Search the Community

The barium test is a standard practice among surgeons who specialize in gastric surgeries. It is the best way to ensure there isn't even the slightest leak. It's done within the first 24 hours this way if anything is even detected they can fix it asap instead of waiting for the problem to come up later on. I knew about having the test before I had the surgery it was explained to me ahead of time. Now for me I drink Muscle Milk for my protein. It's 310 calories for 32 grams of protein even drinking that 5 times a day would put u at 1550 calories in just shakes alone. Then add in food. In order to gain 20 pounds in under 7 weeks you would need to average 3 pound weight gain a week. There is no way unless drinking weight gainer protein that someone ONLY 7 weeks out gains that type of weight AND there surgeon tells them they stretched out there sleeve. You CAN NOT stretch out that sleeve on a basic liquid diet it's physically impossible. I have to agree with others that if her surgeon did a sleeve on her and told her that then she needs to see a different surgeon to ensure he is being honest with her in the surgery that he did and 2 that it was performed properly and correctly.

I'm still in the Honeymoon losing stage, but that didn't stop me from attending Cleveland Clinic's group session yesterday with the topic of Weight Gain. The room was packed with a lot of veterans about 2 years out. The number one culprit per the presentation seems to be carbonated drinks (aka soda) that many cannot seem to give up permanently. I'm glad I was never a soda drinker, although I was as a kid (thanks mom - but they didn't know much about nutrition in the 50s and 60s; we also ate mashed potatoes nearly every dinner). And to add to Babbs list, you should continue with support groups or nutritionist visits even after the year honeymoon period is over. Maintain portion and calorie control. Eat Breakfast, don't skip meals. Plan and shop and cook smart. Avoid or limit alcohol. They don't believe in that 5 day pouch reset. They recommend going back to Phase IV diet plan. Here is a copy of the CCF entire plan that they released electronically. Enjoy http://my.clevelandclinic.org/florida/ccf/media/Files/Florida/bariatric-surgery/Bariatric_Nutrition_Manual.pdf?la=en

Cindi - So happy you popped in! You hit the nail on the head, the band is the one that continues to work, its "ME" that quits working with the band. I find that I eat more junk when I get comfortable and the weight creeps back on! I am the one that causes the weight gain, not the band. So good that you are still exercising. I'm become lazy lately at that. I know I need to get back into the groove, I set my alarm this morning to get up, but just couldn't do it. I will be going tonite! Keep posting, we miss u!

Also fogot to mention that since my first fill ofc3 cc I can only eat 2-3 bites then it comes up. But usually I can then eat the rest of my food. This happens at almost every meal. I am not as excited with this fill as I was before it. And I take a few weight gaining pills for my bipolar and even with the fill I am losing very slowly...almost too slow. I try to watch what I eat but when I get really hungry I eat whatever will go down the easiest. Bad choice? And my hair is falling out. It was thin bc of hypothyroidism but now have a few balding spots. I see my endocrinologist today so maybe get my thyroid in check and maybe with eating more protein my hair will start coming back. There's alot more but I'll leave it like this. Thx

I just wanted to post a follow up on this thread. I had a support group meeting at my bariatric center and asked one of the nuritionists specifically about the no weight gain aspect during the medically supervised period., She said it does vary from insurance policy to policy but most of them would make you start the medically supervised period over again from the beginning if you had a weight gain at one appointment compared to your weight at the previous appointment. So as an example if you have a 6 month supervised period required, and at appointment 4 you had gained weight compared to appointment 3, you would would have to start all over with a new a new appointment 1.

Well I did pretty good for my Christmas dinner and dinners... I had a little turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and cranberries.. I also had pie for dessert and then a small piece of rice crispy square. I told everyone that after new years junk food and sweets will no longer be allowed in the house. I have to hard of a time staying away. Tonight there is still pie and other desserts on the counter but I have stayed away.. Congrats to me... I choose not to weigh myself. Just because I have started more solids and have a sinus infection which does not allow me to walk due to asthma.. I do not want to have a weight gain and be upset with myself.. So I will weight a week or two.. I am going shopping tomorrow and will be buying more healthy food since I have been having no problem with the mushy stage.. Anyways all congrats on being banded and all of us keep up the good work..

