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I’m hoping that’s the case for me. Years ago when my cycle was regular, I know I would gain at least 5 lbs during that time. So I’m hoping once it goes off, the weight gain will follow. Sending you lots of positive vibes as you navigate your way through the pre-op phase!!

Sounds like hormonal weight gain (fluid retention) due to pms to me. Give it a few days and see where its at, hopefully the fluid retention will have gone.

I’m about 5 and a half weeks post-op, and my period showed up about a week ago. I haven’t seen a period in roughly 3 years (very irregular). The issue is this: sweet/salty cravings have surfaced, I’ve gained 2 lbs during this week that my period has been on. I’ve had horrible pms symptoms, my flow has been super heavy 😩. Has anyone else experienced weight gain this early on? Please tell me that I haven’t messed anything up. It’s very discouraging to see the scale go up when I was losing just fine. At 1 month post-op I was down a little over 30 lbs total from my highest weight. I’m just hoping to see the numbers on the scale start to go down again. Especially after my period has gone off; should the weight I’ve gained go away? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Happy New Year 🎆!!

Thank you everyone! I don’t want to blame quarantine, but that is the time frame of my weight gain! I love the idea of dancing around (I play “Just Dance” with my stepson)! I appreciate the words of encouragement! I’m so proud of where I am, but I have that creeping fear of going back. So while 7 lbs isn’t a lot, I certainly want my clothing to fit better 😝 I just got off my elliptical; a step in the right direction

Thanks everyone. Insurance criteria varies by providers. Most want it to be “medically” necessary. Surgery failure, weight gain, complications etc. I used a medical advocate to gain approval.

It always worries me when people ask will they still be able to eat ‘real food’ or eat like a ‘real person’. It is real food you are eating & will eat. It’s just healthier & more nutritious than you likely ate before. Remember the food you used to eat contributed to the weight you were when you decided to have surgery. You are a real person too. You just have to choose food that enables you to lose weight & then maintain your weight. But we’re all different & what works for someone else may not work for you regardless of their weight or if they’ve had surgery or not. While in the weight loss stage, especially the early stages, yes, you will be on restricted diet. But once you reach the third & fourth month post surgery you will be testing what foods your tummy will or won’t tolerate, exploring healthier food options & healthier cooking methods. Yes, your portion sizes will be small, they’ll be protein heavy & you may need to include supplements or shakes to meet your protein goals but this will settle in maintenance. You’ll still be able to eat out & socialise with friends. You just may have limited choices during your weight loss phase. I’ve been in maintenance for a year & I just eat smaller portions. (Most people eat very large servings of food that are above recommended portion sizes so your meals may seem really tiny.) I really don’t make or eat meals that are different to other people. There are foods I avoid or limit because they don’t work for me or contributed to my weight gain in the first place but I still have lots of food options. Sure I don’t eat bread, pasta or rice but there’s always alternatives on menus if you’re out. It doesn’t stop me dining out, eating with friends, or hosting dinner guests. I ensure I get all my nutrients from the food I eat not from supplements, shakes, or alternative foods like low carb breads or plant based proteins, etc. I can eat any meats, vegetables & dairy products. I can eat most fruits ( though some are a bit hard on me like mangoes). I eat small amounts of whole or multi grains. I avoid a lot of sugar & sweet foods. I don’t eat spicy foods because I have a sensitivity to them but I’ve always had that so no change there. This is what’s working for me. Congratulations on starting your journey. Good luck.

During the first 1 1/2 years after surgery, I weighed myself weekly because the weight was easily coming off. When I plateaued, I then began weighing myself daily. This is to ensure that if there is any micro-trend toward weight gain, I can immediately take action by reducing calories by about 200/day until my weight becomes stable again. That said, I eat 1200 calories or less every day so am sometimes puzzled by weeks when I notice my weight increasing, even by a couple of pounds. For example, there was one two-week period where I gained and lost eight pounds without any changes in my diet/exercise routine. Most people weigh weekly and that's enough to stay on course. I'm a little more watchful because that's my comfort zone.

Like many others I fell off with a 5 pound weight gain in the last couple months. I started meal prepping and have done extremely well the last few weeks. I noticed when I stopped meal prepping I did poor with my diet. Just throwing it out there for anyone struggling. My go to meals are eggs and turkey sausage scramble for breakfast. Lunch is a low carb tortilla wrap usually with turkey. Dinner has been baked chicken thighs and broccoli.

Hi Kristie, i think your comment is for me, please forgive my responding if not. Thank you, for your kindness; this whole thread has frankly made me quite sad tonight and your post was a ray of hope. I felt pretty misunderstood. I really appreciate you reaching out and taking the time to post; affinity groups have been very helpful to me in the past and I did hope that I would be able to discuss these intersections of experiences/backgrounds as it relates to my original weight gain, my decision to have WLS, and my plan to keep on track with weight loss and weight stability. Thanks again. Look forward to reading more posts in this forum and trust that I will learn a lot from those who are further in their health paths than I. Good night.

