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Well I am three years out 178lbs and I still feel fat. If my stomach would vanish mysteriously I would be happier. I think we will always feel we are fat. I dont agree you need therapy because really if we let go of the band the result would be weight gain again. I feel I am in control but I think I will always feel fat.

be careful about not eating right...weight gain could delay your surgery

I can say that I highly doubt that this will happen. I understand being denied for smoking or drinking but weight gain, come on? We are encouraged to lose weight before surgery. We are motivated by these certain "beliefs." But I would say that it is extremely rare for that to occur. If it did, I'm sure it would be for a HUGE amount of weight. I actually gained a ton before my final surgery consult. The surgeon said nothing. If you follow your fast (if you have one) as close as possible, you will be fine. The fast is for your benefit and it will allow the surgeon to maneuver easily around your liver. Also, if you are a female you may gain weight because of your cycle. It is not totally out of the realm. This happens to many people. It is mostly anxiety. I was worried about literally EVERYTHING and none of it happened. You will be just fine. Worry is normal. This is a big deal! You can do this. Stay as focused as possible. Good luck!

This might be a totally different topic, but it's poop related...somewhat. I find this really interesting. http://www.bbc.com/news/health-31168511 A woman has dramatically gained weight after a stool transplant from her daughter, doctors report. It is a genuine medical procedure to transplant healthy bacteria into a diseased gut, but US doctors think it may have affected her waistline. She quickly gained 36lb (16kg) and is now classed as obese, the case report in Open Forum Infectious Diseases says. A UK expert said the link between gut bugs and obesity was still unclear. A faecal microbiota transplant - also referred to by some as a "transpoosion" - is like an extreme version of a probiotic yogurt. The aim is to introduce good bacteria into the gut and it was officially backed by the UK health service last year. New treatment It is used when people have stubborn Clostridium difficile infection in their bowels. This can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain and cannot always be treated with antibiotics. The 32-year old woman, who has not been indentified, had an infection that could not be treated with even the most powerful antibiotics. Dr Colleen Kelly, from the Medical School at Brown University, said the option of a faecal transplant was discussed and the woman wanted to use a relative - her daughter. The daughter was overweight at the time and was on her way to becoming obese. The procedure did clear the woman's infection. But Dr Kelly told the BBC News website: "She came back about a year later and complained of tremendous weight gain. "She felt like a switch flipped in her body - to this day she continues to have problems." She started with a Body Mass Index of 26. Sixteen months after the procedure she had a BMI of 33 and three years after it, a BMI of 34.5. Caution Previous research has shown that transplanting gut bacteria from obese people into mice led to the animals gaining weight. Dr Kelly said limited conclusions could be drawn from a single patient, but called the case a warning as "there's not a lot on safety evidence out there". Dr Kelly has now changed her practices and "as a result I'm very careful with all our donors don't use obese people". Dr Andreas Karatzas, from Reading University, said: "You have to bear in mind that this person was saved. "If you run the risk of losing a patient, you don't bother about what could happen 20 years later." However, he said the evidence that gut bacteria affected human waistlines was still inconclusive. "There is some evidence in animals, but we have to be careful - it is a different organism. Just because it happens in animals doesn't mean it happens in humans as well."

