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As others have stated, this is an extremely personal decision that only you and your husband can make. (well, and your surgeon if you go for surgery first, since many require 2 years, but you'd want to know what your specific surgeon has to say about it). Since you did follow up and ask specifically what we would do - personally, if I was healthy enough to conceive and carry a child before surgery, I would do that. If I had 'baby fever' now, it would be excruciating to wait to have surgery (especially if there was a 6 month diet, like my insurance requires), then 2 more years on top of that (as my surgeon would require). Then, time to conceive, 9 more months until delivery, etc. I also have a fear of regain post-surgery, so I'd rather be done with intentional weight gain, like with pregnancy, before having surgery so there won't be any other instances looming in my future where I KNOW I'll need to gain some weight. But again, this is an extremely personal decision and only you know what's right for you. Good luck with whatever you decide!

Merry Christmas everyone. I've gained 5 pounds since being banded on 12/21. Anyone experience this?

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

Hello! I am new to the board and had a few questions. I am currently 24.5 weeks pg with my 3rd child. I was banded back in 2011 and lost all and some of my weight. I had very high blood pressure issues but not extremely over weight and so was considered a candidate for the surgery. I started out this pg at 115 lbs and am now sitting at 132.5 lbs. I had a slight defill done in my first trimester (1cc was filled to 7.5cc's so I'm still at 6.5cc's about).... So my question is how much totaly weight did everyone gain during there pg's? I find I am still restricted to a certain amount and have a hard time eating certain Proteins, rice and dry things.....I am not really wanting to get a defill as I find I am gaining a sifficiant amount of weight.........How did all you ladies make out in that department? I am noticing I am eating alot of ice cream and chocolate at night.....lol......My cravings....lol

Normal weight gain for a bandster would be what any other normal person's weight gain would be. I gained about 50 lbs but I had half my fluid removed at 10 weeks and had no restriction. I think you are doing just fine!

Long story short I had surgery in 2005 and was very successful for the first 2 years losing approx 85 lbs. About 3 years out my port was leaking slowly and fills were not working as well, some weight gain with that. I had surgery to change the port I thought this would solve the problem. It did not I have been getting fills every month and gaining approx 3-5 lbs a month. I am now 35lbs or so from my pre surgery weight and the rate I'm going I will be there again in a few months. I am an xray tech and brought in a film of me drinking barium and my doctor said I was too tight and took some out, why then am I gaining weight I asked? I went this last week and the PA refused to fill me prob because I stated I had a hard time with eggs that morning, although I ate a full turkey dinner on Thanksgiving leading me to believe, not tight enough, spontanious tightening I think. The PA then said "WOW I have never seen anyone gain like this, maybe you need to see a pyschologist, HEE HEE! Don't we all. Being totally honest I do not eat perfectly, by my count I am averaging 1000 cal a day, and not as much protien as I should get because it's harder to get down. I would have rather spent the 6 grand on credit card bills. I guess it's back to diet pills, trainers and weight watchers and another billion bucks!! Signed SUPER DISCOURAGED!!! :thumbup:

I thought that I was doing really well. I finally beat the 180 mark that took me close to a month to hit. All of a sudden my period comes and I gain 3 pounds instantly. I went from 177 to 180 within 2 days. I am so discouraged. I'm afraid that I will go back up again. I watch my food and exercise daily but the weight Jim has freaked me out. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Like @Frustr8 said, lots of people assume I got so big because I'm lazy or something along those lines. I have health issues that have put me at a disadvantage. Previous meds largely contributed to my weight gain. Hopefully now I have the advantage back in my corner and can finally beat this beast.

