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I've been using the NuvaRing for years and I love it. Never noticed any weight gain. I do love that its made my flow VERY light and only a few days(usually less than 4). Total bonus for me. Talk to your Lady Dr. about all your options, but I love it.

Hello, I posted here way back when I had my surgery in 2006 but I haven't been back in years. I tried talking to some folks at OH.com but.... not too helpful there. Here's my story and question. I will try to make it short and sweet. I got banded in July, 2006 with the 10cc band. I lost 130 lbw in the first year and got down to a size 6 (from a 22!). I still love my band and I am happy with my decision to have it but the last few years have been bad to me. I lost my job and insurance about a year after having the band. I was able to self pay a few times to get into my doctor for check ups but after year 2 or 3, I could not afford to go back. In that time, I gained 70 lbs back and I have had horrible acid reflux with aspiration. I was recently able to get on the state funded insurance program and upon telling my PCP what was happening, she referred me to a local bariatric surgeon (not the same that did my surgery) I had to jump through a bunch of hoops with them to get in as an "adoption case" as they weren't the ones who performed my surgery and my appointment is today. This past weekend I ended up in the ER not being able to eat, drink or even swallow saliva. It was very all of the sudden and I hadn't even eaten anything that day, only had coffee. The ER I went to was clearly inept at handling band patients but by the guidance of my former surgeon, they did unfill me under flouroscopy and that is how we saw the slip. I think I already knew just going by my syptoms for the past 2-3 years and the weight gain and the increase in amount of food I can eat. The band is supposed to lay horizontal or point up towards the shoulder. Mine angles down towards my hip bone. They also found I have a hiatial (sp?) hernia. I did get in with my former surgeon and he said I definetly need surgery. He recommends transitioning to a bypass or sleeve but my insurance wont cover that and I don't have 25k lying aroung. He indicated that after repositioning, there is only a 50/50 chance that I will lose the weight again. That scares me. I am thinner and healthier than I was, but not where I want or need to be. At 5'8 and 224, I am considered obese now. So my question is, has anyone else had their band sugically re-positioned and still managed to lose weight as they did before? Or did you just continue to have problems? Im on my way to the other surgeon right now for his imput but any comments or sharing your experiences would really be helpful. Thanks so much! Kayla

Hello fellow banders, Heaviest -330 Day of surgery - 283 Most lost- 250 Today- 278 I was banded back in Sept 2010. I was so excited to get banned and knew all the things i had to do. eat slow, chew chew chew, eat right, and exerciser. I was ready! Fast forward to today's date and I have no idea what happened. I feel so embarrassed to see people I know that knew I had the surgery. I have been on this odd funk emotional that I'm not used to (not depressed) maybe ashamed. This started about 1-2 weeks ago. I guess I must have realized I failed my band. So this was how I found this web link. I'm glad I'm not alone. I have not returned to get a fill or a follow up with my doctor since about Nov. 2011. I had to go through Facebook pictures to look at my weight loss and weight gain photos. Looks to me that for about 1 year kept it off, but it has slowly came back. Im just about the same weight I was at my surgery date. So now im embarrassed to pick up the phone and call my doctor. Im sure they will be supportive, but I dont know if Im ready to sit in the "hot seat" to tell them I failed. I know I need to get back on track! Im glad I found this forum. Im happy to hear other suggestion on what you did to get back on the wagon. Thanks, Juan

