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I was on psych meds and didn't have any issues getting approved. However, I was told to work closely with my med provider to make sure my medications stayed at therapeutic levels as I lost weight. If you're not already, talking with a therapist might help. Also, FYI, part of the approval process for most insurances is a psych evaluation. And, as already stated, a lot of psych meds do cause weight gain. So that is something to consider for long-term success. One of the medications I was on contributed to a 60lb weight gain in a years time. Thankfully, I was able to find an alternative.

I use to use food for my depression I got up to 315 after surgery I dropped down to 195 well that was three years ago I started to use food as a crutch after the passing of my son I went back to my old habits and know back to 225 I still can't eat a lot but just can't drop weight like I did right after surgery any suggestions.. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using BariatricPal mobile app

I also had a concern with keeping the weight off after being banded long term. I recently read an article that stated that the reason that many "older bands (7-10 years old) had to be removed was slippage or a lack of a perfected technique. Over the last 5 years or so many surgeons have perfected the techniques for banding a patient and the procedure is now done lapriscopically as opposed to open surgery (which is how it started). They are stillc ompiling data, but band slippage and weight gain seems to have subsided a bit in the last 5 years.

I'm surprised. I've been lurking for a while and I haven't seen anyone with a low BMI be blasted. 2 cents: How many of us wish we would have stopped the weight gain at 190 by getting the lap band? I think if any one of us who would have known what we know now, would have gotten banded. I firmly believe in my own case, the issue is not about getting a measly 50 pounds off, it's about fighting for the rest of my life to get it off. If it were a perfect world, I'd come to terms with my eating and what causes it. But it's not perfect and I may never really master it. I just need a tool that will help me cope with the ramifications of it while I deal with the emotional aspect of it. I think the band is a great tool for anyone who may be spiraling out of control. To say I wish I was that BMI is pointless because when YOU WERE you didn't stay there or take care to stay there right? I think it's a brave thing when someone sees where the road is heading and takes measures. If I could back to when I was 190 lb. and the band was around I would have gone for it...

New2Tch, Sorry you went through that with your band. I did not have erosion but had mine removed last October and it took me a good 5 months before I was even thinking about revision as I had lost faith in myself and WLS in general. I've chosen to revise to RNY due to the malabsorption properties and also my daughter who lives with me had it and has done well so far. After my band was removed I did lose a bit of weight until my stomach went back to it's old size and I put on some poundage. I think it was that weight gain that made me realize that I still had a problem and just needed to find the right procedure for me. I wish you luck in your healing process, Nancy.

So much to catch up on! Laxative tea question .... like @ElectricBoogaloo ... I'm not regular, but never constipated, if that makes sense. I go irregularly, sometimes a few days in a row, then sometimes twice in a week. But I never feel uncomfortable even if it has been days. My first laxative I ever took was mag citrate to clear me out before WLS! That was not fun, so I'm good with my irregular self. As I've mentioned, I have an ex who's a GI. When I had too much to drink one night I worked up the nerve to ask him if going only twice a week was a problem. He assured me that as long as it's not a change, and I don't have any discomfort, it's fine, and what's normal for me. I do think that slow motility (his term) is connected to weight gain. I think foods sit around longer in me, and more calories get absorbed vs. someone who cycles food in/out in 12 hrs. That's just my theory though. Google tells me nothing conclusive on the topic

^^^^This a thousand times! I honestly think if you are having this issue, you must treat food as you would a prescription. You will need to be regimented, and determined and disciplined to go on a weight gaining program, but not just any weight--a muscle gaining regimen. And for that you really need a trainer who understands sports medicine and bariatric medicine. Cuz you do face challenges. For instance, are you logging? Do you track every bite that goes in your mouth? If you do, then you at least know a baseline both calorically and from a macro prospective. So you can alter your plan to increase your nutrition. The most obvious ways are NOT to add sugar. That is a recipe for RH. I have it. It sucks. Juice is TERRIBLE for that! But the most obvious way to add back cals and nutrition are to add back your protein drinks as supplements on top of your food. And eat very nutrient dense and calorically dense foods that allow you eat more of them cuz they are hedonic stimulants (lasagna casserole without noodles, casseroles, gooey things with cheese). Also adding in psyllium and miralax have been lifesavers for me... Hope those ideas help. If you are losing, I'd personally up my cals by 10-15% for the day...and get at least 1 meal in that had 30g of protein for that meal, cuz Dr. Longo says that aids in muscle building...

Another pound this AM. Everybody hang in there! Can you imagine what this would be like if we were posting weight gains like this!? Name.............StartingWeight....Current......Goal.........To Go Bunkey1965........220.................196............189...........7 CQQlgirl..............200.................198............190...........8 Cadets71............239.................226.5..........219...........7.5 Dreamsize8.........216.................216............190...........26 FeliciaLevy75......286.................243............240........... 3 Gayle21..............190.......... ......190............175...........15 Jeni 85................189.................182............169...........13 Laura bough........215.................205............190...........15 Liz_hager............172.................163............150...........13 MMarg.................220.................214............199...........21 Newhope4me......163.6...............159.6..........150..........9.6 NukeChik.............227.................227............197...........30 Scrappy_friend....222.................222.............200..........22 TexGirl................202.................198............180...........18 Thininside28........271.5..............256.............245...........11 Wannabthin.........199................199.............179...........20

Caffeine headaches ouch! Several articles I read say that diet soda causes weight gain and cravings. Hard because for a long time that's all I drank (not good). Who knew that diet pop was worse than regular? Ironic.

