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Hi, I had the menopause unexpectedly early and was finished by 38 so I can relate to you there. Are you able to take any HRT? I did till I was 50, it helped keep my sanity, the menopause made me very depressed and that contributed to more weight gain too. I am lucky that I have not had cancer though. This was over 5 years ago though for you so you should be able to be treated as normal now. I would recommend you do this op as I have got so much healthier without the weight. I am not taking any meds now and feel 100%. Good luck with whatever you decide. Jane x

Have you thought of revision to VSG or another surgery? Unfortunately without restriction, it'll be very difficult for you.I know because I was one of the unlucky ones that if there is an extreme side effect with a WLS, I would fall in that category... Lapband (erosion) and VSG (severe gerd, esophagitis). Surgeons have stressed that it was no fault of my own. It just happens. I finally had a revision to RNY and feel so much better. Tracking food helped me before my revisions. While I had some weight gain, it wasn't too much. Looking at the list of food in my food diary always helps me realize it is head hunger vs real hunger. Sent from my SM-S908U using BariatricPal mobile app

Fifty pounds lost is still fifty pounds lost! I know you're probably scared to have any fill taken out at this point but if you're having trouble swallowing and hoping that starving yourself is the answer I don't think it's the healthiest way to do it. I would really discuss this with your doctor and tell them about your frustration and ask them what they think should be your next step. Being over filled can cause weight gain. I'm not an expert on the actual losing part and I'm sure there are more people out there that can help you with that aspect but I do know that the softer foods "sliders" will not help you lose weight and that the Protein and healthy foods (low carb, high Fiber non-processed foods) are what your body needs and if you're too tight to eat them it's not doing you any good. I think it takes longer for some of us to know where the right spot is and I'm still working on it myself, brandyII.

Hi, Thanks to those who replied. I spoke to the nurse yesterday - it is her who takes care of the dietary side of things. She has ok-ed me to have soft foods with plenty of chewing, as the swelling around my stomach has obviously gone right down if I am hungry and able to tolerate soft solids. She has also said that she will do a fill on my next appointment (in 3 wks - 5 wks post op) so the future is looking brighter. RE: the weight gain. We have come to the conclusion that it may have been caused by the fact that the Optifast diet is designed to put your body into ketosis, and now that I am on mushies a lot of the easy mushies are quite high carbs. Hopefully my body should sort itself out soon and continue to lose. Thanks for your replies.

This will be my first blog here, so I'll briefly introduce myself to the world of blog-readers, though it may be small. I'm 29 (until a week from tomorrow) and I had surgery on March 6, 2009. I have an Allergan 4cc band placed in Juarez, Mexico by Dr. Jose Rodriguez. Before I decided to have the surgery, I was at my heaviest ever. Shortly after losing 30 pounds or so on Atkins, I started re-gaining weight very quickly; roughly 70 pounds in just a few months following my parent's breakup. Nothing had ever affected me as profoundly as when my parents split up - not even my own divorce. Anyway, one day at 272 (my highest weight) I realized I had fat hands, which I had never had in all my 25+ years of being overweight They were so plump that they dimpled in at the knuckles. I snapped and realized I had a closet full of clothes that didn't fit anymore, and ankle pain every morning when my feet hit the floor. I dreaded that ankle pain every time the alarm clock woke me up. I truly believe I had (have) a food addiction. I would go to McDonald's with my kids, eat my meal (often with dessert) and wait for my kids to finish so I could glean what was left of their happy meals. A couple of nuggets, an extra order of fries. I would eat it all, and it didn't matter if the fries were cold. I once confided in my good friend that I had a food addiction. She thought I was joking and we laughed about it, but deep inside I knew it was true and that I had to do something. I did a quick search for food addiction on the internet and I found a video advertisement of a young lady who had lapband. I thought she was so beautiful, and her story was so much like my own - heavy all her life. There are some things about having had the surgery that I hate. But for the most part, I love that I made the decision to get the band. For example, I hate that I told so many people because I can't stand when someone says, "You can't eat that, can you?" UGH!! lol. "Watch me!" :biggrin: If you're reading this and thinking about having the surgery, consider who you tell. Some people love to tell everyone, and they have that screw-you attitude. I'm not quite as resilient. I wish I hadn't confided in as many people as I did. Another thing is - be ready for criticism. People will tell you you're taking the easy way out. (Lemme tell ya - this is anything BUT easy. The band will make you confront demons you never knew you had. It will force you to think about everything that you put in your mouth. It will cause - at times - physical pain like you've never experienced. It will sometimes scare the heck outta you). Others will say "shouldn't you have lost more weight by now?" or "is it healthy to lose weight that fast?" "why don't you just get that thing taken out?" "I couldn't live with that thing inside of me" all with a sly attitude about them, of course. I had one friend who said, "well, I'm not big enough to have lapband, I just need to lose about 50 pounds," while she was (is) morbidly obese. I think this was her way of telling me she wasn't near as fat as me. In my part of the country, we have a name for those kinds of people - haters. What I love: I LOVE that I've lost nearly 40 pounds and I'm back to feeling like me. I LOVE that soon I won't feel like myself anymore because I'll be an all-new-to-me thin person! I've never been thin, and at my least-fat, I was 198 pounds. (After some serious weight loss, I celebrated breaking 200 by gaining it all back. Go figure.) I LOVE that I always only order the kid-size meal when we go out, and I can't finish it. Now my kids eat my leftovers. :thumbup: I LOVE that my ankles don't hurt every morning, and my clothes are starting to fit again. I LOVE that all the fat clothes I had bought to accommodate my weight gain are now too big for me. And for the first time in my life, I know I won't be fat forever. There is light at the end of this tunnel. I used to say that I was just destined to be a big girl. I LOVE that I don't believe that anymore.

