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I'm a Sheila too! I come from a family that has weight issues and my weight struggles actually started in Kindergarten and only progressed from there. In grade 5, I was on the Slim Fast diet for a while (I looked back and think of why my mother thought that would be OK, but she was desperate to help me and also struggles with weight). And I just kept on gaining and gaining all through middle school. Then in grade 10 I decided to do something about it, started exercising everyday and watching what I ate. I started at I think around 225lbs or 230lbs, it took over 2 years and I got down to just above 150lbs. I felt great! But it didn't last long. In the fall of 1997 I had a serious accident which left me unable to exercise. Also moving away from home made a difference, having no money and buying the cheapest foods possible (think Mac&Cheese and instant noodles). I gained back some weight and was back up to around 170lbs, then lost down to around 160lbs. Then, I met my husband at age 20, and that is when it got really bad! He was thin and could eat whatever he wanted. My weight just ballooned until I was my heaviest on my wedding day at 265lbs. Shortly after my wedding, I really started working at it again. I wanted to have children and knew that being so heavy was not healthy. For over 2 years I worked my butt off, losing just over 70 lbs and getting down to around 190lbs. Then I got pregnant and ended up 30 lbs heavier. And that is where I sat, at around 225lbs. Even after having another baby, my weight just stayed there and I gave up. I was exhausted from always having to work so hard for every pound lost and resided in the fact that I would be fat forever. I had looked into the band, but was a little unsure. I had thought about RNY, but it made me nervous, plus I was not big enough for it to be covered. Plus, I live in Canada, and the wait list to get it done even if I qualified was 10 years. Then, by chance, I was searching around on the internet and found a local company that was facilitating sleeve surgeries in Mexico. I talked to my husband about it, did some research, and knew it was what I wanted. We had to use our line of credit, but I got my surgery done on November 29th, 2010 and have never once regretted it. It took me 18 months, but I got to my goal and even dropped a few pounds below, and I maintained it easily for almost a year. Then a few months ago, I switched medications (I struggle with depression and was trying a different med). In 3 weeks I gained over 7lbs. I stopped taking the medication because the weight gain was worse for my mental health then not being on any medication at all. The weight gain stopped immediately, but it never came back off. Then I started reading all the posts on the Gonna Get to Goal thread and when Georgia started posting about 5:2, I knew it was something that I thought I might be able to do! And here I am! Another long post, but I find it therapeutic to lay it all out sometimes!!

I am addicted to the scale and have put it under my bed so far that I forgot where it was and when I really wanted to weigh myself for my weekly weigh in I had to climb under the bed. That caused me to notice how much I needed to dust. It's just not fair! Best of luck and don't worry about the slight weight gain. It will be gone in a few days as soon as that gas thing goes away.

weight gain is also a concern of mine after ridding the band.

I never had problems with losing weight, which I think is why I did well with the band. What I had problems with was keeping it off. Watching what I eat and starving myself for the rest of my life wasn't something I could do. Something would happen, I'd get stressed and I'd gain it all back plus some. Always plus some! My band was leaking last year and leaked for 15 months. I gained back 35lbs. I can tell you, I would have gained a lot more than that had I not been a bandster all these years and developed some good eating habits. I also arrested the weight gain and went on to lose 15lbs of that on my own. And I did wonder: can I do this myself? But the truth is, now I have a replacement band in, losing/maintaining is easier. It just is with a band. I don't even have to count calories, it maintains my weight easily. That's the difference I think.

I'm still banded, but curious about the replies. I do wonder about weight gain after band to sleeve for the reasons you mentioned. Foods I can't eat now, I'll be able eat post sleeve. Congratulations on being so close to goal.

im on the pill and its working fine. NO weight gain at all.

Talk to your Gyno to figure out what's best for you. There's a lot more than weight gain when making birth control decisions. For instance, if you're a smoker over 35 then any hormonal birth control is a risk. I can tell you from my own experience: My Gyno said absolutely no Depo-Provera. She said it is notorious for rapid and severe weight gain.

I am getting banded this Friday I was on implanon and had it taken out today. I am wanting to wait a year or so and am wondering which birth controls work well with having band. Obviously I don't want anything that will cause weight gain. And will probably do something in pill form. Thanks in advance for the advice

Stalls and some weight gain is normal...Switch your Gatorade to G2. It helps with hydration and is only 20 calories...I mix it 1/2 and 1/2 with Water and it tastes okay to me....Try it! Six months- 100 lbs. that's a lot of weight gone..How do you feel other then being discouraged....

