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I started my weight loss journey in Sept 2008. Had absolutely NO complications or problems and lost over half my weight in 3-4 months. I weighed 247 on the day of my surgery and quickly plummeted to a sexy 125!! Felt amazing and looked it too! However, 5 years later I had picked up a brand new habit!! I started going out...like to bars...which I had never done in my life ( I was married w/ kids so this wasn't acceptable) anyway, Now, I was divorced and had alot of free time on the weekends. Had a wonderful job, gaining new friends, hobbies etc. However, I also started drinking. Would never have more than 3-4 Captain and Cokes but my god they were delicious to me!! I had never drank before nor did I drink much soda. I quickly found myself drinking on the weekends while out with friends. Long story short, 2 years later I got a DUI !!! The first and ONLY person in my family that drank much less, get arrested. This killed my spirits, and I felt I had let my family down so I swore off alcohol. Fast forward 2 years...no job, new relationship that required a move 3 hrs away from everything I had ever known, only to find he was an alcoholic who was also physically abusive when drunk (strangled me on numerous occasions)...I started drinking again (along with him and only at home) just to get my mind off the fact that I was so far away from my family and other miseries. I am now on my own, doing very well, great job, my own place but have now started drinking wine (a whole bottle of Pink Moscato) a few nights a week. This didn't really start until this past April when I had a full hysterectomy....Thankfully, I have never had a hangover, never get sick and am actually really productive around the house..(which isn't a bad thing) I guess my question is, I have gained about 13 lbs since this time last year ( my job is sitting for 12 hrs 4 days a week) when I am home ( I live alone) I am just sedentary and don't really have any energy to do much of anything ( severely anemic and get Iron infusions every week ) so do you think it is the Wine that is causing the weight gain, the Full hysterectomy, the desk job or just a combination.??? I would really like to stop any further weight gain and any answers would be appreciated.

Prolly need to list both good and bad things I did, after all as one of you has reminded me this is great inspiration for all my surgery buddies here on BariatricPal... so here goes... The Good: I ate mostly veggies, and used tofu, chicken, seafood and occasional beef stir fry bits for my protein. Kept protein at the top of my mind 365: protein went in first ahead of everything. Remembered to drink milk, at least every few days. I take the bari vitamins religiously. Bought a scale and got on it daily: every morning just to check. Started walking as soon as my surgery permitted (for me it was one week which surprised me), eventually ramped this up to walking, squats, light short runs then bicycling, biking is the easiest and most fun. Absolutely stopped buying the bad things I used to eat before and did not allow them even into the house, this includes Baked Lays BBQ Potato Chips, white Asian rice for steaming Chinese style, and cut back on sushi, my weakness. I also gave away my rice steamer. Smartest thing I ever did. When Pouch signals I'm full -- hiccups, tightening chest sensation, nausea -- I stop eating. Late at night when I crave a salty snack, I eat either a little kimchi or a couple pickle slices, instead of the potato chips that I used to. Does the trick. The Bad (Naughty): I resumed red wine drinking after surgery and you are not supposed to. I retried beer and cocktails too. Eventually lost all taste for those. Cannot resist Reunite Lambrusco: it's fairly low in calories (but high in sugar). So far Pouch has taken to lambrusco fine but dislikes other alcohols. I enjoy it in extreme moderation, about two ounces an evening if that. No weight gained as a result. But other bad things, I do not exercise as much, as hard or as often as my surgeon wants. I also do not drink any protein shakes. Except for wine, I have always just kind of hated sugar and sweet things and all protein shakes taste gross to me, like a milkshake. So I have to get my protein in other ways and mine are tofu and cut up chicken thighs for the most part. Stuff the Pouch did and I had nothing to do with I think: My appetite died after my RNY procedure. I maybe eat a cup of food a day and that's almost forcing it. I have no sweet tooth and prefer hot, salty and spicy, so I never eat ice cream, candy, cake or pie. I do eat an occasional small piece of cookie when drinking my weekly milk. I have way more energy now so I exercise more than I did pre-surgery, but I believe it's because of my weight loss. I hope this is inspirational and helps!

Hi, I don't know how old you are, but if you still have a period that's your weight gain, women go through the Water gain.

