Search the Community

The sleeve fails too.. So if that fails your screwed anyway.. But just a little info.. If your band slips, leaks, or erodes.. A majority of insurance companies consider that a medical emergency not an additional surgery. Andddd As u can read on this board, people that were banded years ago, lose the weight, gain it back, then 4-5 years later.. Are starting their journeys over (with the same exact band) just by adjusting their fills and eating a proper band diet. You can seek a second a opinion sounds like your surgeon prefers sleeve for his own reasons.

I would check with your doctor again. Tsh blood tests are backwards. When the number is low your level is high( hyperthyroid) you are getting to much thyroid they usually decrease your dose. When your level is high you are not getting enough thyroid( hypothyroid) and then they increase your dose. Hypothyroid can cause weight gain, hyperthyroid weight loss. Both can make you tired.

No need to pop any tablets, you can eat them. Ouch!!!! Food blockages are the biggest pain of a lap banders life. We must prevent this situation occurring daily, as this is crucial to help avoid a pouch forming. A pouch results in a dysfunctional lap band and weight gain is common.Ouch!!!! Food blockages are the biggest pain of a lap banders life. We must prevent this situation occurring daily, as this is crucial to help avoid a pouch forming. A pouch results in a dysfunctional lap band and weight gain is common. Therefore, our primary focus is to avoid food blockages and secondly learn how to manage them. To understand the top three key points that will help you avoid food blockages, get your free ebook at www.weightlosssurgerydiet.com.au with all the answers. In this article, let’s discuss how to manage your predicament once the food has been dislodged and unfortunately you will likely feel a little raw and uncomfortable internally. But why? Improvise with me. If you were to walk slowly through a rose bush forcing your way through, I am 100% confident you will come out worse for wear. Your skin will feel raw, sore, grazed and irritated. Guess what! A similar situation could occur internally, as the food tries to squeeze through the lap band also. The area may get a little swollen and the lap band may physically feel a little tighter and more restrictive. Foods which you would customarily tolerate well may become a little challenging. You must avoid further irritation, by following the next 3 steps: Step 1. Relax the diets texture to soft, wet and easy for the remaining part of the day. Suggestions include soup, casserole, cottage pie etc Step 2. Take your internal anti-inflammatory. This will include icy cold water or ice cubes. Yes this is correct. No need to pop any tablets, just help ice the area and reduce the swelling ASAP. Step 3. Uncover what caused the food blockage and try to prevent this in the future. Wishing you luck Helen Bauzon Dietitian www.weightlosssurgerydiet.com.au

I agree with Missy and CG, they are there. After 2 kids and endless weight gains and losses I have the USA road map on my belly. I have cottage cheese thighs, but I am thinner and healthier. I don't plan on wearing a bikini this summer either or any other.

Hello everyone My surgery was scheduled for tomarrow and I just got a call from my surgeon's office that my HCG levels were 25000 and there's a chance Iam pregnant. So I went and did the test and to my surprise it is positive! Although I am happy but I am so worried about the weight gain during pregnancy as I already am 221# and 5'2. Plus I have to do all the pre-req for the surgeries all over again next year after the baby and iam worried if the insurance will approve me then or not. Just wanted to see if anyone here ever went through this or something similar.? Oh and I was on the preop clear liquid diet for 5 days already. happy and nervous <-- thats me right now Alisha Sent from my S Galaxy using VST

Nannie, did you read this article about weight gain? Its 8 pages long...but has some really interesting info.... http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/magazine/tara-parker-pope-fat-trap.html?pagewanted=1&_r=3&adxnnlx=1325167965-awQ/TLyuKlv21t2HqMl8kg

