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I had to quit for 90 days or my doc wouldnt even make an appointment and then they did a carbon test on my blood. Came up positive because I was inhaling second hand smoke from my hubby's cigars. Had to do another 2 weeks later. They didn't do another test after that and I was smoking again from October to April. I did do little sneaky things so that he wouldnt know I was smoking, like showering and washing my clothes right before an office visit. No one said word one that they had any idea. The nurse said that it was up to the docs descretion if he does another one. I am still smoking. I am going to try and quit again after I reach my weight goal minus ten pounds for the notorious weight gain lol. Do I want to? Nope, but I know I should lol .

When I asked the psych why we had to come see him he said that among other reasons 70% of women wanting the LB have gotten to that point because they had been sexually abused at some point in their lives. That weight could be a way to feel like it won't happen again so they like to make sure there aren't any underlying issues that caused the weight gain. I guess that made sense, I didn't have any weird questionaires I had to fill out......

I'm 15 days post-op and I've managed to gain 0.9 lb to offset my post-op 17 lb weight loss. It's frustrating to no end, you'd think that by drinking less than 600 calories a day I'd be shedding pounds consistently- but the human body doesn't work that way. *sigh* I've managed to pack on the pound. I'm afraid I've screwed my metabolism, and put my body into starvation mode (even though I'm not hungry). I hope this stall (and weight gain!) will end.

It's really strange and probably psychological, but I'm finding I enjoy cooking for other people more than I ever have! I make huge pots of vegetable soup and give much of it away. I have also been freezing berries, meatballs, meatloaves and other foods I prepare. I don't like processed foods anymore (I think this is what has caused my weight gain pre=surgery) so I'm enjoying making my own meals and freezing them.

I was banded in July 2009 lost 84 lbs but battle over a few gained back. My Dr doubled my antidepressant about 6 months ago and no matter how I ate or how much I worked out I was still gaining a little every month. until I got up to 10 lbs. My depression is so bad I require a large dose of meds. That med was working for me but I am not going to gain any more. It takes me a long time to lose 10 lbs. Today I went to Dr and we changed me to another med that he promised would not cause weight gain and will be able to continue to lose if I follow the plan. I started on them today and as with all meds the beginning side effects are killing me. I just want to be heathy and happy at the same time. All the above posts are amazing, you should be so proud of your weightloss and hard work!! Cheri

OMG!! I went for one of my last pre op visits with my surgeon and when they weighted me, I gained 6 pounds!!! I was doing so well up until the beginning of this month. I went into a bit of a blue funk and I sometime emotionally eat and hence the weight gain. I'm sooo scared my insurance will deny me because it looks like I didn't follow thru with the diet! I can keep myself in the butt!!! OAN: I have a surgery date of September 19th! I can't really be excited because of this weight gain issue! Please pray for me that all goes well...

You really did not give a whole lot of information for us to help you. Were you on any special post op diet? (Liquid/mushy/etc.) Are you getting 40-60 grams of protein/day? Are you drinking 50-60 oz of Water every day? Are you restricted with sugar? (some shakes are high in sugar and can cause weight gain) How much have you lost? (what weight did you start at?/before surgery?/since surgery?) Did you have any other surgeries when you were banded? How many calories/day? (you really need between 1000-1200/day in order to lose weight) The program that I am in, we are mixed with all surgeries (band, gastric bypass, and sleeve). While it may seem, like you are not making progress, you actually might be making great progress. Also, another way of looking at this. . . If you are like me, overweight for most of your adult life, I am usually gaining weight. If you have NOT gained weight or have lost a little ---- that is a WIN!! It takes time to about face and lose weight after being overweight. (I hope that makes sense) What I am trying to say, is that we are not all the same. There are so many factors that affect our progress. Talk with your nutritionist, doctor, therapist and find out. Log everything that you are eating/drinking. Measure everything. Meet with your nutritionist and they will help you find the solution. You may be overlooking something quite simple, that will make the difference. The band is not the answer. Restriction is not the answer. (It only helps with our feeling of fullness and our hunger sensation) It is a tool to get you the answer. Sorry to say, but the truth is that nutrition is really the answer. Good luck to you.

