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So I'm very frustrated! I quit smoking 12 days ago and I'm doing the Nicorette gum. I've already gained back 3 lb of the seven I lost in the past two and a half months! I am so so so frustrated! My tentative procedure date is September 24th and I cannot gain any weight before the procedure! What do I do? HELP...

Say HE-EEYY!!! Yes, Protien, just like those of us who want to lose the weight. It's good for muscle bulk, and you definately want to avoid bulking up with fat from junk food and lots of processed foods. Keep it real food, meats, veggies, potatoes, and protien drinks (1-2 a day) will help. there is a website, someone help me here and post a link if I can't find it, that will tell you how many calories, grams of protien, fat, etc. you should eat to lose or gain weight....let me see if I can find it... http://www.room42.com/nutrition/basal.shtml Yep, there is a button for gaining weight, too. It's pretty interesting! Let us know how it goes! We are good at weight gain here, but most of us have gained the wrong kind of weight...fat!!! But at 110, maybe you could use just a Little bit of padding? hehe

The truth be told, he was probably cheating for a long time. This is his loss and your gain. Now it's time to focus on your recovery both physically from the surgery and emotionally from the cheating. You are going to be one hot chick and he is going to regret everything he's done. However, it sounds like your marriage was in trouble before you had this surgery so everything is on track. This is the universe speaking to you. Take care of you and do what you need to do. Stressors will cause weight gain but it's most likely fluid retention. Get back to eating your proteins and focus on you. You can only control you and what you do or don't put in your mouth. So don't let him stop you from getting the nourishment that you so need right now.

If you've been doing low carb, start eating carbs. I'm not saying load up on white carbs, but don't avoid carbs anymore. I'm supposed to eat 100 gr of carbs per day without fail, and I'm supposed to aim for 100gr of Protein, but usually hit 80gr. You can not be in ketosis while pregnant, as it causes fetal brain damage. Also, you'll need to make sure you get on a good quality Vitamin, including folic acid, sublingual b12, and Vitamin D. I'm able to continue my Celebrate multi vitamin with Iron because it's actually better formulated than most pre-natals. I'm 13.5 weeks pregnant, however I am much further out than you, and can probably eat more than you can considering I'm 23 months post-op so I have zero issues eating enough food to support me and a developing baby. Depending on your pre-pregnancy weight, you'll need to shoot for 1400-1800 calories a day. For me at 131lbs at 7 weeks pregnant, they advised that I needed a minimum of 1700 calories a day and 100oz of Water. juice, milk, and all other fluids are just extra on top of that 100oz of water. The baby will take from you what it needs. It is your body that can suffer through the pregnancy. Make sure you have your dentist monitor your teeth as they can weaken. As for weight gain, I'm 13.5 weeks out, and I've gained about 7lbs of the 30-35lbs they want me to gain. Most babies born to WLS mothers are born normal weight. My ob and even my high risk ob haven't dealt with a VSG pregnancy so they couldn't comment on my "gain", but they did say "You shouldn't have any problem because all of our banded mommies gain a bunch of weight". I just kind of laughed. I've seen some RNY patients gain 50-70lbs in a pregnancy, but they had other issues with food. I am having trouble with some foods including dense protein, and my lactose intolerance is back in full effect. Not to mention night time reflux has hit me a few times in the last few weeks, and that is a total b!tch. There is a pregnancy after WLS forum on obesityhelp.com but I can't stand posting over there. It just doesn't work for me, I've tried a few times, but it just irritates the hell out of me. VSG does NOT throw me into being high risk, but it very well could with you being so early out of surgery. I have other medical conditions that are contributing to me being high risk. Best wishes ! ! !

I am 5 weeks post op and I understand there are stalls in losing weight but is it normal to gain? I was down 40 pounds 2 weeks ago and I have slowly gained back 5 pounds, I am trying not to panic but when I see the scale moving up instead of down it's kind of scary. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

No way honey!!! No way. It will stretch your pouch. Maybe not all at once but over time. Diet coke causes weight gain. Research it. There have been many studies to support it. It's terrible for you, very hard on your stomach and could give you an ulcer. It has a ton of chemicals in it which are awful for you and your new lifestyle. http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20739512,00.html Must read this. Start exploring new things. Perhaps iced decaf tea? Decaf coffee chilled with a little cream? Crystal light.