I know that I struggle with eating when not hungry from triggers and I thought I'd post this for others who are struggling with the same thing. This sleeve is a wonderful tool to help with portion control, but it's also our thoughts that can drag up back to weight gain. Here it is: By Michelle May, M.D. Our environment is loaded with triggers for eating when we're not really hungry and for continuing to eat past the point of satiety. Learning to recognize these triggers and respond in an effective manner is the key to thriving in our food-abundant environment. What is a trigger? Think about the word trigger for a moment… In behavioral terms, a trigger is anything that serves as a stimulus that initiates a reaction or series of reactions. This concept is analogous to a mechanical trigger, defined as a mechanism that activates a sequence. Thinking about a trigger in mechanical terms is helpful because it takes the emotion out of it for a moment. More importantly, it reminds us that a trigger has no effect on its own and must be activated in some way. Similarly, your triggers for overeating are powerless over you—until you choose to act on them. Dismantle the machine When faced with one of your triggers, instead of automatically eating, use the following mindful eating concepts to FEAST instead (excerpt from Chapter 3 of Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat): Focus – Whenever you want to eat or continue to eat, that is your trigger to pause and ask, Am I hungry? or Am I still hungry? In essence, you are creating a new trigger for yourself - wanting to eat now triggers you to pause and check in. This pause creates a gap between the stimulus and response, allowing you to respond instead of react. Explore – If you're not hungry, get curious. I wonder why I want to eat right now even though I'm not hungry. What was the trigger? Accept – Don't judge yourself; you wouldn't judge a machine for having a switch. Instead, say: Hmmmm, isn't that interesting? Strategize – Choose how you’ll respond: I could eat anyway if I want to. For now, I am not going to activate this particular sequence of events. Let's see...what else could I do until I'm hungry? Take Action – Each time you choose not to pull the trigger, you weaken its connection. It's as if the wires rust and eventually break. Further, each time you choose a different action, you create new connections. With practice, you’ll hardwire these new pathways—like insulating the wiring. Michelle May, M.D. is the founder of the Am I Hungry?® Mindful Eating Workshops and Facilitator Training Program (hyperlink to http://amihungry.com/) that helps individuals learn to break free from mindless and emotional eating. She is the author of Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat: How to Break Your Eat-Repent-Repeat Cycle. (Download chapter one free.) what do you guys think about this?

So I'm new to BariatricPal, but I've been on this Bariatric train since April when I first saw my surgeon about it. Actually, even in April I saw my doctor and asked him if he thought I was a candidate. He said he thought I was since in the last few months my weight gain was severe and there was no medical cause for it according to him. So he put in a referral to the same practice my mom used when she had her surgery 5 year ago. I thought it would take ages to get a call from them, referrals to a specialist always do. Well, a week later, I got a call and they had an opening that Friday (this never happens, last time I saw a specialist, I had to wait a month). So I went in to that appointment with my mom because I'm 24 and I still need her to ask all the questions sometimes. My BMI was 30.4, which is what I needed since I don't have any other risk factors that the insurance requires. We went over the options, talked about everything, we all asked questions. And then at the end, he just says "I think you're a great candidate!" I wish it was solely up to him. But there's the insurance requirements. I did the scope of my upper GI: passed with flying colors; saw the psychologist: wonderful appointment, although some of the tests made me feel crazy; and I've had 3 of the 4 appointments with my dietitian (my 4th is next week). And then everything is up to the insurance company and I am so scared. I think that right now, that is what I am fearing the most. They are going to hold my future in their hands. I don't know what I'd do if they said no because God knows I can't keep living like this. My mom tells me not to worry about it, but the closer I get to the end of this, the worse it gets for me.

I'll start eating apples it'll be a nice treat as well. I stopped the shake hoping to make up for it at meals but you're right, I haven't had much luck with getting more protein from the table food. I'm really struggling with eating meat. I use to love all kinds of meat but since surgery it just doesn't taste good. I'm forcing myself to eat it for the sake of protein but it makes for miserable meal time. I'm trying to look at anything I take into my body as fuel and try and change my whole mindset on eating. That's easier said than done but I'm getting there. I'm sure this weight gain must just be a glitch and I'm trying to not stress over it but 5lbs gave me some concern.

I am not at the 2 year mark yet from my RNY surgery. I have been told there is a third stage that occurs at about 1 1/2 year out where the stomach fully heals and goes from a 70% absorption of calories to 100%. This can drive weight gain if you are consuming too many calories. If that is the case, taking daily weight measurements can provide you an early indication. If it occurs, you might have to tighten up you caloric intake.

My thoughts are with you and your family. On getting back to weight loss, don't think the below as a weight loss diet because weight loss diets end. Then one returns to the 'normal' diet which results in weight gain. This is just the old habits reasserting. Get back on your post-op plan. Return to the good habits you learned during the early post-op months. Whatever you do now, it won't be fast weight loss, but if you are consistent you will get where you want to be. Then you need to continue on plan consistently for the rest of your life. If you're inclined increase your activity or even :gasp: exercise. Exercise is not my thing, but I am active(ish). Good luck, Tek

