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Like COnative I believe in high intensity interval training. It worked for me in the past before the cancer and the weight gain. I look forward to bringing it back in some time in the future. I have found that working out too long takes too much out of me. I am trying to get it all done within 1 hour. HIIT works well with that goal. I used to do heavy duty bodybuilding. I am nearly 64 now and am not concerned with bulk which is impossible anyway at my age and testosterone level. My goal is optimal body fat level and health. I already have defeated high blood pressure, diabetes, and sleep apnea. Studies indicate that a fit, slim body can better ward off the return of prostate cancer. It is worth the effort.

LOL I did the Lindora diet. Same as Atkins. I stopped losing and so I upped the calories in my diet and nothing. I have even begun core body training 3 weeks ago, so maybe the weight gain (2lbs) is muscle, but still discouraging. Today is first day of bootcamp. YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY! this should do it.

Has anyone lost around 130 pounds, had breast lift with augmentation then got pregnant? What did your boobies look like after? did you need to get a new boob job done?did you already have kids prior to your boob job? I have a total of 130 pounds to lose, I have lost 92 so far and I hate my boobs. I have 3 children already and dont plan on having any more for another 5 years. When I get to goal I wanna get breast lift with augmentation but at the same time don't because I know they can sag. I cant help thinking how much can they possibly change though? with all the weight gain I stretched them out allot and 3 pregnancies . I never was able to breast feed so I wont be this time and Now that I have vsg I wont gain that much weight if I do get pregnant 5 years from now! is there anyone out there that has been through this? What do you think? what was your experience? Thanks

Hello all. I was just prescribed abilify for obsessive compulsive disorder, and anxiety. Anyone out there taking it? Any weight gain, or more control of eating?

I think alot of people have had some covid weight gain. Both wls people and non-wls people. Reduction of activity, boredom, stress, proximity to the fridge/pantry all day long, etc., etc. I had a small gain of 6 lbs that I acknowledged mid-summer. As of this week I finally said good bye to those stinkin’ pounds. There really wasn’t a secret strategy to the loss: I cut calories and increased exercise a smidge. Took me 4.5 months (which is a stark reminder that weight loss is not as fast/easy as it once was, as the ease of not eating has decreased by a lot). I’m sure I could have probably done this faster by cutting more calories, but honestly, I just didn’t want to. I accepted the slower loss in exchange for extra cals. Its actually a good thing that you “caught” the gain and are making (it seems) an effort to address it now rather than later if/when the gain is much, much more. Remind yourself the eventual outcome if you continue on this path (an old Before Picture, perhaps?). Rid your place of the foods that are contributing to the gain, and replace with more appropriate foods if u are able. When the urge to eat when u are not truly hungry comes around, do something else: drink water, do some yoga, wash the dishes. If f u still want to eat 45 mins later, portion out a small-ish amount (like 1/3 cup or something) and commit to only eating that until another 45 mins has passed. Rinse and repeat. You know what to do. Its up to you to find it in yourself to do it.

I saw amitriptyline there, awful stuff, I hate it. Gabapentin & amitriptyline... Sleep issues? Sorry not my business, but I have them and have been on both for them. If so, vistaril doesn't make me gain weight, but I do Ambien too. I know A LOT about those meds, I feel like I've taken them all and weight gain because of my meds scares me too

