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First off, congrats on being a new mom...second, sounds like you know what you need to do to stay at a healthy weight gain. It may sound like a lot of weight gain right now because you've been losing for so long but the reality is, your probably not going to balloon up to old weight anytime soon. Keep up a light walking workout and watch your food choices.

I really like the Ortholo as I have been on it for years with great results, I had tried Yaz (if I'm not mistaken that's the brand for Gianvi) in the past and had horrible side effects so I prefer to stay in ortho low but I'm just worried about having unnecessary weight gain from it.... So I guess it's not like a written rule that you gain weight from it but I guess everybody's individual. I just feel like I've been through so much and tried so hard that to counteract it right now would just be silly.... I did get my period Once one week after surgery, and that was it, in the past I have never gotten that before without the pills....

I don't want to take the thread in a whole other direction so I'll try to answer short. =) All of the above. Here is what went wrong: I had a knee injury early last year which caused me to stop working out the way I loved to, so I became depressed (literally). I started eating terrible which both of which lead to the weight gain. Then I had knee surgery and was told I will never run again which caused more depression. I always had GERD since my lap band but in the past year it has gotten progressively worse. It's so bad right now I sound like a crying frog and cough like a 2 pack a day smoker and choke in my sleep. This does not help with the weight. I found out the Sleeve can make GERD worse so I went to see my surgeon via my insurance and he ordered tests to see if I did have it and if so how bad. Turns out my stomach looks like an hourglass and I do have GERD so bad I can't keep anything down, no matter what it is I'm eating. He has suggested the best offer he can give me to help me with my physical problems is to give me a bypass. I don't feel I have a choice because even though the tests did not show any issues yet but in time the GERD will lead to Barrett's or cancer, not a chance I'm willing to take. In the past few months I've gotten my attitude in order and working to get back into shape the best way I can and get off the bad foods. I'm doing good and doing everything I can to prepare myself for my revision. I kept all my weight off for nearly 3 years so I know I can do it. I just can't let depression get to me in the future like I did last time, and to stay diligent with any signs I'm having problems.

I think salads just slip right past the band. Try eating a hamburger or a sandwich from Subway or something that has a bit more substance. Chew slowly and thoroughly of course That should fill you up. If it doesn't, or if it makes you sick, you need to talk to your doctor. You may want to talk to the doc anyway because sudden weight gain may be a sign of problems with the band. Remember that 50 pounds is a real accomplishment! Keep working at it and you will lose more.

Prezo & wallflower, Great to hear good results. I am only 5-ish days post op and I have not had to take my Lantus at all or my Humalog. Sugars are holding stable. Once my food intake & food types increases I expect to start the Lantus at 5 units & step up as needed. I've been in a lot of pain but I am thrilled not to have to inject 115 units every morning. Since my pancrease was damaged from other health issues I was wondering how I would do post op. so far I am thrilled. Oh and to the main question of this thread. Yes, loosing weight is more difficult for diabetics. That is one of many fundamental parts of diabetes. Even with well controlled sugars it's still difficult. Often folks with diabetis also have other health problems that will contribute to the difficulties in loosing weight. One of My problems is I am unable to work out at the levels I use to loose weight because of herniated disks (back surgery soon). That lack of exercise & eating too much = weight gain. I had lost 70lbs before my back injury & gained that and then some back. I have had a very healthy diet for the last 10 years. Room for improvement...absolutely. Eating too much is my other problem. No matter how healthy we eat too much of a good thing is bad. Wow...I think I have babbled on enough waiting for the pain mess to kick in Night ~Manda

