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Congratulations Green. It is great about the involuntary weight loss. I have never had that. Lots of involuntary weight gain though.LOL I don't envy you your root canal treatment. I have had that, and since then I have had dental implants. When the implants went in I looked as if i had gone 10 rounds with Mike Tyson. Are you now fully recovered from your face lift? I hope so. My face is getting really saggy now that I am losing weight. I don't know what to do first TT or face lift. I think probably face as i have big bags under my eyes. Won't ramble any more. I am really pleased for you though - goal and losing!

Hello all - my date is Sep 11. Before I got approved I started liquid dieting because my decision stemmed from a 25 lb weight gain in just two months! W/ my insurance time - i have NOT been able to lose though I tried. Then i was going to go on liquid for a while but now that i have a date I'm kind of eating things I never ate before!!! Like bagels (had two this week).. because I will never have them again. I don't eat them for a reason! I am trying to exercise more than the two times a week that I ride my horse (but I have only gotten as far as restarting my gym membership, finding my card, and heart rate monitor). My excuse is working late but thats a bit of an excuse because i didn't work late today! I am single and only have a brother and his family (aside from some friends) and I hate imposing on people so I have a question. I am told I am not staying at hospital overnight. Does anyone know how much you really need to have someone with you? I live in NYC so everything is easy - can have a cab take me home... etc.

I absolutely understand your feelings junkie. I was sitting pretty level all year, which was tough, my Dr said a fill could reasult in a weight gain, howeve the nutritionist convinced him to do a fill in October, I started losing again and was hopeful again. However I lost my job and the holidays hit and now I am up again. So trying to start fresh again. Im here for you all!!

Sounds like everyone is still plugging away at it, although I know it's not easy. I hit a plateau a few months back, I was alright with it since my husband and I were trying to conceive. Well I probably won't be on here for a while because I am finally pregnant. We've tried for 6 years and the surgery was a plus for helping with pregnancy. I am pregnant with twins so I probably won't be on here until January after they are delivered. I will surely need some motivation after a pregnancy weight gain. I have noticed that I am very conscious of what I eat, so hopefully I don't go overboard on my eating. :thumbup: Thanks for everyone's support through the first 9 months of "band life"!!

So happy for you hope I reach such success and no weight gain in a year now that is sensational good luck

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!

J Whipple, I am sorry you are going through this. Life happens, whether we like it or not. They say the surgery and weight loss changes everything- including the relationship with your spouse. It is true. If she isn't taking her meds, and still goes through mood swings, sounds like she has something more than depression. There may be a silver lining to this (but it's hard to see, right now) Yes it hurts, but you need to focus on you. GET an attorney and change your accounts at the bank. If her name is on an account, she can empty it. YOU need to check with the attorney, child support office with your state Welfare agency or County Attorney. They can make adjustments to Child Support if you qualify. Do it ASAP- it isn't automatic. DO talk with your daughter- let her know you love her. ( REAL MEN honor their committments) Take to her Mom- let her know the stuation, too. And get moving. You need to do something. Apply for unemployment benefits, do volunteer work until you get a job ( it will help gain some perspective) Ther going is tough , you need to get going. Prozac can cause weight gain ( been there, done that), ED, and the sleeping. Anyone would be depressed in your situation. IT is short term. You can change. Good Luck!

I'm really struggling with the decision to move ahead with surgery or not. Here's what I don't understand. How are you not destroying your metabolism by only eating 750 calories a day? Will you never be able to eat regularly again for risk of packing on the pounds? I did the HCG diet years ago (it's terrible. Never ever do it) In a nutshell... you gave yourself a shot every day that kept your body from realizing that it was being starved and then ate about 750 calories a day while your body worked hard to function as usual. The weight dropped off. I lost quickly over about 3 months and then stopped the injections and slowly eased back into a regular diet of about 1500-1800 calories a day. AND THE WEIGHT JUMPED BACK ON so fast I was floored. I was eating a healthy, well balanced diet on the low end of daily intake for my height and weight and activity. But I gained a pound a day until I was 20 pounds heavier than I was before the diet. Explain to me how this forced starvation doesn't do the same thing? My stomach will stretch. We know it does because we are told we can slowly eat more over time. Won't my metabolism think I've starving and halt? Am I really expected to only eat 800 calories a day for the rest of my life or expect to gain?? Thank you for sharing facts and experience.

