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I am considering having surgery done... I have alot of questions and I dont want to jump into this without knowing what I am doing to myself first. I have seen people lose weight without doing something as drastic as having surgery. I feel like I am just being lazy and not wanting to deal with the willpower it takes to stay on a diet. My weight gain began 2 yrs ago when I quit smoking. I was able to control my hunger when I smoked now I cant seem to get eating under control like I got rid of one bad habit and changed it for another. Then I read about people on here who have had the surgery and think it sounds ok. But then I read about the gas and the pre op diet. Now i am perplexed about the pre op diet some had to do it some didnt some for longer some for shorter. Why? I have alot of questions that need to be answered before I do this. I am going to a seminar in Feb. Thanks for listening to my rant

I haven't found any Protein Bars that are high protein, low carb, so I haven't taken to eating them. If you are tired of them, then by all means you should switch. Can you not get in your protein by eating meat, cheese, eggs etc? Also, look here http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/ . she has great protein rich recipes. I'd say the weight gain is from TOM - I gain about 5 lbs . oh well, c'est la vie!

Hello sleevers! I'm in the same situation with the weight coming off, but I feel different now! I feel hope!! I too see the change in pictures, Thank God I took those before pictures as bad as they were. I was sleeved 8/21, actually I am a revision from band to sleeve and was told to expect slower weight gain, but I refuse to! I am a winner no matter what it looks like! I expect my body to line up, and not to control me. A positive mind set does help!!! Stick with the proteins and move, it has to come off!

So this is where Im at. I am 18 days post op. I habe a picc line for nutrition-I wasnt getting enought through liquids and dr. Didnt want to advance me to next stage due to stomache inflammation. No leaks ct was good.So since Ive been on nutrition (4days) Ive gained 6lbs. Does anyone know if this is normal??

It's okay to be super conflicted. Many people find comfort in food. Though my weight gain was medical, I didn't help it by eating chocolate all the time that's for sure. As someone who also loves to cook, this was hard on me as well. I make delicious homemade bread that I now won't be able to eat. I just started baking a few months ago and was making some crazy awesome cookies and deliciously pretty cakes that my family are now all constantly demanding... and I can't eat any of it. It's hard, its a mind f***. BUT it's okay. I've found new recipes to try. New angles to come in at. I am addicted to my spiralizer and making veggie pasta. (although I am now 2 days post-op so I won't be eating THAT for a month or so!) The true trick is to divert your obsession into something healthier until you can work through your food issues. Food is a wonderful thing, and life is too short to not enjoy it. But for the next several months, you life should be about you reaching a level of health that will allow you to open that restaurant, instead saying "Big Daddy's Bistro" haha So moral of the story, its okay to feel emotional and want to celebrate a few food funerals. But just remember that your health trumps all the food highs. Good luck with your surgery, and good luck forging a newer and greater path for you and your family!

So I was just wondering if anyone has had a weight gain early on? In the last 2 weeks I have gained 3 lbs. Not sure if this is normal, I have moved back on to eating normal now. Just 2 days ago, I can't poop, not sure if I should bump up my workouts or not. Is it okay to gain a little??

Hi, I am a 15yr RNY veteran and wondering if there is anyone else here like me. I haven't been so good for years and just started vitamins again and all the cells in my body woke up. I have Covid weight gain can't wait to get my shot and just go say hi to folks!

There are SO MANY things that can cause weight fluctuation. Try not to panic! If you are indeed stepping up your workouts, you should read this fantastic article that explains weight gain when starting a new exercise plan: http://www.sparkpeople.com/blog/blog.asp?post=why_the_scale_goes_up_when_you_start_a_new_workout_plan Lots of other things can lead to temporary Water retention as well. Like a super high sodium meal, hormonal changes, constipation, even dehydration. I can promise you that you haven't eaten 17,500 excess calories in the last week, so it is not actual fat that you are gaining!

:scared2:Losing the battle but still fighting in the war..... I have gained almost all of my weight back. I'm so discouraged and feeling soo depressed I have gone thru so many emotional and health problems in the last 2 yrs so I know that has something to do with it but.. doesn't change the facts. I have a hiatal hernia and was treated for hpylori in the last yr, I have problems eating and digesting healthy foods(meats,eggs some veggies).I can hardly drink hot tea or coffee in the morning so by 1pm I'm starving and over eat whatever is there(work) I actually have a problem eating until around 9:30pm which isn't good because it's too close to bedtime unless I'm on 11-7 shift((yes I work rotating shift work). Wondering if this could also be because of the hernia not the band.Has anyone else had these problems since banding? So fellow banders I can use some encouragement and help. I have an appoint to see Dr. Abkin on 8/5/10 so hopefully he will help me to get back on track. I would really like to find a friend here in South Jersey who could become my mentor so to speak any volunteers? Thanks for reading my post,any idea will be appreciated.:smile2:

Does Gastric sleeve help weight gain thats due to meds that you must stay on long term? I'm on meds that made me gain 70 pounds in 2 years and i cant lose more than 10 before i hit a wall. Would the Sleeve help me?