You Choose: How Easy Do You Want Losing Weight to Be? Weight loss surgery is a substantial step in the battle to control your weight. It is proof of your long-term commitment to eating better and becoming healthier. Research clearly shows that weight loss surgery can be far more effective for significant long-term weight loss than diet and exercise, so why don’t all weight loss surgery patients achieve their goal weights after weight loss surgery? Why do some people find the journey easier than others, even though both sets of individuals are motivated to follow the weight loss surgery diet? The big losers do not necessarily have more willpower or desire. The important difference between the big losers and the re-gainers may be how easy they find the journey to be. Surprisingly, you can control a large part of how easy or hard it is to lose weight. The weight loss journey is not just about changing your digestive system through surgery. It is also about changing your entire lifestyle to facilitate weight loss. Weight Loss Surgery is a Weight Loss Tool, Not a Cure Weight loss surgery is a tool. It can make you less hungry by reducing the size of your stomach by inserting a band around your stomach (Lap-band), removing the majority of your stomach pouch (vertical sleeve gastrectomy) or folding or stapling away the majority of your stomach pouch (gastric bypass, duodenal switch, and sleeve plication). The vertical sleeve gastrectomy reduces hunger by reducing the amount of ghrelin, a hunger hormone, that your stomach produces. The gastric bypass and duodenal switch reduce nutrient absorption. All of these surgeries can help you eat less and lose weight, but none of these surgeries are fail-proof. You can “cheat” by eating high-calorie foods, drinking high-calorie beverages, drinking beverages while you eat solid foods, and eating without measuring your portions. Successful weight loss requires good choices on your part, and making good choices is easier if you focus on your entire lifestyle, not just the part of your digestive system that was changed with surgery. The Influence of Your Surroundings on Your Weight Think about this scenario. You leave home without breakfast and order a muffin and ice coffee at the drive-through on your way to work. You grab a doughnut at your morning meeting, and go out for lunch with your friends. You order the lunch special with a salad, breadstick, fettuccine alfredo and cheesecake. You nibble on some chocolates from your secretary’s desk as you make your way to the vending machine for a soda in the afternoon. You pick up a pizza on your way home because you know that there is nothing else for dinner. Now compare it to this second scenario. You wake up early to meet your friend for a walk before you get home for a breakfast of scrambled egg whites and spinach. You drive to work and have yogurt and some fruit at your morning meeting. Lunch with your coworkers consists of a green salad with canned tuna, and you have a hard-boiled egg for your afternoon snack. You are able to get dinner on the table quickly when you get home because you only need to defrost the meals that you prepared earlier in the week. Which scenario do you think you can help you lose weight? The second one, of course. So why not make it a reality? Do Your Surroundings Encourage Weight Loss or Weight Gain? You have battled your weight for years, if not for your entire life before weight loss surgery. In all likelihood, your environment was set up for you to eat. Take a good, hard look at your environment. Is it more like the first scenario or the second one described above? You have the ability to make it more like the second one. Notice the following items from the two scenarios. Exercise was automatic in the second one because you planned to meet a friend – so you couldn’t back out. Preparing your dinners ahead of time meant that you could eat quickly without going to a fast food restaurant. Packing your own snacks meant that you did not have to eat a doughnut in your morning meeting or chocolates in the afternoon. Make the “Right” Choice Automatic The fewer tough choices you have, the less likely you are to make poor decisions. Set up your environment so that the healthier actions are easier. To make healthy eating easier: Prepare plenty of meals ahead of time so that you always have a ready-to-eat, healthy option to prevent you from opting for take-out. Throw away the take-out menus that you used to store in the kitchen. The extra time it takes you to look up the phone numbers and menus online may be enough to let you come to your sense and realize that you don’t want fast food. Keep your kitchen stocked with all kinds of healthy foods, so that no matter your craving, you have a healthy answer. Do not keep unhealthy foods at home. If they are not there, you cannot eat them. Make sure that the healthy option is the default option. For example, measure your cheese and cut and wash fruits and vegetables ahead of time so that it is easier to snack on them than on cookies. Also consider these ideas: Meet your friends for walks or shopping trips instead of for meals at restaurants. Park your car a few blocks away from work so that you have no choice but to walk those few blocks again at the end of the day as you leave work. Do not drive past drive-thrus if they are too tempting. Also, do not keep money in the car, and consider removing your car’s cup holders so that eating in the car is no longer an option. All weight loss surgery patients have their own struggles. Far from being wimpy, removing these obstacles rather than fighting them is the best way to overcome them. The weight loss journey path will always have speed bumps and potholes, but it will be a lot smoother if you set up your lifestyle to promote better choices all day.

So many good posts! But I want to mention the part where you referenced lack of will power and that the sleeve will help when you want to eat a big piece of cake - it won't help that. It will make you less phisically hungry, but it will not cure the head hunger that tells you that you want cake. The "head hunger" is something you want to be in as much control of - or at least understanding and recognition of, before you undergo surgery. The pre-diets that insurance companies make you go through, and enough emphasis is not put on AT ALL, do so much more than just qualify you for surgery or get you in a better physical state to undergo anestisia and surgery - that is when you begin to deal with your issues, and really begin to get an understanding of life after. I too am 38 and I began to think about the bypass about 10 years ago - I had a rapid unexplained weight gain (very long story) and was not able to do the things I am used to and panicking because it wouldn't come off. I decided no way on the bypass about 7 years ago, and then lapband, and then no go there, too many complications. Then the VGS and I chose that. I do not have any regrets so far - I was sleeved 1/4. George (my sleeve) has had some issues and we are still mainly on liquids but I feel better each day. I tried sooo hard before I finally decided to go with VSG. I understand the desire to be able to say "I did it on my own". But I am doing it on my own. I decided on the surgery, arranged it, paid for it, I put the food in my mouth and record my intake and take my Vitamins and exercize. The medical side would have been there to one extent or another anyway. Teh surgery was just a different type of prescription - that is how I am looking at it. Prayers for you as you make your decisions!