Boy I have missed so much! Florinda I am so glad we heard from you. You know I am right on the coast. Are you going to come up the coastas far as OR after you leave Northern Ca? Bill and I just made that trip, going up highway 1 and 101. You know I would love to meet you . I go to Eugene all the time! did you meet this guy through an online dating type site? I would love to hear how you two found each other!! Sheryl, I am as far out as Susan.I don' t have the problems she has. I know people farther out than me who don't have problems either. We can run into problems if we don't take our Calcium citrate. I do the chewables from Bariatric advantage. I don't care about the calories. I feel my health is more important. They taste like Tootsie rolls. I have them on auto ship so I get 2 bags a month for 20.00. I would like to meet you too, but you have never answered whether that would be possible. I go to Portland all the time. Georgia, I know how you feel. I'll be 62 this fall and I don't feel like it, except when my back really hurts. Getting the sleeve has made me so much healthier! Cathy, I am so glad you're in your house!! As far as adding anyone, I am totally against that. I want us to be able to read and post without feeling stressed that I am missing posts because I don't have time to read them all. If gamergirl wants a support group , she should start another group. She can call it anything she wants. Peole close to goal, People close to being a vet, whatever. She can PM the people she likes, and start a group. Sorry if I have missed anyone. I haven't been able to get online. Bill is really sick. It's 2:30 am now, I need to go to bed. I'm having trouble too, with weight gain. Bill is such a bad influence, as far as fasting goes. It's a lot harder when there is someone eating around me.

morning all! I have been a little absent, getting ready for a big show... over 75 pieces done over the last 30 years. I AM OLD... but not dead yet! The show looks fab. I will post a pic. You are so right! My doc keeps hounding me to lose 5-10 pounds, but really, I feel so successfull... even with the weight gain. It is so true, we have beaten the odds, all of us. SO FAR... aways vigelent.... It makes me SO happy to hear such an upbeat and positive post from you! Keep up the good work, and a prescription for massage! Genious! Iceland!!!! Lucky dog. I hope to do more traveling in the future. Its been toooo long. Craig is still in New Zealand, and will stop in Kona for a week on the way back. Good news from the Doc! This must ease your mind after all the problems you had with the trainor...

I'm sorry you're having such a hard time Florinda. You have MS though and I am sure that contributesto everything. Depression causes weight gain. I am really depressed. I can barely walk, let alone go to the gym, dance or hike, all the things I love. I have an appt. with two therpists and I will pick one to do some counseling.

My doc wants me to go on some horrible daily drug and they cause all sorts of side effects. I don't need xanax daily... just a small dose, maybe right now a few times a week but I think once under control, just occasional. They hate you using it because of the addiction risk. Trust me, I have asked - she relented and gave me a tiny amount for the surgery. I will admit my friend P that went with me to Mexico had a more generous prescription and I did take it a few times when things were going to happen that stressed me - drain removal etc. Anyway, it is very frustrating. I am going to see another person next week that is a nurse who also does therapy so she can prescribe drugs. I will try to have an open mind but I am fairly adament I don't want to start on a daily anti depressant/anti anxiety. I don't want the side effects and the weight gain. There are alot of things that I have complex emotions about but the heart stopping anxiety is because I can't concentrate at work and I just get further and further behind. It's awful.

Has anyone gained weight after a fill?

I'm only two and a half weeks out, so I haven't gained any, but I don't think you're gonna find anyone who has gained more than 5lbs on here. I have a feeling that most people who have gained their weight back post-op gained it because they didn't have a support system or anything to stay on track, hence the weight gain.

Good morning I had my surgery on Wednesday2/27/2013 with Dr Garcia He was gr8 and so was his time I am sill in Tijuana Mexico I will be leaving @12 on Monday , I am feeling great I will not get on I will not weigh in maybe for 2 weeks I know because I am a nurse that being in the hospital and getting IV that I may have Water weight gain. And I really don't need to see that. But over all coming to Mexico was gr8 I did not take photos but I dod enjoying shopping had some nausea for the first 2 days that was it .I did a lot of walking and sipping on h20

I was sleeved Feb 25 (1 wk, 1 day ago) and now that I made it through "hell week" feel like I might survive lol. In the hospital I was nauseous and wobbly and once home I was in pain, my legs swelling and tingling and couldn't get more then a couple tblspns in a day of water or nourishment. Definitely couldn't stomach the shakes and had trouble finding anything that tasted right. I think my taste buds are finally headed back towards normal now- whew! Hubby was sleeved Dec 17 and sailed through everything with no problem, followed the diet with no problem, very little pain, was riding an exercise bike within a few days- basically the best possible outcome. I on the other hand was the complete opposite. I finally just decided I was going to have to eat a bit outside the norm or I was not going to make it and for me that made me start healing. So for example last night I had 1 oz of salmon mixed with a teeny amount of healthy mayo and this morn i am working my way through a scrambled egg and then will have a couple oz of OJ. Including my 2 wk pre-op diet I've now lost 22 lbs including all that fluid weight gain from the IV and surgery. Hubby and I both use myfitness pal- easy to use and nice to see the protein and calorie numbers. TMI: My 3rd day I pooped (hey, we all do it, lol) normally but then for the next few days I had diarrhea everytime I managed to eat something. Thankfully that seems to have passed. Maybe it was the Lobster Bisque, lol. I did have trouble bending over to wipe from the belly pain and hubby bought me this stick thing you attach the TP to but it really didn't work. Not worth the $15. Actually he had bought me a bidet attachment thing for the toilet but our toilet wasn't compatible- darn. Twice I wasn't sure I'd wiped well so I made those "shower now" days, lol. I'm a great tooter and happily no sharts Last night was my 1st night that I was able to sleep in my bed all night without having to move to the recliner. Yes I had a ton of pillows but I made it happen! Still looking forward to being able to curling up on my side for sleep but for now this is good My first week I had a tummy that would just spam and jump on it's own and an awful pain left of my belly button. That pain I was convinced was from splitting something inside because my 2nd trip to potty in the hospital I bet over a little and coughed and felt something there go POP all the way over to my bellybutton! I told the nurse and I told the surgeon but they didn't seem concerned. That was the pain I thought was going to do me in once I was home because I couldn't stomach the liquid pain med they gave and they told me to take tylenol and couldn't handle more then 1 pill a day at that point. That pain, just today is finally easing up- yay! My other big pain was my left shoulder. I had a (surprise) hiatal hernia repair done also and they said that shoulder pain was from the repair. Today I can breathe and not wince as that pain also is fading away finally. One thing I wished I had known sooner was it's really ok to take Aleve and gosh those pills are TINY and last longer! I am finally starting to get my meds and vitamins in but it's slow going. Still haven't had a day where I got them all in. For me besides Tylenol or Aleve, it's - Losartan pill for hypertension, Prilosec capsule to protect the tummy, Ursodial capsule to control the gallbladder (I do have a tiny gallstone), Multivitamin with iron (2 jumbo chewables daily), Calcium Citrade softchews with D3 (4/day), and Sublingual B12 once a week because I don't want the dreaded intramuscular B12 shots. I haven't started exercising yet other then a bit of walking but once I do I will use the exercise bike we have here at home and then move on from there. Hubby goes to Planet Fitness which he says is nice because it's not the kind of place where already fit people go, lol. They do have people there to show you the ropes too and it's only $10 a month and no contract (or $20 and you can use more then 1 location and bring a guest). Unfortunately it's not that close to home. He uses one at lunch near work and on weekends uses one in the next town over. So I was considering Curves for women which is 5 minutes away from home and do their 30 min circuit. My exercise specialist at the weight loss clinic said I could but that he didn't recommend it as a first choice. So I'm not sure.

Hello fellow lapband patients! It's been a very very long time since my last post. I am approaching my 2nd year anniversay this Feb 09. I have not had a fill in about 7months. OK i'v notice 2 things: 1. I have consistently seen the scale go out a total of about 7lbs(freaking out) 2. I am always hungry as if I've never had surgery at all.Now I've made an appt for a fill and it is mid Jan 09. Now let me be honest I have broken every band rule . Which is th purpose of this post. I have been consistently eating and drinking together. Is it possible that I may have permanently stretch my band. I am so back on track now. I've must have terribly lost my mind. My band story has been an easy one. I started at 215lbs day of surgery size 16-18 lost 50lbs with no real problems now 165lbs size 8-10. I am so obsessed about weight gain that I am freaking out about this 7lbs and the possibly of messing my tool(band) up for life. Please help! All suggestions appreciated!

B-man- Big hugs girl. I don't know why this shit is coming down on you! I swear it is like a big cosmic test. I am bummed for you. Hang in there and vent away! Sweet-wtg on the size 12 skirt. AWESOME! I am so happy for you. I hear you on the natural vs. low waist. I am with you on that. I have a big difference in mine too. I am hoping that will change with time. Ugh. Good job on getting through the weekend. I look forward to seeing a weight drop tomorrow. Nikki-glad you stopped by. Good luck on your scan this week. As soon as you start getting that baby bump, you will feel different about the weight gain. It is all worth it. Make the healthiest choices you can thru the pregnancy, and the weight will melt off after. I wish I heeded that advice but I used both my pregnancies as license to CHOW! I am really happy for you and I hope the head cold goes away soon. Nat-how did the cookie making go? What a good mommy. I used to be that good. You remind me I need to take some time to do that with my kids. Girls-I went out and danced my butt off last night. I was feeling so good in my size 16 jeans. The cut was really fitted and boot at the ankle. They were super long so I wore them with some red heels and a fitted top. I felt really hot. (i know hard to imagine at size 16 but I was rocking it!). I had a few drinks (maybe one or two too many) and was convinced I was the sexiest dancer there...hahahahahahha. Regardless, it was a blast, my legs and butt are killing me today and I am TIRED. I got in at 2:30am (wth was I thinking). I am off to recuperate the rest of the day. If you are interested in weighing in tomorrow, post your start/current/goal/change this week and I will compile it. Later~

Thanks everyone for the kind words about the 5 lb gain I hope it is water weight gain b man - what was stuck sorry to hear that

boo........congratulations you are our first girl to get to goal im sooooooooo proud of you:clap2: ,dont worry about your mum mine thought i looked too skinny when i was about half way through i think she just more comfortable with a podgy daughter she used to seeing ,i sometimes catch sight of my reflection and i dont recognise me !!!but i like this one better although of course critically still not too impressed with the undressed me ......will i ever be:phanvan ?? wont there always be something ,im pricing tummy tuck and boob job at the moment for after baby born (well a few months after )and so want thigh lift but been told it unbearable pain and with so many little ones to care for it not an option, but i have jelly top thighs not a good look ,though to be honest im a lazy arse im sure i could tighten them up a bit at least :embarassed:. not been feeling great lately sickly,exhausted .generally bluuuuuuu and the whole world giving me hard time about weight still going down..ok so im a little concerned too but what can i do band unfilled but im still feeling restriction ,im six months pregnant and no weight gain in fact im down about 20lb since finding out:faint: but baby feels good size inside ,my babys were 8lb 8oz 8lb 3oz 8lb 14oz 8lb 5oz wonder what this wee man will weigh ?? i go for ante natal next tuesday so they can measure bump then ,but i reckon im spot on for dates will let you all know . keep at it you are all doing so wonderful when i used to post and see people so far ahead i thought that will never be me but i caught up ive lost 97 pound i can barely believe it i was at go slow then it sped up ...unbelievably when i could get a little more in i think i was too tight for a good while and starving my body so it was storing food either that or baby been eating all my cals . oh and forgot to say i got papaya tabs and they seem to be helping or maybe its all them yummy milkshakes im drinking he he he !!!!!!

Thanks for the good wishes, Pricipal Shad! Wow, got on the scale this morning...up 5 lbs!!!! :scared2::cursing: Yikes!!! Yes, definitely time for a fill. Of course, I go looking at LAP-BAND sites and read that erosion's biggiest symptoms are increased appetite and weight gain, and happens after the 2 year mark. GREAT. Just had to scare myself. I have identified one contributing behavioral problem, that will now be corrected. I have been enjoying some Mike's Hard Lemonade lately...yummy, it's summer!! :smile: Looed them up online, EACH contains 220 calories! :tt2: Holy Moly!! They will be moved to the 'rarely enjoyed' list. Being as they are not really on my surgeon's list of approved items, that is probably a good idea. Anyway, otherwise, life is good!

I have Cigna and gained as well. My surgeon's office said that some insurances will deny you if you gain but that Cigna is not known to deny for weight gain. Sent from my iPad using RNYTalk

The surgery is done on the actual stomach and not the abdomen or abdominal muscles. But your abdominal muscles could be due to the weight gain which would need to get fixed/ tightened by having abdominoplasty aka tummy tuck.

Hi. I lost 125lbs I was sleeved on September 4th 2014. I never gained weight until now I track every calorie. I did go from eating 1200 to about 1600-1800 calories but would that explain the weight gain? I don't over eat at all o focus hard to make sure I don't over eat. I'm lost and scared I'm screwing up. Any help would be appreciated

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.