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Well, after a week of having my 2nd fill, I finally called the doctor and told them that I was miserable. I was burping constantly and vomiting after every meal. I couldn't hold anything down until late at night. I would find myself not eating all day and then by 9pm starving b/c I could finally hold down food. I even gained a couple of pounds. They said I had too much of a fill and took out 0.4 cc's today. What a difference! I am on all liquids and having broth for lunch and no discomfort or burping!! I am hoping this might be my sweet spot. She had mentioned that this could be it due to the fact that I was slightly over filled this time and underfilled last time. :blushing: Anyone else had to go through this??? I am not going to get discouraged b/c of the weight gain b/c It happens. Today is a new day and going to just keep moving along!!! :w00t:

Melody - Yes! Oh my Gosh - I forgot to add that part - during my Fluro ( GAG!! ) with the 1.5 gone, i had NO restriction what so ever, so hence , the weight gain. They put 1 back in, an i was totally blocked! lol so she put in .5, and all is well now - Very well SOOOO glad to be back!!

Hi everyone - just wondering if anyone else experiences this? I think this is really the first time I've actually gained weight during my period. I generally always experience a loss before hand (which happened this time...over 3 lost pounds in the 3 days before), but I usually don't gain and this morning the scale said I was almost 2 pounds up from my lowest before my period 3 days ago. Im trying not to get stressed out but its a little upsetting...I've been doing my regular workout (cross training or 55 minutes on the elliptical and walking) and have been sticking to 950 calories or less. Any reassurance or advice is greatly appreciated!

I agree with the warm fluids. I've never heard of Protein drinks causing weight gain and even by adding stuff like fruit may increase carbs, but seriously I've never heard of anyone gaining weight on straight Protein shakes. It is true your body is shock, but on a mere 300 calories a day, any humans body would be in shock and hang onto every little pound, nutrient, calorie that you're taking in. Eating with pain is not supposed to happen unless we overeat. I measured my portions and stopped before I ever had any pain. 300 calories is ridiculous, sorry I'm not trying to insult your medical team, but that's absurd. Oatmeal does swell up at least that is my experience, but it isn't like you can stretch out your stomach by having 1/4 cup of runny oatmeal or cream of wheat. I've never heard that our bodies will get energy from fat stores. We burn fat by building muscle, and calorie deficiency, but I know when I was on full liquids only (300-500 calories a day), I was beyond weak and needed to nap often. I wasn't walking much at all because I was restricted on activity, and if I walked more, I would have needed more calories. Your body needs fuel, good fats, calories, fluids and nutrients. I think guidelines are just that guidelines, and nothing should be set in stone once a patient is out of the danger zone of leaks and complications immediately post-op. Every person is different, every body works differently, and what works for 100 of their other patients might not work for 10 others.

I'm Laura, a low bmi self pay who's decided to give myself a tool in my arsenal in my lifelong battle against obesity. I'm just tired of fignting so dang hard and never feeling satisfied no matter how much I eat. All of my siblings are at least 100 lbs overweight, and I'm close to being there myself. I know I could wait a few years, gain 25 lbs, and get my insurance to pay for everything...BUT...this is not how I want to live my "one wild and precious life" I'm turning forty in a few months, and feel 40 years of scratching and clawing in a constantly losing battle of weight loss and weight gain is just about enough. My surgery is the day before Thanksgiving, and I'm nervous and excited. Mostly nervous because I'm afraid that once again, I'll blow it. I know the band is not a handful of magic beans, that it is a weight loss aid, and I still have to eat right and exercise. That said, I'm so comitted to doing my part. New lease on life. New stomach, new me. hee hee.

UGH. I am so sorry. Definitely contact your surgeon back in Lebanon, and make sure you get copies of your files AND XRAYS. I don't think anyone is going to want to un-fill you without knowing exactly where your port is, and no-one is going to give you X-rays when you are pregnant (as they shouldn't). how do you feel, and how is your current weight gain? As long as that is on track and you can eat healthy foods, I don't think it is 100% the case all the time that you get unfilled for a pregnancy. If you aren't throwing up, and can use healthy slider foods to gain the right amount of weight, you might be OK! Anyway, if you can get a copy of your file/xrays that might really help regarding getting someone to help you, and if your surgeon knows anyone in the US, maybe that person could help?

concerned, yes and no, I think that healthy is 2-3 lbs a week, while others say 1-2 lbs. The problem with losing weight fast is the rebound of weight gain. Be sure your drinking a lot of fluids from keeping yourself from getting dehydrated. Be sure to eat atleast your minimum amount of calories otherwise your body will go into starvation mode and you will stop losing weight and be actually behind on your weight loss. Its a slow process but if you follow the rules you will be fine. Congrats on your weight loss, just be careful your losing it the healthy way!!! Best of luck with your continuous success, your Beautifil Chriper!!!!

