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This is helpful, as you said to, come to terms with. Binging is dangerous and obviously leads to weight gain. I just need to find ways to cope and resist the urge post-sleeve so that I don't to real damage as well. Thank you for sharing the truth.

Hello all :willy_nilly: my name is Kayla, I'm 20 years old, a junior in college, and I'm from Minnesota! I just joined this website figuring it would be good for me to have others to talk to who are going through similar situations and so far I think it's really cool! I've always been a chubby kid growing up and just became used to it. I got made fun of a little bit but not as bad as some people, I figure it was just the 'average' amount if that makes sense. Growing up I never really let my weight bother me but the few times that I heard some of the mean things that people would say it really hurt my feelings and made me hate my body. After experiencing my bullying I became the 'funny girl'. I've always been very outgoing and very social but it's like I started performing for people so that even though I was overweight people would like me because I could make them laugh. For most of my life that worked alright. I always had tons of friends, never had a problem getting boyfriends, I did all the fun high school things, so I never felt that my weight held me back much since it was something that I had for as long as I could remember. About 3 weeks before my sweet sixteen I got the news that my aunt was murdered by her husband. My aunt was like a second mother to me so it was a very traumatic experience. I think that was a big trigger for more weight gain along with being sexually abused my sophomore year in high school and being diagnosed with depression in 9th grade. I was always over weight but I didn't look fat I just didn't fit into size 2 jeans. When all of those things happened I really started packing on the pounds. I saw a therapist for all my problems and I'm very proud to say that I'm doing so much better but food was my comfort and I was just never able to really let that go which is how I got to my highest at 281 pounds. In October of 2008 I went to my first doctor appointment to learn about the weight loss surgery option and began doing all my pre-surgery requirements. After I completed like 5/6 of the requirements I changed my mind on the surgery because I began to lose weight on my own and thought it was somewhat easy. I was able to drop 25 pounds in like a month and a half. Then the weight loss haulted and I gained about 7 of the pounds back. It is very hard being on a diet and making it to the gym 4 times a week while going to college and working as well. When I realized that our insurance would pay for all of my surgery I reconsidered the surgery and have a surgery planned for Monday, January 4th, 2010. I feel so blessed for all of my family and friends who are in my life and supporting me through this time. I also feel very blessed to be given the opprotunity to have surgery in the first place! I've never felt that my life was terrible or not fun or that I've missed out on anything but as I've gotten a little older I'm starting to figure out things that I want to try but could be difficult because of my weight. Last February I was diagnosed with PolyCystic Ovary Syndrom (PCOS) and was told that it will be very hard for me to get pregnant in the future unless I lose weight and I'll most likely still need fertility drugs even after some weight is lost. Even at 20 and not desiring children anytime soon, one of my dreams is to be a mother and I want to figure out things now to make that dream possible. I also think that this surgery will give me more self confidence and overall happiness in my life that I lost about 5 years ago. I hope you all enjoyed reading my 'story' as I have enjoyed reading yours! I also look forward to getting in touch with people since the people I have talked to so far have just been wonderful! Happy holidays everyone & God bless! missKAYLA

