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Umm....im on full Fluid, and i can drink a can of soup....is this bad? I am also starting to be able to drink more....should i REALLY be super hardcore about sips or is it ok...I'm worried....i dont want to be like...on well i feel fine so it must be fine...But thats kind of what im going through. But really...i'm young, so i'm guessing my stomach healed quickly, like yesterday i was out and walked a good 2Kms no biggie...i'm feeling pretty much 100% and im 1 week out of surgery. I mean, it is only liquids, and the operation shouldnt have an effect on liquids should it? All it does is make the stomach smaller for food...but liquids are liquids...they go down easy no matter how small the hole...right? I don't know...You can't stretch your pouch on liquids can you? I have talked to another bander who is my age and he says he can get liquids down just like before...it's only the food thats not (which is what i'm hoping...its the point of the operation) And he's lost over 100lbs....so to me that means something. I'm throwing a lot of questions out there...sorry. I'm sure everything is fine....i'll stop worrying. IMO--as for the weight gain....i wouldnt be worried, i mean, you werent drinking enough calories and such in the Water and Clear Liquids stage...so i'm sure it's your body fighting you now to take back everything you lost...just like the yo-yo diets. But now that you'll start consistantly getting enough calories, just much less than pre-band. You should start losing again.

I am getting my first fill tomorrow at 2pm, I know after ur fill 2 days liquid and then 2 days mushie then regular foods. But what about right before the fill? Should I eat or just drink liquids? They didnt mention anything to me about it.. but i want to make sure.. this fill is 2 months late. My dr. was on leave.. 2 months of no weight loss but no weight gain :grouphug: which is good. But want to look good for this summer! anyway thanks!

"The Benefits of H20" By Donald S. Robertson, M.D., M. Sc. Water suppresses the appetite naturally and helps the body metabolize stored fat. Studies have shown that a decrease in water intake will cause fat deposits to increase, while an increase in water intake can actually reduce fat deposits. Here's why: The kidneys can't function properly without enough water. When they don't work to capacity, some of their workload is dumped onto the liver. One of the liver's primary functions is to metabolize stored fat into usable energy for the body. But, if the liver has to do some of the kidney's work, it can't operate at full throttle. As a result, it metabolizes less fat, more fat remains stored in the body and weight loss stops. Drinking enough water is the best treatment for Fluid retention. When the body gets less water, it perceives this as a threat to survival and begins to hold on to every drop. Water is stored in extra cellular spaces (outside of the cells). This shows up as swollen feet, legs, and hands. Diuretics offer a temporary solution at best. They force out stored water along with some essential nutrients. Again, the body perceives a threat and will replace the lost water at the first opportunity. Thus, the condition quickly returns. The best way to over come the problem of water retention is to give your body what it needs---plenty of water. Only then will stored water be released. If you have a constant problem with water retention, excess salt may be to blame. Your body will tolerate sodium only in a certain concentration. The more salt you eat, the more water you system retains to dilute it. But getting rid of un-needed salt is easy---just drink more water. As it's forced through the kidneys, it takes away excess sodium. The overweight person needs more water then the thin one. Larger people have larger metabolic loads. Since we know that water is the key to fat metabolism, it follows that the overweight person needs more water. Water helps maintain proper muscle tone by giving muscles their natural contract and by preventing dehydration. It also helps to prevent the sagging skin that usually follows weight loss--- shrinking cells are buoyed by water, which plumps the skin and leaves it clear and resilient. Water helps rid the body of waste. During weight loss, the body has a lot more waste to get rid of---all the metabolized fat must be shed. Again, adequate water helps flush out the waste. Water can help relieve constipation. When the body gets too little water, it siphons what it needs from internal sources. The colon is one primary source. Result? Constipation. But, when a person drinks enough water, normal bowel function usually returns. So far, we've discovered some remarkable truths about water and weight loss: - The body will not function properly without enough water and can't metabolize stored fat efficiently. - Retained water shows up as excess weight. - To get rid of excess water you must drink more water. - Drinking water is essential to weight loss. How much water is enough? On the average, a person should drink eight 8-ounce glasses every day. That's about 2 quarts. However, the overweight person needs one additional glass for every 25 pounds of excess weight. The amount you drink also should be increased if you exercise briskly or if the weather is hot and dry. Water should preferably be cold. It's absorbed into the system more quickly than warm water. And some evidence suggests that drinking cold water can actually help burn calories. When the body gets the water it needs to function optimally, it's fluids are perfectly balanced. When this happens, you have reached the "breakthrough point." What does this mean? - Endocrine-gland function improves. - Fluid retention is alleviated, as stored water is lost. - More fat is used as fuel because the liver is free to metabolize stored fat. - Natural thirst returns. - There is a loss of hunger almost overnight. If you stop drinking enough water, your body fluids will be thrown out of balance again, and you may experience fluid retention, unexplained weight gain, and loss of natural thirst. To remedy the situation you'll have to go back and force another "breakthrough."