Weight 222.5 (sad but still down 7.5 pounds) was told the weight gain/lack of weigh loss is normal Turns out I had 1 cc in my band and they added 3 ½ so I have a total of 4 ½ and my band hold 10 cc The actual access the port was much more painful then acceding the medi port I had in my check for chemo. So numbing meds as I am a tough new Yorker cancer survivor (just in general I think when they hear you have had cancer that you are very strong and don’t need any minor stuff like numbing cream ect) After had to drink a cup of Water to be sure I didn’t throw up Went down fine and stayed down. I was hungry before the fill but after not at all My stomach was growling later in the evening but I was not hungry at all Had ½ an ensure (by the time I had dinner it was after 9pm and I didn’t want to have too much food in my stomach) but I was good didn’t wake up in the middle of the night starving like I have been On liquids for 2 days then mushies for 2 then normal food Feeling real psyched for this let the weight loss begin

I too have my own reasons for not liking the idea of "therapy", but i am hoping to work on things and get some help. I have come to realize, by my huge weight gain in the last 2 years, I have some issues to fix. Gastric sleeve will only get me so far. Thank you for the great guidance!

You (excuse me, we) didn't get fat from one day of overeating! But several days that turn into several weeks of overeating will result in big weight gains. This will not be the last time this happens, so you need a game plan, to follow when it does happen. I agree with Jack, except I do full liquids for at least two meals, followed by a small salad with some Protein for dinner. I do two days of this , depending on how bad the "bad" day was. Track your protein while on liquids and keep them high. Drink Water between meals.

GASTRIC STRICTURE Any procedure that was performed with the intent of restricting the amount of food the stomach can hold as a means of achieving weight loss can potentially lead to a permanent and excessively tight area of the stomach, called a stricture. This can follow a gastric bypass, a stomach stapling procedure, an band procedure or a gastric sleeve. The symptoms of a stricture are very similar to those of a Slipped Band and may include: CHRONIC VOMITING OR REGURGITATION OF UNDIGESTED FOOD EXCESSIVE WEIGHT LOSS UPPER ABDOMINAL OR CHEST PAIN AFTER EATING Relieving these symptoms can sometime be accomplished by simply stretching the stricture, usually with an endoscopic dilator under sedation. The relief may last a few days or many months, depending on how tight the stricture is and how easily it could be stretched. When this treatment fails to provide lasting improvement the solution is reoperation. The surgeon's goal is to open the strictured area sufficiently enough to allow food and fluids to pass through without difficulty, typically using a procedure known as a stricturoplasty. One of the side effects can be weight gain since the restriction has been eliminated. Occasionally, the stricturoplasty is combined with another procedure to help maintain the benefits of prior weight loss surgery. However, in this situation the main objective is to restore the anatomy of the stomach to the point where the patient can eat enough to maintain healthy nutrition.

What sleevers need to know: After 6 months the tight restriction starts to fade. At about a year or more out you will definitely be able to hold more food. Understand your stomach is not back to full size. Only a small percentage of sleeves that need revision. The problem is when people confuse grazing with stomach capacity/stretching. If you eat several meals with excess calories. (Can be healthy or unhealthy food choices) you will start seeing weight gain. I can easily get in 3000 calories in a day if I graze. The sensation is as if I didn't have surgery at all. Surgery does not take away hunger for most of us. You will feel head and real hunger. Eating sugar and carbs will make you crave them more and increase your hunger level. . My disclaimer: low carb is not everyone's weight loss plan. (carbs may/will increase maintaining and higher fitness level. ( if you gain go back to low carb or your plan) If you are struggling with the extra space and hunger : Some tips to keep you full and satisfied within your calorie range. (I'm not a medical professional this is just my experience/opinion) increase your protein goal. Add veggies. The bulk and fiber will help fill the increased stomach volume Detox off carbs and sugar. Keep healthy sweet and salty snacks on hand for cravings night snacking or head hunger - Buy a veggie tray. If you are at the end of your daily calorie allotment for weight loss mode. Eat from your veggie tray. If you try to bargain with yourself for another option then you know its head hunger.

When I went on BCP I didn't experience weight gain (it's the only thing I ever put in my mouth that didn't make me gain weight!). The only side effect I noticed was cramping. For the first 3 months I was taking it, I had constant, mild cramps - just like menstrual cramps, only mild enough that I could ignore them. As I gained weight I had to stop taking the BCP, and all other hormone-based forms of birth control. I'm hoping I can get back on them soon. Even if you have a slight weight gain, IMO it would be so worth doing what you could to try and treat the cyst externally.

