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I can't remember if it was my anethesiologist or my surgeon who came into my room before my surgery and mentioned that they had just read a study the showed artificial sweetners actually contribute to weight gain. Interesting.

Today makes 10 days since my surgery. I was 225 day of surgery and 7 days out, I was down to 216. I weighed myself this morning and I'm at 219! What is really going on? I started purée food Friday but I have yet to eat more than 600 calories a day and that is way less food than I ever eaten in a day! I am in panic mode about this weight gain and wondering if this sleeve was a bad idea. Anybody else experience this?

First of all let me intorduce myself. My name is Michelle and I will be 32yrs old if a few days. I have not had the surgery yet but have my pre op visit on Sept 6th and was told my surgery will be 3-4 weeks after that. I have been over weight my whole life and am hoping this helps. I have been over 200 lbs for 13yrs and after my first child went to 220 and stayed there until 2 yrs ago. I hurt my back 2 yrs ago well actually it will be 3 yrs in Oct and as the scale went up my health went down. 1 yr ago I was diagnosed with diabetes, I also have asthma, high blood presure, chronic joint and lower back pain, irritable bowel syndrome, heart burn 24/7 and poly cystic ovarian syndrome. I have been looking into the band for just over 2 yrs since my weight gain after hurting my back. My highest weight was 272 and right now I am at 269 at 5'' 8' tall. My question is about the different size bands. I know that they are using a 10cc band now and I was wondering if that effects the speed of weight loss or increases problems people have with the band? Why did the change band sizes? My ex sister in law had it done 3yrs ago with the 4cc band and has lost 100 lbs. Some of the post I have read seem like it is a slow start with the weight loss. I feel comfortable with my decission and the process. This is just the one thing that has been on my mind and I dont see the surgeon untill Sept 6th. Any input?????

Why not have a small piece of something on a special occasion? I think it’s unrealistic to think of certain foods as “never” foods. Should you justify eating whatever you want for a whole weekend because it’s your birthday? Probably not. Is enjoying one small dessert item throwing you down the worm hole back into an endless spiral of weight gain? Likely no. Happy Birthday and Enjoy.

I am hopefully getting vsg in August (not scheduled yet.). My concern is that I've lost 130 lbs on my own without surgery in the past. I've since put back on half of that amount. Nothing I did to lose weight before works now so I decided to get sleeved. Will I have the same problem as the ppl who are 2-3 years out and not lose after surgery? Sent from my Nexus 6 using the BariatricPal App