Also, I lost weight while taking Flexerall. I doubt it caused your or Arlene's weight gain. It worked on my trigger points which allowed me to sleep comfortably and move freely throughout the day. Remember I'd had that bad fall and it took at least 6 months to heal. All my trigger points were triggered and firing. Moving freely and sleeping well helps you lose weight. Eating the wrong things triggers my appetite and consequent weight gain. Cheri, I gained weight because I gave in to the hunger it caused me. I take one when Tylneol doesn't work. I haven't had to take one in about six months. Chris......wow....you are getting your range of motion back. Good for you! Janet.......I agree. i was joking about eating in Vegas. Hopefully, DH and I can share a meal. Yesterday I told all of the kids that we are eating out for Thanksgiving because I can't handle the cooking(sample too much). They were okay with it. I will cook for Christmas, but we are having it at DH's house. NO leftovers are coming home. It is cool here. I am packing a heavy coat for the Grand Canyon. The Protein bars are 170calories, and the Protein drinks are 150. We are taking them so we don't eat junk. I am really trying to stay in my calorie, protein range. Next will be a 50gram carb limit. This is definitely a lifestyle. If you don't think so......just start eating the old way. I haven't been to Water aerobics this week. I hope to go on saturday and get back into the groove. I have missed it. Apples, I hope everything comes out good. Rest!

Hey guys, Yesterday I got a chance to talk to my nc from Kaiser. She said: 1- NO Protein SHAKES- Protein powder is expensive and cause weight gain. People add this and that to protien shakes and gain weight. Get your protein from your meat! 2- That hunger pain that you are feeling is because of lack of fluids. Drink more. It will go away. Warm fluids are better for the new pouch. Try that. Do NOT drink Ensure and or Boost, nothing but weight gainers. 3- NO oatmeal it is a sweller. It will make your stomach bigger and you will eat more and gain weight. 4- The reason why you are not losing weight right now is because your body is saying- "What the hell is going on?" Trust me, it will start kicking in. Just hang in there. 5- She asked, "Do you feel pain when you are eating?" I said, "Yes." She asks, "So what do you do?" I said, "I stop eating." She said, "Good, that's what you suppose to do." She also said, that some people just keep eating pass the pain and gain weight. (how..) 6- I said, "I don't feel that I am not getting enough calories." She said, "That's the idea. Even though you might be getting 300 calories, your body will kick in. Maybe not right away, but trust me--you will loose weight." 7- "Are you exercising?" "Yes, I am." "What are you doing." "I walk." "GOOD!" 8- "You feel weak and tired?" "Yes I do." She said, " that is because your body is trying to figure out where to get the energy from. Your body will realize that it will have to take it from the fat. So don't worry, this will go away." ---What do you guys think about that? Pam

I am fat because I had two miscarriages and never lost the weight. Gained even more with depression after that. Total weight gain 100lbs in three years. Now I am stable on meds and loosing rapidly.

I am in the VERY beginning! I was actually a lot farther along in the process about 4 years ago....until my husband's employer took ALL weight loss treatments off the table. It was so heart breaking, I can't even describe it. Due to other health problems, I have been on disability for 2 years and will qualify for Medicare in Feb. Medicare covers Weight Loss Surgery!! I am even heavier than I was due to the meds I was on for so long caused excessive weight gain. I am doing much much better with my health and am off that medication...so its time to do something about this. Losing weight won't necessarliy "cure" whats wrong, but I am tired of being tired and run down all the time due to being soooo heavy! I just want to keep up with the kids activities, to be able to sit in seat at a concert, fit in an airplane seat...just the little things in life!! Anyways, back to your question, I am just getting started choosing a doctor!

Hi all, Just caught up with everyone. No comments. Gotta go to bed. Had a meeting after school. Came home for an hour and caught up on e-mail. Left for choir. Came home and caught up on FB and LBT. Getting up at 5 a.m. as per usual so need my sleep. Julie, have you ever thought about not trying to sleep at night? Seems like you overmedicate at night to kill the pain so you can sleep. Then you can't get up in the morning. Maybe just stay up and stay busy until you can't keep your eyes open. Sleep in your chair as long as you can. Then keep busy until you can't keep your eyes open then sleep again, etc. Maybe your body will find its natural sleep rhythm without knocking yourself out with drugs. You didn't seem to have much pain when you were busy with the wedding. What were you doing then that was working? Maybe having all that work to do kept your mind off the pain? Made you tired enough to sleep? Also, I lost weight while taking Flexerall. I doubt it caused your or Arlene's weight gain. It worked on my trigger points which allowed me to sleep comfortably and move freely throughout the day. Remember I'd had that bad fall and it took at least 6 months to heal. All my trigger points were triggered and firing. Moving freely and sleeping well helps you lose weight. Eating the wrong things triggers my appetite and consequent weight gain. Also, there is a stomach bug doing the rounds that may be responsible for some of the band discomfort people are going through. Definitely nausea is part of it. And, as we all know, major gas issues. Apples, I'm really surprised at your Dr.'s choice of laxatives. Hope it all worked out in the end. LOL. Cheri Cheri