So I am almost 3 weeks post op now. My incisions are healing great, and I don't think the scars will be too bad. My visit with my surgeon was pretty quick, and unfortunately I did not get a fill, that will be at my next appointment. Basically went over how I was doing, what kind of foods I can start introducing, and answering all my questions. I really like my surgeon he's an easy going guy, who is very patient. He was pretty impressed with the weight I had lost, but informed me that the weight loss is going to slow, and I may even gain weight as I introduce food into my diet. I was kind of bummed out by that, but so far no weight gain. On the down side no loss either. I have gone down a size though. Now I need to learn how to sew. I would hate to buy more clothes until I go down at least a few sizes, and I have some clothes I just hate to give up. Last couple of days there has been stuff posted on the forum that really kind of has me worried about my decision. I am reading so much about how that years after people get the band they start having problems. I knew going into this that there were possible complications, but the numbers seemed so low, but on here is seems the numbers are very high. The other surgery I was considering was the sleeve. And on here it seems that a number of people have converted to the sleeve, and have had much better results with no complications. Its a bit depressing reading these things, and it has me kind of freaked that 3-4 years from now I am going to end up with some major problems. I wanted a life change, but a good one. Now everytime something feels a little funny or when some pain kicks in I am wondering if its the beginning of something major. I have to keep reminding myself that I am only 3 weeks pre-op and I feel pretty damn good considering. I also have to keep reminding myself why I chose Lapband over the sleeve. There is no getting back that part of your stomach they take away. If I do have problems with the band I can have it removed. But all the talk about has gotten me pretty discouraged about the whole thing. I already am dealing with some serious emotions of loosing food as a comfort, and quitting smoking. So I guess I need to stay away from the threads that shed a pretty negative light on banding, and has posters bashing eachother left and right.:crying: I started comming here for support, because there is no support group where I am at, and the nearest one is 2 hours away. So I will just stick to the threads that are more supportive, even though the ones that become a day time soap opera can get interesting its hard not to want to see what is next. But those threads just aren't productive. I like this site a lot though, and it has been very helpful so far.

