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The reason I said it may be overkill on the stomach sizes is not because I cannot eat a balanced meal. Because a year out things are relaxing. Some days are better than others, and it depends honestly. I am much pickier about food and need to be very relaxed when I eat in order to fully enjoy a meal. It feels like it is because you are left with the hard part of the stomch so if it tightens bc I'm nervous or upset it is harder to get the food in it comfortably. It isn't a huge deal, just something I've noticed that I eat better at home now or sitting calmly at my desk than I do at a restaurant. Especially if arguments ensue at the dinner table, my lil tummy will tighten. But I don't feel I eat so little that it is embarrassing at a party anymore. I don't even think about that. But I might get overly full on hors d'oerves if I am hungry when I arrive, and that can make eating dinner qutie difficult. But just because the long term data is not in, that is why I'm not sure if the boughie size is good. I haven't had any trouble getting too thin with this boughie size, that is for sure. In fact, I'm having trouble getting to my goal so maybe I don't need a bigger tummy after all. I m just always aware that we don't really know for sure what the long term health implications might be for removing so much of our stomach. But I knew that when I got this surgery, that it is a risk. Being overweight was huge risk too for me. Already I know there could be Vitamin deficiencies with sleeve if I don't take my Vitamins, and that is something I was not aware of before surgery. I look forward to knowing more long term. You might also consider the sleeve plication. I would have considered that but it wasn't really being done yet, or at least I didn't hear of it. You don't lose the ghrelin as much, but if you eat less some people believe the produciton of it goes down naturally. I wouldn't let the ghrelin deter me from getting plication, because if it doesn't work out you could still get sleeve or something else later. The fact that it is reversible is a plus long-term. Honestly, I probably would have done that surgery if I knew about it in time. I love food as much as ever, although what I eat has changed and I'm pickier about my food. But I personally haven't felt a great different as far as hunger, just that I get full with less food than I used to. At least I can get full, I just kept eating before, so that is different. The control is what I gained from the surgery. Control b/c it reduces the volume I can eat. To me I don't see that I am not hungry. I still get hungry. I just feel like a person with a smaller stomach that still really likes food. But I'm not suffering, full is still full, thank goodness. The most calories I know of that I've eaten in a day is 1300, but usually around 1000. The truth is if I'm at home all day and feel like cooking I can graze basically on and off all day. So I have to be careful of that. My doctor knew my medical history and chose a 34 boughie for me. I'm 5'1". It has worked out fine for me. If I had a choice I would have chosen a 40 bc of concerns about reflux. But for me I've been able to control reflux by controlling what I eat and not eating right before I go to sleep. But some say a slightly larger boughie has less issues with reflux. My doctor said to trust him, so I did. Its done, but the longer you wait the more data will be available. But as far as thyroid, I think this has been great in helping me reduce the weight. I would NEVER have lost the weight without some type of surgery. Someone said that the low thyroid didn't make them regain weight, but I disagree with that. I think it lowers your metabolism in such a way that you tend to crave carbs and sugar for energy and that leads to weight gain. Then the extra weight makes you more sluggish so it is a domino effect b/c you don't feel like exercising. Also though I think Vitamin D is an issue with that too...I think the sluggishness I felt sometimes was also bc of Vitamin D deficiency. People with a normal thyroid that then go hypothyroid can tell you that it is a drastic difference in energy levels and vitality. I don't notice it bc I've been this way for so long. But eating less has made a positive difference in my overall health. But my thyroid still didn't kick in and work better.

Hi guys. New to forums. Had Lap Band in 2009. First visit to surgeon was 346 lbs. 321 on day of surgery. Lowest weight was 176. Had car accident, (broken ribs, etc)... lost restriction. Steady weight gain since. Checked for band slip, checked for dilation. Currently 290+. So... Have heard positive feedback about sleeve. Wondering.... is it worth a shot in the dark to get things back in control. Should also say... cardiac surgery in 08, cardiac surgery due next week. 1) Revision surgery - does insurance still require a pre-surgery supervised diet or do they exclude that by situational circumstances? 2) Would you have done the sleeve again, as a revision, if you had to turn back time? I had a great experience with the band, while I was rockin' it. However, I feel like the doctor's office stopped supporting me when I started regaining. So now.... what do I do?

