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I have lost every single one of my friends due to my weight gain. So for me this is a chance to make new friends. I'm sorry your friend isn't talking to you. Maybe try to get her to go to a seminar and consider the surgery for herself?

Maggie, do you journal or blog? I started one with my pre-op diet. It keeps me focused. This link, is my first post during my vacation, we spent a week exploring the Northeast before we got on the ship. This link,is from when I returned. Like you, I did not get my first fill until I returned from a 3 wk vacation. I gained a couple pounds, but lost it in no time with the band. I took another 3wk vacations this past April, I gained a couple pounds in lost it in the first week I returned. I really think the weight gain is from all the extra salt in the foods.:thumbup:

I did the same thing at my work - we did a biggest loser thing from the middle of February to the end of March and I was banded at the beginning of January. The difference is that everyone knew I was banded, and I'm very vocal about issues that come up - no restriction, weight gains, etc. (I now have great restriction, but that's beside the point.) SO, everyone knew I had it and no one questioned my integrity - they knew I was still workin' my butt off and choosing to eat the right foods. The band wasn't "doing it for me," as much as ignorant people would like to think :thumbup:

Congrats to all of you. You are all doing such a wonderful job. I didnt realize how pregnancy and gaining weight were going to affect me. I go up and down 5 pounds, but I have put on about 4 inches around my waist. I am pregnant with twins, not for sure if I told you guys that or not. I have moments when I get down about weight gain. I am eating like crazy and still have all my fill. I guess I was just going so hard at losing weight that now I am having trouble adjusting to the fact that I am suppose to gain. I know in the end I will be able to get back on track. And wow, who would have thought how far we would have come in 6 months!!

That was a little harsh! Anyway, if you look at the band as a lifestyle change, then I don't believe it does you any favours to unfill just so you can overeat. You can still enjoy the foods on your vacations, just less of them. I would find this even MORE enjoyable as you'll have a lot less guilt (and weight gain)!

I had my IUD taken out in February and I have gained 10 lbs. I knew I had gained 5 but I got on this morning and I am up 10 lbs! I am sick over this.

I was Banded 3/2/10 and I did not experience this I have had steady weight loss, but I was trying to rush it the first month. You need to remember that the first month is all about recovering. you just had surgery and your body needs to recover and heal from that. This can lead to weight gain and loss. Also you need to take in enough protein a day to continue with the weightloss. The more protein in a meal the less hungry you should feel in between meals.

My surgeon feels that my band slipped during my pregnancy. I'm having it fixed 6/15. I do have a lot of symptoms but most discouraging is no weight loss since November, 2009. But at least no weight gain either. I'm still 100% sold on the Lap Band, but it's a journey and you need to be ready for anything.

I was losing until this past week. I have been drinking less Water and more iced tea with artificial sweeteners. I also have had an increase in processed foods. Over the past few days my scale reports weight gain of 6 pounds and I have not had but 1 bowel movement and less frequent urination. I am thinking the weight gain may be a reflection of the lessened trips to dispose of waste and that the lack of bathroom visits has me retaining waste. Any suggestions on how to get my digestive system back in gear? Any supplements or foods that will aid me?

Is it close to your time of the month?? That would explain some weight gain, or even too much salt in a day or two can cause it. Don't sweat it, you will continue to lose. I think we all worry that we won't lose, but you will!! Just keep doing what you are supposed to and the weight will come off. Good luck!!

You can always get more in by eating more often. Heck, any bigger, and you will have trouble with weight gain, and if you eat too often, you will still be capable of gain. Just nothing like you are capable of now.

Ahhh yes the good old climbing up the scale thing. . .me too, I was doing really well and guess what? the heat in Texas started and I started to swell and retain tons of fluids even on my diaretics (lasix and amiloride) I thought at first it was because I've been grazing here and there, but nope it was the heat. . . so if you are susceptible to gaining Water weight during the hot seasons, this could possibly be the answer. . .don't worry, just cause we're gaining some weight isn't the end of it, just look how far we have come! Wow, I'm ok with some weight gain. . .at least I'm not 350 anymore! Good luck!