I agree, sabotages and haters lol But, realistically, this is life right? We will all face eating bad sometimes and we give in. Lifestyle changes are what our mutual goal Is. What I feel is this. I've been post op almost 2 years now. I eat like crap at times, sometimes a lot. I know it's not good and can lead to weight gain. I'm human and become more mindful and eat " like a sleever " is suppose to. I was truly devastated one time when I was told on here I was eating To Many calories. I was losing fast and I needed them. I didn't know that at the time and my whole mindset was shot. So people who may eat lousy sometimes, it's life. We have our whole life ahead of us and as long as we know the repercussions of our actions .... It's ok. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Well, TOM just came for another visit today - a week later than I thought it would. I hope this is not the new norm - I was a clockwork 28 day cycle before which I liked because well - it was clockwork. This is a 35 day cycle this time. Just a note for those who are curious: July 12 - surgery (I was supposed to start period then, but did not - probably because of the surgery). July 18 - TOM came for his normal visit of 6 days. August 4 - a 4 pound weight gain that stays for 1 week. August 11 saw a 4 pound drop and then an additional 3 pounds in the next week came off. August 18 - a 1.5 pound weight gain and a migraine (normal timing before start of period). August 22 - TOM returned. I had cramps and migraines before the surgery that always came with TOM. Unfortunately, he has brought them back this month. That was something that I was hoping would change. Oh well...

I’m about 3 weeks shy of my 2-year surgiversary. My husband and I are expecting our 2nd child, 1st one after WLS. My surgeon’s goal weight loss was 100 lbs. I lost 90 lbs prior to this pregnancy. I still track my daily intake on MFP and make support group meeting when possible. Prior to this pregnancy I consumed about 150 less calories/day. My OB/GYN says she thinks I can make it through this pregnancy with only a 10lb weight gain. Unfortunately, any amount of weight gain terrifies me[emoji30]. At 18 weeks visit I was up 3 lbs [emoji1430]. Baby is healthy, we are expecting a girl & hoping I can make it with very little weight gain and reach goal weight ASAP after our baby girl is born. [emoji120]

So I've finally caught up, took me 3 days to do it but here I am. No questions about it, I'm an addict. Not just to sugar and carbs but to food. FOOD still tastes good to me on a daily basis. I haven't given my sleeve anything that it didn't tolerate just fine. As I have gotten further out it has become harder to stay on track because now I don't have this list of like 4 foods that it is okay for me to eat. I actually have to choose to eat what I should, and for the most part, I do. I have days that I fall off the wagon, but each day is a new day. I get up, brush myself off and start again. I am from Louiaiana. Not just from the south but from one of the most obese states in our country. You know there are "starving kids in China" so we don't throw food away, or at least that's what we were told growing up. My grandmother was a feeder. Everyday after school (after finishing off a big grab bag of flaming hot cheetos and a large icee) she would have cookies or cake or fried chicken fixed and just hanging around. We got to eat what ever, when ever we wanted. This was all before the age of 13. It didn't stop. When I was in my early teens my parents did a dieting program through our church and lost weight. I didn't lose weight. I ate what they ate but I ate as much as I wanted. When I was a junior or senior in high school, I went through the program with them and lost 30 pounds. When I started college my freshman 15 turned into my sophomore 60 and stuck around for my senior 70. I seriously gained around 80 pounds in my 4 years of college. I lost some while working on my second degree but then got pregnant just before I graduated. When I went in to have my son I was 286 pounds (I had gained somewhere between 50-80 pounds during my pregnancy). I lost about 20 after I had him but within 4 months put it back on. Fast forward 5 years and I can't get pregnant. We think it's because of my weight gain (I'm now about 320) so I decide to go for a sleeve. A month before my sleeve was scheduled to be done, I find out I'm pregnant. And you know what, I was SAD!!! I wanted this surgery. I wanted to be healthy for my pregnancy but here I was super morbidly obese and pregnant. Gross. I only gained 23 pounds during my second pregnancy and the baby weighed almost 10 pounds so not too bad. That weight came off pretty quick and then I was sleeved when the baby was 4 weeks old. It was the best decision I have ever made. I have learned a lot already. I know that I have limited will power. My will power stops when I take a bite of anything. I can resist any food all day long until I take one bite and then it is all over. I can't stop myself. Carbs are a nightmare. If I start the day off with them, I'm hungry all day and wanting to eat. Same goes for sugar. But it isn't just those. Like Cheri, it fried goodness, burgers, savory, spicy, chips and salsa, FOOD! I have eaten out of bordom, I ate when I was happy and when I was sad. Something good happened, "Oh, lets celebrate! Where do you want to go eat?" Something bad happened, "Oh, bless your heart. What can I get you to eat?" It was never ending. I haven't been a big food sneaker but there were times that I did. I could, and probably still can but have not tried, to polish off a pint of ice cream in a single sitting. I never ate a whole pizza but I sure could eat half a large by myself. I was the one who finished my husbands food, and the kid's. I was the same as someone before who would go to McD's and get a large value meal and get chicken nuggets to go with it. I was out of control. Now I am not a slave to food. I don't think about it all the time. I enjoy it but it does not rule my life. I have an amazing support system and my hubby is happy to finish my left overs So much has changed about me in the last 8 months, on the inside and the outside. I am liking this new person I am becoming. I used to tell people that people liked me for the same reasons they like Santa Claus, cause I was fat and jolly! I'm still jolly. My joy is dependent on far more than the weight I carry or my circumstances but people are going to have to find a new reason to like me!