Someone else posted this on earlier posting so if you would like u can go to KP.org/misg to bariatrics after surgery and they posted their eating schedule. Eating Plan after Bariatric Surgery These diet instructions are simply guidelines. Please keep in mind that early on some patients will not be able to eat the recommended amounts of food and supplements. A simple rule of thumb is to not eat more than the recommended amounts. If you get full before then, just stop eating. Also, if you have trouble with foods in a particular stage, you can always return to the previous stage. Stage 1 - Clear Liquid (Days 0-3): This will be your first stage after surgery. Hydration is very important. This stage consists of clear, sugar-free, and caffeine-free fluids. During this stage your goal is to drink at least 4-6 ounces of Fluid each hour. A clear liquid Protein, such as Isopure, will be used in this stage. Aim to drink 60-75g of protein in a day. Stage 2 - Full Liquid (Days 4-14): The full liquid phase will use a higher protein meal plan. During this stage you can move from clear Liquid Protein, to Protein shakes such as New Directions, EAS, Premier, etc. Continue to take your protein supplements throughout the day to make sure your body meets its protein needs. Stage 3 - Soft Foods (Days 15-30): During this stage you can start adding soft foods into your diet. The goal is to slowly advance your diet, so you can gradually start eating solid foods. Stage 3 alone will still not supply you with the protein your body needs, therefore you will continue to drink your protein supplements. Stage 4 - Gradually Advancing to Solid Foods (Day 30 and Beyond): Stage 4 includes all of the foods in Stages 1, 2, and 3, plus a wider variety of food options. Additional documents Eating Plan After Bariatric Surgery [PDF] Sample Menus - Stage 3 [PDF] Sample Menus - Stage 4 [PDF] Shopping List - Stage 1 & 2 [PDF] Shopping List - Stage 3 [PDF] Shopping List - Stage 4 [PDF] [/url] Vitamin and Mineral Supplements Sleeve Gastrectomy [PDF] [PDF] Labs Bariatric Post-Operative Laboratory Guidelines [PDF] Pregnancy after Bariatric Surgery Follow these basic guidelines for pregnancy after bariatric surgery. BEFORE you become pregnant: Wait at least 18 months after surgery to become pregnant to ensure healthy fetal development. Birth control pills may not be as effective after surgery. You may want to consider an additional contraceptive method. Inform your OB/GYN doctor about your weight loss surgery. Take an additional 400 mcg folate per day. Take an additional Iron supplement with at least 18 mg iron. Ferrous fumarate may be better tolerated. Baseline labs are needed to determine your nutritional status and to identify any deficiencies. Your care DURING your pregnancy: Tell everyone involved in your care that you had bariatric surgery. Do not take the glucose tolerance test (GTT), a test for gestational diabetes. The test involves drinking 50 grams of glucose, which can lead to dumping syndrome in patients who have had gastric bypass. Better tests are fasting glucose level or 2 hour post prandial (after a meal) glucose level. Your diet DURING your pregnancy: Add 300-500 calories to your recommended 1000-1200 calorie plan by adding 1-2 high protein Snacks during pregnancy (during breastfeeding increase to 2-3 high protein snacks). Continue to eat protein-based meals and snacks. Continue to take your Vitamins and minerals as recommended. Take an additional 400 mcg folate and at least 18 mg iron per day. Limit artificial sweeteners including aspartame (NutraSweet®) and sucralose (Splenda®) and avoid saccharin (Sweet'N Low®) and stevia (Truvia®). ** Caution with Vitamin A: Pregnant women should not exceed 6,000 IU per day. Weight gain DURING pregnancy: If your BMI is greater than 29, aim for a maximum of 15 pounds weight gain. If your BMI is between 25 and 29, then 15 to 25 pound weight gain is appropriate. After bariatric surgery, weight gain standards are different. Discuss your weight gain with your doctor.

