the hot tub as I can finally lift my leg high enough to get up the stairs. I have taken day trips down to Fort Lauderdale and loving every minute of the drive. I am finally living and not just existing. I just hope and pray the pain does not come back as I will be even more depressed and upset if it does. Till next time have a great journey! If you noticed the date, this was written in 2008. It is now 2015. The pain came back in a matter of months and the weight went all the way up to 390. I am starting over again in 2015 to be approved for the sleeve. So anything after this date is my journey for the second try at WLS.

After waiting for 6 weeks I finally saw the Surgeon on July 22nd. He felt I would be a godd candidate for the Lapband. He wants me to take 2 Nutrition classes, get a Psychological Evaluation, a cardiac evaluation (I have no heart problems so not sure why) and bloodwork done. He also wants me to get with my PCP and find something other than Voltaren to take for the pain. Plus I need to get with the Pain management Dr to get off of Lyrica. It seems the Lyrica causes weight gain. I already had the Psychological Evaluation this week. Next Monday I can get the blood work done and Thursday will be the first Nutrition class. I will need to call for a Cardiac evaluation and schedule the 2nd nutrition class. When the Surgeon's office has all the evaluations I will be able to see him again, get a surgery date, final insurance approval and attend the preop class. When I asked how many more weeks he stated about 6 to 8 weeks. So we are looking at a possible Sept surgery date. In the mean time on July 17th I had three Thoracic Facet Joint Injections in my spine and have been finally able to do things for the first time in over 10 years. I still have some pain but not the knife stabbing, take away my breath kind of pain. I am walking about 6 to 9 minutes with 2 canes where as before I could barely walk 1 to 2 minutes. Instead of rolling around on the desk chair in the house I am now walking. I have been swimming and in the hot tub as I can finally lift my leg high enough to get up the stairs. I have taken day trips down to Fort Lauderdale and loving every minute of the drive. I am finally living and not just existing. I just hope and pray the pain does not come back as I will be even more depressed and upset if it does. Till next time have a great journey!

With my weight gain I went from a 36DD to a 40H/38I (depending on the brand). One reason I did the WLS was because the plastic surgeon I saw for breast reduction told me that if I did the reduction now, I'd be higher risk of complications (losing nipple, etc) and longer hospital stay. He actually referred me to my WLS doctor. He said, 'Lose the weight, let them deflate, them come back in a year or so and it will be SO MUCH EASIER!" I can't wait!! If I can be a B cup I would be SO HAPPY... they just get in the way with stuff I like to do. I haven't been able to "walk around without a bra" in 20 years. When I sleep at guest's homes, I even where one just to sleep in because I didn't want to risk getting up in the night and running into someone in the halls. I know they'll be ugly, but I'm ready for these things to GO AWAY!

I wasn't weighed at all in the hospital -- not pre-surgery and not post-surgery and not before being released from the hospital. I know what I weighed before the surgery and I'm up -- which would be a major problem without this forum to turn to. Thank goodness I now know that what I'm experiencing is normal. There have been so many times in my life when I would try to diet and end up gaining instead of losing -- and seeing the numbers go up when I got home was deja vu all over again. I'll keep on keeping on, of course, but I think that people should be told weight gain is a side effect of having an IV. I'm finding that in order to get information from my medical team, I need to know the questions to ask -- and without a forum like this -- who would know what to ask? This forum is invaluable! Anyway, thanks for the information and know that you've done a really good deed today.

Had a wound infection which has slowed me down. Coming up 6 weeks post op. No weight gain so happy with that. The surgeon warned me I would need ' Nana' sleeps for a time and he is right. I'm not superwoman. Have been doing a bit of soul searching with the down time. It's all good !

