Search the Community

The amount of belly fat is a factor, the thickness of the tissue inside the lining of the stomache is factor ... everybody's bodies are different. What matters most is that you have the proper restriction for weight loss. One of the symptoms of needing an unfill is weight gain. Too tight of a fill forces people to eat sliders which you can eat and eat and eat. You definately don't want that! Rest assured, the amount of fluid it takes for you to have restriction doesn't matter ... what matters is PROPER restriction when it comes to weight loss!

I am calling myself a success story...was banded in 12/2009....band slip and removal in 10/2010...I managed to hit goal before my slip (roughly 10 months and 90+ pounds)...at first I was nervous and scared to be without my "friend" but now I feel amazing...amazing because I am still using what I learned with band. Am a success because my surgeon and even my support group expected me to have weight gain...I have not gained a single ounce since my band removal..I have enven lost a few more pounds.. I eat 3 meals a day and have 2 Snacks in between..I dont deny myself anything and dont feel the need to binge...am I an emotional eater...yes...do I over eat now due to stress/emotion..no...instead I invested in a punching bag (works great)..I talk about my feelings and I am dealing with my past pain/abuse. I am greatful to have had the surgery and do not regret having the lapband...I am more greatful to have learned from this journey and to a great husband and family who support and believe in me. So on 12/07/10...I will have my bandiversary....I think I will treat myself to a new pair of size 6 jeans...and maybe even a size 4 with the right stretch (gotta love stretch)...

MsCarla, I was banded at the end of July 2010 and am down 40 lbs. Mine was elective surgery and was out of pocket. I had to lose 55 lbs. I tried everything and nothing worked! I decided, after long consideration that lapband was my answer. When I spoke to my 10 year old son and asked him his opinion, he told me that he loved me just the way I was, but that if I didn't love myself I needed to go through with this. He is way wiser than his years. Being that i am a full-time single mom and we do everything together I felt the need to explain the procedure to him and the implications.My Mother was a much harder obstacle to surpass. Eventually she came around. Besides my son, parents, and a couple of good friends no one else knew about my lap band. I decided I got enough criticism about my weight gain and any changes I make in my life that it was my choice. Everyone wants to know what "diet" I am on and commenting how good I look. I just smile and tell them lots of exercise and eating right. Mind you, these are a lot of people who use to call me fat and ask me if I was pregnant. She who laughs last has the last alugh. I feel wonderful and am nearing my goal and no one needs to know how I got there. Barbie

I wouldn't tell anyone before. You'll get negative Nancys (including my cardiologist for my pre-check who said that I wasn't super heavy and should just diet). I've started to tell folks afterwards, one, because they were worried about me, and perhaps more importantly for accountability. As the motivational speaker Zig Zigler said, you want to share your "Give Up" goals with the as many people as possible to keep you honest. I'm only 2 weeks into this sleeve, and I'm already pretty sure that I know how to beat it with milkshakes and ice cream if I wanted to (thankfully I don't have those cravings). But I think that by telling more people, I'll have more support. I told my boss over the weekend and he was EXTREMELY supportive, since he had started razzing me about my weight gain. I'm not sure that he would have been as supportive beforehand. But after it's done, you can't go back!

You all are good. I doesn't hurt that we are women and very observant. I wonder if men can tell with other guys. My husband worked with a young woman and he always though her arms looked weird, then she hinted that she used to be big and he said she picked at her food. One day a co-worker told him "yeah she had that weight loss surgery". I never got the feeling that the young lady wanted others to know but you can't assume people won't say anything. Funny thing is that I used to be a workout junkie back in the 90's. I even had Lipo on my gut after my daughter was born because my gut did not go down fast enough. So with the weight gain, my gut did fluff out again!. but that is the first place that shrinks when I lose weight, then boobs, upper body and lastly lower body.

I have had to have revisionary band surgery (two actually). They weren't worse than the intial surgery and I'm still alive. I haven't "strictly" followed the diet plan. I am an emotional eater, but the band keeps me from emotionally overeating. I have emotional problems (childhood of abuse) that caused my weight gain as well as medical problems (PCOS) that made it all but impossible to lose on my own. 8 months out, I've lost 102lbs. I bet you could find a ton of other successful people. One question: why all the band hate?

Good morning everyone! I am gonna try to post the same thing (copy it) on both places so I do not have to remember what I said, lol. I wish the members did not have to get approved before they can post, sure would make the transistion easier. I sent Debbie and Angela the links to both places so they can find us. I wish I knew Shars e-mail address. Who else? Today dd comes home from my sisters house. she recieved a gift card for walgreens (her fav store. she says it smells good when youfirst walk in there, lol). So, as soon as she gets home I am sure she will want to go shop. We have a walgreens right around the corner so it makes it really convenient. There is a Criss Angel Magic kit she wants from there but i told her that santa will prob get it for her. Gosh I hope they have one tomorrow when we get paid. lol I looked yesterday and they still have about 4 so I am hoping there is not a rush of folks looking for them today. I am NOT getting on the scales for about at least 3 or 4 days so I wont have to see the weight gain. Time to get back down to business! Have a great day friends.

