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You've reached you goal weight, which is fabulous. It's understandable that you think the three pounds are a huge change, but they really aren't. When there is apparent weight gain, there's a reason. There are also two possibilities that you haven't gained anything: - You were on a different scale. Not all scales are the same. - Your menstrual cycle might account for the gain. It doesn't necessarily happen each month. If the regain is real, your own words suggest that you may no longer be as diligent with food-tracking as you think. - Weighing "just about everything" is not the same as weighing everything. Have you not been measuring more often than you realize? - Depending on what the food is, "only a couple of bites" can be a whole lot. It matters how you define "couple". It matters whether you're biting broiled chicken or fettuccine Alfredo. The frequency matters, too. - There's a definite difference between "haven't had fast food" and "maybe a few french fries..." Those few fries can amount to a mountain over a short time. - To "try very hard" to stick to sugar-free candy is more of the same vagueness. Those extra bites here and there add up. They sneak up. While you're wanting to maintain your weight, it's just as important to keep exact records as it was to lose the weight from the beginning. It's fine to have some candy or fast food if you like, but whatever the amount, they should be included in your tracker. You know all of this because you learned how to lose weight. Keeping it off is an ongoing project.

If you have PCOS and most of your weight gain is from that then you may not need a band if you find a good PCOS Doc who will give you the metformin and hormone treatment you need. You do need to eat a Low GI diet though...that is an absolute must!! High quality, slow release carbs will stabilise your blood sugar and help you. I lost 20 kg with Metformin and hormone treatment and walking the dog. No band involved....then unfortunately my thyroid packed up and I put on 30kg in 12 months. That's when I gave in and had my lovely band. I was diagnosed PCOS at 42 and you are 11 years younger than me...I also had my first child at 32 so you have 12 months on me there too....Low GI...give it your best shot...it really is worth it. Oh and don't forget to push for that metformin...essential.

So 6 years ago when i started this process I weighed in at 230lbs. 5'2" and completely out of shape. Fortunately for me that was all i was... FAT. I had no other issues, thank God. But with the family history i have.. i was headed down the high blood pres., diabetes, heart des. path. At that time i had great insurance and it was covered. I did have some out of pocket expenses. A few co pays and some of the hospital.... total about 2k. (he throws that in my face all the time). I had WLS on the Tuesday and was back at work on the Monday... At that point i was laid off from my job of 10 years. But i started cleaning houses and was making good money. but i went back to "work" after 7ish months. At first he was supportive... at least i thought he was. He had made little comments here and there about me losing the without the surgery. I brushed it off. I have had a few other surgeries since we have been married (1 c section, gallbladder, hysterectomy) and he was zero help. I don't know why i thought he would be for this "elected surgery". what was i thinking. I'm grateful that i have a high tolerance for pain and that i recover quickly. Anyway... Fast forward... the weight was slow to come off and he started with the little comments... I thought this was going to make you lose weight... Probably won't work for you.... Then weight loss started to show and the "attention" started, and he HATED!!! it..... He said things that were and still are very hurtful.... When i got to about 150ish... he ask How much more do you plan on losing? I said, i wanted to lose about 20lbs...Why? he said, because your starting to look like a bag of bones you look sick. He also said that i was prettier with a fat face because my wrinkles didn't show then. Are you going to wear that out, that shirt is kind of tight, don't you think... but that's what you want, all the men too look at you. so many others.... But the best one was a few weeks ago when he said that WLS was my HOBBY.... that i really didn't need it and that i could have lost the weight on my own if i really wanted too. we have been married for over 24 years, i weighted about 100lbs when we met. He never showed this side ever. Even through the weight gain he never said anything..... Now i see why.... it's was his way of keeping my self esteem at zero, the more i gained the worse i felt, the more control he had..... but as the weight came off and the confidence started to go up, his control started coming down. This is when the insults accusations got worse..... where are you, what are you doing, who are you with... what man are you flirting with that you could answer my call/text.... I know this is his insecurities.... But it still hurts. We live alone, both the boys are out of the house... My oldest is from my first marriage. We both have decent jobs and money is not something we really worry about (he controls the finances). But we argue most everyday.... the last one was about FB... Of all things. He saw an old classmate "like" a post i made and he blew up... But then i saw on his where he was "poking" 4 different classmates of his (all female all single)... So anyway i deactivated my account and so did he. At the time he said that that would fix everything.... that was almost 2 months ago and we are still arguing. I have BEGGED BEGGED BEGGED him to go to counseling. His answer to me was... Get a part time job to help pay for it and i will go. I know i rambled on and on.... but, don't sweep this under the rug... don't let it get out of hand... face it with him and try and get him to go with you to a counseling session. Have him say what his worries are. Don't be like me.... miserable at 46 years old.

