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Ok, the last week has been kinda stressful and I know it's only going to get worse. My job is changing greatly over the next few months and I am having learn a lot of new things and work extra to keep up with my job while I learn a new system. So maybe I am just stressed, but I need to rant for a min...... WLS is Easy WTH. I saw someone this weekend who hadn't seen me for a while and told me I looked great. Of course the next thing out of her mouth was how did you lose so much weight? I said that I was really watching what I ate, eating healthier and moving more, and that I had lapband surgery. Her comment was, oh well you are lucky then you can't gain weight. I wanted to expload at that moment. The thing is with lapband or ANY WLS you can gain weight. Gaining weight is EASY, not losing it. I can gain by eating more than I expend- calorie layden thing (milkshakes, chips, ice cream, cake, ect). I can gain just like anyone else. It really bothers me that people still have this misconception that WLS makes it so much easier. Does it help, YES, does it make it easy HELL NO. BMI vs Size Ok so here is another thing that is buggin me. My entire life doctors have complained about my weight. I have been over weight since I was 5. Over 200 since middle school (now 190's). Now that I am losing and I have studied info, I congnitivly know that the scale isn't totally accurate when it comes to my health. I have lost 50+ lbs, while my weight is in the 190's I am far smaller than I thought I would be in the 190's. Why, because of my muscle to fat ratio. It is often said that muscle weighs more than fat, not exactly true. A pound of muscle takes up far less room than a pound of fat. A stick of butter and a ball bearing may weigh the same, but that ball bearing is much smaller. So my muscle mass has increased, and my shape has decreased, but the scale isn't moving these days. Yet when I go to the doctors they look at the scale and calculate my BMI and tisk tisk tisk. WTH- Doc please look at the whole pic instead of one fasit. I am a work in progress not a completed project. Fear factor I will be the first to say that I am scared, paranoid, terrified of gaining weight back. I have tried way to long to lose, now that it has begun I do not want to revert. So yes I am almost obsessive over it. Is this good, not really, but it's me. I look at what I eat, I weigh daily, I move more. Being a scientific person I like to see cause and effect. How does what I put in effect measurment and weight. I chart every thing so I can take it to my doctor. Judgements Ok, so maybe I am paranoid that people judge me when they aren't, but I think that comes from my years of low self esteem. I often see people state, Oh you are doing what your suppose to so don't worry about the scale, don't weigh it just drives you crazy, don't worry the weight will come off. Yes, I know all the data- about the scale doesn't show the whole picture, that we should keep on doing what we are suppose to when the scales stops and in time weight will come off. But, gee am I the only human on here that while I know this, it still doesn't make me happy that the scale isn't going down. Ok, so maybe I am judging others here, but here it goes.... some people post and make statements on here that make them appear that they are perfect. They are losing, they are doing what the doctor says, they aren't weighing daily- happy, happy, joy, joy. It's like they never get frustrated or impatient ever. I honestly wonder sometimes are they really like that, or are they just putting on a front on this sight. Because while this journey hasn't been the tooth and nail climb that diets have been in the past, it has not been all hunky dory and perfect. So my thought for them is be human, I have flaws I get stressed, and I know you do to, no matter if you want to admit it or not. I think newbies need to know and see the entire picture. Yes, you do what your doc and NUT say. Will this be easy - no. Will you hit plateaus- yes. Will you get frustrated at times- hell yes. Will what works for me work for you- maybe/maybe not. Okay so enough of my ranting. If I offended anyone sorry, chalk it up to me having a bee in my bonnett to day and had one straw to many put on my pile. Thanks for letting me rant!!

Have you had any weight gain after 2.5 years?

I'm on the paragaurd IUD. It has no hormones so no moodiness or weight gain. I've been on the depo shot and it made me horribly moody and impossible to lose weight no matter what I did.

Is anyone on birth control? If so are u dealing with weight gain? I was on the pill for a month n quickly got off cuz I felt bloated then my legs started to hurt I panicked n thought I would get a blood clot...I'm gonna speak to my doctor tomorrow though..just wondering do all birth control make u bloated?

Such a pain, isn't it? When I started this process, mine shot up past 40 a couple times! I felt dead! Not to mention the 20 pound weight gain over the course of a month. Hopefully, your levels are still good.

I meet my husband while I was still thin in high school. We just celebrated our 5 year anniversary last week. He has been very supportive of my weight gain and my decisions to have surgery. It sucks because he is 6' 175lbs and can easy anything! I feel that people have to have an initial physical attraction in order to be interested in getting to know you in a romantic way. I do feel my husband may not have hit on me if I had started at this weight before he knew me.