Hi. My name is Ashley. I have always been the largest person in my extended family. I was always shy and introverted because of my weight. It took me a long time to get comfortable being out in public. To this day I avoid large groups of people. I began putting on weight when I was 9 years old. My family doctor told my mom it was just "baby fat" and I would be fine, no reason for concern. As the weight continued to gain and I became the largest person in my grade every year at school, I began seeking out answers. Eventually, I diagnosed myself with "Stein-Leventhal Syndrome" and went to see a gynocologist at age 17. He confirmed the diagnosis, saying it was more commonly referred to as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or PCOS. I was told I was in a Catch-22. To lose weight would help control my symptoms, but obesity and weight gain were inevitable. I was also informed that I had a 25% chance of ever conceiving a child. This crushed me. I was about to go to college for a major in Child Development because of my love for children. I first considered Bariatric Surgery when I was about 20 years old. I knew I had to do something because I couldn't even stomach looking in the mirror anymore. I was weighing in around 240ish at this time. I started researching Gastric Bypass because Lap-Band was not as well known. I was quickly informed by anyone and everyone with an opinion that I was taking the easy way out. So once again I turned to dieting. Unsuccessfully, of course. I continued to steadily put on weight over the next few years, I couldn't even find the motivation to lose weight for our wedding in October of 2007. On New Years Day 2010, I was alone at home, feeling sluggish from the holidays. TLC was having a marathon on weight, seeing as how that's most people's New Years' resolutions. I watched these 683 lb women, one ton woman, Big Ben's story, etc...and i thought to myself- that's going to be me. The last one I watched, they gave the woman, who was 28 and had two little girls and was bedridden, Gastric. She died two weeks later. I turned it off and immediately began researching. I vowed if I could ever afford to get it done, I was never going to screw up like some of them. (One of the boys was given free Gastric surgery and two years later was overweight again.) I weighed in the next morning at 301. A normal scale wouldn't have weighed me any longer.To summarize the next few months, I attended a seminar in Reston at the end of January, waited for them to deal with insurance for 2 months (they claimed although calls to insurance proved them liars), then got pissed and moved on. I attended a seminar at RMH in Harrisonburg, VA on April 9th. On April 15th, I started the process. I went through all the steps, even the setbacks like therapy to deal with food/emotions, and was approved for surgery upon first submission to insurance on June 7th, 2010. They scheduled me for surgery on July 6th, 2010. I began my 2 week liquid Pre-Op diet on June 22nd. I still weighed 301. The day of my surgery I was down to 280. I was so proud of myself. Then for a combined total of 4 weeks I did not put one thing that wasn't on list in my mouth. After 4 weeks I was down 38 lbs. Since then I have lost half of my goal. I'm down 79 lbs with 79 to go. My BMI has dropped from 47 to 35 and its only been 4 1/2 months. I've dropped from a size 26 jeans to a size 16, with the 14's in sight!I'm looking for people to share experiences and /or questions with, since most of the people in my life don't even know about my surgery.

Okay everyone back from the LB Dr took 4.5cc out of my band. I am going to be on Prilosec for a while to get my stomach to settle down due to it is most likely irritated under the band from the acid, PBing and so forth. I have 3.3cc in my band like in the begining liquids till Wed. the soft/ mushie then start solids this weekend. I get to start over and this time follow correctly. Oh he was not surprised at the weight gain because of the issues. I am go to my reg MD shortly cause I have had such a Migraine for two days and have not slept so she can give me a shot of toradol it is the only thing that really works. I might take tomorrow off to so I can get some rest I will keep you posted.

Okay everyone back from the LB Dr took 4.5cc out of my band. I am going to be on Prilosec for a while to get my stomach to settle down due to it is most likely irritated under the band from the acid, PBing and so forth. I have 3.3cc in my band like in the begining liquids till Wed. the soft/ mushie then start solids this weekend. I get to start over and this time follow correctly. Oh he was not surprised at the weight gain because of the issues. I am go to my reg MD shortly cause I have had such a Migraine for two days and have not slept so she can give me a shot of toradol it is the only thing that really works. I might take tomorrow off to so I can get some rest I will keep you posted.

I have been through all the pre-op steps and insurance approval and have a surgery date of 12/9. My problem is I quit smoking on 10/19 and I have gained 7-8lbs from that. I didnt even realize that I was overeating. Now of course I'm worried that I may run into problems with surgery. My surgeon's office made it clear that weight gain before surgery is not acceptable. Any one else have this problem? Starting today I'm going to the gym and watch what I eat....

