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Hi! In my opinion, binging doesn't mean that you're not ready. I binged quite a few times before surgery, too. But it is important to wean yourself off of the binging behavior as much as you can (I know, it's hard!). One important reason is that you really do need to lose some weight before surgery and exercise to make your surgery recovery easier. Also, most doctors tell you to lose weight before surgery, and I've even heard of surgeries being canceled because of weight gain. One bit of advice I would give is to not try to make all the changes all at once...do one at a time until you're comfortable with the change, then move on to the next. Especially since you have six months to do it in. This is the absolute best thing I've ever done for myself, and I was a binge eater...it's really a good thing that you have the time to make sure this is the right decision for you. Good luck!!!!

I haven't been sleeved yet, but I can speak to losing weight after pregnancy when you are already obese. My youngest daughter came as a surprise, and I already weighed 200 lbs at conception. I was terrified that I would gain the large amounts of weight had gained with my first two pregnancies 8 and 11 years earlier. Not only was I concerned from a vanity point of view, but more so for the well being of the baby, my own health and ease of delivery. So I was determined to keep the weight gain in check, but in a healthy way. And I managed to keep it to less than 20 lbs by eating healthfully (no empty calories!) and getting cardio in everyday. It worked! Weight gain was minimal and quite easy to lose afterward. And while I was still overweight, at least it wasn't made worse by the pregnancy. Have faith that you can do this...you are strong and in control. I mean really, look at what you've accomplished so far! Good luck and keep us posted!

I had lap band surgery in 2006. I weighed 367 pounds and went down to 156 pounds. I learned that I had a slippage and got the lap band removed. I was so happy to eat I didn't get a replacement...now I'm up to 230 pounds!! I watch what I eat and exercise almost everyday! The weight gain occurred in less than a year. I don't want to keep gaining! Has anyone experienced this? I really don't think it has to do with what I eat. :cool:

You just need to find the right strain that works for you! Not all of them will make you hungry, and if it does just make good choices and eat healthy. There are tons of doctors prescribing meds every day. A lot of the side effects are increased hunger and weight gain. This thread (well, the ignorant comments) made me laugh! So thankful for my cannabis script;)

I bought a Fitbit and I really like it. It estimates how many calories I'm burning each day, so I have a good idea of how many I should be eating. It has already helped. I'm back up to 109. That's only a pound, but it may mean I'm finding my healthy calorie allowance. Edited: that weight gain was just a digestive fluctuation, I guess. I'm down even lower than before. Now at 107.

She wrote an article for Glamour. She definitely had bypass, not the band. But she had heart surgery in 2010 and her weight gain has been since that surgery. Maybe she's on steroids or other meds affecting her weight regain.

My family is 1/2 supportive. I have my hubby, mom and grandmother pro sleeve, and everyone else con. What's funny is the first people to point out I'm fat all the time are the people against me getting the surgery. I have 21 days till I get it done. Its at Good Shepard Hospital in Barrington, IL. I'm 31, about 247lbs and 5'8". I also have three kids, ages 2,2, and 1. I would like to blame them for my weight gain but it's my fault. I'd like to be 155lbs. I'm starting to get really nervous about Dec 3rd. I'm worried that it will hurt, that I'll have all this extra skin and what if I get this done and it doesnt work. I'm glad I found this so I can read what others are posting so I don't feel so alone.

