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I'm surprised. I've been lurking for a while and I haven't seen anyone with a low BMI be blasted. 2 cents: How many of us wish we would have stopped the weight gain at 190 by getting the lap band? I think if any one of us who would have known what we know now, would have gotten banded. I firmly believe in my own case, the issue is not about getting a measly 50 pounds off, it's about fighting for the rest of my life to get it off. If it were a perfect world, I'd come to terms with my eating and what causes it. But it's not perfect and I may never really master it. I just need a tool that will help me cope with the ramifications of it while I deal with the emotional aspect of it. I think the band is a great tool for anyone who may be spiraling out of control. To say I wish I was that BMI is pointless because when YOU WERE you didn't stay there or take care to stay there right? I think it's a brave thing when someone sees where the road is heading and takes measures. If I could back to when I was 190 lb. and the band was around I would have gone for it...

Even if you are preparing for bariatric surgery, you can start exercising (so long as you are cleared by your doctor) and lose a surprising number of pounds even before your gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy or revision bariatric surgery. In addition, the better cardiovascular condition you are in before surgery, the fewer complications you’ll face during and after surgery. Not sure where to start? Here are instructions I offer to my own weight loss surgery patients here in Freehold, NJ: Bariatric Preoperative Stage Patients who start an exercise strategy before surgery have an easier time adjusting to exercising after surgery, according to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). But, admittedly, exercise is challenging for people who carry a lot of extra weight. For this reason, starting slow is imperative. If you are morbidly obese, talk with your bariatric surgeon about fitness guidelines for your current health situation. Generally speaking, these are reasonable goals to target: · Focus on cardiovascular exercise, even if it’s just a walk around the neighborhood for 10 to 30 minutes, depending on your health and doctor’s recommendation. · Start walking for 10 minutes, twice a day and add 5 minutes each day, up to 30 minutes per day. · Realize that empowerment that fitness gives you over your body and your overall health. · Appreciate how good you feel after exercising—even for 10 minutes! Weight Loss Surgery Postoperative Stage For the first two weeks after surgery, focus on flexibility exercises, deep breathing and getting back into performing normal daily activities. · At your first post-op visit with your surgeon, he or she will carefully go over your customized exercise plan based upon your health, age and the procedure you had. · With your doctor’s approval, three weeks after your operation, begin to gradually incorporate low-intensity aerobic exercise (walking or swimming are my preferred choices at this stage). · If you feel prolonged pain or discomfort, you are doing too much too soon. · During the first six weeks after surgery, do not lift more than 15 pounds. One Month and Beyond Now your goal is to increase range of motion so you can easily take off your shoes and pick things up off the ground and move around more. · Strength-training (light weights) exercises are rebuilding muscle. · Work toward 30 minutes of continuous exercise five days per week. · Avoid abdominal exercises for the first eight to 12 weeks (allow the incision to heal). This also helps to alleviate abdominal hernias near or around the incision. · Change-up your workouts so your body is constantly challenged (walk around the park today, lift weights at the gym tomorrow and use the elliptical machine) · Introduce a wider variety of bariatric fitness options: biking, yoga, dancing, aerobics, Pilates, kickboxing. A year after weight loss surgery, you should be able to perform 45 minutes to an hour of exercise five times a week. Exercise is Insurance Against Future Weight Gain A lifelong exercise program is critical to a weight loss surgery patient’s long-term success. If a physically active lifestyle has not been adopted, weight gain will likely result. (Sadly, I have seen this firsthand on more than one occasion). Exercise is insurance for long-term weight-loss. If you have a slip, an extra 5 to 10 minutes spent working out will ensure that your metabolism stays elevated and this extra effort will burn more calories. Working out will not, however, save you if you overeat regularly—bariatric surgery or not. By sticking close to your daily calorie requirements most days, drinking plenty of water and focusing on fitness, you’ll look great, feel even better and be the healthiest person you can be. And that’s worth just 30 minutes out of your day, isn’t it? Photo Credit: Woman Exercising by Witthaya Phonsawat -FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I don't eat much bread because I am paranoid about weight gain, plus it swells up in my belly and i get that stuck feeling if i am not careful. I especially am not a bread fan because I don't drink with my food so my mouth feels dried out after i'mdone and i'm stuck feeling that way for 30mins. lol right now my husband and I just ate some cold cuts. he ate 7 inches. I had like half of a 3in and was full.

