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I never thought to ask those questions either! Once you are at proper restriction you need fewer and fewer fills. You may have been gaining for a couple of reasons. You started eating higher caloric foods or larger amounts of foods. The reason for larger amounts of foods with the same fill can be that as you lose weight, you lose it everywhere, including the fat around your stomach beneath your band. When that happens, your band feels looser. Like what happens to a belt as you lose weight. When your band feels looser you get hungrier. For me hungrier means I eat more, eating more means weight gain. I seem to just get a teensie tune up fill yearly. About 0.25cc. It's good though, because I see my surgeon this way, and he checks everything out. He does an upper GI each time to check placement is still good. I had my last top-off in September. According to my surgeon the older bands seemed to have a bit of Fluid that seeps through the bladder of the bands over time. Not so much in the newer bands. He said my AP Standard 10cc band is one of the newer ones. For me, I've reached a fill level where what I eat is appropriate to maintain my weight. At this point, I could not take any more fill in my band. I am far from the capacity of it. I have a 10cc band, I have less than 7cc in it, not sure of the total. My surgeon has the total in his notes, it doesn't really matter to me, what matters to me is that I can eat and maintain my weight.

Hi sandyray. I'm over 1.5 yrs out and what you say is so true - you definitely learn your body and how it reacts, what things mean, etc. -- all of which makes it "easy" to work around the band. Eating stuff aside, have you looked into finding a therapist, preferrably one who specializes in eating disorders? We all know the food itself is such a small part of the story. Maybe if you had help identifying your triggers and gains (psychological gains, not physical/weight gain), you'd be able to rediscover the magical "groove" that keeps us being good (compliant) bandsters.

I've always found exercise a better preventer of weight gain than it is a cause of weight loss. I can run 10km in an hour and burn 1000 calories - now that is quite effective exercise which will contribute to weight loss. But if you can only walk slowly for half an hour and burn 250 calories, hmmm, not so much. Your loss is going to be more dependent on what you eat. But the two go hand in hand. What exercise does for your body in terms of its composition and condition cant be underestimated and almost without exception successful bandsters are dedicated exercises. It makes the difference between being a 50% statistic and losing 100% of your weight, it provides a focus and goals that are helpful in the journey, it shapes your body and makes it healthier, honestly, you're mad not to work exercise into your schedule. And when it comes to being able to indulge a little and not gain weight, exercise is your best friend.

Hey ladies, I'm 13 weeks pregnant and thankfully haven't gained anything but instead I have gained a umbilical hernia which totally sucks. Hopefully my weight gain will continue at a minimum. I know wishful thinking. Good luck everyone.

I'm sure someone more experienced than me will be along soon to advise, but in the meantime.... First of all, give yourself a hug and a pat on the back for weighing in and recognising your problem. In years of yo-yo dieting the hardest thing I found was often steeling myself to go back on the scales and see what damage I'd done to my weight. The logical thing would seem to be to take some time to write down honestly what you are doing/not doing that is causing the weight gain. You lost a lot of weight in 2012 so you know what you should and shouldn't do. It's important to be honest with yourself. Then work out how you can address each issue. The easy thing to say would be: "go back to an 800 calorie a day diet for 4 weeks on protein shakes and then calorie count at maybe 1220 pd to lose the weight you've gained". But to do that you are going to have to counter the things that put obstacles in your path i.e. eating through stress/boredom; lack of time to plan etc etc. You've done it before, you can do it again.

When someone loses weight,gets a better education,has more money,moves to a better area,drives a flasher car...It's called Status and suddenly you are perceived as being more Successful ! There are plenty of people who don't want u to do better or to improve your self. When someone is moving up in there life, your Status ranking has changed. This can challenge so called family and friends because it means they will have to make more effort either with there weight or there behaviour toward 's you. As you will be perceived as having more options. Beautiful slim people are perceived as having preferential treatment. So many people think WLS is a magic and easy way to weight loss. It isn't U still have to work at it !!! The only way u can gain weight after WLS is by not sticking to the rules I am 5years out i have gained 14kg in less than a year my personal life has been a mess so i am sorting that out plus working on getting rid of the weight gain

I agree with this- I would say really consider whether you are scared or whether you really think you can/want to do it on your own. I, too have had a health spiral down as my weight has gone up progressively after every diet. I have Hashimotos and suffered endometriosis and a myriad of other things that affected my weight. You can feel good when first on thyroid meds but if it's like my thyroid it's up, down and all over the place and you are constantly battling exhaustion and weight gain. So if it were me, I'd probably lean towards doing it because I have lived the years since one of my besties did it - watching her get and stay healthy and me slowly getting bigger and more unhealthy. I wish I'd done it then. That said, if you don't do it I fully support that.