Twitter Are your friends and family helping you lose weight or standing in your way? Don’t let your social network hold you back! Facebook Your friends and family can affect whether you lose weight as quickly as you’d like. You are more likely to become obese if your sibling, spouse, or friend is obese, and more likely to want to lose weight if your friends want to. Ask your friends to join you in eating well and exercising so that you can all get healthy and enjoy life more together! If You Want to Lose Weight, Keep an Eye on Your Social Network One of the first things you learn about weight loss surgery is that you need a support system. The more friends and family you have around, the more likely you are to lose weight. At least, that’s what you’re told. It’s mostly true but it’s not completely right. The truth is that your friends and family don’t always help you lose weight. If you have anyone sabotaging your efforts, you already know that. But your friends and family may be dragging you down without trying to. You may not even realize it’s happening. Once you do, though, you can resist the bad influence. Effect of Friends and Family on Weight Take a look at your friends and family. Are they overweight? If they are, they may be getting in the way of your own weight loss. Part of it may be genetic. If one sibling gains weight, the other is 40 percent more likely to also gain weight, according to research described in the December 2011 edition of the Harvard Men’s Health Watch. You might point to genes to explain why you can predict people’s weight gain based on their siblings’ weight gain. That may be partly true, but consider this. Spouses are 37 percent more likely to become obese if their spouse does. Okay, live together, eat together, gain or lose weight together. That makes sense, right? But do you know whose weight is most closely related to yours? It’s not the weight of your siblings or spouse. It’s your friends’ weights! If you have a close friend who becomes obese, your risk of becoming obese increases by a scary 57 percent! And, if your friends want to lose weight, you’re more likely to want to lose weight. How Your Friends Affect Your Weight You don’t live with your friends, and you don’t share their genes. So why should their weight affect yours? Part of it is just from trying to be a good friend. Your friend’s job is to cheer you up and accept you for who you are. That’s great in most cases because we all need someone on our side. Unfortunately, it works against you when you tell your friend that you just ate a half a pizza because you had a bad day at work, your friend may just tell you that you deserved that pizza. Worse, she might invite you out so that the two of you can split another pizza. Also, your perception of what is normal and acceptable might shift towards what your friends do and think. If they are overweight or obese, you may not see yourself as unhealthily overweight even if you are. If they share a few boxes of doughnuts every Sunday, you might not see any problem with those extra hundreds of calories. But continuing to do what they do can get in the way of hitting your weight loss goals. Make New Friends… When you’re getting started on your weight loss journey, think about making a few new friends who are going to support your new commitment to health. Other weight loss surgery patients: they’re going through exactly the same things that you are. Exercise buddies: find them at the gym, in the park, or through craiglist.com or meetup.com. Don’t be shy about asking if you can join them for a workout or two. If they say no, ask someone else. You might end up making a few new friends that you can hang out at other times during the day. …And Keep the Old You don’t have to ditch your old friends and stay away from your siblings and parents if they’re overweight. Ideally, you can be open with them. Explain how hard you are working to get healthy, and let them know how they can help. If you’re lucky, they’ll be willing to change some of their behaviors to support your goals and get healthier themselves. Meet to go shopping or take a walk in the park instead of to eat at a restaurant. Order an egg white omelet instead of pancakes with butter, syrup, and sausage when you go out for breakfast. Meet your friends to do crafts or pack lunches for a homeless shelter instead of baking and eating cookies. If your old friends and your family are unwilling to change, you don’t need to avoid them. Even being aware of how friends and family can affect you can protect you from following their leadwhile you’re hanging out with them. Be on the lookout for unhealthy behaviors, and make your own healthy decisions. Skip the table’s appetizers and enjoy your glass of ice water. Order what you know is right, like chicken breast or fish and vegetables, while everyone else is ordering pasta or steak, mashed potatoes, and gravy. Savor coffee while everyone else is digging into dessert. Lean on them for sympathy when you’re struggling, but don’t use them as eating buddies anymore. Eventually, they may see how happy and successful you are, and they may be ready to ask you for help losing weight. Your friends and family are there to support you, but sometimes their love for you isn’t good for your weight loss journey. Ask them to help you out by setting a good example, and keep yourself from following their lead if you know they’re eating badly.

I've been married over 8 years and have 3 children, a daughter 7 years old, a son almost 4 years old and another son 19 months old. I work as a medical biller, get to work from home which you would think is great but it's really what help added to my weight gain.