glad you are doing well. I haven't been online in awhile. just off and on briefly. Emailed a few people as well to see how everyone is doing as well. I have been banded since Feb 09. I"ve had my share of trouble off and on, throwing up, slimming and a few months ago had to go into hospital because they found out my band slipped. Its been 2 months since they removed it and put it back. I"m better, no pain and I can eat pretty much everything. Don't have the restriction I would like but have only have had 1 fill so far. I'm hoping in another month I can have another one. I was only able to tolerate before up to 6cc so not sure what this time around is going to be like. I started at 236 in 2009 and before my slip i was 149. I"m back up to 168 and hope to get to 130 in the next year. I'm still very hungry and I can eat alot at one time. I feel my stomach in puffy not able to get it to go down. I hope that weight gain didn't go all to my stomach, but its looking that way. Wish me luck going to try to get on the weightloss wagon again. Good luck to you and feel free to write me back. Alll the Best Meri

I have always found Thanksgiving to be the biggest cause of winter weight gain. Lets eat like pigs and then the next day start getting ready for Christmas with shopping, decorating, BAKING and getting ready to pig out some more. I found a cure for that since surgery. Since I live on the border, I spend the day in Canada. It's not Thanksgiving there. That way I don't start the holiday season off on an overstuffed gut! I've made it through the last 3 years without holiday weight gain.

I agree with Ocotillo - You are doing a great job. Lab Band Talk helped me so much in the begining and still does. You should read alot of the post from the begining of this thread or read several topics and post and many are good at posting back. Oh my name is Melissa and I am in year 3. I have had ups and downs and some slips but it is always a learning process and I can say that this year has been alot better for me ecspecially these last couple of months when I really started refocusing on why I got the band to begin with. I started doing so sort of excersing each day and eating more Protein and more importantly following my Drs orders. (I was very lazy this past year with eating , and excersing and paid the price with weight gain) But I am losing now that my head is in place. If you are having problems with a choking feeling I would call your Drs office. You might be to tight if you have had fills. Or you might be eating to fast. Sometimes if I am to hungry and eat something to fast it always comes back to bite me. You could try drinking Protein shakes for a couple days then try eating again taking small bites and still see if you have that same issue. However if you have that same feeling while drinking shakes I would call you Dr right away.

I saw a research paper lately that showed a graph of the correlation of acid and weight gain... it showed higher acid after surgery, lowering during the middle phase (till about 2 years I think it was) then it raised right along with weight gain... so it looks kind of like if you slip back to earlier eating patterns the acid increases with the regain....if I find the study I will post... it is on this site somewhere else... maybe research?..

Thanks everyone. I wasn't sure if the weight gain was suppose to happen or not. I appreciate everyone's input in helping me understand the changes my body is going through.

Hello from another that was in the same situation as you . . . Banded and lost 83 and gained back 35. . . . never received restriction from the band and like you did a little cheating on the band and that's why the weight gain. I also, had the same thoughts prior to sleeve surgery last week. My thoughts just before surgery were "I will never give up on myself because I am worth it and others are depending on me to be there in the future" . . . that should be enough to put your fears to rest. I believe everyone of us that are banded, sleeved, and RNY'd have cheated on the diet. I can guarantee you that each and every one has done it. so, don't feel like you are the only one that let things slip. But, it is what you do with your life after the slip. Never, Never, Never give up on your WL journey. You have done great with the band. I was sleeved last wednesday and everything is going so well right now. I am walking daily and keeping to my healing meal plan. Getting in my water and protein and staying with the program. I will overcome my excessive weight with this procedure. You should feel this way and believe in it. You are worth it. . you health will be so much better. Good luck with your surgery.

Ok I've had 2 cookies, in a moment of weakness. But could that make me gain 1.3lbs??? I'm hoping my period is coming and that's why I've gained. ( Can't remember exactly when my period fell on last month because somehow it was deleted on my calendar in my phone...) But even if its not my period coming, how do I gain that much in such a short time?? I've increased my activity / walking. And my water intake too. I've been eating 4-5 oz per meal as my surgeon said I should be at rt now. Anyone else go thru sudden weight gain???

I am still on full liquids, just started them yesterday so I'm having 1/4c 3 times a day plus my fluid. I am VERY hungry, not head hunger, actual stomach growling making lots of noise I feel like I'm starving hunger. Is that just because my food is sliding right through my stomach? There is no retention of the food to make me feel full? I will stay full for about 1 hour after eating but that's it. What advice do you all have? Should I have 1/4c of full liquids more than 3 times a day? One of my servings is no more than 25-40 calories depending what I have so it's not like it will be a weight gain issue. Please help.

I had my lap band surgery on 8/18/2011 and was d/c'd home on 8/19/2011. When I got home I weighed myself and noticed I gained 8 lbs overnight. Has anyone else had this experience and does anyone know why this may have happened?