I had my surgery back in 2011... I've learned that the band is a tool that helps to control my weight, but in the end I have to carefully count my calories, carbs and protein intake. I went through a few years of having the band tightened and loosened. Either I was getting stuck all the time, or had no restriction. The magic spot for me was when I had a fill that allowed me to eat one slice of pizza in comfort (a rare treat these days!) without feeling the need to eat the whole thing! I have had years where I've gained some of the weight back, but that was due to my lack of diligence. At this point there are no foods I cannot eat as long as I chew properly. I've learned that counting carbs was very critical when I hit a stall. I've managed to lose weight continually by carefully monitoring and controlling the quality of what I eat. Giving up sugar and switching to fat free Half and Half in my coffee was enough to cause noticeable weight loss. Little things add up. That means I have to keep a computer log of my daily food intake and activities. I've learned that becoming complacent leads to weight gain. I've learned a lot reading these forums. In my humble opinion too many banders think the band is going to do all the work. Living with a tight band and being in discomfort IS not what the band is about. I have not been stuck if over five years. I don't have any sensation that the band is there, except that I know I feel satiated sooner because I do have the band. I am now averaging about .7 lbs a week weight loss, which is pretty good for a guy in his seventies and who is several years post surgery. I want to lose another 20 pounds before I leave this earth, makes it easier on my pall bearers. Good luck on your journey, it is worth it.

I was in the same boat with weight gain when I got home. The surgeons says it takes about 3 houses full of gas to weigh 5lb. So, its not gas but yes, it is inflammation and fluid retention (I had 4 litres of Hartmann's fluid infused during surgery and recovery - there's about 8lb right there!!). I'm glad to say that that excess weight has fallen off now. Hopefully same for you. Happy Anniversary for Friday. Your DH is a sweetheart - Wii Fit is sooo much fun. We also have the dance mat (Dancing Stage Hottest Party) and I loooove it (though Lisa hates it!). Also, Happy Birthday for tomorrow (Monday)!!

Hello, This is my first post so I am learning. In July I had blood clots in my legs that moved to my lungs and spent a few days in the hospital. The first thing my Dr said to me was Smoke and die, and Blood thinners for life! That being enough of a 2x4 upside the head, I quit smoking and started on my way to a 20 lb weight gain. Also i was unable to take ibuprofen anymore for my bad knees so I started excersising and walking less and less as they got worse and worse. This also led to a weight gain. I had previously lost 65 lbs on Adkins but had been stalled for a long while. I gained almost all this back in 4 months. Talking to my Dr about what to do with my knees, she suggested the surgery. I didnot realize my insurance co paid for this till then ( 90-10 coverage). My husband and i went to the informational meeting and I decided to have the lab band- less intrusive with my history. I think the hardest thing was calling a shrink! Anyway, surgery was Feb 7 2006 and my first fill is next wed. I was 337 before the 2 weeks preop of liquids. 325 at surgery and 305 now. I have been surfing this site for a few days and have learned a lot. Thanks!:clap2:

I'm feeling pretty depressed and guilty and discouraged and and and... and I'm tired of feeling this way! I've got my band in april of last year and didnt get my first fill until 6 months later. I've lost 55 pounds since but just cant seem to stay on track these days. Ice cream.. crackers.. mini candy bars at work... sometimes in the afternoon at work, I cant stop thinking about a snack. I obsess over it and end up becoming grouchy because I cant stop thinking about it. I end up feeling deprived and punished because I cant eat what I want... then the guilt that I even feel like that in the first place makes it worse. sigh... WHATS WRONG WITH ME??? I'm so happy with my success so far, but I feel I cant do it anymore. I was going to the gym 3 times a week, so even when I cheated, I wouldnt gain. Unfortunately I fell and hurt my ankle 4 weeks ago and can only do so much before I'm in too much pain.... so now I only go 1 or 2 times a week. I was working back to my consistency, but then I must of reinjured it because it started swelling up and hurting so I am back to square one. Boo! Although I know my depression meds contribute to my weight gain and my lust for sweets, it doesnt make me feel any better. Feels like excuses. Its my 41st bday today and I had wanted to reach my first goal of 200 pounds by today, but am 11 pounds short... and its my fault. I get up every morning and tell myself that today I wont eat anything I am not suppose to and that I will go to the gym and be proud of myself... but that never seams to happen 100%. I'm sorry I didnt have any words of wisdom or positive energy to contribute... maybe I shouldnt of posted at all... anyway, good luck to you...

