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Sliders! This applies equally to a sleeve as to a band, easy foods that liquefy when you chew them. With a band, there is no difference to the amount of Cookies I can consume now than I could before I was banded. I can still down a packet of Tim Tams (google that little Australian delicacy) in minutes and I can still eat an ENTIRE family block of chocolate. They just slip right on through. But if i eat the right foods, portions remain very small. Its choices, pure and simple. And along with those slider foods generally come a large dose of salt and sugar that make you bloated and put on weight very quickly. It is physically impossible to gain 2lb of FAT from eating a piece of pie though and if you get back with the program this weight will disappear. The trouble is too that to date, science has not come up with any sure fire way to lose weight other than calorie restriction. But it is very true that on a diet of 800 to 1000 calories a day you DO lose muscle and you DO slow your metabolism very significantly. There is no way you could continue to eat that way without the help of a sleeve or band, but the truth is, after a year or two or more of eating so low, there is no way you can go back to normal eating without massive weight regain. Its why we need these tools FOREVER. There's no learning better habits and that's enough, our bodies are damaged by the weight gain and weight loss process in ways that mean we have to be small and careful eaters forever.

I would add having medical issues and using certain medications can contribute to weight gain that's hard to mitigate. (it's well documented that meds, steroids and psych, cause massive weight gains in a very short period of time) Congratulations on your new journey ♥️

Oh thats a tough one. I totally see what you are saying. The only problem is that the sleeve could really take you down to a much much smaller weight than is healthy t the point that you are at. One thing that i did to see if i qualify for the conversion (because i too was below the bmi standard for bariatric surgery following my lap band) i checked out my insurance co policy and it did say that a certain percentage of weightloss i.e. Less than 50 percent ebw was considred to be a failure and that i would be eligible to convert to a different surgery, however my bmi is in the mid 30s. I cannot imagine that any doctor is going to perform such a surgery if you are as small as you say. As far as your cincern for the weight gain maybe you could talk to your dr about a prescription appetite suppressant, i have taken one called phentermone before and it worked really well, i can only imagine how difficult this must be, especilly being at you goal! Hang in there!

There is some fear mongering to an extent, and it's justified. It's easy to get a lot of empty calories from liquids. Slider foods (things like mashed potatoes or ice cream) you'll find you could still eat quite a decent amount of only a few months after surgery. The risk/concern is that because it's easy to have more of those foods people will transfer a food addiction to those. For instance my NUT told stories of somebody that nibbled on pizza all day long. They couldn't eat more than a piece in a single sitting, but the constant grazing led to weight gain. Same with somebody snaking on the mini Snickers all day long. Yogurts are a staple in my diet. No, they don't fill you up but it's a healthy snack and easy way to get protein in. I don't like offices that make this giant banned list of foods. You can eat nearly anything a few months after surgery. It's just a dangerous path to go down for a lot of folks. Some things are gone and have stayed gone (foods that I struggled with). Other things I allow myself to have maybe once a month and I'm fine with that. Pasta used to be dinner at least 2 nights a week. Now I have a little bit maybe once a month and that's all I care about having. I don't have cravings for it like I used to. If I never had it again I really don't care, and I was a massive pasta lover prior to surgery. I get why they do it but I think there are better approaches to take. The straw thing is mainly in the beginning to avoid the risk of drinking too much too quickly. I use straws now but have to remember that I can't pound a drink down like before.

Hey Jenn! I have a quick question for ya; how did you find out that you were allergic to Splenda?? Did the Dr. just conclude that, or did they do some sort of test? I used to use Equal and was fine with it, then my sister kept pushing me to use Splenda instead, so I switched a few months ago. It could just be a coincidence, but now I am always bloated and swollen, although that may be from my weight gain too. What do you think? Thanks.

