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I wonder why do many of us had hernias too? I am a RN but the researcher in me wants to know if there is a correlation between the hernias and the weight gain. I have never read that but I will be investigating it.

I think you're definitely right about it being a mental battle. I do have a counselor and am going to make an appt with her. I've had two kids (one vaginal and one c-section) and a hysterectomy (one of the reasons why I had the surgery was the weight gain from post-menopause). At 43, I would have thought this would have been a little easier. lol thank you!

Jessb418- I'm the same way! I'm happy when the scale goes down and really grumpy when it doesn't move! I weight self everyday. And the weight will set the mood. This isn't healthy. ???? We have to remember this experience is a journey. I had such fears initially that I would be the failure who didn't lose weight and gained more! I read about the average weight loss, and worried the average wouldn't get me to my goal. I'm in my third month post op, and while I still have irrational fears, I'm coming to terms with this process. My sister is one year post, met her goal weight and struggles with maintaining. In other words, this our lives now. Thin people also watch their weight. I've been paying attention to my "normal to thin friends' eating habits. They are pretty disciplined with an occasional treat. They workout, and occasionally get upset with a weight gain. We got this! We're ok! And we will reach our goals! Hang in there. The scale is just a tool to help you gage your eating.

Today I had a one pound weight gain. Fortunately, I knew that I would have a gain right after surgery because of the fluids they pump in you and the swelling at the surgery site. I felt pretty miserable last night and took a narcotic tablet that we had leftover from some back pain awhile back. My doctor doesn't prescribe narcotics...just an NSAID and I'm already on some of those (Voltarin) for my rheumatoid arthritis. This morning, I took 1/2 tablet and feel a little better. I'm wondering how much weight I will have to lose to go down a size? I just bought (online) a shirt to wear for Thanksgiving that is in my current size (but tight right now). I hope it literally hangs on me! We'll see...

Steroids will cause weight gain. If you can only eat unhealthy foods are you too tight? Discuss it with your surgeon.

I had my gallbladder removed about 10 months before getting sleeved. I gained about 38 lbs in those months and the weight gain didn’t seem to be slowing down so WLS was a must at this point. Comparing the two, I feel like I had less pain with the WLS. I actually asked my mom if she was sure they even did anything! 1. I didn’t need any painkillers after WLS, but I took them for about a week after gallbladder removal. 2. I’m typically a stomach sleeper and was also able to go back to sleeping on my stomach faster after the sleeve. 3. i only needed to sleep on a recliner for 2 days after WLS, but slept in a recliner for about 10 days after gallbladder removal. 4. Moving around was also easier for me after the sleeve, mainly because I felt like I couldn’t stand up straight after the gallbladder removal. 5. I was sleepier after the sleeve and generally had less energy the first week. 6. I had a bowel movement faster after WLS and going to the bathroom was easier in general. 7. TMI but I had sex sooner after WLS than I did after gallbladder removal. 8. Oh, my surgeon used my main gallbladder removal incision (the top one) so I only had 2 new tiny incisions for a total of 3 incisions for WLS. He felt like it was unnecessary for me to have more scars than I should so maybe that’s an individual thing that differs from surgeon to surgeon so I’d ask if that was possible. I only have the 3 WLS incisions visible and the gallbladder ones were so tiny they disappeared (you can only see them if you know where to look). So all in all I’d say my recovery from the sleeve was easier than the gallbladder removal, but of course that’s just me. I’m sure other people have it the other way around. Either way, you can do it! For me, the hardest step was actually deciding and committing to the WLS. Don’t worry, you got this!! Please feel free to message me if you feel like you have more questions or if I missed anything.

Hi! I am 7 months post op and 14 lbs away from my goal weight! I just found out on Friday that im pregnant! This will be my 2nd child and I am very excited. This was not planned, especially only being 7 months post op. Im not excited abt weight gain, nervous abt being healthy for the baby.. i guess nervous in general too!