I think you have gotten some great suggestions. You have been on my mind all night, bc I keep thinking you are gonna have to eat regularly. If the move is too stressful, maybe don't do it. I think your health is the most important thing right now, right? I bet your husband is very worried. I am praying for your weight gain. Do you think they made the sleeve too small? Since you are tall I would think it would be longer that some of us shorties. But perhaps you can't get enough food down or you don't eat often enough. You need to find some fatty foods, some kind of balance. Seem like TIff got the hang of it with her small sleeve. But hopefully you are getting medical care. Just wanted you to know I was thinking about you and hoping/praying you'll get some fat on those bones soon.

Call your surgeon. Have you lifted anything, or twisted weird, is the pain by an incision? Do you have a fever? The weight gain could be Water weight so don't fret over that aspect.

has anyone gone through pregnancy being banded and going to a midwife? are they ok with having the band? i've lost about 40lb since AUG and am NOT looking forward to gaining any weight. I lost 35 through morning sickness with dd but gained it all back and then some after about 6 months. can having the band help keep weight gain to an absolute minimum or do they want you to gain like everyone else? i don't even want to step on a scale anymore.

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

Obviously don't have that problem yet at a BMI of 26, but I'm thinking, what about using healthy foods for weight gain? Drinking whole milk and juice instead of water or sugar-free drinks comes to mind. You could easily add 300-400 calories a day with that - even more if you felt the need to. 114 lbs at your height is very low and below healthy BMI, but it sounds like you already know that, anyway. You might have heard about higher mortality in underweight people before - this is because underweight people don't have as many reserves to get them through a bout with serious illness. So it's definitely important to do something to try and bring your weight up into a healthy range.

I ate too much...no weight gain though..so I will leave it at that. GRRR

Scale shows still 31 lbs. lost and staying off since June. Yippee. Once exercising begins, I expect to move toward goal. Arlene - daughter and GS are here from Houston. Will share how cold it is there. About the same as here in K.C. Life is so different with the band. Now instead of how much can I eat, it is what will stay down and how can I be sure to get the protein in. I'm bruising easily again, which has always been a sign of insufficient nutrients for me. Showed the doctor, & he seemed uninterested and unconcerned. Oh well. Before band I took up to 15 supplements per day - recommended by a bio-chemist nutritionist after a complete blood profile. Now I don't take them. (Won't go thru the band) Janet - have a great time in Mexico with family. Apples - enjoy decorating your home. With our Jewish household, that's another thing I don't do - like cooking. Tx - Glad you survived your first "banded" holiday - it was my first too. What a loving husband to shop on black Friday. Yippee - one holiday past with no weight gain.

Just because its called weight gain dosn`t mean you will. I would definitely be trying to match my calories out with liquid replacement.

Thanks for the support vlp1968. I do need to get back to working out. I just stopped because I got so discouraged with all the weight gain. Thanks for the advice and Happy Thanksgiving. All the best.

Since I already had a “Thanksgiving Dinner” with my family early as stated above I decided to start a 10 day Herbal Cleanse to avoid all the leftovers in my house and to try to avoid any weight gain maybe get some weight loss. Cheri

At a normal weight I only had a B cup. Then I breastfed and got a lil larger. Weight gain made me a C almost D. I'd take the B's as long as I can keep some hips and booty!.

The hardest part is not being able to enjoy my food like I used to I take a few bites and I'm done and food still doesn't taste the same for me...but I won't miss all the weight gain that's for sure

Tabatha - I was banded on April 10, 2009 and weighed 300 lbs at my heaviest. I am now at 146.5 lbs with an "ultimate" goal of 145. The lapband has been very very good to me. I do not do low carb, but I do focus more on Protein and Fiber. My weight loss has been steady since banding with a few bumps along the way while it took my body time to adjust. What has worked for me is adjusting the band to fit my lifestyle and needs and....yes EXERCISE. I'm not hungry in the mornings and usually in a hurry so I mix myself up a Protein shake with skim milk and drink that. Mid morning a few teaspoons of high fiber/high protein granola. At lunch, I try to eat sensibly and keep my calories under 400 for the meal. Late afternoon I usually have a yogurt with granola topping and then dont' eat dinner until around 7:30 - 8:00 pm. This helps me to stave off the munchies late at night. I don't eat alot of red meat anymore...more chicken, fish and pork. I also don't drink anything with caffeine or carbonation (although I have to admit that once in awhile I just crave a Coke, but rarely have a sip). Hubby and I also do some sort of daily exercise, mostly walking and hiking. If the weather is crappy, we go to the YMCA. Strength equipment really has helped to tone my arms and I will say that I have pretty darned good shoulders. It also has helped to tone up my lower body which used to be way bigger than my top, but I'm now the same size. I can eat anything, but usually reserve treats for the weekends/special occasions. I don't eat alot of Pasta, bread, potatoes, or rice, but they are not eliminated from my diet either. I just find that pasta, pizza, rice, potatoes tend to lead to a short term weight gain for a day or two because of the carbs. I don't keep alot of Snacks in the house that are tempting to me. The best advice I can give is find what works for you. If you're not hungry in the mornings, have a shake. If you get the late night munchies, eat dinner later. If it's a long time between lunch and dinner, have a small snack to tie you over. Incorporate some activity into your daily life. Drink plenty of fluids, focus on Proteins and fiber - they help keep you fuller longer. My life has changed alot in a year and a half. I have more self esteem. More energy. My thighs don't rub together. My feel don't hurt when I wear heels all day. I look good in clothes. I have a more positive attitude and handle stress better. My joints don't hurt (very often). My bloodwork is phenomenal. One NSV I had last weekend is from my postal carrier. I went outside to get a package from her and she asked if I was visiting. I said "no, I live here". She didn't recognize me. Couldn't believe I was the same person. That's a big change in such a short time. I really wish you the best. I feel so blessed and grateful to have the life I have now. It's what I wanted my whole adult life - to feel like I fit in and am "normal". I want the same for all.