Hi all, I am new to this group but looking forward to participating. Here's my story in a nutshell: I had a Realize band placed in February of 2009. My starting weight was 268. The band was fantastic and I lost weight steadily, with the exception of a few months when I realized how easy cookies were to eat. In December of 2010, I hit the 100 pounds lost mark, I also found out I was pregnant that same week. At about 4 weeks pregnant I had a really nasty 3 day stomach flu. A few days after recovering from that, I started throwing up again. I could keep food down for a few hours, but it was all coming back up. I lost another 15 pounds in 2 weeks. I thought it was just severe morning sickness, even though in 5 previous pregnancies I'd never had morning sickness. I saw my Ob who told me to immediately get my band unfilled and if I was still throwing up the next day he'd have to admit me into the hospital. I got a complete unfill and immediately felt better, but with no restriction and absolutely no mental/physical/spiritual preparedness for no restriction, my love affair with all things bread and pastry renewed like we were never apart. I gained 40 pounds in the first 4 months of my pregnancy. I managed to gain back a little control, but ended up gaining about 60 pounds before I had my daughter in August of 2011. The weight gain took a great emotional toll on me, but I just knew that 6 weeks postpartum I'd get a fill and be right back on track... You know where this is going, right? In October of 2011 I got my band refilled. Pre-pregnancy, my fill level was at 7.2cc in an 11 cc band. We filled it to 3.5 cc and 3 weeks later filled it to 5 cc. I had very little restriction and it just didn't seem right. I'd also started getting heartburn. I went back a few weeks later and we filled it to 5.5. That lasted 24 hours, I had to go back in for an unfill and we went down to 5.2 so I could get water down. I still didn't have much restriction, but I did have terrible heartburn and vomiting in the middle of the night. I lived with this for a few months until I couldn't stand it and went back in and had .5 cc removed. This made the heartburn manageable with daily meds and tums always at hand, but there was no restriction. I could eat all the bread, pasta, rice that I wanted. I knew I had a slip, but didn't have insurance to cover bariatrics, so I lived with it. I tried eating less, exercise, weight watchers, even a juice fast but I've gained 20 more pounds on top of the baby weight. Fast forward to now and I finally have insurance to cover bariatrics. I went in a few weeks ago and had my upper GI. It showed a slip above the band, virtually my entire stomach is above the band, which is why there is no restriction felt, but the band was so tight that flow into the rest of my digestive tract was severely restricted. Food just sat there for a really long time, and the results of that we're just kind of gross. We unfilled the band completely to see if the slip would fix itself, although, we all knew what that result would be. The pregnancy hadn't caused the slip, the stomach flu had and 9 months of an empty band hadn't helped it unslip. I got that confirmation this week. My band is still slipped and the restriction is still severe even empty. I'm frustrated, but quite relieved that there has been a real issue this whole time and it wasn't just me. We're now going through the process of getting insurance approval to revise to a sleeve and I couldn't be happier.

I don't know how to fix the header but I obviously meant weight gain!!

For me the band was not worth the physical pain, shame, and discomfort I have felt about the band itself. I have had a difficult time eating since I got the band, and I finally admitted to myself after a year and a half with it that I had an eating disorder. I wanted to lose weight, however inside I was dying and I was using food for comfort. So when I thought losing weight would be the answer, it was a decision based on the idea that "if I look better I'll feel better." Not true. We feel confident when we take care of ourselves and look healthy and beautiful, however that is a daily task that requires much more than a number on the scale or my body size. Emotionally, physically, and spiritually I must love and respect myself. I think getting the band was a drastic measure on my part. I got frustrated with eating slow and not being able to eat what I wanted and I reverted to eating sugary and snacky foods all the time partly because it went down my stomach easier. I even smoked weed partly so I could calm down, and then eat easier. (when I was sober I was more tense, and my band would be tight feeling) I think anyone thinking of getting this band should see a therapist and explore their issues with eating for at least 3 months first. If at that time you determine you have healthy motives and still want to move forward, I would proceed.......however I think probably many people with the band have deeper reasons for their out of control eating and weight gain. Take care- Nicole V.* recovering anorexic, compusive exerciser and compulsive eater