I called my surgeon because I have been EXTREMELY sleepy, needing 10 hours of sleep or I'm a zombie all day and I feel frustrated that I've only lost 2 pounds that past 3 weeks and it's only been 11 weeks since my surgery. I lost 15 pounds the 1st month, 10 pounds the 2nd month and as of this morning it looks like a total of 3 pounds so far this 3rd month, but it keeps bouncing up and down. My surgeons office said that since I was a self pay, that I should go to my pcp and ask them to do blood work. So instead of calling my PCP, I called my Endocronologist (thyroid doc). Had my apt. yesterday with my thyroid doc. 1. my lab work showed that my TSH was low, it was 0.032 and it should be between .358 and 3.74. 2. Also my WBC (white blood cell) was low, 4.3 and should be 5.0-10.0. 3. And my RDWSD was high at 52.2 and should be between 36.4-46.3. And my RDWCV (red blood) was high, 16.4 and should be 11.5-14.5. 4. He also said my Vitamin D was a little low for a thyroid patient, but my B12 was high (probably because I take the 5000mcg every day) 5. And he said my Iron was low, but didn't say what I should do about that. I'm wondering if it could be because I have not been getting hardly any veggies or fruits, i've been focusing on Protein. Any suggestions? I take my 2 Multivitamins and B12 every day. 6. I told him I have to take Unisom or Benadryl every night to sleep and he said that consistent use of Benadryl (antihistamines) can cause weight gain and that because I grind my teeth (badly) I'm not getting through all the sleep cycles. He prescribed Klonopin .5mg for me to try instead. He raised my synthroid from .088mcg to .112mcg. I'm wondering if this will help my weight loss and my energy???? He also prescribed weekly shots of Bydureon. I'm a little nervous about starting these. Is anyone else on this medicine? I tried Byetta several years ago, but they made me very nauseous when I started the higher dose and couldn't take them. He said this newer drug has less side effects. Sorry this is soooooo long, but I know I can count on all the wonderful friends from this forum to share their experience or their expertise if they are a nurse or doctor. I hope this may help some others on here as well. Thanks so much!

The stall is normal. We all have them. The weight gain could be a simple as water. So hang in there and press forward. Keep up the good work. You will break through it!

I am 5 weeks post op and have been going up and down a few ounces to a pound..because of a stall...this morning I weighed in and gained 3 pounds... wth is this???? Anyone else have this happen???

Weight gain is possible with ALL of the surgeries. The bypass has a 12-18 month honeymoon period, where the weight starts melting off. But after that, if the person doesn't "do the work", they can end up back where they started. And now with a rewired system, that doesn't function the way God intended. I think with the band, if someone is truly motivated, and in it for the long haul, they will have long term success. As bandsters, our work starts the minute we wake up from surgery. There is no free ride with this, which for me, is just fine. At some point they all become work, and I'm totally fine starting my work right out of the gate. Congrats on your great success with the band. THESE stories are the ones I come here for

Hi everyone! I was banded Nov 08. I had great success until last summer when it was discovered that I had a dialated esophagus. I had a complete unfill and gained 25 lbs. I have been getting refilled over the last year and have lost 10 lbs of the weight gain. I am doing great, but my doctor is suggesting that I get the band removed and get a gastric sleeve. My guess is that he knows something I don't? I still love my band and will keep pushing forward with it.

Yeah I don't really see the problem either. As long as you are holding yourself accountable throughout the whole day calorie and protein wise by keeping track of everything you put in your mouth. Right now we cannot eat very much so the snacking will not add on the calories. If it is a habit a year out, then your snacking might add more calories than you expected which could cause weight gain. I keep track of my calories etc. on myfitnesspal. If I don't reach my protein by late afternoon I usually drink one of my protein shakes to up the numbers.

Hi everyone, I'm not pregnant I'm on birth control. I'm being careful because they said wait 18 months. I'm worried about weight gained and post pregnancy weight loss. If you could educate me on your experiences (I'm a total planner). I am trying to swallow the thought of gaining weight. Both previous pregnancies were about 40lbs but I had gestational diabetes with both. And could not get pregnant because of fertility issues after my last, I have pcos, but I'm cycling every 28 days even without bc. Can you breast feed after? I did with my son and would love to do it again. Thanks for all your information and advice before hand. Sent from my EVO using VST

So I totally let the excitement of seeing the surgeon on Thursday and just nearing the end of the pre-op process get the best of me. I've gained 3.2 lbs since my last weight check at home. I'm not discouraged just mad I allow myself to eat emotionally still. Grrrr.. Back to the grind today tho.. Chocolate protein shake for breakfast here I come! Have a good day my sleeve friends! Monnica

I have PCOS and it was the reason for my weight gain, I tried everything including eating air and I still couldn't lose weight, I am coming In to my ninth month post surgery and I am 4 kilos to goal weight yay, I still don't get my period though only had it once since surgery, but planning on baby number two hopefully it doesn't take 7 years to fall this time with the added help of the weight loss. Lilly