A little primer on alcohol (I am in the industry) One of the things you might like to know is the quickest buzz is consumed with straight spirits, sipped slowly. Much of the alcohol will actually be absorbed right in your mouth, and it is a quick path to the brain. Unfortunately a lot of people drink too fast, and or mix spirits with various sodas, juices, etc so there is no immediate transfer of a good feeling. So then they drink more and more and eventually it is all absorbed into your blood stream through the stomach and intestine walls, where you end up having consumed twice as much, to get the feeling sipping straight or slightly altered spirits would have given an hour earlier. Extra money, extra calories from both the alcohol and the mixers. Think martinis , or bourbon or rum on the rocks. About the worst thing you can do, is drink shots. You might as well tip your head back and have someone pour 4 tablespoons of raw sugar in your throat 🍰🍪 For every shot. Actually worse than that (From a WLS stand) are liqueurs or cordials. By law they must contain a minimum of 2.5% raw sugar syrup back into the previously distilled spirits. Some add up to 15%.. Same with those creme based spirits, and that isn't just sugar they also add whole creme fat that keeps the alcohol in solution and prevent curdling. I have also read on many blogs people claiming they used to drink before WLS, but now get drunk easier. We'll of course you do. Because in most cases WLS patients end up with much less body mass to absorb and assimilate the same amount of alcohol. A breath anaylizer is a very good tool to have in your pocket or purse, to obtain optimal enjoyment, plus remain legal to drive (but it is always best to take an uber, or DD home. 0.04 is the ideal euphoric effect. there is also the fear of transference from food to alcohol and you must remain vigilant to not allow this to occur. the other item that seems to be misunderstood is that some believe sugar and alcohol react differently than each other in weight gain. It's simply not true. Alcohol is sugar/starch to begin with (from a variety of plants, or sugar cane, grapes, etc. Alcohol producers then add yeast to those various items , and said yeast "converts" note I sad "converts, not consumes" those plant sugars into alcohol and Carbon-dioxide these is no difference between raw sugar and alcohol. Except one can make you feel better if used appropriately. I am not writing this to push one guilty pleasure over the other, I am just pointing out that you should perhaps look up the caloric content of the alcohol you drink, with the same intensity as I beleive many do with the sugar/carb load of food. It's just calories, either way, and if you are going to drink in moderation,you shoul calculate those calories into you meal plan.

Wow! I empathize with your frustration, but perhaps you should just wait until you calm down and think this through. Your reaction sounds a bit childish. You sound like Veruca in "Willy Wonka and The chocolate Factory". "I want it Daddy! I want it now!" Did you gain all your weight in a month? I doubt it. Sometimes it seems like weight gain came on really fast, but losing it takes even longer. It's not like the band goes in and wham - the weight falls off. Your body hasn't even had a chance to finish healing, so even though it may not feel like it, you probably still have some swelling. You also have to work with your body (and your mind) to kick it into weight loss mode. Whether you like it or not, the human body comes equipped with a strong survival instinct and will automatically kick into gear, slow it's metabolism if threatened with what it perceives to be starvation and/or injury. Your job is to give your metabolism a kick in the pants to get it going, eat healthy but fewer calories than you burn so you lose fat instead of muscle after you heal. You're not even far enough along to start a proper exercise regimen. Right now your body has been injured (surgery), or so it thinks and you've changed what it was used to consuming. Be patient, this takes work! I hope for your sake that your insurance and doctor do not give in and remove your band this early in the game. I don't think you have had it long enough to know whether or not this will work for you. Perhaps you need to find a support person or group and take a look around on this forum so you can see what it takes to make this work for you. You may be right that this is not for you, but since you've come this far, what have you got to lose (no pun intended) by sticking it out a little longer?

In my five years since vsg...I lost both my parents to heart disease and cancer. I am so so sorry for your loss. Stress = Weight Gain or Weight Stall for most of us. Yoga, therapy, friends, church, love. ..knowing your mother wanted you to be taken care of and happy. You need to continue where she left off. Love yourself like she loved and lived for you. You need to find it in you. I lost my way and am just now trying to find my own way back. I know it's possible.

