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Hi All, Nightline on ABC will be doing a story on sleeve surgeries tonight 10/25 here is a link about it: http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/fighting-weight-gain-radical-stomach-removal-surgery/story?id=11964731&page=1

January 25, 2008 :biggrin: Went to Baptist today for pre-op workup for banding surgery scheduled for February 5, 2008 by Dr. Fernandez. Going through the motions and admitedly a little scared, a little nervous, and some apprehensions attached. Not really sure why. Speaking for myself, I can not begin to know others true thoughts or feelings about why they ahave opted for surgery, I only know this roller coaster, the perpetual cycle of weight loss, weight gain needs to end. I am looking forward to having a tool that will show no sympathy for the pychological need to eat. As I begin my journey of weight loss I look forward to the journey of self discovery.

January 25, 2008 Went to Baptist today for pre-op workup for banding surgery scheduled for February 5, 2008 by Dr. Fernandez. Going through the motions and admitedly a little scared, a little nervous, and some apprehensions attached. Not really sure why. Speaking for myself, I can not begin to know others true thoughts or feelings about why they ahave opted for surgery, I only know this roller coaster, the perpetual cycle of weight loss, weight gain needs to end. I am looking forward to having a tool that will show no sympathy for the pychological need to eat. As I begin my journey of weight loss I look forward to the journey of self discovery.

what stage of food are you on I was warned to not be surprised at a weight gain going from liquids/mushies to solids

Hi Amber, Yes, this is common experience for many of us. I knew I was overweight. The term morbidly obese was hard to hear. Honestly, I hid from cameras and didn’t spend much time looking in a full body mirror. I was not seeing my self correctly pre surgery. It took time for my mind to catch up with the rapid weight loss. I finally saw myself correctly after goal and my weight settled. A vet gave me a good suggestion. Place a photo of yourself at your goal/low weight on your bathroom mirror. Look at it as you get ready in the morning. I used a counselor to get past this issue. She said some people eventually see themselves correctly, some may take years and some never do. I see myself as smaller. I have confidence and feel comfortable in my own skin. (I should say loose skin) I’m maintaining five years out. It’s ridiculous that a five-pound weight gain can make me feel like I am at my high weight all over again. The fear of weight gain is still something I’m working on. I am better with this as time progresses. I’ve had to learn to trust myself more.

Two year blues... and possible problem here. I was banded in Nov 2007, and lost 82 lbs by July 2008. With only 30 lbs left to lose, I decided to move to California (from Texas). My LB doctor decided to remove my restriction during my relocation (I had issues with stress causing me to tighten too much)... and he was concerned that I might not be able to find a doctor in my new town if I had a complication. Good thing he chose to do this because I have still not been able to find a Dr in my vicinity that will treat "other" Drs patients (stupid, huh?). So, basically, I have had "no fill" for over a year now because I no longer have insurance, and cannot afford to fly back to Texas just for a fill. Up until a few months ago, I had managed to maintain the weight loss I had already achieved, but was not able to lose that last 30lbs :confused: Then, a few weeks ago... I noticed that I was feeling tight every time I eat anything. That got me to thinking about how my old bad habits have resurfaced (eating WAY past full... eating too fast... not chewing enough... making bad food choices... drinking too much liquid while eating... etc). This past week, I have been VERY conscience of my eating habits, and I am still getting "stuck" and sliming after only a few bites. I have gained back about 7lbs, and am wondering if that weight gain has made me feel tight? Or if I have a slipped band, or if I have stretched my pouch and it is now prolapsed. I know I need to get back on track, and get serious about losing these last "now" 37 lbs. I have not been on this site in a long time, I only decided to log on to see if anyone else has experienced what I have been feeling. Several people have suggested going on liquids for a few days (so I am starting that tomorrow). Any other ideas?