Hi all! Great topic since I'm sure we see people come and go on this board; it's nice to know a little bit more about those who are currently active. My name is Carrie, I'm 35, and live in Shawnee, KS, which is a suburb of Kansas City. I grew up in St. Louis (Go Cards!), and my family is originally from New York, so I have a crazy weird Midwestern/NY accent. Some things I say make me sound like I'm straight out of Brooklyn and I talk very quickly. I went to the University of Missouri (Mizzou) with a BsED in Secondary Education English and taught high school English for one year. My husband's job transferred him to Kansas City in 1999, and I followed. I've been married for 9 years, and we have a little girl who just turned 2. We also have two dogs: A 4 yr old black lab mix and a 12 yr old yellow lab mix - coincidentally Mizzou colors I was diagnosed with PCOS in 2001 after gaining 40 lbs out of nowhere with no changes in diet or exercise since college. I was always athletic with cheerleading and track and field. I probably had PCOS in high school since my periods were very sporadic but the extreme workouts I did for my sports held off the weight gain. I went through four years of infertility treatments before being successful after rounds shots and IUIs. When I turned 35 I kind of freaked out about it and realized that I'm lucky. I have no issues with blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, etc. I knew I wouldn't be lucky for long carrying around 100 more pounds than I'd like. The PCOS, even with Metformin, made it frustrating to lose weight and almost impossibly no matter what I tried. I decided the band was drastic but necessary. I was banded on 2/17/11 and don't regret it at all. I quit teaching for numerous reasons when I moved to KS and started doing Project Management. I'm now a Quality Assurance Manager for a software company that does software for smartphones (iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, etc). I actually get paid to play with the latest mobile devices; very sweet! Nice meeting you all! -Carrie

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!

Hope you are feeling a little better now wellbutrin is the only med I have stuck with it suppresses my appetite and gives me energy to exercise ..most importantly it eliminates my depression ...maybe it could work for you...all of the other AD i took caused crazy carb cravings and some actually raise your blood sugar and effect the way you process carbs ...most psych meds have weight gain as a side effect ..weight gain from psych meds is what actually made me feel that surgery might be a good option for me....Very sorry about your mom hope things get better for you ..nothing that i hate more than depression

Precious Vsg and Miss Mac, Thank you so much. I have looked over my lab work and I know that my calorie intake needs to be increased especially in the protein area. I was not and currently am not able to tolerate protein drinks and powders, I do not eat protein bars like Quest bars etc because my tummy can't handle anything real sweet and heavy textured so I have to always eat my protein. I devised a plan to increase my caloric intake and increase my carbs to around 60 per day, I am also upping my protein to 80. I buy all high protein items in order for me to not feel as though I am missing out on anything by not being able to use protein supplements. This is a hard road, no amount of nutrition classes can prepare you for the real journey, I am a medical professional and I get lost in how our body works sometimes. I really was not as worried about weight loss but more worried about weight gain. I do believe it was because I was scared to take in a lot of calories and not realizing I need those calories. Looking at my labs I know that my protein definitely needed to be upped. I wish us all well. Peace to you all.

I'm delighted you are having success. Having gained back 13 pounds since band removal, I often wonder if I should have considered converting. But, I was just too damn scared after two slips. The "reversible" factor was very important to me. Plus, I had such terrible reflux as a result of my slippage, I would be too nervous (and my surgeon probably would be too) of future problems. Just to end on a positive note, I am exercising more and starting to eat better, so I've stopped the weight gain in its tracks and actually taken off a few pounds. I hope your journey continues to be successful, Anthony. God bless. Elizabeth

I had the opposite problem. My drinking was one of the biggest contributors to my weight gain. I liked drinking the sugurey stuff. I gave up my habit about 1 week before starting the preop diet. It has been ruff because that is what I did on the weekends and now it seems as if there is nothing to do. Friday nights just arent the same anymore. :eek:

Nope no soda for me. It was a bummer and I still on occasion really want one but I don't partake. I too have read the information that diet soda does cause weight gain. More than anything I gave it up and don't want to start it back up. I have taken to drinking tea and half decaf coffee (1 in the morning) and obviously Water.