I have been very very good about logging all my intake of food, my activities, and my weight every day (Note: I know a lot of people don't like to weigh every day. However, I find that I get very attentive to those .6 and .8 pound fluctuations and it keeps me in line better, rather than adjusting to seeing 1+ pound weight fluctuations over a week or so...my theory being that if you get used to the "pound-plus" on the scales you are more likely to backslide into 2-3-4 pound fluctuations....just my own philosophy). I have noticed a definite correlation between the days I "overeat" (over 950 cal) and the subsequent weight upswing within about 2-3 days. I was out on the web looking for guidance on just how long it takes before the "bad days" turn to noticeable weight gain. I found this interesting.... Temporary weight gain could appear quickly after a large meal or two, but that does not mean that if you've overdone it, you're doomed. After all, daily weight fluctuations are normal. Generally speaking though, if you keep your calories burned in line with your calories consumed over a week's time, you shouldn't gain -- 3,500 calories is equal to one pound. If you do have a surplus of 3,500 calories by the end of one week, most people will be up a pound from the prior week. The most worrisome is the gradual weight gain that people experience, which is more likely to represent new pounds that you truly gain over time. Keep a food diary to try and help combat this gradual weight gain and (you knew this was coming) exercise regularly!

It sounds like things are going great. Its understandable that you would be nervous, you've had some traumatic experiences in the past. I have not been banded and pregnant but I have been pregnant and lost significant weight. On purpose, with the blessing of my doctor because I was 220 odd pounds when I conceived and I had had preeclampsia twice before. I did NOT want to pile on weight, although in the ironic way these things go, that is not the way my body tends to react to pregnancy. Statistically, gaining weight during pregnancy within normal limits is associated with a healthy pregnancy. That's only a statistic. As my doc pointed out for me, the baby needs nutrition, not fat. You need to take in adequate carbs, Protein, Vitamins and minerals, you do not necessarily need to take in a lot of extra calories and gain fat. You can gain the average weight during pregnancy by eating Big Mac's or ice cream and pickles or whatever(in fact most women do!) and you have not done one single thing to increase your odds of a healthy baby whereas you can eat perfectly, not gain weight and have done brilliant things for your baby. If you are sure you're eating the recommended intakes of various foods and you are supplementing well, dont let minor weight loss worry you, if its getting a bit out of control, supplement with somethign healthy like a fruit smoothie, made with some milk, some fruit, even a bit of cream or full fat yogurt. That packs in calories AND nutrition (I wouldnt turn to artificial foods like shakes at this time, if you want to go that way go for a weight gain supplement without all the artificial ingredients). If you really cant eat enough, the unfill a bit, you'll probably get tighter and need to eventually. good luck!

It's really hard to eat enough in one day to cause significant weight gain. If you ate 5 pounds of chocolate candy in one day (and nothing else), you would gain 3 pounds or so. The "Super Size Me" guy who ate nothing but McDonald's three times a day for 30 days only gained 30 pounds. That's one pound per day, even though he was consuming a ton of calories (no pun intended) and getting very little exercise. We did not get to be MO because we had an ice cream cone twice a month. We were over-eaters and made very bad food choices on a daily basis, for a very long time. Between the spring of 2003 and the end of 2004 (about 20 months), I gained 80 pounds. That's about a pound a week - maybe one Snicker's bar per day. Who would have thought????

Hello everyone I am new to this page I am 5 months in to my insurance approval process, and I just met with my surgeon here in Birmingham Alabama. Before i met with him i was looking at the Gastric bypass mainly for the reasons of negative reinforcement from dumping. Once i met with him he recommended the sleeve. I know in the end its up to me iI have done a ton of research lately and the sleeve and bypass seem to have the same weight loss percentage just a different amount of time. I also worry about weight gain after the fact i know it can happen with both. My Surgeon told me that a lot of the reason he recommends the sleeve is because of my job which is 75 to 80 percent of the time behind a desk. but the other i might be doing a lot of heavy lifting and walking with heavy loads. I am 6'3 420 currently and not sure which way to go I would love as much advice as i can get I am also putting this on the Gastric Sleeve board as i am confused as ever.

