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I am pretty new to all of this, but I have never been more sure of a decision in my entire life. Many people at my job have had either the sleeve or bypass, and are happy with their decision. This is my story: I am pre-op--haven't even been to the doctor yet. My seminar date is 2/21, and I CAN'T WAIT!! I am female, 45 years old, 5ft 6in., 236lbs., BMI of 38.1. I would have this surgery tomorrow if I could! I am sooo ready to get this weight off me. I was not always heavy. In my teens, I was in the 120s. In my early 20s, I was around 130-150lbs. My weight has always fluctuated. By the time I was 30, I was 170-180lbs and getting very uncomfortable with my weight. By my mid-30s, I was around 200lbs. Once in my 40s, I stayed at 226 for about 3 years, until this last year, where I am now 236 and FED UP. As I get older, the weight keeps coming on, and my energy level is almost non-existent. I have high blood pressure. In 2009, I lost approximately 35 pounds. I got down to 192. I was feeling FANTASTIC!! Then, within a year, I packed all the weight back on plus more, and my blood pressure was severely out of whack. It took me a solid year to get it back in check. I was having nosebleeds, and had to see a cardiologist because my heart rate was irregular, and I had developed a murmur. After many tests on my heart, everything was ok, except my left ventricle was slightly enlarged and not closing all the way, causing the murmur. I was put on an ace inhibitor to correct my hpb as well as, my heart irregularities. My father passed away at only 52 years old in his sleep. He was diagnosed with congestive heart failure at only 48 years old and told he had 5 years to live. He lived 4 years to the day. My father wasn't a large man--far from it. He was 5ft 11in and 180lbs. It runs in my family. And being obese on top of it scares the heck out of me! I have only told a few people about my plan to have this surgery. I think my older sister--who has no idea what it is to be overweight, because she is 150lbs and thinks she's "fat" --will give me a hard time about it, but I have to do what makes me happy and, more importantly, healthy. I am so tired of the lack of energy, the hbp pills, the joint aches and pains, the fear of a premature death and/or massive heart attack, the feeling of being out of control with food, the fear of the future weight gains, and the humiliation of being overweight. I just want to be normal again! Sure, I have anxiety over some things that are involved with this surgery--complications, losing most of my stomach, the inability to have certain food for the rest of my life, but the yearning for being healthy and thin far outweigh all of the anxiety. The morning of my surgery, I'm sure I will be terrified, because I am a chicken when it comes to things like that! But I realize it is the means to an end, and the beginning of a new and better life, and a chance to one day be able to see my grandchildren (when my daughter has them!) Those are the things that make this worth it to me. I am so thankful to have this forum and the support of all you wonderful people that understand my journey and are willing to share your stories. Many of your have helped me so much so far. I am getting a wealth of information from the real people that have been there through each step, and for that, I am beyond thankful! We are all in this together! God bless us all for having the courage to undertake such an endeavor! :wub:

I see this has been here for an hour since posted with no comments from the ladies, so I thought I would throw my 2 cents in. Of course, I did not have a hysterectomy, but we all have our reasons for getting the surgery. Weight gain after any surgery is just one of them. Does it really matter if it was after hysterectomy, knee replacement, spinal fusion, _____ ... fill in the blank. I would guess, like me, the surgery for 99% of us has been a fabulous, life saving procedure. If you have tried conventional methods (notice plural) of losing weight and have struggled, it doesn't really matter. I can come up with about 6 reasons why I was morbidly obese, but it all circles back to my poor relationship with food. Good luck with your research and keep coming back!

For most of us that are banded our doctors told us to stay away from breads, rice and pasta and with the exception that they do get stuck but for most they really only do one thing. They turn in to sugar after consumption and sugar turns in to stored fat. Our bodies need carbs to function but good carbs such as fruit and vegetables. Who wants to make anything we eat turn to fat? I don't I have had enough of that. Before the band and my many failed attempts at dieting I/we ate low calorie bread, a baked potatoe, rice, pasta and every other flipping thing that we thought was good. But in all reality eating those kinds of carbs only makes you crave more of those kinds of carbs. I did an experiment with myself and a group I was teaching in two different sessions. I gave everyone including myself one quater of a buttermilk bisquit (yes we ate it slow but it went down) the next week I asked them to report what happened when they went home. All of them including myself wanted more starchy carbs and some caved in and went on a binge for the next entire week which the out come was weight gain. The next week we ate a small plate of vegetables and some fruit (because I can't expect people to just eat veggies at 9 in the morning and the following week I asked them to report what happened. The group that starchy carb binged the week before got back on track and lost the weight they had gained but everyone said they did not crave starchy carbs from eating the fruit and vegetables. Once you reach goal then its fine to eat these things and add them back in to your diet but for me to do it is a disaster. This is only my personal experience with carbs and may not be yours but it is true that starchy carbs do turn to sugar and then they turn to fat. If you can't control your craving for carbs, then eliminating these from your diet may help. They also make you crave sugar too. TTFN

Did anyone get the surgery after gaining weight after a hysterectomy? Just curious how that turned out?