I don't really know what to tell you about getting the fat person out of your head, but I do know what you mean. In the past three weeks I've put five pounds back on and I feel HORRIBLE. It's literally the first time in the two years since I've been banded that I've gained weight. I need a fill, for sure. I can eat bread (which I've never been able to do before no matter where my restriction level has been), which is not good. Anyway. Once you get used to your body being a certain place, it feels bad when it goes back (especially when you know how that weight gain felt before). I get that on a 225 pound girl like myself, 5 pounds isn't a ton. But it sure feels like it. I hate getting dressed for work because everything feels tight again. Dig in and get yourself back where you want to be. The whole weight loss thing takes longer as you get smaller. So that 15 pounds is just about the same as dropping 90 when you were bigger. Good luck and don't lose hope!

i agree with this completely. My weight gain has never been because I've over ate food or ate junk food. I just never ate. You would think you would be skinny, no. I gained and gained. I work as a school nurse so am off in summers, in hot weather, I don't eat. Thus, I would eat one meal a day, at supper. That's it. I can't do that. I have a hard boiled egg, an Atkins Protein Bar or a protein shake every morning. And sometimes it's a struggle to get them down, cause I have no appetite or hunger, but i know the importance of getting that in.

2 words - water and shock! It's a great way to kick-start your body during a stall. First thing, eat. Don't diet. Gain a pound. Eat things you don't normally eat. Don't be afraid to eat something off your diet plan. Don't follow your plan. Skip the protein for a day. Don't drink as much fluid. Gain a water pound. Your body stalls because it gets into a pattern. Get it out of the pattern. Shock your body. Then, go back on your meal plan and drink water. More than usual. Water only, lay off other fluids and any artificial sweeteners. Do that for two days. Your body will not only lose the water weight gain but be shocked back into the normal weight loss pattern. Great advice from my nutritionist but it worked like a charm. It's a marathon, not a sprint, and your body can't be constantly in a weight loss mode if it becomes too complacent. It needs some change from time to time. Good luck! And don't worry about stalls. They are natural. Everyone here has experienced them, myself included and the advice I got from these good people really helped. I wish you all the best! You're doing great!

Not a bad glitch, but because I have new insurance since my surgery, I had to switch to a different clinic and already have an appointment to see the surgeon there AND the NUT on the same day. This clinic has a superb reputation and I know many people who had successful surgery with this surgeon, so I'm happy I was able to see him. I loved my surgeon, but the NUT affiliated with him does not take my new insurance and the new place will give me unlimited NUT appts at no cost if I am their patient. I am waiting for a bunch of stuff they are mailing me, including some stuff from the NUT that is reset info! WHOOP! i'm happy to be refocused.

It is so interesting to me you mention this. I went from losing over 100 Lbs just recently, and the difference in the way I'm treated by unfamiliar people and those I'm around frequently was quite drastic. People tended to want to talk to me more, be more polite. Most especially men. They would be much more galant and go out of their way to talk to me. However I have recently gone through a bit of a weight gain. It wasn't nearly as much as I'd lost but it was enough to be more than noticable. Turns out all the light are out in my world again, because like before I'm ignored and nothing I do or say holds any credence anywhere. It sucks, but unfortunately it is a cold hard fact. Glad I'm addressing my issue! I liked being noticed and taken seriously! :sad:

Emotional eating is one of the biggest causes of overeating, weight gain, and weight re-gain. April is Emotional Overeating Awareness month and to commemorate this, I'm offering a free teleclass to answer your questions about how to take control of emotional eating and struggles with food, weight and healthy lifestyle. The teleseminar will take place on Wednesday, April 22, 2009 at noon Pacific and 3pm Eastern. Creating change isn’t automatic and it isn’t always easy. However, it DOESN’T need to be a struggle. Join me for this free teleseminar where I'll answer your questions about how to end emotional eating battles and make peace with food—once and for all. Just go here to register and submit your question.