I know when I signed up for my surgery I had all sorts of high hopes this was the be all-end all and my life was going to be what I finally wanted it to be. Well as many of you know that's not what happened to me. For those of you who are not familiar with my story, I'll give you the brief overview. I was only half commited to my post-op lifestyle, I had expected my surgery to do a lot more than it actually did. I really believed I had found my "Magic-Bullet" and I would be on the road to losing weight and getting fit. Well I did the first year, very little effort on my part and I lost sixty pounds. After the first year everything came to a screeching halt, no weight loss or weight gain in a year, not bad uhh? After two years of staying the exact same I finally had to have the "Heart to Heart" with myself. Are you happy with who are now? "NO!" If you don't lose another pound will you be happy? "NO!" Are you willing to commit to a completely new "LIFESTYLE"? "YES" What are you going to do to make it happen? "Adjust my eating and exercise" I'm sure you have "Played this game"! What kind of talk did you have with yourself? Did anything change after you had the talk? I'm asking you to be very honest with "YOU" not anyone else. I can honestly say I have had that talk with myself on more than one occasion, but this time something stuck. Maybe it's because I'm in my forties now and have really embraced the gift I've received. Here are some other things that I've learned that have helped me to stay on track: · Get plenty of rest. · Eat slowly and chew my food thoroughly. · Eat until I'm satisfiedl, not "Thanksgiving full". · Find an exercise program I really enjoy · Drink more Water. · List all of the things for which I am grateful. So, here's my challenge to you: Try these suggestions for 1 month and notice how differently you feel, physically as well as emotionally. If you find that you feel better, and are experiencing some new sensations in your body and attitude, then consider extending this experiment for another month. This time, add one or two things that would introduce a small degree of change to your life. This last one is key: introducing too much change too fast just sets you up for failure, so keep it simple. I like the KISS acronym: Keep It Simple, Silly. I would love to hear your feedback. How are you feeling about the changes you are experiencing?

I avoid carbonated drinks. My program says none for life. I understand that for a lot of WLS people that carbonated drinks are a gateway to really bad choices and weight gain. My surgeon said it could cause acid reflux and stretching of new tummy.

As for me - it is over 8 years sleeved for me now and things haven't really changed in the last year. I am down a little but still at least 14lbs over where I stabilised, which was another 14lbs where I set a goal weight! So, all in all I would still like to get rid of at least 28lbs! I've had to buy new clothes - that was really depressing! And I have zero energy to work out. School life is really stressful and my anxiety levels are ever increasing whereas my sleep is decreasing! This leaves me in a constant state of exhaustion. This is the last week in school before the summer holidays. We are going away Tuesday for 3 weeks and as much as I am looking forward to it I am dreading the whole swimming costume-wearing malarkey! It is gonna be three weeks of 'faking it, 'til I make it!' Plus a lot of sleeping and rest. On a plus note, I went back to being vegetarian last Sept and I have now fully transitioned to a vegan way of eating. This has been a really powerful move for me, not only for ethical reasons but for health reasons too. I initially looked into it to see if it would help my menopause - I have really been suffering with the symptoms for nearly 10 years and it is really getting me down (plus I am sure it has contributed to my weight gain). So, I thought I would see if changing my diet to a more plant based/vegan way would help. Although, I still get major hot flushes, they have generally decreased. My headaches/migraines have also improved. But, the biggest change is the digestion of my food. I have always been constipated - all my life - and since I removed dairy, especially cow's milk, I am no longer constipated! This has made me really hopeful that my gut is now working better and therefore my metabolic rate is improving. With time (and rest from work) I am hoping that my body will keep responding and I will feel more energised and therefore move more. I refuse to give up! I refuse to accept this weight that I am currently. I will keep on keeping on!