Hi all.... New to the site officially though I've been stalking for a few months....so tarted the official process back in jan... So things are moving along partly because of my outshines. I had been stalking my doctors office for a while ad tthis past Friday (2 weeks and one day since my last visit) got ge call I've even waiting for _ insurance approved surgery. I was having an awful day at work and just knew that this hone call would turn things around. Much to my chagrin it didn't. I didn't even tell my husband right away ... Instead I began stressing about coverage at work and scheduling. That quickly turned into worry about my latest eating patterns... I am theeaviest iI've ever been....246ish and have been eating everything not nailed down. This weekend alone I've consumed more than anyone should. I'm scared now that the moment I've been waiting for is so close and I'm possibly not ready. Past few weeks was stressful at work and that has contributed to the senseless eating. Which turned into crazy weight gain. I can't fit into any of my clothes and that only adds t my sadness. So it's here right, it's time for me to channel and refocus my energy to maximizing my upcoming tool.... Right ?JUST To ve u a glimpse of what's going on in my head. Eating but can't say I'm truly enjoying anything. I've read a few self help books regarding identifying what drives my relationship with food,... And the logic is all there and yet I'm still just spiraling out of control. I'm looking forward to surgery physically stopping me from eating, BUT I've heard so many horror stories of ppl gaining post surgery. To top it off I'm not ready to share with anyone only mom, hubby and my manager know what's coming. I want to transfer my food blessing with exercise but I've never loved exercise ... I want to and even broke y own record with an 8 month regular exercise regime. Didn't lose but wasn't gaining like I have since I stopped right before thanksgiving. Has anyone else experienced ths? Is something going to click for me soon to help me turn around? Has anyone else experienced any of this during their journey ? Would love some feedback/advice.

Debbie, thank you for the validation. I'm also off work for 6 weeks and I'm so glad too. It's good to know that you felt the exhaustion too. It makes sense with the "hibernation syndrome". I was so cold forever and just plain exhausted. No other word to describe it. But, honestly, over the last few days, I feel like I've turned the corner. I have more energy, I'm not nearly as cold and I feel like I'm living some again. I'm on the upswing!!! Jackie, the weight gain is very normal. I gained in the first week too. They flood you with IV fluids in the hospital and then your body goes in to a sort of shock and holds on to everything it has as a survival mode type thing. Then when you body realizes things are ok, it starts to let it go. As far as getting your fluids in, I took a water bottle to bed with me. I woke up already a lot because I was uncomfortable, so when I woke up, I would take a sip of water. It really helped get my fluids in. I constantly have some sort of beverage at my side. I'm even able to wait the time before and after meals to drink. Remember that your shakes count for fluid too. I will tell you that I use the app MyFitnessPal that keeps track of all my fluids, proteins, and everything. It has been such a helpful tool for me. Let me know if you need ANYTHING and I'd be happy to help! Stay strong, you made a very hard decision and you're through the hardest part. You can do this!!!!

I was told that I was "underweight" as well. I gained 10 pounds. I have an appt with my surgeon on the 19th. With the weight gain I am hoping I will be approved with no issues. Self pay is not an option for me.