This isn't a slam the needs of protein, but this article came across my email and caught my attention. If this is what is noted for the average healthy person aging, I'm curious to know how it relates to those of us after bariatric surgery. Just a random article I thought I'd share... no comments needed. https://www.silversneakers.com/blog/3-weird-reasons-youre-gaining-weight/?utm_campaign=SilverSneakers - Newsletter Yes&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=67292921&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--bgIkZMMoXHl8eJUMMRjxMMUuiYzaEtVkTcwRgP-UiUdHdA3Q8fweyYpH_KzVU4cVE4_dnLCDov6AACwajYuSl8JItqA&_hsmi=67293380 3 Weird Reasons You’re Gaining Weight By K. Aleisha Fetters | October 31, 2018 Staying slim through the years isn’t as simple as calories in, calories out. Here are the age-related changes that can mess with the scale. As you get older, it becomes more difficult to keep your weight in check. You’re likely well aware of this fact. The most common culprits: slower metabolism, less active lifestyle, or menopause for women. But sometimes, the source of weight gain is much more mysterious. “A lot of changes occur in the body during the aging process that people aren’t aware of,” says Craig Primack, M.D., an obesity medicine physician at Scottsdale Weight Loss Center in Arizona. “And these changes can have a large impact on weight.” Here are three such examples, plus simple ways to tip the scale in your favor. Weird Reason #1: Your Body Doesn’t Absorb Protein Like It Used To “As we get older, our bodies become less sensitive to protein and can absorb less of it,” Dr. Primack says. And since protein is critical to muscle health, this means it becomes more difficult to maintain your muscle mass and continue burning the same amount of calories every day. Remember: Muscle burns more calories than fat, even at rest. Your body also absorbs amino acids, the building blocks of protein, more slowly with age. Recent research published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health, and Aging found that while amino acid levels spike in one hour after protein consumption for adults ages 20 to 25, it takes three hours in people ages 60 to 75. More research is needed to determine exactly why older adults absorb less protein, and do so more slowly. But we do know that stomach acid levels decrease with age, Dr. Primack says. And since stomach acids play a role in protein digestion, it’s one possible explanation. Tip the scale: Increase your protein intake. According to the National Academy of Medicine, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for adults in their 50s and older is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight—or about 0.36 grams per pound of bodyweight. But research shows that roughly 40 percent of women and men ages 51 and older don’t meet those recs. Meanwhile, mounting research suggests that for optimal muscle health and metabolism, adults ages 50 and older should consume at least double the RDA for protein. That works out to about 0.7 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight per day. For a 180-pound adult, that’s 126 grams of protein per day. For maximum benefits, space out your protein throughout the day, suggests Rob Danoff, D.O., director of the family practice residency program at Jefferson Health Northeast in Philadelphia. Getting 25 to 35 grams of protein at every meal will help keep your muscles fueled with the protein they need, increase your daily calorie burn, and help reverse weight gain, he says. These protein-packed breakfasts and high-protein dinners can help. Weird Reason #2: Your Sense of Smell Isn’t What It Used to Be Loss of sensitivity to smells, called anosmia, affects between 10 and 20 percent of all older adults, according to 2017 research published in the Journals of Gerontology. What does sense of smell have to do with weight gain? Smell plays a large part in how foods taste, Dr. Primack explains, so when smell fades, foods can taste bland. This may result in a loss of interest in food, which could cause unexplained weight loss. But it can also lead people to seek more flavor, so they eat fewer healthy foods and more processed ones high in artificial flavors, sugar, and salt. What’s more, when people stop finding pleasure in the taste of foods, the next thing they look to is texture, Dr. Primack says. And the most commonly preferred texture is the creaminess of fat. Tip the scale: If you think your sense of smell or taste is dwindling, ask your doctor for a referral to an otolaryngologist (a.k.a. an ear, nose, and throat) specialist. The ENT will be able to rule out nasal problems like polyps, blocked sinuses, and seasonal allergies. If all checks out, simply understanding how sense of smell can influence your eating habits can help you eat more mindfully going forward. Try adding flavor with herbs and spices or marinades. Plus, harness the power of exercise to sharpen your senses. Weird Reason #3: Your Circadian Rhythms Are Off There’s no end to the list of ways poor sleep can trigger weight gain, including increasing levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin and slashing levels of the feel-full hormone leptin, Dr. Danoff explains. Even short periods of too little sleep can have a big impact. A 2015 study published in Diabetologia found that as little as four days of sleep deprivation reduces the body’s insulin sensitivity, which increases the risk for fat storage. Not making it a priority to get seven to nine hours of sleep each night is one thing, but if you’re physically unable to fall and stay asleep, changes in your body’s circadian rhythms could be to blame. A research review in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism shows that production of melatonin, the hormone that helps you sleep at night and regulates your sleep-wake patterns, decreases with age. This often causes people to wake up earlier, not sleep through the night, or need naps during the day, Dr. Primack says. Another potential disruptor: cataracts, which happen when protein that’s naturally found in the eye starts to clump together, making the lens cloudy and obscuring vision. In people with cataracts, light might not effectively enter the eye to help your body know it’s daytime and time to be awake, Dr. Primack explains. Tip the scale: Start by prioritizing good sleep hygiene—no excuses. That includes going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, avoiding electronics at least one hour before bed, and using your bed only for sleep and sex—no work, TV watching, or anything else that’s associated with a wakeful state. (See five ways to fall and stay asleep, starting tonight!) Also, try keeping a sleep journal to track how many hours you’re sleeping at night and when you find yourself needing a nap. This can help you ID and deal with any lifestyle issues that are keeping you up at night. If good sleep hygiene isn’t enough to score you a good night’s rest, the next step is talking with your primary care physician or a sleep specialist. He or she will want to check for any underlying health problems like sleep apnea. Last, for those dealing with cataracts, talk to your doctor about whether surgery makes sense for you. A 2017 review published in the International Journal of Ophthalmology found that cataract surgery improved sleep in people with both cataracts and insomnia.