No help for us. We are fat, we are gluttons, we are weak and undeserving of help, sympathy, or adequate medical care. Like Orson Wells said, “Gluttony is not a secret vice.” Do I believe that? Some days I do in fact believe it, when I’m down, and lately more because of how ill I have been. Mostly it is a load of hog wash. Fat does not equal ugly. There has long been a weird relationship with food, the body and the Christian church. And of course, we all know the impact that both Protestant and Catholic sects have had on Western Civilization… Some of the Christian based weight-loss schemes are screaming “fat people don’t go to heaven,” and “use our program based on Leviticus and you will loose weight and be closer to God!” Sorry, I’ve read Leviticus, and I am NOT eating bugs…. (I call them schemes because I think we all here have come to the understanding that “diets” are just schemes…) If you had better self-control, more self-esteem, more will-power, were a better person, loved God more…. You would lose weight and be a better person. There is no understanding for the overweight from most doctors. Before my husband had his band installed, the cardiologist said “Have you just tried cutting out sweets?” Now, on the face of it, this is good advice, advice we could all use. However, this showed a complete lack of understanding on the part of the doctor. You see, before my husband had his band installed, he weighted 596 pounds with a BMI in the high 80’s. Cutting out sweets would have certainly helped, it wouldn’t have stopped my husband from eating two or three fast-food meals at one sitting, or any of the other overeating behavior some of us know intimately, and other behaviors we are only starting to understand in ourselves and others. I am currently having difficulty with my asthma: hospitalizations, steroids, greatly reduced lung function, other things as well. What am I told? Well, just lose some weight, we aren’t going to help with this, we are just going to pass judgment on you. Sudden and unexplained weight gain? Well, just don’t eat as much… (never mind that I gained 10 pounds overnight with severe edema…). I have to suspect that part of Delarla’s current adventure with gauze might have been caught earlier if she was thin. I was told by my doctor that I just need to take up running. Yes that’s right, take up running. Can you imagine a woman with a BMI in the high 40’s running? (Please see the thread about giving one’s self black eyes…) Being fat or overweight or big boned, or under tall, or metabolically efficient or famine resistant doesn’t make us failures, bad people or jerks. We might be over sexed (skin is the largest sex organ…), but we are not failures, or bad people or jerks. If we are failures or bad people or jerks, it is independent of our weight or size.

The first few weeks can be challenging for many - physically and psychologically. Your stomach and your mind have to acclimate to profound changes. It's also common for your weight to fluctuate more then. I didn't even weigh myself for the first couple of weeks because I anticipated having gained weight from the anesthesia pumped into me for the surgery, and then a roller coaster of gain and loss as my body healed. I anticipated the infamous "three week stall" so many others experienced. I hadn't wanted to be discouraged, so I had my husband put the scale on a shelf that requires dragging out the step ladder to reach until things were more stabilized. I wouldn't really quantify the three pounds you gained as actual weight gain, considering that it came on the heels of a 17 pound rapid weight loss. Anytime you lose weight too fast it's common to gain some of it back. It's why the trendy juice cleanses and detox quackery usually cause people to drop weight fast, and then gain a portion of it back even faster. To me the positive to focus on is that you lost 17 pounds, but only gained back three of it. Meaning you've already lost 14 pounds since surgery just a few weeks ago. If you had a child who was recovering from a surgery and prescribed a diet specifically designed to help her heal, would you permit her to defy it and eat things that could jeopardize that process? I doubt you would. Love yourself as much as you'd love someone whose care is your responsibility. It's not a diet like ones you've probably followed in the past that is to help you to lose weight, though that's a side benefit. It's a medical diet, not unlike other ones people follow prior to or after a surgery or medical / dental procedure. As an example, one of my colleagues just had her teeth whitened and has to only eat white or clear foods for a couple of days to avoid discoloration, and another has been open about having to only eat certain foods in preparation for a colonoscopy. You might not have gotten sick yet, but you're chancing it by eating things your stomach isn't ready for yet. I didn't eat solids until the one-month mark, and got sick that day, so I then reverted to liquids and soft foods for another two weeks until I felt more steady. Have you ever checked out the blog "The World According to Eggface"? It has some recipes for each of the phases following WLS. Pinterest also has a lot of ideas. I enjoyed getting a little freshly ground peanut or almond butter from Whole Foods and adding that to chocolate protein (unjury was my favorite brand) and Fair Life (higher protein) milk and ice in my Nutribullet and having a dessert-like shake. I also still make a lot of smoothies using high protein yogurt like Fage, and lower carb fruit and some frozen kale (berries will mask the taste of it, and it being frozen helps with the texture) rather than having Protein powder. Tasty Soups, like the red pepper one by Trader Joe's, also helped me to have some variety. My nutritionist had suggested egg puddings for the soft food phase, and I found a low-carb, low-sugar but tasty recipe that uses SF Torani syrup. Persevere through this challenge. It's worthwhile.

VQ this is probably a silly question but have you had your cortisol level checked yet? I think until you get your Cushing's properly treated that you are kinda beating your head against the wall. I mean that WEIGHT GAIN is a PRIMARY symptom of Cushing's. So I think if you have been able to lose ANY weight without the Cushing's being under proper treatment is a testament to you and your model bandster behavior. M

Hi Ashley, I have been where you are so many times. I am prior military and married to the military for the last 16 years. It is a different lifestyle that unless you are in it you have no idea. Hugs to you while your husband is/was gone. I think the military life has helped contribute to my weight gain for sure. Being alone, having children, moving - I mean it is understandable what you are feeling. I agree with the above poster that there is something about military spouses though that when we are down we need to dig deep and know we can do this. We have to be strong when our husbands are away, keeping the kids in a normal schedule, moving, dealing with not talking to one another for days... I do believe you are strong. You made the decision to get this surgery and that took a strong person to do that. Take baby steps and just regroup. I just wanted to say I understand and wanted to send a "hug" your way. Heidi

The band did work for me like that for about the first year and then that sort of fadcd away and my appetite returned to much more like normal, only I was satisfied by small amounts of food. i had to learn to deal with the head hunger and constant grazing. For me personally, the ONE thing that keeps my appetite in check and stops me grazing all day is to have an absolutely unbreakable rule that I DO NOT SNACK. Not even a little bit, not even a chip when the bag is passed around. Once I start, I have enormous difficulty stopping and then I get that "oh, well, I've blown it now, may as well really enjoy it". I never ever ever snack. So it worked for me to have less fill to eat slightly bigger meals to get me through. Overall, though, I've been unfilled totally now for five months and havent greatly increased what I eat. I think I've learned a lot of new habits, and whilst I do eat more at a time, its not enough to cause weight gain at all. I think the thing is, the band's effectiveness does wane a bit over time, and you'd better be sure to take an active part in learning a new lifestyle, or weight gain can creep on over time. Who knows though, perhaps if I do decide to get refilled, I'll find the band a lot more effective again? Diet pills are just not the answer though, so risky for your health and they dont work long term anyway. I decided to just accept that I was cursed with this damned appetite and it was my lot in life to have to work to control it. And over time, I really have become a lot different, its not so hard anymore.

I've been taking Zoloft for over a year and didn't notice any weight gain. I took Prozac before Zoloft and it caused hair loss. I love my Zoloft and how much better I feel mentally. I believe everyone's body reacts differently to anti-depressants. You'll have to figure out what works for you. They have been a life saver for me. 🙂

I have been on a pre op diet for three weeks now. Two weeks of 2 shakes and one meal and one week of three shakes and veggies. So I am in the home stretch, one week to go, im taking in 600 calories or less a day. (Cant choke down the shakes anymore, and never want to see another leaf of lettuce as long as I live.) Now im GAINING weight. WHAT???. Im starving, I cant sleep im so hungry. I have gained two pounds of the 15 I had lost. I now need to loose six pounds in six days. Aside from laxatives, does anyone have any suggestions? I am so frustrated. I just want to give up. I know my metabolism is f***** but this is ridiculous. ++I am drinking one black coffee every morning, so that should be acting as a diuretic right?

I am just starting this whole process. I called the insurance Co. and they sent me a list of requirements they need before approval. One of them is *Documentation from multidisciplinary non surgical weight loss program with unsuccessful weight loss or weight loss followed by weight gain* They don't say for how long? I have been on a million diets, just none of them have been supervised. Does this mean I have to do the supervised diet thing? Already getting frustrated and I have just started!

I was started on zoloft prior to surgery, I didn't notice any weight gain then. I've continued on it since surgery and to my knowledge it has not had any effect on that aspect of things.

POOP QUESTION ALERT So I've been clogged up. Had to go the fleet route to get things flowing but it was still bad. So I started taking colace 1x day and that did nothing. So now I'm tAking 2x day. I've noticed that I've GAINED 2 pounds since doing this. Is it making me retain Water? Why the weight gain?

I have not seen much posted about non-fat frozen yogurt? Which I must confess, I find somewhat surprising...so it has led me to ask. Is there some inherent evil associated with this diet friendly treat and the Lapband? An inquiring mind wants to know… I am planning on it being part of my post-op repertoire…or so I think? Second, it may just be my imagination, but it seems (no scientific data), that many of the newer banders are struggling with post-op weight gain and slow starts. While a few fortunate souls are making rapid progress, again the individual variable strikes…no two banders are the same. No real point to make…just an observation. Other than that it was a good gym day and we went to the Long Beach Grand Prix and got to meet Danica Patrick. Yes, she is as adorable in person. I am sorry to report, that they had the good corners of the drifting competition reserved for the VIP seats. The events held at Irwindale Speedway are much better, the venue is easier to get to and the layout is more crowd friendly. I everyone had a good weekend.

Pictures are the best way I think. You see yourself everyday so the changes are not really noticed. At least in my experiences with weight gain/loss over the years. :biggrin1:

You're absolutely right, Loretta. After the initial loss right after surgery, doctors say 1-2 lbs a week, which also prevents weight gain after you lose it too fast.

There are lots of links in my signature, but I thought I would start a post here if anyone is interested in reading. One of the biggest side effects of chewing and spitting (outside of weight gain), are stomach ulcers. When you salivate (which starts breaking down food in your mouth), it triggers your stomach to begin producing digestive juices in anticipation of the food that you are about to swallow. When you spit that food out, your tummy doesn't know that. So you're left with an empty tummy pumping out digestive juices. This is how ulcers form. Why would you want to do that to your teeny tiny tummy? They don't have anything to cut out anymore if you develop ulcers, you've already lost 85% of your stomach! You're also doing damage to your teeth, because the saliva that starts breaking down the food is very acidic. And more people report weight gain than weight loss going this route. Plus, you're just trading one addiction for another and going down a very slippery slope. You can find healthy alternatives to whatever it is you're craving and feel you need to chew and spit for. If you want something crunchy, Protein for a vegetable) and you can bake it into kale chips which are fantastic. They crunch and melt in your mouth! Please post here and let members help you find something to eat that is safe for your tummy and whatever stage you're in, rather than endangering your health (both physical and mental) by starting the habit of chewing and spitting.

hi stephh! i just had my baby 9-28-15. i started at 257 and was reached my goal of 150 when i was 14months out, then two weeks later i found out i was pregnant. i too was only taking in about 700-800 pre pregnancy. around 13 weeks pregnant i started getting insanely hungry, literally every two hours. for me it really didn't ease up until i was about 32weeks. my dr wanted me to take in about 1800 calories a day i ended up putting on 42lbs in total. i lost 15lbs after my c section taking me from 192 to 177. i have been stuck there for the past two minths unfortunately, the scale just doesn't want to move for me. keep taking in as much Protein as you can. keep high protein Snacks with you if you're getting hungry often! congratulations on your pregnancy, you can pm me if any questions Thank you so much for responding!!!!!! I feel like I'm in the exact same scenario you were. I feel so much better knowing that someone else is hungry too. I was afraid of it being head hunger. Congratulations on your new baby! How was your pregnancy besides being hungry? Had you been pregnant before? Was it different? Sorry, I have SO many questions!!! Your weight gain doesn't seem bad to me. It seems like a manageable weight and will probably come off. I already have argued with my Dr about gaining weight... He said I could aim for 10-20 pounds because I'm at the top end of my healthy weight range. So far, I've stayed steady, but I'm not very far along.

This is my first challenge, I am new to this board and I am trying to get back on track after a year of steady weight gain. Name, real or screen~ Maggie Goal weight for March 31st~ 175 Weight on March 1st~ 184 Age~ 38 Dietary goal for March~ NO DRINKING while I eat Exercise goal for March~ 60 min 3X a week Personal goal for March~ don't give up Date banded~ 3/12/10 Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ Lost 80, then Gained 40 = Net loss about 40 What is your good luck charm? mys hubby

The thought of surgery was my biggest and probably only obstacle. First of all, I had lost (and gained back) hundreds of pounds over the course of my mostly obese adulthood through diet and exercise. But that no longer worked for me. Secondly, I personally know several people that had WLS, lost lots of weight and then regained it. I never had surgery, and I was mortified knowing that I too could possibly regain all my weight if I had surgery. But, I was just too fat (pardon that word) and out of shape and that was making work even more miserable since my job involves lots of walking and climbing steps. So I had surgery last August and dropped about 75 pounds. I'm very grateful, but I still fear the addiction and possibility of weight gain.

Hello there DESTROYED! It;s going to be OK.... take a deep breath, relax.. now try to focus and remember why you started down this path in the fist place. I am in your shoes so I understand. I am pre-op too and haven't even been given a surgery date because they thought I was too depressed to have surgery... I on the other hand didn't think I was as depressed as they said. ANYWAY... back to you. I think what you are experiencing is normal we are such creatures of habit and WE OBVIOUSLY LOVED FOOD! It is hard to think we are going to have to give up stuff we love, but I am trying to tell myself by giving myself this pep talk.... Hey look, you need to do this, you need to get this weight off, It's only food, and the food will be there when I am on my path to my new healthier life, you will be able to eat some of the thing you love, just less of them Lol. I didn't think I could do it either but to tell you a short story, back in 2010, I made up my mind to get the weight loss surgery after I met someone that lost 90 lbs in 3 months (by the bypass) at that time my insurance required 6 months on a diet seeing a Dr. I made it through up to a few weeks of my 6th month and final dr visit before they would approve me. I starting this weight loss adventure thinking well if I have surgery I am going to have to be able to do the 2 wks of liquids so needless to say over this 6 month struggle I rotated every 2 weeks on eating a liquid diet, and then I would eat regular foods but just less. I lost 80 lbs within that 6 months times on my own LOL!!!! BUT here is the bad part of my story... I was so close to surgery, then I was diagnosed with CML (Chronic Myloid Leukemia) and was not allowed to have ANY SURGERIES!!! until I was in remission. The big side effect of the chemo pill I take is (drum roll) rapid weight gain and adema! so I have gained it all back, the first 10 lbs within 3 day of treatment. It is only within the last year and a half that I am able to have surgery, and I restarted my bariatric journey last Nov but the clinic held me back because of depression) and PTL I am in remission and waiting for approval. My point is that I kept trying ... you see nothing is perfect, you are going to reach road blocks, but just keep your car somewhere between the white lines on the road, and moving in the direction of your goals!!! YOU CAN DO THIS! Please don't give up...the pinto Beans will be waiting for you and for me in our new lives. Stay strong

Hello Stimpy, welcome back! You are a success story, believe that! Trust me we all fall for the sugar demon from time to time. What sets us apart from others though is that we have a tiny tummy that will help keep us from over eating and gaining significant weight back. It makes it a lot easier to get back to being right and not stressing over 10 lbs weight gains, etc. Let the Cookies go for now. The Holidays are approaching and you don't want to be caught up in a downward spiral with all the sugary treats staring you in the face. You are strong and I KNOW you can do it. You have already lost so much, and you are sooo close to the finish line. Let this time be for getting there instead of the latter. NOW GO GET EM!