Hi, everyone! My name is Lisa. I'm 43 years old, live in Michigan, and am married, with a 7 year old daughter and a 22 year old stepson. I'm scheduled to have a VSG through St John Providence in August. I'm 5'3" and weighed 225 when I started the process a few months ago. A little about me: I've been overweight my whole life - "chubby" as a child/teen and just plain fat as an adult. You know how some people can carry excess weight and still look good? Well, I'm not one of those people. Although I'm not much of a snacker and don't get into sweets, I have a terrible time with portion control. I've had bad reflux for about ten years. When I was pregnant in 2005/2006, I started having terrible back and knee pain and developed sleep apnea, too. I ended up with preeclampsia and delivered early. I had been sick most of the pregnancy and the majority of the weight gain was from Water retention, which I lost fairly quickly, but the sleep apnea, back and knee pain never resolved. I ended up with an apron of fat that hangs at my waist (yuck) and a fat deposit at the top of my back that pushes my neck and head forward like a hunchback (I can't tip my head back and look at the ceiling). I'm tired and uncomfortable all the time, and sick of not being able to bend over to tie my shoes. I'm really lucky that my husband loves me enough to give me pretty manicures, but I hate that I can't do it myself. I buy Skecher shoes that don't have laces (gah! I used to laugh at people who wore those!), elastic waist skirts (think: grandma's), and the pictures of me in a bathing suit when my daughter was an infant were the stuff of nightmares. If you look at the scrapbooks I've lovingly created for her, there's not a single photo of me. How sad is that? I'm excited about the surgery, but worried about being able to change my portion control problem. I swing between being ready to do it RIGHT NOW and thinking maybe I shouldn't do it at all. My husband is very supportive and says that he loves me just the way I am, but wants me to feel better physically and emotionally and he will do whatever I need to help me in that endeavor. However, my parents aren't as supportive and my friends keep saying, "Oh, you don't need to have weight loss surgery." I feel like I'm being pulled in all different directions. And it doesn't help that I'm a little (well, okay - a LOT) resistant to change. You know, that fear of "out of the frying pan, into the fire"? So, that's me. Anyone out there with thoughts? Similar concerns?

Funny I am still never hungry I went out one day all day and forgot to eat because I don't get hungry I eat every four hours only because I know Im supposed to I mean its crazy I hope I never get that hungry feeling back! I love that i Don't have to always satisfy a hunger feeling like I use to. That's the one thing I am honestly grateful for along with the limited space to abuse my body! Even when i am in bad mode i know no matter what I could only do so much damage I have fell off a few times but the next day would pick myself back up and act like it never happen. and funny I have never had weight gain from a bad day (cheat day)

I don't think you are going to find them on this group, because most people are here because they want to keep the weight off and succeed after surgery. There is a steep drop-off rate on this board as time goes by post-op. I would guess there are less than 15 people who are more than two years out. Here are some articles that support the fact that weight gain is possible: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Fitness/story?id=4444057&page=1#.UYgaNbXbN8E http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1856611/

I will be honest. The first week I was a HOT AS* MESS! I cried at little things. My kids would draw me a picture and I would cry. I have never, ever been this emotional. I have been described by a few as "frosty". So all these meds and hormones coursing through my body sent me into a tailspin. PLUS a friend reminded me that my doctor had me stop my birth control pills to lessen my chances of blood clots. HELLO! RED FLAG RED FLAG! Take a deep breath and relax. Grab a box of kleenex and let it out. It gets better. Oh and remember all those bags of IV fluid hanging in the hospital? Yeah those could be the reason for the weight gain. Just take it easy and let your body heal.

Surgery was 4/23. I gained 18 pounds in 3 days while still in the hospital after my sleeve. I was readmitted to the hospital 8 hours after my initial discharge after it was found I had lost blood flow to 20% of my spleen, presumably from a blood clot. I received a large amount of IV fluid in that time which resulted in those 18 pounds. I lost that in 5 days plus an additional 9 pounds since, but to me, those 18 pounds of fluid "don't count". I was just wondering if anyone else had a large weight gain immediately post-op.

I was doing pretty good, been steadily losing about 2 to 3 pounds a week. I was so excited last week cause I was in the very low 160s, 151 will be my hundred pound mark. Then in the last 4 days I've gained 3 pounds without a change in my eating or workout habits. Ugh so frustrating, I really want to hit my 100 pound mark by the time my hubby come to visit in mid June! Have any of you had any weird random gain. I am thinking maybe I'm hitting my 6 month Stall a little bit late. Hope it doesn't last to long, I can finally see my 100 pound mark and so want to reach it!