My DH tried to join the bandwagon with me when I started out. He gave up cokes too. 7 months later, he drinks them, but we don't keep them in the house (for my sake). So he just buys bottles and drinks at work and at home whatever is left over. Still less than he use to. He also eats whatever I make, or wherever I can go (I don't eat fast food anymore unless it's Wendy's chili). We were eating fastfood 2-3x a day before. So naturally, he was losing a little weight. He has gained weight since I met him (use to be washboard, now it's a little tire ) Went from 30 waist pants to 36 now. I have GENTLY said something every once in while- mostly due to me having to buy him new pants sizes. He doesn't care, doesn't take offense, but he doesn't see the weight gain. His brothers have called him 'fat' at a family gathering once (imagine how my 300lb+ self felt at that time.. I was sitting there). But anyway.. guess my point is, see how he feels about it. Maybe bring it up casually about him exercising with you (I tried this, he's wishy washy about it). Tell him you worry about his Cholesterol and see if he's willing to eat better with you. The worst he can do is say no. Don't be judgey or mean about it, just casual In my situation, things seem to just be happening. He has told me 2 times in the past month (he weighed himself) that he is losing weight. If your DH is eating with you or where you go (like mine), he's going to tend to lose weight due to better food choices. If you make dinner, don't make you your good healthy food, then make him his 'regular' kind of food. I only cook 1 dinner, and if he doesn't like it, he doesn't eat hah hah! Portion is another thing, of course, but if it's a ton of healthy food instead of a ton of fat and calories.. see where I'm going? Good luck!

I am the exact same way! I was sleeved on 1/21/3. I can eat a whole yogurt, pudding, and egg... I get all my fluid no problem. I had a 2 pound weight gain in the past 2 days only lost 8 pounds since surgery. Very frustrated!!

Weight gains can mess with your head, Right. This is a bump in the road. Just one more thing to overcome. Did you talk with your surgeon’s office about your iron levels and weight gain?

DonRondolfo, their prices are pretty cheap! The lady's that was $46,000 said she lived in Alaska, so I'm sure that's why. It's outrageous for anything there. I think mine will be around $23,000. After talking with the surgeon, we decided the bypass was the best way for me to go anyway. I have 5 comorbidities, two of which cause severe weight gain, so I absorb fat really easily. With the bypass, you don't absorb fat the same way. Yes, it's a lot more risky and has more complications, but I really don't have a choice. My PCP said I'd be dead within 2 years if I didn't do something. : (

I had my sleeve done two weeks ago and lost 13 pounds in the first week. I weight myself today and I have put on 2 pounds, so it's an 11 pound loss in two weeks. I'm sure it's either water weight or a stall but I'm just wondering if that's something fairly typical this early on?

Had my surgery 3/17 (4 days) got on the scale and gained weight. Is this common? Is it possible I've only had liquids?

I can't help much, the accident I was in was when I was 9. The guy hit us after running a stop sign. I had multiple MRI's, had to go to physical therapy for a couple of years, and think the pain and injury had a lot to do with my rapid weight gain during those years. My lower back and neck still hurt on occasion, but have really gotten better with my weight loss. I know we had to go through a lawyer and it took a couple years at least to get the settlement. My mom received $20,000 for her, she had severe shoulder problems that has needed multiple surgeries and I received $18,000 that was put into a CD until I turned 18. I do not know any other specifics or what the lawyer made on the whole deal.

I know four people who have the LapBand. Each lost huge amounts of weight, but hated going in for fills. Three had complications (port infections requiring replacement). One got married and had all the Fluid removed and did not go back for a year and regained 90 of the 100 pounds he lost. The other two also grew weary of fills and stopped after maintaining weight loss for three years and have both regained a significant amount of weight. The final person did well and has no significant weight gain, but has slippage and erosion and is need of removal. Three of the people are now going through the process of revisions to the sleeve. All were afraid of going so drastically but all said they wished they had gone for the sleeve. There is also a man in my support group who has had his band for 8 years, he lost 160lbs but it is now creeping up and he is also going for a revision. It was the my wife, four friends/neighbors and this forum who helped me make the decision to get sleeved. I too was set on the band because it was reversible and less intrusive. My wife wanted me to have a more get it and forget it type surgery that did not require multiple fills. I was sleeved and I am now 65lbs lighter and shrinking after being sleeved on 2/19. My wife and I will be celebrating our 25th anniversary next month, and she said this is the best gift I could ever give her. Good luck to you on your journey no matter what you decide. Sent from my iPad using VST

I also have PCOS, so I wasn't on BC before surgery. I just recently had my yearly well-woman appointment and decided to get on BC again since I don't want another child any time soon- if at all. I only have one, but I'm happy with that. My original intent was to get the arm implant because I had a bad experience with the IUD a couple years ago, but she said they see more weight gain with the arm implant and the Depo shot than they do with the pill. So I decided to go with the pill.