Hey janice! Don't worry about the weight gain. Honestly, I gain 6 lbs during the 3 month prep, and they never said anything to me. Ha! It was nervous eating and "last super" syndrome all 3 month long. Then I got on a new BP medicine and dropped 7lbs bc I had lost of appetite and drank tons of Water bc it gave me crazy headaches! Water seemed to help the aches. As far as the insurance company goes, don't stress too much. If they have a due of Friday, they have to be done by then. My due date was Sept 7th and I heard from them the 6th. I know it'll be a long wait, but try not drive yourself crazy, but I know I did! Lol :thumbup: Your diet starts Monday! It's really not terrible! I just have to fight head hunger, and sugar free popicles are my best friends! I also always have a bottle of propel or crystal light with me, so when I want something to eat I just drink a bit, and it helps! Good luck to you and keep me posted! Suzette P.s. U can email me anytime! It's easier bc it goes straight to my phone.

So you have nearly lost 11 pounds in a month....chillax some.... This process will not happen overnight. Keep in mind, you are also still healing. Stick to the diet plan, continue to weigh yourself and try to remain positive....its soooo early on to have regrets. The weight gain did not happen overnight, so don't expect the weight loss to happen overnight. Patience! (Yes I got frustrated too...but its all in the process) wish u all the best, just don't give up!

Ughh. I've gained three pounds from the Prednisone I'm on right now. And I've got about 6-7 days left on this medicine. Please let this just be because of the medicine and not let me gain that much more. Hopefully will lose it once the medicine is done, but I'd been doing so good, so it's disappointing for the time being.

Hey Everyone!!! Been gone for last week on an AP Science Conference in San Antonio Texas---some might think that would be fun----but you would be wrong!! I stayed in a dorm apartment at UTSA with my BF with now tv and very limited internet access---in fact it would kick me off every five minutes so I just gave up. Did pretty well on my weight--no weight gain, but no weight lost---aargh yet another plateau! Congrats Juli on the Tour de France challenge! I tried to get my ticker to update ---but alas no---I did not make the challenge-it has been raining so much here in Dallas and I tried to ride in San Antonio but it was raining everyday I was there--so I only did 75 miles of the 220--but I did do many workouts at the gym ( so that has to account for something ) Momlambert! Congrats on the babies!!! demsvmejm If you want to do a while you were out at my house I leave a key he he!! Tammy, Kethrya, Carol stay strong sisters!!! Got two weeks left of summer--:faint:

I had lap band surgery Feb 2014. Lost almost 80 pounds. My wife and I eat out once or twice a week. They key to weight loss in my opinion is what you eat. I have trouble eating red meat. I don't eat red meat. I eat lots of chicken and fish. I was told not to count calories. I count calories. I also use My Fitness pal an app on my phone. Every thing that I eat goes in the app. I weigh every thing. No guessing as to how large a portion I am eating. No bread, pasta, rice, cake,candy,ice cream, etc. You can take a spoon full of anything but remember they are what caused weight gain in the first place. I found that I have lost my taste for sweets so am not tempted. Remember you have invested a lot. The band is a tool. It can be overcome easily. Don't give in for a taste of something you shouldn't eat. After a while you get used to the new way of eating. Best of luck.

