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I have to say bandsters that I personally don't agree with the "it's all your fault" statement that doctors often say. I've heard it too many times from those trying to lose weight. No one has this weight loss thing down to an exact science and therefore since all of our bodies are unique in there own ways, the response to food is different. There are those whose bodies do not quickly lose, but easily gain. We should all learn our bodies and do our very best to give it what it needs to be healthier. If stress makes you gain weight easily, then research how to eliminate that in your life so that you can continue the losing. Of course your doctor deals with this daily, but individually we are all a separate case and it is very easy to tell someone it is all their fault. It is a lot more difficult to investigate where the problem lies. The important thing is not to give up even when there is weight gain. I happen to be a former athlete and I run/walk 7 miles daily, do strength training, eat small meals, eat less than 1,000 cals a day, take my Vitamins, and try to get adequate sleep. Still I have loss only a few pounds. I wish a doctor would tell me it's all my fault if I gain, which bytheway I did gain right after my surgery when only on liquids. So once again BEWARE of non encouraging comments such as the one your doctor made and one other bandster to your post. Kudos to you for getting back on track!!!!!

I'm very upset right now. I don't know how it happened but I've gained nearly 7 lbs in last week. As of today I am 16 days post op, I lost 15 lbs at my post op doctors visit a week ago and now I've gained. I'm on the same diet as before, I just switched up my protein drinks a bit. I'm worried because I'm drinking a ton but I don't feel like I'm going to the bathroom as often as I should. I think I may just be retaining water or something. I hope that's it. I even started going to the gym this week, but i still gained. I just feel its too early to be having these issues, I feel like I did all this for nothing. I hope the doctor will have an answer for me when I see him today.

I'm not banded yet but I just finished my 6 month diet supervision. Last month my husband became an over the road truck driver and I gained back 12 pounds of the 48 pounds I lost within 6 months and I was sooo mad but it WAS my fault because I was more worried about if he had everything he needed and taking care of our daughter PLUS still maintaining my grades in nursing school. Well within 2 weeks after realizing what I did to myself I re-lost those 12 pounds plus 5 more pounds on top of it. I just went back to my old habits. My doctor always told me that whether I'm banded or not that any weight gain is my fault. No one forced food into my mouth or forced me to eat something bad. Just restart everything and work with ur doctor to lose the weight again u can do it especially if you've already done it once good luck

I had complications. My stomach twisted after surgery and it prevented me from keeping anything down. The second day in the hospital they put a stent in. It helped a bit but then got worse. I threw up constantly for the first two weeks. I couldn't get any sleep because I would wake up from a dead sleep to throw up. After a trip to the ER in week 2 for dehydration because I couldn't keep anything down including Water, I was readmitted the following day and they took the stent out. Did a complete 180 and was 100% better. I've had fluctuations with my weight, bouncing back within the same 3 pounds, but no significant weight gain.

I will start with a little, tiny bit of information about myself. My name is Allyssa, I am a 20 year old girl from Alberta, Canada ! I operate heavy equipment as my occupation for now in the beautiful oilsands (haha). I like to longboard, party and do pretty much any typical thing any 20 year old nonsense a 20 year old gets into. I first began my struggle with weight at the young age of 8 years old, being an asthmatic I was put on hardcore steroids very young that caused a whopping 30 pound weight gain in just a short month and a half. With such a dramatic change, so quickly, I turned to food to cope. By time I was 13 I weighed 150 pounds. By 17, 220 pounds. Hard to believe, hard to imagine, even harder to deal with. I was bounced from Jenny Craig, to Herbal Magic, to stress filled, painful no food diets, and intense workout. In my opinion Herbal Magic was the only diet that worked. I went from 220 to a small 160! It was a fantastic loss, and I was doing so well, when I stuck to my program. With being such a young age, it was hard to stay away from alcohol, and occasionally eating what I wanted. This past January I unfortunately lost a very important figure in my life, which caused me to plummet to the very low that made me re-gain most of my weight. In just a month, I had reached 180 pounds. So February I had decided I want the gastric sleeve, so I hit the internet in search of a doctor I came to a conclusion that Mexico was where I would have my surgery. My surgeons name is Dr. Roldolfo Natera. And my surgery is Hosptial Star Medica. Finally booked for June 1/2012. I am a little nervous as I assume anyone would be. I am looking for support, advice, and knowledge from anyone who has also , decided to have surgery in Mexico, I would like to know all about your experience, dealing with the hospital stay, healing time, diets etc. Thank you so much.