Hello all! This is my first post here and I am thrilled to have this resource available at my fingertips. I have been reading posts for about two weeks and decided it was my turn to ask for your opinion. My relationship with food has been a lifelong struggle. After a while I gave up hating myself and tried to work on self love, which really just turned into justifying my bad habits. I started this gastric surgery journey at over 300 pounds after seeing a candid photograph of myself. I didn't recognize the person I saw in the photo. I had been ignoring health issues far too long that I knew were related to my habits. I began to make small changes like eliminating soda and fast food. I knew, though, that I needed to make a longer lasting change and the sleeve sounded like a great tool to reset my eating habits and relationship with food. My first appointment with the surgeon was June 8 2017. I weighed in at 294. I had four months worth of nutritionist visits, all of which I fluctuated between 295 and 297. Then I had my psychiatric evaluation on August 23 2017. My weight that visit was 299. The psychiatrist cleared me, but was very insistent that he typically wouldn't clear someone who had gained five pounds since their first visit and that my surgeon wouldn't perform the surgery unless I was down 5-10 pounds. My current weight is 290. My pre-op appointment is November 8 2017 and my surgery is scheduled for November 13, 2017. I am a nervous wreck. I have started going to the gym five days a week and doing half an hour of cardio. I don't restrict what I eat, only how much of it I eat. I know I will lose some weight as a result of the liquid pre-op diet but the psychiatrist's words haunt me. I am convinced after paying such a high deductible and all I've already been through that for some reason my surgery will be postponed. Has anyone else had a similar issue? How was it resolved?

I was banded back in 2007. I have a 4 cc band. I did good first few years lost over 100lbs and had a tummy tuck back in 2010 I was doing great. Then in 2011 I was having some issues with depression and a bad marriage. I was in the hospital twice and not able to keep anything down. Long story short I was very ill and had dilated esophagus and my band was emptied. It took 6 months before fills could start again and I'm currently at 2.5 cc for last year and a half. Since this happened...I divorced and remarried.. and am much happier except about my weight. When I was sick I got down to 143 but I wasn't healthy now I'm up to 186 and healthy but I am struggling to loose weight. I'm happy at 165. You'd think loosing 21 lbs would be easy seeing my highest was 319 but it isn't. Has anyone else experienced weight gain? I just feel sick about this weight.

How exciting that you are going to have a baby! I have two friends who have been trying for years. I think if you follow what ALL of your drs say to the letter; you will be fine. And try not to stress about weight gain at this point; the important thingi s the health ofy ourself and your baby. Merry Christmas to you and let us know how you are doing

I have felt that very same thing! I have been having to go onto Meal Replacement packs which is costing more money on top of aready money spent on the Gastric Baloon which perforated on the stomach.. Then to have it removed and the band fitted which then the PORT Flipped and have it resited.. So not a Good Journey for me thus far on this Battle with the Flab. I have to restrict what I eat ridgidly.. I think I will need a bit more of a fill soon I was told I had 5mls in the band.t I can eat soft bread and chicken.. Rice and breast of chicken drier meats get stuck.. But never get that really full feeling. I can also feel the food going through the band. I am not sure if this is meant to happen so readily?? I am restricting my own intake.. ..I think the only thing the band is doing for me is to stop larger amounts going down which helps avoid the weight gain..I can maintain but losing has been harder at my age.. Menopuse 54. Grrrr Oh well onwards >>>> Dawn