Nicolanz beat me to it...but I was going to bring up caffiene and tobacco. Many people are addicted to one or both of those substances, but I doubt all of those addicts steal, cheat and lie to get their fix. Some may lie to their spouses about not smoking, but who lies about coffee? If you do, you've got bigger problems than just being addicted. But the point is, addiction can certainly exist without these behaviors. I know more than one functioning alcoholic. They don't think they have a problem because they've never missed a day of work, or had a DWI, or wrecked their car. But they can't leave the house without a beer or 2. Where ever they go, they are drinking. They may never admit to "needing" it, but you won't catch them without it. Is that an addiction? I think it is but I'm no doctor. As for eating, here's what my life looked like for over 20 years. First of all, I never hid food or sneaked around eating food behind anyone's back. I never lied or cheated. But I ate all the wrong stuff. Basically, I ate fast food for every meal. I never cooked. If I bought groceries, it was cereal, cookies, chips, peanut butter and bread...not much else. The oven was for pizza box storage, not for cooking. I nearly set my apartment on fire once because I attempted to preheat the oven too cook a frozen dinner, but I forgot it was full of old pizza boxes. When I bought my meals at whatever drive thru I went to, I bought way too much. It was extremely carb heavy. My blood sugar must have been through the roof, and after a few years, I was on my way to being insulin resistant. If I tried to restrict my calories, I had massive blood sugar drops every 3 hours like clockwork. Anyone who has ever bonked knows exactly how that feels. That negative reinforcement trained me to eat before that happened...and specifically to eat carbs (sugar) because that was the surest way to avoid that awful feeling. I know now that eating those carbs caused the rise and fall of blood sugar, which caused my feelings of temporary satisfaction, followed by increased insulin production which lead to the inevitable crash...unless I ate again before it happened (which I trained myself to do). It was a self inforcing pattern that lead to massive weight gain and overall poor health. I made some poor decisions, in part because I didn't know any better...which is my fault, nobody else's. As the weight piled on, it became ever more difficult to give a crap about my health. After a while, you get to the point that you feel you're too far gone so why try? Again...I don't know if this was an addiction. It certainly fits the description of damaging behavior that I couldn't stop. Even when I made up my mind to have VSG I was still in the dark about this stuff. I thought I could have surgery and it would only allow me to eat half a whataburger per day. That 6 months with the nutritionist really paid off for me, she opened my eyes and lit a fire in me to educate myself on food and the damage certain foods caused. Now....if I could only have one....the knowledge or the sleeve, I'd take the knowledge. But there is no denying that the sleeve gave me a push over that insurmountable hump that I couldn't see around before surgery...a push that I continue to ride into a better way of living.

Compulsive overeating, also sometimes called FOOD ADDICTION is characterized by an obsessive/compulsive relationship to food. An individual suffering from compulsive overeating disorder engages in frequent episodes of uncontrolled eating, or binge eating, during which they may feel frenzied or out of control, often consuming food past the point of being comfortably full. Bingeing in this way is generally followed by feelings of guilt and depression. Unlike individuals with bulimia, compulsive overeaters do not attempt to compensate for their bingeing with purging behaviors such as fasting, laxative use or vomiting. Compulsive overeaters will typically eat when they are not hungry. Their obsession is demonstrated in that they spend excessive amounts of time and thought devoted to food, and secretly plan or fantasize about eating alone. Compulsive overeating usually leads to weight gain and obesity, but not everyone who is obese is also a compulsive overeater. While compulsive overeaters tend to be overweight or obese, persons of normal or average weight can also be affected. In addition to binge eating, compulsive overeaters can also engage in grazing behavior, during which they return to pick at food throughout the day. These things result in a large overall number of calories consumed even if the quantities eaten at any one time may be small. When a compulsive eater overeats primarily through bingeing, he or she can be said to have binge eating disorder. Left untreated, compulsive overeating can lead to serious medical conditions including high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, sleep apnea, and major depression. Additional long-term side effects of the condition also include kidney disease, arthritis, bone deterioration and stroke. Other negative effects may include the amount of money that is wasted on food and the feelings of low self-esteem that comes as a result of bingeing. Signs and symptoms Binge eating, or eating uncontrollably even when not physically hungry Eating much more rapidly than normal Eating alone due to shame and embarrassment Feelings of guilt due to overeating Preoccupation with body weight Depression or mood swings Awareness that eating patterns are abnormal Rapid weight gain or sudden onset of obesity Significantly decreased mobility due to weight gain History of weight fluctuations Withdrawal from activities because of embarrassment about weight History of many different unsuccessful diets Eating little in public, but maintaining a high body weight Very low self-esteem and feeling need to eat greater and greater amounts. Addiction During binges, compulsive overeaters may consume from 5000 to 15,000 food calories daily, resulting in a temporary release from psychological stress through an addictive high not unlike that experienced through drug abuse. In bulimics, this high may be intensified by the act of purging. Researchers have speculated there is an abnormality of endorphin metabolism in the brain of binge eaters that triggers the addictive process. This is in line with other theories of addiction that attribute it not to avoidance of withdrawal symptoms, but to a primary problem in the reward centers of the brain. For the Compulsive Overeater, the ingestion of trigger foods causes release of the neurotransmitter, serotonin. This could be another sign of neurobiological factors contributing to the addictive process. Abstinence from addictive food and food eating processes causes withdrawal symptoms in those with eating disorders. There may be higher levels of depression and anxiety due to the decreased levels of serotonin in the individual. There are complexities with the biology of compulsive eating that separate it from a pure substance abuse analogy. Food is a complex mixture of chemicals that can affect the body in multiple ways, which is magnified by stomach-brain communication. In some ways, it may be much more difficult for compulsive overeaters to recover than drug addicts. There is an anecdotal saying among Overeaters Anonymous members that "when you are addicted to drugs you put the tiger in the cage to recover; when you are addicted to food you put the tiger in the cage, but take it out three times a day for a walk. The physical explanation of compulsive overeating may be attributed to an overeaters' increased tendency to secrete insulin at the sight and smell of food, though medical evidence supporting this is controversial. Research has found a link between the sugar and fat content of foods and binging behaviors.