A few weeks ago I got the insurance approval from Cigna and my doctor said a surgery date for October 17th of this year was approximately is about 52 days from now... Yesterday, much to my surprise, I got a call from my doctor saying that there was a cancellation and that they were wondering if I wanted to move my surgery date up to September 19th of this year which is 23 days from now... I had a moment where I got really nervous and fearful and a little panicky going from 52 days to 23 days and 10 seconds is quite a lot to prepare yourself for dot dot dot worrying about my bills and the time off from work and this and that took me by surprise... And then I took a deep breath and I realize that in 23 days my life will be completely different... Little back story about me I grew up very active I played softball my whole life I went to state twice I went to college on a softball scholarship and have numerous trophies from weightlifting where I still currently hold the record and woman squats at 425 pounds and bench press @ 140 pounds at my high school... So to say that I was always very sick would be an understatement although I was still Baker I guess my goal weight is 135 140 whereas in high school I was around 1:55 160 but I was very strong I had a lot of muscle... And then I went to college and I just started gaining weight I still worked out I still was his ass if I just could not lose weight I didn't know what was going on I just thought it was a really bad case of the Freshman 15 then I started noticing that I wasn't having a menstrual cycle or it was very irregular and about three years of going through weight gain fluctuating and all that I went to the doctor... I was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome when I was 21 in 3 years I had gained 80 pounds and I went from 162 to 240 pounds... I had always been active I still was active I just couldn't go to sleep we tried various options of metformin and hormone supplements to try to treat all didn't work I didn't lose any way you could just got sick... I waited 5 years... 5 years to go back to the doctor because I was ashamed of myself I was afraid they were going to tell me that I was incredibly unhealthy and that I was doing something wrong finally after 3 years of not actually having a single menstrual cycle and went to the doctor... I told them that I have had a personal trainer for 12 months who also help me with nutrition and meal planning and in that 12 months I have lost 7 pounds that was it I work out 5 times a week for 90 minutes and all I lost was 7 pounds when I went to the doctor I went for a weight loss supplements... And that was when he weighed me and that my biggest I was 288 pounds with a BMI of 49.5... And that's when it hit me I went from a BMI of 9 249.5 in less than 10 years... He didn't hit me with some statistics on my family history and blood pressure and the fears of cancer for people with polycystic ovarian syndrome in my family history and then he hit me with the biggest statistic I've ever heard... Without bariatric surgery, my chances of conceiving a child was that a mere 8%... I can handle being big I can handle high blood pressure and maybe people staring at me and looking at me like I'm huge for people from high school not recognizing me but it was the thought of never having my own child that sent me over the edge that was when I decided that this was it something that I could delay any longer sure when I was 21 and the last thing on my mind was having a child that has a seizure at 26 it's a very real... So in April I decided that I was going to have bariatric surgery I did everything that my doctor asked and then some followed insurance policies and procedures and in the Five Short months I got approval now to some people this is a chance to look at it as Samantha a chance to fit into that little black dress that makes them feel sexy to have people's head turn and look at you and just say wow look at her but when I got the call saying that I got approval and my surgery date I cried because it was a group of individuals telling me that I get a chance to be a mom I am so happy... I'm so relieved that this is something that I did my life has not been easy I've had to fight tooth and nail for everything that I have and for once I feel like something's on my side I know this is going to be the hardest thing that I've ever had to do but hard things seem a little bit easier when you know that at the end of the line there's a happy ending... I know I can't have children for two years after that surgery and it's going to put you right at the right age when I want to... The surgery means so much more to me then just looking good... This is my happily ever after. this is my chance to be the me that I was supposed to be all along and to be one hell of a mother... Just wanted to share with everybody I might be going through the same thing that I am... Sent from my LGMS631 using the BariatricPal App

Hi there, Ahb08, I would call your doctor's office and ask them what they think you should do, i would think they would not want you to go below 40 bmi though, possibly stay the same weight aka lose 8 lbs.; but not go below 40bmi before approval?? Ask them " Do you usually get approval from aetna ppo with this regime, Has anyone ever been denied? What about the weight gain, has anyone ever been denied for gaining or being at 40 bmi exactly? Waynes6, I just cut out almost all sweets, and most of the high cal foods, like potato chips, butter,corn chips, bagels, ect. I logged what i ate on "My Plate" and i would make sure i was exercising... walking an hour a night at the gym on the treadmill and doing crunches.... I lost 7 pounds. I actually gained back 3 and had to lose it again!! I got sick for 2 weeks with that flu i think and i actually gained??! I have read on here that you do not want to lose more than 10 pounds during the 3 months.... My nutritionist just had me bring in a few days printout of my online food diary ~~ "My Plate" and i brought in my workout routine printed out too. You should be working with a facility that puts the whole package together for you, all you do is schedule appts. with the physical therapist and psychologist and your primary care physician. To find a actual Bariatric Center within a hospital that does this {puts together the pre-req's for insurance} is A Must!! They should be putting it all together because they will know what it takes to get approved, and who to call ect.... I met with a nutritionist, nurse, & surgeon every time i visited. They guided me through the entire process, this is what you want to find first off; If i did not have that now where you are you might want to look at Obesity Help and read reviews on the centers and surgeons near your area. I personally went with what i knew was a top ranked hospital in the first place and then checked out their seminar, and decided that it was where i wanted to go. They had good reviews but they were not too over booked...

Julie, Look how darn cute you are in your cap and gown. You should be so proud. So I want to poll you guys: At any given time since having the lapband put on(other than complications do to a complete unfill and weight gain) what is the most you have gone up in weight???? I would love to know, now that you guys are about 18 months out and getting close to your goal weight, can you pretty much use the band to maintain????

As a young adult, I wore a size 7. Through the years of weight gains, I moved up to a size 8 1/2 and was fast headed for a size 9. Now my shoes are getting loose, so I guess I'll be down sizing soon. I look forward to a size 7 again. So, in answer to your question, your shoe size does change.

It's only your weight from your initial visit....if you lose 50 pounds in 6 months, awesome! I was scared of the same exact thing and the doctors office told me that it goes by the initial weight....they don't want to see a weight gain, as that might be an issue with your "dedication" to the lifestyle change.