Hi all I'm new to this blog stuff so please cut my a little slack. I've been searching for a solution to weight issues all my life and have done and tried almost all things out there About 10 years ago a good friend and business associate had a bypass he is 6'7" and was 450 or so. His was a forced issue as his family history of heart attacks was catching up to him. Results were mixed 150 plus loss but plenty of complications along the way. So while considering and studying this I decided it was not for me. Another friend had lapband and results were fantastic BUT after a year or so weight came creeping back along with the out of control feeling and helplessness. I remembered these feelings well as I lost 109 lbs in 90 days on pills and shots That was back in the 80's I could watch a commercial on TV and gain 5 lbs devastating feeling. I also learned that this procedure had its fair share of complications and weight gain was not insignificant. So here I am 61 years old retired since 04 going to do something for myself. Type A guy intense all the attributes. Gastric sleeve is for me. Starting weight about 2 wks ago was 362 not my highest but up there started th 1200 calorie about 9 days ago and will go until surgery march 6. Dr Nicholson out of Dallas is my guy. My regular drs partners wife (got that) had hers done there and I've since found a lot of drs send themselves their family members to him that shortened my search a lot These forums have truly been a blessing to me and I am going to try to contribute in a meaningful way as I travel along Thanks to all

Congrats on your maintenance, for me, I am not sure I will ever maintain because my weight gain/issues were always mental, and always will be. Although for the most part im ok with it, it keeps me on my toes and I eventually progress downward on the scale. Not to say it doesn't fluctuate up once in a while...I'm coming out of a very cold snowy winter here in the north east but have begun to tackle the ten pounds I put on during "hibernation" LOL...however, I thank my band every day because I know it would have been a lot more than 10 lbs without it.

hi, this isnt brought up as a criticism of anyone. it happens to unbanded people in fact it is why i want one in part, regaining weight. hitting your goal, something in your life changes and we start gaining again. what surprises me is reading about people who are banded that get an unfill and report gaining quickly 20-30 lbs or more. the apprehension i have a week or so out from getting my band is ridiculous, i'm not only afraid i'll overeat and damage the band but the really disturbing thought is i'll miss being able to over eat. i should mention the flip side of that thought is liberating, being free of that sick feeling and life revolving around food. so, with the band do habits really change, do some of us too easily revert to overeating when restriction is removed or is there a long term change to metabolism that results in weight gain if we return to eating normal amount of calories?

Its all relative. This is the BEST surgery with the best stats. Thats just the way it is. I agree weight regain is ALWAYS a concern. But this one has the least regain. You may indeed regain some weight after losing a lot, but it will be relatively little and it will be extremely easy to take it right back off. Right now you probably only notice weight gains of 10-30lbs. After the surgery and weight loss, you will notice gains of 1-3lbs and you will have an extremelly effective tool at taking it right back off. Yes, you can eat around your weight loss surgery and sabotage yourself, so if that happens it is time to see a head doctor to help. Bypass, has really given WLS a bad perception, since so many had it and regained, but this surgery doesn't have nearly the same regain statistics as the old ones.

I had a I had a Lap band removal and vsg conversion in June 2014. I started at 252 as my highest weight and 237 as my surgery weighty. My lowest weight was 201. I followed the diet faithfully for almost 2 years and kept the weight off give or take a couple of pounds.. I found that's spinning was my favorite exercise and still is. I was active on and off the 4 years because of complication so with my knee and then plantar fascititis. The last year has been hard cause I my plantar fasciitis and lower back pain. ( which restarted since I've put on weight again) has been really bothering me... so new activities that I love like 5k and 8k runs... well their increasingly difficult to complete. I now weigh 248. Which is above my surgery weight. My GERD isa real problem... I still drink my proteins shakes... take my vitamins.. I eat most things but not in excess because of my sleeve...my weight gain has been a plateau for about for almost 2 years now.. I have not gained and only loose 5lbs here Andy there's and regain it back. I guess give the fact that I really didn't lose as much weight as I expected to with the vsg and gaining all that weight back, has me thinking that the malabsorption piece of weight loss surgery is the tool that would help me final loose weight and be healthier. This extra weight gain is causing me physical pain now and I wann do something about it.

Thank you for putting it all out there and being blunt about it. I really admire that. I liked that you wrote about the fact that it is still a struggle and weight gain is still possible after 4 years. I really needed to hear that. You are definitely an inspiration! I look forward to continuing to work hard to get to where I want to be too.

Not sure on the truth of this one, but,,, my Old Surgeon Told all of us "that if you eat to much Protein, it can be hard on the Kidneys, and it can cause weight gain ! So you can believe that I stayed between 60-80G a day.