Karen - I'm with ya! I've never been large breasted, but they became way larger with this last round of weight gain.....to a D cup. And I don't like it! They're starting to deflate, and I'm thrilled!

As I am not yet six weeks post op, I am only walking. It has helped with the weight loss because I am burning the little bit of calories that I am consuming. I usually eat one of my meals before doing so, something that is high in protein. I plan on doing HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) when allowed. I personally believe that walking, trying to walk at high pace, is the only exercise that I need to continue to do, however, I am feeling really good and excited about doing more. I have always wanted to be an "athlete." Not sure why I have this need. Prior to my weight gain with my first child, I did a lot of running and even completed a sprint triathlon, so that is my goal again. The big thing, as mentioned above, exercise is important for your health-not just physically, but it is also good for your mental health. Find something that interests you and will keep you motivated. I live in China where walking is done by everyone, it is free and it is helping me reach my goals faster.

Ok, This is my first post and of course it's a great question.. Has anyone experienced dryness before/during sex? I have NEVER had this issue before surgery. I had a full gyn work-up 2 month before surgery, so I know I am all good. I have lost 38 lbs in 4 weeks. I am feeling great. My sex drive is back to pre-weight gain status,lol. I am just having some lubricating issues. I am having a tough time 'getting warmed up' and staying that way. I have used lube in the past (after a very amorous few days, I needed it. My fiancee' and I are very 'active') I feel excited, but my nether regions are not reacting as they did pre-surgery. I am hoping someone else has some insight. TIA, CC

Hi There,, I understand where you are coming from about the intervention. My Mom used to make comments to me about the weight gain but they were more in a chastised (or maybe nagging is a better word) manner rather then sitting me down to have an adult conversation. I love my Mom but she treated me like I was still 13 and refusing to do my chores as opposed to the 37 year old man that I was. I didn't need to hear "oh your getting fat again". I have no children of my own and have no place offering advice but I think the approach to the conversation is huge. Hearing it from someone else besides from a parent would be huge as well. Again, this is nothing but the opinion of a childless 44 year old. You're right though...he has to want to help himself and hopefully that realization will happen sooner then later while there is still time. Thank you for the well wishes and I hope you're son finds his way. **Before anyone judges me I am in no way blaming anyone at all for my weight or weight gain especially my Mother. I just wish I had gotten a real reality check before I got so out of control**

He was injured a year ago in Iraq from another rollover accident prior to this one. He has some nerve damage and shrank 2 inches of his 6'7 frame due to back compression of his vertebra. He has since retired medically from the Army and receives full veteran benefits. He is now finishing his degree in Emergency Medicine. On his really bad pain days, he walks with a cane and limps a little bit. He is quite my inspiration to lose the weight (100+) pounds gained within 3 years after marriage. I want to be able to push him to be able to work out and get healthier too. He is unable to do traditional army fitness exercises or run anymore due to his injuries. I want both of us to get healthier before we start our family. PCOS is no fun at all!!! This is our engagement picture, before weight gain and accident in 2010.

Jane, I needed to hear that. Thank you so much! I felt such disgust with myself until I read your post. I didn't realize how much I would need the support of others during this time, I thought all of the support I would need would be more physical then anything. I think this is the first time in my life I have exerted willpower with food and it is scary and empowering all at the same time. My reason for going through all of this is that if I do not have surgery any children my husband and I conceive will be high risk pregnancies. At this time I do not have any morbidities, however, at my weight I would be on bedrest my entire pregnancy, pre-disposed to gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, and a plethora of other issues that would significantly decrease the likelihood of carrying any child of ours to full term. In addition to all of that, weight gain and body shapes are hereditary, however having healthy eating habits is something that is learned through your family. I do not want any children of ours to learn horrific eating habits because I eat the way I do. My husband is a slim man, very healthy, but his eating habits are worse then mine. I quit smoking 2 years ago for this exact same reason, I do not want my bad habits to be passed on to my children, which in term caused my husband to jump on the bandwagon of no longer smoking. He and I both feel that once my eating habits change his will to by default. Thank you again for helping me keep my eye on the prize.