Also fogot to mention that since my first fill ofc3 cc I can only eat 2-3 bites then it comes up. But usually I can then eat the rest of my food. This happens at almost every meal. I am not as excited with this fill as I was before it. And I take a few weight gaining pills for my bipolar and even with the fill I am losing very slowly...almost too slow. I try to watch what I eat but when I get really hungry I eat whatever will go down the easiest. Bad choice? And my hair is falling out. It was thin bc of hypothyroidism but now have a few balding spots. I see my endocrinologist today so maybe get my thyroid in check and maybe with eating more protein my hair will start coming back. There's alot more but I'll leave it like this. Thx

Ooh I don’t even want to think about this. I know if it causes weight gain in some it will cause it ten fold for me (like everything else does). I know that my mom stayed on birth control pills for years past the end of her cycle. I’m pretty sure it was to help with the symptoms of menopause. I wonder if it helps control menopause associated weight gain??

hi so its been awhile since ive posted,im 13weeks prego,ive lost 6lbs due to morning sickness... other mommys have put on 3,6 or even 8lbs but i keep in mind tht im sleeved nd dont eat as much as they do... my question is how much weight did you sleeved mommys gain during pregnancy?.. i snack often nd keep hydrated...i wrk a 12hr shift but sleep most of the day on my days off... im not on a diet but do make healthy choice at time... also nxt week would be a year post op frm surgery..so i got prego around 9mnths out..

Thanks Jenny! Through all three pregnancies and even this weight gain, I always maintained great blood pressure...not once was it ever high. However, when I went to the gym to speak to a personal trainer, they did an assessment. She informed me that my blood pressure was considered high. I have recently (within the past 4 months) started getting migraines and panic attacks...something I have NEVER had before (and you are talking to someone who took care of 3 children all by herself AND worked fulltime!). But other than that, no other health problems. Both of my parents were diabetic (only my mother was obese) and both had one form of cancer or another. I dont want to ever be in that boat, you know? I am calling my doctor tomorrow to schedule a checkup with him. I have always found him to be supportive but I wonder why he has never approached the subject about my weight. Living in denial is NOT fun especially when the reality sets in.:faint:

As for the weight gain, you very well could be gaining muscle since you are in the gym 5 times a week! Hope you are able to figure out the pain and get to feeling better soon!

I had an increase in my menopausal symptoms after I had my gall removed in 2921. We increased my dosage but nothing changed (except a small weight gain) until my GP wondered if I wasn't absorbing them well anymore since the issue started after the gall surgery which also caused a protein absorption issue. She put me on a HRT patch as a trial. Well, she was right. The symptoms are gone & I’m only on a low dose HRT again. Malabsorption can be a concern with bypass so maybe ask your doctor if the absorption of your HRT could be being affected. Bonus of the patch is no pills - yay. Just replace the patch every 3.5 days. Oh, & I’ve slowly lost some of the weight I’d gained.

Thank you, that's very kind. I'm sorry to hear about your loss as well, and the weight gain you experienced. I appreciate the offer of messaging you, I may just do that.

I was the same way. Just gaining with no change to diet and I wasn't eating terribly. I just didn't understand why I was gaining until my endocrinologist told me it was the PCOS. That's why I am going the bariatric route too. Mostly because of the other symptoms other then the weight gain. Facial hair drives me nuts! I just want that to go away! Sent from my SM-G965U using BariatricPal mobile app

I was on Prilosec for 6 months post-op; no weight gain. I am also on Prilosec again because I need to take an NSAID for something so they gave it to me to help prevent issues - no weight gain.

I had "stomach stapling" in the early '80's and after getting to my goal of losing 100 lbs. I gained all of it back over the past 15 years. I'm thinking of a bypass but wonder if anyone has the same story as I and what the result was. Thanks