It's been six months since surgery and I've lost 100 pounds so far, but I've gained six pounds in a week! I need to watch my gatorade and carb intake and refocus. I'm feeling discouraged! Has this rapid weight gain happen to anyone else?

Hi all! Yes, the band had originally proved very effective for me - the first time around. I'd say it was about 2 years after initial placement that I was diagnosed with the first slip, the band had moved down my stomach and the only thing I was able to keep down was milk. I had the bad repositioned and since then I have has minimal success and maximum trouble! Every fill was either to tight or no restriction. I began having to have refills quite regularly as the band started leaking and loosing effectiveness. Originally my surgeon thought it was 'in my head' and there was nothing wrong with it, I was just bring paranoid after what had happened with the original lap band. Eventually I convinced him to send me for a swallow which showed a pouch dilation above the band. Dr.D removed all liquid and told me to come back in 2 months after the pouch had time to rest and hopefully slip back through the band. This seemed to work for a while but all it did was resolve the heart burn I was having - there was no weight gain. In recent months I've been unable to eat solid foods. meat is absolutely off the menus! And I have been unable to eat more than 3 hours prior to bed - any later than that and I wake up chocking on reflux and have to make myself sick to remove any reflux from my chest. I'm piping antacids like candy! Fast forward to today and the most recent swallow shows pouch dilation above the band and again, a slippage down the stomach. Apparently it happens to some people and you stomach begins to accommodate the band. My surgeon says that the band was not really meant for long term usage and most have about a 10 year lifespan on them.

The good news? You caught it!!! That's the beauty of the band - it's still there and it works when you get yourself back on track. My story is identical to yours! A few different circumstances, but to make it short: pres-surgery weight 306 - 7 years ago. Got down to 165. Quit paying attention and quit having regular doctor appointments = 60 pound weight gain. When I went back to the doctor I weighed in at 220 and was devastated. ' Then I remembered how excited I was to be at 220 at one point. And I also realized that if I don't get right back up, I'll end up easily back where I started before surgery and then some. SO - I got a fill in May and have started having monthly appointments with the doctor for accountability. I'm following the most important rules for me: ABSOLUTELY no drink with food Lean Protein first (yeah, but if I do that, I can't eat as much... EXACTLY!) Log every calorie on MyFitnessPal and stop ignoring what/how much I am consuming (It's soooo much easier to not know!) Exercise daily (UGGGHHH!!!) I was so defeated and depressed when I started back. I felt like such a failure! I have fought my weight all my life and I thought that I had conquered the problem. Nope - I will never be finished with this battle - no matter whether I get to my goal or not! It's just another one of those hard lessons - we will never be able to do what other people can do without consequences. I can't eat like my skinny sister without gaining weight. I have to exercise daily, even though other people don't have to. It's not fair and it sucks, but it's my reality. Once I accept that, the rest is easier. I was so used to failure that I had convinced myself that the band would no longer work for me. I was afraid that I was too far gone. I am my own worst enemy. Once I learned how to defeat the band I could (and did) eat anything I wanted to - and as much of it as I wanted. I thought maybe I had just tricked myself into losing the weight the first time but that now the real me was back and it was all over. I thought that maybe I would never be able to do it again. More good news - I was wrong!!! Like I said - the acceptance piece was the key for me. Once I accepted that the band wasn't magical and that I have to do my part, miraculously, it started "working" again. So I follow the rules, workout, and I'm losing again. Because the scale messes with my head, I'm not allowing myself to step on the scale until July 31. But this morning I went shopping in the back of my closet and I'm wearing a dress today I haven't worn in over a year! You can do this! Start with regular doctor appointments. I need to have to look him in the eye. I know, I know - I should be doing it for me, blah, blah, blah. Don't care - those external controls are important for me. Maybe someday I'll be able to do it just for myself. But for now - I need to be accountable and not be able to hide or make excuses. My family loves me and accepts me whether I'm fat or not, and quite frankly - I can pretty easily justify or excuse just about anything to them and they accept that. Not the doctor. He knows BS when he hears it and he will call me on it. After getting back to the doctor, start logging your intake (brutally) and start walking every day. Once you get rolling - the momentum builds quickly. Don't give up!!!! Shelly

Everyone looses at a different pace. Maybe the half of a pound weight gain is fluid. Don't give up. I have not been sleeved yet, but I have done a lot of research about this type of surgery. Keep up the good work, it will pay off.