Well I guess there will be no chocolate for me this Valentine's Day and I am completely fine with that. :smile1: I will be going in for my VSG that day. My fiance just had his done on January 3rd and he is doing very well with his adjustments. I will admit I am a little afraid with some of the recovery issues I see with him but I think overall this is the best decision for me. I have been on a roller coaster ride with my weight-- gaining and losing 100, 50, 80, 35 pounds back and forth. This definitely cannot be good for my body, not to mention the heredity of heart disease, hbp, diabetes etc. etc. I guess I just have to keep convincing myself that I am doing the right thing. I am fairly new to this website and find so many inspiring stories on these forums, I really do thank you all and enjoy the good reads. Wish me luck and I will be back on to share my journey with all of you wonderful people.

Had my sleeve done yesterday, 4/4/16. Before I left my house, I weighed 234 lbs. Just got home today and I now weigh 242 lbs. Is this normal? Is it Water weight?! Kinda freaked out at the moment! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I was just DENIED!!!!!! I didn't lose the 5% of my excess weight as required by my insurance company during my 12 month MD supervised diet program. I had a heart problem in the late summer (since been fixed) and went on a medication for five months that made me totally sedentary. I didn't want to do a stinking thing! And I gained 27lbs on it. My high was 371, my starting weight (the one they use) was 344. So in order to qualify, I have to be 335. Granted I've lost weight since being fixed in December (I'm now 347.6), but even with a letter from my doctor stating that the weight gain wasn't totally my fault, and even with my case manager pleading my case to the medical director for the Ins Co. I'm denied! I can try again next month... One positive thing, once it was submitted it only took a couple of hours...

My doc wanted to check my thyroid, turns out it is lazy. Might explain the 44lbs weight gain in the last 18months, or at least how more easely they came than before. So I am starting on some thyroid meds. But what I am worried about is does it affect the surgery or more so the weightloss after surgery? It would suck so bad if it will cause me to lose less after taking this step and all the sacrifice.

