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I am kind of going through the same thing. I found out my surgery is on November 12th and my pre-op visit with the surgeon is November 9th. I will have to be on a no/very low (less than 20 grams) carb diet for 2 weeks prior to surgery. Well, this past week and weekend, I kind of went nuts, mostly with Mexican fajita nachos and some Chinese food. I had been on a three-month diet and lost 12 pounds. Once that was officially over, I relaxed a bit and had already put on 5 pounds before the weekend. Then, much to my horror, when I got on the scales this morning, I found that I had gained 14 pounds since my last doctor's visit!!! (Note - this is a 9 pound gain within 4 days!) He is very very strict about not gaining any weight before surgery and will even postpone it if you do. I am praying that the low carb diet will take this weight off of me in time. Another thing I am stressing about is the fact that my primary physician just changed my blood pressure meds, taking away the diuretic. That means that I am about to puff up like a frog, on top of the weight gain I have already had. If I gain weight from that, I don't think it should be held against me, but I don't know what will happen. I can't believe that my surgery will be in 20 days! (Well, if I can get this stupid weight off again, that is.) Worse part of it is - there is a pizza shop across from where I work that keeps calling my name. I know that, once I have the surgery, I will be fine. It's just that there are a couple of things that I feel like I am really going to grieve over if I don't get it out of my system beforehand. I feel like a little kid in a candy shop who is being pulled out by the arm screaming! :pizza: :hurt:

I have NOT had the surgery yet, but I will in 7 more days. November 1st is my day, and I'm so excited. So---since May, I have been weighing myself EVERY day. And of course record it. I keep myself accountable... Maybe you can try that. Weigh yourself every single day of your life. Also, I heard that stress can cause weight gain Gratz on the size 10---WOW!

Just go and face the music. I'm sure a little tough love never hurt anyone :blushing: I know the doctor is probably not going to be happy with me either. I had a fun filled weekend of lots of beer, Dairy Queen, mexican food, and even a fried gas station burrito at 3AM last weekend. Thanks to all that, My 6lbs came back and then some! RIDICULOUS! My total weight gain is 7lbs since unfill but I have until Friday to work out and eat right again so maybe I'll only be up a few pounds. I've been thinking though, if I didn't gain a lb with being unfilled, they might not want to put any back in soooo showing a few lbs weight gain might not be such a bad thing. I've almost got myself talked into buying a Gold's Gym Stride Trainer 595. Anyone have any experience with ellipticals? When I was 300lbs, I tried to get on one and definitely thought I was going to die/have a heart attack after 30 seconds.

I went through this but unfortunately for me, I had almost a year to even get a date for my surgery. So I had alot of last meals that lead to 14 lb weight gain. You of course don't have that long. When I finally did get closer to my surgery I had to join Weight Watchers to lose that excess weight. It has all worked out and since I have been post op, I have been doing great. My advise to you is not to go overboard on the last meals, because if you gain that is just going to be more weight you will have to lose after surgery. Good luck

Hi, I agree John Goodman looks great and it really doesn't matter how he did what matters is that he did. I have been on a strenuous exercise routine for 30 years now I walk 2 hours a day 5 days a week with 7 serious hills) I think if you added up all the days I missed in those years they would not even make five years and before surgery all that walking did was to slow down weight gain to a crawl. I also spent most of that time on a diet! Surgery was a last option for me and I don't regret it nor do I believe it was the easy route. I am not a fan of Jullian nor of the show. I remember there was once a challenge for a group that had been out to get back in. They had then do steps for five minutes and the one who did the most got the spot. Thing was there was one man whose knees were shot and one woman who had asthma! It certainly did not seem like a fair contest. Also the contestents are not all the same size I would guess BMIs probably range from 35 to 60 and while they go by percentage of what is lost someone who is 400lbs at 5'3" will lose a bigger percenbtage then someone who weighs 250 at 5'3" doing the exact same thing. Nancy