What follows is a narrative of my personal experience with the vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) and my subsequent weight loss. It is specifically written for both preoperative and recent postoperative patients. This is my way of thanking Bariatric Pal for the wealth of valuable information I gleaned before undergoing the surgery. I need to underscore that my story is not intended to provide weight loss advice or suggest that the way I did it is the only or even best way to lose and maintain weight loss. I have broken and continue to break most of the postoperative rules I was given by my surgeon and, yet, I’ve been able to maintain a weight loss of 88 pounds over four years (my weight fluctuates within a five-pound range). There are too many self-proclaimed experts on this forum: I am not seeking feedback or a critique about the particular path my journey has taken. There are a few things I would do differently in retrospect. Perhaps others will benefit from my story. Back Story Obesity runs in my family. My parents were chronically 30 to 60 pounds overweight throughout my entire life. My father died at 62 from arteriosclerosis (years of cholesterol plaques broke free and clogged his valves: he suffocated to death). My mother died at age 61 from a massive stroke. Three of my four grandparents died in their late 50’s and early 60’s. I am 63-years-old and thank God every morning for giving me another day. I was a skinny kid but my mother forced me to finish a large glass of eggnog every day even though I would spend over an hour trying to get it down. Her plan worked: At age twelve, I weighed around 30lbs more than I should have. The year was 1967 and Weight Watchers had just opened a branch in my hometown. My mother joined and I decided to follow her program (there were no teen programs at that time. Back in those days, one weekly serving of liver and three daily doses of that foul-tasting Malba powered fat-free milk were mandatory). I lost the excess weight in a relatively short period of time because I was consuming far fewer calories than a growing boy needed and I was active with sports throughout high school. I kept the weight off until after I was married. Throughout my young and middle adulthood, I would continuously lose 30 pounds over a period of a few months and then slowly but surely regain the weight over a two-year period. However, the total amount of each weight gain increased with age and losing the weight became increasingly difficult. At 57 years of age, at a height of just under 5’7”, I weighed in at 244lbs reaching a BMI of 38.8. Bariatric Consultations My initial plan was to obtain a gastric balloon (I wasn’t quite ready to accept that I needed a permanent solution). I consulted with three bariatric surgeons who each told me that a gastric balloon was not the answer as, first, I had too much weight to lose and, second, each physician anticipated that I would regain the weight as soon as the balloon was removed (in six months’ time). Two surgeons recommended the vertical sleeve; one was in favor of the gastric bypass. I eventually decided on the VSG as I didn’t want to have to worry about nutrient absorption (although, as it turned out, I still have to take daily supplements as I just can’t hold enough food in my stomach to receive the minimum daily requirements of vitamins and minerals). My decision to undergo the surgery was not based on vanity. I would have continued to let my pants out if that had been an option as I loved to eat. The surgery was a medical necessity: I had developed obesity-related diabetes (type II) and was taking 1500mg of Glucophage daily and it was only marginally successful. I was functionally crippled: I could not walk more than 100 yards without feeling as if the soles of my feet were on fire. I would need to stop and sit down to give my feet a chance to recover. I was miserable. I could do nothing but lie in bed, watch TV, and eat. In addition, as my weight increased, my blood pressure continued to spike. I was taking five different antihypertensive medications daily and my pressure was still in the high-normal range (155/90). My wife lost her partner in that I was physically unable to do the things with her that we used to do together. She often referred to herself (with me only) as a widow. I hit rock bottom emotionally during the summer of 2012 while visiting Disney World because I needed to rent a scooter (I could not keep up with the others and would hold them up while I rested for a few minutes). I was deeply humiliated although my companions were thrilled that we were able to skip the long lines and enter the rides through the handicap entrance. I scheduled the surgery well in advance for the winter break of 2012 as soon as we returned home (I’m an academician and a university student counselor). My eventual choice in a surgeon was based on a recommendation from my stepson, an emergency room physician, who heavily researched various doctors for me. This particular surgeon was the first to ever perform bariatric surgery in our state and, most impressively, has a “leak rate” of zero percent (even to this day after five years). The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly The operation went smoothly although I awakened to four incisions instead of the expected three because the surgeon could not see his way around my fatty liver without that additional entry point. My mild to moderate pain was sufficiently managed with a pushed IV dose of morphine and tramadol followed by regular intervals of more tramadol. I was very comfortable during my two-night hospital stay. I was sent home with only liquid Panadol and it worked. What pain I had was negligible by the fourth day, when I was able to get out of bed without help. I attribute this outcome to my surgeon’s skill. What I did not anticipate, from having read these forums, was just how damn thirsty I would be before I was cleared for liquid intake. My mouth and throat were so dry that the Barium liquid they gave me to drink for the leak test was literally a welcomed respite from my thirst. I was one of the unfortunates to suffer chronic diarrhea for three-and-a-half-months. This condition is not uncommon after vertical sleeve gastrectomy. I went to work every morning wearing a diaper. I also did not anticipate how weak and dehydrated I would be. I was readmitted to the hospital after two days of dehydration and syncope, a condition that persisted for weeks. I lost my balance a couple of times while at work, which led to speculation among my colleagues that I had either contracted alcoholism or cancer (the latter guess was reinforced by my rapid weight loss). I chose not to broadcast my surgery to anyone other than a few close relatives. My healthcare issues are no one’s business but my own. I also don’t discuss my hypertension, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and reoccurring planters wart with relative strangers such as waitresses and coworkers. (There is a great deal of debate on this forum about the merits of telling the world about one’s bariatric surgery. I do not necessarily believe that one approach is better than another. I only know what was and is best for me). I lost weight too quickly because I didn’t prepare sufficiently for the postoperative 14-day liquid diet. I couldn’t stand the taste of the liquid protein drink I purchased and there is only so much clear broth one can tolerate without feeling as if you’re drowning. By the ninth day, I broke my first postoperative rule and had my wife make me a simple poached egg without seasoning. To this day, that single poached egg was the most delicious meal of my life. I was starving. I believe I lost 30 pounds within the first five to six weeks, followed less dramatically by another 40 over the course of the next six months. Unfortunately, a significant percentage of that weight loss was muscle. Consequently, by the time I reached my initial target goal, I was disheartened by the fact that I looked nothing like I did the last time I had weighed 170lbs. My pants size never changed as my weight decreased from 185lbs down to goal weight, owing to this apron of loose skin in my lower abdomen: I have had to wear 36-inch waist pants regardless of weight. That has been an enormous disappointment. The last time I weighed 170lbs (back in 1997), I wore a 33-inch waist. Over the course of the five years that followed, I gradually lost another 15lbs while not particularly trying to. I have a hunch that my surgeon removed more stomach than he let on, although a gastroenterologist told me that I had about 50 percent of a normal stomach after she performed an endoscopy to rule out stomach cancer. I developed a terrible case of acid reflex and must take antacids every day. During the summer of 2012, my wife and I went on a five-week culinary retreat, including a 10-day cruise. I returned home to discover that my weight had climbed to 180lbs from the 168lbs I had started my vacation with. It was a harsh wake-up call that I could not eat with total impunity. The fear of regaining my weight gripped the pit of my stomach like a heavy duty Craftsman’s vise. I made a decision and commitment to myself that exact moment to never allow myself to gain this kind of weight again. I made a concerted effort to reduce my daily intake of food until my weight fell back down to goal weight. My weight has remained fairly constant from the beginning of 2013 to present day, fluctuating from 155 to 160 pounds. When my weight hits 160, I make a decision to become acutely mindful of what I eat until I see 150-something on the scale. As for the apron, I will go in for liposuction this summer. I gave serious thought to an abdominoplasty but the surgeon talked me out of it, claiming that I would require a four to five week recovery period. In addition, he felt that the loose skin would eventually retract after the underlying fat was removed. In fact, my apron has slightly decreased in size over the past year, an effect of regular activity I think. The Aftermath I am convinced that my metabolism has increased as a result of having been able to maintain my lower body weight over several years. It seems to me that I can eat more now than I could one year after the surgery without gaining weight (my wife, on the other hand, thinks that this isn’t necessarily true, i.e., that I am not really eating more than I had). I am amazed by all the energy I have today: my wonderful and beautiful wife is no longer a widow of obesity and diabetes. Today, I seize every opportunity I can to accompany her to the malls and stores. Today I can walk for hours without pain or fatigue: my diabetes went into permanent remission after a weight loss of 30 to 35 pounds. My BMI varies from 24.6 (normal) to 25.4 (slightly overweight) depending on where I am in my five-pound weight range. My blood pressure is currently maintained in the low-normal range (i.e., 120/70) on just one-fourth the medication I used to take when I was fat. I am on the scale every single morning. I do not like surprises. I want to know immediately when my weight starts to creep upward so I can nip it in the bud. I know myself: I would not be able to rationalize that personal failure away. I am a big fan of the reality TV show “My 600lb Life” on TLC. According to bariatric surgeon Dr. Nowzaradan, less than five percent of his patients enjoy long-term success. Based on the scientific literature I have read, patients with a starting BMI of less than 40 have the highest long-term success rates. Those who were morbidly and super obese (BMIs of 40 to over 50) at the start of surgery have a tough nut to crack. In most cases, they will need to consult with a psychotherapist who specializes in the treatment of obesity to change their emotional relationship with food. Aside from eating solid food after just nine days, I started drinking carbonated beverages at six months after the surgery, e.g., diet cokes and vodka tonics. I am not aware of any change in my stomach’s capacity and I’ve been drinking carbonated beverages every day for almost five years. (Please note: In no way am I encouraging anyone to do the same. Follow your surgeon’s guidelines. I do not want to read any criticisms or dire admonishments from this forum’s formidable food police about how I am inadvertently sabotaging other people's weight loss program). I am simply sharing what has worked for me for the last five years. Many forum members claim that their taste for certain foods changed after the surgery (and, quite fortuitously and even miraculously, it’s always foods high in carbs and fat that members seem to lose their taste for). I cannot claim such good fortune. All foods taste the same to me as my surgeon refused to remove even one of my 10,000+ taste buds: What has changed, however, is my appetite for certain foods. Prior to the surgery, I used to put away four to five 16oz Angus ribeye steaks every week. Today, I don’t find red meat as appetizing as I used to because of its density. I prefer fish because I can digest it easily and without suffering from an agonizing attack of acid reflux. Chicken is also good. Sometimes I do feel frustrated that I can’t eat more than three to four ounces (including fluids) at a time. The good news is that my surgery paid for itself in about 18 months owing to dramatically reduced grocery bills (my insurance did not cover the surgery). I was thrilled when—by fasting all morning long from food and liquids—I was able to finish an entire half of a Second Avenue Deli pastrami sandwich while visiting New York City (and a few sips of their beef barley mushroom soup as well). I have not restricted or eliminated any foods from my life. As a behavioral therapist with over 37 years of clinical experience, I don’t believe in abstinence from food or alcohol as a lifelong strategy. Abstinence is not an effective alternative for moderation. My diet is predominantly the same now as it had been before the surgery. I still eat candy, cake, and pizza, for example… just a lot less than I used to. The only genuine difference in my diet, as stated before, is a decrease in the amount of red meat I consume because it’s harder for me to keep down than fish and chicken. My stomach is very sensitive to overeating: the difference between digesting my food in peace and having to run to the bathroom to cough up a silky combination of excess mucous and gastric acid is literally one bite or a single sip of beverage. Would I have the surgery again given what I know now? Absolutely and in a New York minute. The only regret I have is that I didn’t commit to the surgery sooner. What I learned from my experience I urge anyone planning on having a sleeve gastrectomy to invest the time and money to experiment with different brands and flavors of protein drinks before the surgery. You need to have a reliable source of protein and sufficient calories or you will lose muscle along with fat as I did. The only regret I have is that I lost the weight too quickly, leaving me with an annoying apron and lots of loose skin on my arms, stomach, and hips. There is an implied assumption on this forum that all bariatric surgeons and results are the same, i.e., if one patient supposedly sprung a leak by eating solid food on day 13 (instead of day 15) or allegedly gained back half the weight by allowing him or herself to eat M&M’s again, then everyone should expect the same results. This is simply not true. No two surgeons are the same and no two patients of the same surgeon will have identical results. One size does not fit all when it comes to bariatric surgery. I suggest to friends contemplating the surgery that they find the best surgeon they can regardless of cost even if it means traveling. You don’t shop for bargain basement prices when you’re about to have more than half your stomach removed. The risk is too great. My stepson, the emergency room physician, after looking into the first surgeon I had selected advised, “I wouldn’t let him operate on our dog.” The “less than one percent leak rate” is not an immutable or predetermined statistic: There are bariatric surgeons who boast a zero percent leak rate. Find one of those. I hope my story has been informative and helpful.