Yes it's all about the TRUTH...the truth sets us free, sometimes hard to face :-( but ultimately is best. That's why I came back and am sharing my story, not to be judged but hopefully it will help someone else. We all need encouragement and support. That's why I started this post as well, so others would know the TRUTH about weight gain post wls. I am encouraged to see you dancing, lifting weights, and that you keep keeping on, YOU GO GIRL :-), so awesome! Hugs!!!!!!!!!

I just want to thank NGM for starting this thread, being a S-L-O-W loser can be very frustrating. It took me ten days post up just to lose my weight gain from surgery. The irony of going through the surgery and my weight being up was heartbreaking. But now the scale is starting to move and I know I've done the right thing for myself. This a life changing decision and its not so important to get there first but to get there and stay there. God bless you all and it is nice to know that I'm not alone and sharing my struggle with all of you.

Pre-surgery I usually had a couple glasses of wine after work. I've had a few post-op, but my main reason I don't is because of the weight gain or no loss it gets me into. When I get to my goal I'm going to (try to) continue focusing on my weight and go light on alcohol. Maybe if you focus on your goal it will help. I love my wine and miss it a lot. My friends and I belong to the "wine of the month" club.. Ugh!

Well I can honestly say I've never had a food addiction or emotional eating issue. But I did have a huge problem that led to weight gain. There was a time when my diabetes was seriously out of control and anyone who is diabetic can tell you that one of the symptoms of uncontrolled diabetes is thirst. Well from the time I would get off work till late night I would drink anything with sugar cause I was so damn thirsty. Root Beer was my best friend and I miss him so much but it's been over a year since I've tasted anything carbonated. Anyway after pretty much starving myself all day about 2 hours before bed, I'd smoke a phatty and then eat a huge dinner. Dinner pretty much consisted of whatever was the quickest. Weekends were different in that sometimes I would eat healthier meals. That's pretty much what my routine was like for about 15 years. Now that I've had surgery I've had to trick myself into eating 5 small portions a day and it's been rough. Yea I've missed some meals mainly because I'm not hungry but I'm sure I will get the hang of this new lifestyle. Thanks for the thread

Are you still trying to lose weight or are you at goal? I saw a side shot picture of you a couple days ago... you were wearing a red shirt. You look very thin but a fit type of thin, not skinny thin lol. You have your own goals on what you want to look like but with my goals of getting big and bulky muscle, now would be the time I would be playing with my diet. I would be adding a few more carbs to my diets pre and post workouts and see how my weight responds. Your at the point now were you should know if your weight gain is muscle or fat. If you gain a pound or two over time and doing everything right diet and exercise wise, the majority of the weight could be muscle. The more you challenge your physical daily activity the higher your BMR will clime. I am not sure how eating at a caloric deficit for a long period of time effects this though... I believe it has a negative effect on your BMR though. Again, I am not sure and its a good questions to find a definite answer for. If you do find out please let me know. I know that when I get to your weight I am going to eat at a caloric surplus to try gain muscle mass. During this 8-12 week bulk I am going to play around with my diet and try to eat about 500cal above my BMR everyday. I also plan to eat around 150carbs daily. My end goal during this bulk is to gain mass, play with my cal/pro/carbs and see how my body react and get my diet to a place that is somewhat normal. I would love to be eating 2500cal, 180g Protein and 150g carbs daily... eating that and exercising at that rate will raise my BMR to a normal level over time.