Hello there, My name is Nikkita and I'm 22 years old. I live in Perth, Western Australia. I recently discovered this forum and spent a few days absorbing it, in total awe. I am fascinated that people out there feel exactly as I do, and I'm not alone. I have been obese for over 4 years now, due to chronic PCOS. It affects my life in the most awful way. I am having WLS, (vertical sleeve) in or around October. Here, I am waiting on my Health Insurance to cover me, and I still have to come up with the remaining balance of - $3000 - my fiance and I have paid almost half already! I havent ever really spoken about being overweight, to others - only my close friend and fiance know how I really feel, most of the time. Its hard for me to open up about how much it really affects my life. I cannot wait until I have a date; I should find out on the 8th of September. I am so touched, that there is a place for me to talk about how I really feel.. I sound silly, but I have always felt that weight gain is my own fault, and I should suffer it. I can feel myself opening up, and I actually feel very vulnerable posting this. I am a smoker, and I plan to completely ditch the fags after my last pack - only four left now. I have given up so many things due to my size - my dream of becoming a Teacher is on hold for now, as I am struggling to hold down a part time job in order to pay for my surgery - standing for over 8 hours a day at 130 kilos is no easy feat. Most days I want to quit on the spot. I am currently : HEIGHT - 163 cms WEIGHT - 130 kilos or 286 pounds. Thanks for listening, :heart:

You said you completed a 'light' workout. That may be the key to your weight gain... Glycogenation is the dominant reason for weight gain when working out while consuming so few calories. Exercise boosts our muscles' energy storage capacity. Since active people need more fuel, a body that has just exercised adapts by increasing its capacity for glycogen storage. This process leads to temporary water weight gain. Also, very low-calorie diets (read: the pre-op liquid diet) can result in water retention. Therefore, you may be losing fat, but the progress you've made is masked by water weight gain. Maybe you lost a pound or two of fat the first few days but gained a few pounds of glycogen and/or water in that time. In summary, stay off the scale. Let your body sort out the changes it's experiencing. Measure your progress by the looseness of your clothing, not by an arbitrary scale number. Good luck to you.

That was the biggest surprise of my life. I had to undergo more than a year of fertility treatment and artificial insemination to have my daughter and now, when I least expecetd, I got this blessing. I am 3 month post VSG and almost 6 weeks pregant. I am still afraid, concerned about the nutrition of the fetus, weight gain, breatsfeeding ... finances... and all those things... but I am sooooo HAPPY about this baby. May God bring him/her in good health! I have so many questions for you gals who went through VSG and pregnancy. Were your babies born normal weight? Did you gain lots of weight? How did you manage to get more calories? What advise or tips you can give me? I am looking forward to share my experience with you and to learn from your experiences.

Can coffee Cause Weight Gain? By The Daily Meal | Healthy Living Flickr/epSos.deGuess this means we'll be holding off on the daily cups of coffee from now on: A new study published in the Journal of Agricultural and food Chemistry has found that too muchcoffee can increase weight gain and fat cell retention. Researchers at the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research and the University of Western Australia's School of Medicine and Pharmacology examined a compound called chlorogenic acid (CGA), found in coffee. Researchers were hoping that CGAs would specifically increase insulin sensitivity, reduce blood pressure, and decrease body fat thanks to previous research showing that coffee reduced the risk of type-2 diabetes. Unfortunately, the study did just the opposite. Researchers fed CGAs to obese lab mice that were put on a high-fat diet for 12 weeks; the animals were fed enough CGAs to account for six cups of coffee a day. Instead of losing weight, however, the mice gained weight; the results were either the same as feeding mice regular food, or worse. The CGAs "had no beneficial effect on their blood sugar levels and also, a little bit more worrying, the mice on this coffee compound tended to accumulate fat in their liver," University of Western Australia's Kevin Croft told The Age. So the results? Assistant professor Vance Matthews says that three to four cups a day does still decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease and type-2 diabetes, but more than five or six cups a day could reverse the process. In fact, it might actually case an "abnormal retention of fat within cells." No wonder the FDA is worried about crazy kids binging on caffeine. -Jessica Chou, The Daily Meal