Hola everyone! just getting back from vacation. I had a great time hanging out at the beach, eating and yes drinking. Best part was that we exercised everyday, swimming, bike rides, lots of walking, even went to the hotel gym. So all in all no weight gain. REady to buckle down now though....I'm a ways away from my next fill goal still. I was thinking maybe I should call and get on the calendar. Maybe that will kick me into gear. I still need to go back a read the last few pages but congrats Ash! Annalyn yes your getting close. Miss you guys....

Diphenhydramine/Ibuprofen All medicines can cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Diphenhydramine/Ibuprofen: Constipation; diarrhea; dizziness; drowsiness; dry mouth, throat, and nose; excitability; gas; headache; heartburn; nausea; stomach pain or upset; thickening of mucus in nose or throat. Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Diphenhydramine/Ibuprofen: Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; trouble breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); bloody or black, tarry stools; change in the amount of urine produced; chest pain; confusion; dark urine; depression; fainting; fast or irregular heartbeat; fever, chills, or persistent sore throat; hallucinations; mental or mood changes; numbness of an arm or leg; one-sided weakness; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin; ringing in the ears; seizures; severe headache or dizziness; severe or persistent stomach pain or nausea; severe vomiting; shortness of breath; stiff neck; sudden or unexplained weight gain; swelling of hands, legs, or feet; tremor; unusual bruising or bleeding; unusual joint or muscle pain; unusual tiredness or weakness; vision or speech changes; vomit that looks like coffee grounds; wheezing; yellowing of the skin or eyes. Interesting thing is once I read the side effects I have actually been suffering from a few of these.....huh! I have also had a stiff neck lately and some unexplained dizziness. I guess I am a lucky one who had a negative reaction to this one.

So for the last few months or so I was having a terrible plateau and when I was losing the scale was barely moving down. Had a fill and the same thing, even though I felt more restriction this time! So I have been going crazy because I am following the plan, exercising and have been using spark for my food journal...nothing has changed in that way at all. I have increased my work outs in recent as well! I have notice I am hungry at night and have been making great snack choices, nothing bad! So anyway, I went for a 5 mile hike with my trainer yesterday and we got to talking. She just could not understand after reading my food and exercise journal why this was happening. (and talking how my weight loss has stopped....and actually now I am up four pounds) So she asked me if I take any meds and I said no just Advil PM. She literally stopped in her tracks and said DUH! that stuff will do it to you every time. She said it is an appetite stimulant, you hold Water weight ( I am so feeling bloated which is what started the conversation in the 1st place) and it increases constipation! Anything with with diphenhydramine in it can cause weight gain, when using at night because it slows you down too much, and apparently effects your metabolism! I started doing research and it is all over the net about this exact topic. I found this blog all about it! Cranky Mommy Anyway, I wanted to share just in case any of you use sleep aids or benedryl at night and your weight loss has not been exactly fast or slowing down. I have officially quit taking Advil and Tylenol PM as of tonight! And will certianly update you if the scale starts moving again. I just feel horrible that this could have sabotaged all the hard work I have done, it has also slowed my progress down immensely considering I have been taking this for a few months. UUUGGHHHH at least I figured it out now instead of later....

that's great ur doing good after breast reduction. I agree with u on the HCG diet, I don't think anyone should do it unless they are totally commited, it's very strict and any wavering from the diet can cause weight gain. It took me a lot of research and an article I read is what convinced me to try it. It wasn't the article itself, it was a negative article but it was all th comments after the article. Hundreds and hundreds of comments disputing the article. It convinced me to just try it. The first 10 days were he'll, lots of carb withdrawals, but then it got so easy. There us no way I can do it over the next few months because of all the traveling we are doing, so I have ended it and now on a maintenance phase. I am really restricted now too, I am finally to a sweet spot - I love it! Tonight we went out for Mexican and I could only eat about 1/3 or less of my meal. I got very full fast. My band will keep me from over eating during the next few months while I'm doing the maintenance phase. Now I must get back to my exercise routine and hit it hard!

i agree with the last reply whats done is done.... but the weight gain i dont. anytime you have surgery you are going to swell and you are going to gain weight even if you didnt eat a lb because your body went through a surgery the weight will come off in about two weeks maybe less depending on the swelling. its normal to gain weight. i gained like 13 lbs after having a tt and a breast lift within two weeks or so i dropped back down to what i was pre op. so don't stress so much it will only make it worse. in the mean time heal and get some rest..

