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When I was a baby, my father remarked to my mother: 'She's going to have problems with her weight in the future.' Apparently I was physically very similar to his mother. It turned out he was right but not for the reasons he believed. Ironically, it was his life choices that set me on the road to super morbid obesity. Whenever I want to imagine myself as slim and fit I have to go way back through the photo albums to the age of twelve or so. My thighs were so muscular, tanned and slim then! I ate normally, felt normally, behaved normally. I had friends at school, worked hard, and as the daughter of a vicar, was expected to behave impeccably. At the age of twelve my father abruptly left his children, his job and his wife for another woman and we had to vacate the vicarage quickly. We moved to a small, moldering terraced house in a rough part of Manchester. Our diet changed to extremely poor quality food as my mother struggled to care for her three children without the assistance of Child Support (I don't think it had been invented then). I ate to comfort myself, to choke down my feelings of abandonment and sadness. I stole change from my mother to buy sweets, I sneaked out of school at lunchtimes to go home and eat chips and cry on my own. My weight gain and my obvious differences in life experiences from my new classmates meant I was bullied, not only by the 'in crowd' of girls in their smart clothes, but also by my sadistic PE teacher, who on one occasion brought a tape measure into the girls' changing rooms and measured everyone's vital statistics. The closer to the fabled 36-24-36 they were, the more they were congratulated upon for being 'nearly right'. My home life didn't improve. My mother met a man who was an alcoholic and he moved in after their second date. Years of drink, violence, abuse and other horrors took its toll on my mental health and I began self-harming in secret. How is a fourteen year old schoolgirl, already reeling from changes in her life supposed to react when she comes home from school to find her stepfather passed out in the garden, his trousers to his knees, fully exposed and wet from urinating on himself? Worse still was later on when he had come round, expected to sit around the dinner table as if nothing had happened. My weight climbed and my self-esteem plummeted. At fifteen I went on my first ever diet. A quarter of a glass of grapefruit juice for breakfast, half a slice of dry toast for lunch and a quarter of a tin of mushroom soup for dinner. I lost weight, I obsessed about food constantly and my yo-yo had begun its lifelong twirling. I dieted several times in my life - sure to lose many stones then just as surely putting them back on and some. One does not simply wake up at 27 stone, it is the peak of years of food use, abuse and denial. My last big loss was in 2008 when I lost almost eight stone through strict diet and increased exercise. Four years later ... every stone is back and they, as always, brought a couple of friends back with them. I know this would have been the pattern for my almost certainly truncated life had I not had the incredible good fortune to have a mother about to receive a hefty inheritance along with a deep sense of guilt and regret for some of her life choices. I asked her several months ago if she would consider releasing some of the funds that she intended leaving to her children in the future early, enabling me to have private WLS. She said yes. It has happened very, very quickly. A medical screen by a bariatric nurse yesterday, followed by a consultation with a surgeon booked for next Tuesday. As soon as the funds come through (early December) I will have a date for a sleeve gastrectomy booked. The WLS is only ever going to be an aid, not a cure for my weight. I know I have years of poor eating habits and psychological difficulties to work on. But I have never been in a happier place personally than I am now. A husband (blimey!), a sense of direction (future children and employment) and a maturity of self set me in good stead for this undertaking. Bring it on.

So I was sleeved yesterday afternoon. I weighed in at the hospital yesterday morning at 241#. I got released home today & stepped on my scale.. 256#?!?!?!?!? Are you kidding me?!?!? The doc said I would have some extra weight from all the IV fluids & gas pumped in to me.. But 15#??? Did anyone else gain this much immediately after surgery? If so, how long did it take you to lose it?

