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Sorry, I had to cut my above post short, as had to attend to kid duties. Umm.. yeah, sorry about the wasps' nest that your post has stirred. Please keep in mind, as several of the above posters have mentioned, there are a lot of people here with "parent issues", and your post pushed some buttons. I was heavy by time I hit first or second grade, but really started gaining in earnest in middle school (blasted puberty!!). My Mom and Dad didn't have much money, so they did the best they could. I was the only one that became chubby on the pasta and day-old doughnuts, so it was a problem with me, not the diet But, alas.. the past is what it is, and I'm finally on a path to better myself. I'm 38. I recognize that you are terrified of complications from the surgery. You'd hate to see a perfectly healthy young adult sign up for an optional procedure that could leave her worse than she started, right? We can't promise nothing bad will happen during/after the procedure. But, we can promise that the risks are low, and the rewards are great. Post-surgery regain is a real possibility, and it can start as early as 6-8 months post-op. She has a lot to learn about changing the content of her diet, FOREVER, not just the quantity.. because she'll gradually be able to eat more and more, to the point of eating like a typical person (1 plate, not 3.. but she can get in big trouble with 1 plate!). If you can, please look up Dr. Matthew Weiner on youtube. He is a bariatric surgeon in Michigan, and he has a TON of information about how/why the surgery works, and tips for changing diet and lifestyle afterwords. We are so used to having to steer our kids in the right direction (away from danger), that it can be difficult to let them go and do their own things. Shoot, my husband didn't want me doing the surgery! He was terrified for me. I was more terrified for my high blood pressure, pre-diabetes, joint pain, inability to fit in an airplane seat (no 2nd honeymoon in Hawaii!), breaking toilet seats all the time, having to hold my breath to tie my shoes, couldn't wash the bottoms of my feet, having very limited wardrobe selection, couldn't go out to walk the dog without feeling like I was going to have a heart attack, stairs = seeing stars.. etc. I did great on diets when I was 20. Lost 65lbs, could hike 25 miles a day carrying a pack, etc. But, we can't all stay 20 forever, and having pregnancies, sitting at desk jobs, taking care of elderly parents in the home.. these things all take their toll, and weight gain happens... especially because a broken metabolism does not get fixed by diet and exercise! (There is some hope for a ketogenic diet, I suppose, but that was one I never tried). Fix the metabolism through surgery. Learn a new way of cooking and eating. Fix any emotional problems.. and your daughter has a great chance of having a normal life.

So just as an update, I did see my team today. They were concerned by the weight gain (even though I've been losing since Metformin), so they put me on a new medication saying they wanted me under my starting weight. Here's hoping that it works!

I still have a hard time with sweetners. I try to find things with sugar and then just dilute them. I know that it slows my weight gain, but I am happy to loose only a couple of pounds a week. Slower is better because it will be more permanent and I won't have all that loose skin hanging on my body! As long as you are conscious about it, I think you will be fine. I am about 11 weeks post-op and I have lost a total of 48 lbs. I am pretty happy with the weight loss so far and I am even happier that I can finally get in the total amount of fluids. Just this last week, i started being able to drink enough liquid! Good luck! Happy that you are now on our side:)!...the loser's bench always has room for more!!

This is to Renewedhope about Metformin. Before my surgery I was on and off of it for one year because my body could not handle it. I noticed since my surgery my Avandamet did not effect my body like it did prior to surgery (making me very ill). So I pulled the good ole Metformin out of the cabinet this week to see if maybe it has the same effect and I have not been sick once. The reason I tell you this is because Metformin stopped my weight gain before being banded unlike anything else I just could not deal with the side effects. I cannot explain it, but I have had 0 side effects now. This whole banding thing is amamzing.

HI leenerbups and all, I know this is an old thread, and by now you've had the surgery and I was just wondering...what happened with your extra weight gain? Did they push the surgery back? Did they do it anyway? I, too, have gained weight and was told the same thing - that I can't gain any weight. I sure hope you are still on the board! Can anyone help?:biggrin::ohmy::eek::ohmy: Thanks so much!

Way to go, great before and after. I have been giving the fat clothes away on Craigslist, from 3xl to 2 xl. Got to be honest, my reaction to your post is that when the 18 months honeymoon is over, and your body clicks into normal weight gain, you are one who, according to my surgeon and my nutritionists, and my daughter's father in law (bariatric surgeon) is at very high risk of gaining your weight back. The honeymoon of easy weight loss is when we cement our better food habits. Beer, lots of Desserts, no vitamins/calcium (you are young enough you might get away with that but it may effect your bone strength in your 40's) means that you have not changed enough habits to maintain post honeymoon. No criticism intended, I have 100 pounds to go, but every week my core food habits are better, I am Never going to be fat again.

Hi I had my surgery in the San Francisco Bay Area. Lol! most people here learn really quick not to talk to me about bougies I have very strong opinions on making them a factor in a "successful" surgery outcome. They do not do the work at losing the weight, you do A too small a bougie (32f) MAY increase complications (leaks, strictures) . The most common used is 32-40 F The bougie sizes are used as a guide for the doctor when removing your stomach. As far as getting a "bigger" or "smaller" sleeve the difference between the ALL bougies sizes are really very small.. Your doctor will know what is right for you! Everyone's stomachs are different some are small, some are long so even two people using the same size bougie can have different capacities after.. And as far as "getting one as small as you can" If your stomach is made to small there is a greater chance of long term problems. Wow as far as wishing I had done anything different? Not really.. I wish I would learn to love exercise and did it more... The hardest part of this journey will be you head. It takes a lot of work to get your head straight. Most of us didn't eat and get fat because we had extreme out of control REAL hunger. So head hunger is a major factor and should be dealt with in the early stages (first six months) because if not dealt with and relying solely on the sleeve can = weight gain down the line. We have to think long term not just the first year.

Cam, I think taking Ray up on the offer was wise. The $1000K+ to go elsewhere is just too rich not to give Ray a go. He really isnt into yelling for weight gain and I am still shock to hear other Dr's do this. (But I know thats true). He also isnt into blaming everything on the mind until he is sure everything with the band is right. I have tried to explain hunger but until he is happy with the fills he said he wont go down that path> He believes thats too much of an easy out for him and he wont accept that yet. Last appointment I explained that my body is in conflict with itself. The bottam half is full and the top half wants flavour and food - a weird feeling when you know you are stuffed. He again said, until my adjustments are right he wont go there. Which is fair. I'd be suprised if he plays the blame game. Anywho, its worth a chat and from the board he knows you've had issues. He really does seem to take his role very seriously and is very open. All my appointments of late are in his lunch hour. Good luck

Hello Everyone out there! I have been slogging my way for the past 2 weeks through a combination of ReduceXS, Macleods Dietary Formula and Optifast. I have lost nealry 4 kgs but don't have a great deal of energy though I do feel better about myself already. I am being banded on March 23 and trying to be as vague as possible about why I am going into hospital and missing out on work for a few weeks. Have told everyone that I am on a bet with my husband to lose 30kgs before going to Bali in October. How up front have you all been with family and friends about having the lap band inserted, do you try to keep it a lifetime secret or does it eventually not matter at all? I have 25kgs to lose, on a 180cm frame, I can't wait until I can fit back into those precious "small" items of clothing that I have not been able to throw out over 15 years of weight gain- then I can throw them out - hahah. A general question - how much pain when you wake up from the op? Do you know that something major has been done ? - I have had laproscopic surgery for endometriosis but really didn't feel anything, and How soon before I can drive a car? hugs to everyone.

GASTRIC STRICTURE Any procedure that was performed with the intent of restricting the amount of food the stomach can hold as a means of achieving weight loss can potentially lead to a permanent and excessively tight area of the stomach, called a stricture. This can follow a gastric bypass, a stomach stapling procedure, an band procedure or a gastric sleeve. The symptoms of a stricture are very similar to those of a Slipped Band and may include: CHRONIC VOMITING OR REGURGITATION OF UNDIGESTED FOOD EXCESSIVE WEIGHT LOSS UPPER ABDOMINAL OR CHEST PAIN AFTER EATING Relieving these symptoms can sometime be accomplished by simply stretching the stricture, usually with an endoscopic dilator under sedation. The relief may last a few days or many months, depending on how tight the stricture is and how easily it could be stretched. When this treatment fails to provide lasting improvement the solution is reoperation. The surgeon's goal is to open the strictured area sufficiently enough to allow food and fluids to pass through without difficulty, typically using a procedure known as a stricturoplasty. One of the side effects can be weight gain since the restriction has been eliminated. Occasionally, the stricturoplasty is combined with another procedure to help maintain the benefits of prior weight loss surgery. However, in this situation the main objective is to restore the anatomy of the stomach to the point where the patient can eat enough to maintain healthy nutrition.

A lot of people revision to a bypass from a sleeve due to suffering ongoing GERD with medication doesn't help. Others due to weight gain. If you already suffer a lot with acid reflux you may want to chat with your surgeon. I suffered with acid reflux but mine was definitely related to the type of foods I was eating and the amount of food I was eating. If my food intake and portions were healthy I was fine. I discussed with my surgeon and I went with a sleeve. So far so good.

Hi everyone, I was originally banded back in Nov of 2012 only to wind up with an emergency removal & sleeve revision in Jan of 2013. I did great - lost about 105 - 110 pounds. But, as a result of a job loss, laid off 6 weeks ago, my bad habits came back. I "never" thought I would go back to munching on crappy food & over loading on carbs. The holidays are not the best time to be job hunting. The stress that comes with it is over whelming. It's hard being unemployed, spending HOURS & HOURS on my laptop applying for jobs that could be a match. I've gained about 10 pounds, and while it may not sound like a lot, that's how it starts. I "refuse" to go back to where I was (245 pds). I now weigh around 148 pds. I'm here to let everyone know that yes, you can gain weight after being sleeved. While you may not physically be able to eat as much, you can eat a little more than when you were first sleeved, and gain weight by eating all the wrong stuff. My point? It's time to refocus on why I lost the weight in the first place, and how being thinner made me feel. Time to go back to basics - 'do over.' Every day is a new opportunity to re-build my strength, and focus on what needs to be done to lose those horrible additional 10 pds that seem to be sitting on my stomach, and surely my butt :-). With this said, I'm trying to back track & remember what I did when I first started. I've become more lactose intolerant than what I originally was when I first started this journey, so I need to be careful what I eat. After giving so much support when I first started this journey, I am now looking for help & support. Trying to come up with healthy menus again. Goal is to eliminate those shitty carbs that made me do this in the first place. Appreciate any help you guys can offer! Depressed, but definitely trying to push through with positivity!! Thanks for listening!

Not being able to exercise does make it harder. I didn't exercise at all from my surgey in November until May, but once I started walking ( I was walking some before surgery and then stopped after surgery) it made a difference. Spring was when I stopped losing, not having restriction, but the walking stopped any weight gain and actually I have lost a few more pounds. Water aerobics would be great, especially during these hot summer months! You're an experienced and successful bandster, you know what to do to get to where you want to be.

I under stand what you are saying. I never had any periods of being normal weight, gained alot, lost & regained. Just consistently been "obese" ALL my life so have nothing to personally compare it to. I have not been my current weight since age 14 & I am now 40. At my highest weight I was 368 pounds, lost some on my own before band, on surgery day (1/07) was 300.5 & today I am around 225. So have lost like 140 pounds from my all time highest. Still getting used to the "new" me. I would love to have some plastic surgery for my breasts, arms & stomach but I know that it is not financially possible for me so I just have to deal with it. I was never ugly & always dressed well and fashionable but just looking in the mirror and feeling sexy is a problem at times with the sagginess that I see. And sometimes i still see the old me in mirror. During those times i go upstairs and try on some of the old clothes that I kept as reminders. But I try to stay positive because my blood pressure is good, blood sugar is normal, my knees & back feel better. That means more to me. But if I were to ever hit the lottery...

Thank you for this. I have been having a really rough time over these last 4 months. I had a friend pass away, a friend diagnosed with stage 3 cancer going thru chemo that is not working for her, and I lost my job all within months of each other. The weather where I live has been bad, so I stopped walking the 1 to 2 miles per day I was doing, and I turned to my comfort foods- cookies, icecream, etc. I have been wallowing in a sea of self pity, and even with telling myself each and every morning that today is the day I get back on track, by evening I would be eating wrong again. I have had the band in since Jan 9, 2010, and because of my gain, I am only 30 pounds down from when it was inserted. This is very very hard for me to deal with. During the end of the summer 2010, I had finally begun to play with my kids, going hiking, playing volleyball, etc, and I can't even tell you how GREAT that felt! I already feel the change that this weight gain has made in my ability to stay mobile and in my attitude toward exercise and moving! I want to be able to parasail, to hike the Appalachian Trail, to move with my kids! Thank you for rocking my boat, and hopefully getting me back on track! God Bless.

We have the same surgery time period! June 2nd 2014 for me. I have gained and working my weight back down. Guilt and shame over weight gain are unproductive and useless emotions. Don't let yourself wallow in the negative head space. Get up and fight for this! Make this the year you will be healthier, stronger, brave and fierce! Some things to try: Once you eat carbs and sugar you will crave them more. Time to detox off carbs. (get them out of the house) Acknowledge your triggers that take you back to bad habits : Could be depression, emotional/stress eating or boredom. Get back to basics. 80-100 grams protein. Drink plenty water hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! (if you're not doing this already) Be sure to log your food. (food logging apps makes it easy) http://www.myfitnesspal.com/mobile/android Yes, even if you have to force yourself. Get out and walk or find some activity for exercise. It's winter. Treadmill in your home, workout videos, walk a mall or gym. Keep busy and find things to distract yourself from food. Bariatric pal has a great holiday weight loss challenge. Join us to keep motivated. https://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/405183-holiday-challenge-time-lets-do-this/

After a while you will be able to increase calorie intake the farther out from surgery you are. But you have got to get a firm understanding on nutrition and what does and doesn't work for your body post surgery to consume. As for gaining muscle yes you can have success in doing it. But just like with everything else losing weight gaining muscle, toning shape, losing inches, that take consistent effort. You have to be consistent with the working out (not just cardio, but actual weight lifting and body training), eating sensible and right, and avoiding habit forming things that will make those gains you get in the gym not last as long as you want them to.

To the weight loss surgery patient slider foods are the bane of good intentions and ignorance often causing dumping syndrome, weight loss plateaus, and eventually weight gain. Slider foods, to weight loss surgery patients, are soft simple processed carbohydrates of little or no nutritional value that slide right through the surgical stomach pouch without providing nutrition or satiation. The most innocent of slider foods are saltine crackers, often eaten with warm tea or other beverages, to soothe the stomach in illness or while recovering from surgery. Understanding Slider Foods The most commonly consumed slider foods include pretzels, crackers (saltines, graham, Ritz, etc.) filled cracker snacks such as Ritz Bits, popcorn, cheese snacks (Cheetos) or cheese crackers, tortilla chips with salsa, potato chips, sugar-free cookies, cakes, and candy. You will notice these slider foods are often salty and cause a dry mouth so they must be ingested with liquid to be palatable. This is how they become slider foods. They are also, most often, void of nutritional value. For weight loss surgery patients the process of digestion is different than those who have not undergone gastric surgery. When slider foods are consumed they go into the stomach pouch and exit directly into the jejunum where the simple carbohydrate slurry is quickly absorbed and stored by the body. There is little thermic effect in the digestion of simple carbohydrates like there is in the digestion of protein so little metabolic energy is expended. In most cases patients in the phase of weight loss who eat slider foods will experience a weight loss plateau and possibly the setback of weight gain. And sadly, they will begin to believe their surgical stomach pouch is not functioning properly because they never feel fullness or restriction like they experience when eating protein. The very nature of the surgical gastric pouch is to cause feelings of tightness or restriction when one has eaten enough food. However, when soft simple carbohydrates are eaten this tightness or restriction does not result and one can continue to eat, unmeasured, copious amounts of non-nutritional food without ever feeling uncomfortable. Many patients turn to slider foods for this very reason. They do not like the discomfort that results when the pouch is full from eating a measured portion of lean animal or dairy protein without liquids. Yet it is this very restriction that is the desired result of the surgery. The discomfort is intended to signal the cessation of eating. Remembering the “Protein First” rule is crucial to weight management with bariatric surgery. Gastric bypass, gastric banding (lap-band) and gastric sleeve patients are instructed to follow a high protein diet to facilitate healing and promote weight loss. Bariatric centers advise what is commonly known among weight loss surgery patients as the “Four Rules” the most important of which is “Protein First.” That means of all nutrients (protein, veggies, complex carbohydrates, then fat and alcohol) the patient is required to eat protein first. Protein is not always the most comfortable food choice for weight loss surgery patients who feel restriction after eating a very small amount of food. However, for the surgical tool to work correctly a diet rich in protein and low in simple carbohydrate slider foods must be observed. The high protein diet must be followed even after healthy body weight has been achieved in order to maintain a healthy weight and avoid weight regain. Feature courtesy of BariatricPal.com

I just use condoms now (every time), but I'm thinking about getting an IUD too. I used to be on birth control pills, but stopped taking them because they contributed to some rapid weight gain. A copper IUD would be the best thing for me. I personally don't want to stop using condoms, even if I get an IUD. Too many people I'm close to have had unplanned pregnancies (that of course turned their lives around), and I don't want to risk it- especially since I'm getting the band next week.

@lisacaron Your post brought a tear to my eye. Thank you! Thanks everyone for the encouraging words. I am definitely a little defensive and one of those people who feels bad/guilty for my weight gain/size. It took the psychiatrist like 4 seconds to figure that out during my appointment. I'm definitely working on that.

I'm mortified this morning. I have really and truly been following all the rules and not only did I hit a plateau, I've gained three pounds in two weeks. I ecxercise 45 minutes a day and I'm eating less than 1,000 calories a day. I do have hashimotos disease, but I take thyroid medicine for that and my t3 and t4 is normal! I'm calling the doctor today. This is insane! And the story of my life and how I got here in the first place. I track every morsel I eat in my fitness pal and I track my exercise as well. I'm dying........... Any suggestions are welcome! I had my surgery on 8 oct 12 and had lost 30 pounds total, pre and post weight loss, now 28 pounds, obviously...... This is awful!

Wow that's awesome right on!! So the whole weight gain thing totally normal amen lol....congrats! If I may ask, what does hw? Stand for ....I know starting weight and current weight but don't know the H... Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Yeah..it was interesting...on a day that I even was walking around San Francisco all day at a conference and logged over 20K steps..the next day I was up 5lbs!! I had seen this with a few other bandsters who had complete unfills..it was a quick weight gain with no stopping it with diet and excercise..any normal person restricted to 500-600 calories a day should be losing a few lbs a day..not gaining it..but I think it is just the abnormal state of being our bodies are throw into when banded..I think if I did not restrict my calories like I did, I would have gained more..my body adjusted to this new set point and now is maintaining there.. I wish I could trust that I would be okay with just living without a band and hope for the best and try with diet and excercise that failed many times before. I'm older and metabolism is slower, about to hit menopause anytime now which doesn't help..so if I can get this weight back off and maintain it..I would be happy. If I was good at eating healthy ALL the time and excercising all the time, I never would have been overweight and needed the band. We are humans..we need food..we love food..we will always slip and fall when it comes to food. I wish I had that willpower..never did and won't start now at age 50.. Anyway...best of luck to you!! I will post my follow up...

It's interesting that you gained 30 lbs eating only 500 calories a day. The band does not change your metabolism, so I'm confused about that. But yes, for me the discomfort and constant feeling of having a heart attack is simply not worth it. I was absolutely miserable. It's only been 2 weeks since I've had no restriction but I haven't gained anything at all. There were times with the band where I gained 10 lbs in a week because I fell off the wagon with my diet. My eating habits are so much healthier now, so I'm looking forward to keeping a good attitude towards food without the band. I was also doing cardio and strength training 4-5 days a week, which I will get back to when I'm healed up from the removal. I was very encouraged by a post on this site by AZbandster. She had a very similar experience to mine and has done well maintaining without the band. I just found that the band did not actually stop weight gain for me. Like I mentioned, I could eat horrible and gain 10 lbs easily even with the band full. I had to make permanent changes to the way I thought about food. I actually began a pescatarian diet 6 months ago which helped me lose the most recent 10 lbs I lost. Now I'm looking forward to trying a more vegan based diet with seafood proteins a few times a week. The pescatarian diet is helping with my digestion, sleep, and so many other improvements, like my hair and skin so I'm hoping to continue to see benefits. With regard to the payment, my insurance covered the removal with no hoops but not a revision. Wish you the best as well. I'll be sure to check back in on you to see how you're doing.

I'm sorry for the loss of your father. I lost my mother during the pandemic and I know exactly the mental state. But give yourself some grace. The weight gain isn't who you are, it's something that happened in response to some insanely tough stressors. Anyone who judges you doesn't deserve your company—people who truly love you just go, "That's my friend Thunder7, he's awesome," not some Mean Girls "zomg did you see Thunder7?". You know what you need to do to lose it, because you did it once before, and you've already started. Just know it isn't going to happen in two months, and it's gonna take work. Get the beer out the house right now, and don't go to bars. (Probably sage advice anyway in much of the country given the spread of the virus...) As for the loneliness factor... I get that too. I joined a small gym where everyone is very friendly and made friends there. Or if you're into singing (or anything else), just join activities and friendships will follow.