mother natures nature's miracle is a liquid vitamin that i have used for years. i really love using it before surgeries because it makes me heal faster. it is really great it has everything and then some in it, even protein. it is a small company and their site is not fancy but the product is really great. Mother Nature's Miracle™ | Liquid Vitamins | Eden's Miracle of Mother Nature | natural vitamin program Vitamins Function & Symptoms of Deficiency Vitamin A; Beta Carotene 14,000 IU Cancer Prevention, Prevents Eye Problems, used for Acne, Ulcers, & Tissue maintenance repair. Enhances Immunity. Protects against Pollution. Vitamin B6 (As Pyridoxine Hydrochloride) 4 mg Maintains health nerves, Skin Eyes, Hair, Liver, Mouth, Muscle Tone, & G.I. Tract. Coenzyme, Energy Production, used for Depression, Anxiety, Metabolisrn / Stress & Prevents Anemia Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin) 1000 mcg Skin, Eyesight, Fatigue, Abnormal Sleep Patterns Vitamin C 1200 mg Helps Wounds, Surgery, Stress, Allergies, Asthma, Immune System, Heart Disease, Cancer Prevention, Bleeding Gums, Protects against Pollution. Vitamin D 1 800 IU Osteoporosis, High blood pressure, increases the absorption of minerals. Vitamin E 1 180 IU Antioxidant, Cancer prevention, Tissue repair, improves circulation, Prevents Age Spots, & PMS Vitamin K 170 mcg Blood Clotting, Tissue repair, Bone formation, may prevent Osteoporosis. Sulfur** Degeneration of cartilage, ligaments & tendons Lupus, Sickle Anemia, & Collagen Diseases Copper 2mg White/Grey or Brittle hair, Hernias, Varicose Veins, Aneurysms, Anemia, Hypo or Hyper Thyroidism, Arthritis, Liver Cirrhosis, Violent Behavior, & Learning Disabilities. Coral Calcium 1100 mg Osteoporosis, Receding Gums, Arthritis, High Blood Pressure, Insomnia Kidney Stones, Bone Spurs, Calcium Deposits, Cramps, Twitches, & Bells Palsy Iodine 320 mcg Fatigue, Colds, Muscle Pains, Heavy Periods, Low Sex Drive, Brittle Nails, Weight Gains, Hair Loss, Muscle Cramps, Depression, Puffy Face, Dry Skin & Hair, Poor Memory. Magnesium 260 mg Asthma, Anorexia, Migraines, Growth Failures, Muscle Weakness, Tremors, Vertigo & Small Arteries Iron 10mg Hemoglobin, Pica, Fatigue, Heart Palpitations, Memory Deficits & Anemia Phosphorous 500 mcg Brittle Bone, Low Energy, Inability to break down proteins, fats and carbohydrates Potassium 300 mg Muscular Weakness, Mental Apathy, FACT: May lower Blood Pressure Zinc 30 mg Impaired ability to heal, hair loss, fatigue and acne Chromium 200 mcg Depressed Growth Rate, Glucose Intolerance in Diabetics CoQ10 3mg Anti Oxidant, Cancer, Heart Disease, Poor Immune System Herbs Function & Symptoms of Deficiency Gingko Biloba 100 mg Improves Memory, Brain Function, Blood Flow, Depression, Oxygenation, Asthma, Alzheimer's Disease, Heart & Kidney Disorders. Aloe Vera 6000 mg Restores Tissue, Anesthetic, Heals Burns, Itching, Regenerates with no Sear. Ginseng 500 mg Used for Impotence, Energy, Diabetes, Colds & Chest Problems. i Enhances Immune Functions & normalizes B.P. Enzymes Function & Symptoms of Deficiency Proprietary Formula Amylase Is the digestive enzyme used to digest carbohydrates Lipase Is the enzyme used to break down dietary fats Papian Helps improve skin and breakdown protein Pepsin Is the principle enzyme which helps aid gastric juices Ptyaln Helps in aiding digestion in the stomach for several hours Protein 3 G From vegetable sources is essential in building, repairing and maintaining body tissue Trace Minerals Function & Symptoms of Deficiency Sulfur Important mineral in several amino acids within the body involved in functions of Hemoglobin, Insulin, Hormone, Adrenal Hormones, Enzymes, and Antibodies. Deficiency: Degeneration of cartilage, ligaments and tendons, Lupus, Sickle cell anemia, Several collagen diseases Ten Animal studies show deficiencies cause: Poor growth and Poor feeding, Hearing loss, Male pattern baldness, Cancer prevention properties Chromium Deficiency: Low blood sugar (Vanadium& copper also) Prediabetes (Vanadium also), Diabetes (Vanadium also) Hyperactivity, Learning disabilities, ADD/ADHD Hyperirritability, Depression, Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde rages Impaired growth, Peripheral neuropathy, Negative nitrogen balance (body lean mass/protein loss), Elevated blood triglycerides, Elevated blood cholesterol plaque, Infertility & decreased sperm count, Shortened life span Copper Deficiency: White or Gray hair, Dry brittle hair, Ptosis (sagging tissue-eye lids, skin, breast, stomach, etc.)Hernias, Varicose veins, Aneurysm (artery wall bulges) Kawasaki Disease, Anemia (common in vegans & high milk users), Hypo or Hyper thyroid, Arthritis (especially where growth plate are involved), Ruptured vertebral discs problems, Liver cirrhosis (Number 9 killer in US) Violent behavior, blind rage, explosive outbursts, Learning disabilities, Cerebral palsy & hypopasia (failure to form) of the cerebellum, High blood cholesterol, Reduced glucose tolerance (low blood sugar) Praseodymium Enhances normal cell growth. Doubles life span in laboratory animals Antimony Effective against blood flukes Strontium Strontium can replace calcium in many organisms including man, Essential trace element Thulium Enhances growth of normal cells Doubles the life span of laboratory animals Trace Minerals Function & Symptoms of Deficiency Gold Reduces active joint inflammation Molybdenium Essential as a metalloenzyme of several enzyme systems Iodine Needed by body for thyroid function (Thyroxin is thyroid Hormone), Copper needed to utilize iodine Deficiency: Under Active Thyroid, Fatigue, Cold intolerance Muscle Aches and pains, Heavy periods or less than 28 days cycles, Low sex drive, Brittle nails, Weight gains, Hair loss Muscle cramps, Depression, Constipation, Elevated blood