I need help. I am 3 years out having had the vertical sleeve surgery February 2013. I went from 220 lbs to 134 at my lowest weight. I felt amazing! I fluctuated from 135 to 140 and that was fine by me but over the past year my weight is now around 154 lbs. I'm hungry and overeat all the time. Don't get me wrong, I'm miserable after I eat that much but I have continued to over eat. If anyone can tell me how to get back on track I would deeply appreciate it. Thank you for any information you can provide. Sincerely, Linda H.

I had sleeve surgery in 2016 and got down to 160 pounds, then lost the last 30 doing keto. I stayed at 130 pounds almost perfect for me for 3 years then all the sudden this covid quarantine has me 23 pounds weight gain in just a few months! I’m eating sweets like crazy and bread and just a complete carb fest I don’t know what has gotten into me but it’s scaring me.

I had to make that choice to try again or have surgery. I have had 3 miscarriages in 2 years. I can get pregnant just can't stay pregnant. My doctor and husband felt that it would be best for me to lose weight and then try again. Due to the types of meds or shots they may give me that could cause even more weight gain it is important for me to be at a lower weight to start with so that me and the baby will be safe. I am 31, but my hubs is 39 so I feel like the clock is ticking for us.

I had a small glass of wine about a month and a half out. No problems whatsoever. I "Drank Drank" about 3 months out. Multiple Crowns on the rocks at Hunting camp for three straight nights. No physical problems except a small weight gain from the calories and that came right off after a couple of days. I think you'll be fine if you take it easy. Enjoy Vegas and don't get locked on the roof of Caesars Palace!

Please do not get depressed- remember why you have done it, right now I am only getting 1 cc in at a time too but 4 weeks apart. I sometimes still fill hungry more than I think I should but I grab water or 1 of my fat free jello. I am 61 days post surgery and I too wish that I had more restriction faster but I know the process will be slow just as my weight gain was slow. I hope that I have encouraged you somewhat. Yolanda

So I decided to drop a friend who literally told me I was "taking the easy way out" if I got this surgery and all the months leading up to it would say I was "pathetic" and "lazy" just threw a slew of disgusting insults my way which made me feel shitty Little back story: I'm 22 and struggled with my weight my whole life (due to PCOS and other medical things) from 13-19 years old I suffered anorexia and got down to 80 something pounds (I was literally on my death bed)so right when I graduated high school for an entire year after I was inpatient in the hospital and recovering from the anorexia when I got out I guess I just couldn't stop gaining weight? (PCOS, hereditary etc)It started triggering me a lot and I would try everything to lose weight! I'm a vegetarian I work with dogs running around all day with them constantly moving very active job so you can imagine my frustration so I decided to go this route and I'm 3 weeks out and 25 pounds down and I'm doing very well this is kinda going all over the place lol sorry to whoever reads this Anywhoooo my "friend" would just put me down constantly and they knew me during my anorexic days they knew me during the recovery days they saw how much I struggled with weight gain and loss and still had the audacity to say if I went through with this procedure I was taking the "easy way out" and they'd "never be able to look at me the same" so a couple days before my surgery I dropped them and I gotta say I don't miss them at all if anything this surgery is HARDER than doing it on your own it's a fucking surgery for fucks sake #1 and #2 there is no going back you gotta learn new ways to eat you gotta take vitamins and minerals you gotta make sure you get a certain amount of protein everyday this is by no means "easy" and it still fuckin annoys me that people have the audacity to say some dumb shit like that Sorry this went like all over the place I'm just annoyed at the moment and I had to vent about it

Hi Im going to have my life changing event in thw morning. I have lost weight. Gain it back fir the past 3yrs. Im ready to lose and keep it off. Im starting at 245. I pray that ill get to 160. With in 6 months.

I gained about 28lbs and lost it all, breastfeeding will help you lose the weight faster And don't focus on your weight gain now, just as long as baby is growing healthy and you're doing well that's all that matters

This is my first blog on here so I'll start with an intro - I can't guarantee it will be quick but wth - it's my blog so who cares, right? I'm 30 - yep pretty young... I'm a mom of two girls who exude awesomeness and I'm married to my own prince charming (who is supportive of my weight loss efforts but is sad to see my chunkiness go) :wub: ... and I LOVE smileys LOL. I used to be "normal" weight of 125lbs at 5'1... up until I was about 23/24 and then my thyroid broke... one doctor found a nodule in it and I started having a bunch of funky symptoms (you know the usual - tired, fast weight gain, depression, cold all the time, hair falling out, etc...), well that doctor left the practice and the new doctor did blood work and told me I was fine - I just needed to eat less and walk more and after all I was "getting older" (yeah I was 24 when she said this - I still hate her )... I listened and I dieted - I did a boot camp class, Weight Watchers, and a bunch of other crap... and I just kept gaining... I kept going in and complaining and she kept saying the same thing so finally I just gave up... Fast foward to age 28 and I was somewhere over 200 lbs (I stopped getting on the scale at 200 because I couldn't handle seeing the number anymore) and I went to the doctor because I was sick... saw a new doctor at the practice because mine was on vacation and as she reviewed my chart first thing she wanted to know was why my thyroid had been untreated for the last 4+ years... apparently I was hypothyroid the whole time and I'd gained at least 80 lbs to show for it ... Long story short... It's been two years since I've been diagnosed - I've done Weight Watchers two more times, low calorie diets, the 17 day diet, simply starved myself, and Phentermine. Today I weigh 175 lbs, my thyroid is now regulated but I still can't lose weight without starving and as soon as I return to normal portions I gain the weight I lost back. Now here's where the insanity begins... I have incredible health insurance but of course bariatric surgery is one of the five exclusions on my policy - so I decided to pick up my husband's insurance as secondary coverage to get it paid for since here in the DC Metro area we're talking out of pocket costs of $50K without insurance... Well after I joined his insurance I found out that while my current BMI of 33 qualifies medically for Lap Band, the insurance will not pay for it unless my BMI is 35 which is a difference of 10 pounds! Yes, 10 d@mn pounds!!! So... since my doctor has told me to have surgery or have diabetes and I don't have $50K, I'm on what I'm calling my "fat girl swag" and trying to gain 10 pounds as fast as possible... yep its crazy but in my opinion, so is being 50 lbs overweight because your doctor screwed up for 4 years! In my weight gain journey (which is about a week old), I've quickly learned one thing... I'm not overweight because of how I eat - I'm truly overweight because of my thyroid and it sucks royally! I'm actually having to work at eating more than 2K calories a day and it's almost amusing! I'm meeting with the surgeon on Monday for my initial consult to start the process since there's about a 3-4 month process with my secondary insurance and I'm anxious to see how weigh in goes with him... I'm not sure if I'll weigh with clothes on or in a gown and what his scale will say... I know my primary care doctor's scale seems to always be about 4lbs higher than mine so if that's the case I'm really only about 6lbs away... Despite being nervous I can't weight to begin starting over and returning to who I used to be...

Living with addiction is hard, I kept trying to fix things only to realize I could only control myself. I hated who I had become, I let myself become consumed with his alcoholism and lost myself completely. This was the beginning of my weight gain, the more out control his drinking became the bigger I got. Use this time apart to get clarity, who are you, who is he, do you value the same things, you'll rediscover yourself. When you are clear about yourself you won't get sucked into his drama, its his not yours, your yelling and name calling keeps you stuck in his game. Who knows what time apart will give him, just know your boundaries and limits so that if you do reconcile the rules are clear. I divorced and my ex died from his alcoholism.

I guess I will start off by telling you a little about myself. I am a mother of three beautiful children. They are aged 8, 7, & 5. My struggle with weight gain came after having my first child. With my first child I gained about 15 pounds. Not too bad. But when my second child came I got preeclampsia. U swelled up and retained a bunch of water. I gained 100 pounds during that pregnancy. Then 13 months after that pregnancy I got pregnant again. So the weight just kept piling on top of weight. My weight before my first pregnancy was a hundred and fifty pounds I am now topping the scales at 324 pound. Throughout my pregnancies and weight gain I developed a few medical conditions. I have fibromyalgia, GERD, and PCOS. The doctor has tried to put me on several medications. I was told that metformin would help with the PCOS and help me with weight loss. However taking it for a couple weeks I developed major headaches. I felt sick all the time. So I stopped taking it. I tried losing weight on my own going to the gym and eating healthy. I would lose about 20 pounds and then couldn't lose anymore. If I could do it on my own I would but I feel that I can't. No matter how hard I try I'm not going to achieve losing almost 180 pounds. Gosh it's mind-boggling just to think about how much I have to lose. I am only 27 years old. I want to get healthy and I want to lose the weight. I'm tired of feeling like I'm walking around in a fat suit. But the thing is I can't take it off at the end of the day it's always with me. I'm tired of laying around in bed all day watching TV and stuffing my face. I'm tired of not getting out and enjoying my kids. I'm tired of feeling like I'm an embarrassment to my kids when taking them to school functions or being out in public. Now my 8 year old daughter who should weigh about 70 pounds weighs a hundred and ten pounds. I worry about her every day. I don't want her to feel the way I feel and I don't want her to be bullied or made fun of. I know I need to do the weight loss surgery but I'm so scared. What if I don't lose the weight? what if die? What if I get a serious blood clot? What if I get too skinny and unhealthy that I look sick? What if I can't enjoy the holidays and my grandmas awesome cooking because everything makes me sick? Then I'm faced with the question do I do the gastric bypass or do I do the sleeve? I've heard the pros and cons of both. I thought I was set on gastric bypass but after having a support group meeting I started to question whether or not the sleeve would be a good idea. I need help. Which one do I do? Am I going to be safe? Am I going to come out alive? Are my kids going to have a mother? Am I going to be sicker after the surgery than before the surgery? Or is god going to watch over me in every step that I take and everything will end up perfect? Will I be healthy? Will I lose the weight? Will I be able to enjoy my life again? So many questions please help. All advice is welcome.

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.

I can't believe how quickly time flies! I honestly can't believe it's been two years since my surgery already. I'm pretty easily maintaining at goal, though I've found there is some truth to the "bounce-back" theory. Staying at 135 isn't always easy as my body seems happier just three pounds heavier and likes to stay there. However, I'm usually within 134-138 on the scale and I'm very happy with that. I eat like a normal person now. I've been able to increase my calories substantially since 18 months post op. I'm now consuming 1,400+ calories a day and it's not really affecting my weight. I like to stick around 90+ grams of Protein a day and I think this helps with maintenance. I hate eating first thing so I still start my day with protein coffee or tea. Everyone asks about loose skin and I'll say that there is a HUGE difference between one year out and two years out, so I encourage those considering plastics to maintain at goal as long as possible before seeking surgery. My case is a bit different as I have had twins, but at 17 months out my apron had much more adipose fat than now - now it's nearly flat, though still unsightly. I would have considered surgery on my arms and thighs necessary six months ago but now I think that exercise would firm them up nicely without surgery. I still hope for LBL and breast lift/augmentation one day but I'll have to put that off for now. Because I'm pregnant! We used up the last of our frozen embryos and the procedure worked. So I'll be sure to update on how things go for me and how the weight gain/appetite works, as well as how quickly I take the weight off again when I'm done. I will post some before and after photos, HOWEVER, I ask that you be nice to me. I've been on hormones for better than month now and I'm a bit bigger all around - my chest, arms and middle in particular feel a bit bloated - despite not gaining any real weight throughout this cycle. Actually, my breasts feel kind of obscene, after months of having them be so tiny they're busting out of all my shirts now! I'm also unable to wear my shapewear as it simply feels uncomfortably restrictive. So this is me, without the aid of gut-sucking shapewear, at two years out from VSG! I couldn't be happier. Life is just amazing at goal, and now that we're expecting again? It's like a dream come true. I wouldn't change my decision to do this surgery for anything and I'm thankful every single day that I had it done. ~Cheri

I don't think it's ever too soon to plan against future weight gain. My eyes are still bigger than my stomach and it's an ingrained habit to monitor my intake. It's doesn't have to be a chore or hassle, it's just part of my life. The benefits of keeping tabs on my calories far outweigh the effort it takes to monitor my eating habits. “Once you understand that habits can change, you have the freedom and the responsibility to remake them. Once you understand that habits can be rebuilt, the power of habit becomes easier to grasp and the only option left is to get to work.” – Charles Duhigg

Hi all! Yes, the band had originally proved very effective for me - the first time around. I'd say it was about 2 years after initial placement that I was diagnosed with the first slip, the band had moved down my stomach and the only thing I was able to keep down was milk. I had the bad repositioned and since then I have has minimal success and maximum trouble! Every fill was either to tight or no restriction. I began having to have refills quite regularly as the band started leaking and loosing effectiveness. Originally my surgeon thought it was 'in my head' and there was nothing wrong with it, I was just bring paranoid after what had happened with the original lap band. Eventually I convinced him to send me for a swallow which showed a pouch dilation above the band. Dr.D removed all liquid and told me to come back in 2 months after the pouch had time to rest and hopefully slip back through the band. This seemed to work for a while but all it did was resolve the heart burn I was having - there was no weight gain. In recent months I've been unable to eat solid foods. meat is absolutely off the menus! And I have been unable to eat more than 3 hours prior to bed - any later than that and I wake up chocking on reflux and have to make myself sick to remove any reflux from my chest. I'm piping antacids like candy! Fast forward to today and the most recent swallow shows pouch dilation above the band and again, a slippage down the stomach. Apparently it happens to some people and you stomach begins to accommodate the band. My surgeon says that the band was not really meant for long term usage and most have about a 10 year lifespan on them.

I'm definitely not new to what kind of head games can happen with the scale, so I have embedded a lot of this just from how it impacted me whilst dieting. I'm not immune to hopping on the scale daily - I do it right now. I just have my "official" weigh-in once a week that I actually track, and I take the rest of the week with a hefty grain of salt (oh, wait, excess salt may increase my Water weight gain. Hmm, maybe with a grain of salt substitute?). It all comes down to knowing your body's rhythms so you don't get too upset over a short term minor stall or gain. I've fought that demon innumerable times already, and I'm sure I'll do so again, but hopefully will talk myself down before I scream something about the sky falling! I hear you about the weight loss not matching at the weight loss center, though I've become immune to that to some degree. I expect what I see there will likely be about 4 lbs different from what I see at home, between clothes and the fact that my appointments tend to be mid afternoon However, I see the weight loss center far less than my scale at home, so as long as I'm consistent about my weighing habits I will see an accurate assessment of my progress in the long term, and be able to jump on it reasonably quickly if things start going in a bad direction.

The program I am going through is pretty strict, but I was surprised the psych eval wasn't longer. The program coordinator sees you every 6 weeks and he is a psychologist. We already spent about an hour just talking about their program, what is expected of me, my medical history (uneventful), reasons for weight gain, history of weight loss, what my expectations are re: surgery, etc. I also did a quick fill in the circles thing. I've never had depression, bulimia, etc. (I can't make myself throwup if I try, which I told him). I don't drink or do drugs and never have. Food is my vice! Also, due to my profession, I am very good at "selling" myself. He gave me a list of everything I have to do before they schedule surgery, and other than "check in" meetings with him, there are no more psych eval. Maybe if they see certain things they dig deeper?

I've regained a little too but I think its a combination of a simple return to health and the result of all my efforts at Body Pump. I knew I was skeletal after chemo finished and I wanted to make sure that I put muscle back on, not fat. But overall I'm still much lighter than I was this time last year and pretty thin, I just feel fat because I did buy some size six clothes whilst I was so light and now they give me a muffin top :-( 10lb on my body is a LOT of weight now, I can feel it, but I'm still a good 10lb lighter than I was before cancer struck. I'm finding the biggest challenge this far out (six years) is that I really think my body has adapted to my band and it doesnt work the way it once does, possibly because I've been totally unfilled and then refilled (for surgery) int he past nine months. I am finding more and more that its just plain hard work to keep the weight away, its my hard work. I still exercise, more than ever in fact and every single day is a "diet". Every day I say no to foods I want to eat and fight cravings. I'm not sure if just another tiny fill would solve that, because its rather tiring. I can do it, I'm not afraid of weight gain but I have this tool, am I not using it to full potential? Even this far out, I dont really know.