Here's my background I am 67 years old. I was a thin child. My weight gain started at age 40 and yo-yo'd from 130 up to over 200. My blood sugar was pre-diabetic for the last 10 years. Family history was littered with heart disease and Type 2 Diabetes. And I was miserable. Depressed, embarrassed, ashamed and did I mention miserable. My Dr. told me in August that she was going to be forced to diagnose me as a full on Type 2 Diabetic. Spent a several month researching this surgery and I was a self pay. It was a lot of money to spend. Here's what I know after 5 months. 1. It isn't easy. I was so lucky, I had no complications, very little pain and was absolutely committed to following my (very conservative) Dr.'s instructions. I take my Vitamins, drink my Water and down 1-2 Protein shakes a day. The first month was challenging......there was discomfort, there was some second guessing, but never regret. I was finally NOT HUNGRY. Bored with the regimen, and chafing at having to set timers to drink something every 15 min. and so ready to crunch something.......but never regrets. I still long for an occasional cracker (again, the crunch), a good glass of wine, and that satisfaction sugar can bring. But I have the tool now to just say no.......and feeling good about myself is worth so much more than that moment of pleasure that eating a cookie would bring. 2. Here's what makes it worth it. The Dr. visit when she told me that I was in the normal range with my blood sugar and removed the Pre-Diabetic and Diabetic diagnosis in my record. When she took me off my Statin drugs for cholesterol problems. When she told me that my BMI was now out of the Obese category and in the Overweight range. (still working to be in the "Normal" range). Being able to get up and down off the floor to play with a grand child, walk 2 miles with out panting, walk into a department store and go to the regular women's department and not the Plus or Women's or Fat girl section. And what a joy to look in a mirror without wanting to cry. Sitting down in an airplane seat and being able to fasten that seatbelt without the struggle. Finding old bracelets and watches that actually fit around my wrists. I feel badly for the gentleman who has such regrets, but just as my experience is particular to me, his is a journey that I hope won't scare anyone considering this surgery away. You have to chart your own path. I just know that this was a miracle for me. I still have 30-40 lbs. to go and am pumped to see where the next months take me. Five months with out caffeine, alcohol, sugar, chips or bread would have been impossible for me to accomplish without the surgery. It isn't easy, it isn't cheap, but if you embrace it and follow the plan.........oh, the rewards.

So today have been so much better then the past few days I had surgery wed July 8 I went from sleeve to bypass... they took out a lot of scar tissue also... so I been in crazy pain I was sick yesterday I been having a lot of cramping worse then my period cramps. I feel like I want to eat.. it's hard bc I was just eating food now to starting all over again... don't get me wrong I'm glad I got another chance to lose the rest of my weight and the weight gain back.. what All did everyone do on their liquid diet I got 2 weeks.i have lost 5pounds tho yay... but I just feel like I'm overwhelm with everything.. I still can't tell the difference yet between the two I guess bc I'm sure swollen. .. so how do I tell the difference or will it be when i eat?