Hey @Ava324 - thats a really good plan... i think i would be ok with 150 over all... but i am shooting for 140. (esp if there is some weight gain later down the road) The doc had said he thought that surgery was a factor for the DVT, but i went on a business trip about 6 weeks out & he and another doc said "oh it was due to air plane ride"... well 5 weeks later the blood work came back & I tested positive for some clotting gene, i will see a blood dr in a week or so... i am not worried or upset about it... it is what it is. I cant change it nor could i have prevented it... honestly, had i not had the surgery, i might have not found out that i had the blood clot untill it was too late.... i would have continued to think i over extened my knee... so i look at it the Sleeved saved my life - more then just dropping the weight... I am gonna have to find something that works for me as far as fluids go... i know what i am currently doing is not enough - i drink for sure TWO 16.9 oz of Water a day... then about 4 oz of Protein shake - that is the bare bones... some days i might drink another 16.9 of water with another 4 oz of protein shake, but that is not my average... (not lately anyway) Well its MAY 2 - and i am going to get this train back on track! Keep in touch!!! would to hear about your progress & any tips you might have!

I am feeling so good now! I made my 100 lb loss mark this week! I was banded 4/14/10, 5 months ago. I lost 28 lbs pre-op (starting in the middle of March) with a ketosis diet prescribed by Dr. Hollis. I was 265 on surgery day. I used to wear XXXL, now just a large, and sometimes a medium in shirts. I still have 22 more lbs to go, but I am not worried about it. I am feeling so energetic and full of life again. Before I was very depressed and hating myself. I was only operating at 50%. There were may things I would not/could not do anymore. The biggest thing that stood out to me was riding horses! I have been a horse-person since I was 8 yrs old, owning my first horse at age 14. I have been riding and owning horses ever since (I am 42 now). But I had to give it up with this weight gain I expereinced over a 2 year period. I have been heavy before, and lost the weight with various aids. I think my biggest weight loss before this was 85 lbs, another time it was 65. I could not keep it off! I am hoping this will change this time and I can keep it off. I just have to remind myself how miserable I was when I was like that. I kept a diary (still do), so I can go back and read it when I feel weak. I can ride again! I have sold my horses a while back, but a friend has extras for me to ride, so I do (no $$!):smile2: So I am back in the saddle again! I look forward to mowing the 2 huge lots we have, riding bikes, exercising, etc.. because I know when I am sweating (in Texas!), I am burning calories, raising my metabolism, and dropping pounds, I get a nice body-high afterwards, I feel very light on my feet and strong! I have not felt this in many years. I am glad to be sharing this journey with all of you, and I hope you have sucess as well, and overcome any obstacles that have gotten in your way. I knowthere are a lot of you out there who are struggling with this still (from reading other posts here), and I truely hope and pray that something will work for you to help it happen like it should. My biggest incentives are putting on a pair of my XXXL clothes I saved, looking at old photos, and re-reading my diary I have been keeping. Maybe you could try the same>? Bless you all on your journey! Jen

Some people will never, I mean never ever know what it feels like to go through a weight gain/ loss cycle. To them, you never did enough effort. To them, you are a person who is lazy, eat to much and doesn't have any self control. So don't be angry about her commit because she has no clue. No one know you more than yourself so keep doing what's good for you. Don't keep telling people about what you think is good for yourself. I'm 30 years old now and I've wanted the band since I was 25. My ex-boyfriend made me feel bad about wanting to have the surgery. He felt just like that girl at your job. He has the body type that never needs to workout and always stay fit. So for year I was killing myself at the gym and feeling bad for myself because I just never could keep the weight off. I finally find out that I have a hormonal problem (PCOS) which affects my weight and having children. So guess what? Five years later with one less issue in my life (X- boyfriend) and a lot to look forward to. I'm having my band surgery on 3/26/10 and I can't wait. So do whats right for you. Good Luck.