Habla Espanol un poco! Estare en Barcelona por una semana. I'll be back in the USA before you leave though. I have flown the French & British Concorde ( last time was July 2002) and those seats were on the smaller side pre banding. My husband thought that it would be a problem for me but it wasn't at all. Now though I have to tighten the seat belt big time I know that Paella will not work and will probably just stick to Tapas and Basque style fresh fish and always a un cristol de vino and no pan y mantequilla unless crusty but helado always works. I will hopefully not get "muy gordo". I have been listening to some tapes but really need a course at Berlitz in French and Spanish. I have a large vocabulary in Spanish but can't put together sentences in the right tense etc. However, the Spaniards that I encounter are delighted with my trying and are pretty patient. My DH is fluent in French which doesn't help in Spain. I can do a mean lisp too. :bananajump: I wouldn't count of losing as much weight as you want to prior to your trip to Cuba. You want to be able to eat and not have a problem with PB's and being to tight out of the country. Realistically, I wouldn't be in such a hurry cuz it just causes loose skin which I don't have since my journey has been soooooo slow. I am still on a few medications that have weight gain as side effects and increased appetite which sucks because of my age. The weight loss has decreased the dosage but not eliminated them from my life. Hang in there. My team ( NYU) expects to see newly banded patients every month for the first year for weighing and fills. They feel that it is like a marriage in order to be successful. Check out the newletters on the site too because there are lots of tips for eating out etc. I won't be posting for a few weeks. Good luck.

I think it's good that you are reaching out! Do you have a dietitian whom you can go see for advice? i would also focus on Protein, Water, and track you food in myfitnesspal.com. How can you eat portions close to the size you were eating before surgery--do you not feel restriction? Wishing you all the best--youc an do this! Even with your weight gain, you are 1/3 of the way there!!

Wow! That will be one busy appointment! As far as reading negative things, don't let that scare you. I remember reading the "weight gained since having surgery" thread on this site before having my sleeve surgery and nearly backing out of it because of it. If you take the opportunity this surgery gives you, follow the plan, and do the emotional and physical work you need to do, you will do great! If you want to read some positives instead of negatives, feel free to check out my blog in my siggy. I've tried to share the good, the bad, and the beautiful from my first appointment on. Good luck to you on your journey!

There is a point where many may: have more capacity to eat more food/stomach relaxes get their hunger back weight loss slows or stops start gaining weight reach goal and navigate maintenance are past the "honeymoon" usually past a year or more may be earlier find themselves in a new "stage" different from the beginning stages after WLS finding the old methods used to take off weight may or may not work are finding a way to stay the same weight after gaining or losing too much the issues are no usually longer about what Protein drink to buy, the three week stall, the funny taste of food, gas pain, eating in public, hair loss, insurance approval..... come to the conclusion that the process NEVER ends, it is a lifetime of learning and doing and sharing and counting and moving... and that is the new normal. Realizing what is meant by "the sleeve is a tool" and it is only part of the process, you can gain all your weight back if you don't start forming a new life and just resting from the work and eating "normally" after getting to goal will result in weight gain for many. These are some of the issues I see arising for "vets" and distinguishes them from "newbies"... which we all were once... You can't know how the sleeve and the rest of the body and mind will be until you experience it for yourself over time. 1-2-3-5 years later, things change. We don't know about 10 years because there just aren't many out there with current style sleeves to talk to. But some at 6 months are getting some of this experience, I think after a year or two you really see the Vet issues even clearer. Some don't come back here, so hopefully they are doing great, are living life and not gaining or losing too much.... the ones of us that are still here are experiencing the stuff listed above... some are having NO problems at all. I love my sleeve and my life, and at this time (2 1/2 years out) I am still not at goal, but very close and believe I will make it to goal pretty soon, and have some plans on how to maintain I think I can follow. Taking the long view has been very helpful for me....If I took the view that if I didn't lose all my weight by 6 months without pulling all my hair out or I was a failure if I didn't lose 30 pounds in the first month, then this experience would have been hell. I have some good support friends here that have been here for years... we chug along together, and check in often, share research, worries and challenges, and we will share the pleasure of accomplishment as well. I plan on staying in contact during maintenance when I get there. Maintenance may well be the most difficult part of this journey. Keeping the weight off is the trick. Someone here said it best... reaching goal at 3 years feels just as good at reaching goal at 6 months. Who cares as long as you get there!