As long as it went back down, I wouldn't worry about it either. Even when I was pregnant, on mirena not getting my period, breastfeeding not getting my period.. I still had temporary weight gain, moodiness, and even cramps one a month. It was weird but not much I could do about it. Maybe try drinking water and working out during that week... the more you drink the less you retain.

One of the office I go to will not touch you if you have not lost weight. You will be sent away. The place where I ultimately ended up having surgery (had nothing to do with weight gain or loss, I left for other reasons) puts you on a strict preop diet and they do expect you to lose weight. I don't know if they would turn you away or not but you are only putting yourself at risk.

You'll be fine they talk more about understanding how this is going to change your life and if your able to make that commitment they did ask what did I think lead to all the weight gain and a little weight history just be honest and you can do it

The thing to keep in mind about regaining weight is...the affects of all your weight loss on metabolism. When you first get sleeved, you're at your heaviest, and your restriction is at it's greatest. Both of those things are going to change. Your restriction will lessen, your capacity to eat will increase.....and as you lose 100 or more pounds your BMR goes way down...so you can gain weight eating way less calories than it would have taken at your heaviest weight. So even though you can't eat as much as you could presleeve, you don't have to eat as much to gain. We all have to plan to learn some better eating and living habits in order to prevent weight gain in the future. The last thing I want to see is anyone go through all of this only to regain their weight 2 years down the line.

Hi Blondie, Weight gain/stall is very normal during these stages. Just know that this is 'temporary'. Your new stomache is healing, and so is the rest of your body. Stay on track, follow your surgeons instructions and before you know it, you will be shedding off those pounds. Hang in there (hugs)

If you don't want the surgery and are seriously honest about your calorie intake you need to consult an endocrinologist who will do a full metabolic workup on you. I have two friends that don't even know each other but both have children with metabolic disorders both causing their children to be obese. I know one child takes 4 200mg of Meformin tablets at bed each night to help along diet and exercise keep his weight gain down as much as possible. If you aren't familiar with this is a whopping dose of Rx med use by diabetics type II to keep blood sugar down. You could have a metabolic disorder often hereditary. There's were. My other thought is with the surgery removing the grehlin sp. Hormones maybe that would have a significant impact? Don't know. Good luck on your decision.

Ok, this is my 2 cents worth, take it for what you will... Sounds to me like you are eating mostly sliders, which tend not to keep you full the 4-5 hours it should. So you are likely eating more calories than you should. Calories are calories not matter the form. The weight gain may have caused your band to get tighter, making it more difficult to eat solids. Which would mean you need a slight unfill, even a cc could make a difference. Questions to ask yourself- Are you drinking enough Water? Are you taking small bites and chewing well when you attempt to eat solids? Are you making good choices with the food you are putting in your body - good carbs, healthy Proteins, Fiber? A trip to see both the doctor and nutritionist maybe all you need to get yourself back on track. You can do it, just have faith. You haven't failed until you give up!

I have shared over the past year or so the many different struggles I have had with seeing myself accurately. I have had a couple of mental breakthroughs the last few weeks and I thought it might be insightful to some others who are struggling with the same thing. I am like 5# from goal now. I felt that my goal is high - it is like a 26 or 27 BMI and I kept wondering if I really should lose another 10-15 or 20 (or honestly is there a number that is enough?) amount less then that to get to a "proper" weight for my height. I have had some friends concerned about this because they keep telling me it is time to stop losing. I had the plastic surgeon tell me the same thing - I am at a good healthy attractive weight. Well, it is hard to believe that about yourself when the mirror keeps noticing every little imperfection. A few weeks ago I went to a trapeze party and yes I swung on a flying trapeze (terrified, but did it). The photos from that party made me realize that I am thicker then the 20 year old waif girls but thinner then pretty much every one over 40. I am fitter then most of them too. A good friend loaned me a dress for a work related 1970s themed party that I was so nervous about. That being dressed up and being SEEN. Well, the dress was a modest outfit - I went Saturday Night Fever theme. She is average sized and I never believed her dress would fit me. I slipped it on - a fitted medium - and it was pefect. No shapewear squeezing me in, i just fit a medium, fitted, nonstretch costume. Even I couldn't deny that it made me seem so... normal sized. Then, I went to this big work related event where I was declared attractive, not just by people who know and love me. For the first time in my adult life, I felt like an attractive, normal looking woman. It is such a strange thing to think about isn't it.... when you have always felt everything from lumpy frumpy all the way to huge. Last night, I was waiting for a friend outside of a restaurant and got a whistle from a passing vehicle. I was wearing a winter coat over my leggings and boots - hardly dressed provocatively. In my past, I would have assumed alot of different things about that event.... but this time i had to turn away so no one could see my smile. I am not invisible anymore. I am 48 years old and for the first time in memory, I am not invisible, I am not frumpy, I am not embarrassed to be seen. I dress nice, wear stylish clothes and shoes, do up my hair and makeup - I look better then I did when I was 28 when I was frumpy and dressed like I was trying to hide. I am shocked that my looks have held up so well to time and all the weight gain and loss but I bet alot of it is my attitude. I like me pretty dang well and just feel like I have finally given myself permission to shed the fatsuit. Yes, I still want to have that tummy tuck, but even if I never do... that will be okay too.