I am new at the band, but a long, long time gamer, going way back to Ultima on the Commodore 64 in the early 80's. Everquest 1 and 2, and WoW has consumed many hours of time. Talk about addiction, I used to "Raid" all by myself, with quad-boxing 4 accounts, sometimes 5 or 6 with borrowing friends accounts. So I am saying this, to establish my credentials, I FULLY understand gaming, and the addictions that it CAN represent. As I look back, and chart my gaming against my weight gains and losses, there is a correlation, due to the time I had available. No, playing games does not make you overweight. But for me at least, it had a huge correlation to the time I put into games, vs other things in life. So in the end, your choices are completely up to you. But I think you have come to this forum asking for help, asking for advice, or support. I am "down" to one WoW account now, and play alt's most of the time. You may want to try that, create another character that you can casually play, here and there, without the "pressure" to perform, or Raid. Try another server, the other faction, horde or Alliance. Try a different game like Age of Empires, or Civilization. Sometimes you have to go cold turkey, sometimes you can scale back. The bottom line is, that you are looking for time to exercise, and you can't cut work out. I try and get 5 min here, 5 min there, I walk down the hall to the farther bathroom when I need to go. I get 10 mins of hall walking in at lunch time. (I work with a really big complex of offices) You can try leg lifts while sitting at your desk. 100 leg lifts per hour. Some workplaces will let you bring in one of those giant ball to sit on instead of your desk chair. Not much difference, but you are using your core muscles to sit, instead of slouching in a chair (like I do ). I park in the farthest lot. I know, people use that excuse alot, but for me, it is 3/4 of a mile (according to my pedometer) from my car to my desk, each way. That is 1.5 miles a day just getting to my car. Now it sucks in winter, and Michigan winters can be brutal, but bring boots, heavy jacket, hat, wrap, gloves, even snow pants. You are worth it. I have found that if you look, you can find a few minutes here and there to increase your activity level. Sure, 30 min of cardio is the gold standard that we shoot for per day. But sometimes, we give up on exercise altogether, because we don't have the hour available to exercise (and then shower, change, get back to work). Three, 10 minute walks is not the same as 30 minutes of cardio. But to your muscles, it is activity, you are burning SOMETHING, it is better than just sitting doing nothing. And I found that it got me into a better place, where now I walk 1 hour each morning. (Ugg, I am NOT a morning person, but I set that alarm at 5:30, and drag myself out) You can do this, we are here to support you, but it is up to you to commit. Send me a PM if you want to chat more about games, and ideas for limiting their influence on your time.

okay so im going crazy:lol:. after 2 years of debating this im finally going for it. my hubby is in the airforce and we ae currently overseas in germany. i started the first step of making an appointment with my PCM but am terrified of not getting a referral. not to mention even if i do get a referal, so many people are having trouble with tricare. im 22 years old, 247 pounds. 5'8inches tall with severe arthritis and a degenerative hip diesease that can only be fixed by a hip replacement. has any one on here had hip surgeries (i've had 2 so far) and got approved for the band? im worried that it could hurt me instead of helping me with the surgery. they might say the hip diesease caused the weight gain and i know that you cant have any condition that causes the weight gain. you can only have a condition that gets better by less weight. even though ive always been a big girl, i have to admit, i wouldnt be this big if i could exercise more. (my hip has no cartlige in it so its painful to exercise.i still do though, and im sure with less weight on my joints it would be less painful. anyways, thrusday is approaching ever so fast and i have no clue what to do.

DENIED!!!!!! I didn't lose the 5% required by my insurance company over the past year. I had a heart problem (since been fixed) and went on a medication that made me totally sedentary. I didn't want to do a stinking thing! And I gained 27lbs on it. My high was 371, my starting weight (the one they use) was 344. So in order to qualify I have to be 335. Granted I've lost weight (I'm now 347.6), but even with a letter from my doctor stating that the weight gain wasn't totally my fault, and even with my case manager pleading my case to the medical director for the Ins Co. I'm denied! I can try again next month... One positive thing, it only took a couple of hours...