I'm a little over 4 months out, but I feel the best I've felt in years, and can't wait to see what the future holds for me!! I wish I'd done it sooner, but am also thankful that once I made the decision to do it, my surgeon got me in rather quickly. It's funny, b/c with quarantine, I'm really able to focus on myself and my family. If I hadn't had the surgery, I can imagine that this time period would have been full of depression and weight gain. I'm so appreciative of my new lease on life!!!

Usually most insurance companies will accept wt loss histories from Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, etc. I know my plan accepts them. Just call and ask them. They'll tell you. Or sometimes you can access the actual policy online. I can w/Carefirst BC/BS. But again, if you call and ask them, they will tell you what the policy says. And I'm w/you regarding the weight gain from pregnancy. I can't wait to get my band back!! I wish you the best.

Hi All, I was banded in 2011 and it was a move that everybody in my family was against, I started to lose the weight and was very happy, reached my ''initial'' goal within a year and was very happy... Had a little bit of extra skin as I was too scared to work out. During this year, I was lucky enough to get my entire family living in the same city as myself, and we ALL enjoy food so much, so any gathering with parents, brother, and sister meant food, food, and more food. I was eating good portions, and had started to take my band for granted, forgetting about the rules of of not eating too fast or drinking and eating at the same time Anyways, my troubles started about 6 months ago, when I was under a tremendous amount of pressure at work, and at home as my husband had to travel and we'd be separated for a whole year... lots of stress and angry days and nights starting causing me pain the upper part of my stomach (which is normal for me even before the band)... Started getting stuck more often, but it would come and go as sometimes I would be able to eat very well, and other times it would be a hassle... didn't really do anything about it, then started to get acid reflex, and continued to ignore things.. Then I had a 1cc unfill, but the symptoms continued, and i continued to ignore them... things were getting worse, and i started to cough at night, eating became a nightmare, and I started resorting more to fluids thinking it is probably stress and will be better soon. Lately things were way worse and I felt like i had it, so I went for an endoscopy (which is covered by my insurance) and was told that probably the pouch above the band is dilated and I must see my surgeon (whom I no longer live in the same country as) Anyways, I went to the surgeon whom I was doing all the follow up with, and he jumped directly into conclusions saying I must remove the band..... I panicked and cried, so he said then you can do an xray. The report of the xray Dr. came good, saying there is no slip and the band is ok, but the surgeon said that there IS a minor slip that the dr. missed and he unfilled me completely and asked me to go on a liquid diet for a month, then if the xray showed no improvement then I would have to remove the band. I am completely shocked, and so so so so worried… I have paid for this from my own money and removing the band would cost a fortune, let alone the other factor which is weight gain… I am completely lost and feel like it is the literary the end of the world…. Any help or similar experiences or links to videos or articles would be AMAZING…. I can’t seem to find anything other than the horrible stories online. I also need some thoughts on the liquid diet, can drink fruits and veggies smoothies? Grinded veggies and meat Soup? What are the things to stay away from (band safety wise not weight gain wise)? And would I be able to eat any mushies? Or is it liquids only? Thank you so much for any help or reply that you might leave…. Appreciate it like you can’t imagine.

Congratulations for making your decision on changing you life in a healthy manner. I'm also sorry you have those who are not supportive of your decision. I read it and hear it alot from those on this website and people I personally know who have had the lapband. All I can say is chalk it up to ignorance, jealousy, fear & care for us, and who knows what else. Hopefully you've researched your surgeon and staff and have found the right mix for you. You will also learn so much here on LBT. I'm sorry I found this after my surgery but better late then never. I'm still learning from everyone on here on a daily basis. My husband & I had the surgery earlier this year and we've had nothing but support from loved ones, co-workers, clients, etc. And if someone thinks differently about our choice of "taking the easy way out", that's their opinion as they're entitled to it. I'm 57 and at the stage of my life that I can't worry what people think about me. I still have a good 25 lbs to lose and feel so much energy and confidence then I have in the past years of putting on a good 60+ lbs and not being able to walk up or down the stairs without holding on to the railing, enjoying gardening, and just getting out of my car to food shop was a problem with my knees and back. At this point I can do it all and then some! Have there been compromises along the way, absolutely. Like any other addiction, I'm learning to change people {moi} places and things that caused my weight gain. In the beginning it was an everyday challenge and right up there in my conscious mind, As time goes on, with the help of the lapband being a tool, it's helped us to be just a part of our everyday life and reminding us to make better choices. So far so good. I wish you the best on your journey. Hopefully, as time goes on, your loved ones will see you made the right choice and change their minds. If you need support, we're all here for you on LBT 24-7.