I started my 6 month charting back in June. Tomorrow is my last weigh in and I am totally terrified to see what the scales say. I lost weight the first 4 months and last month had a 3lb gain. I was told not to worry about it to much because different clothing and different scales can make a world of difference when weight is involved. I have done nothing but freak out about this last weigh in. I was told if I had any weight gain they would see it as me not trying and not approve the surgery. I have busted my butt to loose weight but it's no longer coming off. Infact I am gaining weight now. It never fails I loose loose loose and then it all comes back.. It's very frustrating to know that I am putting in an hour a day at the gym and watching what I eat, but the weight is staying. Is this going to affect my approval? Please anyone tell me your experience with insurance and getting approved..

Okay this one really goes out to those veteran sleevers. So, I am 13 months out now. I have lost pretty much all I could safely lose (a lot of people think ive gotten too thin) I'm getting to the point of becoming UNDER weight (which is hilarious frankly...ive never been thin in my life...literally). That's really the problem. I have started training for this 1/2 marathon and the running is making me lose weight to a point that is making me nervous. I am already wearing a SMALL right now...i just dont know what to do. No one really seems to understand--people say stupid stuff like "just eat more"....as though I could even if I wanted to?? I mean dont get me wrong I eat 3 or 4 meals a day...and I do eat very healthy meals...but i just dont know how to replace those calories I burned of running safely. My mother says shit like "go eat a grilled cheese"...which makes me crazy! My trainer says go drink weight gain powder...which goes against all logic in my book. My surgeon said (btw Im a 6'0 man) I dont want you to get into the 160s...if you do call the office. well that was 3 weeks ago...i weighed 173 then...NOW in just 3 weeks i lost 10 lbs. I'm losing my mind here. and frankly, am getting a little scared...i dont know how to make it stop. But, at the same time I WANT to do this race...for me...because ive never been able to run more than a few feet in my life without being out of breath. What do yall do?? please help me.

Could be, maybe you don't have the best thermoregulation or something? I'd suggest just wearing warmer clothes to bed and drinking most of your fluids hot. It gets pretty cold where I live and this time of year, I drink almost exclusively tea and hot water. You could also have an underactive thyroid, weight gain and being cold are 2 common symptoms. You can Google the others if you are concerned about that.

I was 227 around Holloween now im 240! ..I gained 13 pounds n I feel like shit...I swear losin weight has got 2 b the hardest thing in the world especially if u love food...but Im goin 2 make sure I lose those 13 pounds in 2 weeks..I am NOT goin back to 288! I just had 2 vent...Has any1 experienced this tramatic weight gain? If so, lemme know how u pulled through..thanks!

New to the board and find the information very helpful. I had my VG lapband removed (after 2 years) on October 19, 2010. Had major slippage with 40% of stomach going through-band. The band had only a small fill may have had something to do with it? No erosion or complications during removal. (Glad it is out - knew it was not the long term answer). I did well with the band losing most all desired weight but feel as though I need to move forward with VSG too not allow any weight gain. I want to get VSG but have been told to wait 6 weeks - 3 months. What have you been told or what is most common in this scenario? In advance thank you for the input. I am also considering Dr. Rod or Dr. Aceves for VSG - they both seem to have a good reputation. Thoughts???

New to the board and find the information very helpful. I had my VG lapband removed (after 2 years) on October 19, 2010. Had major slippage with 40% of stomach going through-band. The band had only a small fill may have had something to do with it? No erosion or complications during removal. (Glad it is out - knew it was not the long term answer). I did well with the band losing most all desired weight but feel as though I need to move forward with VSG too not allow any weight gain. I want to get VSG but have been told to wait 6 weeks - 3 months. What have you been told or what is most common in this scenario? In advance thank you for the input. I am also considering Dr. Rod or Dr. Aceves for VSG - they both seem to have a good reputation. Thoughts???

I have weighed myself everyday from the start. I bought a small 2 year calendar and record it every day. I see the pattern of my weight loss and now that I am at goal it is neat to look through it. I still weigh myself everyday (morning, after pee, no clothes same time every day) anf have given myself a five pound weight gain limit. If I go over 5 I need to get a tiny fill or up my exercise. Some think it's obsessive to weigh every day but for me it keeps me mindful all the time about my body and what it is doing. I find it helpful. Barb

Is there anybody out there had a lapband fitted with a BMI under 35? Mine is just over 30 and I feel a bit of a fraud when everybody out there seems to be struggling with bigger weight loss issues. I DO have health problems exacerbated by weight gain and my mind is made up and surgery booked for next month. Anybody else out there in a similar position?

Linda, I thought Lyrica caused weight gain. That's why I turned it down. Xanax and Flexeril cause me to gain too.