Glad to see some of the old timers here. My story is long- and I really don't feel like typing all the problems that caused 4 back surgeries. I can't really exercise the way I used to. I have almost given up caring about my weight gain. Wearing a 14 is way better than wearing a 24. I do eat right but I can't wear any of the clothes I saved in case I gained weight back. The pants I wore when I was 145 during my first year after being sleeved don't even come close to fitting. I have lost all the muscle I gained when I was going to the gym every day. It makes me mad that I weigh 145 and clothes I wore at 145 before don't fit, but I can't risk doing anything to hurt my back. I can barely walk now. I am in a lot of pain if I try to walk even a block.

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 am just home from the hospital yesterday and I got on the scale and I gained 18 pounds since I left for surgery last Thursday. Feel so bloated and gross now as well as sore from the surgery. I have not seen any mention a weight gain for people and I was curious....

My husband was supportive about my choice to have surgery. When we met I was not diabetic. Maybe a year later I was. I just didn't relish the idea of being on pills or insulin for the rest of my life. But still, I was very secretive about the whole process. I only told my boss at work to let her know I would need time off and two close friends. Sadly, I am not talking to one of those friends anymore. People are so judgey about it. "Oh, just eat less, put down the fork." I can't not eat. Gamblers can avoid a casino and drinkers can pour all their vodka down the drain, but every day, I have to eat. I lost 70 lbs by diet and exercise and it all came back. In turn all that weight gain just made me depressed and I ate more. I no longer take my diabetes pills, my blood sugar rarely gets up past 130. I don't wake up with blood sugar at 210 no matter how healthy my meal was the night before. It's my body and it was my decision. I don't regret it at all. Life is too short to not be happy.

I was banded end of October and have had a number of fills. the last few that I have had showed a weight gain. But, I have gone down in a pant size. Remember that muscle weighs more than fat. Don't let the scale measure everything for you. As for your doctor. With mine I can get a fill every two weeks. Most insurances work it every three to four weeks for a fill. If you want to get more fills, more often than the six weeks, talk to the office staff. The doctor or nurse will guide you into a shorter schedule. Best of luck.

Thanks so much. I do plan to do exactly what the Dr tells me to do. I really need to do this. I was scheduled to do surgery in 2008 and at the last minute my thyroid test came back Hyperthyroid. I had been having issues with my heart rate and BP going up but not much weight loss. The Drs couldn't believe I had Hyper thyroidism (Graves Disease) and not hypo since I was a big girl. I had to have it ablated with radiation and now I'm on meds the rest of my life for HYPO thyroidism. After having it ablated, I gained another 50 pounds. I'm devastated by the weight gain and I just can't lose on my own. This really is my last option. I keep praying for GOD's guidance and I have to have faith that whatever happens God is in control. Thank you for your comments. It helps alot.

Today I started my two week post-op diet. I was doing really well until lunch when I was completely famished!! Luckily some steamed vege did the trick - I wonder how long before I crave something terribly naughty! I took my 'before' photos which was very brave of me. Braver still was going out and buying a new sexy set of scales (if you can call scales sexy... somehow I don't think you can). Later in the day I finally plucked up the courage to jump on. I had prepared myself for it to be bad but I obviously hadn't prepared myself quite enough!! After not weighing myself for about a year I thought I would be around 115kg/253pounds. (which would have meant I had gained 20kg in a year) BUT NO!! I was shocked to find I had eaten my way to 121.2kg/266pounds!!!!! A weight gain of over 25kg/55pounds. My boyfriend weighed himself too and he was a mere 76.8kg/169pounds. Ahhhh!!!! I am nearly twice as heavy as him. So my goal is to get to 70kg... well and truely under him. And there you have it. I just need to make it through the rest of the day and there will only be 13 more to go until the op that will totally change my life. I just can't wait!!!!!

I had lap band surgery in 2006. I weighed 367 pounds and went down to 156 pounds. I learned that I had a slippage and got the lap band removed. I was so happy to eat I didn't get a replacement...now I'm up to 230 pounds!! I watch what I eat and exercise almost everyday! The weight gain occurred in less than a year. I don't want to keep gaining! Has anyone experienced this? I really don't think it has to do with what I eat. :thumbup:

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.