It's hard to decipher all the replies you have gotten I'm sure. So let me say one thing first. You have had several "Vets" reply and try helping you. You will also see a lot of replies that jump to conclusions and or from posters who are really new that honestly think they know all the answers. That's not a bad thing but there is a difference in information between not being sleeved yet, recently sleeved and years out sleeved. As well as different info from rny and bypass people. Everyone's body is different and will adjust their own way. My surgeon told me my sleeve won't stretch. However should I eat things I shouldn't and way too much of it my stomach will expand but it will contract back down. We have bunches of layers inside out tummy walls and that's what expands and contracts before and after you eat. If you eat a large meal and then eat a small meal it won't "stretch" however if you get to a point where you are only eating large bad meals it won't contract all text way back down because of the brain signals saying hey he/she is still hungry. And then you get the weight gain back. I was told (every surgeon and every persons body is different) not to drink for an hour before and an hour after my meals. I was to be finished with my meal in 15-20 minutes and if I still had food leftover to put it up and not pick at it. It's leaning to feel full not finishing what's on your plate. If you drink with your meal it will cause the food to slip through your sleeve making you think you are still hungry and washes away the good absorption that we need. You make feel hungrier sooner or sick with foamies, even vomiting. So what's the point in risking it when we all are using this "tool" to helps us get back to healthy. Just my 2 cents from a newb. Proud Nana of a very handsome grandbaby

I think it would help you to remind yourself that "weight" and "fat" aren't the same thing. Your weight is your hair, skin, and everything wrapped up inside of it. This includes fat, but is not an accurate representation of the amount of fat on your body. No joke - I can vary as much as 15 lbs in the same day. If you have sudden weight gain, large or small, 99.99999% of the time the answer is Water. People just don't gain fat pounds overnight, especially not banded people. But they freak out when they see the difference in the scale numbers, and assume they're now 4 pounds FATTER instead of jsut being 4 pounds HEAVIER. Big difference. So to answer your question about your weight gain - it's probably water. It's probably not fat. And your body can't sustain constant weightloss. It needs to readjust to what's going on (insert long explanation about glycogen stores and metabolism here). If you're setting yourself up to see or epxpecting a scale change every day, you're going to have lots of disappointment. You've alreaydy talked about the scale addiction. scales really are the WORST way of tracking fat loss. BTW, this is exactly what kills so many diets. People deprive themselves, and feel deprived, and then see no or negative changes on the scale and say, "Well F it, if I'm giving all this up and gaining weight anyway, then I'm just going to eat what I want!" -- and do just that, when a little more patience and persistence would have shown that the body was just adjusting and the loss was queued.

Keep up the good work! My doc lets us start mushies at a week, and I was like you--dropped 15 pounds in the first ten days. For me, the weight loss did crash to a halt when I started mushies, and I even went up a couple pounds. It doesn't make sense from a calorie standpoint, but remember that your intestines are probably all cleaned out after a couple weeks of liquids. :thumbup: For me, I know I've been exercising and my muscles are sore, which always means a little Water weight gain for me. Just keep going and believe that the weight loss will come!

Hi, I understand how you feel about the weight gain after your HYST. I had a total one done when I was 35 and then I quit smoking.....oh boy what a combo. I am now 51. I had the Lap Band done Feb of 07. I have lost 76 lbs as of today. The weight came off nice and slow but now I am just sitting here not doing much. Partly my fault, just not as active as I should be. But I still lost 15 pounds over the winter so I am still very happy that I had it done or I would still be gaining instead of losing. I can tell you I feel a thousands times better than I did before. I have much more get up and go then I have in years. Go for it and have it done. Its not an easy fix, because you still have to work at it but it is one helpful tool. Good luck, Debbie

Yeah, you are a complete light weight after banding. I can't remember how long I waited but it was probably at least a month, maybe longer. I used to LOVE beer - probably part of the reason for the weight gain. I can drink it a little now, but have to let it sit for a bit to settle carbonation otherwise it makes me feel horrible. Generally I stick with wine or mixers now but I rarerly drink anymore.