Hello everyone...I'm back. Most of you don't know me because I haven't been on the forum for about 5 years, but I was on it almost every day from the time I had the sleeve in October 2011 at 57 years old. First, having the surgery was a dream come true because I had been heavy all my life. I lost 88 lbs in the first year (I wrote a weekly blog which I turned into a book and interestingly, I reached my goal at EXACTLY one year). At 135 I FELT SO FREE!!!! Yes, I looked a lot better, and Yes, I was healthier and Yes, I was happier. But the freedom of it was the best part. I felt like a normal person and not the fattest person in the room (or worse, in Amsterdam where I had moved....trust me, there are no fat people here!). I felt free from food. I don't think I have to explain that hold that food has on us to most of us.... My look, my health, my happiness and the freedom lasted for 5 fantastic years. I couldn't believe I was living the most extraordinary life in my late 50's and 60's. I had a breast reduction in 2013 and it was THE BEST!!! (I have 22 year old boobs instead of sag wagons) ..love them!) Then in April 2016 I had a tummy tuck and it all started going wrong. First, I couldn't exercise for 2-3 months, after faithfully exercising for years. So a few lbs went on. Then, over the next 4 years, a few lbs went on every year. My clothes still fit but they were getting tighter. I tried to get the weight off but I didn't try hard enough and I started making bad choices again. Now I have that dreaded section in my closet called 'WHEN I LOSE 10LBS I CAN WEAR THESE AGAIN....) So, do the math....3-4 lbs a year for 5 years and here I am now 20 lbs overweight and MISERABLE. In fact, it's so interesting that I feel more uncomfortable now, heavier now, more self-conscious now, than I did at 223 lbs. So here is my advice: If you are in your first year, ENJOY that honeymoon period where your restriction is still there....learn good habits and stick with them. Stop drinking soda. Seriously. It's so bad for you. I drank it for 40 years and gave it up. I took a sip a few years ago and gagged. Why drink your calories anyway? Weigh yourself regularly. If the scale starts to go up a lb, 2 lbs, then do what you need to do to get it off before it becomes 4-5 lbs. Oh how I wish I would have done that 4 years ago. Because I was relatively early with the sleeve, and because I was in Europe and traveling for a year, I had no post surgery support; but if you have that, stick with it or come back here because it really does help. If you have major surgery that keeps you from moving, talk to your doctor about what you can do and when. I really think that was the start of my downfall. Having said that, please don't let me scare any of you that are considering this surgery....it was hands down the best decision of my life. And just so you know, I'm not happy with my weight gain but I'm not beating myself up either. Be kind to yourself. This is hard. I would really be interested in hearing advice from other veterans and particularly interested in connecting with any European veterans. Queen of Crop

About periods. My weight always affected my cycle before. It was one of the good things about gaining weight. I remember my freshman year of college I told my PCP that I thought my weight gain (about 40 pounds) was unhealthy because it was affecting my periods (they were lighter, shorter) and I thought that was a good sign. So I said, help with this please. He said don't worry about it. I insisted (he was a bad doctor). So he refered me to the campus weight loss program-- I lost 30 and kept it off for a year. But yeah, thats always been just about the only good side effect of weight gain. It made the periods less excruitiating. I remember back in Junior High I would wish that I would just pass out (I used to get terrible vaginal pain with them too in adition to the lovely cramps). LOL. As a teen I got my periods about twice as often as everyone else and they lasted longer too. Sure didn't seem fair. Then I got on birth control. It was like the clouds had parted and the sunlight came streaming through. What hadn't anyone told me about this miraculous thing before? I adore my birth control. Though I did notice last month mine came about two days early even on that. With my lovely birth control my period only comes once a month. And its light!! And it only lasts about three to five days! No cramps either. Before I always actually lost weight during my period due to the vomitting and diarhea. If men had periods, the world would be a different place. They think they are all so tough... HA! (or at least this is what I think to myself when my husband whines because maybe he pulled a muscle a little).

You may gain weight. However, it probably won't be fat that you gain. Rather, you'll likely gain water weight by reintroducing carbs without engaging in moderate intensity exercise on a routine basis. Starchy carbs (e.g. corn, potatoes, rice, breads, yams, etc.) may cause bloating in susceptible people due to several mechanisms. High-carb food causes the body to store three times as much water compared to protein. This increased water storage is in the form of muscle glycogen stores. To summarize, you may see a bump upward on the scale from water weight gain if you resume eating carbs. However, this can be minimized by working out. For instance, I eat as many carbs as I want, but I keep my activity levels high because I dislike restricting macros from my food intake.