If you have never had children,, IT is wholly H*)) getting it. I thought I was being murdered. Then I felt poking for 2 months. I have nicknamed mine "baby T" since it is shaped like a T. No complications now, no weight gain, no periods. No spotting, nothing that i can tell.

I didnt have one foot in the grave, and the cosmetic effect of this surgery was probably the largest factor in my decision - and I'm not ashamed of that. I hated how I looked, hated myself, was miserable. Now I'm proud of what I've achieved. I was a low BMI too, 36 at surgery but to me that was the fattest I had ever been and the fattest I ever wanted to become. BUT - huge but - how many health problems have I forestalled by doing this? I still got cancer, but my colorectal surgeon said to me outright that the likelihood of a permanent colostomy if I hadnt lost all this weight was very very high - reason being that my cancer was low in the rectum, very difficult to access so far down in the pelvis. Yes, I have a nice wide, shallow pelvis that is a big factor, but being able to a) get into the area though a huge mound of abdominal fat and b ) stretch the remaining colon past all that flubber is very difficult in obese people. High blood pressure, cholesterol and heart attacks run in my family, strongly. But my stats are perfect. They sure werent six years ago, not terrible, but not great either. My excellent fitness is the strongest factor I have going for me to prevent cancer recurrence - exercise is a huge preventative - I never could have achieved that without the band, it was a complete package for me. My energy, my health, my ability to beat a deadly disease, I'm just not sure I would have even had the courage to go to my doctor to report that my bowel habits had changed because I was so ashamed and embarrassed of my body. I've had every man and his dog up my backside in the past two years, I've had to be naked on an operating table four or five times, I've had to have treatment every day for six weeks naked on the lower half in front of two very nice youg guys - all horrible invasive, traumatic but so so much more bearable because I wasnt totally consumed with thinking that THEY were thinking what a horrible fat old slug. It sounds so trivial in the face of how sick i was but it really realy mattered to me and made the whole thing easier. It could have all been so different, I could be sitting here today with a permanent colostomy hanging off my huge bulging gut, weighing god knows what now, I'm pretty sure in my old life the stress would have caused me a large weight gain. Instead I had the focus of keeping a strong hold of what I'd achieved and that got me through it, even though people thought I was insane to still be running and going to the gym whilst having chemo. Nuff said, its life changing no matter WHAT your reasons for doing it.

"Almost a month out" - virtually everyone experiences a stall around week 3. With my band I hit in from about week 2.5 to about week 4.5. It's your body reacting to the "emergency" you've just put it through. Remember your body doesn't have a brain. It can't rationalize, it thinks it is starving, and is going to react in a way so as to preserve itself. That reaction (unfortunately for our frail psyches) usually includes a postponement of weightloss, and quite possibly a slight weight gain. Two very important things to remember when you start to despair... 1. Weight is not the same as fat. You can weigh the same, or more, and be less fat than you were. This will almost guaranteed be true multiple times. 2. Like investments, you can't look at things in the short term. This is why I hate the scale, it's such a short term de/motivator. You're looking for a sustained average of a couple of pounds a week. So far, you're way above that average. 5 lbs a week cannot be sustained.

I guess i am really getting nervous because my paper work will be submitted to my insurance Friday i have cigna..anyone denied because of weight gain while on the six month supervised diet??