Welcome Minny, I wish you the best as you choose your path to WLS! My sister had the RNY gastric bypass and I decided that I just couldn't handle the thought of altering my GI tract permanently. She does have the "dumping syndrome" which helps her control her carb intake but it is important to know that not all people have this side-effect from the RNY procedure. I can tell you that I was a bread/carb addict prior to being banded and now I tend towards hi Protein foods as my body seems to crave them. My sister is also struggling with weight gain now that she is almost 2 years post-op as she can eat a pretty healthy amount of food and has learned how to eat just the right amount of carbs to avoid dumping. She is still very happy with her choice for WLS and she looks wonderful. I can tell you that there are a lot of adjustments with either surgery and both surgeries are tools and can be defeated. I still struggle with head hunger but love that my band is adjustable and that my body can absorb nutrients as it was intended to. Good luck and hope you will find all the information you need to make an informed decision. Darcy

@@sjidaho Drinking is discouraged for a couple of reasons. First, it allows the food to slip through your sleeve. This means you will be hungry sooner and your food will not fill you up. This leads to overeating and eventually leads to weight gain, especially after your honeymoon is over and your appetite returns. This is where you see people who have lost 100 lbs. start gaining it back in year 2 or 3. Take a look at this video that shows what happens when you drink with your meal. For me personally, when I eat my solid Protein first, the liquid piles up on top of it and comes up my esophagus. Really gross. Drinking with sliders, like Cookies, is even worse for me because the drink just liquifies the carbs and sugar so they flow right through. This is a path to the dark side I was always a big drinker with meals. 4-5 glass of Water. It's taken time but I have completely conquered the eating/drinking thing. You can get over it, just stay committed. Unfortunately, I have no tricks to offer for this particular issue. It was just willpower and a vision of the fat coming back that kept me on the straight and narrow.

I agree with hely88 if I were in your shoes, I'd be asking for a slight unfill. I wouldn't be happy that tight at all. Being as you're not vomiting and are able to eat (though it's not easy), it comes down to personal preference. Some people are happy with super tight bands, others are not. I personally have my band so that I can still eat anything I want just in moderation. Plus, if eating is that much of a chore, the temptation to rely on slider foods is too great and that leads to weight gain. If you're not happy, then get a slight unfill. Regardless of what anyone here or even a nutritionist says, you're the one the has to live with your band so it needs to fit your needs and lifestyle.

Weight gain is a common side effect for a lot of BCP. Certain formulations have a higher chance of it than others, so talk to your gyn.

Since you are at the beginning of this process, I would recommend three things. 1. Take a good before photograph of yourself, so that you have something to compare to after surgery. Many times we are blind to our obesity. We do not see ourselves. Therefore when the weight begins to drop off rather dramatically, we question if this is really happening. Photographs are a good visualization of our success. Many people carry a before and after photo with them, just to remind themselves of their success. 2. Walk 30 minutes each day, every day until surgery (or equivalent exercise). Walking helps the recovery process go smoothly and minimized the pain levels from surgery. 3. Wean yourself from caffeine and carbonated beverages now. After I gave up my 6 diet coke a day habit, I suffered from a week of severe withdrawal syndrome consisting of severe headaches and body aches. I was miserable. You don't want to combine the effects of caffeine withdrawal with the effects of surgery. Also stress can cause weight gain. So the recommendation to stay off the scale may be appropriate.