Thanks for the response. I'm on SSRI meds that I'm unable to do without and the only one that works well for me is prozac. Ive been on other meds with much higher weight gain. I'm just starting out into looking at this as an option. Ive never been able to maintain a diet of 1000 calories a day... Not even close. The meds make you both hungrier and slow you ability to lose weight. Do people on this forum have experience with doing or at least research doing sleeve in Mexico... Is that really crazy to think about? not because I'm cheap but rather it's because i don't have the money to do it here in the states.. But if Mexico is considered crazy if like to know. Thank you for your help

Hi! I have an appointment for my first consult next week and they have sent me the paperwork to fill out before hand. I am worried that if I write down or miss writing down something that I may not be approved. So I have some paperwork questions and would like to how you answered the question. 1. Who is your PCP and may we contact them? I have recently gotten my HMO and picked a PCP out of a hat. I have seen him once to establish care (last week) and that is it. What do I say? Because of my insurance I don't need a referal from my PCP so I never brought the subject up of lapband or WLS. 2. Weight loss attempts: Year, how much lost, and how much gained. I started dieting in 1996. How do I answer because I have so many attempts I cannot remember all of them; plus weight lost and weight gained on the attempt. How many do I need to catalog to prove that I have tried multiple times and failed? Thanks for any suggestions you can give me on these questions! Misty :biggrin:

I am happy I decided to get the surgery. I have lost 25-30 easily in the past many times and regained it again. I started at 282 and am now today 259 on my second day of clear liquid diet and completed 10 of only protein shakes. I have lost a total of 22lbs. I am very excited and I am getting my Hiatial Hernia fixed as well. During my journey they discovered my Hiatial Hernia and Sleep apnea. I found out that sleep apnea can contribute to weight gain because your body is tired and you snack to compensate for that. Maybe that is why I have not been able to stay on the diet long enough to reach my goal along with stress and lives other events. I have been so excited about my journey that I have purchased some things to help me along the way after the surgery and these things I have been using now to keep me on my pre diet. I found an intelligent water bottle that keeps track of your intake and it has a straw that does not let air in your stomach "Hydracoach.com" also 2 different plates with covers that help with measuring your food consumption. They are Baribowl at "bariware.com" and EZ Weigh Plate at "store.ezweightplatestore.com". The baribowl is a tubberware type which is good for taking your lunch because it has 2 side that separate for hot and cold food so you can heat your food separately. On each side there are demarcations marks where you can slide these little plastic thin sleeves in to separate and measure 1oz sections and the whole bowl is 8 oz. A baratric surgeon invented it. It makes you feel/look like you are eating a lot, but is not deep at all. The other is a plate with cup like compartments that you can measure your food because the plate is semi-transparent and is also microwave safe. This I would use at home and especially when my husband cooks it will make it easier for him as well, he likes to cook and likes to make me a plate. Hope to connect and share ideas and accomplishments. Mybella

Welcome to my life (my old one.) Your story is very common. I've been through hell and back working for "the man." Right now life is awesome, I finally found a lawfirm that let's me combine my analytical mind and organizational skills with the kid inside me. But back in my hell days, there were limited options for me, so I had to put up with a lot of abuse. I consider it abuse and harrassment. Going to HR never helped because it always blew up in my face. I was desperate because my health was deteriorating (insomnia, anxiety, depression, weight gain.) I finally wrote a couple anonymous letters. I chose my words carefully and made sure nobody saw me. Eventually the letters got into the right hands. Things got ugly for a long time with people being pulled into private meetings. Eventually a couple people quit, one got fired, then finally the boss himself was laid off. The same thing happened to my sister, but she exploded in the open and ended up getting the boss fired and getting an apology letter from Time Warner offering her whatever she wanted. You are not alone. My friend Jennifer had the same psycho boss. We each had our reasons for not quitting, but she came over crying every night after work. Then one day she showed up in shock. She was ghost white and couldn't talk because when she got to work, her boss had committed suicide. I don't really have suggestions, but please know that you are not alone and that there is always light at the end of a tunnel.

