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Ooh I don’t even want to think about this. I know if it causes weight gain in some it will cause it ten fold for me (like everything else does). I know that my mom stayed on birth control pills for years past the end of her cycle. I’m pretty sure it was to help with the symptoms of menopause. I wonder if it helps control menopause associated weight gain??

Hi gals Well, there was so much real cheese in that pie, but everyone loved it... of course I knew i was not going to be able to eat it so it has real cheese in there, and way too much due to the little accident....lol We had a nice day, my sister is really starting to become the person she use to be. I went to PA today and we had a long talk, I told her about the big weight gain with the lexapro and then loosing it except the last 5lbs, because of course i'm super pms this morning ... she gave me a fill, my biggest one, i'm up to 1.5cc, she was going to put me to 1.75 but i told her i wanted to do baby steps, I then asked her for the post surgery pages of the diet so i could get back on track of what i should be eating. That was a bonus. So I am on Clear liquids for 2-5 days, the min is 2 days but left it up to me... but no more than 5, then mushie food for the same amount of time. I also have an appointment with the nutritionist on mondy, so I hope to get a swift kick in the butt to get this going again. I'm sipping chicken broth right now. Pamela, I think you still have my aol email address, I'm going to look there, but glad you are doing well already! Judy, you getting some nice weather to send my way? I'm tired of all the cool temps and rain. Well, today was a hit, so i'm happy. never walked this morning so going out in a bit.

Reeburgdon: I completely understand! I haven't posted in a while...I've been down. I am almost maintaining my weight...gaining losing same pounds right now and not getting anywhere. I go in for 2nd fill this Friday and am also hoping it helps with getting some restriction. I've also started a Zumba class...I love it. Only one day a week right now, but next sign-up I'll do two. I am seeing inches going away though...at least in the mirror. I need to take some measurements. And my clothes are looser. Hang in there...you're not alone.

I was fat before I became fat. Eventually my physical appearance matched how I felt on the inside. During high school I was always 140 but felt like I was obese. Hated my body. My rituals with eating began early.... Ohhhhh Snickers bars eating all around the outsides, then the nougat on the bottom. Then each bite after that I would let melt in my mouth. It was like making love to my food. Everything I loved to eat had some sort of ritualized eating pattern associated with it. I always had food battles with my parents. Now I realize it was all about control. I would have to sit at the kitchen table for hours because there were certain foods I refused to eat. I would get nauseous just thinking about them, then and now. Grits, eggs, black eyed peas just a few on a very long list. To this day I don't indulge in those foods, lol. My siblings, cousins and I would have food parties. My idea of course. We all would buy something from the store with our money we'd been saving. Then go on the back porch and divide the goods. We called it a picnic. As a teenager I would by a snack from the store and hide it under my mattress. Depending on how I felt I would finish it in a day or maybe 2, a whole box of Little Debbie Pies. When I moved out on my own at 18 I really settled into my food addiction. Until this point my binges hadn't resulted in weight gain. There was no turning back. I wasn't aware that what I was doing was blocking feelings of low self worth. Giving myself love the only way I knew how. I did not connect all the childhood abuse to my eating. I was just trying to survive. A young adult and teenage mom trying desperately to make ends meet. Too bad it's taken me many more abuses as an adult and reaching the age of 41 to began mending my mind. When you know better you do better. In therapy for a year doing the dance of one step forward two back. Thankful to have just taken a big leap forward.

Unfortunately some of us made a bad decision and moved to Louisiana.... LOL I miss it (downtown queen at heart) Blame my weight gain on moving out of the city. Did a lot of walking and hanging in NYC. Hate the driving and not walking aspect of being in the city. Sent from my SM-G900H using the BariatricPal App

Hi guys! SO HAPPY to hear that all of you are doing so well! Keep the posts coming - including the good, bad, and the ugly - let's be in this together! My surgery is one month away. I'm anxious and excited to get it done, but the extra time is giving me more time to get prepared. I've been having some serious freak outs lately. The most recent and probably biggest freak out came after hearing about two people who gained most, if not all, of their weight back after surgery. This scared the you know what out of me. You know why these stories are so scary for us.. Because we've already failed every single other time we've tried to lose weight. Gaining back at least some of the weight is a realistic fear. So I've been thinking about it a lot. Here's what I've realized. I will, for certain, lose weight and keep it off for at least a few years because I'm committed to working hard and making this surgery work for me. If I gain some of it back over the years, let's say 50% of it over 5-8 years, I will still be much lighter than I currently am. Also, without the surgery, I would probably be gaining over the next few years rather than losing, so by having the surgery, I believe that even if the worst happens and I end up gaining, I will still be less than I would have been - hopefully by a significant amount. I just had to work through all of this. Of course my commitment is to a life change, but I'm dealing with a 40 year old addiction and that still scares me. After the freak out subsided, I once again realized how grateful I am for this opportunity. This is going to help me change my life in such a positive and significant way. I know I will do the hard work because that's what I do - now, though, I will have a super tool to help support me with my efforts.