The first 6 months after the sleeve you are healing and your stomach is swollen so you have the most restriction and can eat the least. This is the best time to build good healthy habits because your stomach is going to offer you the most support and you should hopefully have no legit physical hunger during this time period (notice I said legit physical hunger, you can still have head hunger or confuse acid for physical hunger). 6-18 months you are fully healed but you should still have little to no ghrelin (stomach hormone that signals the brain for hunger). It gradually returns over time. The first 18 months you get the most physical support from your body to facilitate weight loss. You also have your set point lowered so your body is not actively trying to maintain a higher weight. So while you have this support from your body and this hormone and physical reset, you should take advantage. Learn new eating habits so they because a new lifestyle not a diet and avoid things that cause weight gain. I don't eat carbs, I didn't eat them during the first 6 months and now I don't want them. If I have the occassional carb, it is a once a day once a week kind of thing, not a habit. They just don't appeal to me. You can really change the way you think about and relate to food if you follow the eating steps laid out in your plan. WLS is more than a physical thing, it offers the chance for a complete mental reset in how you think about and relate to food. If you don't follow the plan or the steps you blow that chance and a lot of people end up feeling like they are dieting forever. So the difference ends up being, creating a new way of life, or being on a diet forever, or worse, failing. This Dr has a lot of very good information about Weight loss and weight loss surgery

Well, for several reasons I need my parents approval when I do things. I've got that kind of personality. Sometimes I do things against their approval, but I have a lot less anxiety in life knowing they support me.. so it was important they were on board with me. I didn't know about lap-band. I wanted RNY.. 3 years ago or so. They said they were completely against it, just diet, etc. So I did.. I lost weight.. gained it back.. then this past December, after gaining another 60lbs on top of my highest weight.. I decided I was getting RNY with or without their support. I was doing research to get information put together to convince them this is what I needed to do. That's when I found lap-band. So instead, I presented them all the lap-band info.. before I could show them anything.. I had to take a deep breath and explain.. I was doing this.. and my mom had seen a Dateline on the lap-band the week before I came to her, so the 'fight' never happened. She said she thinks it's a great idea, they support me. I asked if I could get a loan from them to pay for it (my insurance won't cover it), and they said they would pay for it without it being a loan. So that was that. I'm sure if she hadn't seen Dateline, it would be a relapse of the RNY thing.. how I shouldn't do it, it's unhealthy, I'll get sickly, etc. Maybe your parents just need the educating! Get information on it, show them how it's reversible if it ever needed to be, it's adjustable to fit your lifestyle, etc. Show them the death rate, and complications statistics. It's a no brainer when you get to the nitty gritty. Compared to RNY, where the statistics are scary.. but being the overweight party you're willing to risk it.. even when family is not.

Hey all, I had my pre-op class today and I have gained 6 lbs. I was told I should lose it as fresh weight gain goes right to the abdomen and takes up the room they need to operate.If there is not enough room for the intruments, they won't do the surgery. Yikes!

Hi everyone. Just about 2 weeks out from my surgery date of 30 July (just made it under the gun for the July Group!). Excited and nervous at the same time. Luckily work is keeping my mind off the surgery somewhat and for the next 9 days I'll be in Hawaii (working!) so it's not all bad. Getting my sleeve done at Madigan Army Hosp. in Washington state. Really have been impressed with the staff and the process that you go through there. While some may complain that it is overly long, I think it is good to take a decsion like this slow and to see all that is involved. Really enjoyed going to a support group meeting to be able to talk to those who have had gastric surgery and the good/bad of it all. The nutrition part was very informative as well. Looking forward to having energy again and to be able to play sports again. I have blown out my knee twice and that is what led to the weight gain to begin with. I come from a family who is large to begin with and without exercise (a lot) I have never been able to keep the weight off. So it will be good to have a tool to help get the weight down and then be able to actually workout again without so much knee and back pain! Thank you all for sharing your stories, I really find them helpful to me. Well almost time to catch the plane so for those of you getting sleeved in the next week or so I wish you the best and I will see you all when I get back (unless I can get on the hotel computer before!).