cholesterol, Puffy face, Dry skin & hair, Inability to concentrate, Poor memory, Goiter (throat swelling) Over Active Thyroid, Insomnia, Heat Intolerance, Excessive sweating, Light periods or longer than 28 day cycles, Hand tremors, Rapid pulse, Bulging eyes, Weight loss, Increased appetite, Muscle weakness, Frequent bowel movements, Irritability, Nervousness Goiter (throat swelling) Lithium Deficiency: Depression, Manic depression, Lithium deficiency aggravated by high sugar consumption Reproductive failure, Infertility, Reduced growth rated Shortened life span, ADD, Rages & fits Manganese Deficiency: Congenital ataxia, Congenital deafness, Asthma, Chondromalacia, Chondrodystrophy, Poor cartilage formation problems, Repetitive Motion Syndromes (like TMJ, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome), Convulsions Infertility (failure to ovulate or testicle atrophy), Still births or spontaneous miscarriages, Loss of sex drive, Retarded growth rates, Shortened long bones Nickel Deficiency: Poor growth, Anemia (low hematocrit) Depressed oxidative ability of the liver, High newborn mortality, Rough/dry hair coat in animals, Dermatitis Delayed puberty, Poor zinc absorption Silver Kills over 650 disease causing organisms, Systemic disinfection & immune support, Subdues inflammation & promotes healing, Anti-bacterial, Anti-viral, Anti-fungal Boron Essential for bone metabolism, Aids efficient calcium & magnesium use, Proper endocrine function Reduces calcium loss from bones (Osteoporosis) Bismuth Ulcers result from lack of bismuth & a bacteria Heliobacter pylori Calcium High protein diets increase demands for calcium Deficiency: Osteoporosis (& Dowagers Hump fractures,) Receding gums (osteoporosis if facial bones & jaw bones) Osteomalacia (failure to mineralize the protein bone) Arthritis, Hypertension/High Blood Pressure, Insomnia, Kidney stones, Bone spurs, Calcium deposits, Cramps & twitches, PMS, Some low back pains (sciatica, muscle spasms), Bell?s Palsy, Osteofibrosis (enlargement of bones with scar tissue), Tetany, Panic attacks Cobalt Essential part of Vitamin B12 (Growth & nerve system) Emaciation, listless, starved look, pale mucus membranes, Anorexia, Anemia Cesium Cancer aid cesium enters cancer cell and produces alkaline condition Europium Doubles the life span of laboratory animals Fluoride In plant based colloidal form will aid bone strength & no toxicity Iron Deficiency: Hemoglobin (Oxygen carrier in red blood cells) Pica (mineral lack and eats dire and chews ice), Listlessness & fatigue, Heart palpitations, Memory deficits, Sore tongue, Anemia Gallium Reduces brain cancers Silica Increases collagen in growing bone by 100%, Deficiency: Dry brittle hair, Brittle fingernails, Poor skin quality, Poor calcium utilization & arterial wall strength problems Samarium Enhances normal cell proliferation, Doubles the life span of laboratory animals Selenium Effective anti-oxidant, Deficiency: Anemia (red blood cell fragility), Age spots or liver spots, Fatigue, HIV (AIDS), Myalgia, Scoliosis, Muscular Dystrophy, Cystic Fibrosis, Cardiomyopathy, Multiple Sclerosis, Heart palpitation, Irregular heart beat, Liver cirrhosis, Pancreatitis, AS (Lou Gehrig?t Disease), Parkinson?s Disease (associated lead poisoning), Alzheimer?s Disease (associated high vegetable oil consumption), Infertility, Low birth weight, High infant mortality, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), Cancer (associated with high vegetable oil intake) (Number 2 killer), Sickle cell anemia Germanium Highly efficient electrical impulse initiator, Aid in oxygen utilization, Enhances immune systems function, (Killer cells, interfering, macrophage and T-suppressor cells), Deficiency: Arthritis, Osteoporosis, Low energy, Cancer Yttrium Enhances normal cell growth, Doubles life span of laboratory animals Potassium Deficiency: Muscular weakness, Mental apathy Lanthanum Deficiency: Maybe involved in chronic fatigue diseases Magnesium Deficiency: Asthma, Anorexia, Menstrual migraines, Growth failures, Neuromuscular problems, Tetany-Convulsions, Depression, Muscular weakness, Tremors, Vertigo, Calcification of small arteries, Malignant calcification of soft tissue Vanadium Aids in glucose (blood sugar) oxidation and transport, Enhances insulin effectiveness (aids with blood sugar problems), Decreases cholesterol production, Increases effectiveness of heart muscle contraction, Anti-Cancer properties Deficiency: Slow growth, Increased infant mortality, Infertility, Elevated cholesterol & triglycerides, Hypoglycemia & Diabetes, Cardiovascular disease, Obesity Amino Acids Function & Symptoms of Deficiency - Proprietary Formula Alanine Important source of energy for muscle tissue, helps in the metabolization of sugars Arginine Improves immune responses to bacteria, crucial for optimal muscle growth Cystine Powerful antioxidant, aids recovery from burns and surgical operations Glysine Helps trigger release of oxygen to energy Leucine Used for production of energy to the upper brain Methionine Prevents disorders of hair, skin, and nails Phenylalanine Improves memory, reduces hunger pains Proline Helps maintain and strengthen heart muscles Serine Strengthens immune systems, synthesizes fatty acid Tyrosine Improves memory, helps overcome depression Valine Promotes mental vigor and muscle coordination Sea Nutrients Proprietary Formula Alaria Valida Rich in Vitamin A, vitamin B and calcium Costaria Costata Helps reduce blood cholesterol levels. Helps improve thyroid function. Agar Used for constipation Algin Ability to draw harmful pollutants like lead from the body Dulse Rich in protein, fluoride and iron Kelp Helps thyroid conditions Kombu High in Trace Minerals Kuzu Helps soothe the stomach and strengthen the intestines Nori Good for prostate and thyroid, high in protein