Because for instance, there is statistical evidence that lesbians have higher rates of obesity than straight women and more issues with other addictive behaviors, such as smoking. This may indicate a different level of support is needed and I see a lot of posts about families where people with chosen family may not feel as included. I’m not asking to start trouble, I’m asking because I am a lesbian, and would want to reach out to others who may have had issues like these. This forum is about WLS support, right? Also, while we’re on the subject, I write healthcare grants regularly on the subject of people dealing with comorbidities/co-occurring disorders and since you brought up race and ethnicity, there are also studies that show we (people of color) have higher rates of obesity, hypertension, diabetes and other issues. Seems like a weight loss forum like this one may be a good place for people to safely discuss that part of their journey. Part of my own work in taking the step to WLS was understanding how my genetics and family make up play a part in my weight gain. Also understanding and coming to terms with my own sexuality was part of my weight gain. My question is, why is this threatening/upsetting (the caps) to you? I’m curious about your reaction to what seems a pretty normal question. I’ve recently been sleeved, and am just at my 2 week mark from surgery. I’m down 21 lbs. today.

Hello Everyone! I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! I am a week out from surgery and I started pureed food this week. I'm not sure if it's just my anxiety, but I'm kind of nervous that I gained a pound yesterday. I ate half of a deviled egg, mashed potatoes, and some egg salad yesterday, but it was my first time eating mashed potatoes so maybe I should stay away from carbs? I also felt hungrier than normal. Is it possible to stretch your stomach a week in? My program is kind of behind due to COVID, so my apologies for the many questions. Thank you so much!

I'm suffering from PCOS. Irregular periods, weight gain, water retention, anxiety... all the symptoms you can imagine and quite severe. I had my surgery 5 weeks ago in hope to lose some weight and that the body would reboot the whole hormone household and metabolism, having posiive effect on pcos too. I've lost almost 20 lbs in 5 weeks. Currently having a stall and fears not to lose any more weight. But like everyone here on the forum says, carry on with the routine and it will follow. Now coming to effects on pcos.. I feel positive regarding to my body image and weightloss, can sleep much better and have barely anxiety attacks. Can't say anything about menstrual cycle yet. Just hoping it will regulate the cycle too. The facial hair growth has increased though. I was taking inistole prior surgery for PCOS. Stopped at the moment. Will speak to my doc if I should continue taking them. Sent from my SM-N960F using BariatricPal mobile app

I think alot of people have had some covid weight gain. Both wls people and non-wls people. Reduction of activity, boredom, stress, proximity to the fridge/pantry all day long, etc., etc. I had a small gain of 6 lbs that I acknowledged mid-summer. As of this week I finally said good bye to those stinkin’ pounds. There really wasn’t a secret strategy to the loss: I cut calories and increased exercise a smidge. Took me 4.5 months (which is a stark reminder that weight loss is not as fast/easy as it once was, as the ease of not eating has decreased by a lot). I’m sure I could have probably done this faster by cutting more calories, but honestly, I just didn’t want to. I accepted the slower loss in exchange for extra cals. Its actually a good thing that you “caught” the gain and are making (it seems) an effort to address it now rather than later if/when the gain is much, much more. Remind yourself the eventual outcome if you continue on this path (an old Before Picture, perhaps?). Rid your place of the foods that are contributing to the gain, and replace with more appropriate foods if u are able. When the urge to eat when u are not truly hungry comes around, do something else: drink water, do some yoga, wash the dishes. If f u still want to eat 45 mins later, portion out a small-ish amount (like 1/3 cup or something) and commit to only eating that until another 45 mins has passed. Rinse and repeat. You know what to do. Its up to you to find it in yourself to do it.

After weight loss phase I worked myself up to about 1800-2000 cals a day, BUT I was also exercising moderately to high every day. However, I gained about 6lbs during pandemic due to decrease in regular exercise (and increase in desserts and alcohol, lol). So I cut my cals to about 1200-1500 (and exercised a little bit more regularly, but not to pre-weight-gain levels cuz I'm lazy) around mid-summer and am basically back to 115lbs today (weighed in at 115.6 this morning). Soooo....based on this, if I exercise every day then I can maintain at 1800-2000 cals a day. If I stick to the amount of exercise that I am currently doing, I am guessing I can maintain at around 1700-1800 cals a day. If I don't exercise at all, it would probably be around 1500. Keep in mind though that other factors need to be considered to determine each persons' calorie maintenance level (age, metabolic rate, medication, malabsorbative functions of different surgeries, thyroid function, etc. etc....)