I really don't miss a lot of the foods I used to eat. I came out of surgery with a hate for certain foods I used to love. I can't stand the taste of chocolate much, sodas of any kind, and even Water tastes still like it does when a person is sick. But there is lemon water, and the liquid diet orange koolaid to shoot into the water. I have found a serious craving for fresh anything, veggies, fruits, meats, what we are supposed to eat. I've hit pause, and have been hovering for a couple of weeks weight wise, but my close are still growing on me, so my body I guess is just doing a catch up. Yes, I wish I could have done it on my own, BUT, with all the prednisone, and weight gain, and inabilty to lose, I decided to nip in in the bud. Has it been rough, heck yeah, just had gall bladder surgery, so 2 surgeries in 3 months...but most of my pain(Back, knees, feet, shoulders) is gone with the 82 lbs I've lost, and I can keep up with anyone now. PLUS, I'm going to be a grandmother for the first time in February, and my grandkid is going to have a Grandma DD that can do the fun things with...which is far more important than any food I may miss out on. I do love having 6 meals a day and knowing if I get full before the apetite runs out, I just have to wait 3 hours, and I can eat again, and shrink, shrink shrink!

After two failed lap bands, I am scheduled to have the band removed and revised to a sleeve. Despite my best efforts, my surgeon insists that I have the band removed, allow 3 months 'rest' time for my stomach then have the sleeve procedure. Has anyone had the same experience and how did you manage/control your weight over that time? I'm terrified I will gain back majority, if not all of the 60lbs I've lost this far in that 3 months. Any story's or tips from fellow banders/ex banders/current sleevers would be appreciated!

Mami, if I remember correctly, you maintain a food log (MFP?). Have you tried increasing your daily calorie goal by 100-200 calories for a week and seeing what impact that has on your weight? I've dropped lower than my goal a few times and a moderate increase in my calorie intake has always got me back on track. Logging has worked equally well for me for weight gain, weight loss or maintenance.

Hi all! I was banded back in 2003, and it took me 2 years to reach my goal weight. Then came the great lap band slippage of 2005. I went for the corrective procedure and was told all was well, since then I have had nothing but trouble - I've regained 60lbs and can't seem to loose any of it. It's as though EVERYTHING I eat causes me to gain weight - even though my diet consists mostly of veggie Soup (cause its about all I can keep down) and I wake every night choking on reflux, not to mention the constant pain at the port site. So today i went back to my surgeon and as suspected, the band has slipped again. I've discussed my options with Dr.D and have decided the best plan for me is to remove the band and have the revision to a sleeve. Dr.D tells me that I have to remove the band, wait 3 months for my stomach to relax then have the sleeve done. I've tried to argue with him re; the 3 month rest period but considering he is the surgeon, and I have no idea about surgical matters, I didn't get very far in my attempts to get him to do the removal and sleeve in one surgery. Has anyone had the same experience - Band out, few months wait then sleeved? I'm so worried about the weight gain in those 3 months - can anyone share their story? Did you gain weight? How rapidly? Or how did you maintain your weight loss over that time? I'm not going to lie, this is terrifying me - so I thought I'd reach out to fellow banders for support!

Well, the advise wasn't just for you, it was also for the other people who read the posts. I don't think you're rude, just ignorant and judgemental. I'm sure there are some readers who think...what the hell did you do to gain the weight back? Then, hopefully they don't start freaking out. The VGS is a tool not an end all to weight loss and neither is the DS. I clearly answered you; however you didn't get it. I did PM you and due to your avoidance, I didn't disclose everything that you wanted to know that that time. My girlfriend had a VGS & DS 7 years ago, spent over $10,000 cash and had the surgery in Brazil. She was there 30 days. When I asked the previous questions, it was for me to understand your situation and to be able to relay to my friend so I could give the best information to you. Actually, I've been on another sites that have years of success. Actually, you are the first one that has "struggled" and gained the weight back that has posted about it. I'm not saying there are not people out there in your situation, just saying your the first that has this issue on a post that I've read. I know I don't know everything; however I know more than you think. Like I've mentioned before, I've seen first hand what my friend went through (did I personally experience that...no). Also, I never had a weight problem growing up or most of my adult life. It wasn't until I experienced serious injuries: fractured back, fractured pelvis, bilateral fractured wrists, and bilateral sprained ankles which put me on the weight gain track. I understand your frustration when it comes to working out and not being able to lose the weight...s/p injuries. And other stuff that's not relavant. Cockiness is projection from you my dear. Just because I "joined" this site a few days ago and was sleeved 7 months ago, is not where I base my information from. I have practiced medicine the past 6 years (I have prescribed and recommended this procedure to my patients) and have worked in the medical field the past 20 years (EMT/Firefighter, ER RN, helicopter/fixed wing flight nurse) along with 12 years of law. It's your assumption that I don't know anything and regret you're annoyed. Good luck to you and God Bless.

