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Greetings to everyone, I am at a place right now where my complacency seems to be catching up with me, and I knew that if I came out here and 'fessed up, you all could kick-start me back on the right path. I was banded on 2/27/10, and have lost just under 65 pounds. I feel a LOT better, have more energy, etc., and I know my health has improved, so I'm happy about all of that. I got my third fill on 7/21, for a total of 5.5 in a 10 band. However, based on my perceptions, I can still eat too much, and I've discovered that I can easily get down some things that are probably not helping the situation. In the midst of all of this, I have just moved from WV, where I had lived for 25+ years, down to FL, with all the commotion surrounding that. I'm just about to get back started up at the local gym, after having been slack for 2-3 weeks while I was packing up the house. I think that some of what I'm experiencing may just be in reaction to the stress of the life change. Here are the challenge areas: 1) I'm not getting enough Protein 2) I'm not getting enough Fluid 3) I tend to be leaning towards slider foods I'm not seeing a weight gain through all of this, thank heavens, but I'm not losing either. Do I just need to stop beating myself up over this, considering all the churn in other areas of my life, and do my best to reset, or am I just indulging in a pity party (in which case, please feel free to give me a swift kick in the keester). Thanks for your support- Christine

Hello there, welcome and congratulations to taking your first step to the new you. I have Hoshimotos which is one of the most common reasons for hypothyroidism. Though I was just banded on November 2, 2010, I am feeling great. With the pre and post diet I have lost a total of 20lbs already. My Endocronologist did tell me that because of the thyroid my weight loss might be slower then others and have a tendancy to plateau at times. Those were all mights and to just stay focused. I also have PCOS (Poly cystic ovaries) all things that contribute to weight gain and difficulty in weight loss. This was my last hope and my doctors both Dr. Gedeon who did the surgery, my Endo Dr. Luthra and my OBGYN doctor (they keep changing doctors on me) all suggested that this was my best option. They are all very positive and tell me before I know it, there will be a new me looking at me in the mirror. I don't believe three independent opinions would lie. I am so excited for me and for you!

I started Nuvaring because I was getting nauseous with birth control and it is working great. No weight gain and all of the benefits of being on BC (greatly minimized TOM issues). I highly recommend it. I should have gone with this option years ago.

Katt - You are feeling the same way that I am sure most of use felt pre-banding. It is a huge leap of faith! I will be praying that you are accepted, you will have no complications, and your Diabetes will disappear with your excess weight. Medications and a Sedentary life style because of physical problems can cause rapid weight gain. This happened to my best friend. She had a very successful Lap Band Surgery April 4th. Despite not being able to exercise and being on Steroids and pain meds, she has lost 24 pounds already. I have faith you can do this too.

Weight regain after two years is not uncommon since we can eat more than we did right after surgery. There are a few factors that can lead to weight gain, two most prevalent are nutrition and medications. You state that you are on anti anxiety medication. Check to see if this medication can cause weight gain. As for nutrition, you stated that cooking is a burden especially the foods that you should be eating. When we take short cuts on the quality of food we need to eat this tends to lead us to processed foods. Processed foods have a in the past caused many here ( me included) to gain weight and suffer poor health. Try looking at your foods and eliminate the processed foods that you are eating. Get back to the quality foods that give you nutrition. The main thing is, you realize that you have a problem. Don't despair, work on a sensible plan of action and you will see positive results that you can build on. Good luck and good health.

thanks for the message........ i am still on liquids, no shakes yet, not allowed until after my 1st post op, which is wednesday the 29th. then i think it is shakes yogurt, mash potatos, so i have while before any food is introduce. just was upset about weight gain and oxygen. sandi

I would not worry to much about the weight gain. I would attribute that to like post op when you go from liquids and mushies to regular solid food. You see a lot of people on here who gain during that period. Give it a couple of days, make the right food choices and exercise. Wishing you positive thoughts and good health.

At 3 and a half years post op, with nothing in my band, I eat whatever I like. I never maintained a tight fill, because while I liked the idea of losing weight, being ill due to lack of proper nutrition didn't appeal to me. It is true that it is trial and error, but I think by far and away the single most common mistake that is being made is overfilling. By being overfilled you limit the foods that you consume to a very small feild. And by doing so, you make yourself unhappy, frustrated, and likely to rely on soft foods. The result is little weight loss, or weight gain. I know you asked what foods are troublesome for banded folk. But the truth is, nothing should be a problem. You should be able to eat solid foods without discomfort and PB'ing.