Guys, I am so happy to say that I have a positive update and one that might help other women in the 45 to 55 age category who are going to do VSG or in the process of having had it and experiencing difficulty getting weight to move. I am very hard on myself. While I was not being perfect on my journey, I have a tendency to always feel that if something is not going right, it is all my fault. I was a food addict for so many years and did everything wrong that I almost felt like when my weight plateaued and then stopped and then I started to gain weight that it was just because I let myself down. To cut a very long story short. I had a gynecological emergency about a month ago and ended up having to go through a bunch of tests. It was discovered that I was producing next to zero progesterone and my estrogen was also extremely low. It was causing me SO MANY problems which I will not get into so that I will not digress from the main point. As a result I was put on hormones and almost immediately I started to loose weight again! I have lost 10 lbs since I started taking hormones 3 weeks ago. The reason why is that hormones have a major role to play in weight loss and weight gain. The reason why I was gaining and not loosing was not because I was being so terrible in my disciplines but because the lack of estrogen and progesterone, the total imbalance was actually causing me to GAIN weight. So I am working with my doctor now to see how HRT may be able to not only help my perimenopause/going into menopause issues but also to help bring better balance to help the weight loss process kick in further. I feel like an entirely different woman - I cant even articulate it the difference in overall feeling but certainly the fact that I have lost the weight I had gained and now back to making the scale go down instead of up. You can read my previous thread to get a better context of where this post is coming from. If you are having similar struggles and are female in the age range of 45 to 55 it might be well worth your time to have your hormone levels tested and see if hormone therapy can help you get balanced again and improve your weight loss. I am just one lbs away from being in another weight bracket and after not loosing for 4 months I feel like a million bucks There are many articles and information on Google that you can look up and research regarding hormonal imbalance and the role it might be playing in extremely difficulty in weight loss, especially in women of a certain age. I am just putting this out there for your consideration in case you are a woman like me that may be struggling in this area and not even know it. Talk to your gyno and get your hormones tested. I will soon post an updated photo when I hit that next weight bracket

Well, another goal I'm not going to make........I wanted to be at my goal weight by my bday, which is next week. eeeek, not going to happen. So now I'm just hoping by my 3 year band anniversary which is in January! Eating has been good lately, exercise needs to pick up - it needs to be more consistant. I've got a plan for next week, so we'll see how that goes. Tomorrow taking a vacation day from work to just play. I plan on hanging out at my friends and lounging in her pool all day. Yay. The scale is going down, but not down as fast as it goes up. Why is that? Ever wonder how you can show a 2 lbs weight gain overnight and then only lose 1/2 pound the next day? Hmmmm. Wt 164.6

Well, another goal I'm not going to make........I wanted to be at my goal weight by my bday, which is next week. eeeek, not going to happen. So now I'm just hoping by my 3 year band anniversary which is in January! Eating has been good lately, exercise needs to pick up - it needs to be more consistant. I've got a plan for next week, so we'll see how that goes. Tomorrow taking a vacation day from work to just play. I plan on hanging out at my friends and lounging in her pool all day. Yay. The scale is going down, but not down as fast as it goes up. Why is that? Ever wonder how you can show a 2 lbs weight gain overnight and then only lose 1/2 pound the next day? Hmmmm. Wt 164.6

Nah, I can't tell a difference. Pretty much every personality I trust agrees that monohydrate is the best way to go if you are going to do creatine. And it doesn't have to be the expensive brand either. Bodytech is what I was using and I think it was like $10. Supplementation is only really necessary when you cannot obtain the results naturally. I cannot get in the 150-200 grams of protein I need for my lifting regimen so I supplement protein. I do use BCAA's because I tend to take a while to recover. I tried creatine again late last year and cycled on/off on 30 day stints. The only difference I truly saw with the creatine was jitteriness and water weight gain.