Did they try you out with different masks so you could decide which was more comfortable? I couldn't tolerate a full mouth and nose mask, so I've been using a petite (ha! the only petite thing I've ever owned) nasal mask for years. I don't even feel the air going in ... Sometimes I pull the mask away to make sure it is actually working. Do you need a mouth mask because you didn't close your mouth with a nasal mask or nasal pillows? If they didn't try different masks with you give your Dr or respiratory rep a call and tell them you aren't tolerating this one. One other thought, your machine should have a "ramp up" or "warm up" setting that you can select that starts the machine off at a lower pressure and gradually builds, allowing you to fall asleep before the maximum pressure setting is reached. Yep, they usually want your usage data for awhile to make sure you are compliant with the therapy. They look at hours used and they can look at a bunch of other data, if needed, to make sure you are getting the full benefit. Additionally, the machines aren't cheap, so your insurance company wants to make sure you're using something they are providing (or paying a part of for you) you. An added benefit from CPAP use is that it may help you with some weight loss. Research has shown that sleep apnea may be linked with weight gain, high blood pressure, and a laundry list of other health issues. I know it's a hard adjustment, but think of it as another positive step in your new healthy life. Best wishes!

In most cases, I feel an in person support group is a must have tool, Weight gain after surgery is due to one not following the rules after surgery. If one falls back into their old eating habits it is easy to sabotage progress. It’s always easier to blame the surgery vs. taking responsibility for one’s own actions. For example, we have a member of the support group I belong to that is gaining weight. She needs to start tracking her food consumption before the Nut or the rest of us can help her. However, she claims to not have time to complete a food log. In other words, she is in denial and not much can be done to help her. The surgery is only a tool; one still has to make the mental changes to be successful. It is not easy, but the healths benefits are great, but carry some draw backs that have to be overcome. In most cases weight gain is due to one not following the rules after surgery. If one falls back into their old eating habits it is easy to sabotoge themselves.

Well, I took a unisom last night, the sleepmelts. I hate taking those though. They leave you with a hangover and they cause weight gain over time. I don't know if it's the surgery that's causing this or if it's just my zoomy little brain messing with my sleep wake cycle. It's probably unisom again tonight.

This is a great post for those of us who are just now reaching goal and have NOT had to deal with any weight gain. I was wondering how and if it would come back off easily. Thanks for the information and congrats on your success!!

I've heard good and bad things about that birth control. My bestfriend was on it and it effected her badly. Weight gain and she had periods on and off sometimes 2 times a month. Have you thought about the one they put in your arm? I was looking into that one for myself.

God bless that doctor for truly understanding PCOS! Every doctor should memorize that statement. We've all been told for years that 'calories in vs. calories out' = weight loss or weight gain. Not true for PCOS sufferers. We hold on to everything. Anyways, off of my soap box. I would like to encourage you by telling you that I am a 49 yr. old woman with PCOS. I had my lapband surgery in September 2008 and I have now lost 80 pounds. Totally unbelievable because the most I have ever lost on my own is maybe 25 pounds. And that was with dieting and a cardio work out 1 hour a day 6 days a week. I've had an excellent experience so far with the lap band and I wish you the same and even better luck. PCOS women can lose weight with the lap band.

I’m posting so I can follow - I had a merina installed 3 yrs ago - LOVE the lesser periods (I still get a VERY light period) but I KNOW I was much lighter before I had it put in. It’s not supposed to cause weight gain.