I don't know how big the portions are you can eat atm. So obviously the surgeon didn't do a re-sleeving? So many RNY patients really "hope for dumping". Like they constantly need to be whipped and punished to stay on track. However, fact is that by far not all RNY patients dump. I don't know about the DS. The stories both surgeons and patients tell seem to be half-truths at best sometimes, not talking about the not-so-ideal-things patients have to deal with (though that's not very different from other WLS procedures in my experience). Sometimes you get a glimpse of it, like in the thread we recently had about "the stuff no one talks about". Specifically in regards to DS patients that might be talk about "having to watch what they eat" to prevent weight gain or that not all of them are thin as a rail while eating 3000 kcal minimum a day or that there are unwanted malabsorption issues regarding vitamins and minerals in the long run that are not that easy to treat. I'm not familiar enough with the DS to hand out nutritional advice. I also don't know if it makes a difference if someone has a "virgin DS" or a "sleeve to DS" or a "sleeve to SADI to DS".

I hit my 60kg goal weigh about 6 months after surgery. Since then I have continued to lose even though I’ve increased my caloric intake. I eat larger portion sizes (though still small) & have added snacks. I still avoid breads, pasta, rice & potato. No cakes biscuits, desserts, jams, etc. I just don’t have these foods in my house. I try to eat very much to routine because I still have days I don’t feel hungry and my diet is pretty routine too. I’m 19 months out and am sitting at about 48.5kg this week (about 107lbs) & 48.3 last week. My weight fluctuations are small less than 1kg but the general trend is still down. My surgeon’s team & GP want me to put in weight but I honestly can’t eat more than I do - it’s physically impossible & there’s no more hours in a day. I don’t want to add starchy carbs, sweets, etc. to my diet because I believe they contributed to my weight gain in the past. Mind you I tried some vegan soy pasta last week & it sat like a lump in my tummy which is what mashed potato did when I tried a spoon of that a couple of months ago as a test. So that helps me not to eat it. I believe my continued weight loss is because I’m still in the honeymoon period & my metabolism is going 100 miles an hour. I don’t know what the future will bring & how I will manage my metabolism slowing & appetite returning full time. I’m just going to take it day by day & try to continue to make healthy food choices. I tell myself I’m the one in control of my diet. No one is making me over eat or making me make unhealthy food choices. I do have the odd treat. Last night I had friends over for Christmas drinks. I had 2 half glasses of champagne & about 4 crackers with blue cheese & 2 slices of bresola over about 5 hours. (I also had 1/2 slice of the roast shawarma lamb I made.) The last time I did anything like this was about a month ago & 2 months before that. And I will have a sliver of Christmas cake on Xmas day. You may be able to get down to a lower weight but can you maintain it? You still have to be able to live & enjoy your life while maintaining a weight you are happy with. Finding that balance I think is the key. Good luck.

I had surgery September 15th and the last two days I’ve gained weight. Please tell me this has happened to other ppl?? That it will go away?? I’m so upset!

To add to @Jaelzion excellent list: 9. You’ll lose some hair. The surgery & reduced caloric intake accelerates your natural hair loss cycle. It generally starts around month 3 or 4. You can’t stop it cause it’s a normal process. It does stop & your hair is regrowing as you’re shedding. How long it lasts is an individual thing. 10. Constipation is common. Add benefibre or similar to your diet & have some gentle stool softeners on hand. You’ll become regular again once you get close to or are in maintenance. 11. After surgery you may experience some nasty & very sudden attacks of diarrhoea. Pack some incontinence knickers so you’re not caught unaware & forced to toss your own knickers. 12. You will have lose skin. How much depends on how much weight you have to lose, your age, gender, weight gain/loss history, how long you’ve been overweight. 13. A lot of hormones, etc. are stored in your fat & as you lose your weight they’ll be released into your blood stream. You may experience changes to your menstruated cycle like heavier periods, increased cholesterol levels, incidences of low blood pressure, etc. Things will settle once you reach goal. 14. You will experience tiredness & loss of energy at times. Rest, nap as you need it. 15. Take each step slowly. Your tummy can become very contrary & throw tantrums like a 2yr old child. You may not enjoy foods you did before surgery. Food you ate successfully for weeks may suddenly upset you. Don’t give up on those things. Take a break & try them again later. 16. Yes, there will be foods you won’t eat again but they are the ones you won’t be able to tolerate after surgery &/or got you to the weight you are now. There will be foods you will only eat in moderation & foods that you discover healthier alternatives for or healthier ways of cooking them. 17. Listen to your body. It will tell you what you can or can’t tolerate. You may experience tightness or heaviness, vomiting or diarrhoea, even dumping. 18. You digestive system may gurgle, groan & whine like the ghost of the part of your tummy that was removed is haunting you. 19. Eat slowly. Put your cutlery down between bites, sit back & wait. Then ask yourself do you really need the next bite or do you just want it. 20. Don’t eat until you are full. Eat until you’ve had enough. There is a difference. 21. Sometimes, you may think you are having hunger pangs but it’s actually too much acid in your tummy. You likely will be prescribed esomeprazole to take at the beginning. If you weren’t, ask for some. My surgeon told me I’ll always be taking one every day. Of course you may not experience all of these things but it’s better to be aware of them in case you do. Good luck on your journey.