Do you know when to stop eating? To learn the when, you must pay attention to your “stop eating” signals. How do you know when to stop eating? Do you eat until you're full? No, you don't. You should never again try to eat until you feel full, not just because that’s how you became obese enough to qualify for bariatric surgery but because if you’re like me, your stomach (or soul) is an endless void that no amount of food will ever fill. You’re going to have to figure out a new stopping point. As mentioned in Satiated vs Stuffed, satiety is not quite the same as being full. Full means your upper stomach has reached its maximum capacity: that you have overeaten again – an old habit that made you obese enough to qualify for weight loss surgery. Satiety happens on your way to being full. With a properly adjusted band, you will be comfortable if you stop eating when you're satiated, but you’ll experience discomfort if you eat until you're full. This third article in the Satiety 101 series discusses the signals your body gives to tell you you’re satiated, but that’s only half the battle. The other half involves heeding instead of ignoring those signals. That subject could fill a book (which that I might write some day). Today we’ll focus on recognizing your own unique Stop Eating Signals. Because of its anatomical position (near your diaphragm, and pressing on the vagus nerve at the top of your stomach), the band’s presence (but not your band itself – which we must remember is an inert piece of plastic without any magic at all inside) can give you quick feedback about your eating behavior. The feedback is written in a language issued and understood by your brain, with assistance from your endocrine and digestive systems. Even if you were lousy in your high school French class, you will have to learn how to get directions in that language, so you won’t end up on Weight Gain Road instead op Weight Loss Avenue. Those directions come in the form of what I call Soft Stop and Hard Stop signals. To understand those directions, you’ll need to slow down and pay attention while you eat. It takes 15 to 20 minutes for satiety signals to reach your brain and to be broadcast to the rest of you. If you usually eat with a crowd (family, friends, coworkers), you might need to try eating by yourself for a few meals so you won't be distracted. Stop signals can be subtle and they can come from unexpected parts of your body. It's better to heed a gentle reminder than wait for a hammer to hit you on the head. SOFT STOPS are your early warning system, gentle reminders from your body that it's time to stop eating. Because they don't hurt much, they're easy to ignore. They include: · Mild queasiness (an icky, but not about-to-vomit, feeling) · Fullness or pressure in the back of the throat · Pressure in the chest or just below the breastbone · Throat clearing · Some difficulty swallowing · Burping (or the urge to burp) · Taking a deep breath · Mild coughing · A sigh · Hiccups · Watering eyes · Runny nose · Left shoulder pain · A sneeze · More saliva in the mouth than usual · A sudden distaste for the food you were enjoying a moment before As soon as you notice one of these signs, stop eating! I don't care if your stubborn mind is insisting that it's okay to continue (because it thinks you have room for just one more bite, or the food tastes good, or you haven't cleaned your plate, or you deserve the food, or whatever's going on in there). If you go on eating past this point, you won't be changing your eating behavior and you're likely to get into trouble…that is, a hard stop. HARD STOPS are the equivalent of running into a brick wall. They can happen without any apparent warning, but usually you have sped heedlessly past a soft stop before you hit the wall. Hard stops are the painful and sometimes embarrassing reminders that you have eaten too much, too fast, in bites that were too big, without chewing enough. They include: · Chest pain and/or painful pressure or tightness in the chest · Feeling like you have a rock in the back of your throat · A burning sensation in the throat · A “stuck” feeling, as if the food you’ve eaten has nowhere to go · Productive burps (PB's) – regurgitation of food, kind of like the way a baby erps up milk · Sliming (excess saliva and mucus that's so profuse, you have to spit it out) When you experience a hard stop, STOP EATING! It's not at all a good idea to keep eating after you experience a hard stop, even if the discomfort goes away and your plate of food still looks appealing. You may feel fine and may in fact be able to eat some more, but you should not eat more. The hard stop has irritated your upper gastrointestinal system. Continuing to eat will just perpetuate the problem, getting you into a never-ending cycle of eat-hard stop-pain-eat-hard stop-pain. Cycles like that tend to turn into complications like band slips and esophageal and stomach dilation. That’s the reason for my next piece of advice: follow a liquid diet for 24 hours after a hard stop episode, then transition carefully back to pureed then soft then solid food. If you’re like me, you did not have WLS in order to live on liquids for the rest of your life. That’s yet another reason to learn how to prevent hard stops in the first place, so that you can eat and enjoy real food at every meal. Now here’s one last chunk of information before the bell rings and today’s class ends. You may not experience any or all of these stop signals any or all of the time. At breakfast you might get one signal and at lunch, an entirely different one. At dinner, you may notice no stop signal at all. As time goes on and you lose weight and the amount of saline in your band changes, your stop signals may change as well. All that can be frustrating, but it will force you to go on eating slowly and carefully for the rest of your life, and that’s actually a good practice for anyone, banded or not. That plate of food before you is a blessing that some people in this world can only dream of. Those small portions may look puny to you, but would be a feast to someone else. So treat your food, and your body, with the care they deserve. Learning to recognize satiety over and over again is an ongoing process because our bodies are not statues made of marble. We are all marvelous, unique, and complex creatures who change by the minute, every day of our lives. Click here to read about how those changes can affect soft and hard stop signals. http://www.bariatricpal.com/page/articles.html/_/support/post-op-support/restriction-riddles-r93 This is the third and final article in the Satiety 101 series of articles.