I think this is the toughest time for me. I too have gained about 20 pounds back. But I made up my mind no more sliders and no more sugar until it all comes off. Then if I can do maintenance with a little sweets I will, but if I start gaining again I will will not be able to eat sugar again. Because for the last 6 months I have just been going crazy eating junk. I'm one of those people who just can't have a bit. Is that what is behind your weight gain? Maybe we can encourage each other like we did in the beginning.

@Cat225, I hate the "You have such a pretty face" saying!!! I imagine punching the person in the face as those words come tumbling out of their mouth. I have struggled with my weight since middle school and have done every diet out there. My Mom took to me to a weight loss clinic when I was 15 and the doctor told me to take the pills and drink coffee and not to eat. I am serious that is what he said. My weight has gone up and down and I am now at my biggest weight gain ever since having my 2nd child. I am now 36 and I feel that the Lap-Band is what is right for me and I am doing this for me and only me! I see so many wonderful posts here in this forum and can not wait to get my surgery!

I had to quit for 90 days or my doc wouldnt even make an appointment and then they did a carbon test on my blood. Came up positive because I was inhaling second hand smoke from my hubby's cigars. Had to do another 2 weeks later. They didn't do another test after that and I was smoking again from October to April. I did do little sneaky things so that he wouldnt know I was smoking, like showering and washing my clothes right before an office visit. No one said word one that they had any idea. The nurse said that it was up to the docs descretion if he does another one. I am still smoking. I am going to try and quit again after I reach my weight goal minus ten pounds for the notorious weight gain lol. Do I want to? Nope, but I know I should lol .

I am going to copy/paste an email that I sent to my Monday night group therapy/weight loss class. Thought I'd give you an update about my lap band appt yesterday with Dr. Forgione (the surgeon). Well, the first frustrating part was that I had gained THREE pounds in the last week. He was kind but told me that any more weight gain was unacceptable and that surgery would be cancelled. I was really embarassed and upset but realized that I ate like crap over the weekend and Monday night and didn't exercise. What did I think was going to happen???? So, last night I was back on the treadmill and have vowed to log all of my eating this week and get in my exercise. I am planning on going back over there next Tuesday to weigh in to chart my progress. He also told me that my Upper GI showed that I have a small hiatal hernia. Basically it's when your stomach starts to go into your esophagus and it's very common with overweight women. Mine is very small and I have never felt any symptoms. So, he told me yeseterday that when he goes in laproscopically he may find that he has to repair the hernia that day and not do the banding until a different time. He is quite hopeful that he won't but wanted me to be aware. I'm pretty concerned about that but trying very very hard to stay positive. Tentatively, surgery is scheduled for Feb 20th but I will hopefully know more before our meeting next week. ___________________________________________________________ Well, I wrote that email 2 days ago and I am feeling much better. If I have a hernia that needs to be repaired I would rather fix it before I have the surgery and risk a greater chance of slippage. I'm working on the food. I had 2000 calories yesterday which is too many but am happy to report that I've been on the treadmill for 30 minutes each day. I've decided that I get NO days off with exercise. Once I give myself a little wiggle room I just don't do it. I'm trying to make it as natural as brushing my teeth- wouldn't that be a wonderful thing?

Just post your weight, gain/loss, goals met, or any other comments in this topic. I will update the chart, usually over the following weekend.

I am on Wellbutrin, Sertraline, Clonazepam, and Rexulti. I have always dealt with depression and anxiety. I have be prescribed so many meds, and most of them caused a lot of weight gain. These seem to be doing OK now, but is I begin gaining weight after losing it, my first call will be to my psychiatrist.

Indeed, some of my "always thin" friends have been fighting against weight gain all their lives. They say that my eating now resembles theirs and there's nothing abnormal about it. When I pass up dessert or take more than half my meal home in a doggie bag, it looks no different from what they customarily do.