Hi! I too had my LB for 11 yrs n finally got it removed in 2018 due to many prior unrelated medical issues n the best thing I could’ve done. Thank God surgery n recovery went well with no complications period. Also, unfortunately for me 4/6 months after surgery I developed an under active thyroid that caused an onset of various menopausal symptoms. Got put on thyroid medication for 5/6 months n HATED cuz it caused me a weight gain of 50 lbs. In addition another 20 pound weight gained on my own due to overall menopause issues. It’s now been almost 2 yrs where I’m no longer on any medication n all of my menopause symptoms/issues have little by little started to subside due to incorporating a better wellness nutritional/physical care of my overall wellbeing. Therefore, I’m now down 30 lbs out of the 70 gained n still slowly making progress. Wish u the best with ur choices n surgery is going to go well.

I really wish the media would use common sense before saying stuff like this. We all remember what Starr Jones looked like before. She still looks great! She may have regained a little but 80 pounds. I think not. Our bodies adjust to what's comfortable and that may not be a size 5. Honestly, for most of us we're happy just being out of the plus sizes and not shopping at specialty stores. Weight gain is preventable but you definitely have to figure out a plan that works for you and for some that may mean a little weight gain to learn what not to do.

Hi there. I hate to say it but I'm in the same boat too. I had my lap band surgery in March 2010. Starting weight of 269. I am 5feet 3 inches tall and I lost 75 pounds and was able to maintain that loss for 2 years. Couldn't seem to get lower. I have always been a stress eater and the last 2 years I have gained back 50 pounds and feel horrible. I am 62 years old with three different kinds of arthritis and fibromyalgia. This is the reason I had the surgery, to help with the pain I have from these ailments. The last 2 years have been extremely stressful at work and home. I live by myself and have turned to food to relieve the stress. I am going back to my Dr. on the 15th of April for a checkup and adjustment and to meet with a nutritionist. My health is really poor and I know the weight gain is partly the cause. I really need a mentor and support so I can get back on track. I kept thinking that the band wasn't working, but I know it was me that wasn't working with the band. I want to be healthy and strong and able to do the things I love when I retire. Losing the weight is a big part of that. Is anyone willing to mentor me and help me out?

When I started this journey, my ultimate goal was to be in the best shape I could be by the time I turned 50. Today is that day. :wub: Tangibly, I hardly resemble the person who started this journey. People who have not seen me in awhile regularly walk right past, not recognising me. This has on occasions been very funny, and on others, not so nice as people have reacted in ways that are surprisingly negative. One thing that has come up more than once is the immediate assumption that I've been very ill, or worse, that I've got something terminal. I've chosen not to talk about having surgery for a variety of reasons, and my stock answer to "What have you done?!" has become, "I eat a lot less and exercise a lot more." Intangibly, I know myself to be in a very different space internally than I was a year ago. Having the surgery did not change some of the serious issues that come with having gained so much weight and those don't go away with the weight. I've had to work hard to reprogram the default software. Old habits die very hard, and when mindlessness returns as a result of stress, or life events, the response is destructive. I've been five weeks at the same weight, but a week of no exercise and mindless grazing caused a small weight gain... panic!! It was a short, sharp, and needful lesson on the need for me to continue to care for ME. No matter how stressful work gets, or what life events happen, if I don't choose to take care of myself no matter what, all this work will be for nothing. Not gonna let that happen. Did some serious self care, bought a treadmill so I could run again (it's too hot outside) and went through my journal of the past year, reminding myself of the affirmations I'd found helpful, of the progress I'd made, and of the reasons I have made this choice. So, today I celebrate 50 years... losing 86 pounds... ...regularly running 7K ...biking 20K with my husband 2 - 3 x week, and being pronounced "completely healthy" by my GP. Yay me. If you're still working at your goals, keep on. Gather up the support you need whenever you need it, and don't give up. Celebrate the little milestones (I found Bling is perfect for celebrating every 10 pounds lost ) and ruthlessly prune your closet as you shrink out of clothes. Think in possibilities and make plans for a future that is different than your present. I know I need goals, and I plan to run a 10K race with my daughter in August. But first, I'm going to go river rafting in Bosnia to mark the achievements of the past year. Hopefully, I won't drown.

:scared2:Losing the battle but still fighting in the war..... I have gained almost all of my weight back. I'm so discouraged and feeling soo depressed I have gone thru so many emotional and health problems in the last 2 yrs so I know that has something to do with it but.. doesn't change the facts. I have a hiatal hernia and was treated for hpylori in the last yr, I have problems eating and digesting healthy foods(meats,eggs some veggies).I can hardly drink hot tea or coffee in the morning so by 1pm I'm starving and over eat whatever is there(work) I actually have a problem eating until around 9:30pm which isn't good because it's too close to bedtime unless I'm on 11-7 shift((yes I work rotating shift work). Wondering if this could also be because of the hernia not the band.Has anyone else had these problems since banding? So fellow banders I can use some encouragement and help. I have an appoint to see Dr. Abkin on 8/5/10 so hopefully he will help me to get back on track. I would really like to find a friend here in South Jersey who could become my mentor so to speak any volunteers? Thanks for reading my post,any idea will be appreciated.:smile2:

Thank you for responding I did do the post fill protocal Liguids purees and soft foods. back to really watching my Protein and measuring my food intake along with a food diary. I am glad I found this site and am looking forward to seeing your blog. I don't feel so alone! I needed to clarify that I didn't have the "prolapes" just the dialation of my esophogus. I blaim myself for not watching the signs and eating wrong. the band was too tight I have an appointment on 21 Feb to see where I am at . Although the Doctor said I may see a slight weight gain, stay away from or watch the carbs and not go crazy! I had to get my head wrapped around that! My biggest fear is having the band removed but now that I know what I need to do I will be okay! I haven't gotten sick since some of the Fluid was removed and I still feel a slight restriction which is good. I have lost to date 75 pounds and since the defill have gained 3 pounds. anyway thank you again! Elce

It might be worth a visit to your primary care doc just to ensure there's not something else going on that's causing the weight gain--maybe hypothyroidism or something. You may also want to keep a food and exercise journal to see how much is really going in and what you're really working off. It's hard to see it sometimes until you see in black-and-white on the page in front of you. It's certainly easier to objectively evaluate that way. Good luck to you!

I relied on sweets cake mostly ( my husband would buy me a whole cake sometimes when I asked for a piece. I never complained mind you) and I would eat it in 2 days. Thank you for being a reasonable voice here also!! Anger is not bad your right! I just felt like I have no valid reason to be so mad. All the reasons you mentioned are prefect examples of why it's ok to be angered sometimes. I am being treated differently if I really think into it. More people look you in the eye. I have even got longer looks from men (and to be honest I really don't like it) But that's just me now. I don't know what to do when I get those looks. My husband and I had a talk about what may have triggered my weight gain. We pinned the start of it back when he was in the military and his soldiers would (apprise) me more than I was comfortable. He was fine with it knew I loved him and I'm sure felt proud in some way. It was shortly after a night where a few said I was acting in a way I would never act. (It was how they seen it in there eyes) I was just being me. My husband was amazed they thought that. And I must have in my head freaked out. I started to gain to keep the unwanted attractions away. MMM I haven't thought bout that in so long. Anger at missing the last 5 years. Holding me back from functions, activities I enjoy is another. I am thinking about things I haven't in years. You all are such a huge help! I feel like this is therapy and I must need it because releasing these thought free in my head are helping me understand myself more again! I suppose that's why we call it a support site!

I had surgery on December 6th and I have lost a total of 20 pounds - I stalled at 2 weeks, too - no weight loss (or weight gain) the whole week I started back on solid food...My husband says it is a marathon, not a sprint! RUDE NURSE!

It's eerie how our weight gain trajectories and stories have striking similarities. Thank you for sharing your story! In addition to weight gain right before the onset of puberty, I also had a father who was a problem drinker. On top of that, he was also a crack addict during my early and middle childhood years. I used food as a distraction starting in my preteen years. My mother was obese and worked long hours at a factory, so she'd come home hungry. Her portion sizes were massive. The role-modeling for reasonable choices simply wasn't there. I, too, received unwanted attention for my breast size in my pre-teens. I was wearing a 38C bra at age 12 when many of my classmates were still flat-chested or had smaller breasts. To keep a long story short, I fought the battle of the bulge for 2+ decades starting in my teens. I could lose substantial weight, but could never keep it off. In fact, I'd lost 200+ pounds through yo-yo dieting in those 2 decades (lose 30, regain 60, lose 50, regain 90, etc). Bariatric surgery was/is my last hope for keeping the weight off.

I feel you, I hear every day from co-workers and family how fat I am getting. I am so tired of hearing it. People act as though you can drop the weight just by thinking it. They tell me these things as if I do not know it. Some are as big as I am but think they aren't. I was so tired of hearing it along with me hating the weight gain myself. That's what brought me to the band on 22 Jan 09. I have only told two people. the rest just know I had herina repair. I get no support at home with this. I want to do as well as you have, but with out support I am not sure it if well do well. Keep up the great work. you inspire me.

People all calculate differently. My surgeon and nutritionist both use the weight from my first consultation visit when assessing progress, so it includes the weight gained or lost while in the program leading up to date of surgery. In my case, the starting weight of 383.4 is from June of 2019. I was 337 on my surgery date in mid-July of 2020. However, my all-time highest weight is probably from 2016 when I weighed approximately 410. 410... 383.4... 337... it ends up being semantics IMO. The only thing that really matters is that the weight now is well below all three.

I am going to copy/paste an email that I sent to my Monday night group therapy/weight loss class. Thought I'd give you an update about my lap band appt yesterday with Dr. Forgione (the surgeon). Well, the first frustrating part was that I had gained THREE pounds in the last week. He was kind but told me that any more weight gain was unacceptable and that surgery would be cancelled. I was really embarassed and upset but realized that I ate like crap over the weekend and Monday night and didn't exercise. What did I think was going to happen???? So, last night I was back on the treadmill and have vowed to log all of my eating this week and get in my exercise. I am planning on going back over there next Tuesday to weigh in to chart my progress. He also told me that my Upper GI showed that I have a small hiatal hernia. Basically it's when your stomach starts to go into your esophagus and it's very common with overweight women. Mine is very small and I have never felt any symptoms. So, he told me yeseterday that when he goes in laproscopically he may find that he has to repair the hernia that day and not do the banding until a different time. He is quite hopeful that he won't but wanted me to be aware. I'm pretty concerned about that but trying very very hard to stay positive. Tentatively, surgery is scheduled for Feb 20th but I will hopefully know more before our meeting next week. ___________________________________________________________ Well, I wrote that email 2 days ago and I am feeling much better. If I have a hernia that needs to be repaired I would rather fix it before I have the surgery and risk a greater chance of slippage. I'm working on the food. I had 2000 calories yesterday which is too many but am happy to report that I've been on the treadmill for 30 minutes each day. I've decided that I get NO days off with exercise. Once I give myself a little wiggle room I just don't do it. I'm trying to make it as natural as brushing my teeth- wouldn't that be a wonderful thing?

Hi Ladies: I am the mother of a soon-to-be 2yr old & my husband and I have decided that we dont even want to discuss having another child within the next 5 yrs. So, I NEED some type of birth control. I had NuvaRing & ortho tri cyclen & believe they contributed to my weight gain. With all the recalls, the horrors of regaining the weight looming, and the possible side effects of an IUD, what's a girl to do?? What are some of you doing or using for birth control? Thank you in advance.

Weight gain is the nightmare we all fear and live with. I am not cured of obesity, I'm simply in remission. There is no doubt in my mind I could gain back every pound I lost. There have been a few key statements people have made in this thread that resonate with me. Paraphrasing here: Success requires vigilance Success requires self-honesty about what we eat Success requires tracking as a way of accomplishing both of those When I'm vigilant about my diet by weighing, measuring, tracking, and recording, I do best. I can do a WHOLE lot of damage in a just an hour or two. I don't have a normal body or metabolism, and I know deep down there is very little wiggle room for me. Don't get me wrong, I do let my guard down from time to time, I do get weary of the constant struggle, but I have to keep my eye on the prize. I love the way I feel and look, and I am grateful for what I consider to be a gift of being thin. I remember that, and it helps me to continue to do the things that have led to success. In the end, I have way more control over my success or failure as a result of having the sleeve than I did before surgery. I hope the "reset" stays reset!