Shar, I don't know about the vitamins but I take the Viactiv with no problems and believe I would know cause I am off the hormones and the hot flashes are fast and furious. And I am not taking the viatamins or viativ as you should stop them a week before surgery so I just stopped them early. Do you have a surgery date? Have you lost your 5%? Once you are approved I don't believe they will cancel surgery for weight gain but SB Phase 1 is very important for the week before surgery. My final weigh in is Monday and I suspect I have gained a few pounds after my marathon poor eating this week.

Hey Vicki whats going on with you?/ New fixed band= weight gain huh??

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.

So sorry to hear your situation but don't give up. I have Anthem BCBS of Ohio and they are strict but should check for sleep apena. Mine was brought on by my weight gain. I'm at 250, bmi 41 currently and I have mild sleep apena. So just for that, it's important.

I am so there with you! Have had this "unexplained" weight gain happen to me several times. I can offer some thoughts as to what is happening, whether they apply or not, who knows? But, without doubt, I can tell you RELAX!! It's OK! It's more than likely not REAL weight, but rather the body retaining water from exercise. This is soooo common...the body "insulates, cushions" the strained (injured) muscles by packing on the fluid. I know, I know...it sucks...but seriously...you did not consume 7200 calories extra...your body is burning more than usual (BMR)...so it has to be this, IMHO. Now, don't misunderstand...I KNOW how mad that can make you!!! A few tricks...extra fluids, more protein. Try a protein bar, slice of deli meat, FF string cheese. Always strength training BEFORE cardio. Eat small amount of protein 1/2 to 1 hour after workout. Back off any bad carbs if you're eating them. Ok...time to go practice my own preaching. I'm rootin' for you!

Hey everyone! I haven't had internet access for a few days and it's been killing me! LOL! Everything here is going good. All is well with the pregnancy so far. I am starting to feel my band tighten up at times, so I'm sure another unfill is looming in the near future. I still haven't gained anything yet. I'm a little ashamed to admit I am absolutely terrified of gaining back everything I lost over the past year. I'm hoping to keep my pregnancy weight gain to under 20lbs, which should be fine since I still weight 235! I haven't really discussed it with my OB yet, so I'm curious to what she'll have to say. The good thing is, now that the tiredness is starting to wear off, I've actually been feeling like exercising. I got some Leslie Sansone tapes from my mom, and I'm going to try them out 3 days a week. I'm restricted to walking for exercise, so I figured the Leslie Sansone workouts would be sufficiently low-impact. It's too damn crappy to go walk outside, and it's too frigid to walk on my basement treadmill. I can't wait for spring! Tonya - yes I'm taking my vits! I even got my OB to give me chewable prenatals! BGB - good to see you back here! Lynn - can't wait to hear about surgery. Sending thoughts and prayers your way!

Hey gang, just wanted to pop in and say hello. Things are going pretty good here. I'm 16 weeks already! No weight gain yet and no more extreme band tightening either. I do feel some restriction coming back, so I'm having to pay more attention to what I'm eating again. My back is killing me though, especially on work days. I'm assuming it's half pregnancy related and half not-exercising related. I feel like such a sloth right now. I can't wait for the weather to get warm, so I can go for some nice walks outside! Maria

Hi Angyl - Ohhhh, I am sorry to hear that the test didn't go well, but I have to tell you - GIRL YOU ROCK!!! I can't imagine even TAKING a test a day or two after surgery. Surely your professor will work with you on it . . . Keep us posted. Any weight gain that shows up on the scale at this point is Fluid, so don't let it worry you one bit. I did the same thing after my TT - I guess it is a lifetime of watching the scale that makes us torture ourselves like that, I don't know, but there is NO way you've gained any in the last few days. And about being able to eat 5 Ritz crackers . . . that (in my opinion) is not too much. Now - understand that there was a time I would have rushed like a crazy woman to my band doctor insisting I needed a fill if I'd been able to eat 5 crackers, but after 2 different episodes of being way tooooo tight, I now understand that it really is okay to be ABLE to eat, moderation really is the key and the band (when properly adjusted) will help you with that. I would say that for at least the first year I had the band I had no concept of how much I really should be eating. I thought if I was physically ABLE to eat, then my little silicone buddy must not be tight enough. In my case, nothing was further from the truth . . . So, without trying to sound like your mother :wub: - don't think just because you can eat 5 crackers that you don't have restriction. I would say give it some time because your band may be in a little bit of shock after your surgery. I chose not to get an un-fill before my TT and have had some very tight days since, but in the long-run, I think it is going to be okay. My thought is, as the swelling goes down, hopefully it will return to my pre-TT state, that was PERFECT for the first time in a year. Have a great Sunday - Happy Easter . . .

