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@@theantichick The weight gain may have been a result of the blood pressure med change. Hopefully they added a diuretic and you'll be down again.

Thank you for that @@2muchfun, it means a lot to me. After 2 years of starvation mode and now adding the cardiac meds, which induce weight gain, my body is hanging on to every calorie. I'm worse off now than before, metabolically speaking. It's a bitter pill, but at least I CAN swallow it now

But if she knows it's a trigger food and that might ultimately cause weight gain, where is the pleasure? Should an alcoholic have an occasional recreational martini? Everyone has a trigger food.. I am not suggesting anyone eat a box of cookies or a whole cake... I acknowledge that trigger foods should be avoided until you deal with why you over eat... but my point is.. one should use this process to teach ones self to control their portions and have balance... there is no need for deprivation I don't think the occasional cookie is going to cause weight gain... unless you are overeating or having them too frequently... what will you gain weight is when yopu deprive yourself for so long that you go on a binge day after day because you have not dealt with your food issues. Remember they did surgery on our stomachs not our head.... these issues should be addressed for long term maintenance

But if she knows it's a trigger food and that might ultimately cause weight gain, where is the pleasure? Should an alcoholic have an occasional recreational martini?

Weight regain after two years is not uncommon since we can eat more than we did right after surgery. There are a few factors that can lead to weight gain, two most prevalent are nutrition and medications. You state that you are on anti anxiety medication. Check to see if this medication can cause weight gain. As for nutrition, you stated that cooking is a burden especially the foods that you should be eating. When we take short cuts on the quality of food we need to eat this tends to lead us to processed foods. Processed foods have a in the past caused many here ( me included) to gain weight and suffer poor health. Try looking at your foods and eliminate the processed foods that you are eating. Get back to the quality foods that give you nutrition. The main thing is, you realize that you have a problem. Don't despair, work on a sensible plan of action and you will see positive results that you can build on. Good luck and good health.

I'm sorry for what you are going through. All you can do is your best to keep the weight off. Make sure you eat foods high in Protein and stay away from foods that contain a lot of fat, sugar and carbs. Can you walk without pain? If so, you should try to walk for an hour or more each day to minimize the weight gain and perhaps you will even lose some weight. I know you are depressed, but try not to let yourself gain anymore weight. Perhaps you can join Weight Watchers and begin losing again. Just a suggestion! Hang in there! Donna

I am on the way to the pot of gold. I am so excited that I could sing, wait a minute I am singing. I am scheduled for my surgery on 12/8/09 at 5:00 am. I am told I should be on my way home by 2:00. I start my liquid diet on the 24th. I am working on getting us to that diet. I am finding it hard to eat only a dime size bite as well as chewing that piece 30 times. I have always drank something with every meal and now that too has been hard. I know I shouldn't complain after reading pages and pages of stuff on this site. I have nothing but to forge on. I will do that. I am not sure where to get protein drinks from. My son said that you can get it just about anywhere but that a lot of them are nasty tasting. If there is anyone out there that can fill me in on the do's and dont's of protein shakes. That would be wonderful. I am 48 years old and am about 180 lbs over weight. That is a terrifying weight gain when you think about how toxic fat cells can be to your body. I am so ashamed of myself for getting this size. I truly didn't think about the weight until I became diabetic then took a long look at myself (I think that was the scaryest of all so far) and here I am. After the blood pressure was going up and up. I began this process. I would be lying if I said that it is all overwhelming right now. I have information swimming around my head like a over crowded fish bowl. This to shall pass I have to doubt. :confused: So as the journey is underway. Lay back and enjoy the ride. TaTa For Now:smile2: . How can you beat that

Hi. I'm also relatively new to the forum. My insurance company does require a six month supervised diet, and I'm one month into it. I realize how discouraging it is. I want the band done and I want it done now, but that's just not going to happen so it's best to take advantage of the "pre-surgery" time I have to get my life in order. A six month supervised diet basically consists of going to your doctor or a nutritionist and getting weighed in once a month, or at least that's what my insurance (Blue cross blue shield) told me. During this time I'm also getting all of required pre-op testing done and out of the way. I've had labwork done which reveals not only do I have the beginnings of Diabetes type 2, but I also have hypothroidism. I've been started on medication for both. This is a good thing to have had done because had these things not been checked, it would have been a struggle to lose weight. Since starting on the meds (2 weeks), my carb cravings have been significantly reduced and I've lost 8 pounds without even trying. Of course all of my weight gain cannot be attributed to my imbalance, but the part that is, will be shedded pre-surgery. I also had my sleep study done last week which revealed obstructive sleep apnea. I was have >50 hyponeas within a 15 minute time span. Basically, I am not getting any restful sleep. I'm worn down. I'm tired. My body is exhausted. I expect this week I'll be starting on the CPAP machine which will hopefully restore my body and thus give me ENERGY. So look, in the first month I've already discovered things that I currently have working against me and I'm now working to reverse these things that can sabotage my progress. Quite simply put, had I not done these things and went straight for the band, I would have probably not lost much weight and would have been disappointed. Another thing I am doing in this time is getting my relationship (or addiction) with food under control. I am trying to understand why I eat when I eat, and I'm hoping this too will serve as another map for success. Anyway, dont give up. Let's support eachother through this time, because is six months really that long of a time to wait when the rest of your life is set out before you? Oh, I also want to add, that if you have a fear of complications, which I do, which is why I won't get bypass, think of this time as a way to prep yourself for anesthesia. Any weight you can lose prior to being put under is going to lessen the anxiety you have of surgery. It'll also be easier post-op! Okay. Sorry for the long ramble. :crying:

It's not that I care what anyone thinks. People who know me would be shocked I didn't say anything I an open book. My weight gains and losses have been an emotional struggle not just physical. I really want to do this with our anyone in my head other than me. If that makes sense. My boys are 15&19 they know and are excited for me. My boyfriend is as well. It's not that I want to do it alone it's that I need to do this for me. I finally need to make something just about me.

Good for you for getting a scale. I know people can get obsessed with them, but you do need to have some reasonable parameters or you can let the weight gain get out of control. I had a scale that I never-EVER- stepped on. I use it now, but I don't let the daily number get to me. Just so long as I see a downward slope over a few days, I'm good. How can you do only 800 calories a day without a fill? My average is 1400. Even going only to 1000 has me feeling wiped out. Good for you though. That's great progress!

Yes, I'm told that insulin causes weight gain. that's why I'm so upset. I was not on insulin and my sugars were in control... now everything is out of wack and I'm on 2 types of insulin. How are you taking the metformin? My dosage was 1000 2 times a day... Can you cut them in half or quarters?

"Kayte"....some people say that you can't really get too much protein, but I would have to disagree. It is true that it takes your body more effort/energy (calories) to break down protein, but protein is still calories and doesn't have negative calories, and can eventually lead to weight gain in my opinion if consuming too many. Especially if you are getting plenty of protein from solid foods, then chugging 4-5 Protein shakes a day in addition to the solid protein. Eventually your body is going to get more protein than it can use and at some point (since they are calories), they will be stored as fat if you have too many. I think for us, it would be fairly difficult for us to get that many grams every day without drinking a ton of them. How many grams each individual needs varies and depends on factors such as overall body mass and it's composition (muscle), one's age, activity level, etc. I know for me, I don't go with the "1 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day" theory like a lot of the other gym rats I lift with. I can't imagine consuming 240+ grams of protein, especially now. I don't care how lean that protein is, that's still a lot of calories. However, I probably do get in a lot more than most people on this message board. I'm guessing I get on average of 100-125 grams of proetin now. I lift weights very heavily and at a very high intensity and there is a lot of muscle broken down during my workouts, so they need the extra protein to repair and rebuild. But if I didn't lift weights or do much cardio, I would probably only shoot for around 60 grams of protein a day. But that's just my opinion as I know what works for me. Kayte, I would discuss this with your nutritionist as I'm sure he/she has a pretty good idea of your situation and needs. http://www.livestron...ou-gain-weight/

This surgery is the best thing I ever did !!! I had always been normal weight until my early 20's and then developed thyroid issues where I had my thryroid removed. Ever since then my weight went up then went down, the went up then went down... the yo-yo weight gain/loss is not good for your body so last year my sis had the surgery and I saw how wonderful she did so I made my appt. and had my sugery this past April 2012. I will be one year out soon and have never felt better. I would do this again in a second !!!! Stay positive, follow your doctors orders and you will do fine !!! Good Luck !!!

I normally just read the comments, but this time time I feel this one. I in sync with you. I went on a 3 week vacation right after I had my fluid decreased. Now I can't seem to get back on track. My weight gain has taken my energy. How can I get started again. I did get a refill and throw up whenever I eat something negative. Am I the only one who has experienced this? If not, what did you do to get your rhythm back?

Just wanted to chime in and say I agree with this statement 100%. I went wine tasting about a month ago, I maybe had 3 glasses of wine over 6 hours. The next day I was up 5 pounds and it took me 3 weeks to get rid of it. That wasn't fun. Statements like these make me think Lap Band lowers your metabolism, at least temporarily. The reason being--for someone my size, we are allowed 39 weight watchers points per day to lose weight. My big problem, of course, was being hungry beyond this number of points. However, each glass of wine is 4 points, so you're just looking at 12 points there. With conservative eating (as the band should provide) it should have been no problem....however, the body is being given much less with the band, so it might end up being a "race with the metabolism" for who is the winner. Oh well, we gotta do what we gotta do. If the standard way isn't working, Lap Band it is. Actually, I really just think it is my genetics. I spoke to my mom about the alcohol weight gain and she said she is the exact same way when it comes to alcohol. And she is NOT banded. I'm just one of the "unlucky" ones. I guess it's good that I don't drink that often.

Hi again, Does anyone take risperidal or any other pysch meds that might cause weight gain. Ive been doing some reading and the psychotropics may cause weight gain. What is the general consensus on meds and weight gain.

It seems like you're all set for your revision. I just wanted to share why I eventually opted for RNY over the sleeve. I initially really, really wanted the sleeve. I suffered from mild to moderate GERD with a hiatal hernia. My doctor strongly advised against the sleeve because of this. He said patients with GERD fare much better with the bypass in the long run, and that those who get sleeved usually have to have the revision done within five years. This occurs even after their GERD issues seemingly disappear. You didn't mention if you have a hiatal hernia, but I did. He also said that while the hernia could be repaired if I got sleeved, it would also likely reoccur within five years. The reason why bypass works so much better compared to the sleeve is because your small intestines anchors the new stomach pouch, preventing it from slipping back up through the diaphragm and causing acid reflux. When my approval went through, it was for the sleeve. Ultimately, I didn't want to risk having a revision in a few years. I wanted this to be one and done. I asked about just repairing the hernia separately later on if I got sleeved and was told hiatal hernia surgery itself is a much more major surgery with greater complications and risks than any weight loss surgery. My surgeon also pointed out that even those who get sleeved still have to take vitamins for the rest of their lives, so there really isn't much difference. I also want to lose as much weight as possible to allow for natural and reasonable weight gain that comes with aging. Bypass weight loss gives you more wiggle room to work with. So I changed my mind and had my paperwork resubmitted for RNY. I didn't have to meet any additional or separate requirements; it was only the matter of updating the insurance code. I'm now 4 days post-op and I don't regret my decision at all.

Let's see, starting weight 240, sleeve on 12/26/12. I'd say I dropped to 183. Revision to bypass 8/14/14 starting weight around 183. No reflux after revision. So here is the doozy, I got pregnant and had twins oct 2015. As of July 2016 I was 166. However, as of today I am back to 183 (my body is obviously comfortable here), even though I am not! I noticed weight gain from July until December (166-181). I had an upper GI done and my stoma is stretched. My pouch is fine, not stretched at all. So my stoma is rounded now which allows good to pass through too fast, so much so that I'm allllllways hungry. So now I am in the insurance stage for approval for a revision. At which time if approved my doc wouldn't either redo my bypass or staple the stoma so it doesn't gather food and push it through quickly. Revision was easier than sleeve, mainly bc I knew what to expect and the pain meds I had the first time didn't help so I knew what they needed to give me from the start of recovery. My sleeve I was supposed to do one night but bc of pain I did two. My revision was two nights bc it was a revision and they needed to see how my body would react. My second revision would be one night stay. The issue I am having now with my stoma is rare, don't let it scare u. Oh and days off of work, sleeve I did two weeks but it was over xmas vaca so I had the time and just took it. Revision I think 4-5 days and mainly bc of being tired not bc of pain. Please ask me anything else!!! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Well my immediate family were all skinny healthy active growing up, so was I until teenage years puberty locked my weight gain into high gear. My dad later in life was big butt not obese was fit like a swimmer early in life. My mum was skinny all her life until she had her 8 kids but still no where near obese. Out of 8 children I was the only one really dealing with my weight from a young age but now my sister is 32 with 6 kids she's gained like 60lbs over the years. All her kids are hyperactive and fit healthy weight, my eldest niece is 16, 5ft10, 150lbs skinny slim. Pretty much all my niece's and nephews are fit and healthy very active BMX racing, cub scouts etc I've dealt with my weight now for like 20 years and it's definitely hindered my chances of starting a family or even having a real relationship but I'm definitely hoping all that will change once I lose the weight, tone up and get healthy I'll be ready to meet a nice girl Never too old to start a family, being a man!

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!!

I'm having portal pain, but it isn't real bad. I say on a scale of 1 to 10, it is either a 1 or 2. I only really notice it when I'm wearing a shirt. It hurts when I touch the skin around it. Otherwise, if nothing is touching it, I feel fine. Could weight gain be causing the problem? I've gained back about 15 pounds. How do you know if your port is flipped? If it doesn't need be filled or unfilled, does it matter if it is flipped?

I wanted to chime in here on the plateau issue. By tracking my weightloss over several months I discovered something very interesting about my metabolism and the way I loose weight. I don't loose for two to three weeks...and then in the fourth week I will loose 4-5 pounds. Then I maintain again for two to three weeks, then I'll loose about 3 pounds. I've been watching this happen for 8 months now. Now, if I'd follow Jesse's advice (from Smartbandsters) about getting a fill if you haven't lost in two to three weeks, I'd be way too tight. But, because I keep track and weigh myself once a week- I can see that I just have to hang in there a little longer to see results. Right about the time I start to panic, that fourth week will hit and I"ll be down. The only time I've gotten fills is when I've actually gained weight for more than two weeks. That seems to rule out Water weight gain and that time of the month stuff. I just thank God I got the band because I always thought I was a failure at dieting...when really if I would have stuck with it for another week or two I would have seen results. But my band doesn't let me quit and it helps insure my success. I have to keep plugging along. Megan

I'm 42 days out and had lost 15 lbs in 3weeks but am loosing and gaining the same 5 lbs since...no change in calories and maintaining exercise...what is this about? I've read many opinions about weight gain but if one is eating less than 1200 calories and exercising then one should lose wt. banded or not?!!! hope the fills make things more consistent and clear..puzzled right now..i am moving foward and just keeping with the program....come this far. Want to love the band:redface:

I have a similar profile, although I'm 46 and 280 lbs. I actually attribute most of my weight gain to the PCOS and corresponding insulin resistance warring with the low-fat diet craze; at the time I was gaining weight, no-one considered low-carb. But I digress. On the go-for-it side: My health has been a steady procession down the list pf problems for a typical obese person, PCOS-->weight gain->sleep apnea->diabetes/hypertension/high cholesterol. Its pretty clear to me I will keep moving down the list to the more dire conditions if I don't lose weight (stroke, heart attack, poor circulation, joint pain). If you feel this describes you, then you are a good candidate. On the try-something-else side: the diabetes medication Victoza (generic liguratide) has done wonders for me as an appetite suppressant. It really helps keep me from being a slave to hunger. On this medication I've been able to be successful at losing some weight (25lbs) and maintaining the loss. One possible option is to try this in combination with a diet/behavior modification plan to lose weight. I've been really successful working with a nutritionist and modifying my eating habits. Unfortunately, It's just not producing enough results for me. But the work I've done has given me a lot of confidence that I can handle the rigors of wls. Hope this helps.

I actually think about this! Before I gained the weight a few years ago, I always used to get hit on and complimented on my looks. Since the weight gain, nada. (Not that I’m fishing for compliments) It was a noticeable difference in how people treat me that I really had a hard time dealing with. I worry that I’ll be “jaded” when I do lose the weight. Like, would you have even noticed my existence if I still had the weight on me? If that makes sense.