Hey everyone, I've had my band for 3 yrs now and happy with the results (lost 104 lbs). However, my band slipped about 6 mths ago and I still haven't gotten it fully fixed. My Dr says he "treats the symptoms, not the xray" meaning that when he unfilled me partially, my reflux stopped. So he left it alone. Unfortunately, at this current fill level, I no longer have that same restriction. Not to say I have none, I can tell it's there till about 7 pm -then I can graze like a cow. Used to throw up quite often cuz I ate way too fast. Haven't thrown up in 6 mths since my partial unfill. Still have occasional reflux (about 2x a week). I was banded for a reason: Diet don't work. Hate dieting. When I was banded, I swore I'd never count another calorie or fat gram again - and I don't. Like I said, I've been pretty successful with it but after my slip, I find I can eat tons more - causing a 16 lbs weight gain in the last 6 mths. I was 9 lbs from my goal last Dec now I'm 25. But I know if I have my band removed, I will most likely gain all that weight back. Does MEdicare (who covered my band) cover revision surgery if there was a problem with my band? Or do they only cover if I gain all the weight back and my BMI is >40 again? My current BMI is 26. But obesity is an ongoing medical condition and it really doesn't matter how much you weigh at any given moment, if I have the ability to gain it back, I probably will. What do you think? Marci

I blame my kids for my weight gain in the 90's and early 2K. They loved tater tots and of course I always heated up too many. I still love em but haven't had one since my surgery. On the other hand, I had pizza tonight, very very good pizza. My wife's Bday was today so we allowed ourselves this one treat. No regrets.

Anybody else having this issue? The more depressed I get about my huge weight gain the more I am drinking to forget. I'm doing this instead of eating. Anyone else going through this? Pretty sure this is contributing to my possible ulcer.

anyone having problems with weight gain years after gastric bypass surgery? I need support! help please, we can do this together and lose that weight gain! Thanks in advance, Sharowna

I was banded in 2008 at 433 pounds. For the first two years, the band was like magic, and I lost 200 pounds in 2 years very easily. The next 50 pounds came off much more slowly, with a lot more effort and several long plateaus. But I got down to 178 pounds which although still overweight, is not too bad on my 5'9" frame. My weight fluctuated a bit but always stayed below 200 pounds until about a year and a half ago. My acid reflux started getting really bad and even with prescription acid blockers was still causing me trouble every day. The band was no longer taking away that "head hunger" that was so magical in the first years after the band. My weight started creeping up and up, and when I tried loosening my band to deal with the acid reflux, the weight gain comes on even faster. At the moment I have no fill in my band because I wanted to see how I would do without it. Unfortunately, I am not making the right eating choices. And I have fallen off the exercise bandwagon. This morning, when I stepped on the scale, it said 249! I'm upset and depressed. I feel like the band isn't working for me anymore and I don't know what to do. I don't want to gain this weight back. I'm considering converting to a gastric bypass but would like to give the band one more go. Has anyone had luck getting their band to help them lose weight past the 7+ year mark?