Dr Weiner mentioned metformin for weight loss in his videos and I did a bit of research and it has been used to offset a lot of psychiatric medications with side effects of weight gain. Never tried it but another thing he said about weight loss medications is you have to stay on them long term or you may gain the weight back. This shouldn’t be an issue for you though since you will be having surgery I assume.

Hello all so yesterday I weighed myself and I.T look like I have gain weight instead of losing .. went from 193 on April 24 to 198 on April 30th . My nurse friend told me could be water weight or the fact I haven’t poop ? I’m not gonna lie feel like I’m failing and I’m a bit paranoid .. this COVID -19 has made me stressed eat only at work . Btw I work at a hospital on a covid floor.. Help ! I need some encouraging words

Nope. Medications don't make you gain or retain weight unless it is in the form of Water weight, which your medication should not be causing. They do however make you hungrier and as a result one of the side effects listed may be weight gain. I use Depo which is notorious for causing weight gain, however ultimately I know that if I eat more, I gain and if I don't eat more, I lose, so the problem is not the depo as much as the hunger it creates. Also, 22 pounds in roughly 5 weeks is completely normal. I think at about 5 weeks I had roughly lost 20 pounds. Slow and steady wins the race. Keep following the plan and you will see results.

Hi Elcee, They had to completely unfill due to all of the swelling. I allowed a month to go by barely eating anything as I thought it was me and the last week I could barely keep liquids down. So he stated due to the urgency of the situation we had to unfill completely to allow healing. He explained it as it was like I just had the surgery. He is also very reserved and the first fill I had 4cc put back in and the last one only 1 cc. He says it is fine and the weight gain is normal, however I am an all or nothing person. When I see one pound gained it is like 100 to me. I feel great physically, but mentally I am a mess.

Glad to here you are doing so well with that jogging thing Lmom1980...For some reason I still run out of breath too quickly for jogging so I am still walking - walking faster, but still walking. Sorry to hear about your feet and winter coming. I really don't have any suggestions for your feet except to massage them with peppermint lotion at bedtime - that really seems. to help sore tire feet - as for winter - I live in Florida so I have no excuse for not getting outside and hoofing my 3-4 miles each day. How do you like Zumba? I am looking for a class here that fits my schedule. I am afraid I will look FAT and stupid but I am willing to give it a shot. My weight loss is moving right along - down 64.5 pounds as of last night - only 51 more to go - woo hoo,....I feel great and have absolutely no problems with my surgery..Hope you are contiuing to do well and will make it throught the Thanksgiving Holidays (if you are in the US) with out any weight gain... Take care - Short and Still Slightly Chunky (Melinda)

Ok so I am tyring with one hand pls forgive mistakes I had hand surgery two days ago. I was banded Aug 10 2010. Between that day and today I have had mutliple fills and unfills. Mostly steming from a tight/finicky band. I dont think I have ever vomitted so much in my entire life as I have in the past two years. Painful hiccups, unable to eat with a bra on sometimes. Varring band tightness throughout the day. I current have 4 cc in my band but I have been as high as 6 cc. Originally lost 50lbs but in the last few months have gained half back. My surgeon is pretty much degrading when I go in and have a weight gain. Very non-supportive. During my last visit I broke down and was horrified that I cant work with this stupid band. He suggested we give it a few more weeks... no more then 3 meals a day (DUH) low calorie liquids ( DUH).. tell this to someone who vomits most of the day. Bythe time I get home I feel so weak and horrible I eat bad foods. Anywhoo he said we may need to look at either taking the band out or do a bypass or sleeve. He states he has MANY patientas who just can not work with the band or it doesnt work with them. I need to do something becaue this vomiting and weight fluckuating is very depressing. I am very scared about the bypass although I know many ppl including my mother who has had it done with sucess. Barium swallows show good placement but bad acid reflux despite being on nexium forever. I have not had a upper GI for a year now. I see my GI doc today. Also the thing that scares me when I go to eat a solid food say meat or even a veggie. I can feel it hit my band and my heart starts to beat so hard and fast. I have acutally almost passed out a few times. I get this 75% of the time I eat. Now this can't be good on my heart... Ive told my surgery on more then one occasions but he has brushed it off failing to note in in my medical records. I need some opinions... support.... guidence...someone who understands....