Mindfulness basically just means paying attention to something - without judgment. Mindful eating is paying attention to your food, and to your appetite cues - again, without judgment (that's the hard part!). Dieting vs. Mindful Eating: Diet = Weight gain: 95% of people who diet will regain the weight they lost within 5 years. 2/3 of those people will regain more than they lost, ultimately resulting in overall weight gain. All about willpower and rigidity. Relies on external cues. Restrictive and depriving. Food & body are the enemy. Mindful Eating = Weight loss: Studies show that mindful eating programs result in weight loss, fewer calories consumed, lower fat intake and increased self-confidence (Timmerman et al., 2012) All about trust and acceptance. Relies on internal appetite cues. Permissive and satisfying. Food & body are the ally. Which would you prefer? For me, I'd much rather give mindful eating a shot. Especially since dieting was what led up to most people having bariatric surgery in the first place. Step-by-step how to eat mindfully: Pick a calm and quiet place to sit down and eat. Check in with your hunger. Are you physically hungry? If not, wait until later when you are hungry. The food will be much more satisfying if you enter the experience hungry. Choose a food that will be satisfying. Give yourself permission to eat that food without judgment (toward the food or yourself) or guilt. Use all of your senses - look at the food, touch the food, smell the food, taste the food, feel it in your mouth, move it around and notice the way the texture and taste changes as you chew. Chew slowly and thoroughly. As you swallow, feel the food going down your esophagus and into your stomach. Notice how the food feels in your stomach. Ask yourself if you want more. If so, take another bite and repeat until you feel satisfied. At the end, take a moment to express gratitude for the experience, for the food, and for your body. Carry the awareness of mindful attention to other areas of your life - you'll be shocked at what a big difference this makes! Be patient with yourself. The practice of mindful eating is just that - a practice. Your mind and attention will wander, you will inevitably catch yourself judging yourself or the food. That's ok - it's normal. Just notice it, and return your attention to the experience. Practice this as often as you are able. Of course, it's not possible to eat mindfully 100% of the time, so don't be rigid with it. As you get more skilled at mindful eating, it will become more effortless and second nature. See, I told you this wasn't just for hippies! Mindful eating is very doable for all of us. We just have to make the conscious decision to do it. Paying attention to our food and our bodies allows us to get infinite more pleasure out of life. Give it a shot and let me know what you think. Share your experience in the comments below. What was it like to pay close attention to the taste and texture of the food? What was it like to refrain from judgment about yourself for eating the food? What surprised you about mindful eating?