1st fill if it happens. I have lots of troubles getting so many pills about 20-27 pills a day 4-5 x's throughout the day. It fills me up with luquid and takes awhile before I feel like eating then there are days I can't hardly eat at all but not losing weight too much because some pills are weight gaining meds. So we'll see how much I've lost in since preop and guess at what I might lose if filled.

I don't know why it works for some and not for others. All I know is that so far, it works great for me...no band complications and as long as I do my part, no serious weight gain since hitting goal. I'm hoping to one day get to the same marks as our founder Alex, who has his band for around ten years now. I'm not far from my four year anniversary so I've a ways to go yet.

''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 !

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 see as many saying 'I've gained' as those saying 'I've lost'. AND MANY have what you describe a few weeks out. From the posts, it ain't "real" weight gain, it's just your body dealing with recovery from major surgery. Just stay with your program and you WILL do fine!!!

of course you can fail. Many people do. Cheating once in a while is not failure. But constantly cheating will lead you to failure and weight gain. Weight loss surgery is not a magic wand, it's not an easy thing to live with. It requires dedication and commitment. You have to eat right, be healthy, and exercise. Sure once in a while you can be a little naughty. But you have to make a LIFETIME commitment to be healthy, or you absolutely will regain weight

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.

I was started on zoloft prior to surgery, I didn't notice any weight gain then. I've continued on it since surgery and to my knowledge it has not had any effect on that aspect of things.

I've been taking Zoloft for over a year and didn't notice any weight gain. I took Prozac before Zoloft and it caused hair loss. I love my Zoloft and how much better I feel mentally. I believe everyone's body reacts differently to anti-depressants. You'll have to figure out what works for you. They have been a life saver for me. 🙂

I'm up 4 pounds this week and I've been more active than ever, burning around 3500 cals on the 3 days I worked out. Because I weigh daily, I noticed a spike in my weight the day after an intense workout ( cardio+strength training). Is this normal?

A couple thoughts about your post..... 1) if you have fundus deformity then your surgeon did not do your surgery correctly. A properly performed VSG Removes all of the fundus, which, as explained above us the stretchy part of your stomach. 2) sounds lime you were grossly misinformed about WLs and what is actually required for long term success. Any surgery (including bypass) is only one small part of what is required for long term weight loss. It was drilled into me over and over that it's the lifestyle changes we make that play a much more vital role. You can out eat any physical changes created by any surgery. Success is much more psychological than surgical. I'm truly sorry you weren't told the truth when making your decision to have surgery. 3). If you are having severe GERD, then yes, bypass is probably the answer for you. But again, your long term results as far as weightloss goes will be the same as your VSG without the often overlooked psychological tools. I suggest finding a good therapist if you find yourself going back to your old eating habits.....or developing new, just as destructive habits customized to eat around your bypass restriction. I saw this all the time in group. 1)The fundus deformity is a result of stretching my sleeve. I am over two years post op; my surgery was done correctly. All of my previous follow-ups indicated so. 2)I am not misinformed about WLS. 3)I do not need a therapist. I am aware of my role in my weight gain. I hear people say all the time the sleeve does not stretch, when in fact it does.

Having all my evaluation pre req appts today. So far my metabolism is totally normal, so the weight gain problem is MY BRAIN, lol. Everything else is coming out normal and good for surgery. Woohoo!

Not on that combo (I'm on Lamictal and Effexor), but I've heard it can be a good combo for wls patients because Paxil boosts the effectiveness of the Wellbutrin for depression at lower doses. That's extra good for us because pretty much all the antidepressants have weight gain as a potential side effect, with Wellbutrin being the only one with the potential of loss or staying stable. Adding a low dose of Paxil to "boost" you makes sense. Just keep an eye on how you feel, keep showing up here in all your awesomeness, and let your doc know ASAP If you feel "off." [emoji4] ~SW: 278 CW: 165~ RNY 1/5/2005 "What got you here won't get you there."

Didn't you just overeat like 5 days ago per your blog? Sweetheart, you are missing your coping mechanism. Believe me, I know the feeling so pls don't think I'm posting hate messages or anything ill willed, just maybe poorly said on my part. Remember you did this surgery to save your life - remember you said previously you were glad to have this surgery or you would have gained 30 more lb.s by now? I too understand that feeling. Ok the weight gain didn't happen overnight. It's not going to come off that way either. Relax, practice patience, know that God is trying to get you to learn to work on the head while the body takes it sweet time. Some basics that I try to remind myself whenever I get to this level of frustration: Are you exercising on a consistent basis? Are you drinking your water? Are you tracking your input (calories in) vs. calorie burn (calories out)? To that, I suggest myfitnesspal.com - it's wonderful! You have a lot of stress in your life right now so that's only adding to things. Relax, find a way to 'destress' and practice THESE basics - get your water in, get your exercise in on a consistent basis and track your i's and o's (inputs and outputs) and I BET you $100 you will see the scale move. Don't revert to 'fad diets' like going back to total liquids. You cannot live on those. But I too know how easy that appeals to me too whenever I'm stuck, grr. Practice the 'basics' and know tomorrow is going to be better! Good luck!

Kind of a two fold answer. Firstly, bread can be very hard to digest in the early stages of WLS. I know it feels like a brick in my sleeve the few times I've indulged in a little bread. Second, bread and starches are complex carbs, which turns into sugar and is slower to digest. That equals possible weight gain and cravings for more carbs and sugar, which can be major triggers for some. I know if I just stay away from complex carbs altogether, the less I crave junk. When I do indulge, it takes me days to detox and stop the cravings. That's why I and many other WLS patients choose to limit bread or stay away completely.

I think alot of people see an initial weight gain right after they get home from the hospital because they've had you on IV fluids continuous and medications can sometimes affect things too. Hang in there, you'll see the scale go down soon.