I love love love my trainer. She is motivating and fun. However it is an expense, I pay 25 dollars per 1/2 hour session. It's gone up, but I am locked in to that price with a contract. Your motivation is to eliminate excess skin from what you said. Well... if that's your reason I would save your money for sure. In my opinion, exercise does not reduce excesss skin. Once the skin has lost it's elasticity, it's gone. Your skin may bounce back. It depends on genetics, pregnancy, weight gain and loss et... Plastic surgery once you've kept the weight off a while is obviously a solution, but expensive. My plastic surgeon got a machine called the venus freeze- but it's actually a warm treatment. It tightens loose skin. Not as dramatic as surgery, but his before and after pics look pretty good. You may want to google venus freeze and see if there is one in your area. All that being said, weight training has tons of benefits. If you can't afford a trainer for the long term, maybe save up to have one for some limited number of sessions. Tell them your goal is to learn moves and a routine that you can continue on your own. Good luck!

So when i checked in day of surgery,3 days ago, i weighed 245. When i left the hospital today i weighed 251...gained weight from iv fluid i guess...I'm discouraged because I'm reading other peoples posts who have already lost 10+ pounds just a few days post op....im heavier than when i went in! Anyone else go through this and how long did it take you to start seeing real results?

I had my appointment today and dr said according to the Upper GI the band looks good. Too bad it doesn't feel so great to me!! I am still having the nausea, though not as horrible as before....still have the weird pain on the left side. She asked me "so are you pretty much done with the band?" My response was YES! She asked if I wanted all the fluid removed today...I said NO, it's not too restricted right now, I have been much tighter before. I obviously don't want to remove it all and wait for them "to build their case for insurance"! Honestly, what's a little more vomitting here and there for another month??!! I once again explained that I know my water retention plays a huge roll in the restriction and inconsistancies. If I don't take my HCTZ until later on in the day, I can forget about trying to eat a "normal" meal (normal according to band) I don't think she believes me on this one!! Like I stated before, I really think this dr thinks that I am just telling her these things because I want the sleeve, which is far from the case. I really like this doc but when I feel like she's not taking me seriously it really pisses me off! So the "plan of action" if you can call it that is for me to meet with a dietician (that right there tells me she thinks the weight gain is my fault) which she is right to a point, because any bandster who has struggled with being too tight knows you find what works and eat that! It's not my fault raw veggies, fruits, & Salad dont work for me! After meeting with the dietician I will then meet with dr. I did ask what exactly medically necessary mean and her response was that they need something concrete that the band isn't working. it just blows my mind that constantly vomitting and nausea etc isn't concrete enough. Not to mention previous slips and dilations that weren't diagnosed by xray. I understand they are helping me by building a case and I spose' they know more about insurance than I do but it would be nice if the dr would say I AGREE with you, you should get the sleeve, but she doesn't seem to be on my side on this one! sooooo frustrating!

Well, I've crossed that bridge a thousand times on previous diets. Struggle very hard to lose some weight, gain it back, over and over. Oh yes, I would get a band again anyday. We all want to lose our weight fast, like yesterday, please, BUT this is THE fastest I have ever lost this amount of weight and I have to say it's been so much easier than dieting without the band. It's still hard some days, but overall better than no band. I was told to expect one to pounds a week, so I believed that and it has been true. Do I expect the last 15 pounds to be slower than that rate? YUP? After you lose 50 to 60 pounds, it will take fewer calories to maintain that new lower weight, so it will take even fewer to continue to lose, so the rate at which we lose will slow down or we have to increase our exercise to compensate. None of that is news to me, so I won't be surprised. I think if we look at our weight loss, from week to week it seems slow, but if you look at your weight loss over the past six months, then it's impressive really. You've lost over 7 pounds every month on average! Keep it up and one day, you'll wake up, get on the scale and be at goal!

Hi Everyone, I could really use some input, if you'd be willing to share your thoughts. On Friday (6/24), I had my first appointment with Dr. Hoehn (in the Kansas City area). Was really looking forward to getting a surgery date maybe as early as August, when he told me he had a cancellation for (gulp) this Wednesday (6/29)! I was instantly thrown into a half ecstatic state/half panic, thinking maybe this all had gone too quickly, especially since insurance won't cover and we're self paying ($16K). My questions: --I never seem to hear anyone regret the surgery--why not? --If I'm 5'3" and 210 lbs, I obviously love to eat. Will I ever get to eat yummy food again? Maybe after the weight is off? --My weight gain hasn't been due to extreme overeating/bingeing... more of a sedentary life style. Does this mean I might not lose weight with the band? Maybe I should just hit the gym HARD (for once) instead of going through with the surgery? --Since this has gone so quickly, I haven't made it to a group support meeting. Bad decision to go through with the procedure without talking to a support group first? Panic... panic.... thanks, everyone! Lisa

I have never looked into any of those diet programs. What I can tell you is that unhealthy carbs are major culprits in weight gain. I did not review your profile, so I am unaware of your status regarding band surgery. I have done my best to avoid processed foods in all areas of my diet since being banded. With processed foods, your observations are correct. Too much sodium and too many unhealthy carbs. There are usually many additives which one would need a degree in chemistry to understand. I prefer those chemicals to be in a science lab, and not on my plate! Best wishes...

Well.. Closing in on a decade of this banded life: It truly is a life style make-over that we need to maintain through the years as I see it. No more on and off dieting.... Seems like a small regain is likely.... Though some have not experienced that.. By stats, many others must bounce upward. For me, a liquid Protein day occasionally does seem to help keep my hunger at bay for a period of time. If I (very) occasionally overdo , I seem to get more hungry the next day, and thus have to have a light day, or the lapband road is paved with land mines. Gotta say, this was one of the best decisions of my life, and I am grateful for the availability of WLS . Without surgery, I saw nothing but yo-yo, unsuccessful weight gain.... Now I feel like I can live at a comfortable weight and life just goes on..... May it always be so! I am thankful.

Glo, did you go from liquids to solids? This could be why you are seeing a weight gain..most of us here oncewewent from liquids to either mushy or solids saw a weight gain, it is only normal. Do not worry, this is just the first few weeksm focus more on healing, once you get your fills, things will change. I know it is frustrating but you are normal.

I have to say- albeit unsolicited- that this is a prime example of why teenagers should not get lapbands. Brain research has shown that adolescents power to reason and determine action and reaction are not fully developed. You are told when you get the band that it is a life-long commitment that requires constant doctor visits and supervision. The consequence of not doing these things are weight gain. Also you are told how and what to eat. If you keep eating the wrong things the wrong way you could cause damage, not only to the band but to your stomach and esophogous. You or your parent needs to invest money into making sure you get proper follow up care or you will surely fail at losing weight and the surgery will be for nothing. I know it comes across as harsh but there is really no other way to say it.

How is your hunger? Is it maybe time for another fill? I agree you're weight gain is due to adding bulk/muscles. Check with your doctor to see what he has to say. Great job! You're an inspiration to all us newbies!

Ok....I've heard about the dreaded 3 week stall, but I'm 5 weeks out today and I GAINED 1.8lbs!! What in the world?? I'm sticking to a low-carb (30g or less), high protein (90g) diet; I started working out last week; I'm getting in all my water.......I have no idea what's going on. I'm just going to keep doing what I've been doing, because, up until now, it's been working! Any suggestions? Thanks, Bewildered and Confused in Texas

Too much protein can lead to weight gain according to my NUT

For me the band was not worth the physical pain, shame, and discomfort I have felt about the band itself. I have had a difficult time eating since I got the band, and I finally admitted to myself after a year and a half with it that I had an eating disorder. I wanted to lose weight, however inside I was dying and I was using food for comfort. So when I thought losing weight would be the answer, it was a decision based on the idea that "if I look better I'll feel better." Not true. We feel confident when we take care of ourselves and look healthy and beautiful, however that is a daily task that requires much more than a number on the scale or my body size. Emotionally, physically, and spiritually I must love and respect myself. I think getting the band was a drastic measure on my part. I got frustrated with eating slow and not being able to eat what I wanted and I reverted to eating sugary and snacky foods all the time partly because it went down my stomach easier. I even smoked weed partly so I could calm down, and then eat easier. (when I was sober I was more tense, and my band would be tight feeling) I think anyone thinking of getting this band should see a therapist and explore their issues with eating for at least 3 months first. If at that time you determine you have healthy motives and still want to move forward, I would proceed.......however I think probably many people with the band have deeper reasons for their out of control eating and weight gain. Take care- Nicole V.* recovering anorexic, compusive exerciser and compulsive eater

For those of you who want to review what issues/problems may occur with a bariatric surgeon, I've been updating my blog. The latest has to do with the FOIA'ed police reports I got. Basically the cops never found me in violation of any laws and that I ever did anything "concerning" to the bariatric surgeon, the staff, or the patients. While there were claims of trespassing, it couldn't be justified in any way. I've got more questions on the way. Be careful all, unfortunately there are some programs that you need to really ask deep probing questions about. Whatever you do, ask about complications and their experiences 2 years or more out. Ask how many people come back after 2 or 3 years and how old are their figures and when they gather them. If they deal with nothing but "everything ok", what medical reason do they have to get you back in? Outside of their database for ASMBS? Ask to talk to people who have had complications over 1 year out that were NOT weight gain related. You'll find out some good info very quickly.

The three most important elements after RNY gastric bypass surgery are to meet your daily Protein, Fluid and Vitamin requirements. food is secondary because your body is converting your stored fat into the energy that drives your body. Thus you lose weight. Weight loss is achieved after surgery through meal volume control. You begin at 2 ounces (1/4 cup) per meal and gradually over the next year and a half increase the volume to 1 cup per meal. With this minuscule amount of food, it is next to impossible to meet your protein daily requirements by food alone, so therefore you need to rely on supplements such as Protein shakes. After surgery I was drinking 3 protein shakes a day in order to get the minimum daily requirements of protein. According to my directions from my surgeon, I was told not to transition to solids until week 9. Your stomach needs time to heal. Your weight will vary by time of day and the amount of clothing you are wearing. This can be as much as 5 pounds. Also Water weight can be an issue. So I don't think what you ate yesterday accounted for you 2 pounds weight gain. Just remember, the weight loss phase is short and it is important to maximize your weight loss during this time because sooner than later you will naturally slide into the maintenance phase.

Fantastic news about your husband. Much respect for losing that amount of weight! Switching up your diet can always lead to some complications, but heartburn and gas are definitely better than weight gain. Gas-x and nexium should help those issues.

I had GERD, Gastritis, Esophagitis and Hiatal Hernia. All GI issues had to be diagnosed by a gastroenterologist. I had an endoscopy with Bravo (pH testing), esophageal manometry, and barium swallow tests completed before Aetna approved my surgery. I had weight gain, but wasn't in the Obese range, so that didn't factor in.

Obese people have all sorts of emotional connotations attached to the word "diet", so you'll hear many people saying that you don't need to diet with the band. The truth is, if you want to lose quickly, good old-fashioned diet and exercise are the best ways to do it. The difference now is that the band helps to control the Hunger Daemon that rages inside all of us, so that we can actually STICK to the diet week in and week out for the long haul needed to lose all the weight. Yes, you can lose slowly if you don't consciously diet, provided that you make reasonably sensible food choices. The restricted portions will allow you to eat pretty much anything in moderation and the scales will still slide slowly down. However, if you allow too much junk to creep into those restricted portions, you can stall your progress or even gain weight. The key word there is "IN MODERATION". If you want to lose quickly though, pay attention to what you eat, count your calories, do the exercise and let the band (wonderful invention that it is!) HELP you to achieve success. I think that one of the best things about the band is it's flexibility. You can control how quickly or slowly you lose. When you get to goal, you can let go of all that focus on "dieting" and live like a "normal" person. That means that, like normal people, you need to keep a general eye on what you eat and try not to overindulge too often, but can get away with treats now and then and not have to worry about binge eating or rollercoaster weight gains and losses. Good luck!!