Hi all, I'm Audie. I was banded May 2, 2007. I have the 10 cc band. My starting weight was 326 lbs ... my highest weight EVER. I had a series of traumatic experiences that led to emotional eating and subsequent weight gain! I am now down in the 240s and still losing. I just got my third fill ... and let me tell ya, this site kept me from panicking about it! :clap2: At the doctor's office, the Water went down without any restriction so I really thought I had dropped a lot of money on a fill just to be able to eat whatever I wanted again. WRONG! The next morning I woke up and I could feel the restriction. I have been pretty miserable. I can only get two bites and truly only sip water or else I end up throwing up. I am a very sensitive person, so I'm pretty sure my tummy is very irritated. He also withdrew all the liquid to see where I'm at. I'm over 4cc's full in my band. So after reading the forums, I decided to give it another week or so. As if I sip, I can get a glass of water and Protein shakes down. Takes a long time, but hey, that's ok! I've lost quite a few pounds, though, in the past couple days. However, there are a few issues going on that I haven't yet experienced. My acid reflux became non-existent after I was banded. Now all of the sudden, I had a case last night! Isn't that the weirdest? And I have trouble sleeping, so some nights I take a tylenol PM. It went down friday night, but not saturday night ... so it's weird my tummy fluctuates that much. I've been losing weight all along, so that isn't an issue for me, but this is the first time I've felt this much restriction. I don't want to go for an unfill because if I keep dropping weight, the restriction will lessen. How long can a person's stomach stay irritated from this activity? I went from like 3.25cc's to over 4cc's. I know everyone's bodies are different. :woot: Thanks! And this seems like a great forum. I was excited to find it last night! Audie

(continued) Weight maintenance: YES, YOU CAN GAIN WEIGHT AFTER THE VSG! BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO! About two years out, I noticed that I could no longer truly eat anything I want at every single meal even if I did work out quite intensely. Mind you, we are talking eating out constantly, Desserts, etc. I also became more performance-oriented, so I started to think more about fueling my body for exercise. Recently, I had a severe back injury that left me unable to exercise at all except walking for 9 months. I was also having major sleep issues due to pain and work stress and was away from my husband and very socially isolated and unhappy for a variety of work-related reasons. I love to cook and was certainly amusing myself by cooking lots. Normally, my husband would inhale most of my creations, but now I found myself eating less healthy and in greater quantities. Together with hardly any activity, this led to a weight gain of about 13 lbs in 9 months. Not the end of the world, but I was certainly worried! Thankfully, I buckled up and once I was cleared to start exercising, I restarted couch-to-5K and then signed up for a 10K race. I lost the 13 lbs in about 2-3 months with only minor diet changes - basically, eating less crap and more fruits and vegetables. I still ate some sort of treat almost every day. I didn't follow any specific diet plan like low-carb or keto, although I do try to limit my carb intake that doesn't come from fruits and vegetables. I am now closely monitoring my diet as I want to get as ripped as possible since I have lipo coming up and will be away from the gym again for at least 4, potentially 6 weeks. I eat whatever I want within reason, but I count my macronutrients, so every day I eat a certain amount of Protein, carbs, and fat. I eat a fairly high-protein diet - 120-150 grams. I have had no problem losing fat on this plan while eating 2500-3000 calories a day depending on my exercise level. SO YES, YOU CAN GAIN WEIGHT - BUT YOU CAN ALSO LOSE IT, AND YOU WILL ALWAYS REMAIN IN CONTROL! DON'T LET YOURSELF GO TOO MUCH! IT'S NOT HARD TO LOSE 5-10 LBS, BUT 25+ IS A PAIN! LAST BUT NOT LEAST: PHOTOS All these photos were taken within the last week. These are my pre-op photos:

I'm in Ontario Canada and my doctor told me to wait at least 18-24 months before trying. I definitely know how you feel. Im 32 and have been overweight my whole life. At 22 I was married and all I wanted was a baby and we tried and tried but it never happened. I think that definitely contributed to my weight gain which steadily climbed to 405 lbs. I ended up leaving my husband and got into not the healthiest of relationships Nd one day, bam, I was pregnant. It was by far the happiest day of my life. A day I waited 29 years to see. Now I have two boys. 3 and 1 and I definitely need this operation just to keep up with them lol. Been on my liquid diet for 21 days. 7 more to go and i have lost 25 lbs in that time. Life's great now and it's only gonna get better.

