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Hi Politisa, I see you've posted this in the low BMI site too, and have had lots of lookers but nobody answering. I was high BMI and in a different situation, but I'll try and give it my best shot. My friend that I got banded with had 70 lbs to lose and was very successful with it. Some time after she had reached her goal weight her band slipped and she had it removed. She's finding it a struggle to keep the weight down but she's managing by exercising like a fiend and eating very little. I have to point out that she's self employed with teenagers so she has the time to spend 2 to 3 hours a day exercising. I think it may be quite different with young twins. (Congratulations, by the way!) I have heard of people hitting plateaus in their weight loss by eating so little that their bodies kind of go into a starvation protection mode. I also know that certain foods take quite a bit of energy to digest, so if you eat tons of broccoli, say, you should lose. The speed of losing 50 lbs on the band? It really depends on the person. It is possible to "eat around the band" and even gain weight, for example if you suck on milkshakes all day. In your case, two things come to mind. First, people who are not heavy have no idea of the physical and psychological burdens that obese people deal with. It's very easy for people to state that if you just eat and exercise right you will reach your perfect weight. While that does happen sometimes, often things are a lot more complex than that. A lot of well meaning people discourage obese people from getting bariatric surgery. Your weight gain is fairly recent and it's entirely possible that you will lose it naturally, although not as quickly as you may like to. On the other hand, many of us who are obese had the whole thing begin with our gain during childbirth. Keep reading posts. Hopefully others will put their two bits in and give more information to help you out. Keep us posted on how it's going for you. All the best!

At 258, I was wearing 24/26 and 3x tops. At 145, I am wearing size 8 pants - Kim Rogers from JC Penny's. Large tops/some medium I am very pleased to have lost this much weight and kept my weight gain with my unfil to about 12 pounds. I had gotten to 133 in December but was throwing up daily and decided to do an unfil. I put on 10+ pounds in the 1st 2 weeks but after experiencing anemia from nose bleeds last week, and being hospitalized for 3 days with blood transfusions, I have lost excess Fluid and staying around 145. I am grateful!! I think I will keep the band unfilled for a while longer as stress affects my band and I don't wanna go there right now. Good luck to all!

Antibiotics mess with the natural flora in the digestive tract which can cause bloating, and affect the scale. If you do a search of doxycyline and weight gain you'll find several forums of people listing many pounds of gain in short periods of time. It is usually temporary, but that doesn't mean it isn't frustrating at the time. "Back in the day" I was a Weight Watchers leader for a couple of years. I can't tell you how many times I was at the scales with someone who'd had a gain, and told me they had been on program the entire week. Upon further discussion I found they had been on antibiotics, it is something we were trained to discuss. Sure it is anecdotal and the people could have been lying, but as often as I saw this occur...I don't think everyone was.

These posts make me nervous regarding the insurance approvals! I called to find out what was needed and the guy told me a BMI of 40+ or 35+ plus co-morbitities. However, when I went to my 1st consultation Wed. Dr. B told me a lot of times they require you to do other things as well (doc monitored diet, sleep apnea tests, phsycho eval) but I don't want to have to do all of that bc I know that I am mentally fit and I don't have a sleep apnea problem...I'm fairly healthy besides my PCOS problems that I believe are a mixture of stress and weight gain! I hope to have a surgery date in March as I am getting married Jan. 1, 2011 and I would like to have lost atleast 85-100 lbs by then! Figures crossed and LOTS of prayers until Monday when I'm supposed to have an approval or disapproval. He said once I am approved he can work me in within a week or two...so here's hoping I'm a "Spring Into March Bandit!"

This is where you're absolutely, positively wrong. In the short-term, gastric bypass patients do lose weight, pretty much no matter what they do. But after the honeymoon period, this can--and often does--reverse. The body gets VERY efficient, with its new machinery, and if not fed appropriately, weight gain is not only possible, but more common than not. Look, whatever surgery you have, you're going to have to change your lifestyle dramatically or you WILL have difficulty reaching and/or maintaining goal. If you want a magic bullet, you're not going to find it. Anywhere.