Thanks Lorraine! My insurance and doc have me (barring complications) staying the night and leaving around dinner time the next day so it's about a day and a half stay. I heard walking really helps with the pains and since I know with vitals I won't be sleeping much anyway. The leak test both friends said they almost vomited over so that's excitement in the works, lol. I have such issues with permanency so I'm hoping the buyers remorse is minimum. It took me years to be ready despite my doctor begging me so I hope it'll be minimum to none now. I "kinda" have a have a good support network back home waiting. While I love my family, several of which who live with me, they are unhealthy to say the least and after much careful thought I chose not to tell them. I'm a therapist by trade and discussed it with my own therapist and it's just in my best interest. I have a few amazing friends who offered me to recover at their homes but there's something about home that I can't replace and my own space so I'm not sure what I'll do. Plus if I stay elsewhere I'll have more to explain. The syndrome that causes my weight gain causes me to need multiple surgeries too often so I can say it's related to that. I also hate burdening the worriers over the holiday especially when I don't have details to offer. BTW no TMI I need it all and thanks for taking the time!

Good afternoon/evening, My name is Brad and I am a Microbiology research student at our state university. We are in opening talks for a "new" research direction, and I mentioned gastric bypass to the group of fellow researchers. (Back Story), My mother, her identical twin sister, and another sister (also my aunt) ALL had gastric bypass surgery on the same day at the same hospital, in 2002. The results were amazing and I'm convinced that the surgery prolonged my mother's life by decades. So this topic is both interesting as well as near and dear to me. Our research is mostly focused on how dietary changes affect the microbial life living in our stomachs and intestines. Within the last year, research as been pointing strongly toward overall body health being at the whim of our microbiome. Some of the research has been nothing short of miraculous. What we are trying to further understand is how an artificial sweetener (aspartame, saccharin, etc) rich diet post surgery may or may not lead to desired weight loss within an estimated time frame. Also, if a probiotic rich diet post surgery leads to more or less desirable weight loss within a defined time frame. Not to necessarily taint the waters with expected conclusions, but here is where we are LEANING. To date, research has been done regarding the affect of artificial sweeteners on the gut microbes. What the cursory research is showing us is that the artificial sweeteners favor a particular species of microbe living in your stomach. Since the species is favored, it is no longer held in check and their numbers begin to grow exponentially with the altered environment. These microbes are more capable of extracting greater nutrients (calories) from our eaten food. More absorbed calories COULD mean more weight gain or a slower weight loss. The most interesting part is how they are changing this behavior. Researchers are delivering high dose antibiotics to the test subjects to kill off all (most, anyway) of the microbes in the body, both good and bad. They then inoculate the test subjects with known "good" bacteria which establish a foothold in the gut and proliferate. This action, coupled with a change in diet away from the microbe altering foods, has shown some promising results. What we are trying to determine is, post gastric surgery, if there is a correlation with antibiotics given in recovery followed by the altered diet required by the surgery. My family well remembers the dietary changes we all undertook, but the idea of Probiotics wasn't even in an infancy phase. It was just too new. So, the crux of this entire post, is about post surgical dietary guidelines and if they include probiotic use. Have probiotics or prebiotics been making their way into gastric management in the 15 years since my family delved into the procedure? To those whom perhaps used probiotics, did you notice a weight loss change at a different rate than expected? Also, my mother had several other symptoms associated with her initial weight. Diabetes and hypertension were the two most prevalent. Within a short period of her surgery, before much weight loss, those symptoms had subsided. While we are not aware of any current links between hypertension and microbes, we cannot rule it out. I would be curious if people on this forum had similar results. I welcome any comments and feedback, Thanks, Brad

Perhaps this is a normal stage of the process for us, but I am having trouble dealing with even the small weight gain. My workouts are more stringent than ever, but my snacking has definitely increased. I'm snacking on Cereal, but still logging/counting calories. Carbs definitely higher, but still not too bad. I'm thinking of just stopping the cereal, though, as that seems to be a trigger for more eating ....

You have to realize the band doesn't cause weight loss. Taking Fluid out of your band has no more effect on weight gain than taking a bracelet off your wrist does. It can, however, create a drastic increase in you appetite. When we're hungrier we eat more and then we gain weight. With that said, in order for you to gain 10 pounds in 3 days you had to have increased your calorie intake by over 11,000 calories a day for all 3 days in a row. That is extremely unlikely if not impossible. You only need fluid back in your band if you can't go at least 4 hours between meals without hunger. Best wishes.