Since the sergery things have been wiered to say the least I have for the most part been losing weight but the week that I start eating regular food I gain weight. I know right. Gained weight? WTH? I have been in the gym busting my tail, I only eat till i am satisfied and I try to make good choices it is kind of hard to deal with but I Soldier on the best I can. I have met some one and things seem to be going great. She is supportive of my band and she treets me great I just wish I could figure out what was the deal with the weight gain it really bothers me to think I am gaining weight after the sergery. Guess I need to watch my self a little better(LOL)

I think more interesting is that 1 out of 14 didn't experience weight gain, as they defined it. Granted, it is a small sample, but it lends itself to what I also hold true. I am not stretching my sleeve out, and if it were to be larger than it was in the few months post op, it is by no means responsible for any weight I gain. I guess I will have to blame it on the fork if I should begin to gain.

I can't tell you how much this post means to me. Right now, I'm up 30 from my all time post-surgery low, and about 20 from where I should be. I'm also about five above what my goal was going into the whole thing. Since January, I've had six straight months of average weight gain, and don't truly understand why. I'm exercising more than ever. My eating is poorer, but not to the level that I would think would cause that. I simply don't understand what's happening, and it's heartening to hear you had and beat that same type of situation.

I'm about 3 1/2 months post-op and have weighed every day and plotted my weight out of curiousity. You can see my stalls and even many weight gains, but the trend is always down. My intake averages 700-900 cals/day, get my exercise thru my job, (walk 1-2 miles/day) and includes an occasional mixed drink too (or two). Unless you're hitting the DQ drive-thru on a regular basis, the math says you are going to lose weight. Keep your eye on the prize and good luck. My Diet Track.pdf

I hate clothes shopping, and fortunately, I wear scrubs at work, so don't need a lot of work clothes. I tend to do mail order, and have a roomful of clothes mistakes from things I should have returned but never did (one of my postop projects). Fortunately my best friend is a shopaholic who considers it a challenge to find things at TJ's, thrift shops, etc. For her, it's a stress reducer, for me, it makes me want to jump out of my skin. Part of me still wants to hold back some fat clothes, just in case. After years of different diets, and the inevitable weight gains afterward, it's hard to have faith emotionally. Although with the band, I gained some back but not up to my top weight. Does anybody else feel this way?

I am 42 years old and been married for 8 years this feb.21, 2012. i have two 16 yr old girls and a 7 yr old girl. my wife had a D.S Switch in 2001 and has lost 200 pounds and has kept them off all these years with the ocasional 20-30 pounds of up and down. she kept telling me to have it but i did not want 2 and kept telling her i could do it myself. in 2003 we lost our daughter at 20 weeks and it was very hard on me to anything but sad and this went on for about 2 1/2 years. after losing the baby we decided to take the family on a vacation to yosemite and i decided this would be the time to make a change in my life so i started the atkins diet in august 1 week before our trip and did very well on it. after three weeks we came home i was sixteen pounds lighter but still had that cloud over my head but kept going and lost a total of 44lbs. by december 03. we also found out my wife was pregnant and was 5 weeks so they put her on complete bed rest for the rest of the duration so the diet came to a stop and the weight came back because i was more worried about her then the weight loss. after the birth of our daughter weight went up and down till she had her seventh birthday and one day said you know daddy your fat and well i smiled and thought i need a change so went for my physical and ask for a referal. i got a call in sept. 2011 and started my diet so when i started class i was 305.6 lbs. and i tell you after my first options class at downey kaiser i knew this was the right move. i came back every thursday and averaged 5-6 lbs a week, by week 8 i lost my 10% and after the final class was down 50 lbs. saw my bariatric surgeon DR. MUN on the 23 of jan. he was so impressed because by the day we talked i was 260.4 and was told that the ave. weight gain over the holidays was 3-5 lbs. so he set up my surgery for Feb. 1, 2011 and was weighed one last time and was 241 lbs.so he was really happy. was in my room by 6 p.m. and walking by 10 p.m. and felt so good. he let me know i was his new model as he should me the pictures of my sleeve and how good my liver looked. so if you ever go to the kaiser at harbor city and get DR. MUN for a surgeon he'll show you my surgery pictures. i am 9 days out lost a total of 70.5 pounds and just feel like my life just started over and well i love life again. ONE OF THE BEST CHOICES I MADE :biggrinjester:

Re fear of weight gain ... I can't imagine each of us doesn't fear that. But I'll speak for myself: I fear it. I'm only four months into maintenance. There's no way I feel stable at this point.