Clients who regain weight after bariatric/weight loss surgery often ask us about the ‘5 day pouch test’. This much debated ‘test’ promises to ‘reset’ your stomach and help you lose more weight. It’s so popular in fact, it has its own acronym – the ‘5DPT’. So what’s the deal, is it too good to be true? Let’s start with a bit of background The pouch test was ‘created’ in 2007 by a fellow gastric bypass-er named Kaye. She struggled, like many, with discouraging and disheartening weight regain after bariatric/weight loss surgery. In an attempt to recreate that ‘tight newbie feeling’ again, she developed the pouch test. To start off the 5 day pouch test, she instructs you to ‘get back to the basics’. Or in other words, she wants you to return to the post-op liquid phase that is required in the first few days after surgery. She then recommends that you progress slowly from soft/puree protein, to firm protein and then lastly to solid protein (what’s the difference between firm and solid protein? We don’t know either...). Following this, you are supposed to feel a renewed sense of self. MYTH... The 5 day pouch test WILL NOT... - shrink your stomach - reduce hunger and increase satiety (feeling of fullness) - ‘reset’ your body - cut your cravings for carbs and sweet/salty foods FACT... We do however agree with some of Kaye’s suggestions. 1. Always delay your fluids from your solids foods. --> Stop drinking 15 minutes before your meals/snacks and wait at least 30 minutes after eating to start drinking again. WHY? - Drinking and eating at the same time ‘flushes’ the food out of your stomach too quickly. This causes you to feel hungry soon after eating. 2. Take your time to eat. --> Eating slowly and savouring your food without distractions increases satiety at meal times. WHY? - This gives your brain time to process that you are eating and lets you get the flavor fix you’re looking for. 3. Ask yourself if liquid protein snacks (aka ‘slider foods’) keep you full long enough (Ex. milk, yogurt, soft cheeses, cereal). --> While these foods are nutritious and provide good quality protein, they may not help you feel as full as you felt in the first few months after surgery. WHY? - These liquid foods spend less time in your stomach which is why you maybe feel hungry soon after eating. 4. Include a high protein food at every meal and snack. --> WHY? – High protein foods help keep you full longer. In our opinion, the ‘5 day pouch test’ is just another diet in disguise. Anything that promises to ‘reset your system’, ‘boost your weight loss’, ‘cut cravings’, ‘kick start your metabolism’, ‘burn fat’, etc. is unfortunately wishful thinking. There are no short cuts to healthy eating and lasting weight loss. There is only you, your pouch (i.e. your little stomach) and knowing how to use it! How do I know if my pouch is still small? Believe it or not, the majority of weight regain after bariatric/weight loss surgery is NOT related to having stretched your stomach. This is good news! In our experience, weight regain is more related to what you eat, the timing of your meals and snacks, and how you are eating. For example, if you feel comfortably full for 2-3 hours after eating the amount of food that fits on a bread plate, which includes a combination of protein, a small amount of grains, and some vegetables, your pouch is likely perfectly fine. We even asked one of our favourite bariatric/weight loss surgeons about the 5 day pouch test! Here is what he said: Need help? If you are looking to get back on track with your weight loss and healthy eating, sign up for our Get Me Back on Track package. Whatever the cause of your weight gain, we will give you realistic strategies and tips to tackle your triggers and barriers to healthy eating. Even simple changes to your home and office environments can make a big difference.

I plan on using Premier Protein for pre-op and post-op and doubling up on my regular Women's One a Day vitamins for pre-op, then switching to chewable Bariatric vitamins, Vitamin D, B-12 etc. post-op. I just ordered the Unjury sample pack. My nutritionist here locally tells me that Unjury passes taste tests in her office hands down to any other product. I am most interested in their chicken broth and their unflavored for a change of pace from the sweet stuff! On a side note, I found out that I had not gained weight like I thought! My scale at home isn't working! It was showing a 7 lb weight gain after 3 weeks of Zumba and it just didn't make sense because I FELT smaller. When I weighed with my nutritionist yesterday it showed me down 2 lbs from my last visit back in August. Good news!

Hello, I gained 35 pounds since my surgery over two years ago. If anyone has regained and loss again, please give me some pointers.

@creekimp13 I must be missing something. I've seen many food confessions. Most of us have been honest about bad days and food choices. Some people have a fabulous metabolism. They can work a more moderate or slack program and still lose or maintain weight. Some have more risk factors for weight gain, They may have to follow a strict program. Years out, I don't think anyone cares how I eat.