I'm so sorry you have to deal with this. I was diagnosed with breast cancer Dec 2009. My cancer was Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, Stage 2, Grade 3, ER- PR- Her2- (triple negative). I had a double mastectomy Jan 2010 and then chemo. They gave me the choice of having a lumpectomy with chemo and radiation but I am too much of a worry wart. I would have driven myself crazy about it coming back so I chose the mastecomy. They build beautiful new ones now anyway! I finished chemo in May 2010, lost all my hair - head to toe (I didn't know everything goes!) and got the permanant implants in Aug 2010. My hair is now about 3 inches long. I see the oncologist every three months for bloodwork. People would say to me, you are so strong, keep your positive attitude, attitude is half the battle. Those are meant to be encouraging statements but to the person with cancer it can be hard to choke down. What if the cancer comes back? Was it because I didn't have right attitude? Am I weak? No, the only thing you can do is get through each day as they come. Cry and get mad if you want to but try to not let yourself get down for too long. Get some anit-depressants and don't feel weird or bad about it. Also, I do believe it is important to have something to look forward to. I planned a cruise for this April. I can't wait! And I will have hair! On a side note, if you do need to have chemo, they will most likely empty your band (they did mine). That way if you do experience any nausea it won't cause your band to slip. As a result, I gained 50 lbs back. Also, not all chemo causes weight loss, mine causes weight gain. Ugh! But its funny, I didn't get too caught up with that becuase the band is adjustable!! I sound like a commercial. I am just now getting my band adjusted so I can get back on track. I wish you all the best! Take care of your happiness. Let me know if you have any questions, I'll do my best to help. : )