Weight gain is always a worry. It's so easy for me to gain weight now. In the beginning, I was always so full, just looking at food made me feel sick. Now, I am not as full, and everything looks good. I have to be really careful. It's so easy to snack now too, because i am not so stuffed all the time anymore. It's a life long battle I am afraid, but it should be an easier battle with the sleeve. I can definitely eat more. Yesterday, there weren't a lot of choices where I was. I ate a whole McDonalds cheeseburger bread and all. I know I could have chosen a salad but it really sounded good and I haven't had one since about 2 years out. At that time, I could only barely finish it with a couple bites of bread. This time, I ate the whole thing, bread and all.

abstinence? I had IUD's for years and they were never a reason for my weight gain

Hi. I am getting ready for replacement or revision due to being left overfilled for several years. At this point I am completely unfilled in order to settle things down but the daily throwing up (not full vomiting but more than just PB) really took a toll on my stomach, esophogous, and nutrient levels. I'm just chiming in to wish you luck in getting this resolved and urge you not to wait too long like I did because other problems will result. Be persistent about someone figuring out what the cause is and listening to you. I have been unfilled now for a month and have maintained with just a three pound weight gain. It is worth it to feel like a normal person again and I am looking forward to moving forward this Thursday with a replacement band or revsion.

When you reduce stress u decrease weight gain for those emotional eaters.

I didn't really set a goal either. I just decided to set one. I'm down to 180 now and thought, I should set one. I haven't been 180 in years (8 actually). after I had the twins, I lost the weight rather quickly. But the with the depression of losing one I gained and continued to. Back then I refused to get mental help. I'm so glad I am now. It has changed me for the better. I wished years ago I had started going. So that is weight gain story. Depression :-( it's a bugar and has bad side effects. Although one med they put me on I swear I gained so much weight within the 3 months I was on it. It actually took me to my highest weight ever, 271. I gained about 15lbs a month on it and I even gave up sugary products like Dr recommended but still had the horrible gain. I'm still getting only between 500-700 calories a day though. What about you Nicole? My Nut said it is fine for me. Gen :-) 12/15/12

What is your average weight gain during that time of month and when is it usually gone?? The extra weight that is.

So I know this is probably on the forum and for the life of me I can't find any posts to fit what I'm asking, so I'm putting this out there. I may be just spoiled from consistently losing every week (except for a short lived plateau around Christmas time) and I'm really happy with my progress, but today I stepped on for my weekly weigh in and had gained a little over a pound. I track on MFP every little morsel and have been walking 5-6 days a weeks around 2/4 miles a day and my calories ranged from 700-1200 over this week and my protein and carbs were on target (this is all I'm supposed to watch per my NUT), so not sure what is going on. I should probably just not worry about it and see what happens next week. But any thoughts? LBT is very supportive and I may just need this, as I know this is not much of a weight gain, but as I'm sure some of you can understand, weight gain (no matter how much/little it is) is hard to accept when you are doing everything right and want to get away from obesity.

I am so sorry you are going through this. I was very close to my mother and younger sister - they died within a few years of each other. Mom was 72 and my sis was 40. It was devastating beyond description. It is one of the reasons I got up over 300# - I could cope not just with the loss but some of the trauma around my sisters illness and passing. I think you are doin the right thing by facing it up front, realizing it is a stressor/trigger, asking for help. I don't really have any tips or tidbits, for me exercise is the main destressor like you already mentioned. Whatever you do, don't let youself be fooled into trusting that food or booze will help any. The boost in feeling last such a short period of time and the consequences of over use lasts so terribly long. I like to use the analogy of the bad boyfriend, sure he is fun for a little bit but then he starts treating you bad and you make excuses and are in denial about how bad it is and before you know it... you are on the weight gain cycle. Prayers for you.

OMG !!!!! So I had my gastric bypass last Wednesday the 13th, they released me from the hospital yesterday afternoon. Well, I knew I gained some weight because I look like the an over filled sausage !!! They told me it was due to all the fluids they have me in my IV .... Well I hopped on the scale and I almost had a heart attack... I'm 20 lbs heavier then when I had my surgery !!! Is this normal ??? If so does it go away quickly??? I'm freaking out here!

OK so I haven't used the scale since I posted this thread. Thank you all for your encouragement. I am thankful that I have lost some weight. I realize I have to give my body time to adjust. I guess it doesn't really know what's going on right now. I would rather slowly lose 2lbs a month consistently than continue to gain 2lbs a year. I am gaining my confidence back. I feel it. My ex used to call me fat ass and would tell me no one was going to date me when I gained weight. 3 years ago I was 130lbs and (not to toot my own horn) very attractive. Then the weight gain and along with the weight gain, depression, hormone imbalance, severe acne and no energy. I started to hate shopping for clothes and became irritable with friends who invited me to the mall. I stopped dating and going out with friends. It's really sad how gaining weight can affect your self esteem, health and relationships. My kids were very happy for me when I decided to get sleeved. I couldn't tell anyone else because of fear of criticism. My ex told me the other day that my face is getting skinny and asked if I am working out. I told him yes. I think he felt threatened that I am on my way to getting back to the old me because apparently he went and got himself a membership to the gym. Again thank you all for your words of encouragement. Only people who have been where I am at understand what I am talking about.

I too suffer from depression mainly coming from being assaulted at work by a patient, and then not being able to go back to my job that I loved so much. I know I do feel so much better now from losing the weight, and if anything the surgery has helped me come out better. Wellbutrin may help with your depression, however sometimes it takes many attempts at finding the right one for you. I am currently on Effexor which is a combo anti depressant that works on not only serotonin but dopamine as well. One of its side effects is weight loss, so that helps as well with my getting to goal. There are a lot of SSRIS that cause weight gain, so be careful to discuss those side effects with your psych dr. Good luck!

Hi. You are not alone. I was banded in 2007. I lost 60 wonderful pounds. I was still obese, but it made a big difference for me and I was happy with the weight loss and new found freedom. I think I had the same fill experience as you....fill-unfill-fill-can't swallow my own spit-unfill-eat every and any thing-fill-can't eat anything except slider foods-weight gain. It has been a constant struggle. Once I learned how to eat around my band, it was all downhill. My surgeon advised me to revise to sleeve last year (so you might want to start there if you still trust your surgeon and have his/her support), but I resisted. I didn't want another surgery and I didn't want to acknowledge that the band and I didn't work well together. We (the band and I) failed. It's been hard for me to accept. Finally, September 2012 I started really considering a revision. I went to another "initial" seminar (with the same surgeon) and heard everything all over again. After 5 years, I need a refresher. Long story short (is it too late for a short story? lol), I am approved. I had to get medical clearance again which was no problem at all. My doctor wrote it up better than I could have myself. I did not do psych again, but I did the NUT visit. I was approved so quickly (2-3 days) that it was further reassurance that I needed to move forward with the revision. Approval is easier for those who have been compliant with getting fills, says my surgeon. I got approved, but I put everything on hold, because I was not mentally ready to do it, but I am now. I'm calling my surgeon's office next week to ask them to schedule me. I hope to be in the April Sleever Achievers club. Bottom line, start at the beginning. Pick up the phone and call your surgeon and tell them what your thinking then go from there. Also, call your insurance co. Please update. I will too. Good luck.

22 .bs in 18 days??? Remarkable! Can you imagine gaining 22 lbs in 18 days??? Weight loss is waaay faster than weight gain and that's where our focus should be! Great job!

Actually, the fact you're not losing and eating mostly soft foods are just more signs you're too tight. Contrary to the myths out there, being too tight can lead to stalled weight loss and even weight gain. The reason being, you're resorting to slider type foods and "soft calorie syndrome" because you can't eat the healthy things you should be. Have a look at this article, it is about being too tight and is really good info: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/page/index.html/_/support/post-op-support/tighter-isnt-always-better-r118 I think you can safely ride it out until Monday, but do get in to see your doctor. Best wishes

I can relate to what everyone is saying. This week is the third time in 1 year that I have moved to within 4 pounds of my pre op goal weight. After about 4 weeks of my pre op diet plan, I am so bored with my food I want to scream. So I go and buy a cookie. I suppose my issue is that I cannot even imagine being thinner , having more energy, being able to bend over and tie my shoes without puffomg. So, on this side of weight surgery, all I see is eating protein until ot comes shooting out my ears And, it's on this type of day, that I ask myself, "What are you thinking. Having your stomach removed? " I can trace my weight gain to 1996 when I first started taking anti depressants I am still on them, and probably will still be on them post up. And, unfortunately the research does not show what happens to people who are post op and taking anti depressants. Will I be taking them forever and 1 day?

And watch your sodium intake, more sodium leads to water retention which leads to weight gain .

It's wonderful you're following up with your doctor again. It is entirely possible that a band that's too tight can slow your weight loss. In fact, it can even result in weight gain. It's great that you're realizing this and letting your doctor help you through it. Have a look at this article, I think you'll find it very interesting: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/page/index.html/_/support/post-op-support/tighter-isnt-always-better-r118 Best wishes!

I really am working on not eating sugars because sugar is what has contributed to my past weight gain and diabetes. Sugar is addictive and you can eat a lot of foods really easy that are sugary. those foods are sliders. I choose to avoid sugars as much as possible and eat a wholesome diet focusing around proteins and veggies. I eat or drink anything with caffeine in them now either. i don't miss it either. My plan is to eat healthy and balanced, like the Paleo diet. I even choose to eat foods that are organic without pesticides and antibiotics put in them. Healthy only for me.... I really love this. A side note, I am not perfect and will occassionally eat something that is not organic when eating at friends houses and restaurants. I love my new life style.....

I'm sure it depends on your insurance. If it makes you feel better, I put on weight for the first 3 months, then lost for the last 3(only minimally) and I just got approved yesterday! Oh, and my weight gain was slightly more significant than yours. I think the most important thing is to convince your doctor that you are really trying. If it was easy to have consistant weight loss, we wouldn't be in this situation!