Wow this was quite the read. I've felt alone and as it turns out...I'm not alone on this! 1) I was late for work one day due to a doctors appointment. I always parked in the same parkade. The lady at the gate asks why I'm late. I say had a doctors appointment. She asks oh are you expecting. I just said no...drove to my stall and burst out crying. 2) at dinner with a bunch of family and complaining (quietly) to my mom that I had to buy a size 22 pants. My much larger cousin pipes up (very loudly) to the whole table...ya right a size 22!! Like I was lying about a plus size. 3) meeting my one true love again during his divorce. Called his house to speak with him only to have his daughter tell me he was at his girlfriends house. I was always the girl that was smart but not to be dated. (I will find him again after I've lost all the weight!) 4) my boss (who is short and.overweight) telling me that he was worried about my weight gain. I asked him that we must have met in a past life...my name used to be kettle and I'm sure that his name was pot? 5)recently vacationed to kauai with my best friend. She made a huge deal over me wanting dessert...embarrassing. I finally had enough and said you're right. Then I think she feels bad and requests the dessert menu. After all that!! We didn't end up ordering anything. There were three things I wanted to do but couldn't because of weight restrictions. Ziplining, tubing adventure, and a helicopter tour. 6) the best for last. Going to a retail store to shop for my mom with my dads credit card. A sales clerk walks up to me and explains that they don't sell anything over a size 14. (I was maybe a 16/18 at the time.) I left the store totally humiliated and in tears. I will NEVER shop in Suzy Shier...EVER! There are many others that come to mind now that I'm listing them. I'm going to focus on me now...and feeling great about myself no matter what. I will go back to Kauai and do all the things I couldn't do...including ordering a dessert...even if I only have one bite. Its my decision and no one will make me feel bad. Ever...again. I'm super pumped about my decision. Perhaps my friend was jealous about it and lashed out in kauai? I told her that it was my last kick at the cat and I was going to go out with a bang. She seemed upset...the one person I thought would be the most supportive has been the least supportive! Oh well...up and on...my true journey starts on May 14th...I'm currently on liquids to prepare! Thanks for sharing all...sorry this is so long.

Wow this was quite the read. I've felt alone and as it turns out...I'm not alone on this! 1) I was late for work one day due to a doctors appointment. I always parked in the same parkade. The lady at the gate asks why I'm late. I say had a doctors appointment. She asks oh are you expecting. I just said no...drove to my stall and burst out crying. 2) at dinner with a bunch of family and complaining (quietly) to my mom that I had to buy a size 22 pants. My much larger cousin pipes up (very loudly) to the whole table...ya right a size 22!! Like I was lying about a plus size. 3) meeting my one true love again during his divorce. Called his house to speak with him only to have his daughter tell me he was at his girlfriends house. I was always the girl that was smart but not to be dated. (I will find him again after I've lost all the weight!) 4) my boss (who is short and.overweight) telling me that he was worried about my weight gain. I asked him that we must have met in a past life...my name used to be kettle and I'm sure that his name was pot? 5)recently vacationed to kauai with my best friend. She made a huge deal over me wanting dessert...embarrassing. I finally had enough and said you're right. Then I think she feels bad and requests the dessert menu. After all that!! We didn't end up ordering anything. There were three things I wanted to do but couldn't because of weight restrictions. Ziplining, tubing adventure, and a helicopter tour. 6) the best for last. Going to a retail store to shop for my mom with my dads credit card. A sales clerk walks up to me and explains that they don't sell anything over a size 14. (I was maybe a 16/18 at the time.) I left the store totally humiliated and in tears. I will NEVER shop in Suzy Shier...EVER! There are many others that come to mind now that I'm listing them. I'm going to focus on me now...and feeling great about myself no matter what. I will go back to Kauai and do all the things I couldn't do...including ordering a dessert...even if I only have one bite. Its my decision and no one will make me feel bad. Ever...again. I'm super pumped about my decision. Perhaps my friend was jealous about it and lashed out in kauai? I told her that it was my last kick at the cat and I was going to go out with a bang. She seemed upset...the one person I thought would be the most supportive has been the least supportive! Oh well...up and on...my true journey starts on May 14th...I'm currently on liquids to prepare! Thanks for sharing all...sorry this is so long.