Obese people have all sorts of emotional connotations attached to the word "diet", so you'll hear many people saying that you don't need to diet with the band. The truth is, if you want to lose quickly, good old-fashioned diet and exercise are the best ways to do it. The difference now is that the band helps to control the Hunger Daemon that rages inside all of us, so that we can actually STICK to the diet week in and week out for the long haul needed to lose all the weight. Yes, you can lose slowly if you don't consciously diet, provided that you make reasonably sensible food choices. The restricted portions will allow you to eat pretty much anything in moderation and the scales will still slide slowly down. However, if you allow too much junk to creep into those restricted portions, you can stall your progress or even gain weight. The key word there is "IN MODERATION". If you want to lose quickly though, pay attention to what you eat, count your calories, do the exercise and let the band (wonderful invention that it is!) HELP you to achieve success. I think that one of the best things about the band is it's flexibility. You can control how quickly or slowly you lose. When you get to goal, you can let go of all that focus on "dieting" and live like a "normal" person. That means that, like normal people, you need to keep a general eye on what you eat and try not to overindulge too often, but can get away with treats now and then and not have to worry about binge eating or rollercoaster weight gains and losses. Good luck!!

Hello, I have experienced the same thing. My band was removed in September 2009. I started out exercising and lifting weights and watching my diet but gained 20-30 pounds after my band was removed. I am scheduled for sleeve surgery on March 19, 2010 with Dr Wade Baker. Can't wait. I am not able to get back on track after being so angry with the weight gain. This is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do in my life. I feel this is the best decision for me. I have lost almost 100 lbs with band but i was sick with it. I pray this works for me.

Anyone that hasn't asked themselves those questions or been scared over getting surgery is a damn fool. I have no problem losing lots of weight. I've lost over 100 pounds multiple times only to gain it back. I will have lost around 100 pounds by the time I get banded and the lapband is my best alternative to stop or slow the weight gain once I stop losing. I've researched plenty. I am not going into this without knowing every detail and doing plenty of soul searching. Take your time, the lapband isn't going anywhere and will be around if you make the decision to be cut open and have a foreign object wrapped around one of your internal organs. It is NOT a decision to be made lightly.

I got banded on Feb 4th, and my first thought when recovering was "I actually wanted this surgery?!". Every day has gotten MUCH better and now that it's a full week, I feel almost 100% "normal" again. A few things I would suggest for others looking forward to the surgery: -Get your pain prescription filled in advance "just in case" -After surgery, walk walk walk! -Be prepared to see a 1-5 lbs weight GAIN after surgery (due to the IV's). Don't despair. Perfectly normal -Bring really loose fitting pants to the hospital-you'll be "inflated" during surgery and it takes a few days to a few weeks for the puffiness to go down. -Stay positive! We all know it's absolutely the right decision, and change is hard. It's nice knowing that we really are all in this together and we will succeed! I'm grateful to everyone who posts their experiences, successes, trials and tribulations~ So excited for this new phase of my life!

when i was pregnant with my daughter i started out weighing 85kgs and then went up to 115kgs at full term, if my band was completely unfill id be scared to have such a huge weight gain again. I was so sick 24/7 for the 1st 3 months of my pregnancy and hardly gained any weight but once i felt better and able to eat its like my body stored all this fat after not eating really anything for so long. im just scared of undoing all this work

First of all congratulations! Let me say I lost weight once with a pregnancy, you can still stay on a good nutritional diet plan and lose weight and have a healthy baby and an easier delivery! New weight gain stats are out for obese women, 9 lbs gain during pregnancy is all that is recommended for obese women. Good luck and God Bless and keep you!