What causes weight gain after sleeve surgery? The exact same things that cause it before surgery. Too much food and no exercise. The surgery is only gonna give you a helpful tool to limit you intake. The rest is up to you. You have to change all your eating habits and get you bod moving. Yeah, yeah, yeah.....I know....you dieted and exercised before. Really, you gonna stick with that story. The surgery is your chance to get it right. Eating small portions require you eat the correct nutritional food or you will become weak and tired. Eat too much and it will hurt. As you adjust to the new eating guidelines and begin losing weight, you'll gain the energy to exercise and workout and do all the things you've been missing. Then over time, these new guidelines will develop into new lifestyle habits which will stay with you when you reach your goals. So in the end........you won't overeat the wrong foods and sit around on your ass doing nothing and gaining weight. -

Have you all ever head of SAD Disorder ? My father has it. It is one of the major reasons that we all moved to Arizona from Illinois. http://www.sada.org.uk/ Seasonal Affective Disorder What is Seasonal Affective Disorder? Some people suffer from symptoms of depression during the winter months, with symptoms subsiding during the spring and summer months. This may be a sign of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD is a mood disorder associated with depression episodes and related to seasonal variations of light. fact sheet index SAD was first noted before 1845, but was not officially named until the early 1980’s. As sunlight has affected the seasonal activities of animals (i.e., reproductive cycles and hibernation), SAD may be an effect of this seasonal light variation in humans. As seasons change, there is a shift in our “biological internal clocks” or circadian rhythm, due partly to these changes in sunlight patterns. This can cause our biological clocks to be out of “step” with our daily schedules. The most difficult months for SAD sufferers are January and February, and younger persons and women are at higher risk. Symptoms Include: regularly occurring symptoms of depression (excessive eating and sleeping, weight gain) during the fall or winter months. full remission from depression occur in the spring and summer months. symptoms have occurred in the past two years, with no nonseasonal depression episodes. seasonal episodes substantially outnumber nonseasonal depression episodes. a craving for sugary and/or starchy foods. Possible Cause of this Disorder Melatonin, a sleep-related hormone secreted by the pineal gland in the brain, has been linked to SAD. This hormone, which may cause symptoms of depression, is produced at increased levels in the dark. Therefore, when the days are shorter and darker the production of this hormone increases. Treatments Phototherapy or bright light therapy has been shown to suppress the brain’s secretion of melatonin. Although, there have been no research findings to definitely link this therapy with an antidepressant effect, many people respond to this treatment. The device most often used today is a bank of white fluorescent lights on a metal reflector and shield with a plastic screen. For mild symptoms, spending time outdoors during the day or arranging homes and workplaces to receive more sunlight may be helpful. One study found that an hour’s walk in winter sunlight was as effective as two and a half hours under bright artificial light. If phototherapy doesn’t work, an antidepressant drug may prove effective in reducing or eliminating SAD symptoms, but there may be unwanted side effects to consider. Discuss your symptoms thoroughly with your family doctor and/or mental health professional.

I was banded July 21 as well. The weight gain is from the fluids pumped into you during surgery and recovery. They will come off. As for not losing during the first 5 weeks, it was explained to me that because there is limited restriction some people go back to eating normally and that puts back on the lbs until the first fill. As for me, if I could just get over the gas pains I would be fine!

Hi Jennifer, (Cherry Kamikaze...Ha! I love it) Read my posts called "Dr. Aceves Patients...HELP". I have the same doubts and nervousness and a very vocal family as well. I have a BMI of 50 and I'm going to Mexico next week! No family support. No one coming with me. I think if you have a good 100 lbs or more to lose, excess skin is inevitable whether you lose weight with surgery or own your own. It may not be pretty, but your insides will be healthier. Also, some insurance companies are now covering pannectomies where the remove the pannus, which is the lower saggy stomach area that hangs down like an apron. Check the statistics. Weight gain after a sleeve is much less likely than weight gain after a diet and exercise, which has like a 95% FAILURE rate. My family also had me believing that I don't try hard enough. They said I just need to do "Mind over Matter" and try harder to diet and exercise. (And my mom is nodding her head in agreement meanwhile she is the DIABETIC buying BIG TEXAS CINNAMON BUNS in BULK at Sam's Club!!!!! and she has a CANDY DRAWER! HELLO!!!!) I think, if you (like myself) have tried diets, exercising, time and time again, only to regain the weight...it's time for a more permanent solution. Obviously the diets aren't working. I did one last serious attempt at it and I just couldn't make it work. I think I have the stomach the size of a 7 foot tall Olympian. Have you tried at least 5 of the following: gym memberships, walking, work out dvd's, Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Dr. supervised diets, Phentermine, Alli, Slim Fast, Atkins, on and on? If you answer YES, then IMO, time for surgery.

After talking with my doctor I opted not to get the depo. She said the average weight gain is 5lbs a year and she said she didn't want to set me back. I ended up with the lowest dose of hormone pill available.