Well, TOM just came for another visit today - a week later than I thought it would. I hope this is not the new norm - I was a clockwork 28 day cycle before which I liked because well - it was clockwork. This is a 35 day cycle this time. Just a note for those who are curious: July 12 - surgery (I was supposed to start period then, but did not - probably because of the surgery). July 18 - TOM came for his normal visit of 6 days. August 4 - a 4 pound weight gain that stays for 1 week. August 11 saw a 4 pound drop and then an additional 3 pounds in the next week came off. August 18 - a 1.5 pound weight gain and a migraine (normal timing before start of period). August 22 - TOM returned. I had cramps and migraines before the surgery that always came with TOM. Unfortunately, he has brought them back this month. That was something that I was hoping would change. Oh well...

Your doc may be right about 140 being a bit too small. I am small-boned. Even at my heaviest I had to have links taken out of my watches and bracelets to fit my wrist. I wear a size 6 or 6 1/2 shoe. My feet have always been narrow so the only good thing that came out of all my weight gain was that my foot got wider and I could pretty much wear any style I wanted. Now I'm back to narrow sizes so I am limited to shoes that buckle around the ankle, lace up or just run narrow. But if that's the only bad thing to come out of this surgery, I'm OK with that.

Day 4: In 2010 my band was replaced due to a slippage. I found it very hard to get back on track and did not feel that the band was working for me. After 12 months of fills and unfills, weight gain, reflux and the anxiety of missing food, I went to a new surgeon.My orginal Surgeon retired. The reason I was going through this was my band had slipped again. The surgery showed lots of adhesions and my organs were enlarged. My new surgeon removed my band and I had to wait 3 months before I could get a new one. Now with a new band in I am now starting the weight loss journey again. Wish me luck I now have 17kg to lose and feel a little lost and unsure. Getting use to fluids is very hard. Will keep you posted.

Lived it: 1) I lived through the approval process 2) I lived through all the doctors appointments 3) I lived through the pre op liquid diet 4) I lived through the surgery and complications 5) I lived through the emotional ups and downs 6) I lived through the post op diet 7) I lived through an 8lb weight gain Learned from it: 1) I am a much more patient and determined person than I ever gave myself credit for. Insurance companies suck, it took me a year to get approved, nuf said. I was determined that regardless of approval or not, I needed to lose the weight to live a long life. My fear, like so many others was being able to keep that weight off. 2) I learned from getting to know my doctor that he only has my best interest at heart, hence the appointments and everything that goes along with that. He had genuine empathy for me with what I was going through. 3) I learned that the if you put your mind to it and are determined you can do anything, the pre op diet was not as hard as I thought it would be and flew through it with flying colors! 4) I learned that I had to put my trust in my doctors hands, that he knew what he was doing and that I would make it through the surgery and wake up to find my family by my side. I also learned that complications do happen and that as long as you have a great doctor and hospital staff that they will take care of you to the best of their ability. 5) I learned that my emotions are freaking crazy! I was up one minute because yayyy no pills! I was down the next minute because I missed my favorite foods. I was flat because there was nothing I could do to stop my head from going through these damn emotions! 6) I learned how to re-teach myself how to eat. I learned how important the post op diet is and that it was in place to make my recovery that much easier and to teach me how to make healthier food choices. 7) I learned that yes, indeed, the sleeve is a tool and not a miracle. I tried to quit smoking and gained 8lbs. I learned what I can NEVER eat and what will cause me to gain weight at a drop of a dime. Move on from it: 1) Regardless of the outcome I was determined to do this and move on with my life. 2) Went to all the appointments that was required and not required because I was determined to do this and move on with my life. 3) 2 weeks pre op and done, moved on to the next stage because I was determined to do this and move on with my life. 4) Surgery and complications be damned, I did heal in record time and trusted my doctors because I was determined to do this and move on with my life. 5) Life is full of emotions and you get throught them, if you can't then you get the help you need to get through them (THANKS VST and WLSF) I wasn't going to let them stop me because I was determined to do this and move on with my life. 6) No more living to eat, now I eat to live (love that saying ) Food is not an enemy, it is a source of what I need to live, just like air, just like Water. I was going to get that through my thick skull because I was determined to do this and move on with my life. 7) 8lbs gained, ok, I know what I did wrong, I recognized the culprit, moi, I understood that I cannot do this to myself. It took me 3 weeks but I have lost all 8lbs I had gained and now, I am back on the "wagon" and determined to do this and move on with my life. From my all time high of 280+, I am down 101+ lbs. From the begining of my journey I was 240. From the begining of my pre-op diet 225. From the begining of post op I was 193lbs. From the begining of insanity from trying to quit smoking I was 187lbs. From here on out because I am determined to do this and move on with my life I am 179lbs. The most important thing from all of this is that I am down to 2 pills a day from 20 a day and that was my main goal. I have accomplished that and am so very, very, happy about it. Thanks, to everyone here for all your supporting words to eachother. I don't post a lot about what I am going through but wanted to do this today because .... thats right, I am determined to do this and move on with my life. For once in a very long time my future looks promising and bright. Raine