Boy, I am sick of not losing! Got down to 212 in May, been between 214-221 ever since! I know it is my own fault because of poor food choices and lack of sufficient exercise, but I can think of a million excuses why I haven't been doing the right thing! What do I do to find that initial motivation..? I am right back to the mindset I had before surgery - I'll do good today, but then by lunch I've gone and screwed up again!!!!! Well, nothing else to do but try, try again... New measurements as of July 15th Weight - 215 (-51.5/surgery) Neck - 15.25 (-1.25/Jan.7) Upper chest - 42.75 Chest - (no bra, largest area)- 45.5 (-4.5/Feb.27) Rib cage - 39.75 Waist 1 - (big pooch #1)- 44.75 Waist 2 - (at navel) - 43 (-3.5/Jan.7) Waist 3 - (pooch #2) - 46 Hips - 44.25 (-4.75/Jan.7) Thigh - 25 (-2/Feb.27) Calf - 16.75 (-1.25/Feb.27) Upper Arm - 12.75 (-1.75/Feb.27) Wrist - 6.75 (-.75/Feb.27) Pounds lost - 51.5 Recorded inches lost - (-19.75) (forgot to measure prior to surgery!!!) 12/5/05 - Dr. Les Miles - B'Ham, AL Filled to 2.5/10cc Inamed Band Goals 1,2, & 3 - priceless!! 4th mini-goal - oh, well...win some,lose some 5th mini-goal - no weight gain this month? Labor Day Goal Life Goal: 150 (maybe)

Boy, I am sick of not losing! Got down to 212 in May, been between 214-221 ever since! I know it is my own fault because of poor food choices and lack of sufficient exercise, but I can think of a million excuses why I haven't been doing the right thing! What do I do to find that initial motivation..? I am right back to the mindset I had before surgery - I'll do good today, but then by lunch I've gone and screwed up again!!!!! Well, nothing else to do but try, try again... New measurements as of July 15th Weight - 215 (-51.5/surgery) Neck - 15.25 (-1.25/Jan.7) Upper chest - 42.75 Chest - (no bra, largest area)- 45.5 (-4.5/Feb.27) Rib cage - 39.75 Waist 1 - (big pooch #1)- 44.75 Waist 2 - (at navel) - 43 (-3.5/Jan.7) Waist 3 - (pooch #2) - 46 Hips - 44.25 (-4.75/Jan.7) Thigh - 25 (-2/Feb.27) Calf - 16.75 (-1.25/Feb.27) Upper Arm - 12.75 (-1.75/Feb.27) Wrist - 6.75 (-.75/Feb.27) Pounds lost - 51.5 Recorded inches lost - (-19.75) (forgot to measure prior to surgery!!!) 12/5/05 - Dr. Les Miles - B'Ham, AL Filled to 2.5/10cc Inamed Band Goals 1,2, & 3 - priceless!! 4th mini-goal - oh, well...win some,lose some 5th mini-goal - no weight gain this month? Labor Day Goal Life Goal: 150 (maybe)

We had my youngest sons birthday party today and we had such a good time. The whole family was here and the kids made out like bandits. All my kids got gifts "just because". My least favorite is an electric guitar that is very noisy and annoying. But the kids love it.. My dd said something that crushed me today after everyone left. I was fixing dinner, and she said "mom, I don't want to eat tonight, I want to shrink my tummy." I was like What? Why I like your tummy. She then tells me that Nana and her step aunts (nanas dd's) told her she needs to stop eating so much so she can shrink her tummy. This pisses me off beyond belief. I am quite aware of my childs issues, yes i think she can lose weight but I am not going to tell her she needs to stop eating to lose it. I also don't agree with putting that kind of thoughts into a 5 YEAR OLDS head.... I am going to take a step back and look at the whole pic. My father, yes I love him but I have always felt that he did not support me like he should because I was overweight. He left us as kids for months at a time, we didn't know if he was dead or alive. As a child I always felt that I was the reason my dad left my mom. He left when I was two weeks old because of another woman. When my dad was around he would make hurtful commits about my weight that were not incouraging or supportive. I wonder if that played a roll in my weight gain and addiction to food? My dd looks up to her aunts, and her step grandmother (who is the same age as me I might add). They are obsessed with looks. Nana allows the girls to "advertise" with the way they dress. They both have shirts that say things that I would not wear as an adult like "size does matter" and "this shirt looks better wet!" I don't know they are just such snobs that I don't want there opinions about body image effecting my dd happiness. My daughter is thick but in no way is she fat. I do see some signs that tell me she is not eating only when she is hungry. And I am battling those demons, everyday. We are changing our whole family, begining with me. I want our family to HEALTHY not skinny because its the thing to do. My dd will alway be bigger than others her father is 6' and her mother is 6'2. I just want to scream "STAY AWAY FROM MY DD"

''Third major problem: (was not told this ahead of time either) weight gain is guaranteed if you DRINK liquids with your meals, had I been told this I would have never gotten it because I know I drink with nearly every bite I eat. I knew there would be diet changes, etc, but not this! '' In my opinion thats just not normal whether u are banded or not !