It has been pretty rough. I am just looking forward to a healthy recovery and a period of more than 1 month of not being sick! That would be fantastic. I am frustrated today though because I am still showing an 8 lbs weight gain on the scale, and so bloated in my midsection. I also haven't gone to the bathroom yet...since Wednesday. I cannot imagine that as being good. I am going to the doctor's office tomorrow to meet with the nutritionist, so if the situation does not resolve itself by then I'll let her know. The problem is that I return to work tomorrow...what in the world am I going to wear!!! I have been getting by with sweats for the last few days since those are the only things that are not form fitting, but I might get looked at funny if I show up tomorrow in head to toe fleece. lol wish me luck!

FONT="Comic Sans MS"] Again, for those who didn't read it the first time...here is the question: isnt bypass/ds/etc "damaging" the body by removing/sectioning the stomach? ANYTHING that invades the body has the potential to "damage" the body...but if the same part of the stomach that is removed in DS is removed due to stomach cancer or severe damage due to ulcerations, is that also damage to the body? Or is it just a procedure to correct a problem? If you want to read in some negative thing that I didn't write, go for it. But know that I am not the source of the negative spin...THAT comes from people who don't want to hear anything that might burst their bubble. ALL surgeons walk away (not to imply abandoment) after the surgery. (Again, WHO is looking for a negative spin? I wasn't implying anything...I don't tend to "imply" things...I just say what I'm thinking.) They have to trust their work...but the band surgeon has to trust that the band will stay where he put it...and that just doesn't always happen. I've been on wls boards for close to five years now and slippage due to vomiting is not as rare as some would like to believe. And, it isn't always easy to detect. Usually, it takes people a while to accept that something bad is happening, and then not all surgeons--and not everyone gets in to their surgeon right away without first going through a gauntlet of his helpers--sometimes miss the diagnosis. It often takes a while. If I were focusing on worst case scenarios, I'd forever be mentioning the woman whose band cut off blood flow to her entire stomach and--last we heard from her--she was looking at a future with a bag. And, yeah, her band was "easily" removed...leaving behind a mess. I tend not to go there...I tend to focus on the more frequent problems. Who can't tolerate food? I had solid food post-DS far sooner that I did post-band. I know of some people who have had problems at surgery who have had feeding tubes...for a while...but that is a far easier fix than a band removal. "Malabsorption so bad that medicines can't be absorbed?" Where is this coming from? Most medicines come in more than one form...which people with bands should be aware of since they are not--after banding--good candidates for NSAID's for pain relief. I agree with MOST of what you say..and wish I saw more of it here. I did have a higher risk of dying during my <120 minute DS-revision than I did with my 40 minute banding...but those things each happened in less than one day. It's the REST of my life that I was focused on. Yes, this is a banding support site. But, as such, it isn't necessary to promulgate FALSE information about the hazards of the other choices. Some people--well, according to European statistics, a LOT of people--will move on to another wls after banding. They should be considering the band the FIRST step...and if it works, fine. They should not be getting fed false rumors about how the other surgeries will kill them or make them stink or ruin their lives...because that just is not true. NO wls is the perfect one for everyone...I've said that repeatedly. And I've mentioned that, at age 60-ish, I have different long-terms concerns about malabsoprtion that someone who is 30-ish might have. But banding did "work" for me as well as it "works" for number of people. I lost some weight, I got reflux, I had multiple adjustments and weight gain, I had esophageal dysmotility. Other people--several years out--have other problems. SOME people have no problems. But the flippant "oh, well, no biggie, it can always be removed" comments coming from people who haven't lived through those espisodes of Life With the Band, is--at best--a tad irritating. It ISN'T "no big deal" when you can't swallow, or when what you swallow comes back up even if it's only Water, when you aspirate stomach acids, or when you live through months or years of band-related problems. First...about the honesty of bandsters. They are NOT as honest as you might think. They keep trying to protect/defend their decision to have chosen the band rather than one of the other surgeries and they blame themselves for not doing their part instead of considering another move. And they sit there, still (or again) obese or still (or again) MO. (That behavior is particular to the band, btw.) Band patients almost all blame themselves for the band's not delivering the results they were hoping for. AND THEN, because they think of themselves as the weak link in the chain, they don't go out in search of a procedure that does work for them. (In Europe, where patients are taught they the band ios what they'll try first, they accept that fact that some people will have success and other will not. One European surgeon who is a long-time band/RnY/DS surgeon wrote me and said that fully 20% of his practice is now removing bands and revising to another wls.) Then, maybe you haven't read enough "newbie" posts (here and other places). Post-ops who really believe that they could eat just like before only a little less...who didn't know about drinking with meals...who didn't know about taking food slowly after adjustments...about why they aren't losing weight immediately post-op...about why the left shoulder hurts...about why they lost 20 pounds the first week and then nothing for three weeks..about NSAID's post-op...and on and on. When there were thirty banding doctors, the patients were FAR better informed. We KNEW what to expect and there were no surprises. Now, there are more INexperienced surgeons banding UNeducated patients. It's a dangerous combination. [/font]