I have BCBS IL and it is a 3 month process for me. One nutritionist appointment a month with no weight gain, a psych evaluation, lab work with an H. pylori test, documented 3 year weight history, and a letter of medical necessity from primary care doctor. If insurance approves after everything then my surgery date will be sometime in August/September.

I was told not to have caffeine at all as it can slow your weight loss (that's all it took for me to give it up completely). I started walking in the hospital and regular exercise after 8 week check-up. The other questions don't apply because I do not drink or smoke. My advice is to adhere to the guidelines your NUT and Doc give you so that you can reach your goal quicker. Don't look for reasons to break the rules. I've seen people not follow the guidelines post-op and I've seen "slow" weight loss as a result. I've even seen weight gain in those that went back to old habits. We all loose quickly at first, you have to work it to keep it going. The sleeve is merely a tool to make it easier for you Think back to the motivation you had when you went into this and don't loose sight of your goals because you are focused on getting back to "normal" your "normal" is what got you here to begin with.

I can gain and lose 5-7 lbs easily. Healthy foods or not sometimes you may be eating your maintenance/ gaining caloric intake, retaining water even needing a proper bowel movement. Track to see if there are aby discernable patterns early instead of waiting until it's a lot of weight gained that you will struggle to lose. Congratulations so far 💜

There is no doubt in my mind that I could not have done this without WLS. I have spent my entire life (well since I was about 12, the first time someone pointed out that I was fat) trying to lose weight. There were a few periods where I lost weight and kept it off for a few months, which is how I ended up at 301 lbs at the age of 46, lose some weight, gain it back plus a few more. I yo-yo'd through all types of weight loss programs, homegrown to medically supervised. What I learned AFTER surgery is that my body/brain was fighting me the whole way. If I missed a meal (which didn't happen often) or ate too lightly when I was presurgery, I used to get really nauseous, like dry heaves nauseous, it was one of my questions to my surgeon - Will this happen when I am eating only a few ounces at a time? She assured me it shouldn't be a problem. My warning signs were usually shaky hands and weak knees. (my blood work showed no signs of diabetes or other blood sugar issues), crankiness and then the gagging. Well I am 6 months out and I have yet to feel true hunger pangs or even a smidgen of that weak kneed, shakiness, bad temper symptoms that would lead to the dry heaves if I didn't get something to eat. This was the battle I was up against - because these symptoms would kick in an hours or so after your standard 200-300 calorie meal. Now, I am totally satisfied with the 3-4 ounces I can eat at a meal these days. I have lost 88 lbs as of this posting and gone from a size 26W/24W to a size 16W. I have another 60 lbs to lose to get my fighting weight of 150-ish, (I'd be thrilled with 165, over the moon with 155). My weight loss has been toughest - but the easiest I have ever done in my life. I still make the decisions to eat healthy foods and stay away from simple carbs and fast foods - but my body is now on my side. Sometimes it is the emotional want to indulge in a rich food that is the toughest part or maybe the temptation to eat something really carby like Pasta - but my sleeve backs me up and keeps me honest :-D I am very happy and look back with absolutely zero regrets! In fact if I have a regret it is that I didn't get my sleeve sooner!

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.

I am bipolar. I have to take 7 different medications. Not taking my medications is not an option for me. My medications do have the side-effect of weight gain. What the medication does is it turns off the brain's signal to tell me when I am full. That is where the band comes in. I have accepted that my medication has an effect on how fast I lose the weight. But I am still losing!!! So I rock!

I know this was addressed under the "Lapband Strugglers" thread, but I wanted to start a discussion about anyone's experience wih their past/present psych meds. How do you feel your experience with weight loss (before or after the lapband) has tied in? How to you deal with the side effects (if you have them)? I've taken a few different medications with different results. Paxil and Trazadone worked for a time but I gained about a pound a month while I was on that combo. The doctors warned me about that. That was especially frustrating because I purposefully increased my activity level to compensate, and the emotional blunting with Paxil was dramatic. Prozac didn't have the gaining side effect, but not the mood elevating side effect either! Finally, Wellbutrin, which I took for 3 years, was my most successful med. I was in an emotional place where I was motivated to be more active and, at the same time, it allowed me to at least maintain my weight. How's everyone else doing with theirs? Finding the right med can be such a harrowing journey, I wanted to put forth a place in this forum to reach out for help and validation. Also, please note that I am not purporting that psych meds that cause weight gain are some kind of blanket excuse for struggling with weight loss. I regret I have to make that explicit. Psych meds are one factor that can make it tougher for some than others, and this is a place to discuss those experiences.

I have been on Cymbalta (90 mg.)for about 1 1/2 years and I have struggled with weight gain, but also take trazadone at night too. This did't help my weight!

Hey guys, I was sleeved on 5/16, and I lost 10 lbs in the first 10 days, and since I started purees I have stopped losing weight and actually have gained 3 lbs. I know they say you can stall at week 2 or 3, but this is so beyond frustrating. How in the world have I GAINED weight? I haven't eaten more than 800 calories in a day. I know I just need to keep at it, it is just so upsetting that I went through all of this and I'm not getting any results. (Not losing inches either, I checked). Sent from my SM-G920V using BariatricPal mobile app

Huh? I'm not sure if this is tongue in cheek or what ... Uh ... you're pregnant. Did you really want to NOT gain weight? Did you really expect to not gain when you are pregnant? IMO, people leave the site because they get tired of the high school, petty misunderstandings. I used to be the target of many attacks, if you may remember. There is so much drama on here. I know I have to take breaks from time to time. I have learned how to navigate the land-mines here. But I am a member of a 12 step program that teaches me to carry my experience, strength and hope to others struggling. In the process, it causes me to struggle at times, for sure. Congrats on your pregnancy AND congrats on your weight gain. Seriously ... you're pregnant ...

I look in the mirror sometimes and have to take a double take. You may want to get some counseling so you dont gain the weight back. Sometimes still feeling fat can prompt weight gain so be careful. Try and love yourself every day no matter what.

That's it...I give. I can't... I've been struggling to not gain back weight. For a few months now, I've been saying each and every morning, 'today I will make good choices'. And more often than not, I am eating more than I should. I presumed it was stress eating, head hunger, happy new relationship overeating, blah blah blah. Turns out, I'm just plain hungry. Went to see my doctor and told her of my struggles. I've gained ten pounds over the last six months. Some of my clothes are getting tight. I refuse to buy anything that's going to accommodate weight gain. My doctor explained that the fat cells aren't gone..they're just dormant. And now, they are waking up again and my body is begging to gain weight back again. She swears it's biological and not emotional. I feel like I'm failing and she tells me that failing is not doing anything about this new found hunger, and not requesting a fill. So...Friday will get my first fill after nearly three years banded. I'm both troubled and relieved. This reminds me of when I recently had surgery and went off my anti-inflammatory meds. Was in so much discomfort that I couldn't even walk standing straight. All my joints hurt. I couldn't believe how much the meds were keeping me pain free. The band needing Fluid is sort of the same thing I guess. I'm not 'cured' from overeating and obesity. The band manages my hunger enough for me to make good choices. Without it, I'm back to square one. I have to think the same about the band as I do about the meds I take. Prevention in order to not suffer from my arthritis, or my obesity. It really is a disease...and not a vice.