I wanted to throw in an update because just... WOW!!! For MONTHS I've been stressing due to all the swellings, weight gains and whatever else comes with plastic surgery... however - as always with time comes healing and RESULTS!!! Every single day now I'm seeing humungous differences!! I'm over the moon right now, and THANKING EVERYTHING GOOD that I chose the right surgeons. They performed literally miracles for me. I. AM. HAPPY. In the last 4 weeks alone I've dropped NEARLY 15 INCHES off my whole body!!!! YAYAYEEESSSSS!!!!! Picture Updates:

The person who explained in detail what the sugars will do re: weight loss & weight gain is absolutely correct. Since my surgery from 1980 I went from 264# to 132# so very quickly. In all of these years i never gained an ounce. May of 2016 I put on my first summer outfit as I live in snow country so live in heavy clothes all winter; My clothes were loose on me. Somehow I had managed to lose another 12# over the winter. Wasn't eating or drinking anything any different. I was 120#. I was actually ecstatic. For some demented reason which I do not understand to this day I started drinking a 12oz bottle of Coca-Cola from Mexico over a 24 hour period daily. I am so addicted I can't believe it. But I wasn't worried as I was still my 120#'s. Well in June 2017 I put away my baggy heavy clothes & grabbed cutoffs & knit top. They were kinda tight??? It's now Sept 2017 & my stomach area (I didn't have plastic surgery as I didn't know the insurance would have covered it & really didn't need it after the weight loss) this has gotten back to being fat & saggy. I can barely fit into the 132# clothes but this stomach is making me sooo sad & depressed & i can't stop drinking these darned things. I'm praying that with walking & stopping this nonsense that it will go away but I have no idea. Listen to what has been said about the calories & calcium loss. I'm a living testament as to what a 12oz soda a day can do to a once upon a time extremely successful gastric bypass that's stayed in great shape for 36 years. DO NOT PICK UP OR CONTINUE TO DRINK CARBONATED BEVERAGES, ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH SUGAR.

All the comments above are accurate. You may need to seek counseling as to the reason you "replaced food with alcohol" for me, food was my friend, my constant companion, my stress relief, and utmost, my anger/anxiety relief. I have had to redirect my emotional eating to something else. In the middle of my journey, i too turned to alcohol. Weight gain scared me and so i did some soul searching and decided i needed a healtier coping skill. Recently it has been the gym and i find that i get irritable when i cant make it there. This is not only a journey of weight loss, but a complete rediscovery of who I/we want to be. It is scary to face the world and reality without a comfort so learning alterative healthy coping skills is a must. You don't want to trade one addiction to another. It's a slippery slope. This site will be a great source of understanding and support, however, you have to search within you and find what you want to change. Good luck with your journey!

Hello JudyJudyJudy, You are doing so good, I am so happy for you. You had your surgery the day before me and we were almost at the same weight. I was 232 the night before surgery and it looks like you were at 235. Now you are only 12 pounds away from being back in the one hundreds. I have 15 more pounds to lose to be in the one hundreds. I recently had to go into the hospital the morning of Dec.24 and got out on Christmas Day. I found out that I have a hematoma on my spleen. When I came out of the hospital I weighed 3 more pounds than I did before I went in. I was hoping it was because they put all those fluids into my IV. I made a trip out of state and just got back late last night. I got up this morning and weighed myself and I couldn't believe it, I only weighed 214.4, I had lost 5 pounds while I was gone those 4 days. I hope I am back on track. I had a stall with weight gain and even though I have read that it happens, it is still discouraging. Now my hope has been restored, especially after reading your post. It is so good to read what others are going through and to know that we are not alone. The concern, support and prayers from all the sleevers really help me alot on my journey. I am anxious to see some pictures of you soon, you are very beautiful on your profile picture. Good luck on reaching your goal!!

Hello, I started my initial journey in 2010. My mother and I were in a terrible, and my journey came to a screeching halt. (At this point, I am still suffering from the accident.) My injuries required steroid therapy; so, doctor put me on steroids and I gained even more weight. Now, I have to explain that my PCP did not agree with any type of weight loss surgery at first. I had to threaten to find another doctor, if he wouldn't at least research it. He finally agreed and my journey began. My doctor was out of the country when my accident occured. So, when he returned, he could not believe the weight gain or the increase of my blood sugar levels. At this point, he had to put me on medicine for diabetes and made me promise to start the process for my surgery again. The accident made me look at things from a different prospective, and I made the decision to lose the weight on my own. Well, that was a disaster and the weight continued to pile on & my diabetes medicine wasn't working. After a major internal struggle, I decided to have lapband surgery. When I went to meet with my surgeon, he threw a monkey wrench into my plans and suggested the sleeve. I struggled with the sleeve because there isn't any long term data to support this type of weight loss surgery. So, I decided to start watching YouTube videos and join blogs to learn more informtion. When attend my third nutrition class in February, I can now tell them that I will be having the Gastric Sleeve surgery...

A sudden weight gain might be pointing to an underlying new condition (hypothyroidism or the like). Be sure to explore/rule out a physical cause. If you've just let yourself go, then getting back to basics will help. Protein, nonstarchy veggies, limited carbs, vitamins, non-caloric beverages. Good luck!