Way to go Kim! Now start getting in a multi Vitamin morning and night until you can check back with the WLS team maybe. B12 is almost always recommended too, and can give you energy. I found myself getting depressed after a long stall about 5 to 6 months out, and I contacted my doctor because I recognize the depression symptoms from some years back. I'm now on wellbutrin because it isn't known to have a weight gain affect, and seeing a counselor a couple times really helped. I am thrilled for you that you made the call – and that you got on this site to reach out for some help. Smart woman! You can do this, even though it's hard. You go girl! Kate

Hi everyone, had my sleeve surgery July 14th. Home now and almost through the first week of liquid diet. So far so good. Word of warning that I haven't heard people talk about. Be prepared for a post op weight gain only because they pump you full of fluids in the hospital and your body is swollen. I'm still trying to get rid of all the fluids my body is holding, 10lbs of it. I'm not worried I know my weight will drop back down I was just a bit alarmed and wanted to share so others knew that this is normal and temporary. Best of luck to everyone!

My boobs are saggy from the weight gain over the years and I am only 26. When I lose all my weight I am planning on getting the girls fixed so they are nice and perky.

I'm doing a little better than you - was banded Jun 8 and lost around 30 lbs since the 2 week pre-op. I was loosing nicely, but when I started solids the scale started going the other direction. After my first fill, being back on liquids/mushies for 4 days, I lost 4 lbs in 3 days, but again started to plateau. I weigh myself everymorning, and keep struggling with the same 2 lbs. Since I keep a journal of what I eat, I can usually track the weight gain to what I ate/drank. But its sooooo frustrating, since I am consuming a fraction of what I ate in the past. I go for my second fill this week. Hopefully more restriction will help. As they say, one day at a time...

globally yours, I am jaw dropping amazed at how much success you've had with your weight loss. Keep it up!!!! Although, my expections were different with what I wanted to have lost by now, I am still very happy at the loss that I've had this year as a whole. I am just going to keep praying for some patience and understanding with how to utilize this tool in me. I'll get the hang of it. As long as I am not gaining, i will be thankful and grateful.....so you won't hear anymore griping(well, not alot) from me. Oh, i forgot to mention the reason behind the weight gain.... I have edema and have been instructed to stop taking my water pill for 4 weeks now. I started taking them again on my own and within 4 days dropped 7 lbs.....it was all fluid stored in my limbs(fingers, legs, ankle, feet). I've never used the bathroom so much in the last 3 days. I'll let the doctor know at some point that I've made the decision to start back taking the pill and why.

100lbs!! That is great Christine! I just checked out the website you recommended and I think will start trying to use that daily. It will keep me from kidding myself about how much a cookie is! Long2B... wow 92.5lbs! You should be very proud!! You let us know as soon as you get to 100! I have lost 75!! I am very happy. I did gain a couple of pounds in the last 2 weeks, however, that is nothing compared to weight gains in the Christmas's past!! Happy New Year Y'all!:wink_smile:

Actually not entirely true... To the weight loss surgery patient slider foods are the bane of good intentions and ignorance often causing dumping syndrome, weight loss plateaus, and eventually weight gain for gastric bypass, gastric band (lap-band), and gastric sleeve bariatric patients. Slider foods, to weight loss surgery patients, are soft simple processed carbohydrates of little or no nutritional value that slide right through the surgical stomach pouch without providing nutrition or satiation. The most innocent of slider foods are saltine crackers, often eaten with warm tea or other beverages, to soothe the stomach in illness or while recovering from surgery. Understanding Slider Foods The most commonly consumed slider foods include pretzels, crackers (saltines, graham, Ritz, etc.) filled cracker Snacks such as Ritz Bits, popcorn, cheese snacks (Cheetos) or cheese crackers, tortilla chips with salsa, potato chips, sugar-free cookies, cakes, and candy. You will notice these slider foods are often salty and cause dry mouth so they must be ingested with liquid to be palatable. This is how they become slider foods. They are also, most often, void of nutritional value. For weight loss surgery patients the process of digestion is different than those who have not undergone gastric surgery. When slider foods are consumed they go into the stomach pouch and exit directly into the jejunum where the simple carbohydrate slurry is quickly absorbed and stored by the body. There is little thermic effect in the digestion of simple carbohydrates like there is in the digestion of Protein so little metabolic energy is expended. In most cases patients in the phase of weight loss who eat slider foods will experience a weight loss plateau and possibly the setback of weight gain. And sadly, they will begin to believe their surgical stomach pouch is not functioning properly because they never feel fullness or restriction like they experience when eating protein. The very nature of the surgical gastric pouch is to cause feelings of tightness or restriction when one has eaten enough food. However, when soft simple carbohydrates are eaten this tightness or restriction does not result and one can continue to eat, unmeasured, copious amounts of non-nutritional food without ever feeling uncomfortable. Many patients turn to slider foods for this very reason. They do not like the discomfort that results when the pouch is full from eating a measured portion of lean animal or dairy protein without liquids. Yet it is this very restriction that is the desired result of the surgery. The discomfort is intended to signal the cessation of eating. Remembering the "Protein First" rule is crucial to weight management with bariatric surgery. Gastric bypass, gastric banding (lap-band) and gastric sleeve patients are instructed to follow a high protein diet to facilitate healing and promote weight loss. Bariatric centers advise what is commonly known among weight loss surgery patients as the "Four Rules" the most important of which is "Protein First." That means of all nutrients (protein, carbohydrates, fat and alcohol) the patient is required to eat protein first. Protein is not always the most comfortable food choice for weight loss surgery patients who feel restriction after eating a very small amount of food. However, for the surgical tool to work correctly a diet rich in protein and low in simple carbohydrate slider foods must be observed. The high protein diet must be followed even after healthy body weight has been achieved in order to maintain a healthy weight and avoid weight regain.

Today marks my 1 week post op and what a week it has been. Let me recap in a few important catagories. Physical I've experience the pain, which in all honesty isn't as bad as I would have expected. If we ignore the day of surgery and the day after, the rest of the week has been ok. I haven't needed any pain meds since the 3rd day post op. Pain has been limited to gas pain and incision site pain, both completely tolerable. The begining of the week I was a bit more tired than usual and I became tired quicker when doing simple activities like walking, each day this gets a bit better. Today I went shopping with my mother, my fitbit says I took around 3500 steps and walked 1.4 miles. My knees feel better, my back feels better, my feet feel better. I am actually sleeping better and waking up feeling as if I slept, no more waking tired. Looking forward to the next week! Emotional This has been one of the toughest things to deal with, the disappointment in not being able to enjoy the foods I love has hit me pretty hard a few times, always when out. I went to breakfast with my wife and her dad, I assumed that the resturant would have yogurt for me to eat since most do, they didn't. So I sat there with a decaf coffee and a kids sized orange juice while they ate. I don't like eggs and what not, but the smell comming off of their plates was so amazing, it took most of what I had to keep from breaking down into tears. I focused on why I'm doing this and resolved in the fact that I would be able to eat again in a few weeks. The biggest test was Thanksgiving. My family are big eaters, Italian families know how to eat. So I was dreading Thanksgiving at my parents house. The night prior I jumped the gun on my puree phase and attempted some pureed meat pie, a tiny 1/4 inch slice and some beef broth, blended it up, poured it into my 1/4 cup ramekin and heated it up. It looked so nasty, but the taste, after all the liquids and puddings and jello's was so damn amazing. And lucky for me, I didn't have any problems with eating it, I finished the serving a little quick for my liking, but I held off and sure enough, I felt the fullness coming on, but it never got painful, so I knew I hit the mark size wise. This gave me a bit of a bump for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving came and I pureed some turkey with gravy, some corn and potatos and took a 1/2 slice of cranberry sauce about a cup of food in total. We all said our thanks and got to eating. I focused on taking my time, I watched the clock and put my spoon down between "bites". About 20 mins in I knew I should stop, the fullness was just starting to kick up, so I put down my spoon and pushed the plate away. Everyone was suprised by how little I could eat. But they were all impressed. So one more big eating day left and it will be a smooth year. Weight I saved the best for last. I weighted in at 350 when I finally decided that I had had enough and that diets and yo-yo weight gain/loss had to go. My last appointment with my surgeon I weighted in at 343. The last "official" weight in at my pre-op training class was 336.8. The night before surgery I weighed myself on a medical scale at 335. Pretty good. But these next numbers are amazing. I had surgery on Friday, the following Monday I weighed in at 329, Yesterday, I weighed 324. So from 335 to 324 in 1 week! and all without feeling underfed. This is the motivation I need. I'm feeling the weight loss in my clothes, on my back and knees. It's noticable. I'm greatful to everyone here for the information and support that you are providing. All comments, both positive and critical are appreciated. I understand that to learn we need to be shown our faults. Stay Strong LBT!

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

I am a sugar addict myself and though this surgery did not stop me from wanting sugar the amount I ingest has diminished immensely. I will have one or two hersheys kiss in the evening just to get my little chocolate in (I'm a major chocoholic) but it seems I'm basically good with that. I use a little of the sugar-free syrup (sweetener) in my Protein shake so that gives me a little sweetness too. The only thing I really can't eat after this surgery is bread, Pasta, rice etc. I don't want that kind of food anymore which is great for me cause I was a carb junky too, I do wish that the surgery took away my sugar issue but I guess you can't have everything. I can say I don't eat not even close to what I used to consume so I am not guilty for the little I do eat. As for the artificial sweeteners, I know they are not healthy but for me it is a necessary evil Its like when I smoked I didn't eat a lot but when I quit I gain 50lbs in 4-6 months and if it wasn't for my bronchitis I would kept smoking to prevent the weight gain but I picked breathing over smoking and weight. I had this surgery so I can still have a little of what I like to eat I just don't eat it all day long I give myself 5 minutes to enjoy something sweet then move on to something else. I don't think any surgery will take away all of our little demons from poking at us, we have to excercise that will power as well as our bodies!

5 back surgeries have also contributed to my weight gain. I'm very excited to change the hand I've been dealt

Weight gain should be few and far between with mirena. The medication does not really leave the uterus. Unlike other birth controls, mirena is a localized birth control that does not enter the blood stream.

Hi all! I am 13 months post op and 8 weeks pregnant. I am really struggling dealing with the food cravings and being hungry all the time! I am still king mostly healthy choices but if I don’t eat like every two hours I feel sick. I have gained a few pounds already and was hoping for some diet help. I can’t eat cold meats or deli meats which made up most of my diet before. Does anyone have a diet plan they follow during pregnancy? I understand I will gain weight but I want it to be a healthy weight gain. Thanks!

spouse, boyfriend/girlfriend/family heavy? My spouses’ weight is fine. He can eat whatever he wants and maintains. It makes me crazy I have two female family members that struggle with their weight. The relationships are strained and uncomfortable. My girlfriend and her husband had surgery a year ago. They initially lost and gained it back. She told me that being around me just reminds her of the weight gain. They stopped hanging out with all our friends. I’m sad because no one cares about their weight.

My mother is anorexic her entire life, father is out of shape but not overweight. Both parents do have high cholesterol and strokes despite not being overweight. My older sister has been overweight since childhood, her weight gain started when my mother gave her Coca-Cola instead of potentially contaminated water when they were refugees. When my sister started losing weight from WLS, I gained weight. My little sister was briefly overweight for 1 year during college and has become anorexic like my mother. I no longer keep contact with my family, but all of my close friends have been supportive.