Wow this was quite the read. I've felt alone and as it turns out...I'm not alone on this! 1) I was late for work one day due to a doctors appointment. I always parked in the same parkade. The lady at the gate asks why I'm late. I say had a doctors appointment. She asks oh are you expecting. I just said no...drove to my stall and burst out crying. 2) at dinner with a bunch of family and complaining (quietly) to my mom that I had to buy a size 22 pants. My much larger cousin pipes up (very loudly) to the whole table...ya right a size 22!! Like I was lying about a plus size. 3) meeting my one true love again during his divorce. Called his house to speak with him only to have his daughter tell me he was at his girlfriends house. I was always the girl that was smart but not to be dated. (I will find him again after I've lost all the weight!) 4) my boss (who is short and.overweight) telling me that he was worried about my weight gain. I asked him that we must have met in a past life...my name used to be kettle and I'm sure that his name was pot? 5)recently vacationed to kauai with my best friend. She made a huge deal over me wanting dessert...embarrassing. I finally had enough and said you're right. Then I think she feels bad and requests the dessert menu. After all that!! We didn't end up ordering anything. There were three things I wanted to do but couldn't because of weight restrictions. Ziplining, tubing adventure, and a helicopter tour. 6) the best for last. Going to a retail store to shop for my mom with my dads credit card. A sales clerk walks up to me and explains that they don't sell anything over a size 14. (I was maybe a 16/18 at the time.) I left the store totally humiliated and in tears. I will NEVER shop in Suzy Shier...EVER! There are many others that come to mind now that I'm listing them. I'm going to focus on me now...and feeling great about myself no matter what. I will go back to Kauai and do all the things I couldn't do...including ordering a dessert...even if I only have one bite. Its my decision and no one will make me feel bad. Ever...again. I'm super pumped about my decision. Perhaps my friend was jealous about it and lashed out in kauai? I told her that it was my last kick at the cat and I was going to go out with a bang. She seemed upset...the one person I thought would be the most supportive has been the least supportive! Oh well...up and on...my true journey starts on May 14th...I'm currently on liquids to prepare! Thanks for sharing all...sorry this is so long.

This thread spoke to me!! I was sleeved 4/10 lost 24 lbs in the first 2 weeks. I haven't lost anything in over a week and I too gained 2 lbs. I've been so upset, I knew there would be a stall but the weight gain was just devastating. I even began counting calories and working out. I was thinking what if I never loose anymore weight!?!? Is that even possible?! I'm glad I'm not alone and I hope this stall ends soon for my sanity!

All right. So I'm due back at work next week and I'm definitely ready to get out of the house! My question is, what did you guys tell people when you didn't want to reveal the real surgery? I'm at a loss. Some coworkers can be inquisitive. I won't say "nosey" because they're all very nice, but I'm sure they'll ask where I've been for 3 weeks and notice the ~15 lbs lost! My thoughts were to say something about stomach ulcers. Or maybe something about my PCOS. I DO have PCOS and that's a major cause of my weight gain, so it's not a huge lie. And then part of me wants to just tell the truth... Worded in a way like "my PCOS was bad and my insulin was skyrocketing (all true!) so I had this surgery to help me lose weight and fix the issues." I'm sure I'm worrying over nothing but was just interested in what you guys told others. I'm a "lightweight" so I feel like this may confuse some of them or even insult some of the ladies who are larger than me. Any tips?