I originally wanted gastric sleeve. My Mayo primary care Dr. Suggested I have gastric by-pass. I had consultation with bariatric Dr. & he also suggested by-pass. My first nutritional class at Mayo was excellent. She went in detail all the options. Gastric by-pass is the most successful, you lose approximately 70% of your body went. Studies show after 5 years the average weight gain is 20% of weight lost. So if you lost 100 lbs most gained back was 20lbs. That's manageable to lose. Suffice to say I chose by-pass, surgery Nov 28. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Although I'm newly banded, as with pretty much everyone here I'm very experienced with weight gain and loss. Before I was banded I lost 165 lbs. I didn't have surgery, I didn't have weight loss drugs, nor did I use a program like Weight Watchers, Atkins, etc. I won't bore you with all the details, but guess what? I had some of the same problems. I had to have my gallbladder removed. Why? Rapid weight loss. I suffered a severe Vitamin B deficiency. So severe in fact that I was sent to a neurologist initially because I had weakness on one side, slurred speech, I could not keep my balance and was falling down or tripping a lot, aphasia (Aphasia is a disorder caused by damage to the parts of the brain that control language. It can make it hard for you to read, write and say what you mean to say. It is most common in adults who have had a stroke. Brain tumors, infections, injuries and dementia can also cause it. The type of problem you have and how bad it is depends on which part of your brain is damaged and how much damage there is.), etc. At first they thought I either had a stroke or MS. Turned out it was severe Vitamin B deficiency from rapid weight loss. I had a severe Vitamin D deficiency that caused me to be in pain. The cause was due to rapid weight loss. I could have been angry and decided I was better off being fat! Was weight loss to blame for all of my problems? Not exactly. My unhealthy behavior and obsession with losing weight to be thin combined with body dysmorphic disorder among other things was to blame. I knew I wasn't eating enough, I knew I should be taking Vitamins, but I didn't do it! As you can see if you experience sudden and rapid weight loss without a doctor's supervision (as in my case) and/or do not eat enough of the right foods and take supplements you can have all of the same symptoms you did. I'm not saying your band did or did not cause your problems because I don't know you and I'm not a physician. However it is possible to have all of those things occur without being banded. I don't know what happened to you. Were you compliant with doctor's instructions? I don't know. Was your doctor competent and paying attention to your symptoms? I don't know. Was the band for you - I guess not. Like all methods and surgeries, it's not for everyone. Many of us here have chosen lap-band because we feel it is our last or only hope to get to a manageable weight. Your story simply illustrates the necessity of doing thorough research, weighing the pros and cons and determining if one is willing to follow guidelines. It is important to know your body and report and problems to one's doctor. You can't pick and choose which rules you want to follow and which ones you don't. I'm sorry things turned out so badly for you. Perhaps you would do better serving as an example of what not to do and why the band is not right for some people even though it does appear to work for many others instead of coming off so bitter. Were you fully aware of the risks of the surgery and agreeable to take them? Life is a crap shoot. Things go wrong. Deal with it.

I'm 3 years post op this month. It doesn't seem possible as it went by so quickly. I have gained 20 pounds and never hit my goal weight. So with this extra 20 I'm 40 lbs away. I'm worried my pouch isn't working or I stretched it, which docs say hasn't happened. But I'm wondering if this pouch reset of going back on liquids is a real thing. I have no issues going to liquids and I only eat low carb. I'm confused on this weight gain and disappointed in myself. I have no doubt that I have screwed this up because I have cheated in the past. But getting this weight off is so much more important than eating things I'm not supposed to. Does anyone have a success story on gaining weight and losing it again or any ideas? I'm willing to do anything at this point. I don't experience dumping anymore at all and I have to take miralax daily for Bm's. Help!

And then let's talk about the growing number of RNY patients who, at several years out with a relaxed pouch and weight gain, end up getting a band. None of the procedures are a magic fix, and it still boggles me that there is a weird caste system around bariatric surgery (I've experienced it too).