What a nightmare. Every additional factor complicates the recovery, and you have had quite the run of unexpected issues. It was good to read the update, that you've lost weight. That's got to be a bit of encouragement. I wanted to say that everyone is different in how we respond to the "insult" of surgery, and in your case, the complications from surgery itself are not to be taken lightly. But in the overall scheme of things, you're going in the right direction, and that's all that matters. Research in reputable, peer reviewed journals (not just anecdotal/experiential postings on the internet) suggest that it takes 4 - 6 weeks for the swelling and trauma from surgery to completely disappear. In that time, depending on the former eating habits of the individual, the body may compensate for the sudden lack of food by becoming super efficient - squeezing the life out of every single calorie and hanging on to the fat stores. This equals weight gain and/or no net weight loss in the early days. This is not everyone's experience, but it isn't uncommon. The average healthy sustainable weight loss is 8-10 pounds/month. Again, individually this varies, but this is considered the optimum. If you lose more, great. If you lose less, the average over time generally works out to... you guessed it, 8 - 10 pounds per month. And lastly, those individuals who do not keep a scale at home do better overall both physically and emotionally than those who weigh daily/weekly. One study found that individuals who had a regular monthly weigh in with an objective source had better levels of emotional and psychological health than those who kept scales at home. And, those who kept scales at home had a harder time breaking emotional eating habits because their moods rose/fell depending on what the scale said. They experienced more mood instability, which is a common trigger for emotional eating. As a former "weigh everyday" person, I can tell you personally that getting rid of the scale at home was the hardest and the best thing I ever did. Now, I don't think about my weight like that at all. I go to the doctor for my monthly check up, weigh in, and see whether my guess (of total pounds lost) is close. I usually aim for 5 - 8 pounds, and so far, every weigh in has been at least that if not more. Keep at it Sarabee323 - as long as you're headed in the right direction, the time it takes to get there is irrelevant. It will certainly take less time to lose the weight than how long you have lived with it. This is a good thing. Be encouraged - it gets better. CE

Hi ALL! I am currently in the 89+ day weight loss management stage. October 29th is my last weigh-in. My questions is, what happens if you gain weight during this period? Will CIGNA deny you because of it?

I just had my 100 day session with NUT and she said 18 months. That surprised me. I thought we would be done after 12 months. Now, I am also wondering if the power of the sleeve as a weight loss tool is with us forever. If we wanted to do the sleeve experience in, say, 10 years from now after a hypothetical weight gain, would it be possible? By this, I am asking if the sleeve will restrict and drop the lbs like it is doing now. Or is it a 1 shot deal?

I am so nervous about my 1st appt tomorrow with the surgeon. I have always been borderline the required BMI of 40 (The only health issue I have been diagnosed with is obesity and pcos) . I have been over 40 since September. Before that I have hovered around 38 and 39 with no health issues except pcos. I attended the required seminar over a month ago. Shortly after, I had my first Nutrition visit. Im thinking I should have held off with the NUT visit until after I met with the surgeon but I was in a hurry and didnt know how many months of those visits Blue Sheild/CA would require me to do so I thought Id give myself a head start. I was even told by the staff at the surgery center to go ahead and start the NUT visit but they advised me not to loose any weight because that would take me under the required BMI. WELL I ended up gaining 3 lbs over the holidays. If the Surgeon wants to go by the weight from my first nutrition appt, im hoping she doesn't disqualify me from the weight gain. I guess im not asking for anything here...just some encouragement for tomorrow visit. Is anyone else going through this with no family support?

Well, I can understand a lot of what you're talking about. Most assuredly you're in a better place for pregnancy (at least as a doc would view things) being more than half a year from surgery. And some doctors will let their patients try to conceive even sooner post op. My twins were nearing the same age when we decided to get pregnant, too. I didn't want too much of an age difference, so I really do understand that part of things. If there isn't a fertility concern I would wait one year post op but that's me. I had issues eating for more than a year post op. It wasn't until the six months prior to my two year anniversary that I could eat more normally, skip shakes if I didn't want them and had my Vitamin deficiencies under control. Would a healthy and happy pregnancy prior to that time been possible? Absolutely. Other people have done it and had no real problems or complications. A lot depends on where you are in your diet and overall health. As far as baby weight, unfortunately, very few folks have come back to update post op. It could be that they're too busy or that they're ashamed because they haven't been able to lose it. I do know that of the handful of regain posts I've seen, some of them were ladies that had babies post sleeve. But I think that the same principles that apply to maintenance/loss prior to a baby apply afterward and that a lot of this can be avoided if you're healthy, don't develop bad habits or go completely off track because you're pregnant and if you've got the emotional food issues under control. I've had a perfectly normal weight gain with my pregnancy and anticipate no real issues shedding the weight afterward, though I do expect it to go slowly much the way losing my last twenty pounds to goal went before I got pregnant. This is really something you should weigh and consider after seeing both your OB/GYN and your surgeon, to see what they have to say. Good luck, ~Cheri