No doubt! I seriously don't remember when I was a size 8 or smaller. I was a 12-14 in high school the the college 15 turned into the partying all the time 30 and then marriage and pregnancy made it impossible to keep up. Starting pre-menopause REALLY does not help matters and then there is the medication which causes weight gain...and don't get me started on gravity!!!! Lol

First--stay calm. Keep your self-talk positive. Celebrate your 52 lbs and tons of inches lost!!! This is a temporary setback. You REALLY do know what to do to get yourself back on track. Sometime we just get temporarily TIRED of our hard work and stumble a little. It doesn't mean disaster. It means we're human. Are you logging what you eat for the day so you know how many calories you're taking in? Are you getting in your right Protein amounts and Water amounts? Are you measuring your portions to be sure they haven't "accidently" gotten a little bigger than usual? I think one of the biggest things for a lot of us after we reach the one year mark is that we realize we have begun to eat more processed simple carbs than our bodies like and that is often the thing that is causing a weight gain (like a few too many chips, breads, muffins, candy, Cookies here and there, etc). The BEST thing is that you are here knowing you want and need to fix this and are asking for help for yourself. You will "regroup" and take charge again, and all will be well.

I have been experimenting with Chia Seeds and Quinoa based on the recommendation of the people who did my blood work. My doc has signed off so I'm starting to put these in the mix. So far I'm just putting Chia Seeds in my yogurt (tablespoon) and mixing Quinoa with beans for a high protien starch. Any known problems? Any weight gain after adding them to your diet? Any improvement in blood work? Bang for the buck in terms of protein seems really good, but always looking for other people's experience.

Well you asked for opinions so here's mine. You are being utterly foolish. I have severe sleep apnea and my weight had nothing to do with it since I weighed 140 pounds or so when I developed it. Frustratingly I didn't know I had it for a long time but I knew something was really wrong since no matter what, every month I put on anywhere from 2-5 pounds. In two years I gained over 60 pounds...while on a 20 grams of fat per day diet. Apnea does horrific things to your entire physical system and the only treatment for it is cpap. If you were a diabetic would you refuse to take insulin? Apnea affects your brain, your heart, your metabolic system...I could go on and on. I use the cpap because I don't want to end up having a stroke due to blood pressures that were off the charts. I guess I would rather wear a cpap mask at night than sit in a chair drooling on myself, unable to communicate. However, all that aside, I am concerned that you are already "sneaking" around and doing things totally against the orders of your doctor. The surgery you have coming up will require you to follow very strict rules and guidelines. The band does not make you lose weight. You lose weight by using the band as a tool. However, there are things you have to do to make this happen. You can't just blow them off because you don't like them. I encourage you to really think hard about your readiness for this surgery. Your commitment has to be extremely high and you have to be able to follow the recommendations of your doctor, even if you don't like them, think they're foolish or just don't agree. Also...one of the biggest side effects of untreated apnea is weight gain. Your body knows it's not getting enough rest and it goes into a 'hoarding' phase. Your system thinks it is under attack and it turns virtually everything you eat into surgars to give you energy in case you need it to fight. However, since your system isn't revving up and pouring out the andrenaline, those sugars just sit there, turning to fat. I hope your pulmonologist is right and you "Just need to lose weight" to get rid of the apnea. Good luck to you no matter what you decide.

Interesting read. Thanks for posting. Fortunately I don't experience any of the symptoms from eating these stealth fibers. So although it's not giving me the expected fiber benefits, anything that tastes that good yet passes through without contributing to weight gain gets a thumbs up from me! And after having C. diff, anything that contributes to the health of my good colon flora Is especially welcome. Makes me love em even more.

It's really important you find a bariatric surgeon. I know it can be hard, but your health depends on it. Right now, you are clearly too tight and are having soft calorie syndrome and weight gain as a result. This is explains why you've gained back 75 pounds. Plus, you're putting yourself at serious risk for complications. Tighter isn't always better when it comes to the band, in fact it can be dangerous to your health and sabotage your weight loss.