Have you all ever head of SAD Disorder ? My father has it. It is one of the major reasons that we all moved to Arizona from Illinois. http://www.sada.org.uk/ Seasonal Affective Disorder What is Seasonal Affective Disorder? Some people suffer from symptoms of depression during the winter months, with symptoms subsiding during the spring and summer months. This may be a sign of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD is a mood disorder associated with depression episodes and related to seasonal variations of light. fact sheet index SAD was first noted before 1845, but was not officially named until the early 1980’s. As sunlight has affected the seasonal activities of animals (i.e., reproductive cycles and hibernation), SAD may be an effect of this seasonal light variation in humans. As seasons change, there is a shift in our “biological internal clocks” or circadian rhythm, due partly to these changes in sunlight patterns. This can cause our biological clocks to be out of “step” with our daily schedules. The most difficult months for SAD sufferers are January and February, and younger persons and women are at higher risk. Symptoms Include: regularly occurring symptoms of depression (excessive eating and sleeping, weight gain) during the fall or winter months. full remission from depression occur in the spring and summer months. symptoms have occurred in the past two years, with no nonseasonal depression episodes. seasonal episodes substantially outnumber nonseasonal depression episodes. a craving for sugary and/or starchy foods. Possible Cause of this Disorder Melatonin, a sleep-related hormone secreted by the pineal gland in the brain, has been linked to SAD. This hormone, which may cause symptoms of depression, is produced at increased levels in the dark. Therefore, when the days are shorter and darker the production of this hormone increases. Treatments Phototherapy or bright light therapy has been shown to suppress the brain’s secretion of melatonin. Although, there have been no research findings to definitely link this therapy with an antidepressant effect, many people respond to this treatment. The device most often used today is a bank of white fluorescent lights on a metal reflector and shield with a plastic screen. For mild symptoms, spending time outdoors during the day or arranging homes and workplaces to receive more sunlight may be helpful. One study found that an hour’s walk in winter sunlight was as effective as two and a half hours under bright artificial light. If phototherapy doesn’t work, an antidepressant drug may prove effective in reducing or eliminating SAD symptoms, but there may be unwanted side effects to consider. Discuss your symptoms thoroughly with your family doctor and/or mental health professional.

I'm in my 3rd month of 6 months of prep for GB and am terrified of gaining even a single pound for fear of insurance turning me down. Wondering how Ohio Medicaid is on this. Anyone else had/have this issue?

Both Lapbands have websites that will tell her what to eat. It appears as though the Nutrionist is exaggerating quite a bit. She will be able to have those things in moderation of course. However, I have read posts on here where there were people who could not tolerate bread and certain other kinds of foods with their bands. I haven't had any problem with nuts but I have chosen not to eat bread because I want to get to my goal more quickly. Just a personal choice. I am not sure where she got the burping information but I actually burp now more than I ever did. Carbonated beverages are considered a no no and I just don't drink them ever now because they will swell your pouch and could cause slippage. I just don't want to take the chance and honestly I don't miss them. They do cause weight gain even the diet ones. I just personally choose not to drink them. There are a lot of good alternatives out there. My choice is Crystal Light. So many flavors. I don't miss it. With the Allergan, I received a full packet of information about what to eat and I received four videos to watch called "Emmi" about my band. They were very helpful. She really needs to talk to her doc.

@@sweetnell I hope you are not offended by a newbie giving you advice. I am not a veteran, being only two weeks after surgery, but I have some ideas. These are some of the things I was taught will be lifelong habits I need to maintain. Are you drinking at least 64 oz. of fluids (preferably water) per day? Are you eating three meals, with half the meal being Protein, one-quarter fruit and veggies, and one-quarter other carbs? Are you watching your portion sizes (for instance, generally 3 oz. of protein at each meal)? If you are eating the recommended amount of protein, you should not be experiencing physical hunger. Could you be experiencing "head hunger"? If so, you will need to deal with that somehow, maybe through therapy or some other mechanism. They tell us that the #1 cause of weight gain after surgery is grazing. You need to figure out a way to stop that. Maybe talking to a NUT would help.

They typically start an IV of fluids before surgery, and they don't unhook you from it until right before you go home. All those fluids can make you gain weight! But it's just fluids, not really weight gain. I recommend that for now, you concentrate on healing from surgery and staying hydrated. Don't start worrying about weight loss for a week or two. I promise, it will happen!

Thanks for the help. Im getting really depressed. Do you ever eat oatmeal? The weight gain started around the time I started eating oatmeal. I also was diagnosed with a brain tumor and had brain surgery around the same time so I dont know what did it. I will try to reduce my portions. Thanks again

So terrible! I think everyone fears this a little.... I know it has crossed my mind . I also know that it feels like any change in my partners affection would bother me to some degree.. If he is suddenly all over me - smothering me will I feel like he wasn't accepting of me a little heavier so why should I care now? Or if he is uninterested in me thinner- is he selfish and unsupportive? I guess it is tough- damned if they do or don't. I think its natural to have more confidence and be excited after weight loss .. but you are still YOU! To me it just says that the relationship was more superficial than you thought-- maybe time to just move forward to someone new. If the love of your life cant handle a little weight gain or loss -- it is my belief that it wouldn't have lasted anyways.. it would eventually have run its course even if you were still fat.

