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OMG i just wanted to say this could have been me that wrote this! I also have severe clinical depression, PCOS, asthma, eczema. The only difference between me and you is, im 26 and i dont have intracranial hypertension... as far as i know lol I was diagnosed with PCOS when i was around 15, at a family planning clinic. I kept going to get pregnancy tests because my periods had stopped, where before they had been very long and heavy. They did my bloods and it was confirmed. I never really knew what it was and never thought about it and any implications it would have on my life untill i started trying for children. (18 ) I started to research it and then everthing started fitting in to place. It explained the sudden weight gain in my teens, the erratic periods and the severe depression and mood swings. I went to my doctor and they just told me to go on the pill. Obviously i didnt take it because i was trying for a baby, and now im glad i didnt, ive read many things about the pill actually making PCOS worse. So since then i have been trying to reduce my weight, only managing a slight decrease and then it piles back in plus some and the facial hair is worse than ever. The doctors just kept sending me away with stronger and stronger anti depresants and ive tried just about every slimming pill and diet. So this time last year i was 25 stone and enough was enough. I started my research about surgery. I already knew that i wouldnt qualify for NHS funding and i wouldnt be able to afford it in this country so i started googling different places abroad. I read very good reviews about DR Chris, so started doing more research about him and i never ever came across a bad review about him. My mind was made up. I sent Fredrick an email and booked in for June, giving me enough time to save. 20th June i flew out and had the op on 21st and it was honestly the best thing ive ever done (mind you i dont think that while im hugging the porcelain ) The hospital puts ours thoughly to shame, everyone was so nice and it was so clean. I had my first fill in london in September 3ml and my second fill in wales in October 2ml. I dont think ive found my sweet spot yet but i dont want to rush to total restriction as many have done because i still like to enjoy my food but i have gained control. But due to the PCOS i need a little extra help so im doing slimming world as well since the begining of this year. Its coming off and staying off, i dont get hungry beween meals and i am satisfied with what im eating. I lost 3 and 1/2 stone in 6 months just with the band and i have lost 1 and 1/2 stone with slimming world. Im sure i will need another small fill soon, as the fat comes off from my internal organs the band will loosen. But at the moment im happy as i am. I lost 5lb this week Good luck on your journey but please remember that the band is a tool to help you its not a cure, you still have to work very hard and its definatly not a quick fix Jo x

Don't get discouraged. The weight gain with TOM is just swelling and fluid weight. It will drop off. That happens to me every month - and every time I work! I can gain 7 to 10 lbs over night! Don't dispair, it will improve!

I show 7.1 lbs for you Dear! AND I must say you have been on your best behavior lately - on that Loser's Bench! You have been keeping your hands to yourself and playing nicely! I'm very proud of you! My favorite scrubs were ones that had baby otters on them! Just adorable! Wish I could wear them now! I am sick of PURPLE! I loved when Lifesaver thought we were all blaming our weight gain on poor Tom in the office! That was hilarious! I was engaged to a man named Tom once. A long time ago -- when Dinosaurs ruled the earth!

Shesha!!!!!!!!!!! OMG, OMG, OMG!!!!! Sooo congrats! I have thought of you every time I log on to this thread! I'm sooo glad you had a wonderful lil baby boy...and he was big! Proof that babies can be had after the band! And big too! Pleeeez send us some pics when you get a chance! And you did absolutely wonderfully in regards to weight gain during it. You are my hero! And, I missed you! Welcome back...and again... CONGRATS!!!!!!:thumbup: Yay babies! :biggrin2:

Hi ladies. Thanks so much for the good thoughts and prayers. I am back home. Yesterday was quite the day. Rich and I traveled up to Flagstaff first thing in the morning and arrived around 9am. We checked in at the office and were told my Endoscopy was scheduled for 1:15 in the afternoon. I ended up spending most of my morning on the phone trying to figure out insurance. They needed my PCP to write a referral since the GI Dr was out of network. Well I have only seen my PCP once ever since I moved to Tucson, last September when I had a double ear infection. She isn't even aware of my recent surgery. Oye. What fun it was trying to explain about my surgeon Dr Kirshenbaum in Colorado, my new surgeons Dr Berger and Dr Aldridge in Flagstaff, my emergency CT scan records at NW Medical from the ER visit, and why exactly I was in Flagstaff to see Dr Trujillo for the Endoscopy. Big mess. Needless to say they could not get pre-approval for the procedure in time, so we are thinking this is going to come out of our packet. The staff at Dr Trujillo's office was wonderful and very very helpful. If it ends up getting denied they will work with us on a payment plan. We decided to go ahead with the procedure since we were in town and I didn't want to wait days for an authorization that may never come through. Dr Kirshenbaum and Dr Aldridge seemed to be in agreement that the Endoscopy should be done right away to rule our erosion. The procedure went ok. The medication they gave me to knock me out... didn't knock me out. Go figure. I always seem to fall into the lucky few category that have averse reactions. I am still thankful that I didn't wake up during my surgery. That would have been something that would have happened to me. heh. So I was awake and gagging through the whole procedure. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't exactly pleasant either. I guess my body does not respond to "twilight" sedation. I had the same thing happen to me when I had a HSG years ago The "twilight" sedation never kicked in and I felt everything. No fun. I was practically jumping off the table for that one. At least this one wasn't as much painful as it was awkward. I have a big gag reflex and it was in full swing. Dr Trujillo determined that I have acid reflux, swelling, and irritation. He prescribed Nexium to help with the reflux. I was surprised to say the least. I have no symptoms at all of reflux, and would never have thought that I had it. Dr Berger did mention during my fill last month that I was refluxing the contrast. I didn't feel it refluxing and told him I didn't have any heartburn. Go figure. So the reflux thing was diagnosed and will be taken care of with the Nexium. I do not have a hole in my stomach or any indication of erosion. *big sigh of relief* However, Dr Trujillo mentioned that when he went down into my stomach there was not really a pouch above the band. He thinks it may have slipped. So now I am waiting for Dr Aldridge to look over the results of the Endoscopy since Dr Berger is out of town. I have been sitting on pins and needles all day waiting for him to call. I have been reading up on slippage and have found a lot of contradicting information as far as symptoms. I had a lot of pain, weight gain, no restriction, and acid reflux. All of which could be signs. Then again... other people report severe restriction and the inability to swallow even saliva. So I really don't know what to think. For now I feel good. My weight has leveled out for the most part which has been very frustrating. I am afraid to eat... worried that I may have a slipped band. I am still scheduled for a fill next week and plan on keeping the appointment unless something changes. I am hoping that the pain was from the acid reflux and the non-restriction and weight gain is nothing more than needing a fill. I am also hoping that Dr Truillo may not have looked at enough bandings under Endoscopy to know what the pouch should or shouldn't look like. Please may that be the case. So for now I am still waiting. Waiting for the all clear. These last few days have been frustrating and trying. I am ready for it to be over.

:cursing: Talks with hands? hee hee...I'm an interpreter (sign language) by profession. :mad: Today is so much better than yesterday. Did some Gas-X and chilled the whole day. Stomach went doooooooown. :thumbup: I posted this article I found...for you all to enjoy (hopefully) as much as I did. I found it beneficial. How to eat healthier if… You’re a serious snacker The fallout: You may end up overeating. A healthy snack or two between meals is fine. They can keep blood sugar steady as well as allow you to rack up more servings of fruits and vegetables. “It’s when you snack in place of eating meals that you’re more likely to lose track of how much you’re eating.” Says Tara Gidus, R.D., an Orlando, Florida – based spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. Of course, what you eat matters, too. Typical snack foods (chips, cookies, pretzels) aren’t that nutritious or satisfying, so it’s easy to overdo them. The Fix: To keep your energy up and hunger at bay, allow yourself two snacks a day of 100 to 300 calories each. “Rather than a cookie or a candy bar, opt for something that feels like real food—half of a small sandwich, whole-grain crackers with cheese, a handful of nuts, baby carrots with hummus, or yogurt sprinkled with cereal,” says Gidus. You’re a speed-eater The Fallout: Gulping fod may set you up for stomach troubles (PR: or a spasm of PBing) “you take in excess air, which can lead to bloating.” Says Leslie Bonci, R.D., director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh medical Center. You also might not be chewing well. Saliva begins to break food down, and too little time in the mouth leaves more work for the rest of the digestive track. This may contribute to indigestion, says Ellie Krieger, R.D. host of the Food Network’s healthy Appetite. Finally, speed eating doesn’t give the brain time to catch up to the stomach; it needs atleast 20 minutes to get the message that your stomach is full. A recent study found that women who ate a meal in 30 minutes ate 10% fewer calories compared with those who wolfed one down in barely 10. The Fix: Try to slow down. Avoid finger foods, and instead choose items you have to put on a plate and eat with utensils, such as stir fries and salads. Pause often, and drink water throughout meals.( PR: in the case of our fellow bandsters do not drink 30 minutes before or after your meal) You eat your way out of a bad mood The Fallout: It may be soothing in the moment, but feeding your fears and frustrations, instead of confronting them, can lead to a cycle of more bad moods as well as steady weight gain. Many people turn to carbohydrates, in particular, which produce tryptophan, a type of amino acid that is used by the brain to manufacture serotonin. When the brain makes more serotonin, your mood improves, but only temporarily, says Judith Wurtman, Ph.D., a coauthor of The Serotonin Power Diet (Rodale Books). The Fix: Stop to think about what’s bothering you before reflectively opening the cupboard. Then try a nonfood mood booster, such as taking a walk, seeing a movie, or calling a friend. If nothing but carbs will do, get the serotonin boost without triggering a binge, says Gidus. Opt for a whole-grain treat so atleast you get more fiber and less sugar. Healthy rehabilitation ideas: “We started stocking some of the jars in our office with organic fruit instead of candy. So now I grab a plum, an orange…” “Every Sunday night I boil eggs. I eat one every day for breakfast during the week. I can eat it on the go, and it’s a good way to get some protein…” “Whenever I have party leftovers, I send them home with the guests so I can’t binge..”

Good Monday! Well, I guess you could say that I had a couple of really crappy food days. :think I tried to make better choices as I ate all day, and for the most part I did, but I gave in to the potato chip monster. And it's completely stress eating, I'm having huge coping issues. I didn't realize I was as bad as I am for comfort eating. You see, my husband's grandpa is passing away. And seeing as how Chris and I have been together for 17 years, and everyone elder in my family is passed (bad heart disease in my family) except for my mom, he may as well be my grandpa too. He's quite old, 91, but he's always been in such great shape. We've been told to expect a call at any time, so now I am on pins and needles. And this really brings back when I lost my brother which has been almost 10 years now. I've never really recovered from when he died and that is when my true weight gain really got out of control and I started needing meds for depression and anxiety. So...I guess you could say I have a coping mechanism that revolves around food. I mourn with food. I know this. But how do I work around it? I wish admitting this would make it go away. Perhaps just admitting it in this post will help. I've never seen it on paper (screen) before. Sorry to be such a downer on this beautiful day. I'm not really as sad as this sounds. Just more dissapointed that I want to cram a bunch of junk food in my face! Why does it make me feel better, even if temporarily? I used to smoke (years ago) and any amount of stress caused me to run for a smoke and feel better. Now I just cram food in. I get the same effect as I did from the smoke. Have any of you come up with new things to do other than eat? Nothing seems to give me that quick blast of "feel better" than food. Thanks for listening. I needed to get it off my chest somehow. Like I said, I'm not as sad as this appears. I know he's an old man who's had a great life. I'll miss him, but I'm okay with it. Have a great day all! And again, thanks.

Misty and lapDancer = Yeah! Misty I got my first kind of foamy feedback today. Weird, just lost of white foam. I guess I overdid the Liquids, if you can imagine. Collector - thanks, I though perhaps they inserted some rocks or something to have that kind of weight gain when I was on a very healthy preop diet was disconcerting. I think I will stay off the scale until it's been a week. Other than the foamy stuff, I am beginning to feel my energy again. Yeah! Walked halfway down and up the block. It felt good. I just don't know how much is too much too soon. I am sooooo comitted to this losing process. Off and running. I have a Post Op appointment next Thursday at 10am. Hugs and blessings to you all; without you I wouldn't be here.

Hi Flirtlass, I'm due to get my op on the 17 march. I just read that you have lost 4 and 1/2 stone since September, that just seems like a dream! I weigh 16 stone 12 at the moment and I'd be happy to get down to 11 stone 8lbs which will give me a BMI of 27 and then I can get a tummy tuck!!!!! I hate my tummy, after 6 kids, the last 2 were twins and weighted 7lb5 and 6lb13, my belly was enormous and has never been the same since! I put my weight gain done to being depressed about my belly, so to make me feel better.....of course I COMFORT EAT all the bad things of course! Do you mind telling me what you weighed when you started and how often you had fills. If you don't want to write it for all to see I can give you my email address. Reading all these chats from everyone is very inspirational and I am beginning to get excited! :bananalama: Although sice I booked my surgery my husband has started looking at expensive bikes, which is pretty worrying as this op is taking all our savings and the rest, I hope he doesn't think he can buy toys to the equivalent value on our credit cards!!!!!!!!:cheers2::present: Fatpants

What size band do u have cadence ? It wasnt until i got around 7.25 that i really felt some restriction, i got stuck still but woiuld get hungry in between meals and probably eat a little more than i thought i could. My surgeon at Nuffield Hospital says just be careful after a fill, they always do the water test fills then afterwards make u sit and eat a yoghurt before going home, but he doesnt really push for liquids only .. I eat 3 meals a day .. dinner in the evenings around 6 pm i try not to have any snacks at all of an evening just tea or coffee and use them as fillers during the day in between meals. I normally have some form of protein and 2 green veg, or a salad. I always start my dinner with a weight watchers tomato soup to stop me from eating too fast or too much as this makes me feel half full even before i start eating. The trick is to keep everything that you are supposed to do in your head and just tweak it to what works for you.. I know exactly what food i can and cant eat, what makes me heavier in the mornings when i weigh myself and u just have to keep plugging away at it. I do try and do as much exercise as i can as i would be a slow loser without it. I also eat food that supposidly helps speed up the metabolism like broccoli, green tea, asparagus, chilli etc i googled it .. I wouldnt lose much weight at all if i went over 1000 calories a day so i dont, i burn around 800 a day and include strength training which to me is a must to develop muscles enough to burn even more calories.. it works for me anyways, sounds like u still need your fills tweaking . My last fill was 0.3 and that works good for a while, i am back next monday for another small fill .. Good luck and dont give up .. i am sure if you wernet banded you would have put on weight maybe so the loss might not be much but in the grand scheme of things u have halted your weight gains

Sleeved 12/27 and weighed 246 that morning at home. Yesterday I weighed 253 so still have hospital weight gain.

One thing that will help is that most doctors recommend that you track what you eat. Assuming you weigh yourself regularly, you'll be able to spot weight gain early and then you can look back at what you were eating to determine why. Emotional eating can still happen post-surgery, but part of the work we have to do as WLS patients is finding different ways to cope rather than food.

Went from a 36DD pre weight gain to 44F at my heaviest and now a 34C and still shrinking 😭. All that’s left is pretty much sagged skin with very little breast tissue. I’m only 5’1 and small framed so I’m not looking for breast implants but a lift is in my future once I hit goal. 🤦🏽‍♀️

Hey guys how is everyone. I haven't been on here in a while nor have I been to group. Things are not going great for me at all. : ( I got sick back in Oct. I caught the flu and had to go into the hospital which meant STEROIDS which is not good. I then got sick again in Nov and had to go on them again this time a larger dose and a longer time on. I had an asthma attack in Dec and once again was in the hospital on another round of STEROIDS through IV. So if u haven't guessed by now I gained back alot of my weight. I got frustrated and stopped trying b/c I felt like I was once again fighting a battle I could not win. I didn't get a fill for about 4mos. I cut myself off from group which was BAAAAAD. I really think I needed u guys but I just could not bring myself to come to any of the group meetings. I went in for a fill last week and am proud to say that I think I am back on track. I talked to Lisa and told her that I was on the verge of giving up and she told me NO that is what they are all there for, TO HELP. I will hopefully be at group this month. Please keep me in ur prayers b/c I really need the strength to make it through this. The steroids scare me b/c that is where alot of my weight gain came from and haveing to continue to be put on them to better my breathing scares me into thinking that I will never lose my weight and be able to keep it off.

What does it mean to have a fill? What causes the weight gain initially? Cherylseekinghope

Like I said, I don’t think I cope using food on a regular basis. I’ve tracked food for years now and there aren’t any patterns that suggest emotional eating outside of that one period of heavy trauma. I guess that’s why it never occurred to me that the trauma caused my weight gain because I haven’t been an emotional eater before or since. Maybe it happened because my other methods of coping were cut during the abuse (he wouldn’t let me see friends and I was too depressed to do my usual hobbies)? Idk. But thanks for the advice, that is a good way to ensure that I don’t fall into that again post-surgery without realizing it if something else happens. I’ve been trying to find a therapist to talk about these things with but they’re so expensive!

Yea Shawna!!! Can't wait for that day myself! Ballparks can wreck your eating habits can't it? My kids played ball and I think that's what contributed to my weight gain. Cheesy fries were my downfall. That and a lot of other things. :wink: Deb

I just thought that I would check in, and say HELLO!!! I went to my surgeon. I was starving, weight gain, and I could eat anything. "not a good sign" So he flipped out and said untill you get your ass together, i'm not gonna see you. I told him he emptied my band. "he forgot to wright it in his notes" No!! can't be! your full. So get it together. he left. So I to left p****d off, and called a FILL CENTER U.S.A. they put in almost 2cc's and I was bone dry. So now, i'm back to loseing weight. Waite till I go back to see this Dr.. I am really gonna raise the roof. He is gonna find out he is not GOD!!! I tried to tell him to stick a needle in it to check, but he wouldn't listen. O Well!!! Anyway now it's back to loseing weight. Thats cool. How is every one???

After 3 years of band success, my band started leaking and I started gaining weight. My sister started calling me Miss Piggy, I kid you not. She took my weight loss the hardest - I used to be the fat sister, and suddenly guys were walking past her to talk to me. It was hard for her to take, so she was very excited when I started to struggle with my weight again. Funnily enough it was also her that made me take stock after 7 months of weight gain and make the decision not to gain another lb. I have struggled but have managed not to gain anymore for 4 months, and in the last few weeks I've started losing again, despite a malfunctioning band. I also realise more than ever now that it's her insecurity that makes her this way, and I can't help but feel a little sorry for her!

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.

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 have a question about this: is this a 1 pound weight gain over-all; or any 1# weight gain at any time during the trial? In other words, say I started at 100# and ended up at 99#, but during 1 month I went up to 101# - would this be a disqualifier? Or is the net loss at 99# the magic number? Hope I have made myself clear.... I finished the three month supervised diet, unfortunately I gained one pound. Would this little gain get me denied ?

@@Doggirl79 I was actually denied because of weight gain also. I was also told if I lost the weight they would approve me but i still got denied again. Hopefully this doesn't happen to you and you get a quick approval. In the end I did get approved but had to go through an external review. Keep us updated. Good Luck!!

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.

I wouldn't worry too much about the weight gain. Even at 2 months out I'll fluctuate 1-3 pounds either way throughout the week. It's likely water retention and it will level itself out. 500 calories doesn't seem like a lot. My nutritionist advised to focus on proteins first and foremost. On my 2nd follow up appointment later this month they are going to give me a template on calories, carbs, etc. Just stick to the foods you can eat, try to get the 60-80 grams of protein and try to make sure it's quality protein too. You're doing fine. I worry a lot too but it you are doing what your doctor said, you will be ok.