It often seems to me that people make things up as they go along.Very often,depending on who they are talking to,the story changes to suite the audience.About events in their lives,about the way they feel about thing and the way they have experienced it.Human beings are great at self deception and deceiving....not always on purpose either.Often to make things seem better.Often to make ourselves look better and often because we just dont remember things the way they happened.I have friends that had this surgery and the way they remember the early days now is not the way I remember it at all,and I did go through this at some small level with them...what they ate,how they felt,how they reacted to things. The purpose of my blog is to expose the way having a surgery like this makes me feel.What it does to me physically and my reactions to it.How it affects my every day life and what my expectations are. Now,I live in a country where no one is prepaired to admit they had this surgery.Support group is in early developmental stage and my great therapist left abruptly in the middle of last year sans a 65 pounds regain from me and the surgery as a result. I do not work outside of my house and I have a full time live in housekeeper.I have 2 kids,one at uni and one going to middle school next year.I have a lot of free time on my hands at the moment as a whole lot of my close friends left the country last year and the friends I have left are the people that we mostly eat with and have coffee mornings or tea with.That in itself is slightly challenging for me at the moment.Eating out,going to Friday "brunch" (lunch like on sunday) going to lunch with friends and eating cakes at coffee shops for some reason,mostly peoples birthdays or going away teas, are big passtimes for us here.o,when we are not to heavy or ashamed of the weight gains we also exercise together when we can agree on which class to do.Life as an expat is different.life in the middle east is different.It is a good life with lots of disposable cash and no family support structure and a lot of heartache over good friends leaving.It is a trancient society where no one ever really gets to know anyone too well...they will leave again so you just dont invest too much of yourself in people anymore...10 years experiencing all this teaches one how to protect your heart.All this might seem very trivial to some but I do not need to defend my life or justify the way we live anymore.This was the first thing I now had to overcome.This is my life and it is great. We are blessed beyond believe with a wonderful church and wonderful people in church.Our kids are healthy and doing great.We have enough money to travel a lot and life in general...just great. This surgery is a big thing in my life.I believe I am as positive as I can be about it.As for my feelings about the long term outcome.I know I will have to make this work.At the moment it is still a little overwhelming to me that it is school holiday and insteat of going to stay at a beach resort we will stay home...the eating thing is just to complicated for me at the moment.Summer holidays are coming up in little less than 3 months.This is the time of year we go back to our home countries for 2 months or travel to europe to holiday,how will I cope with that?The lack of routine always gets to me during summer and the family back home do not know about this surgery. I am,and will go through all 120 different emotions every day and I will acknowledge each and every one of them.Pay attention to the good ones and let go of the bad ones.That is the way I will earn to deal with the new me.The me that cannot eat away pain.The me that constantly think about food.The me that realize that my hunger has always been in my head,and it feels no different now. This is how I will overcome using food for fun and learn to be normal.I can feel all this and not react to it.Not act on it.Not give in to it.I will be honest about everything I eat and feel. I will win this battle to become normal.

I know what you both mean. I could look at myself in a mirror and I knew I was overweight, but I could still see me, and there were times I thought I looked pretty good. But then, when I would see pics of myself! Well, reality set in. I could never believe that it was me. At first, I would think that it was just a bad pic, but then after seeing more and more of them, I soon realized it was more than bad pictures. I was in horror! I had gradually let weight get out of hand through the years and the pattern was always the same. Gain weight, lose weight; gain even more weight, lose weight. It has gone back and forth like that since my high school graduation in 1983. I wondered ... at what point did I become okay with this? It has taken me way too long to realize that I needed help. I quit smoking cold turkey 1/15/02, but losing weight is sooo different! You still have to eat to live - but I was living to eat. I am so excited, albeit nervous, about my impending surgery! Congratulations on deciding to take that first step!

So this is first time band for you - congrats! Its been great for me even though we had this last year of stalling due to whatever happened (we aren't sure why). The plication the more i read about it seems quite brilliant! When I would get loosened I would gain 3 lbs a week back a crazy amount of weight. This allows you to rely less on the band and allows to keep the band looser. Pretty interesting. I had surgery on Sat I had to stay two nights they did a liver biopsy; fixed a hiatal hernia and small slip and replaced a new band and that is more of a surgery than putting a new one in as you form adhesions which need to be undone. Sounds like having to carefully peel off a bandaid. Do you remember if you gained weight just before and after the surgery? I put on 7 lbs! I think this happened last time too. BTW don't beat yourself up about weightloss post op - it is called bandster hell it may actually be better cuz u have the plication but it is a time to heal. Many experience weight gain and I bet due to the plication that problem will be less. i have a frame of reference as I had the band w/o plication and now w/ plication.

I had a mid-band fitted in Paris Oct. 03. I reckon I have done really well over the years. My start weight was about 14st 9lb (maybe doesn't seem that large but with lots of health complications and only being 5.4") was a problem for me. Over a 2-year period and with a total of 5 'fills' the last being in March 07. My lowest weight was about 9st.7lb but at that weight I was told by friends and family that I was "far too skinny and it aged me" I am now 11st 13lb and feel huge. Despite taking advice and continually trying hard I'm panicking about weight gain :-( On the positive side of things I still feel much healthier than I did and look better. I have no regrets about having the surgery at all; I just wish that the restriction continued forever. My band is not fully inflated I have 7.75mls and the Bands capacity is 9. I'm wandering if there's anyone out there filled to capacity and if so how they are doing, also if anyone who has had the band as long as me is experiencing the same?

Yes we can definitely do it! I really want to hit goal this year, and I have renewed my passion for it... :wink_smile: I made a New Year's Resolution with myself that I am no longer going to eat any type of chips, full fat or full sugar Ice-cream, or any types of pastries. Ever. Period. End of Story. Well today is day 5 and so far so good. I cannot eat these foods, because they are sliders and I never get full on them, they are loaded with everything I do not need and they are preventing me from losing and helped in the weight gain I experienced. I am now 244 (again) so I am right now at the goal I originally intended for myself. I now have a new goal to get back to 239 by my Bandiversary. Good luck all!!

If you really think about it, having your gallbladder out and then gaining weight doesn't make sense. Everything pretty much works the same it's just you don't have the storage compartment anymore. Plus if you eat fatty foods, you get dirrahea (I assume because the fat isn't digested efficiently and runs right through). A lot of the information that I have researched says you can eat like you did before the surgery. So how would that contribute to weight gain?? Good questions for the doctor!!

Bulimia Nervosa Bulimia nervosa is a serious disorder that involves a recurring pattern of binge eating followed by dangerous compensatory behaviors in an effort to counteract or “undo” the calories consumed during the binge. People with bulimia often feel trapped in this cycle of dysregulated eating, and there is a risk for major medical consequences associated with bulimic behaviors. Research has provided varying results but conservative estimates regarding bulimia indicate that about 1.5% of women and .5% of men will have bulimia at some point in their lifetime. In certain populations, prevalence rates are much higher, such as on college campuses where up to 20% of college-age females endorse symptoms of bulimia. Diagnostic criteria for Bulimia Nervosa (from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-V) Recurrent episodes of binge eating Recurrent inappropriate compensatory behaviors (such as self-induced vomiting, misuse of laxatives, fasting, or excessive exercise) in order to prevent weight gain The binge eating and inappropriate compensatory behaviors both occur, on average, at least 1x/week for 3 months. Self-evaluation is unduly influenced by body shape and weight. The disturbance does not occur exclusively during episodes of anorexia nervosa https://www.eatingdisorder.org/eating-disorder-information/bulimia-nervosa/

I wonder that sometimes when I am on track and doing well like I am now. I think "what if I made these life changes before" I don't think they would have stuck. Eventually I would get sick of whatever diet or change I made and revert back to my old habits. With the band, it is there to protest. It won't let me over eat. There are plenty of times where i had to stop eating physically because of the band, where otherwise I would have kept going because something tasted good, willpower be damned. The band is a constant reminder of my goal. And when I do fall off the bandwagon now, my weight gain is slower. I came around waaaay before I would have had I not been banded. So I definitely know the band is more helpful than just dieting alone.

Yeah I used to be a gym rat eating Paleo and all that fun stuff for a couple years. Then ya know...life decided to be like "nah she doesn't need to be successful and healthy-let's throw some whack stuff at her" LOL! It's a cycle for me; 3-4 years of weight loss success then 1 year of crap and rebound weight gain. Again, portion control is my kryptonite. 🤦🏽‍♀️ [emoji23] Uhhh can I just say that our stats are like almost exactly the same?!

Many of us will agree that recent advancements in technology are a double-edged sword: on the one hand, they’ve made our lives so much easier, making tasks that are already simple even more convenient; on the other, these added conveniences have made it so the amount of physical exercise we do is dramatically lessened, making it that much easier to put on a few extra pounds. But with global obesity rates continuing to climb higher, developers of smartphones and smart technology have finally begun developing features that not just help, but encourage weight loss in their users – and users haven’t been ones to be left behind. Kantar Media’s MARS OTC/DTC 2014 study showed that 34% of smartphone owners look for health-related information online using their phones, and 32% of smartphone owners have also used a health- or fitness-related app. More than just using apps, however, there are other ways use smart technology for fitness. The Hype of Google Glass for Fitness Last January, PCMag’s Jill Duffy talked about “The Internet of Fitness Things” – one of the biggest trends seen in fitness technology today. She wrote about how today’s fitness devices now need to be tightly integrated with an interface that lets users monitor their fitness and workout levels. This is where Google Glass comes in. When fitness devices are integrated with Google Glass, workouts become more interactive and streamlined – not to mention tailor-fit for the user’s fitness goals. This is seen in Race Yourself, a Glass app that tracks your time, distance, and calories while running. Unlike other fitness apps, however, this Google Glass-integrated app comes with different games such as Zombie Chase and Giant Boulder, for high-intensity workouts. Google’s partnership with Technogym also means that Google Glass can now control treadmills through voice prompts. The device can even scan barcodes on treadmills to determine the kind of workouts and settings that are optimal for the machine. Smartphones with Built-In Health Tracking Apps Jill Duffy also mentioned that another apparent trend in fitness devices was seen in how developers seemed to be closing in on one detail of fitness: heart health. This is apparent not just in the number of heart rate monitoring devices out in the market now, but also in how even smartphone developers have begun integrating health and heart-tracking apps into their latest models. • Samsung Galaxy S5 The revamped features of the S Health app include a Heart Rate Sensor, which is tasked to check the status of your heart at any time of the day. Samsung’s Exercise Mate was also enhanced with the addition of a Hiking option, allowing users to track their progress while walking, cycling, and running. Android and Me has also reported that Samsung’s update of the app allows the Heart Rate Sensor to monitor stress levels. • HTC One M8 Pocket-Lint reported that HTC had partnered with FitBit to provide the One M8 with fitness tracking software, and the results were rather impressive. With BlinkFeed, you can track information such as fitness goals, achievements, and calories burned. There’s even a Smart Alarm that can wake you up at the most optimal time. O2 reports that the HTC One has also been equipped with HTC Boomsound, which the Smart Alarm makes use of quite extensively. Video Games Making People More Active Most people will agree that video games may have been a factor in their weight gain, as playing these games meant sitting in front a TV or computer for hours at a time, munching on junk food. Today’s video games, however, can be a far cry from games of old. Ace Fitness cites a study by Primack in 2012 that showed that active video games can be used to increase a person’s energy levels. Players interact with images on their screen using body movements, playing games like tennis, gold, boxing, and football. Developers like Nintendo have been hard at work creating games that not only set the benchmark for interactive games, but also meet the industry guidelines for cardiorespiratory fitness – meaning playing their games is a sure-fire way to get some aerobic exercise in. Healthcare from the Perspective of Medical Professionals While there are tons of services to track your health on your own, there are also significant developments intended to enhance how medical professionals provide care services. Ellen Lee of Forbes reported that this year, the revenues of venture capitalists in healthcare IT have tripled to $955, from the $343 million invested three years ago. Here are ways Lee believes medical professionals will leverage technology: • “Watson” Lee said IBM is developing “Watson,” a supercomputer tasked to assist physicians in recommending treatments and making accurate diagnoses. It also tracks patient history, analyze treatment methods, and assists medical research. • Doximity Social media is also a product of technology, allowing doctors to connect together to provide better care to patients. The importance of Doximity, a social networking site exclusive to physicians, is that the platform allows physicians in the US to collaborate online. With these significant improvements, the notion that technology induces more harm to our health is put to rest. As it improves in a heartbeat, we transition to an era where securing our health becomes a walk in the park.

Hi MarilynJ6354! I've always equated any liquid diet to a kind of Jenny-Craig-Syndrome. It's all fine and dandy while you're on it, but humans are not made to survive on Clear Liquids (or prepackaged meals) alone! As soon as you come off of the diet, your body has to reregulate and adjust to not being starved anymore. Your body is just figuring things out right now. While the pre-op diet is essential, truth be told, it's main function is not to make you lose weight. They put you on liquids in an effort to reduce the fat around your liver, making for an easier surgery (and less chance of complications). Some of your liquid diet weightloss was Water weight, and with your exercising now and increased food options, the water weight has just returned. I know it's hard because your band is so new and exciting, but try not to stress about your weight too much right now. Let your body heal, follow your doctor's instructions, and your big weightloss will happen when you're back to real foods and have restriction. For what it's worth, I think going back to liquids would be a HUGE mistake. The only way for us to loose weight long term is to change our daily habits to something healthy and sustainable. A liquid diet is neither healthly nor sustainable. And you will experience the same weight gain everytime you go back to other foods. Hang in there! You're on the right path :-) Just try to focus on making good food choices and keep hitting the gym. The rest will fall into place.