Weight Loss Plateau / Stall = Stalemate Written by: Brendaliz Roldán When we started the journey to lose weight, we measure our success or failure on a scale. Like everything usually happens at the beginning, we see happend we want fast and are happy until the scale no longer changes the way we want and that the questions begin ... Part of this process is the "weight loss plateau (WLP) or weight loss stall", what we know as stagnant weight. It is at this moment that we're frustrated, we doubt we surrender and not seeing the results you want on the scale. The first thing to do is understood to mean the WLP and understand their possible causes. According to Dr. Debra Fulghum "It's hard to imagine that for weeks in your weight loss program suddenly the scales do not give an ounce. The WLP during weight loss is normal. No matter how diligent be to follow a good diet, occasionally you'll fall off the wagon. The key to continue losing weight, experts say, is to acquire the skills and knowledge itself. This is what will allow you to recover after a relapse. " THE Dr. Troy Lamar, bariatric surgeon explains that "even if you're doing everything perfectly well, it is normal that you stop losing weight at some point. What is recommended when this happens, take note of what is consumed and ensure that their foods are low in fat, carbohydrates, sugar and high in protein and exercise mild to moderate. " According AWR (2011) weight can be represented by other things besides just fat. You may be losing fat, but that weight is being offset by the gain in weight otherwise. For example, weight loss and weight gain can occur as a result of: ü Grasaü Músculoü Aguaü Glycogen (explained below) ü Estreñimientoü All of the above There is a possibility that a pound of fat lost successfully has been compensated in the same period, it seems to have reached the WLP although some fat is lost. This is why it is a good idea to monitor your progress using more than your body weight (eg measurements, body fat percentage, pictures, mirrors, etc.) What causes WLP? The first thing to do is understand our body and understand that no two people are alike. We are all different and we all go through the process in a different way. Part of the process is to know your body! Body changes and Metabolism After some time they started losing weight, body composition changes, like nutritional needs. The metabolism tends to self-regulate and adjust to their new needs in a lower weight at this point is that it is more common than WLP (Riverside Surgical and Weight Loss Center, 2013) occurs. As you lose weight, it is estimated that 25% of lost body tissue is muscle since muscle is critical to keep the metabolism running, lose muscle mass and reduces the metabolic rate slows weight loss. Strength training can help strengthen the muscles and helps speed up metabolism. The theory is that the body adjusts naturally tries to keep the weight where you feel more comfortable, therefore, if you look at the same weight for a long time, you might have come to that comfort zone. Suffice it to add that you face a battle between what your body wants and what you want to achieve. It is possible that at this point need fewer calories and more physical activity to keep losing weight. This is one of the main reasons for the WLP, although there are other factors influencing such problems in the thyroid or adrenal gland, medicine, menopause, hormonal problems, anxiety, ect. Portion Control It is very likely that the WLP is because it has stopped carrying portion control and a decrease occurred in physical activity. Furthermore, it can affect whether high-calorie foods are consumed frequently. It is a reality that people drop their guard when an initial weight loss and it is perfectly natural. The important thing here is to understand that portion control is essential for weight loss. (WebMD, 2015). Glycogen Our bodies use energy storage glycogen short term. Glycogen is not very soluble, but is stored in the muscles for quick energy. Glycogen requires one pound of 4 pounds of water to keep it soluble, and the mean glycogen storage capacity is approximately 2 pounds. So when a bariatric patient is not getting enough food in the body, which consume is first converted to stored glycogen, which is easily broken for energy. Then when two pounds of glycogen are used the person will also lose 8 pounds of water, which were used to store two pounds of glycogen. There are the "easy" 10 pounds that most people lose in the first week of a diet. However, when the body remains in a state of calorie deficit, the body begins to realize that this is not a short-term problem. Then, the body begins to mobilize fat from adipose tissue and the burning of fat for energy. But the body also realizes that fat can not be used for short bursts of energy. Thus, the conversion of fat into glycogen and rebuilding glycogen starts. As put back the two pounds of muscle glycogen, 8 pounds of water must be stored with it to keep it soluble. Thus, although the patient still may be losing energy content in your body but the weight does not drop and may even gain weight as water retention dissolved glycogen that is reforming and stored (DS Facts, 2014). Note that: 1. the more you lose weight, the weight loss slows and 2. losing weight is harder when you are reaching the ideal weight as the body adjusts to the weight that is most comfortable. How can we leave the WLP? ü Keep a food diary : It is important to take daily meals, that way you can see your true eating habits, see if it is complying with the suggested servings, always remember to read the nutritional labels on the foods you eat. ü Consult a diet change: Ask your dietitian if you need a change in your diet to help the metabolism. Remember to focus on eating foods low in carbohydrates and high in protein and is essential to follow the recommendations suggested by your dietitian food. ü Consume 64 ounces of water a day. ü Exercise and start strength training. ü Get enough sleep and manage stress: Lack of sleep and anxiety is strongly linked to weight gain. Seek professional help and join a bariatric support group. ü Weigh yourself once a week: Weigh yourself every day can be counterproductive. Use other measures of progress. ü Most importantly :. Focus on the benefits already obtained with the weight you have lost Make a list of all the things you can do since losing weight, put a photo when I was overweight so you can recognize how far it has come to serve him motivation to continue (Ridgeview Medical Center, 2015). My motto: If others have been, I do not know why? If you can! Note: The shared information is obtained from various sources on the Internet, remember to always check first with your doctor, health professional and nutritionist.

Notebook magazine here in Australia published an article in this months edition about Anissy Levy, an aussie who got LapBanded. she and the LapBand were well represented and very inspiring. She sounds like an intelligent lady - and the article in no way made little of obese people's problems. Check it out online: http://www.notebookmagazine.com/you/article/417/Stopping-the-weight-gain

Hi Connie - I gained 1kg/2.2lbs on the scales last week, but some how I'm fitting into some clothes that I couldn't before that. I'm wondering if it is muscle gain, as I have been walking and doing weights. Could this be your weight gain? I also find I put on about 2kgs or 4.4lbs of Fluid a few days before I'm due for my period, then it's gone the next week. Like MrsJingles said - Hang in there.. Amy