I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I think my ticker speaks for itself...and as you can see, my starting weight was where you are right now. My initial goal weight was to get back to where I thought I'd be comfortable (175ish--just like you're thinking) but I've been able to reach a normal BMI. Awesome stuff. My sister is getting sleeved in less than a month. Yes, there are risks of complications but the risks associated with obesity and yo-yo dieting/weight loss and weight gain are pretty intense, too. Do all of your homework and have all of the facts so that your sister knows that you know what you are doing and that you are 100% knowledgeable with this procedure as well as the aftercare. You can also remind your sister that gastrectomies have been performed for decades for people with stomach cancer, etc. The biggest regret you will hear from people on this board is that they didn't have the surgery sooner. I was 29 when I had mine and had struggled with obesity my whole life. I managed to lose a significant amount of weight and maintain the loss for a few years in my early/mid 20's but gained it back slowly, surely and with a vengeance. I kept trying *everything* else and spent tons of money on *everything* until at this time last year, I decided that I needed a more permanent fix to my problem. I couldn't keep doing the same things expecting different results or go on an expensive 'medically supervised diet' only to go off of it to save money and then gain weight back...I needed the restriction the sleeve has given me and it is a godsend. I also knew that I'd still be struggling in 1 year/5 years/10 years, etc. and wondering "what if" I did it sooner...? I wish you all the luck that your family will come to support your decision but remember, ultimately, it is your decision and they will surely understand that you have researched that this is the best option for a longer, healthier life. Do you live in Canada by any chance and might be working with Melanie/WLF?

It could be a number of things, really, and you'll likely never know what it happened. Transitioning to mushies/blended foods tends to cause most people to stall. I experienced a small gain at this point myself - about two pounds. If you're constipated, something like Miralax will get things moving again. This could be part of your problem, too. I drink it every other day in a cup of hot tea and don't have that problem any more. Whatever the cause, you know logically that you can't possibly be consuming enough calories to account for four pounds of weight gain. Wait it out, and I'm sure you'll be back on track in no time. While exercise is a good idea to shake your body out of a stall, I'd be taking it very easy just three weeks out and not doing much more than a brisk walk, if anything. ~Cheri

It would be the VSG that I would be revising to. My insurance covers revisions, but we need to appeal for the Sleeve specifically. The reason for the weight gain, is that with a slipped over tightened band, your pouch and esophagus stretches out, allowing much more food than we are used too. There are days when I am constantly hungry and can eat way too much, and other days when a hand full of nuts makes me puke all day. Sucks.

Thanks for your reply, feedyoureye. My husband had prostate issues recently, so he started into natural methods of getting that under control which worked for him, so he is big on that approach. However her also had skin cancer and when green tea and all the other things he took didn't work, he did have it surgically removed. There are too many people out there that desperately want to be thin and who diet constantly and are still overweight. It is our bodies working against us, so I want to circumvent my bodies natural weight gain plan with surgery!

This happened to me for a very long time and I did not know why. I let it go and let it go, I was eating tums like they were candy, had weird noises when I would eat or drink, would wake up coughing cause I was choking on whatever I had drank that night. Finally due to small weight gain I went to the doctors. It turns out my band was to tight and had been for about three months. My esophagus was 8 times its normal size when they sent me immediately for my upper GI. This was due to the fact that the liquids were sitting in my throat at night tearing away at the lining. I ended up having to have my band unfilled for three months, on a liquid diet all three months and had to pray that the swelling would go down. My band ended up slipping. I have been able to get it filled again as the swelling did go down, but my band DOES NOT work the same as it did. I have gained about 30 pounds and my weight is a struggle to keep off now. I went from a size 5 to a 10 in just 6 months. I am at 6.5cc's in my 10cc band. I would speak with your doctor as soon as possible. I would hate for you to have to struggle like I am now. I took being skinny for granted!!! I wish you all luck!<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

Hey IndioGirl55 Wow what a great weight loss in a relatively short time. I am 5'6" and a whopping 300 pounds. I have had my band for five days and since my presurgery preparation have lost around 12 pounds - not much but best I have done in some years. I just gave up, around and around I went on the weight loss/weight gain merry-go-round and each time I lost I put much more on. I am so happy I have taken the plunge. I hope I will look half as good as you. Unfortunately, given the amount of weight I am looking at a cut and shut after I lose the weight. That's for another day. Bye from sunny Australia:cool2:

I was also on fertility meds in order to get pregnant. It took my husband and I a few months..although we weren't taking Clomid I had to weight gaining issues. You might want to try a different fertility drug..I used Femera, it may be the drug..I have heard a few of the ladies that I speak to about fertility issues gain weight on Clomid although I am not sure if that is what the problem is...I got a fill in November 09', we found out we were pregnant in Dec 09..I did not get unfilled my entire pregnancy and had no issues..I would suggest getting a fill and seeing if that works..and I would talk to you doctor about switching meds if Clomid hasn't worked yet..Femera was great, I had zero side effects and only had to take it for a few months..Best of luck and keep us updated :cursing: I really hope you get your Positive soon.. Also wanted to add that while I was on fertility drugs I still did other things that I feel helped us get pregnant..some things I suggest doing if your not already doing them...I tested every time I went to the bathroom with OPK's, they are little sticks that you put in your urine to see if you have ovulated..they helped wonders...because even if your taking fertility drugs you can ovulate early or late..in my case I was late..also we used Pre-seed every time we had sex, it is amazing stuff..it is a lubrication that you use that helps the sperm get closer to your eggs...even if you don't need lubrication I would still suggest getting some..also make sure after every time you have sex to at least lay down still for 15 minutes..don't jump up and go clean up..You can find the OPKs on Ebay for very cheap, and don't hesitate to use the Dollar Tree pregnancy tests they are awesome and work!! The pregnancy tests on ebay also work well too..if you have any other questions please feel free to email me xaSpenx@hotmail.com Hope this helps :huh2:

Ok, since my slippage surgery on 9/21 I have been dropping weight like crazy and my Doc was worried about the weight loss. Now 4 weeks out from surgery I'm up 5 lbs...out of no where. I stopped doing the protein shakes, Doc gave me the approval to go ahead and try to eat...and so far its been great. I'm able to eat almost anything in small quantities...including bread/pasta and chicken...all of which I couldn't eat prior to this. Makes me wonder, was my band misplaced improperly to begin with...and did the Doc miss it??? Anyhow I'm working out like a crazy woman and the scale just keeps going up and up....I was 6 lbs below goal and now 5 lbs over....11 lbs COME ON. I'm feeling discourage and frustrated and hunger has set in...making Christy a very grumpy girl. I go in for my first fill on Nov. 5th and I cannot wait to get back on track again. Well I'm taking my "lil weight gaining self" to the gym....2nd workout for the day. I CANNOT FAIL!!!!:thumbup:

Okay so I received my surgery date today of January 17th. I know this year is almost over but I am more concerned about gaining weight. I placed myself on the cancellation list just in case someone changes their mind before the year is up. It's not like I am in a rush to go under the knife but I just really, really don't want to gain back the 38lbs that I have lost thus far. I know that I have made life style changes and I have to stick to them , but we all know the yo-yo of weight loss and weight gain. I was so hoping for something sooner just so I won't fail and gain weight and the doctor tells me that I haven't learned a thing since I gain all the weight back..... It's a bittersweet feeling right now So frustrated...

Man, I hate pbing. Lost a lb. Got 2 more to get back into my "safe" range. Then 2 more for insurance. Once the weight is off I'll be able to eat my meat again at night. I end up eating sliders at night because just eating a couple of ounces of meat just isn't satisfying. Once I'm done pbing I want something that tastes good that won't trigger that tightness. I have to eat unbelievably slowly and I'm almost instantly tight. Just a few lbs of weight gain makes such a difference in the band. Interesting about the various PSs. I have a very flat, flat tire that is well hidden by my clothes. I only lost 75-80 lbs and I have no rashes and it doesn't get caught under me. For, me, it would be purely cosmetic and only I would see the improvement. Same with the underarm skin and boob lift. The thing I really want to do is get my varicose veins treated. I may get partial coverage from my insurance but then have to pay the rest myself. However, if I up my flex dollars and preplan for the expense I can do it pre-tax. Even then, I'd like a thigh lift to pull the skin up on my thighs. Then I could wear shorts and be less self-conscious in my swimming suit. Since I love to swim, I think I'd be less self-conscious if my legs were fixed up. Thanks LakyK for the complements. Have a great trip to Guam. Couldn't post my concert clips. My husband is going to try to figure out why. I think its not a recognized format. Be gone from Lapband till maybe Friday night or Saturday. Gotta go to 2-day conferences in South Bend, IN. Can't say I enjoy them much. I liked last weeks conferences better. Gotta go pack. Cheri

My lil love, Jordan just turned 3 last mth and is potty trained too....that's awesome!......but, diapers, are hopefully, in our near future again.............. I hear ya on the tough years and weight gain. Clayton was born Oct 21, 2006... Got pg w/Jordan in Dec 2006...... Lots of nerve-wracking stuff going on. Am glad I have the band to help me stay on track thru the pregnancy, but even more excited to use it as planned next year!