The subject of Psych Evals comes up here every once in a while , and I am always amused while reading the responses and reactions people have. And, I sometimes get a little angry as well, because of some of the comments I see people making. The “psych” component is one that is REALLY overlooked and downplayed by people when they are getting weight loss surgery. They complain about having to do it, and I think that is a BIG mistake. So….I have a few…(ahem)….”comments”. I think that many people are missing the point entirely when it comes to the Psych Evaluation portion of the Lap Band (or any WLS) process. While it varies from person to person, the problem of obesity comes down to a very simple equation: We eat TOO much of the WRONG stuff. And most of the time, we do that not because we are physically hungry, but because of the “head hunger” that so many of us experience. And, simply because it gives us physical pleasure to eat good tasting food. Sure, there are segments of the Obese population that have some form of metabolic disorder, there are absorption issues, and some other elements that play a role in the path to becoming Obese. But MOST of the problem lies in the fact that we simply eat too much of the wrong food. And, of course, we don’t exercise our bodies nearly enough. The fundamental mechanism of the Lap Band is to restrict our consumption of food. Plain and Simple. If you eat too much, you’re gonna suffer. If you don’t chew properly, it’s gonna hurt. It’s a valve. It’s a Spigot. It’s a throttle whose job it is to keep you from eating TOO MUCH (note to those engineer-types out there: I know it’s not technically a”valve”…it doesn’t open/close. I know…but you get my point…lol). There are some theoretical elements to the Lap band experience such as reduced appetite and hunger, but that does not occur in all people….it is more the exception than the rule. The point here is that a HUGE component of the weight loss process is the MIND GAME. It is psychological in nature, and if that particular part of the puzzle is not dealt with, you will not be entirely successful in your weight loss efforts, with or WITHOUT the Lap Band. Some people get lucky and the band is all they need to lose all the weight, but they are really the exception. And, if the band stops working or needs to be removed, then you have a big problem if you have NOT dealt with the mind/emotional issues relating to obesity. So many Lap Band patients see the Band as some magical device that is stuffed in their stomach and Voila! ….they’re not hungry any more. Nothing could be further from the truth, for MOST Lap Band recipients. It takes discipline, self control, patience, and a strong personal commitment to the process to make it work properly. And THAT is why they make you go through the Psychological Evaluation. To make sure that you are up for it emotionally. For those of you that are complaining about having to go through the process, I would say that your attitude is sorely lacking…big time. Particularly “Shonette”, who doesn’t seem to want to do ANYTHING to help herself in this process. She wants the band to do everything for her, and it’s too bad, ‘coz that AIN’T how it works. You don’t want to do the 6-month diet? Here’s a news flash for ya….the Lap Band IS a diet,,,one you’ll be on as long as you have it in you. So get used to it. Personally, I feel very strongly that regular sessions with a Psychotherapist that specializes in bariatric issues (and I mean SPECIALIZES, not just as part of the practice) should be a requirement of getting a Lap Band, not just a single session before the surgery. This should be an ongoing process, designed to support you in your weight loss efforts, and help you identify and manage the issues that have driven you to overeat in the first place. Now, on the other side of this, I do think that SOME of the consultations ARE a joke. The insurance industry really needs to do some “housecleaning” with regard to how they handle these evaluations. Some of it really is “going through the motions”, and that, honestly, doesn’t help anyone at all. But that doesn’t keep the PATIENT from taking a proactive stance and seeking out quality behavioral therapy to assist them in this process. So, as a prospective Lap Band patient you should absolutely NOT be rejecting the idea of psychological intervention in your quest for better health,,,,you SHOULD be wholeheartedly EMBRACING the idea that your problem with obesity is multi-faceted, and needs help from multiple resources, and NOT just a noose around your stomach. Some comments on what some of you have said here: Cwm812: “I can't imagine any other demographic group having to have a psych consult to get corrective surgery.” Sorry, but what you are having is NOT “corrective” surgery. There is probably nothing “wrong” with you physiologically. You EAT too much, of the WRONG stuff. It is a CHOICE you have made. The surgery will NOT “correct” that. It MIGHT keep you from eating as much as you do, but there is nothing “corrective” about it. It is NOT the same as someone who was born with one leg shorter than the other, or someone who has a faulty hip. Or a bad heart valve. This surgery is about preventing you from following through on the Bad choices you are making. In your case, it looks like you have lost most of your weight with just the use of the band, and that is terrific. But for MOST people, but problem is a little deeper. And you have to keep in mind that there may come a time when you will have to have the band removed. There is increased incidence of erosion, slippage, and other problems that can happen with the band. These problems are surfacing in people who have had the band longer than 3 years, and it is happening with greater frequency, and more people are having to have their bands removed. So, while you may have solved the “physical” component of your obesity by using the Band to limit your intake, based upon what you have said here it is unlikely that you have addressed the psychological component; and there may come a time when you will have to live without the advantage of the Lap Band and the restriction it places on your eating. “I have no problem with psychologists. I have even gone to them for various problems throughout my life, but as a condition of this surgery, it's demeaning to have to prove that you are competent to be of normal size!” The Pysch Eval has NOTHING to do with “proving competence to be of normal size”. What an absurd statement. What is has to do with is to make certain that you are aware what the challenges are post-surgery, and that you are capable of sticking to the rules, and willing to do the work that is necessary to reach your goal. And a GOOD therapist will want to work with you to help isolate issues in your life that might get in the way of doing so. THAT is what it is all about. Cwm812 and 4Sammy: "I hate when we waste our medical resources in this country." So, you guys see obesity as merely a PHYSICAL issue? Something that just “happens” to you? Something you didn’t play a role in? It’s nothing that you had a CHOICE about? That’s how you see it? You know…there is a significant percentage of people who think that Weight Loss Surgery IS a waste of “Medical Resources”…..Many people think that we, as obese people, simply have no self-control or discipline, and that WLS is a waste of Surgical Talent that could be used on more “serious” maladies, like heart disease and cancer. As a Weight Loss Surgery patient, I do not entirely agree with that notion….but I UNDERSTAND it. I understand what they are saying. I recognize that obesity IS a self-inflicted wound. For the most part, we do it to OURSELVES. And wouldn’t it be great if we could find a way to solve the problem WITHOUT tying up Surgical Theaters and other resources? We all know that it is not that simple….BUT proper counseling and psychotherapy CAN make a world of difference to people who are struggling with weight issues. I have personal acquaintances that have been able to lose significant amounts of weight by seeking out a properly credentialed psychotherapist, and getting to the root of life issues that have contributed to large amounts of weight gain. Regular Psychotherapy played a HUGE role in my own transformation. Christiemr: “Just one more benefit to being self pay I guess, no psych consult! Woohoo!!! In medicine we call it CYA (cover your a--) medicine. I'm sure there's one person out there somewhere who had the procedure expecting the magic quick fix, didn't do what they were supposed to, got stuck, slipped band, etc and then tried to sue their doctor so they all freaked out and started requiring the psych eval.... Just a theory. “ Wonderful. “just one more benefit”….meaning just one less thing you HAVE to do that might very well make the difference between your being successful or failing in this process. Shonette: “Why in the world do someone need to tell me what my thoughts or feelings need to be concerning my over weight condition. I know that am over weight and that is why am doing something about it. “ You really don’t get it, do you? It’s not about “telling you what your thoughts should be”. It’s about finding out WHY you feel how you do about eating and then coming up with methodologies to deal with those issues. And there’s other stuff involved too, but for you to discount something very fundamental to weight loss (and ANY behavioral Psychologist will verify what I am saying) is to dramatically decrease your chances for long-term success with ANY weight-loss procedure, surgery or otherwise. “Am willing to do only those things that I have to do and nothing more.” That is the purest recipe for failure that I have heard in a LONG time. To kagead: It sounds like you have a Dr that’s “gets it”. I hope you keep Psychotherapy as part of your “band lifestyle”….I can guarantee that it will play a role in your success. Ok, I have spent far too long on this. If anyone who is reading this thinks that I have been insulting or something else, that is NOT my intention. But understand that I have been involved in weight Loss surgery-related areas for nearly a decade. I have undergone multiple Surgeries, have made many mistakes, and I have learned the HARD WAY what it takes to be a success at this. And one of the most important elements of this whole process is to pay close attention to the MIND element of this. Because THAT is where the success begins and ends. So, when you are sent for your Psych eval, I would heartily suggest that instead of seeing it as a waste of time, think of it as another component of a successful Lap Band experience….embrace it, and consider making Psychotherapy a part of the process of becoming a Healthier person. It might be the difference between success and failure.