The process for my surgery in Alabama will not take a long time so I am excitedly nervous. I just attended a college homecoming and I looked like I had eaten everything that everyone else lost. My surgery is the jumpstart to a brand new life. I have been defining myself by what I cannot do and I have a child who is watching me fail this test with obesity. I can't let that happen. I also have to remove the crutch I have used for all of my failures in life. My fear of success rest on my body image. I know it shouldn't but it does right now. I am in need of counseling. I am going to get it. My weight gain is a manifestation of something else and need to find out what. I don't want to go down this path again - EVER!!!!!

Thanks Kathy. That makes me feel a bit better knowing someone else in a similar situation. I am curios, Keppra is actually an option I have been discussing with my neurlogist because it doesn't cause the same weight gain that depakote does. I was wary of it because of the emotional side effects. How have you fared with the Keppra?

Good Morning Every one, I need some suggestions for mushy foods besides mashed pots. I've been experimenting this week, seeing what I could eat. Was banded on 3/23. I've noticed my weight starting to creep up slowly and that is a no no. I've been exercising with Zumba tapes for the last couple of days, so not sure if my body is trying to adjust to the minimal food and exercise or what. Any one else having issues with slight weight gain post op after starting to eat more solid foods?

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 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 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 got on the scale this morning and showed a weight gain of 5 lbs from last week. I have not been overeating, but I have eaten foods high in sodium, have not had enough water and ran out of my water pills for my BP a few days ago, so I know it's all water weight. I'm picking up my script tomorrow so I've decided to wait until later in the week for my "real" weigh-in.

By my calculations, your ideal weight would be around 130 to 135 lbs, right? So you're about 35-40 lbs overweight. At 5'6" and 268 lbs (over age 40 and with a BMI over 40 as well), I wonder why you're going the surgery route. If I only had 35-40 lbs to lose, I'd be ecstatic. In fact, 170 looks really good on me and I'll be lucky just to see it again. Do you have any health problems as a result of the weight, such as diabetes or high blood pressure? Both of these health problems would be good reasons to consider a sleeve. Have you seen a nutritionist or had your thyroid checked? If I were you (and could do the last 100 lbs over), I'd be seeing a nutritionist (seriously can't believe I didn't do this sooner), getting your thyroid checked, getting checked for PCOS (if you have any other symptoms), and getting more exercise (which is hard for me to do at the moment). I think you'll be fine, since people can still eat/eat the wrong things with their sleeve. Further, the sleeve will stretch with time, making weight gain inevitable if you don't change habits. I tend to think of WLS as a last resort, and it isn't clear to me that you have run out of options.

I can eat just about anything. For me the weight gain was quantity, but I do eat healthier now too. I've cut out refined sugar for the most part, refined flour and overly processed foods. I eat small amounts of potatoes, whole wheat Pasta and quinoa for starches. I also eat a ton of lean meat, cheese dairy products, fish, nuts, fruit and vegetables in portions that thin people do. For Easter I had a float made from diet Orange Crush and skim vanilla ice cream. I also eat dark chocolate (a tiny piece every day). I'm with Cobragc. Eat smart, but live a little. The people who have been most successful a WLS seem to be those who can find ways to have a treat once in a while while not sabotaging their weight loss.

Hey Twin yeah the website acting crazy had me bummed out. I get on here everyday or every other day just to kinda check in or read up on stuff but its wouldn't let me do anything ugh. So glad it's back to norm now. Your lucky to be starting foods now I can't start mine for another week. The mushies have been going good for me I find myself not as hungry and I still drink 2 protein shakes everyday. I mainly stick to cottage cheese and yogurt and I have 1 cup instant mashed potatos that I take to work if I get hungry. But so far so good. Easter i kinda ate a little more becuz it was a holiday lol. But it was all mushy So as far as no weight gain no weight lost it's going to happen no worries there just keep doing what your doing it's going to come off. As far as workout I have a gazelle it's like a sking machine i guess it works your whole body and it's fun. I aslo have a treadmill but it's a manuel one so it's super had to do. My dr cleared me so light exercise just no kinda ab workouts. My incision where my port is the corner is kinda infected so I have been cleaning it and putting neosporin on it, it's starting to itch so im assuming it's healing. But other then that everything is goin ok.