I knew it would happen. I was totally prepared to gain weight from the IV fluids. They weighed me 2 days post surgery and I was up nearly all of the weight that I had lost on the pre-op diet. I weighed this morning, a week post surgery, and I am still up 2-3 lbs. What gives? I can see that I have lost weight. When will it show up on the scale? Grumble. I know patience ... something that I don't have. Mary

I knew that I would gain Water weight from the IVs. In fact they weighed me in MX 2 days post-surgery and I gained all but 1 lb back that I lost on the pre-op diet. I wasn't really that upset as I knew it would happen. But, I weighed this morning and I am still up 3 lbs. I have been eating less than 500 cals a day. I can see that I have lost weight. Why isn't it showing up on the scale yet? Grumble.... Mary

I would go back in for a slight unfill. Being too tight actually leads to weight gain because you're reduced to eating slider foods and drinking your calories so it's definitely not in your best interest. On a side note- if you're expecting "magic" or even weight loss from a fill, you're going to be very disappointed. The band is just a tool and fills don't result in weight loss. Weight loss happens when you're burning more calories than you're consuming, so even with the band, you still have to work for the weight loss. This link may help you have more realistic expectations from the band: http://drsimpson.net/fills/Lap-band-eating/lap-band-not-restriction/lap-band-and-restriction.html Best wishes.

Whew! Glad to hear about the weight gain following surgery. I didn't know what was going on!

Already feeling discouraged. I started at 244. DOS (1/25/13) I was 237. After all weight gain from air and fluids I was 250 but I have been losing every day since. By my first 1 week post op I was 234 and yesterday I was 229. I was so excited to be in 220s. Getting in fluids and protein has been difficult. Yesterday was the first day I finally got in all my required fluids and protein. Today the scale still said 229. So basically if I get in everything I'm supposed to I don't lose. I don't think it's a stall seeing how I'm only a week and two days post op. Yesterday I also had some creamy soups so today I will ONLY do my required protein and fluids without any soup but that stinks. I've been moping around about it so hubby trying to give me pep talk about how my body is still trying to heal and I need to focus that and the weight will come off bla bla bla. I know he is right but I just want to lose weight so badly I mean that's why I had this major risky surgery to lose weight. Why is it surprising that I'm obsessed with it? Anyone else feel like me a week out?

I am the exact same way! I was sleeved on 1/21/3. I can eat a whole yogurt, pudding, and egg... I get all my fluid no problem. I had a 2 pound weight gain in the past 2 days only lost 8 pounds since surgery. Very frustrated!!

I was so happy they did it in one pass, I had gained another 30lbs in 4 months with the band opened while we were waiting for approval and going through all the red tape. I can only imagine having it removed, going through the pain or surgery, healing and doing it all over again with weight gain in the middle.

I wish I could have done it in one surgery too. I had to wait 18 months and go through countless endoscopic procedures before I could be cleared for sleeve. Hence my 75lb weight gain!?!! As long as I was getting sleeved I didn't care what size my stomach was going to be.. And I'm ecstatic with what ever it is..

What r d problems of weight gaining post gastric sleeve...

Hello folks...some may remember me...I was banded in 2007, lost 130 pounds, had a lower body lift and breast lift with augmentation and was the healthiest I have ever been. Then, on December 7, 2010 I was diagnosed with breast cancer and that's when the weight began. Following surgery and treatment I had packed on 20 pounds. My outlook on life changed after hearing "cancer" and I wanted to enjoy every minute of life and wasn't paying attention to calories and didn't take time to work out. I had also gone through a divorce but was dating an amazing man. Six months after treatment ended I was pregnant. Fear went through my body for many reasons...pregnancy wasn't good for someone who just beat breast cancer (hormone positive) and I was terrified of the weight gain. Well, after a very stressful pregnancy I gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby boy (I'm no longer mom of 2 boys). I gave birth in May 2012. My LapBand surgeon said I could begin to get my band filled again but first I needed an upper GI. I had the upper GI and was ready to get back on track but my surgeon had other plans...he said I had a small hiatal hernia and he had to remove my band. I was devastated and depression was setting in, until I went somewhere else for a second opinion...I started getting fills in November and after my third fill, in January, I finally have restriction. So here I am starting all over. I have 70 pounds to lose. I'm sad but I know I can do it because I did it before.

Hi there - I had my sleeve done at Johns Hopkins Baview (Dr. Schwietzer) - I was sleeved on August 16th, 2011, so this August will be my 2 year anniversary! (My stats on this forum are probably outdated) - I started at 249 and currently weight 149 - I have been fortunate not to have any weight gain. Good luck on your journey!!I It will all be worth it!!