I started working out at the gym last week. On monday i had gained 5 pounds. Is it possible this is becuase of muscle gain? I had second fill last week also and food intake was a lot less. On monday i was looking forward to getting on the scale to see what the gym had done for me. When i saw the # i like to have passed out. Anyone see this before Thanks :rolleyes2:

Slider foods are no good to any of us. period. If you think they are Your in your weight gaining cycle. Your not working the band except in the wrong direction. Just my 2 cents. Your only fooling yourself.

also, you will want to use a heating pad on your shoulder. It helps with the shoulder pain and take ibprofin.. it also helps with the swelling. I don't have those health problems. However, if you had an IV drip, they are putting extra fluids in you which means you will have a weight gain. That is normal anytime you have IV fluids put into your body. Good luck with your band!!!

NO - consuming more calories than you burn makes you gain weight...period. There are lots of things to take into consideration. What is your BMR, are you eating good calories that make you feel full and don't affect your blood sugar so you are starving later??? All of that goes into the equation, but the simple fact is 3500 calories = 1 lb. If you want to lose weight you have to create a caloric deficit. After going off the liquid diet, I hardly ever drink Protein shakes b/c they don't stay with me. If I have one for Breakfast, I am starving by 9:30. Some people are different and like Protein Shakes or NEED them to make sure they are getting in enough calories and protein. If you are eating a normal diet and adding protein shakes, you might be eating too may calories which could cause weight gain...it is not the shakes...it is the calories that make you gain.

I have heard others say surgery can cause water retention weight gain. So give it a week or so and see how it all works its way out of your body. I didn't own a scale immediately after surgery so I don't know what my weight was doing then.

I've always been overweight, but as I put more and more weight on, I didn't realize it. Maybe because most of my weight gain happend around pregnancies, I don't know. After having my last child (he's 5 1/2 now!) as I had to shop for bigger and bigger clothes, 5x, then 6x, then 7x, it still didn't click "hey girl, you are really putting it on" It wasn't until my husband took a photo of my son and I just so happended to be getting dressed in the background...all I had on was my underwear! I saw that and was like OMG!!!! WTF!!! Then it hit me, I am really really huge! YET, I still didn't do anything about my weight! I didn't do anything until my mom won a free 2 month membership for 2 to Curves. And I only went initially because it was free. But, even after losing so much weight, I still don't see myself accurately. I look in the mirror or in window as I'm passing by and think I look ok, but in photos, I'm like, UGH, why don't I look in the photos like I look in the mirror? It's very strange! I wonder if it will still be like that once I get even smaller?

Hi MarilynJ6354! I've always equated any liquid diet to a kind of Jenny-Craig-Syndrome. It's all fine and dandy while you're on it, but humans are not made to survive on Clear Liquids (or prepackaged meals) alone! As soon as you come off of the diet, your body has to reregulate and adjust to not being starved anymore. Your body is just figuring things out right now. While the pre-op diet is essential, truth be told, it's main function is not to make you lose weight. They put you on liquids in an effort to reduce the fat around your liver, making for an easier surgery (and less chance of complications). Some of your liquid diet weightloss was Water weight, and with your exercising now and increased food options, the water weight has just returned. I know it's hard because your band is so new and exciting, but try not to stress about your weight too much right now. Let your body heal, follow your doctor's instructions, and your big weightloss will happen when you're back to real foods and have restriction. For what it's worth, I think going back to liquids would be a HUGE mistake. The only way for us to loose weight long term is to change our daily habits to something healthy and sustainable. A liquid diet is neither healthly nor sustainable. And you will experience the same weight gain everytime you go back to other foods. Hang in there! You're on the right path :-) Just try to focus on making good food choices and keep hitting the gym. The rest will fall into place.