I am on Yasmin as well. I am a continuous use gal.. I take the sugar pills at the end of the pack one time a year, (or so my gyno suggests..) which makes for a short spotty 3-4 day cycle, then I'm back to skipping the sugar pills. Yasmin has been the best for me so far, helping immensely with PMDD, and my skin... Plus no weight gain:)

Yes, it happens to me about every 2 weeks. I think it is dependent on how many carbs I consume. The body stores more Water when it converts carbs to glycogen for energy. I have gained as much as 4lbs over a weekend - without changing the amount of calories I eat, just by eating more carbs. And then I lose it over the course of the week and drop an additional pound or two. You didn't mention if your weight was measured on your home scales or the doctors - when you noted the weight gain. I know that my home scales do not measure my weight the same as the doctor's. So I go by my home scales, since I don't see the doc but once a month.

I too see a weight gain when I eat too many carbs. Thanks for the explanation joatsaint!

I glad you decided to choose a healthy path for yourself. The weight gaining thing is a slippery slope that we all seem to get on and it only gets worse as we age. This was the right decision for me. I am almost 7 months post opp and down 95#. I still have a ways to go but loving the trip! Don't be intimadated about posting it will make things easyer when you get closer to surgery to talk things through.

Hello! Next week Thursday is my final appointment with my surgeon before he submits to my insurance company for approval. The problem is, my insurance specifically says that I cannot have any net weight gain. Well, after COVID and my gym being closed, I am 5 pounds heavier than I was 6 months ago. Does anyone have any tips to drop 5 pounds quickly that I could do in the days leading up to my next appointment? Thanks!

I was banded March 2007. I have not only not lost any weight, I've gained 3lbs over the past 10 months. I have been filled to the max. I don't eat much, let's be honest, I can't. I can't even eat the 4 oz portions suggested. Yes, I'm eating the right foods. I work out 3 to 5 days a week at least 1 hour to 2 hours each time. I was considered a low BMI on the lapband scale but still enough of a BMI to get the surgery covered by insurance. I'm frustrated and disappointed. Isn't there anyone out there that has had this happen? What's wrong with me?

I have my last nut apt Wed and then my stuff will be submitted to insurance. My bmi was 40.1 so they told me not to loose any weight. I weighed myself this morning and I am 3 lbs heavier. Should I reschedule my apt until I drop those pounds? I dont want to be denyed. The surgery cord did not say not to gain, just not to loose but I have read here that some people have been denyed for a gain.

Hey Esin, you are right, there is A LOT of support on this forum and it is really nice knowing when you need that boost or support you got it..right here. :-). I'm sure everything will turn out great for you and in my opinion i am finding out that there really IS no easy way out. I've noticed something in these last few days..since i have been working out everyday.. i definitely have A LOT more motivation, energy, and it's easier to stick to a healthy diet. I know that once i get down to my optimum weight, the band will help keep off the weight gain... i think thats what they mean by it being a "tool" someone posted on here a very useful website.. BariatricEating.com - BE, Inc. The number one bariatric website for Protein, Vitamins, and success. i am grateful for finding it, there are soooooo many yummy recipes.. I wish you well and let us know how it all turns out!! P.S. weather was rainy the last few days here in NY ..but today the sun is shining and it's going to be 81 degrees... too bad i am stuck in a box (my office) at work

A friend said that to me and I told her what my surgeon told me. You may experience some weight gain while trying to figure out your maintenance. Whether you do and how much is entirely in your control. I told her that I am in control and she shouldn't bother worrying about it. You go Kathy. We all know you are strong! Sent from my iPhone using VST

My doctor said no...but I am convinced that the gas they shoot you up with is the reason for an early weight gain. LOL He said its because your body goes into a protective mode for a few days after surgery thus saves anything you put in your body. I dont know what to believe but can tell you after 2 weeks of liquid and 1 week of mushies ...unless you are drinking fat ladened milk shakes you should lose weight! Stay off the scale.

you are being way too hard on yourself. Im sure your weight didnt come on overnight... it took a long time, as it did with me. Along with the weight gain we had wrong food choices and portion sizes. ...and to make things worse, we ate for emotional comfort. When you think about it, you didnt just have a surgery to put a band in, you also were put on the road for changes in every area that Ive mentioned above. This takes time... if you have a day where you slipped... just put it behind you and move on. AS for your dr... im sure he will understand completely what you are going through.. after all, he sees so many patients and knows the issues that come with lap banding. I agree that you shouldnt change the drs appointment. If you do that, it could open the door to the wrong approach even further. You dont want to do that. I tell you... you are NOT ALONE IN THIS. Every issue youve mentioned here im sure everyone of us has been there. i know i have. ive eaten more sugar the last month or two than ever before... so its an issue that cropped up with me and i have to deal with it. I can see on various emotional levels and physical levels, more than ever, what needs to change. i had no idea before hand. i think if someone had tried to explain everything in this area to me i wouldnt have completely understood. i had to go through it myself . Despite have issues with sugary confectionary... im still so happy with the band... and know that ive made the right decision. if my weight loss isnt up to scratch... too bad. it will come off eventually. Meantime im busy learning more about my psyche.... and dealing with it. Good luck, and like i said , dont be so hard on yourself.

As some of you know I'm 47 and divorced, will soon be 2 years this month. Let me start how my weight gain all started for me, I wasn't an obese child nor a teen. I married my high school sweetheart in 1986 and boy did I think I knew the world, if I knew then what I know now, ha. He was shy and I was the outgoing one, he was super skinny and I was average. He ate and ate and ate and I thought I could eat along with him so my weight kept creeping up over the years of our marriage little by little. By 1990 I weighed 199, said to myself I'd never let myself weigh over 200, I ate crow alright. We were unable to have children so we occupied ourselves in the life of luxury of world travels and cars and later in life our dream home in '06. By that time he had a corporate job, I had not worked in years and we had our dream home with a pool. It was all I could do to keep house it was so huge but I loved it. Guess you could say starting in '06 I could see a change in him and I began to stress eat more. His job was very stressful, afterall he managed a factory, oh how proud of him I was but then the alcohol began and then my food addiction began. From 2006 until he left me Oct '09 I literally watched him become a full blown alcoholic and my eating had well, let's just say I gained about 25 lbs. He began staying out late till the wee hrs of the night/morning in bars, coming home drunk, it was horrible. Then on that fateful afternoon in Oct. '09 he came home and said he was leaving me, I was devastated to say the least. I had no idea he wasn't happy. Yes we had our ups/downs like anyone else but I guess he had gotten tired of looking at a fat wife, I had let myself go, certainly not the girl he married. I stayed in the marital home a few months until I couldn't care for the acreage and pool and he made me move out and he move back in. At this time he had asked for a divorce and I was at my all time low, a deep depression. I guess I have to admit I was on the verge of suicide but I'm deeply religious and knew better and had it not been for my faith in God and my mom and of course my Psychiatrist I never would have made it out of the dark hole. My mom stepped in and bought me a home close to her and I rented it from her. Guess she wanted to give me my independence for the first time in my life. By this time it was May of 2010, divorce proceedings were ongoing, I was living alone and eating and eating. BIG mistake. I had no accountability, I was sitting alone in a house with a dog and a tv and eating whenever and whatever I wanted. I literally was eating myself to death. I knew I didn't want to die an early age like my dad but yet I still kept eating. I had ballooned to 294, I was huge, could hardly walk, couldn't breathe. In early June '12 I moved in with my mom for financial reasons and she sold the house, talk about humbling, having to move back in with a parent at age 47. One afternoon I asked my mom to go with me to a seminar for lap band surgery, this was April 2012. What a revelation. Yes I had done my homework, I had actually gone to a seminar back in '08 but wasn't ready mentally then. This time I was ready. The next day I called my ins, they covered it, called the dr's office made an appt, got right in, from start to finish I was banded in like 4 weeks, his office pushed my ins approval thru really quick. Needless to say this saved my LIFE. Has it been a struggle, yes, I struggle each and every day with head hunger and sweets and sometimes give in, that is why my weight loss is slow but I'm proud of my 68 lbs in 1 year and will never look back. My eating habits have changed, for the better of course, I look at food differently, I taste it now instead of gobbling it down. Had it not been for all of you all on here answering my questions throughout this last year and Jean's book I don't think I could have survived my first year. Thanks to all of you out there you're the best! You guys are family!!! Looking forward to the next 12 months of a happier, healthier new me. Donna