I'm at a stall. I've been between 170 and 175 for the past couple of months, which my DR. told me to expect after I dropped the amount of weight I did. The past week or so, I've been seeing that my weight is slowing creeping up to the 180 mark and I'm scared to death. I've been monitoring my carb and sugar intake and I've gone back on the protein shakes for breakfast or lunch. I'm extremely worried that i'm going to gain back all the weight. I've seen myself falling into past habits (binge eating disorder and weighing myself every day up to 3x a day), eating sugary food (candy) and not getting enough liquids in. It probably isn't helping that i'm trying to complete my degree for college and I signed myself up for 6 summer classes to finish in the next 4 months. I need help. I tried talking to my husband, and though he is sympathetic, his advice is stop eating bad food, which is easier said than done. If anybody has gone through something similar, i'd love to hear how you overcome this stall.

Thanks for the compliments on the articles! I am so glad they are useful. Yep - WLS (especially gastric sleeve and bypass) can definitely affect (reduce) ghrelin levels and therefore reduce hunger. That's right - so that's a way WLS helps you eat less and lose weight, because you're less hungry. In this article, I was thinking about the factors that contributed to weight gain that WEREN"T strictly about hunger - because I think all of us (me, anyway) used to be guilty of eating when we weren't truly biologically hungry, but eating for other reasons, like we wanted food or for emotional reasons. Great point, though, and definitely a consideration when choosing which type of WLS, since lap-band doesn't affect ghrelin in the same way sleeve does.

I am very sad for her because I have been there; not winning Biggest Loser but gaining back weight that I worked so hard to lose and the shame and embarrassment associated with that. Wonder if Dr. Huizenga will stop judging those of us who choose WLS and stop thinking we are taking the easy way out. Since Ali Vincent became the first woman to win “The Biggest Loser,” she has battled ups and downs — and struggled on the scale. After shedding 112 pounds to win the show in 2008, Vincent says she has gained back most of the weight she fought so hard to lose, nearly returning to her pre-“Biggest Loser” weight of 234 pounds. Her struggles, she revealed, have made her ashamed. “When I struggle I shut down, I feel alone, I push people away, I hide, I sleep all day, I eat, I try to feel satisfied and comforted but do nothing to allow true satisfaction or comfort.” Vincent became a celebrity during “The Biggest Loser’s” fifth season, when the 5-foot-5 champion walked away from the competition 112 pounds thinner. “I have had successes and I have had major losses,” she wrote on Facebook last week. “I have gone from feeling alone to having thousands of people reach out with support. I have experienced ultimate highs that I could have never dreamed of as well as nightmares I wouldn’t wish on an enemy. Quite frankly some of them have gotten the better of me and I have struggled. But the next year, she told NBC’s “Today” that she already was apprehensive about regaining the weight, explaining that she was worried that she would put the pounds back on unless she spent every spare minute at the gym. She said she continued to use her BodyBugg, a calorie-management system that the contestants wore on their arms, and threw away all of the junk food in her home. “I childproofed my life,” she told “Today” in 2009. “I don’t want to leave anything to guesswork when I have the tools not to.” But the weight started to creep back on anyway. Vincent recently appeared on Oprah Winfrey’s OWN series “Where Are They Now?” and talked about a low point several months ago, when she was slammed with comments about her weight during a Facebook Live chat. “I really started hiding after that,” she said. On April 15, the eighth anniversary of her victory, she didn’t get out of bed, Vincent said. “I was ashamed,” she said. “I was just ashamed. I was embarrassed. It was a low point. It was probably my lowest point. I won ‘The Biggest Loser.’ I was the first female to win ‘The Biggest Loser.’ Like, I’m Ali Vincent. I’m supposed to be strong. I’m supposed to know how to do this – I do know how to do it.” Vincent said she realized that she was headed in a dangerous direction. “If I keep going in the direction I’m going,” she said, “I don’t know if I’ll ever come back. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to have the strength to do something different.” Then, Vincent said, on April 16, she did “one of the hardest things in my life.” She decided to lose the weight — again — and announced publicly that she has joined Weight Watchers. “I swore I would never be there again, be here again,” she wrote on Facebook. “I couldn’t imagine a day again that I would weigh over 200 pounds. I feel ashamed. I feel embarrassed. I feel overwhelmed. I feel like failure.” Vincent is chronicling her latest weight-loss efforts online. Weight Watchers,which is partially owned by Winfrey, said Vincent is a not a paid spokesperson. “I’ve decided to feel proud of myself again,” she wrote. “To hell with shame. I’ve been so afraid and worried of public shame and ridicule that I’ve created more pain for myself than anyone else can but not anymore. “I know there is going to be a lot of faking it until I make it on the proud front but I’m starting with taking action.” http://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/%E2%80%98i-feel-embarrassed%E2%80%99-a-%E2%80%98biggest-loser%E2%80%99-winner-confesses-her-weight-gain-shame/ar-BBsq9yz?li=BBnb2gh

Yes, I get nervous as well. Sometimes I think it won't work, because I have to take medicine for longstanding depression/anxiety (these are known to cause weight gain in some people). At the end of the day though even if I don't lose as much as someone else, I will still be way better off healthwise than before the surgery.