I am 5' tall and was 234. I call myself the weeble wobble. I had no comorbidity, in other words I have no illnesses. I didn't have high BP my cholesterol was only up 2 points and down 2 points for good cholesterol. I had no signs of diabetes but I have Hypothyroidism which causes weight gain and then PCOS which causes weight gain. So with the odds stacked against me and wanting to be proactive I was blessed that the insurance approved me. As far as the first few weeks, they are tough, liquid diet to mushy to solids. Definately research recipes ahead of time, it will make your life so much easier to have several ideas for mushy foods. I made thick chili with bison meat. 4oz or half a cup was 23g of Protein. The pain wasn't that bad, as long as you don't lay around. You have to get up and walk and it is uncomfy, but it is much more uncomfortable to have gas trapped in your body. Once on solids before a fill, you are going to be hungry at times, Water, water, water, fluids, fluids, fluds. Stay away from sugar and carbs and you should loose weight fine. I wish you the best of luck.

I'm really interested to see how it goes for me! I was 220lbs when I delivered my daughter (highest weight at that time) and I had to loose 50lbs to have a breast reduction which I did (obviously I gained it back and THEN SOME, like always!) but I did loose it and I had the Breast Reduction! They told me to loose the weight because they were sure I would loose in my boobs, NOPE! Okay well kinda! I was a 42F and I went down to a 40F! LOL So I had the reduction and I've been at a 38D for some time and with the weight gain again, I went back up to a 42D! I hope with the sleeve I still don't loose my cup size, only the band size!! As for finding a bra, I swear by going to an actual department store (Nordstroms, Macy, JcPenny) and getting measured and have them help you find a bra to fit!!! GOOD LUCK!

Hubby and I will be traveling tomorrow for CT to visit our family and friends for the holidays. I have many things to be thankful for this year, as I am sure most of you do, as well. I got my lap-band this year, which has helped me in so many ways. I am no longer a diabetic due to diet and exercise. I have dropped 64lbs, meaning I have 4 lbs left to be in the Onederland. I am still cancer free!!!! My new clothes are starting to get big on me, so I know I am doing things the right way. My husband, family and frieds are all doing well. I am happy and I am looking good. I have somewhere around 50lbs to go, and I know I will get there. To everyone of you reading this, have a very happy healthy holiday. May we all get through the holidays with the help of our lap-bands and not have a weight gain. I will be checking in whle on vacation.

Good Morning All...My guys are trying to get a couple good days in b/4 the freeze (not yet...a good thing) so DS was already here and ready to go a couple of hours ago. I try not to think of them during the day, working in the bitter cold. If all goes well today, they should be able to wrap up their tiling year tomorrow night. Kelly...that dog of yours is quite photogenic...just a cutie. Most of us here are dog lovers. I talk to mine all the time. I spend so much time alone from March thru Dec, I find that I talk to DH like I talk to the dog once he is home for the winter. And, Kelly, good to hear you say that you don't think you will feel added "food pressure" during this upcoming holiday. Planned treats were my friend but made sure I didn't go hog wild. The way I see it....we should enjoy the day but at the end of the day we cannot feel like we have ruined the day by over eating. Make sense. We want to feel like we did OK with our eating and still enjoy and not stress about the food. Holidays are part of life. Birthday parties, weddings, family vacations are all part of life and involve MEGA FOOD. If we can learn to tame the urge within us, we can partake but not overdo. You are doing great. Phyll...damn, huh? Hope your docs can get the meds right for you. And that weight gain...meds, right? Try not to let the scale rule right now. Just eat as you usually do, get through this and things will taper off. Sending loves and hugs. I bet you were IRATE when you got that message about the 20 docs. Let them do their own leg work from here on out. Hope the epidural works. Have been writing this post for more than two hours. Got a text from youngest DS and had to run some stuff to town for him. Got home and got a call to run some stuff to the field. Don't they know how important my morning post to the girls and TX is????LOL

I had lost 12 or 13 lbs, I believe, before surgery. And of course post-surgery, it's very frustrating to get on the scale and note that you have gained weight (or at least I did) from the gas and the fluids I received IV during hospitalization. It took me at least five days to get rid of that and I am not 'counting' the weight gain...it was a pause in progress, really. Since surgery, though, I've lost 8 more lbs, and I'm feeling pretty darned cheery about that! Best, Deb WS