HI Carol, Today is 19 days after surgery and I am down 31 lbs...... Yes, your corect it a very personal decision. I hope your husband changes his mind. Wendy (My wife) has been overweight since I know her about 25 years. She's been on every diet that as inventered. She did the best on Richard simmons. At one point she lost 50 lbs but gained it all back with more. We have been maried now for 20 years and I had small weight gains each year. I topped out around 340lbs. I know I needed to do something. Out of the blue, I asked my wife which is the least agressive weight loss surgery and she said Lap-band. I told my wife to make an appointment with a lap band doctor that I wanted to have the surgery. We met with the doctor and I liked what I heard. The next day, my wife said she wanted to have it too. So we schedualed them three weeks apart. Good luck with your surgery in June and if you have any questions e-mail me. I would be glad to answer any questions. Mark

WOW! Surprised you went for reduction surgery so soon into the banding process! Mistake or not what's done is done so go on from there. I understand the pain after reduction or reconstruction is worse then after a mastectomy (which I had last year). About weight gain, you need to contact the nutrition consultant at your Gastric Surgeon's office first thing Monday and talk to her about what's going on with your weight and intake. It may be a post op thing of some sort. Until then be sure you are getting enough plain Water and that your Proteins are where they are supposed to be. Also be sure you are getting ALL of your suppliments in. Which reminds me, time for my afternoon suppliments! TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF YOURSELF!

Hi Will, It is hard to give an exact answer to your question, there is not a set formula, as every body works so differently. After my first fill of 2cc's, my surgeon said to come back in a month or sooner if I was very hungry between meals and started eating an amount that caused me to gain weight. I never gained, so I would go in for a fill each month. I had 3 fills of 2cc and my last fill was just 1cc and I think I am either at my sweet spot or very close to it. I found my surgeon's direction of 'if you are eating enough to cause weight gain, then you need a fill' a good guide line.

I have been on birth control for years due to irregualr menstrual cycles. I don't know if it contributed to my weight gain before surgery, but I do notice I tend to eat more the week prior to starting or I get the urge to eat when I know I'm not hungry.

For my one month update I wanted to share from my overall experiences both good and bad. Lets start with the good: Surgery was on 4/28 and today is 5/28 and I have lost 30.4 pounds. 30 pounds in a month is awesome and I am so thrilled I made this decision. I do feel my restriction and get full very quickly. 4-6 ounces is about my capacity depending on the type of food. Slider foods like Greek yogurt I could eat more of but I just eat a 6 oz container and stop there. So far I have been lucky to not have hunger *knock on wood*. I have felt thirsty though--but this could be psychological because I used to always have a diet coke nearby to drink from--now its water or crystal light but I still have the need to have liquid around allot. Needless to say, I always get my fluids in and usually more. This may be TMI but my urine is usually clear (which is supposedly a good thing) Now lets talk about my diet. Some people say this is not a diet and not to treat it that way- but technically your diet is what you eat so everyone is on a "diet" all the time (neener neener, HA!). I stick to the general doctors orders here for the most part on most days. I count protein, but I have not really bothered with calories that much. I get very full on protein so I try to have some type of fruit or veggie when I can fit in an ounce or more. I think I could still add some more here but I will explain why later. 3 out of every 4 days I am pretty much by the book vsg diet low carb, high protein (70-80). Where I have drastically differed is on my 4th day. I up my calories and do count calories on this 4th day because I want to try and hit from 1800 calories or more. This would not really be possible for me to do without pure junk food IF I tried doing this with just food just based on how often and how much I can eat. So I supplement with a "weight gain" drink called Suplimed. It was developed as a well balanced formula to help those who have lost weight through illness to regain weight. One 8 oz shake in water is 500+ calories and more if its in milk.(sometimes I do half at a time) So I typically do 2 whole shakes plus food to get me to the 1800+ on my forth day. As I can eat more real food in time I will lower the shakes or half them. Why? because I am trying to avoid any weight loss stalls and not allow my system to adjust to low calorie metabolism--and I use the shakes because I don't want to use junk food to up calories. I am not recommending this to anyone, because that would differ from what your doctor would have you do--I am happily the human guinea pig for this and I just want to see how this works for me over the next couple of months. So far no stalls *knock on wood*. This zig-zag calorie method has been in the body-building world a long time--so I did not think it up on my own. I just could never do it pre-op with all my hunger. I started my first high calorie day on my second day of full liquids and have stuck to the 3 regular days 1 high cal day since then. Honestly, I don't look forward to the high calorie days because it is a chore to get the shakes and food in when you have no hunger--but I stick with them like a prescription medication for now--if they stop being effective over time I will drop them. Supplements I take: BA multi vitamin. The orange was nasty but I can tolerate the berry flavor. Twin labs sublingual B12, Vitamin D weekly 50,000IU (set by doc based on pre-op low levels), prescription to prevent gal stones(help me keep the gal bladder), and I take a tablespoon of Barleans Omega Swirl to get necessary fats in. Protein supplements as needed too. Ok the Bad: It has not all been roses--or maybe it has been roses, but there are a few thorns . Let me preface this by saying I am very happy with the sleeve and would not trade it. Post op--I had a wonderful experience until about one week out where it felt like I pulled something on my large incision. It was painful and I had to rest it a couple of days--luckily I did not tear it or have a hernia (internals protrude through incision) but it was a wake up call to me. I should admit this now I guess-- I hit the Stairmaster Stepmill (real stairs that rotate) the day before this happened --STUPID ME! I just felt so darn good and the stairmaster has been my punisher of choice for years--nothing happened that day but the next day simply bending over without bending my knees and popping back up quickly caused the oh crap moment. I talked about the bending over part before, but I had to come clean on the Stairmaster part so someone might learn from my idiocy. This from a guy who skied 1.5 days with a broken collar bone back at age 18--I did not know it was broken but my pain tolerance is a little off and dammit I had paid for those lift tickets! Anyway, I thought I would be super sleever at one week out. That stairmaster is going to get its ass kicked at 6 weeks out I will tell you though! With a couple of rest days I luckily had not messed anything up--whew what a wake up call. The next item I have had to learn after moving into regular food is to slow down. Its easy to remember this with dense heavy foods, but for foods like scrambled eggs--I used to inhale those. Bad habits of not chewing foods like this have led to me throwing up--I would stew for like half and hour trying to walk it off until finally my stomach says "nope!" and up it came. So yes you have to chew even the smaller soft foods. Last but not least I have dealt with some constipation. This is why I think that I need more fruit or fiber in my diet. I have used Miralax (or the Walgreen's equivalent) to clear this issue up some, but I want to get the food right so I don't have to. So there you have it the good and the bad so far at one month out. I am loving my sleeve and the results have been awesome. Feel free to post any questions if you are pre-op or new to this. Thanks!

dont be scared.... i thought it was going to be really really painful and unmanageable and actually besides being able to move around freely for about a week or two as long as i was sitting around hunched over there really wasnt much pain. i did have a pain pump and i would really recommend having one for the first 5 days or so. the drains arent that bad just very irrating from poking you. i really do enjoy my new breast since i got them lifted they dont giggle very much. my doctor didnt know much about my port either i pointed where the port was and he circled my port before surgery so that would remind him not to mess with it. everything went fine. i still got some swelling but things are looking up finally back in my jeans again. alittle tight but every week seems to get loser. i lost half my weight gain since i quit smoking the month before as well. so got about alittle more to go. i see that i am alot flatter and my pouch is gone but my sides of my tummy overhang alittle. i think its due to swelling and some fat still. when i dont exercise for the day and hang around the house i really dont swell up much but when i exercise and run around for the day i swell up like its no tomorrow but its getting better and better. not as frustrated as i once was. its really up to you what you want done. if you think you can live with just doing your tt and not doing the around the world go for that. or if you think you just have to much lose skin on your back do the around your body. one doctor said if you can grab a good chunk of fat on your love handles then it will prob be good to do all around or atleast get lipo back there to compliment your tummy. its really what you want and think you need and what you will be happy with. i dont know if your anything like me but i carried alot of weight from the extra skin and fat that i couldnt get rid of in my stomach and breast and getting a tt and breast lift actually helped out my back. i dont have back issues anymore which is great.