I am 2 months out......down 36 lbs and about 3 to 4 pants sizes. I am getting the compliments and people notice my loss, however........I have not taken any post op pics! I look in the mirror ( with clothes off) and don't see that big of a difference, and I know that I am overly critical of myself and I still feel as though the camera is going to tell a story that I don't want to hear! LOL. When were you all able to look in the mirror and see the changes for yourself? I notice some of our fellow sleevers are in love with the camera. Due to my weight gain I have resulted to saying I am not photogenic! I have been with my husband for six years, we have four children and have never taken family photos.....This is crazy and my weight has controlled so many aspects of my life! I am taking a stand!!!!! My 29th birthday is in August and since I no longer face going into my 30's fat, my family will take pics this August! YAY. I have a goal in mind of where I would like to be but hey I am just thankful that I am almost 40 lbs lighter than I was just 2 months ago........this post was random, but you guy's before and after photos inspire me and I realized I have none. Going to start tracking my journey.....and actually posting pics. Now the larger challenge........finding a BEFORE pic..LOL

I was prepared for the three week stall. I have read numerous threads about it and know it happens to everyone. I weigh myself once every few days, sometimes up to five days. I last weighed myself on Saturday. I was 270. This morning, I am 271.4. I am still on a liquid diet, getting about 75 to 80 grams of Protein. I drink about 50 ounces of Fluid, working to get to 64 ounces. My goal is to have a lymphatic massage to release toxins and detox. Is weight gain also normal during the stall? Sent from my SM-G360T using the BariatricPal App

Hello I am currently on quite a few bipolar meds (been taking them since 2006). Before I started those medications my weight was around 170. I definitely think that the meds played a big part in my weight gain over the years. Since my sleeve surgery, I have steadily been losing weight, with only a few stalls. I think that the sleeve is working great despite my taking some meds that are known to cause weight gain.

I got my surgery on march 25 2013 I gained 2 pounds I can not stop eating I don't feel full at all I go for my first fill on may 9

I've heard of not losing weight after 3 weeks, but gaining?! I'm up 2 pounds overnight! I haven't lost since before Thanksgiving. I am eating more than I was right after surgery, but the food I eat in a day now is a lot less than the food I ate in one meal pre-op. I'm not really exercising like I should, I admit, but I am taking steps to be more active, like parking further from the entrance to stores, taking the stairs (not hard, I'm scared of elevators haha), and I usually take a walk around campus between classes. I only go to school twice a week though. It's very depressing, really. I mean, I wake up everyday feeling like I'm going to pass out, I'm weak and get tired easily, and for what?! Weight gain?! UGHH I'm not losing inches either. I'm still in the same pants I wore 30 pounds ago.

I'm 31 and I'm pregnant with my first child. I was banded June 10, 2010 and by May I was pregnant. My doc is thrilled and gave me a slight unfill because my band tightened with the pregnancy. There is absolutely no reason why I can't have a vaginal birth because of the lap band. Now, that's not to say something else would cause me to have a c-section, but right now everything is trucking right along. I'm currently 17 weeks, i'm on target with my weight gain, and I'm happy as can be. So far, baby is too!

I also started mushies this week and though there was no weight gain, I have lost only .5 lb here and there. As far as eating during this phase, I try to add unflavored Isopure protein powder to almost any of my mushy meals (cream of whole wheat, yogurt, soups, sugar free jello, etc...). It helps me get enough protein in for the day without adding too many calories and I think that's the hardest part of this phase, since I'm still not allowed to eat meat or fish or other forms of animal protein that have a decent amount of protein per serving. I am still weighing myself twice a week, which I know some people would disapprove of, but it's my way of keeping track of what's going on, and for now I feel I need to do it. Also, are you exercising yet? It's very important to start moving as soon as you feel able to. That really helps the weight loss (in combo with your post-op diet). I started walking very slowly 3rd day after surgery, then have been increasing to 2-3 miles a day or 30 minutes on the elliptical at slow to moderate pace, depending on how I'm feeling that day. I think that helps too. I don't have as much experience as some of the other responders, but I've been told the same things about plateauing and also about not worrying so much about the pounds dropping until after you get the fill (but I think we still worry because it's hard not to think that way after all this time Good luck!

Hi all, I'm a newbie... to the forum, not the situation. I had my surgery early 1996, dropped about 75 lbs initially, rebounded back about +10 lbs, and stayed there for about 12 years. Then all hell broke loose. I had an eye infection that sequestered me to a blackened room, in extreme pain for nearly a month... That's when my metabolism ceased to exsist it seems. I was in bed, not moving, so not burning calories, not burning calories, so had no energy or appetite, no appetite so not consuming any calories for energy ... etc etc, you get the picture. Since then, I have been steadily gaining weight (and also crested the dreaded 40 year-old mark). I've put on about 40 pounds and can't seem to shake it. I'm really not sure I know how to be honest. My surgery dropped the weight 'for me' I guess. I eat very little (my kids even mention it), and still hang on to the weight. I feel like the surgery hyjacked my metabolism to begin with... like my body adjusted to surviving on its surgery-given food allotment... then with the illness and age on top of it, it feels hopeless. Any suggestions?

1.5 years out, have been around the same weight for a year now. Like LilMissDiva mentioned above, you'll have your "bad" days occasionally, and the possibility of regaining 2-3 lbs is always there, but it's easy to stop. I can't vouch for what things will be like 3.5 years down the road, but just taking things a year at a time, I don't see myself gaining any significant weight a year from now. To gain weight with the sleeve, you really have to eat a LOT of junk food - you won't be able to consume large enough amounts of normal foods to cause weight gain. I've had a few periods of 2-3 days of non-stop chocolate consumption, but I don't find it too hard to get back on the wagon. I always make sure I hit the gym hard at least twice a week no matter how busy I am, even during weeks when I work 80 hours. Most weeks I work out 3-4 times/week. If I notice I've put on a pound or two, I just rein myself in a bit - I go back to drinking water with my meals instead of alcohol when I go out, get a medium latte instead of a large in the morning, etc. All those "sensible choices" that women's magazines always harp on about are an awful lot easier to make once you've had the sleeve.

In the loss phase I ate no more than 900 calories a day. In maintenance I aimed for 1,100-1,300 a day. While pregnant, I aimed for 1,400-1,600 calories a day. I'll be honest, there were times when that was a real challenge due to either restriction or morning sickness. And there were times when the hormones were flooding my body and I felt like I could eat all day long. But overall, that's the window I tried to stick with throughout. I gained 32 pounds, a perfectly normal weight gain that actually worried my OB. This is the same OB that saw me during my twin pregnancy and the fact that I gained so little this time had them worried. However, my daughter was born at a normal weight (for our family) - right in between the weights of my previous children at 6 pounds, 7 ounces. She was born perfectly healthy, at 39 weeks, 3 days so there were no problems with her size or health due to my surgery or my diet. A huge thing to consider is Vitamin supplements, though. I had very real issues with both lactose intolerance (it reared it's ugly head again with my pregnancy) and morning sickness every time I consumed meat. I had to find ways to make up the difference, and I turned to Protein shakes for a while. I also took a number of Vitamins to help ensure the baby was getting enough of what she needed, too. By one week postpartum I had already lost more than half the weight, so try to shelve any concerns about a normal pregnancy gain and focus on the baby. Good luck, and wishes for a healthy pregnancy! ~Cheri

I had my sleeve done 07/07/2015. I am 9 lbs heavier today, 07/08/2015, than when I was weighed immediately b4 surgery...... is this normal?!??!

Tmrrw makes 1 week postop for me. I gained 4.2lbs while being in the hospital for surgery. I’m down those extra pounds & 2.6lbs on top of that. I know that the extra weight came from IV & probably also water retention. I woke up out of anesthesia burping & the following day, started to pass gas. I was finally able to poop this morning with the help of milk of magnesia. I’m able to get down 2 protein shakes a day, crystal light & other fluids. Can’t wait til I see the true weight come off. I’m big on taking measurements & celebrating NSVs, but it was a shocker to see the weight gain after surgery. You can keep up with my journey on IG @CurlyGirl_GetsFit

It's great to hear your doing good! From what I heard the weight gain after surgery is usually due to all the fluids they give you. Please Continue to keep us posted...you are the losers bench now:-)