These past five months have gone by fast...it seems like it was just a few days ago that I decided to start this journey... A gal at work got gastric bypass and was telling me about it. The WLS skeptic in me still thought "there's no way in hell I'd ever do that...I can lose the weight on my own..." I told the gal from work that there was no way I could fathom the idea of having my intestines rerouted and there was no way I was getting a band...all the complications and potential removal were just to much for me. She said "why don't you have the sleeve?" "the what? What the hell is the sleeve? Hmmm?" So I quickly googled the sleeve and if I were in a cartoon I would have had a damn lightbulb over my head...the sleeve sounded amazing to me...sure cut out a hunk of my stomach...it's only caused me more weight gain...no band, no port, no rerouting, no tiny stomach pouch! So I started my research and found NWWLS in Everett, Wa. It's a center of excellence and on my insurance. I called for a consult and got in to see Dr. Robert Michaelson. The staff that I met is great...most have bands/weight issues themselves and they make you feel comfortable, you aren't just the fat person in the waiting room. Dr. Michaelson is great...he said I'm the most informed patient he has had. (gotta love the medical assisting diploma and my yearning to be a nurse!) I wish that my family was more supportive. Some people just tell me I need to exercise more or eat better but it's hard...they have no idea. My mom lost 100 lbs but now she drinks...ALOT. It makes me sad when she harps on my weight and when I bring up her drinking its a different story. My sister in Las Vegas is supportive! Love you Ash! I don't really have a dad since he was abusive and I think he helped me become the obese individual that I am. Granted both my mom and dads sides have a high rate of obesity...he was an a*****e. Even when we were younger he would tell us we were fat and if we could pinch an inch we needed to lose weight. My mom was abused and she drowned her sorrow in food. My sisters and I learned the behavior and for me it all created a weight monster. When I started puberty I started getting boobs and hips and my dad called me fat even more. I decided to take matters into my own hands. When we were at the grocery store I secretly bought this weight loss book...you know the little ones by the checkout counter...and I had calories and fat content memorized...I barely ate. During 7th-10th grade I starved myself. I would do exercise in my room for a few hours and I would run down our road...I looked at other gals at school and was envious of how skinny they were...I saw a pic of myself that a friend posted on Facebook and I can't believe how tiny I was. I WAS one of those skinny girls. My collarbones were sticking out...I weighed less than 100 lbs and I was almost 5'4. I'm still 5'4 and often wonder if starving myself stunted my height...I guess I'll never know. I didn't eat Breakfast, for lunch I had a soft pretzel and a lemonade, for dinner I ate rice with some margarine on it. I would eat fruit in season. I think when I met my hubby I was probably 130-150 lbs...I was 19 and I think I ended up partying to that weight. Gradually I think I got comfortable with him and I started eating again. I think my body was in shock and kept on everything I ate...I'm now 319 lbs and ashamed of myself! I have a sedentary job...my boobs have always been huge so its truly hard to exercise!!! Even when I starved myself I wore 2 sports bras and it didn't help. I was the gal running in gym class with my arms up in front of me trying to stop the pain... I'm just so ready to start new!!! I want to have babies...2-4 I hope. I got pregnant when I was 23 and had a miscarriage. I tried after that but it never happened. I think I started eating more after that as well. The doctors I went to always told me it was my weight. So I'm hoping that I'll have babies soon! I have the symptoms of PCOS and my sister has it. I want to run marathons, get out and play games and sports with my friends and family, get my nursing degree and get a job where I'm not sitting all day. I want to... Ride on a plane without a seat belt extender Sky dive Bungee jump not get winded walking upstairs not have achy knees Have my boobs bigger than my stomach Wear regular sized clothes Buy clothes off the rack and not at a specialy shop Buy cute bras and undies Not be so self conscience about mysel Be happy Etc etc lol

Not a happy Justine . I KNEW I had bronchitis. It was brushed off to be allergies. So with surgery being on the 12th this freaked me out a bit so I went to the walk in last night and got my cocktail of drugs so I can be ok for surgery Bee sting: well I had to just mention it because I am the biggest freak when it comes to bees and it nailed me and then my arm looked all weird. Apparently bees are bad this year here. Yeeeeouch!!! One more feel sorry for myself moment- My aunt felt the need to tell me she was glad I'm Doin this surgery. I saw her yesterday and she said that "she couldn't believe it when I saw u - it's only been a few months" (Speaking of my weight gain). This would be the weight gain during my 6 month NUT appts that she is referring to. Feeling like a winner today