So, my 4 weeks is officially today. I've lost 26lbs. I should be thrilled, right? Nope. I have this total mental derp happening that makes me feel like I will somehow be the only person in gastric bypass history to ONLY lose 26lbs and that's it. I'm done. No more weight loss. lol! I think because I've had so many failures in the past, I just anticipate this being another one of them... even though I am following everything the best I can (in light of my ulcer, I am low on protein - working on it!) I also have a mental derp against protein shakes. Aside from my whey allergy and getting super nauseous... back in 2009 I had liposuction when I was a mere 140lbs. After surgery I drank TONSSSS of muscle-building/weight-gaining protein shakes because the plastic surgeon said I needed them for muscle recovery. Welp, I gained 40lbs doing that! I had no guidance and was an idiot, basically. But that's where the weight gain started - so I have a creeper lurking in my brain that protein shakes = weight gain = super morbid obesity. I am trying to get over it; I have a sweet home gym and was just told yesterday I am not allowed to exercise because my protein is currently too low. So, that has motivated me more and I started a soy shake last night. Gunna keep it up. I feel like I have conquered so many of my cravings-issues, though. I read just a few chapters in Never Binge Again and it is so helpful. I highly recommend that book. I feel very in control, and did have one mishap the other day when I got very stressed (I overate, but not a "banned food")... we're all human, though. Why are our brains so self-defeating?! I know I am championing through this in light of the complication and there is NO reason I will fail... unless I set myself up for it. So, nipping it in the bud now, for sure. But it sure is hard to overcome some of those mental blocks. If it wasn't, I'm sure most of us wouldn't be here. Just my random blurb o' the day.

I am a pre-op lap bander (shooting for feb date) and have a crazy question! Did anyones shoe size change post lap-band? I have been wondering about this as my shoe size increased with my weight gain. Thanks for everyones input- love this forum!!

I appreciate all the advice given. YOu all make excellent points. For me, controlling what I eat (either through diets and programs) has failed. I really feel like I need something will make it more difficult to overeat and I hope that the lapband is the answer. My weight may be low compared to others, but given the rate of weight gain, I may be up there with them in no time. It is really hard to accept that someone feels that all I need is a lifestyle change. Hell, we all need that, but some require the lapband as a tool to help achieve a more healthy lifestyle. Trust me, if it was as easy as just eating better, I would't in this mess. Instead, all I am doing is slowly watching my weight increase. Ive gone from 180 - 200 - 220 - 240ish. Where does it stop?

Wow, been a long time since being banded in April '07. Done really well, stopped smoking, gained some back and am losing it again. Fellow long time bandsters can probably agree with this from experience....it is a life long battle with the band as well as without. It is just easier to win a battle when you have a weapon. And the band is our weapon. BUT, do not break the rules and lay the weapon down cause then you are in trouble. You have to be vigilant, day in and day out unless you want to get beaten. For example, if you would have told me this time a year ago that I would gain back 40 pounds I would have called you a liar. Sure, I quit smoking and that was the main reason for the weight gain but I mean really...the band did not keep me from gaining weight....the band HELPS to LOSE weight. So, I learned the hard way. I learned a lesson that you would think is common sense? Yep, but it happens. I forgave myself. Now I know...I have to WORK it. I have to work it today AND I have to work it tomorrow. And tomorrow I will tell myself to work it the next day...and so on and so on. I have 2 rewards in this...#1 I still do not smoke anymore and #2 I am smarter about my weapon. OH and #3 I did not have to gain ALL the weight back to realize my mistakes. I stopped the bleeding in time. The first few months with 'the weapon' was tough...losing it twice and keeping it off is tougher. BUT, it is going to happen. Once I learned that this is my life with the band and I learned to accept it, life has gotten better. I went through the 'oh, screw this' phase. You know, the inner fat girl saying "eat it, its OK". I wish I would have woke up before I gained 40 pounds but it is what it is and I am changing it. Like my violet friend Judy says "its not how you run the race, its how you finish". True, and I am running right now:tongue2: