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Having gone for a second opinion and changing doctors because of it, I am a big proponent of getting second opinions. My former doctor was inexperienced especially in follow up care and it showed when I developed problems. You need to feel comfortable with your doctor, have things explained to you and have your questions answered. If you weren't having problems - why did he do an unfill? Were you eating high calorie slider foods that can cause weight gain when you are too tight? Or were you just able to eat too much of regular food without problems of reflux or heartburn or pain? When was your most recent upper GI? Did it show that you were too tight? But as far as dieting - that is something that you will have to do for the rest of your life even with the band at it's proper fill (sweet spot). It just means that smaller amounts of healthy foods will satisfy you and cause you to lose weight. Many with the band continue with weight watchers or some other program. The band is suppose to help you with that by causing satiety with smaller amounts of food. But dieting and exercise is a part of the whole band experience. That being said, I know from my experience that the band will never work like that for me and have accepted that I will just have to calorie count and use willpower and exercise. I am unable to reach my sweet spot and will not tolerate pain, reflux or heartburn. How I think the band will work for me is to keep me from being able to eat the amounts of food I ate before, but as far as causing me to lose weight - well not so much (maybe a pound a month). I was banded in Sept. 08 and have lost 13 pounds from the band but my overall weight loss is 70 pounds (most from my own and all that pre and post op dieting - especially with liquids only). So each of us have to reach a point with the band where we can work on being healthy and feeling good. I hope you find that point. Good luck.

Why is it that I gained weight after surgery while I was in the hospital recovering? Is it because of all the ice and the IV and lack of urinating? Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Well of course she did... After all... I am the good twin!!!! Kewl on the eDiets charts... I used mine from the last number of years there as well!!!! Hey... are you still a member there??? There is a support group under the WLS heading there that a gal named Sanda started and it was ALL about GBP/RNY. I barged my way in there and said that I thought it would be important for people to know that there is a safer option for those that can't "stomach" the idea of GBS. I whined when she went to other posts and did a promo for the support group without mentioning the Lap Band and she nicely added to the info. (o: I would love to have another pre-bander there... the dynamic pre-band duo!!!!!! Lets let all of those folks know that they have a safer option! I promise to be the evil twin if ya come and join me! Good luck with re-submitting the "proof" ... I didn't have all of my booklets from WW but I was able to get my old info from Jenny Craig and of course the LOOOOOOOG print out from eDiets showing my huge weight loss and then my HUGE weight gain. I am keeping my fingers crossed for you and hope we can still manage a bandarama with dates that are close! Okay... can only hold out another hour before I call... pretty soon I'll just be able to tell them my name and they'll be like... OHHHHH you again. (o: Darcy

Hey ya’all. I am 3 days post op from a lap band revision to the RNY bypass. It wasn’t the smoothest of recoveries. I was sick for almost 2 days. Vomiting more than I was taking in. Also I got Crepitus from my breast to my eyes and it swelled up my left side of the face. That has subsided a bit but still painful in the neck and it rubs on the inside so I get terrible chest and upper back pain. Now my abdomen on the left is so swollen than my left upper this is swollen. Feel like a fatty. The worse of it all is that i gained 22 pounds in the hospital and I ate barely anything. I just about lost it when I got home. But since I couldn’t eat anything they continuously pumped in fluids. Anyone else out there he any of these problems and relate and help me through this “scary phase” of healing? Otherwise I am pretty excited I had it done. I was able to drink a crystal light tonight and not get heart burn like I would have with the band so i was excited about that.

Congrats, HagerTeresa: I know you are so relieved. Good for you! :clap2: Model Bandster, there is such a thing? QUICK! Get this strange and rare animal right in this chat room immediately. It's like a unicorn - if they exist, where are they? :eek: I've been banded for what seems like forever, have met a zillion other Bandsters and have never seen a model Bandster, in captivity or in the wild. Believe me, there might not be such a thing - so no beating yourself up. If occasional chocolate and the odd latte meant Band failure then no one would be posting the incredible success stories that we do see daily, with the band. And luckily, smoking is one vice I don't have (I'm more of a wine and cheese girl :nervous ), but when I go out to nightclubs with my Banded pals I'm continually amazed and how many of them light up regularly. (Three of my most successful banded patients - who have lost 380# between the three of them - now work for Band surgeons and they smoke. They are in brochures, at seminars, and in all the ads. And then they sheepishly light in up public and are embarrassed when people remember them from the seminars or the newspaper ads.Oy, vey! ) So if you quit for your own health, hooray, but so far it hasn't stopped my friends from losing 100# or more pounds with their band. In fact, I have two other banded pals who quit without any significant weight gain - and the band probably stopped them from the weight gain that a lot of patients fear when they are contemplating giving up smoking. So that's just something for you to think about. One thing at a time, eh? Absolutely, I agree 100%. I've honestly seen most band issues rear their heads around the 2-to-3 year mark, and nothing beats a good offense like a good defense. So a peremptory check to make sure everything is where is should be, is a great idea coming close to the 2-year Band anniversary. I highly recommend it to all Bandsters. Happy Band Journeys To All...

The general side effect of hormonal birth control is weight gain, but by no means is it enough to negate your WLS. My uterus was too small for Mirena (I wanted something with the greatest side effect of stopping my period) so I ended up with the Nexplanon. It totally beats having to remember taking a pill at the exact time every day.

It is not a good idea to "snack all day". That is considered grazing and is one of the ways around this surgery to cause weight gain. At the stage you are now at, I was eating (and still am) 3 meals a day and 1 snack. Around 1000 calories a day. You need to write down every single thing you are putting in your mouth and figure out how many calories you are getting a day and if you are getting in the correct amount of protein. Exercise is also very important and can knock your metabolism into high gear. You might want to think about talking with your nutritionist to get her advice as well. Good luck and let us know how you are doing. Lina12 - I know it is frustrating but I would give the same advice to you as to Canadianchick. Sometimes just because we have the surgery we think it should fall off, (I'm including myself in that ) but it still takes work and good habits, tracking, and exercising. Praying for you!

I have been banded 16mo and had my fill removed because I am flying back to Mx for a tt on Monday. I was told that due to swelling it could cause too much restriction in the band. Well, I spent two days thinking of all the things I could eat again. LOL I thought I would eat pizza because I have not been able to eat pizza for so long. Instead, I find myself eatting foods that are high in Fiber, such as apples, kashi Cereal and raison bran. I love fiber and have missed being able to eat fiber. I must confess, I drank two corona light beers last night, ice cold..... ahhhhhhh. I have missed them. I am worried of course about weight gain, but I am going to stick with my high fiber foods and hope I don't gain any weight. I will be unfilled for about a month. Anyone else have fills removed for surgery?

@@Barepigies3 I had the kind of depression that required 8 months of therapy and Paxil to correct a chemical imbalance. The therapy gave me the tools I needed to manage it and the Paxil helped reset my brain chemistry. I still have to be aware of my emotions, to this day. But for years, it was untreated and it contributed to my weight gain. But it was because I had come to use food as a coping mechanism that I gained weight, and I could have opted to make exercise my outlet instead. I just didn't. The fact of the matter is, it won't do any of us any good whatsoever to sit around absolving ourselves of responsibility and saying, "No it's my genetics, it's my depression, it's because I didn't get enough hugs as a child..." No...it's because we ate too much and moved too little, and we developed unhealthy relationships with food. That's it. I wasn't trying to attack you, I'm just pointing out the fallacy in your thinking. Nobody is helped by passing responsibility off onto someone or something else, we have to OWN this in order to fix it. I don't need anyone to feel sorry for me for where I got to and I don't feel sorry for myself. In fact I feel like I've finally taken control of the situation, and that's empowering.

In 24 hours I'll be banded...queue Europe's "The Final Countdown". I can't believe it's finally here. I remember the first time I seriously considered the band, last May at my son's little league pool party. One of his coaches (whom I considered to be a "guys" guy) told me he'd had the band for about a year and was loving it. Loving the time he was able to be more active in his son's life, the ability to get more out of life, how it brought him closer to his spouse, and I just remember thinking "if I would just swallow my pride and accept I needed help with my weight, I could be a lot happier". You see, my wife was already planning her lap band at this time and I fully supported her decision to get healthy and reclaim her life, but up until this point I had pretty much resigned myself to being a "fat" dad... the one who was a master at the barbecue pit during family cook-outs but who didn't get into the pool with his kids or play catch with them...because it's too hard. I know the band is not a magic wand that fixes all aspects of one's life, but for me most of my unhappiness stemmed from not having the ability to control my own issues with food to the point that it was affecting my relationship with my kids and my wife. Tony is 10, I have 8 years left with him "full time" and only about 3 more until he becomes his own person and starts socializing outside the home, how long before he doesn't want to do anything with me regardless of what I can and can't do physically? Josh is 4, if I keep going the rate I am I will die before I see him turn 18. 2005.. the start of my weight gain. In regards to my marriage, we had our kids very young. We've never had the time to ourselves to really be just a couple. We have always made plans to travel and enjoy each other when the kids are grown, but without a healthier lifestyle what are we going to be able to do? Watch Food network and visit every buffet restaurant in the state? I want more than that! I want us to climb a Mayan Pyramid and see top of the Eiffel Tower. I want to be intimate without fear of throwing out my back. And now here we are, 7 months later. one day away from go time. I have the usual nervousness and apprehension that comes with any procedure, but all in all I am ready. Ready to make the effort to change my life, ready to put my family and my own health as the number one priority in my life. READY. follow my whole blog at http://gerryslapband.blogspot.com/

I was banded the 13th also. I actually felt pretty good on day 2, but now that I'm home (day 2 at noon) the gas is getting worse. I'm sure it's because I'm moving around alot more. Right now my stomach is taut as a drum. Plus, while I know it is all iv fliuds and not real weight gain but I went up 6 pounds from the morning of surgery till this morning. I'm sure once that starts to leave I'll feel better. I just went over all my food options for today and am thrilled that I can have my tea with skimmed milk in it! It is steeping as I type!

So I was sleeved yesterday afternoon. I weighed in at the hospital yesterday morning at 241#. I got released home today & stepped on my scale.. 256#?!?!?!?!? Are you kidding me?!?!? The doc said I would have some extra weight from all the IV fluids & gas pumped in to me.. But 15#??? Did anyone else gain this much immediately after surgery? If so, how long did it take you to lose it?

My mother had her first knee replacement in her late forties!! Then she had her hip replaced in her early 50's, a couple years later... her other knee. She's 57 and next month will have her other hip replaced. She's battled w/ being overweight after having my brother at 30. Her mom had major joint problems as well. I dont' want that life!!!! My dad resents her because he wanted to travel after retirement but she can't do the things he wants to do. I don't want THAT life either. :-( That's why I'm having this surgery. I was so active pre weight gain. I can still run/jog (2 miles in 28 minutes is what I'm up to and can walk an hour). I can no longer do incline training because the pain in my knee is awful. Even driving hurts. I'm glad to hear you're doing better since surgery. i can't wait until I can post that I did my 10 mile hike that I did when I first met my husband! :-)

bless your heart! I can totally relate with you though! I am out now 2 years and when i hit 200 that was it, never made it to onederland, but whatever. . . at least i don't weigh 350 lbs! and i think that once we hit a certain place, our bodies do stop everything. The weight gain is only 5 lbs, could be water weight too, mine usually is. . . i don't exercise and that is now my news years resolution. . . i eat everything there is too (except lettuce, that hurts a lot) just be really careful with the goodies. Christmas time is a very very junk filled season. . . hopefully after the holidays you'll get back into the swing of things. . . we all get that blahhh feeling and just are tired. . you'll be ok, your human and just look how far you have come. . . you lost a whooping 124 lbs! that is a hugh accomplishment. . . you have a great tool to help you and you'll do fine. . . just rest for now, maybe that is all you really need. . .

I don't know of anything that will get you back on track and keep you on track better than logging your food. My Fitness Pal highly recommended but there are other apps that do pretty much the same thing. I've been logging for over two years and would be lost without it. I manage my weight. Literally. It's been well over a year since I hit my maintenance weight of 155 lbs. In that time my weight has never been outside of a 151 to 156 window. This morning it was 153.8. And I never experienced any "bounce back" weight gain. Log your food, weigh yourself often (I weigh daily since reaching my maintenance weight) and respond quickly to weight changes approaching the limits of your window. If your weight is a little too high, reduce your daily calorie goal by 100-200 calories for a day or two and it will come right back down. Weight a little too low (it does happen), increase your calorie goal by 100-200 calories for a day or two and it will come back up. I've done both. Many times. And it works like a charm. But it all starts with logging your food. Commit to logging for 90 days and you'll be amazed at how fast, easy and effective managing your weight can be!!

Hi - know just how you feel -the same thing happened when I switched to soft foods as well - I had my post op today and the Dr, did a fill - I'm 17 days out also - he said not feeling full until after a couple of fills is normal as is the slight weight gain - hang in there - let me know how you are doing! - M

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.

Hi All, My name is Amy. I am new to the forum and I look forward to reading all of your posts. I have finally decided to seek gastric sleeve surgery and I am in the beginning stages. I have received a refarral from my PCP, have gone to the first info. session, and am approved by my insurance company for surgery. Seeking health has been a life-long journey for me. I exercise regularly, and eat a balanced diet. Unforunately, my body has many auto-immune conditions, including Type I diabetes, chronic hives, hashimotos thyroid, and celiac diease. Worsening blood pressure, asthma, sleep apnea and cholesterol levels are complicated by weight gain. I have worked with a nutrionist for 11 yrs, and I am ready to see the results of my efforts. I hope the gastric sleeve will be a helpful tool for me! I have a 35 BMI, and would love to know the expereinces of others with a lower BMI. Thanks! Amy

Pre surgery I had a BMI of around 36. This week marks 6 months post surgery for me. It has been a truly wonderful experience. I have lost 53 lbs so far. My whole life until surgery I felt like I was battling against weight gain. I fought to stay at the weight I was at...I'd hate to think where I would be had I given up the fight. The surgery was just part of my journey to be healthy. Best of luck to you!!

What about the weight gain pre op? Since I've quit smoking I put on 6 pounds in just a week! How that even happened I have no clue will it set me back??

Omg so I was 241 pre op surgery was oct 1 went down to 221 and now 3 weeks later I'm at 224 why am I gaining weight I feel so stupid I had this surgery done It's irreversible only for me to gain weight I'm going crazy please help!!!!

Hi Caroline - I was pretty darn successful while I was banded, but since my unbanding... not so much... :cry But heck, I'll give you advice anyhow!! lol Okay, the trick when you're not as tight as you'd like to be, for whatever reason, is to maximize what your pouch CAN do for you. So you have to think, "How can I get my pouch to get full and stay full for the maximum amount of time?" Common knowledge: 1. Cold drinks generally tighten restriction 2. Hot Drinks generally loosen restriction 3. Water-loading gives an early pouch stretch, the sensation of which can last for some time, even after the pouch empties 4. Foods that do not "dissolve" with chewing tend to pass more slowly through the pouch - i.e. meats, raw veggies, fibrous things 5. Drinking sooner than 1 hour after eating washes food through the pouch faster, minimizing the amount of time to feel full, leading to return of hunger sooner 6. Exercise is a natural appetite suppressant 7. Thirst is often mistaken for hunger - most people are slightly dehydrated 8. sleep deprivation increases stress, which can result in weight gain Based on the above knowledge, this would be my suggestion to you to try: 1. Make sure you're drinking all of your Water every day - .5 oz per pound of body weight. Water and Fat Loss The levels of oxygen in the bloodstream are greater when the body is well hydrated. The more oxygen the body has readily available the more fat it will burn for energy. Without the presence of oxygen the body cannot utilize stored fat for energy efficiently. Not only will the body burn more fat when well hydrated but because of the increased oxygen levels you will also have more energy. http://www.tbfinc.com/water.htm 2. Get a good night's sleep - go to bed earlier than you're used to. 3. Do a brisk, 30 minute walk each day. 4. Water load before meals. Try to drink a quart of water in the hour before you eat, and then drink as much icy-cold water as you can, as quickly as you can, 15 minutes before your meal. 5. Eat solid Proteins and lots of raw/cooked veggies. 6. NO liquids for an hour after meals! 7. Plan, plan, plan. Plan your meals beforehand, so you know already what you're going to eat. Make your lunch and take it with you to work. PLAN on having Snacks, and plan what you're going to use as a snack, and make sure you have it with you so you have a better chance of sticking to your plan. Good luck, and I hope some of this helps!! I need to do this myself... lol

So I just found out I am 5 weeks pregnant, I'm currently 8 months post op and in total has lost 81lbs....oh yeah just gained back back a few in the last few weeks alone. Not sure what the average weight gain is & if the weight was lost quickly after? If anyone has had their baby, can you tell me if the weightloss continued on after the baby was born......

HI Your intentions are wonderful, but weight, weight loss, and weight gain are very personal and intimate subjects. You can never know how someone else will interpret what you say, good intentions or not. Telling someone how they can lose weight is also telling them they are not "ok" as is, unless they have asked for your advice. You have a good heart; just pay attention to being sensitive from the other side ~hiddn

One of the reasons why individuals gain weight back after they reach their bottom weight and enter the maintenance stage after surgery is because of grazing. Grazing promotes expanding your pouch and that then leads to weight gain. It is very easy to graze when you are watching television.