Angel thanks for the advise and input but I CLEARLY stated am looking for input about people that have had the DS, not advise on how to lose weight. And no offense but you are 7 months post op. thats when i was down to 129. it's easy....so easy at that time. Wait until you're almost 2 years out its a whole different ball game. Look at the weight gained since being sleeved thread that's pinned. There are dozens of us struggling with regain. It's annoying that people less than a year out think they know it all. I'm not trying to be rude but just wait and see how it is in a year, you may look back and realize you we're a little too cocky, just like 3/4 of the people here less than a year out.

Hi. I was sleeved on July 18,2011. My highest weight was 257 and I was at 240 on day of surgery. I've lost over 110 pounds. My lowest weight was 141 about 7 months ago when I had to have a complete hysterectomy. I was able to maintain my weight of 150 for almost a year--that is until a few weeks ago when I started gaining weight and I am now at 157-158. I am sad. And worried. I have indulged in a few things a little too much but not much more than I had even a few months ago although I do feel like I can eat a bit more than just a few months ago. I am here for support and advice. I exercise although not regularly. I only walk and try running. I am a school librarian and I am off on vacation so 1. I am not as active now compared to when I am working and 2. I am at a closer proximity to food. I think I do have a food addiction and I try to eat healthy because of it. I do not want to blame my husband but he does buy junk sometimes (like Cheetos) that I cannot seem to resist eating. I crave sweets and do admit eating-and drinking--too much lately. I am getting depressed about the whole weight gaining thing. I see my surgeon next week for my two year post op appointment. Thanks for reading my intro.

Caffeine headaches ouch! Several articles I read say that diet soda causes weight gain and cravings. Hard because for a long time that's all I drank (not good). Who knew that diet pop was worse than regular? Ironic.

Hi...i was just going through some chats and i came across yours...do you mind me asking what is a belt lipectomy and some other surgeries you had. Are they due to a your weight loss? I had started over May 1 with my sleeve after a long battle of 3 yrs with band. Had the band out and opted for the sleeve. I know for sure once i hit my goal i will need my tummy done. I have had 3 c sections so my tummy is really stretched and with weight gain...i am just curious about the surgeries and what they endure..thank you....

During your first year that is the time to change your routines around and make your life proactive to weight loss and maintaining it for life. It is a tool to help you get the weight off and keep it off. You are the master behind the tool and it will only be as effective as the master wants it to be. I believe you have to purposely do things counterproductive that will cause weight gain. Such as drinking when eating to push the food through your sleeve so you can eat more or eat carbs etc until your full wait a little bit and then eat some more. If you are careful and eat accordingly you should be fine. Again the modifications that you make in your first year are going to make the difference. Hang in there!

I'm about 8 wks post op and have been doing really good... I think? I'm down 42lbs since day 1 preop, but have stalled and gained a few pounds back... I feel like I'm able to eat way more/bigger portions already... not intentionally, but lunch today I had a (what I think was a BIG) salad, and yesterday I ate two large lettuce wraps stuffed with chicken, etc.... I'm worried if I'm eating too much and that's what's leading to my weight gain....?? Should I still be trying to stick to 600-800 cals a day? I am desperate to reach my goal... Please help!!

Before looking for a second surgical intervention, really she would need to do the above to make sure it's not bad habits and lack of exercise that caused the weight gain. Her body has already hit 129 therefore it will be easier to get there again. The DS surgery is not if you can't handle eating healthy and exercise. Because having the DS will cause worse issues regarding absoption of cruicial vitamins and minerals. If a person continues to eat poorly, their health will really suffer. Stick to the non-evasive treatment plan as mentioned above of changing eating habits and exercising consistently 4-6 times a week. Good luck. Really, this is something that you can fix. It's just you putting in the effort.