so im now 6 days post-op. i still dont have much energy cuz im not getting in enough calories. Today ive had 10oz of water, 6oz of protein shake, and 1 ice-pop so far. i know im not getting in enough fluides just having a hard time with it. Every time i drink i get a pain in my tummy im sure its just trapped gas, i have to sit up to drink or i cant get my burps out. I had weight gain after surgery im guessing due to IVs and stress on the body, im only down 4lbs since my surgery weight. Im feeling better and better every day and i cant wait to say that i really enjoy my sleeve right now hes just OK

Best of luck to you. You have made a great decision. I am one week out and am feeling great today. You are about the same size that I was. I weighed 198.1 the morning of surgery and weighed 204 the day I came home. That is normal!!! If I hadn't read about the fluid weight gain before I had surgery, I would have freaked out!!! I wish the very best for you. It is a journey, but well worth it. I have 2 more weeks of liquids only then some very soft foods. Although I am not hungry, I am ready to break the monotony. HOpe all goes well for you. Will be praying for an easy recovery!!

Apples, so glad you're back. Wasn't the same without you. Arlene, you're just going to have to pick a color you like and not worry about it. I think Lori does your shade of blue. We just have too many posters. I think I tried turquoise and no one liked reading that. Well, guys, I'm really struggling. It isn't just sweet foods, I am just wanting to eat. I've gained a few lbs as a result and now my band is tight which makes it difficult for me to eat solid protein. So when I can't get enough good food into me I turn to sliders. I also noticed more reflux with the weight gain. The problem for me seems to be my ADHD is really kicking my butt. I can't stay still or concentrate. Food has always been my way of staying in one place in social situations and has always helped me concentrate. I can't concentrate for beans and my restlessness is off the charts--partly because without all the weight I can actually get up and move comfortably. There are nights when I can't shut my mind off either and fall asleep. Sometimes I feel like I'm jumping out of my skin. Don't know how much of this has to do with the grief process, or how much has to do with a difficult situation with my husband, or how much has to do with the stress of teaching where I teach. I just can't seem to shut down. I actually have excess energy that I'm having trouble channeling. There's a lot I can't do physically because it triggers joint pain. I'm limited by my fake knees, too. Also, my friends are work friends or they're lap band thread friends, which means I can't call them up and meet them somewhere for a cup of coffee. Getting involved with a new choir is helping with some of my excess time. You wouldn't think I had any, but I do. You can do a lot of food damage in just a couple of hours with nothing better to do. Even at work, as crazy as it is, I have some free periods where I have trouble focusing and getting anything done--like correcting workbooks or writing down lesson plans. I want food--particularly chocolate--to settle me down and help me focus. With the weight off, I've lost some of my focus and drive for watching what I'm eating. Knowing me and my ADHD I've gotten bored with it. Mentally, I've finished the project. I have terrible trouble sticking with anything for very long. For example, Facebook is getting boring; I just skim it most days. Facebook games got boring a long time ago. I used to do Sudoku till I got really good at it and it wasn't a challenge anymore. I wish I could run and swim whenever I felt like it. If I had an arthritis pool nearby where I could walk and swim laps I'd do that. Swimming might actually help me sleep at night. Most other exercise keeps me awake if I do it in the evening. Anyway, I'm going to do three no or low-carb days in a row. Basically, back to protein drinks for a couple of days with mushies like refried beans. Take a couple lbs off to loosen the band and then start adding solid proteins eaten frequently throughout the day. I wish I had Apples here to cook for me. I really hate cooking. So my food really lacks variety. I need to keep things really simple. I hate food preparation. I like things that are ready in just a few minutes. I don't do anything that takes more than three simple steps. Anyway, enought b!!ching. Gotta do! Cheri

Wow, we all have a lot to say about this topic. I really try not to graze. I eat 4X a day and supplement with Protein shakes. I will let a meal go on past 20 minutes though. I was a grazer before surgery. Grazing, not bingeing got me to over 200lbs. There is research out there suggesting that grazing is a common cause of WLS failure. I don't want that to happen to me. Check out this link http://ezinearticles.com/?Avoid-Weight-Gain-After-WLS:-Learn-the-Difference-Between-Snacking-and-Grazing&id=61380 I think we all need to find our own way after surgery. I'm glad there is no international rulebook out there; I'm sure I'd disagree with some part of it. For me grazing is out but maybe it's ok for you.

Went to see my PCP this morning and I gained 10 pounds do you think when I see the surgeon at my preop appointment he will say anything? I don’t start my liquids until Nov 3rd. My preop is Nov 11th. I seem to be eating like I will never be allowed to eat again. I have decided to start to protein shakes a day and a small healthy dinner in the evening and see if I can make the extra ten pounds go away J I was hoping not to have to do that as I don’t want to get burnt out on the shakes before I even get the band.