If you check my profile, you will see that I am a chocolate LADY ! I started out doing sugar free Chocolates for people with Diabetes, and was a success until the economy dumped quite a few years ago. So I sold my Business, and Retired.. Still kept some things for the kids & Holidays. Outside of that, Chocolate has the most FAT in it, compared to any other sweet that I worked with. If you look at your calorie intake for lunch. Then look at a Protein shake, and read your Protein, and Fat content.. Then look at a chocolate bar for the same reason. I made my own so I don't know what a bar says, but I do know that it is very High in Fat. So instead of getting your Protein Your getting FAT Which is not Healthy at all. It can contribute to the junk in the trunk, saddle bags, just plain weight gain. I know the numbers are the same, but you have to be careful. That's like drinking Diet Coke, and developing a BEER BELLY. Well it's sugar free right ! But yet it can and will happen if you drink enough. Chocolate is not true to you with the numbers. It's your band,, you do what you want. But myself,,, I don't dare touch the stuff. I got up to 356 by making, taste testing chocolates. I won't make the same mistake again.

I was banded with plication on 7-26-11. While I was on all liquids I lost about 32 lbs. SInce I have been back on solid foods I feel like I have gained a few pounds back. I have not had my first fill yet so I am still a bit optimistic... but I expected more from the plication I guess. They claim that my stomach has been reduced by 70% and I would say that is accurate because I am only able to eat about 30% of what I did before. However, that 30% still seems to be enough to not allow weight loss and even allow a bit of weight gain. The doc said I should feel restriction from the swelling around the band site for 3-4 weeks, however, after about 10 days I felt no restriction what so ever in the band area. Has anyone else gained a bit of weight after transistioning to solid foods before first fill?!

Now of course I mean each morning- not at night! I think because I am post menopause I don't face the TOM weight gain either. I hope I haven't jinxed myself!

I'm not sure, I think the real issue is whether you're using dieting behaviour to control some sort of issue in your life. I think I've only been anywhere near this realm once in my life and I found it different to simply enjoying the lack of appetite that I had with the band and eating very little just because I could. That's not necessarily healthy behaviour but then again, you probably wont keep it up. However, its not anorexia. I found during the last year with my cancer treatment, I slid into what I consider almost anorexic behaviour without realising it, and it was a control issue. I got my band totally unfilled and I started being VERY careful so that I wouldnt gain. No problem there. But over time, as I got really skinny and people begain to comment, I actually enjoyed the attention and the fact that I was so very thin. I began to look forward to seeing my surgeon or oncologist and seeing them express concern at how thin I was. I felt very very anxious that should hang onto this low weight, to the point where I began to get upset at things that happened beyond my control - dinners out, changes in meal plans, having a wine or a cookie or something thrust at me in a social situation. I was thinking about what I wasnt going to eat 24/7. I happened by pure chance to come upon Portia De Rossi's book Unbearable Lightness and I read that and got really scared - so much of the behaviour she describes, I was doing. I was also running 8kms a day, going to body pump, all stuff my body was used to and my regular routine, but my reasons for doing it became to stay incredibly thin and keep that concern and horror from those around me going, and also it was my way of controlling what cancer did to my body. I was also very depressed and anxious at this time about everything, because I really couldnt control my medical progress, my career, our family's finances, etc. When i finished chemo, it was like a light went on in my mind, suddenly I was rational again, my body was healthy again and I couldnt control the slight weight gain back up to a healthier weight. I fought it for a while, but that sick way of looking at food and eating was just suddenly gone, as was the anxiety, depression and negativity. I really believe for me, it was a side effect of chemo - and much as I am my normal self - never thin enough, always could do more, eat less etc, that behaviour has settled back into the realm of relatively normal for a female who has had weight issues. So..... for me, it was definitely a control thing, a way of manipulating those around me, an inability to stop punishing my body. Definitely disordered, and I knew it, but I liked being too skinny too much to seek help. I'm very lucky it just kind of all went away and it seems completely nuts to me now. But just eating barely anything because you can - not necessarily disordered or abnormal but beware that if you start to like the result or fall into the habit of eliciting responses in others by your eating behaviours, it might be time to seek some help. The way you say you feel superior to food, its a little bit left of centre and perhaps a warning sign.