So, I am completely new to blogging but thought I'd give it a try. I'm hoping that by putting my thoughts, fears, and hopes down, it will help me through my journey of weight loss. If in the process, it happens to help any of you who stumble across my writings, then that's even better!! First of all, although I have not always been obese, I have always been "chubby" and/or have struggled with my weight and had an issue with food. I am an emotional eater. I eat if bored, angry, depressed, happy. . . you name it, and I'll eat for it!! I come from a very Italian family who solved everything with food. I recently came across a diary I kept when I was in high school. Most of the entries were about me complaining about how fat I was and if I could only lose a few more pounds I'd be able to fit into a bikini!! I couldn't believe how fat I thought I was when looking back I know for a fact that I was 120lbs at my heaviest in high school!!! Most of my weight gain came about after a miscarriage, losing a baby when I was 23 weeks pregnant, then from my first and second successful pregnancies. I ballooned eventually up to 252 lbs and this was way too much weight on my 5'3 frame. My back hurt, my knees hurt, I had high blood pressure, pre-diabetes. The list goes on. I tried many different weight loss programs, diet pills, gym memberships, etc. Nothing worked. I finally got up the courage to go for Lap Band. This is my physical, mental and emotional journey. First off, I was banded on 3/1/13. Liquids one week, pureed one week, soft solids one week then. . . regular food. Lost about 18 pounds. No problems to speak of until I went for my first fill on 4/9 when my doc found a kink. . . literally. He could fill but not aspirate! Apparently, my tubing had kinked he believes due to intra-abdominal pressure within the first few hours or days of banding! So, he only filled about 1.5 ccs. Went 4/11 for an x-ray, and lo and behold. . . staring right at me is a very sharp kink that of course, my doctor and the GI fellow both could not manipulate manually to unkink! Fast forward several weeks, and here I am again fresh out of surgery on 5/3 where I had to have the port replaced. Luckily, it wasn't as invasive as the first surgery, so I am not experiencing any of that wonderful chest, back, shoulder pain, etc., Basically, just pain at the incision site. This poor site has already been used 3 times! Originally to remove my gallbladder, then for band surgery #1 and now #2! Any more incisions in that area, and I think the scar will stand up and slap me!!! Now I'm on liquids until Tuesday when I see my doc again. He filled my band to 3ccs. Total weight loss so far is about 24 lbs. I'm hoping all will be well this time. We will see!!! I'll update again after I see my doc on 5/7. Wish me luck!!

Great post! I luv the fact that ur no longer on a diet. I was banded 3 1/2 yrs ago (awaiting revision to sleeve) and lost 104 lbs eating everything, just smaller quantities. Its why I even had wls _ so that Id never have to diet again. I luv being able to eat anything (including Taco Bell and Jack in the Box) and still lose weight. However, since my band slipped, Im counting calories. My band is totally unfilled and can eat alot more. So I've gained about 22 lbs. My fault. I own my mistakes. But if I wanted to watch what I ate and count calories I wouldn't be having the band or the sleeve. Im having the sleeve done because Im no good at watching what I eat. I've proven that recently with the weight gain. Congrats on ur achievment. I hope to be u when I grow up!

Hi guys! I've been a lurker on here for a few months, but now that I am about 2 weeks away from my surgery (scheduled for May 21st), I decided to take the leap to become an official member of this forum! I'm in late my 20s and towering over 230 lbs. I was approved for surgery on the first try (partially due to my actual weight, but my hormone imbalance, G.E.R.D., and hiatal hernia definitely played a role in the approval as well... woohoo!) My relationship with food has completely catapulted in the last few years. I started seeing a therapist on-and-off for about 8 months now in hopes of getting to the bottom of my food addiction... It's a constant battle, but I'm learning so much and in the process, tweaking my eating habits so getting this surgery will be easier on my body and mind. Getting banded was never even a thought before last summer. I wouldn't have even been eligible because the bulk of my weight gain has occurred in the last 2 years. I know that this is only the beginning of my journey, and there won't be an easy road to take, but I'm ready to get behind the wheel! May 7th will be the first day of my liquid diet leading up to my surgery. I've been saying good bye to all of my favorite foods this entire weekend... Soda, pizza, fries, bread, potato chips, Pasta... Parting is such sweet sorrow, but I think once I start to hopefully lose weight, it won't even matter (right?!) So, in a nutshell, that's where I am in my life right now. I'm excited and eager but also VERY scared and nervous. I hope that I can seek comfort and advice from the members of this community, and I will try my best to to do the same for others!