This is so true...I have hovered around the same weight (gaining/losing) overall, I am still down, but the weight loss is so slow. I have some bad habits creeping in, but I am able to counteract them with lots of exercise so the net effect is still positive. I think part of me believes that if I maintain for a bit while exercising that it will help with the whole skin issue...I'm probably just rationalizing my bad eating behavior though! Believe me, I know I have lots of work to do on better control of my eating. I did just want to share, however, that about 2 weeks ago, I was a little bummed that VERY few people had commented on my weight loss (I have afterall lost a good chunk since my I started my pre-op diet!). All of the sudden, this week, I have had 5 people say something to me about my weightloss!!! It's about time . I do need to point out also that no one knows about my surgery, either, so it's not like anyone was "waiting" for it...haha, just me. I go for 3rd fill on Monday....soooo excited for that one. I was too tight on my 2nd fill and had to have some removed. I've got a good feeling that even just putting in the amount they removed will get me to a good place. I'm hosting a dinner party on Saturday night after my fill...I'm a little worried about being able to eat everything that is prepared (it's a mystery chef thing), which I know I could do now, but I will get through it...I'm NOT putting my fill off for anything

What on earth gives you this idea?! There is no such entitlement! Can some people eat limitless crap without weight consequences? Yes, but not many. And it catches up with them, usually--either with eventual weight gain or health issues. Wrong. Most people who are lean and healthy make wise food choices. They balance their indulgences with little restrictions to compensate. They limit their indulgences. They do not compulsively eat. They listen to their bodies and stop eating when they are satisfied, not stuffed. You're simply NOT going to achieve a state in which you do not have to worry about what you eat. Unless that state is simple resignation to a life of unhealthy morbid obesity. I have to disagree with the previous poster who said you should explore revision to bypass. While it might ultimately be a good option for you, it's really important to get your mind aligned with the realities of life with a modified body. Bypass requires far more caution, food-wise, and if you have the attitude that you should not have to worry about what you eat, you're not ready for that.

I still have to disagree with you. There is a cure for obesity: lose weight. The basic definition of obesity or obese it being extremely overweight or having an extreme amount of excess body fat. How do you get rid of an extreme amount of excess body fat? You remove it. Once you remove it, you're cured of your excess body fat. Most of my family is overweight except my little sister. My little sister is 14 and in a size 4. I was probably in a size 20 at 14. My little sister doesn't eat a lot. I think she only eats when she's hungry. Yes, she does eat junk food, but she doesn't over eat it. For example, she she can have a cookie and be okay with it. However, if I eat a cookie I'll want another one and another one and another one. That is why I don't eat Cookies anymore. I think there is a lot of excuses that people make to justify their obesity. I use to weigh 327 pounds. I use to blame my family and my genes, but it was mostly my behavior. My genes didn't make me go to McDonalds and they certainly didn't make me eat 12 chocolate chip cookies. I believe I was already depressed before I ate those 12 cookies. Yes, depression does get worse with weight gain, but I do think it is a major cause of weight gain. (HOWEVER, depression can be a major cause of weight LOSS. Many people who become depress stop eating and lose weight. It's amazing...) It's all about attitude. If you think you won't ever get healthy or you aren't meant to be healthy (which is probably the stupidest thing I've ever herad) then you won't become healthy because you set yourself up for failure. Those "I can't" attitudes are what brings people to failure. Simply, people need to stop making excuses and do something like getting weight loss surgery, a therapist, a nutritionist, a doctor, etc. You CAN lose weight. It's about wanting to do it and realizing it's going to take awhile. You certainly didn't get this way overnight.

I just had a mini tummy tuck on Oct 9th. After years of being overweight, losing weight, gaining weight etc my stomach was not my favorite part of my body. Luckily my band doc is also a plastic surgeon so I wasn't worried about my band being affected. Due to my port sticking out of my skin, my doc actually moved my port and right now I am not sure where it is exactly I can't feel it at all. As for your scars and stretch marks, it depends on what kind of tummy tuck you have (full or mini) to whether it will take away a lot of your scars and stretch marks. The tuck would stretch your skin down and take away some of your skin meaning some of the stretch marks might be cut away. I have seen some people before photos of a tummy tuck who had stretch marks and they look so good after the tuck and a lot of their stretch marks are gone. Do some research about tummy tucks and stretch marks to see what some other peoples results have been.