Well, hello everyone! I just happened to come across this site while researching. I wish I'd have found it much sooner!. So, I need some assistance. Please be forewarned, this will be a rather long post so, if you don't want to read too much, I won't be offended....feel free to stop reading!! I had DS surgery in 2013 and until the end of 2015, enjoyed a wonderful outcome of weight loss (down to 155 lbs) and pretty much, eating as I pleased and staying at the same weight, within 5 lbs. I decided to have the plastic surgery for the removal of excess skin from my arms as well as a breast lift and augmentation (but with my own tissue, not implants, a story for another time!) in January last year. A couple of days before my scheduled surgery, I was having some issues with something I had not experienced since DS...constipation. I didn't think much of it. Just rolled with it. The night before surgery, I started with horrible stomach pains, continued constipation and cold sweats. Because I didn't want to lose my surgery deposit, and I was feeling ok the next morning, I went ahead with the surgery. It went well and I was sent home the same day to recover. I was still constipated and the following day, began vomiting and started with the worse pain I'd ever felt in my life. (Side note: I am disabled with permanent nerve damage in my neck and can no longer work.....and I have had two neck surgeries (among MANY others). So, I feel like I've experienced pain unlike most people have.) The pain on that day got so bad, I could not get up off of the bathroom floor and ended up calling 911. I was left on a gurney in the ER hallway for hours screaming in pain. The EMTs decided that since I had had surgery the day prior, that was what was causing my pain instead of letting me see a doctor right away. When I finally got to see one, the CT scan he ordered scared him so much that he immediately called one of the doctors in my bariatiic practice (of whom he was a friend) and sent me 45 minutes away to another hospital via ambulance for emergency surgery. I had an obstruction that was so severe, my small intestine had become necrotic. The doctor told me a couple of days later, if I had arrived at the hospital an hour later, I would be dead. After a miserable six day stay in the hospital, I was sent home to recover, finally able to eat somewhat normal food again! For the next couple of months, I stayed full of fluid to the tune of not being able to get in my clothes. I was also still expierencing constipaation. About two months later, I gained 20lbs in a three week period. I was devastated but was comforted by my surgeon who was certain the weight gain was a symptom of the consipation. Regardless, going up from a size 8 to a 12 put me even deeper than my normal level of depression (related to self esteem issues, family issues, etc). I started on a journey of doctor visits, medications and other "remedies" for this problem I was having. I even ended up giving myself daily injections of a prescription laxative that threw me into the Medicare donut hole to the tune of $2000 for 60 days of medicine. During all of this, my surgeon even did a laparoscopy to make sure everything was functioning properly. He did say the other doctor had repaired my intestine during the emergency surgery but made it more of a loop DS so, he put it back the way he did it for my DS. With all these things, my bowels finally started moving again and I was able to back off from the injections. I did not, however, lose any weight. In July, I had another plastic procedure to remove the excess skin from my thighs and back. After a very long and painful recovery (infections not to be believed), I actually, despite having a great deal of tissue removed, had GAINED more weight. Another 10 pounds! That eventually came off and I got down to the 20-25 lbs above my "settled" weight. BUT, despite exploring EVERY avenue, could not lose any more weight. I was even seeing other doctors to explore things like hormones, etc that could be keeping me from losing the weight. It was almost like this was my new settled weight. NOT acceptable to me.....not after knowing what it's like to wear a size 8 after being overweight since age 5.....forget the entire wardrobe I now have and cannot wear! I finally went back to see my surgeon a few weeks ago and he did an x-ray that showed that my stomach was a bit larger than most of his DS patients at my stage and since I have continued to suffer with GERDS, set me up with a procedure they dubbed a "partial gastrectomy". He essentially, stapled my stomach to make it smaller, thereby reducing the volume in my stomach giving food less time to become acidic and travel back up the esophagus. I had surgery on Monday. Came home the next day. He told me I would not have to follow the same prolonged diet as when I had my DS but could do things in 3 day increments (3 days of clear liquids, 3 days of full liquids, 3 days of puréed food, etc). I am swollen again. I am wearing my jogging pants instead of anything that will restrict my swollen stomach. My weight is the same (175 lbs)....which I know consists of some water weight from the swelling....I DEFINELTY feel a difference with the volume I can take in. And, I have actually experienced some vomiting if I overfill with fluid, which rarely happened to me before (and not so close to my DS). I am just having THE HARDEST time consuming liquids only. I've allowed myself to migrate to the puréed food stage a couple of days early and have kept things down fine. I just wonder how long I really need to wait to eat regular food again. I mean, this ain't my stomach's first rodeo, if ya know what I mean! Just wondering if there was anyone else out there that had gone through a similar experience and came out on the other end and what that result was. Anyone willing to share a similar experience will be greatly appreciated! However, NO JUDGEMENT PLEASE. I do suffer with depression and have more stress right now than I care to admit (outside of the whole weight situation). Thank you if you took the time to read this far! I'm glad to have a forum I can now refer to if I have questions or issues and, perhaps even make a few new friends! ~W

My band has helped reduce hunger, and increase satiety. Those were MY major issues with weight-gain; Always hungry & a bottomless pit. I was already eating pretty healthy most of the time, except for binging on McD's 1/4 pounders once in awhile. Head-hunger. Had to learn to fill my emotional bottomless pit with other things. Still working on that.

Thought it might be worth updating my report from more than three months ago. Weight loss numbers are very encouraging. I busted through the 300 lb mark into the "2's" this past weekend and am now down 121 lbs, since I started the journey about a year ago, including pre operation nutrition, pre operation liquid diet and post operation sleeve diet. I was sleeved on Aug 29 at 371 lbs and now at 299, just shy of 5 months later. Call it 20 weeks since the sleeve, with a average weight loss of 3.6 lbs/week since the operation. I am just 59 lbs from my basic goal of 240 lbs and have erased more than 20 years of almost continous weight gain. I can basically eat 4-6 oz of any kind of food I want to eat...have not found any limitations whatsoever. I have a very happy sleeve. I am staying with a regimen of a 300 calorie breakfast including eggs and some sort of meat and or cheese based protein, a protein shake twice a day, sometimes with a little other protein added and a fairly light 300-400 calorie meal in the evening. Probably averaging 1100-1300 calories a day with pretty restricted carbs. Have ramped up the walking a good bit for aerobic exercise. Numerous small victories...some new clothes at MUCH reduced sizes and being able to travel by air without asking for a seatbelt extension among them. All blood work is spot on with only a couple of very tiny deviations. Vitamin absorbtion is going well. BP and blood sugar are doing better than they have in 25 years. Early post surgical fatigue is gone completely.....I now have more energy and feel better than I have had in many, many years. Let me say again that my experience with Dr. Kim and his great staff has been stellar.I know there have been some criticisms about Dr. Kim only seeing a patient once or twice during the process, but in my opinion, it is more important for him to be helping as many folks as possible and getting them started on their path to better health and a much improved life. My experience with his staff has been excellent and due to that, I do not feel slighted at all by any lack of direct doctor attention. I hope everyone out there has as great a result from their sleeve as I have had so far. Good luck to all!