This is a very interesting topic. There are so many factors that come into play with excess skin. However, one thing to keep in mind is to tend to it all of the time not just after VSG. Now, anyone who knows me personally knows I do have excess skin under my arms from weight gain and I know that is quite possibly the first place that will sag. However, I like to think that I can reduce the amount of sagging with proactive measures. Lubricate, hydrate, and nutrition. With lubrication most swear by cocoa butter but a cheaper way is to use of egg white washes. Obviously the attractiveness of egg white is because it is made of collagen and amino acids that absorb rather quickly into the skin. Once the egg white dries, (30 minutes) it flakes off and you are good to go. This is good for burned skin too to lessen burn scars. Cocoa butter is nice in that it is a creamy consistency that can be rubbed into the skin. Whichever you use, being proactive may minimalize the amount of excess skin.

I can't wait to fight fire again! I used to be a fire fighter, but because of the weight gain I moved to the administrative side of the department. I can't wait to be back in the heat of it all!

When my band was leaking I gained 39lbs. And pretty fast too. But it was coz I was always hungry. So I ate. And not well either. I don't blame the weight gain on the band but I do admit that without the help of the band NOT gaining weight was tough. If it was easy to not gain, why would I have needed the Lapband in the first place, right? But the gain wasn't the band's fault. It was mine. Also in the note of being unfilled, I have been completely unfilled before and managed to get back to the green zone after. So I'm hopeful I will this time after band replacement as well. Though I know of many bandsters who struggle to find the green zone again after a complete unfill.

This is strictly guesswork--I'm not a doctor, and I don't even play one on TV--but it might be a hormonal imbalance brought on by the surgery. Our bodies (well, you ladies' bodies since I'm not sleeved just yet) go through a rather big shock, and I've seen lots of folks on the forum saying it's normal to experience a weight loss stall somewhere in the first 3-5 weeks, because the body senses starvation tactics and switches into survival mode. Maybe the hormonal balance goes off kilter right around the same time? People who eat very little, such as those who suffer anorexia, sometimes have a very irregular or nonexistent menstrual cycle. Maybe there's a link? Maybe the hormones get pushed to the back burner because the brain and pituitary gland are saying, "hold yer horses, we're not getting enough calories, so no procreatin'!" On the other side of the coin, since my heaviest weight was reached over the last year and a half, I've not heard from that particular Auntie, and my general-practice doc said it *could* be related to weight gain. He ordered blood tests, and they showed that one of my hormones was in the normal range, and the other had switched to menopausal levels. Going on oral b.c. kickstarted things. Stopping the pill send Auntie F. packing again. I'd love to hear what an endocrinologist or other M.D. would say about this.

I had the weight gain problem with Prozac as well and really ballooned on abilify. Three different docs told me that the only antidepressant that doesn't cause weight gain (and in some people is known to cause weight loss) is Wellbutrin. It is not an SSRI. I am now taking Wellbutrin and actually lost weight on it until one brilliant doc added abilify. Then I ballooned again. I am now on Wellbutrin and a small dose of lexapro. I have not seen any additional weight gain.

been on Zoloft since 2008 and while I had some weight gain it was not the cause of all of the gain.. I am still on it, and losing fine.. 58ish lbs in 6 weeks. If it works for you don't change it. It was very hard to find something that worked for me.. I was also on welbutrin but have stopped taking it because depression isn't an issue right now. Zoloft I take for anxiety and it takes the edge off so well for me I don't want to stop taking it just yet.

Im on Effexor and Wellbutrin. I have taken Celexa and Prozac and had weight gain. No weight gain on my current regimen.

I take Effexor and I haven't noticed any weight gain from it. Prozac made me a space cadet...I went one whole day wearing my wedding ring on the wrong hand and didn't realize it until night time.