Give the Dr who prescribed it and let them know your concerns. See if there is an alternative. My guess is the weight gain is mostly a Water retention thing, but you should communicate with your prescribing Dr. If it is just a water retention thing, I wouldn't worry about it. Do you want to lose weight or lose fat? The sleeve is going to help you lose fat, and that is what I wanted. You will not be on paxil forever and the side affects will wane once you are off of it. I was on paxil about 13 years ago for a short while, never had any weight gain, but the sexual side affects were not tolerable for me. If you search this site for keyword Paxil, you will find 33 threads about it.

Hi I've been banded since 8-23-13. I haven't done real well about 24 lbs. But I take 29 pills a day some are weight gaining and I've not had a fill yet. Do you know when lapbandtalk.com switched to bariatricpal.com? I havent6 found it in over 3 weeks. Just dense I guess. Anyhow the way I fiund my dr ( Grossbard) by googling. I'm sure you know how to do that but also call other drs to ask for recommendatons. Good luck on your journey.

Cortisone is a steroid and one of the side effects could be weight gain. I have gotten one cortisone shot before and didn't experience weight gain from that one. However, I took another form of steroids called methylprednisolone and put on over 15 pounds. Please see the link below for more information on cortisone shots: http://www.webmd.com/arthritis/what-are-cortisone-shots . I was diagnosed with a herniated disc several years ago. What I found to be helpful that alleviated ongoing, intermittent back pain (which when it occurred was very excruciating) was Chiropractic treatment. I wish you all the best with getting the weight back off and hope that you can find an alternative treatment to the cortisone shots!

Just read the article on weight regain. interesting but the samples are very small -- 26 in one study and 41 in another. I believe one had 96 patients but that is still pretty small to generalize to the total population of vsg patients. Also mean EWL is just the arithmetic average. Some people would be lower and some would be higher than the percentage they present. In a small sample, one or two "deviant" people with huge weight gain could throw off the mean. Using a median (50% above it; 50% below it) might be more meaningful as a middle point. Hard to know without seeing the entire database. As one of the formerly super obese people they mention in the article, at least this is a sign to me to be really vigilant forever about what I put in my mouth. Water, healthy eating, and exercise is a way of life during and after weigh loss and I imagine a lot of people slow down on those, hence the weight gain.