Was given topiramate for binge eating due to medication weight gain, did not have any affect on weight gain. Metformin for type 2 diabetes, had no affect on my weight. Have also been on bupropion for depression and did not notice any weight loss.

Lauren I'm with you 100%. Since day one I made a promise to myself not to eat processed foods and for 95% of the time I'm on board with it. I start each day with a cup of coffee (wait 30 minutes) then eat my breakfast which is a yogurt and hard boiled egg. In September after a weight gain and a spike in my A1c I stopped eating at 7PM and didn't eat agin until 8AM. This seems to have been a missing part of my weight maintenance. As for food I prepare and cook my dinners but for lunch it's usually a can fish such as sardines, tuna or salmon. Thanks for the tips. Every little bit helps in this life long struggle. Continue the healthy life.

My weight shot up so quickly (Chemo, quitting drinking & excessive popcorn really accelerated my weight) I didn’t recognize myself, and I had never been so uncomfortable. I had gained some weight over 8 years or so, I felt “fat” at 160 then, boom, one year later I was at 22-something. I qualified for surgery by 1-2 pounds. It was shocking to look in the mirror. I made an appointment and had surgery 5 months later. I just feel like myself again, and it turns out I really missed me! I had transfer addiction kinda backwards, which also led to my weight gain. Before surgery I drank a lot of wine daily when I was stressed, (aka Everyday) which helped add pounds. I quit drinking 5 years ago and I don’t miss it. I really thought I would, it was a big part of my social life and stress reliever for me. Turns out I didn’t need it. **However, I replaced my nightly wine with popcorn...that didn’t work out and compounded my weight gain as you can imagine. Alcohol and popcorn are two things I will live without. I quit smoking 22 years ago, and I’m not touching that again either. I began painting (not art) after surgery to keep busy and now I’m looking for a new hobby. I’m planning on trying out woodworking when the weather is better. I’m the type of person who needs to be busy. I’m lucky, I have a super supportive husband, I feel terrible for those of you with a partner who isn’t your biggest cheerleader. You deserve that. I shop less than I used to. I was always buying clothes to make me look less fat or replace things that got too tight. Now with the plague, I have nowhere to go and my closet is so organized! That’s why I don’t post on OTTD anymore, I’m wearing the same things! 😂 I do freak out a little bit if I see the scale hit 125, I don’t vary my diet a lot, but I’m comfortable with my diet. It’s a mix of good for me and eh, not so good for me. I really have a hard time splurging on food. I’ll have just a bit of something that’s really caloric. I do log everything, I simply have to. I’ve had real pizza a few times and a small thin crust pizza lasts 4 meals. I can live with that. I joke that I’ve quit smoking, drinking and eating, so now what?

You might have hit a stall which would explain not losing any more. But not having a bowel movement is serious and could possibly explain a weight gain. Try colace or your choice or laxative and if you still don't have a normal bowel movement in 3 more days, call your doctor.

Thanks Grady - Yeah - Sorry, I should have said that in the post reference it not being a "real" weight gain - HOWEVER, in the past i would have used that as an "excuse" and stayed on what can only be described as a food bender for multiple days and it would certainly become REAL fat. I think it's important that we're honest with ourselves and realize what got most of us to the point of body altering surgery. We talk about scales lying to us. They don't. They're an honest measurement of our body composition. Whether it be fat, water, or muscle it IS the truth and personally I NEED to be cognizant of what reactions my body has to my actions (positive or negative).

Are you revising because of reflux, weight gain, or both? Not having restriction wont keep you from losing weight if that is what you are worried about. In fact I lost 12 lbs the first month after revision and weighed 180 at the time. In 2017 I weighed 296 the day of VSG surgery and only lost 14 lbs. You wont overeat because you will get sick and if you dump that is just as bad. ( at least it is for me lol ) I get violently ill and can lasts a few hours. Once it lasted 4 hours. Good luck to you !

I've kept my wls private, only telling my husband and (adult) children. I'm a private person anyway and don't really feel it's anybody else's business. Plus there's a LOT of judgment over wls here in the UK - the surgery is a lot less common here than in the US I think - and basically you're labelled as a "fat slob who can't be bothered to limit what you eat" and who takes the easy route of having most of your stomach removed! Nobody cares about the research showing that some people are genetically pre-disposed to weight gain and excessive hunger and that the wls actually works on a hormonal level. But my decision to keep it private has been helped by Covid as we basically haven't seen anyone socially or otherwise for months....