First of all..Having surery at 450lbs was a major risk in itself. It is indead sad and painfull that she passed away, but I am sure it was more that having the gastric bypass itself that caused her death. Having worked on a gastric bypass wing as a RN I can tell you. I have seen sadness and miracles with this surgery. The largest woman we ever operated on was 800lbs and I was truely terrified for her because I ddin't know if i was going to see her after surgery or not. Needless to say, she survived and to this day is doing well. The surgery saved her life, but it could have turned for the worse..A close firend of mine had gastric bypass, lost 200 lbs, and needless to say gained it back and has now also passed on from complications FROM WEIGHT GAIN.... so you,,,it can go either way.... I am glad you had your surgery. You are onestep closer to being healthier. As for telling your family, it is up to you to make the decision. I believe in the end, they will be happy for you because you have chosen to take control of your health... Peace and may you have a happy and healthy 2011... Onenuttynurse

I have my pre op appointment in a couple days. They are shooting for April 30 or May 1 for surgery. I am very aware that this is going to be a lot of work. I am hearing all these stories of weight gain after bypass surgery that I am so afraid I will be one of the statistics that do gain it back. As many of you all know the feeling of diets not working, I can't help but keep asking myself what will make this any different? I know me getting the sleeve is different then bypass, but I am still very scared. Any advice would be so appreciated.

I am 5 days post op. I wouldn't worry about the weight gain as the hospital pumps you with so many IV fluids. Try using 1 oz cups to sip that helped me swallow less air. Also walk walk walk, that will help pass gas and alleviate pressure. I'm not sure what to say about the numbness in your tummy :-(. I hope this helps.

Hi ladies! Has anyone had any experiences with getting the depo shot post-surgery? My surgery was Nov. 23rd, 2018. I'm terrified of the weight gain aspect and I was thinking of switching to the patch instead. Any advice would be much appreciated! Thank-you. [emoji3] Sent from my SM-G960U using BariatricPal mobile app

Lets see.....My friend told me about it a year ago, but I didn't think about it for myself at the time. She then one day asked me, when I was crying about my dieting and recent weight gain, why I didn't look into banding. She told me to come on here. Nov. 22 was the date I joined and started asking my questions, made my decision about choosing Dr. Ortiz, bought his book, my financing that I had been trying to get for home improvements that had not gone through for 6 months was now "miraculously" coming through now, for such a time as this..... I scheduled surgery for Dec. 18 but had to reschudule since the money didn't come in in time, a few days too late. Resceduled for Jan. 5 and had it done!!! So, my time line from the date I even considered it for myself to the time I had it done, was only about 1 1/2 months!!!!! Had my money come through, when I was hoping, it would have gone to wood floors or granit countertops!!!! Audree

I had an increase in my menopausal symptoms after I had my gall removed in 2921. We increased my dosage but nothing changed (except a small weight gain) until my GP wondered if I wasn't absorbing them well anymore since the issue started after the gall surgery which also caused a protein absorption issue. She put me on a HRT patch as a trial. Well, she was right. The symptoms are gone & I’m only on a low dose HRT again. Malabsorption can be a concern with bypass so maybe ask your doctor if the absorption of your HRT could be being affected. Bonus of the patch is no pills - yay. Just replace the patch every 3.5 days. Oh, & I’ve slowly lost some of the weight I’d gained.

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.

I don't want to put a damper on the Saturday weigh in but I read an article in PreventionGuide Weight Loss magazine that I found interesting and would like to share. Im not saying it's right or wrong but would like other's opinions. "Researchers found that dieters who stepped on the scale every day lost an average of 12 pounds over 2 years and were less likely to regain lost weight (weekly scale watchers lost only 6). Daily monitoring helps ID the behavioral slips that cause weight gain." It's not a significant loss but it does make sense.

I would appreciate your prayers for me for tomorrow. I am having a nuclear stress test. When they did the routine EKG on me for the lap band they saw an irregularity on it. They then did an electrocardiogram and saw something else. I had breast cancer in 1989 at age 39 and it seems the drug they gave me for chemotherapy might have damaged my heart. Great huh? Take this drug to save your life from cancer but it might give you heart damage. 12% of patients that get that drug have damage in their left ventricle. That is the main pumping chamber of your heart. So, tomorrow they are doing the stress test to see how much damage I might have. I don't have a lot of the symptoms (except weight gain and I'm not sure that's why I gained) that people with severe damage have so please pray there is no damage or minimal damage. I'll post when I know more. Blessings, GG