I finally got up my nerve to get back on the scale and see how I did over the holidays. I was surprised. I had gained nothing. I have got started back after two and half weeks off from all the snow storms and cold weather. I made to the "Y" three times this week. I probably over did it yesterday. I walked in the pool for almost 2 hours, not because I wanted the excerise,but because my friend showed up late. We walk and talk alot. So now with no weight gain, it time to be serious with this goal of losing some weight. Hope everyone is doing good. Let us know. Carol

Greetings! This is the super short version. I'm 45. I'm married. I have one 20 year old daughter. I was diagnosed in 2011 of colon cancer and I've had to battle it twice. I did 2 six months bids of horrific chemotherapy. Some days, I honestly wanted to die. Since my initial dx, my health has gone downhill. Diabetics, High blood pressure, sleep apnea, blood clots, anxiety, depression and excessive weight gain. Not to mention chemobrain which has clouded my speech, my reading comprehension and writing skills. (so please excuse the typos in advance) My doctors believe that getting the sleeve can possibly jumpstart some things that would help pimp slap the other complications that I've have due to cancer. I'm approved and scheduled to get the sleeve this Monday....and I'm nervous. I'm scared of pain. I'm scared something going wrong. I'm just a big ball of anxiousness. So, welcome to my world. I'll be journalling on the way in hopes of inspiring someone else along the way.

these were the rules given to me.... but go on and do what make you happy Lap-Band: Rules To Live By For The Rest Of Your Life Eat 3 small meals per day. Eating 3 meals per day will provide the proper nutrition your body needs. Eating more than this or "grazing throughout the day is unconsciou eating and can lead to excessive calorie intake. Limit portion sizes to 3-4 oz. Portion sizes should reflect the size of your new pouch. Eating more will eventually stretch the size of the puch and lead to an increased calorie consumption and weight gain. Eat slowly - when you are comfortably full... STOP. Eating too fast will cause pain and can lead to overeating or vomiting. No snacking in between meals. Snacking in between meals will only add additional, unnecessary calories. It may also revive bad habits of unhealthy snacking and grazing. Do not drink and eat at the same time. liquids will speed up transport of food through the stomach, decreasing the sense of satiety (feeling of fullness) and giving you the ability to eat more. Drink fluids 30-60 minutes after eating. Consume adequate fluids-sipping at all times. Fluids should always be sipped. Gulping can cause pain and lead to stomach stretching. Drink at least 64 oz. of Fluid every day - in between meals in order to prevent dehydration. Eat well-balanced, nutritious meals - Protein first! Providing yourself with the proper food is important in order to provide your body with the necessary Vitamins and minerals you need to survive. Eating your protein first will ensure that you are meeting your protein needs of at least 60 grams per day. The rest of the meal should be balanced with small amounts of fruits, vegetables, and whole grain carbohydrates. *see the protein guide* Limit high calorie food and drinks. Consuming high-calorie food and drinks such as soda and high-fat foods will only increase your calorie intake, leading to less weight loss and possibly weight gain in the long run.

Thank you for responding I did do the post fill protocal Liguids purees and soft foods. back to really watching my Protein and measuring my food intake along with a food diary. I am glad I found this site and am looking forward to seeing your blog. I don't feel so alone! I needed to clarify that I didn't have the "prolapes" just the dialation of my esophogus. I blaim myself for not watching the signs and eating wrong. the band was too tight I have an appointment on 21 Feb to see where I am at . Although the Doctor said I may see a slight weight gain, stay away from or watch the carbs and not go crazy! I had to get my head wrapped around that! My biggest fear is having the band removed but now that I know what I need to do I will be okay! I haven't gotten sick since some of the Fluid was removed and I still feel a slight restriction which is good. I have lost to date 75 pounds and since the defill have gained 3 pounds. anyway thank you again! Elce

Julie: Thanks for letting us hear from you. I have been on antidepressants off and on through the years and when you need them you need. My internists actually recommend them at my last visit because I have so much anxiety right now. I think it's temporary due to my upcoming PS and DD's wedding in May. It really scares me to think about going back on anti-depressants because of weight gain. How has your experience been with this aspect of it? Take care!