Julz, you sound like one terrific human being. What a blessing it would be to have you as a friend, a neighbor! There were sooo many things that went into this huge decision I made not to do the lapband at this time. A lot was fear of the unknown.. But much was the state of my being right now. i just retired from 36 yrs of an extremely stressful job. Stress that caused me to overeat and gain a lot of this weight. Hypothyroidism that went undetected for several yrs that caused weight gain. I feel that I need to allow my body to decompress from working...focus on what's important, which is health and see if I can make a change naturally. I love healthy food. im not a junk food addict. Never have been. I Dont want to restrict my body from healthy eating by putting a band in my body. I hated the idea that I couldnt eat asparagus without getting stuck. Not eating kale or lettuce was not an option for me. Besides all this, my 90 yr old parents were diagnosed with cancer and Alzheimer within 6 mo of each other. im the only child in the area to care for them. I cant be thinking of myself right now. Im thinking this kind of stress with a band will only lead to trouble. SO, I think you can see the sum of all of this is how I made my decision at this time. YES, banding is the most personal decision and it must be honored. Thank you April Bandsters! Good luck.

For me, the biggest advantage to going low carb is that when I eat carbs, I crave more carbs. This causes weight gain, not weight loss. I wish I could get them out of my diet completely, and when I do, I am a much happier person. Then someone brings chocolate chip Cookies to work, and all my will power goes out the window.

Again I had the same question about the exercise program. What my surgeons office did is when I went to my weight management (behavior modification ) class we had to fill out a sheet each time, Containing what are daily activity is like what we are doing for exercise and how long...we also made a food goal like cutting sweet tea , or reducing carbs.. I wouldn't count you out yet over those 3 lbs what is your current bmi? I ask cause even though I had to not gain weight I did not have much wiggle room to loose either . But if you are able to stay above the required bmi with no issue push as hard as you can to drop 5 before the next visit. and do not gain another lb if possible. I was so obsessed about this part cause i knew this was the one part of the approval process that was totally up to me. Aetna is strict about the weight gain but make sure its documented somewhere that either you are on a certain med that makes you gain , Water weight , cycle time etc.

I noticed on Aetna's policy topic about bariatric surgery that it says "no net weight gain". What exactly does that mean? I am going to a nutritionist and I have been twice. I gained 3 pounds. Not sure if it was water weight or what but it was 3 lbs higher than my first visit. I am concerned because the scale at the surgeon's office had a completely different reading also. Can anyone provide some clarity on this subject?

I had my surgery almost one year ago and originally I lost 65 pounds. I have gained 12 lbs back in the last two months. I have had numerous fills and the restriction usually only seems to work for a few days each time. I eat realtively big meals now and I'm constantly munching on Snacks that are about 100 calories each. After going thru a successful surgery with good weight loss, I now feel I'm losing it. My surgeon says my band is filled tightly enough. Weight gain happens to lap band patients but I don't see a lot of discussion here. Does anybody have any comments, suggestions, or thoughts?

I'm surprised no one told you about post-op weight gain. It's very common because you are often swollen and Fluid filled. I had my hips replaced in October. I gained 15 lbs. from the surgery. I didn't weight my self for weeks after but eventually, it came off... And I mean it when I say weeks. That's how long it can take. Just continue what you are doing and soon enough, the numbers will drop.

its been 2 1/2 years since my lb surgery and i have reached my fill limit. the problem i am having is that i have gained almost 15lbs. is there a way i can get another fill

5 weeks after surgery, initially had been down 21 lbs and last 2 weeks I gained 4. Not sure what I'm doing wrong. Feeling down for fear this didn't work for me.

After talking with my doctor I opted not to get the depo. She said the average weight gain is 5lbs a year and she said she didn't want to set me back. I ended up with the lowest dose of hormone pill available.