Hi everyone! So this is my second real attempt into the beginning of getting Bariatric Surgery. I have visited this option for many years now, but it has never been something that myself or my family ever considered to be a smart or reasonable option: not until this past winter did I ever bring it up to my family and tell them that I really wished to do this. I am 21 years old, a senior in college, and weigh 300 lbs. This is the highest weight That I have ever been at and I have decided that this will always be the highest weight I will be at. I think starting from the beginning will probably be easiest for me (maybe not for you, lol) but I hope I get some people to read, give me some feed back (good and bad). I don't remember a time not being overweight, I see pictures of myself when I was heading off on the first day of school and that was probably the last time I saw a skinny version of myself. In every school picture I have I see myself getting bigger and bigger as I get older and older. It wasn't til 4th grade did I finally realize something wasn't right. I was the only child in my class who wasn't wearing the cute outfits and didn't have lots of friends; In fact I was the only kid to get made fun because I couldn't run as fast as the others and I was purposely picked last in games because I was fatter and slower. 4th grade was the first time I started to diet to try and lose the weight. Obviously It didn't last very long and my life growing up was a vicious circle or 1 step forward 3 steps back. I have tried about every diet out there; medifast, atkins, weight watchers, nutrisystem, the new weight watchers points plus, weird diets i found online, liquid diets.....so on and so forth. I've also wasted hundreds of dollars on gym memberships in which i attended for about a month and then gradually went less and less till I was just paying to have a tag on my key chain. Once I hit high school I just began to ignore the problem, I was a size 20 and could care less about it. I had the mentality that I was invincible, I was fine just the way I was and if someone said something about it they could (in my teenage angst voice) "suck it". 3 years out of high school and I have gained 80lbs....I have gained over 100lbs in just 8 years....wowwwww. ha, Yea this is not okay. After my last and final "diet" program is when I confronted my parents and told them that this is something that needs to be done. Though they were very displeased with this because of the risks they knew things were going to get worse if i didn't make this change. I am already at a weight where I have restless sleep, terrible knee pains, I have a hard time bending over to pick things up, not to mention my asthma is getting worse...I now have to do this awkward side back bend to pick something up because my knees and back just arn't doing what they should be at age 21. I also visited my OBGYN about my period being so off schedule; she told me it was because of my weight and that my body is confused and thinks my rapid weight gain is because I'm pregnant. The thing that made me most upset to hear from my OBGYN was that I am at such a high weight and am considered morbidly obese that If i even tried to have kids there was GOING to be complications.....Now I am NOT trying to have kids in the first place, but If I have gained over 100 lbs in 8 years what is my weight going to be in another 8 years when I am ready to have kids? I visited a seminar on WLS about 3 months ago, and I began the process about 2 months ago....I got as far as deciding I wanted lap band, and going to see the nutritionist the first time to meet her and get paper work started for blood work and my psychological evaluation. I think I get nervous and gave weight watchers point's plus a try, I lost 10 lbs but then had a hard time with tracking and gained it all back. I am now getting ready to go back to the nutritionist and talk more with them about what to do. I am pretty sure That I have to start over from square one, but that's okay because It gave me more time to realize that I no longer want lap band, but feel that the VSG is a much better fit for me. I want a permanent life style change, so I want something that Is going to permanent. There is no easy way around this, I am ready for something to finally kick me in the ass and force me to make the decisions I need to make. Now I know this surgery will not make my brain want carrots and peas but If I can slowly retrain myself to eat as well as to like new foods then that's how It needs to be. I am already trying new foods and cutting back drastically on fast foods, eating out, and have practically quit smoking. I have been on and off smoking for about 4 years. I haven't bought a pack in 4 months, and have only had about 6 cigarettes in those 4 months. I honestly don't feel the urge to smoke anymore! .....now to quite drinking diet pepsi.....I hate coffee and tea so idk how i'm going to get my caffeine fix!! so to conclude this entry, I believe I am ready to try again and actually go through with this. My question for all of you who actually sat here and read all of that.....what were some of the worst things you didn't expect after surgery? how many of you had 2nd thoughts and/or even backed out like I did? why? did you go through with it? Also did anyone have issues with cigna insurance covering this procedure? Thanks for readying everyone, sorry if it got kinda lengthy. (I will also apologize now for this blog's and any other blog's gramatical errors...writing is not my strong point! lol) -Heather