Yea always having irregular periods! The weight gain! Meds if they put Her on them! Surgeries I've had even to the point they were talking about a hysterectomy! Fertility treatments! Ugh wish her all the luck in the world!!

(yesterday) I told my dad that i lost 18 pounds (b/c he is VERY displeased w/my weight gain) His reply: "hmpf! from where?!" so that let me know that i'm so fat, the 18 pounds isnt even noticable! I know that i should ignore him and i know his comment was mean but he's still an important person in my life. he is a big reason that i want to loose weight. he really doesnt like me fat. i think i even embarrass him around his friends and our family.....:frown:

I got a half unfill after finding out about our surprise family addition. I had lost 91lbs in the 8 moths prior with 75lbs still to go. I'm sitting at a weight gain of about 15lbs right now and i'm 31wks tomorrow.

I was late in my third trimester before I saw weight gains as much as .5 - 1 lb per week. Gains that high are usually reserved for the third trimester, specifically the period that the baby is putting on fat. First trimester I didn't gain anything. Actually it was around week 20 before I gained anything. Then I would have no gain, no gain, gain 10 lbs. I got a 1cc unfill during my pregnancy. Now I am tighter than I was before the unfill. No idea why. The last few days I can barely keep anything down and am waiting on a callback for another unfill. Why I'm tighter "post delivery" with 1cc less fill than I had "pre pregnancy" - who knows. But this is no fun.

I was diagnosed with NES (Night Eating Syndrome) when I was an adolescent. This syndrome has a genetic component and has been an issue in my family for the past three generations. Mostly only the males in my family are conflicted with the cycle of night eating. The cabinets in my kitchen were always locked because me, my brothers, and my Dad would get up (knowingly and unknowingly) 1-3 times a night to get something to eat. I was determined to break the night eating cycle during my post op phase and did so for the first 6 months. After that, it all started again full force. I wake up three times a night at the same times every night (12:30, 3:00, 4:30). I absolutely cannot get back to sleep unless I eat something. It has always been that way. My food choices are still smart and I have not gained any weight since this problem reappeared. My consumption at night is usually cucumbers with vinegar or pickles. For those of you that think night eating should be easily controlled, think again. Sleep medications and antidepressants have not helped at all. Night Eating Syndrome is characterized by these 5 primary signs: 1. Not hungry in the morning 2. Overeating in the evening 3. Difficulty falling asleep 4. Waking at night and eating (usually 2 or more times) 5. Feeling depressed I'm currently working through a step by step guidebook. I've reduced eating three times a night to two times night. I'm hoping to get it decreased to at least once a night. When I share this problem with others, I usually get a lecture about weight gain. I'm still including the calories from my night eating into my overall daily count. So, its not a huge problem yet because I've lost 140 pounds while struggling with this syndrome. I would love to be able to sleep through the night or get up only once. Part of me thinks that this is just a habit that I have to break like everything else. I would love to hear from others that struggle with night eating syndrome. If anyone has found a way to break the cycle or know some effective strategies, then that would be appreciated.

Hi. Yes I went to urologist yesterday. They ran some tests and couldn't find reason for weight gain so they got me into see cardiologist today. They also taught me how to self catheter since I had been having difficulty peeing.

Just got back from the Urologist and they addressed most of my concerns (i.e. pain, difficulty urinating, etc) except for the rapid weight gain. They said there is no way I gained all of that weight from kidney stone surgery or by having a stent. They are concerned I had a bad reaction to the anesthesia which is causing Fluid buildup around my heart. So they set me up for an appointment to see a cardiologist tomorrow morning. I also have to start self-cathetering 3x a day. Yay! Fun, fun! LOL.

Happy to hear you are having good weight loss results with the Water pill. Not so good about the side effects . But like you said they are better than the weight gain. So glad you felt well enough today to get out for a bit of a walk. Once that stent is gone and your back feeling like yourself again I am sure you will be back to walking like you use to.