To answer the questions: I'm as active as I can be. I have fibromyalgia, which is incredibly painful and makes it hard to exercise. If I do too much in one day, I run the risk of not being able to walk at all for the next two or three days. I do get a fair bit of exercise at work because I do as much field work as my body will allow, but of course I could get more. I would acutally love to get more and I remember the days when I could ride my bike, but now I'm pretty much restricted to yoga and what I do at work, which is walking and the occasional groundwater sampling. Even at work I can only do so much exercise and field work before I collapse from the pain and exhaustion. Some days I suck it up and push through the pain to get work done, but ultimately I pay the price. Yep, the drugs I'm on do cause significant weight gain. Not much I can do there becuase without the drugs I am unable to function on the most basic level. The PB-ing stopped once I got out that bit of fill. I haven't had an instance of it in about a month now. It was only that one particularly bad week. Part of the problem may have been that I ran out of my anti-inflammatory drug and everything in my body puffed up. Yeah, we won't be letting that happen again. I do keep track of my food as time allows. I work about 50-60hrs a week, and with the 9-10hrs a day of sleep I need to keep my fibro under some control, there isn't a lot of time left some days. I do the best I can on the food front and get as much Protein in as possible. I unfortunately cannot have the protein powders. I have tried a wide variety of them and all of them leave me writhing on the floor in agony within the first few sips. Only when I was a week into my 3 week pre-op diet did it come out of my mother's mouth that I am biologically unable to digest a large number of Proteins due to a birth defect. Thanks for holding that little gem back mother... it's not like that could be important or anything :thumbup:. So my protein has to come from actual food, and even then that doesn't always sit well. Beans, chicken and fish... the holy trinity of the band. It sounds like I'm making 1000 excuses as to why this isn't working, but I am trying. With all the medical problems I have, some days it just isn't fun being me. Believe me, it's in my best interests to make this work. If it doesn't, there is a fairly good chance that the pressure that is building up in my brain will pull the retinas off my eyeballs, causing permanent blindness. If that's not a carrot in front of a carriage, I don't know what is. As I said, it's not always fun being me. Most days it really rather sucks.

I decided to talk with my husband and children about it, my mother and my brother. Some online friends I have met through my business . I lost 30 in the first 2 months of my 6 month program. My mom, brother and husband are on board, but all asked me to reconsider and loose it naturally. I was a skinny person with crazy high metabolism until 30, received medical attention for anxiety and severe depression and poof, weight gain constantly since. I am 41 now. Always was active and was labeled medically induced morbidly obese. I have been to ‘diet doctors’ nutritionists, doctors, tried getting off the medication and gain plus all the time. I was literally doing one meal at dinner and ‘testing’ shakes and purée phase foods for the other meals. Because honestly I am terribly anxious for the liquid diet. Which I happened to start yesterday. I in total lost 50, but gained back 5-10 in a nervous dip and adding back to 3 meals. Trying the yogurt recipes (I gain with yogurt 😢) My doctors still want me to stick with the yogurt. I do know that carbs are my gains. I have my RNY scheduled May 10 and can’t wait. It’s not a secret, but I am not trying to tell anyone because it’s my body and my decision. Judgements are always made and sometimes (always) my family (aunts uncles cousins) can be completely rude. All in all, I am doing this for myself and my children, I want to live and annoy them for a long time and love the families they ave. So don’t worry about anyone else. Immediate support group small~ All I need 🥰

Had my surgery on Jan 30 and it's been a success so far in that I never had vomiting or nausea, have been able to get in all fluids, Vitamins and Protein every day. I'm not losing as quickly as I'd hoped, but I'm putting some of that on being pre-menstrual (I hope). My worry right now is my brain. Ever since my surgery, I have nothing but horrific, mind-bending nightmares and even a few terrors where I wake up in a panic. A few mornings, I've woken up not sure where I was or what day it is. They are like nothing I've ever had before!! And believe me, I've had some nutty dreams in the past. They are the kind that stay with you all day and mess with my mind, I know I'm depressed. Usually going for walks and taking showers helps for a little bit, but I do not feel like my normal self at all. On top of that, I'm worried about my marriage. I'm wondering if anyone else had this problem? My husband is a fit, athletic, great guy with a kick-butt metabolism. He's never been over 165 his whole life. He can eat whatever he wants. A big part of my weight gain happened the year we moved in together. He's been nothing but sensitive, giving, loving and extrememly supportive about my surgery. Dotes on my every need and is my biggest cheerleader when I come home from walking or finish a shake. I love him like crazy. But since the surgery, we're not really talking much. Seems we used to do a lot of that over cooking great dinners, or going out to restaurants and talking about the amazing food. Now, we're in a slump of him making all his own dinners and I sit there next to him with my broth/protein. Plus, we can't be physically close because of how sore I am in so many places. It really feels like we're drifting apart. I miss him, I miss what we used to have and I'm worried we'll never get it back.

Dont panic yet - its simply a matter of getting restriction. I must say, the older 4cc bands seem to have people at their sweet spot much much quicker, I found with mine, I had the right restriction for me at that particular time each and every fill. But i know from four years on here that its very very normal to take even up to a year to get good restriction and start losing. till then, well you DO have to summon up some willpower. Dont underestimate yourself - you do have it. Maybe not enough to have 2lb coming off every week, but to start making healthy changes. The band has NOTHING to do with your exercise habits, for example, there's absolutely nothing to stop you going at that really hard and with dedication and that will prevent weight gain, if not see weight coming off. Its a shame its such a drawn out process, but you dont have a "window" in which you have to lose weight or the opportunity is lost, when you get good restriction, it will start happening.

Unfortunately some of us made a bad decision and moved to Louisiana.... LOL I miss it (downtown queen at heart) Blame my weight gain on moving out of the city. Did a lot of walking and hanging in NYC. Hate the driving and not walking aspect of being in the city. Sent from my SM-G900H using the BariatricPal App

Your list most definitely hits the majority of the reasons I experienced the weight gain I did. When I first started having weight creep back in, I ended up ashamed of it and after a bad visit with my bariatric team about it, I left and didn't go back to them. Which sure the heck did not help matters! Those, though, are the main pitfalls for bariatric patients to look out for!

I went to my LB support group last and the subject was Plateaus and and one of the comments is that sometimes a plateau will turn into an avalanche of weight gain. Now there is absolutely no logic in the world to the thought process that say "I'm not loosing, so I will gain weight instead", yet, I totally, totally have done that, as have many of the others on this forum. It is similar to the logic that we use that says, "I failed at one meal, so I might as well blow the whole day and eat like a pig". That is like saying, I made a mistake in my checkbook and I am 10.00 overdrawn, so I am might as well go out and buy a new TV! I walked away from the support group with reminded that much of what we are doing in our journey revolves around our mind, rather than around our stomach....Now if only there was a band for our brain BTW, I met a nice lady there who recognized me from the forums, but forgot to ask her user name.

Oh if only that were true for all of us. I have a D cup, and they've gotten a bit smaller. I'm the kind of person whose weight gain/loss is spread pretty evenly all over my body. But I know that when I reach my goal weight, I will probably still be a D or a very full C. I would LOVE to be a B cup, but I think I'd have to get down around 115 for that to happen. I'm 5'7" so I don't know if that would even be possible.

Hi - my doctor requires a 10 day pre-op liquid diet. So I can have clear liquids, protein shakes, etc. Then the day before the surgery it is clear liquids only and nothing after midnight. I'm really surprised about the variation of diets for before the surgery. It never occurred to me that everyone wouldn't be on the same type of diet! Anyway, after the surgery is 1 week of clear liquids again, 3 days of full liquids (like yogurt, cream soups, etc.), 3 days of pureed foods, 1 week of mashed, 1 week of soft foods (like eggs, cottage cheese, etc) and then a normal band diet. But I am really lucky that there are no requirements as to weight gain or anything. So even if I happen to gain weight before the surgery, they aren't going to cancel it. YEAH!! :smile:

A question for the ladies who have had the sleeve. Do you experience weight gain with your TOM? If so, when does it usually happen - the week of, the week before or 2 weeks before? I'm just trying to figure out why I gained 4 pounds a week ago and have stayed at that level. At the support group meeting last night, the PA suggested it could be because of TOM. I'm inclined to think that is what caused it because I haven't really changed any of my other eating habits. However, having my surgery a month ago and it screwing with my TOM, I really don't know when I should be having it again so am a bit confused with this weight gain. I should have started my TOM last month on the day of my surgery, but it started a week later. So now I am thinking that I will start sometime next week (at least that is what I am hoping considering my normal migraines that come just before TOM started yesterday).

First of all, I just want to say that I am so proud of you for reaching out and getting the process started. Sometimes that very first action is the hardest but you did it and that's something to celebrate. I would say as you're working through the process of getting approved for surgery, it would be worthwhile to see a therapist. I also have abuse and trauma in my history which heavily contributed to my disordered eating and weight gain. Getting help for my mental well being was the single most important piece of my journey. The surgery is just a tool and it will only work as well as you learn to use it. Making sure that you work through trauma, learn new coping mechanisms, and have a solid support system in place will help ensure long term success. As for questions, I'd say keep a journal or notebook and write things down as they come to mind. Then, take that to your appts and ask them all as you're able to. Personally, I wanted to know all about my surgeons success/mortality/infection rates, the pre- and post-op diets, long term eating habits, vitamin and supplement requirements, and my personal health history and how it may impact surgery and success. Of course, other questions came up along the way, so I asked those too. Welcome to the WLS surgery club. We're glad you're here and we're cheering you on!

I am in my 9th month high weight 365 lost 83 lbs its truly a blessing from God. I have not had one stall or weight gain. WHY because I weigh at the end of each month ONLY on my surgery day, workout 6 days a week and drink 10 glasses of water per day and consume 1200 calories a day and eat something every 3 hrs to boost my matablism loving me and life. Keep up the good work

Most people's rate of loss is not constant so this could just be the normal thing. I know my weight loss stalled many times, heck I even gained weight here and there. I had to take steroids on more than one occasion and they are definitely known to cause weight gain. I broke my pelvis and femur and was hospitalized for weeks then disabled for several more months. I still didn't let any of that keep me from reaching and maintaining my goal weight. Just keep doing what you're doing. Don't get frustrated. Even if it is the medication, 3-6 months is a very short time compared to the rest of your life....and that's how long you will have your sleeve to help you. Good luck!

I did have a therapist throughout but not through my bariatric team and not in connection with being overweight. I don't have a food "addiction". I gained weight during a long term illness that left me bed bound and taking medication that causes weight gain. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

How many times have I heard this. Everyone with the band is not going to lose weight at a high rate of speed. To me a loss is a loss whether it be a pound or an ounce. Many factors play in to weight loss and they are consuming less calories then you burn, getting 8 or more hours of sleep, moving your bowels regularly, eating high protein meals with good carbs such as vegetables and fruit and moving. Actually wheat products such as wheat breads and pastas have been proven to be no better then white bread and pastas and may even cause more weight gain. Yes, gluten is a real problem. But the problem is not just gluten. In fact, there are three major hidden reasons that wheat products, not just gluten (along with sugar in all its forms) is a major contributor to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, dementia, depression and so many other modern ills. How Wheat -- and Gluten -- Trigger Weight Gain, Prediabetes, Diabetes and More This new modern wheat may look like wheat, but it is different in three important ways that all drive obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, dementia and more. It contains a Super Starch -- amylopectin A that is super fattening. It contains a form of Super Gluten that is super-inflammatory. It contains forms of a Super Drug that is super-addictive and makes you crave and eat more. So if you have changed over to wheat products and are not losing this may be why. It really isn't wheat anymore but a bunch of fillers so that may impeade your weight loss. There are many reasons why you may not be losing as much as others, but I say keep doing what you are doing and eventually you will get to goal. It can take two years to lose 100lbs that is not uncommon. Yes you want it off now because you had surgery but the slower the better and if you lose weight slowly you will be more apt to keep it off long term.