I'm glad ur day went well n ur enjoying ur mushies! Started solids today. Pretty scared since the scale didn't budge on mushies. Am planning on starting my walks today (as I can't do full work-outs till after month). Hoping that will prevent any weight gain from the solids. =\ Good luck with ur workout!!! What exercises are u planning on doing?

Hi, what i was told one day was that your body usually stops (stalls) where you started gaining weight. So if your weight gaining started at 150 lbs and your at a stall there, well just be patient and it should eventually break. I was in a 7 MONTH stall then lost 10 lbs and that was it. . . no more. . . but the person who told me about the body was so right, I started gaining weight when I was 200 lbs (weighed 222 lbs at 12 years old) and it seems that 200 lbs is where my body is comfortable right now. . .

AVERAGE weight loss for a band patient is 40-60% of excess weight (depends on age). This includes the people who never followed through with the aftercare or who the band did not work for/they did not work with it. Some surgeries are better for different types of people- sleeve and gastric are kind of a one-stop shop, where you go for surgery and immediately feel the effect of surgery. Lapband is progressive restriction and requires constant maintenance. I like that the band is removable if problems arise and that I still keep my stomach/intestines. The band is usually slower weight loss, but the five year outlook shows that the band is comparable with other WLS in terms of weight lost. If the band doesn't work, then I can consider more drastic options. The only real concern for me about other WLS would be that after a couple years, the stomach may relax and stretch, causing weight gain due to eating more. There is nothing else to be done if this happens except consider banding. I guess this means you need to eat right mentally from the start, even though for the first couple years you could eat crap and lose weight anyways due to the malabsorptive nature of the procedure. You must decide what kind of aftercare you want and what types of pros/cons you are willing to accept. Best of luck.

I was one of those who originally was going for the lapband, mainly because I am younger and didn't want something permanently done to my insides. After researching thoroughly about all the complications, weight gain, etc that comes with a lot of lapband patients, I switched to the sleeve. My reasons for not even considering gastric bypass?: Didn't want my system rerouted. A lot higher chance of dumping syndrome. Malabsorption issues, which can lead to malnutrition. The weight loss is just about the same as the sleeve. Obstruction seems to happen more often, like with the lapband. Going to support group meetings, I notice that people who had the bypass looked more sickly than ones who had the sleeve. Not everyone did, but just a trend I noticed. Right now, I only get acid reflux when I have something with bad butter (like the buttery topping on popcorn), margarine is fine though. I don't have to take a daily pill for it, I just pop a couple of Tums when I have it and it goes away pretty quickly.

Hey all, happy easter! I'm going to ask my doctor about this too but i wanted to see if anyone else has had this before surgery. I went to the doc a couple weeks ago and it was a clinic...because of my BMI (41 i think) she COULDN'T give me pills. and she said the depo shot would cause weight gain so b/c of the sleeve and all she didn't want to do that. I'm getting sleeved in august and I wont let my boyfriend even touch me lol. I'm so scared that im going to get pregnant either before the surgery and not be able to have the surg or right after the surgery and never reach my goal . So i was thinking about getting the arm implant. The only problem is ...I would have to get it before surgery (for reasons i'd rather not go into......) Would this be okay for surgery? Has anyone had this??? Thanks in advance!! Happy easter!

A weight gain of something like 20lbs could actually make the band tighter again if u have put on visceral fat around your tummy, the same goes if u lose weight the band will often loosen .. i would contact your doctor but just onto liquids for a few days too.