Gosh it's been a while, my update to update to update.. HEH! My tube broke while I was pregnant. I had to pay (out of pocket) about $10k to get a new band put in. Well actually, I had to buy the whole band (you can't buy pieces) and they replaced the tubing & port. Allergan is currently entertaining reimbursement. My doc kept the tubing to show it was defective (it actually just snapped in half). I'll let ya know what ever happens. And my band is not covered by insurance.. Oh man and as for weight gain... pregnancy + Broken Band = bad. I lost 120lbs the first year, gained 60lb while pregnant, and since my band has been fixed (Oct. '09) I haven't gained or lost a single pound.

I'm not shouting it from the rooftops, nor am I keeping it a secret from everyone. I told my bosses as one I needed the approval for the time off, but also we are a close knit bunch and I know they would be nothing but supportive. I have told my family, although I was hesitant in telling my mother considering some of my weight issues and self esteem issues that led to my weight gain over the years was because of her. I was fully expecting her to be against it, but she was ok with it in her own snarky way. I believe she phrased it as "well, if you are desperate enough and insurance covers it, it's your choice". This coming from the woman who spent $15,000 on a face lift and neck lipo. I have been very selective in my friends that I am telling. And I sure as heck am keeping it out of my Facebook updates!!

bandfan1: I'm in the same boat as you! 2 1/2 years out and suddenly I realized I lost all restriction in January. Under fluoro my surgeon kept putting in 3 1/2 cc and only getting back 3 1/2cc--so there was nothing in my Band (should have had 4 cc in it already). He gave me 4 1/2 cc that day but the restriction only lasted maybe 4 days, if that. He says they can replace the tubing or the entire Band if needed--and I totally emphathise with the weight gain--7 pounds and counting. :thumbup: I'm going to call my insurance company today to find out whether a "fix" is covered--because so many of you brought up good issues. So where are you with this mess now? Please say you were able to get it fixed or replaced with no issues...

youknowit: I'm in the same boat as you! 2 1/2 years out and suddenly I realized I lost all restriction in January. Under fluoro my surgeon kept putting in 3 1/2 cc and only getting back 3 1/2cc--so there was nothing in my Band (should have had 4 cc in it already). He gave me 4 1/2 cc that day but the restriction only lasted maybe 4 days, if that. He says they can replace the tubing or the entire Band if needed--and I totally emphathise with the weight gain--7 pounds and counting. :thumbup: I'm going to call my insurance company today to find out whether a "fix" is covered--because so many of you brought up good issues. So where are you with this mess now? Please say you were able to get it fixed or replaced with no issues...

You've moved from a no-residue diet to one that lingers in your gut--which in and of itself can account for a bit of extra weight. In addition, you've upped exercise. While it's too soon to be seeing muscle gain, it's very likely that your muscles are holding onto some Fluid. This happens when the muscles cells do not get enough oxygen from the air you breathe. In order to stay well-oxygenated, they revert to lactic acid fermentation--a process that produces oxygen and the metabolic by-product, lactic acid. When the lactic acid level in your muscle cells increases, the body strives to maintain homeostasis by equalizing this concentration differential. Fluid moves into the cells---causing them to swell. The body is usually very efficient when it comes to flushing out this fluid, but temporary weight gain can be expected, post-workout. Keep doing what you're doing---and don't be scared to eat. The weight IS going to come off. In fact, you're losing fat now. It's just that the number on the scale doesn't tell the whole story

Ok, So I recieved my first fill on the 2nd while on my cycle and I have gained weight since the fill. 1st, my cycle has come on WHILE on my active birth control pills. It has been full force for over a week. Could this be because of my 40 + weight loss since November? 2nd, I got my fill and has not felt ANY restriction. It is almost like I didnt go. Now I weigh myself this morning and have gained 2.5 pounds this week. Could it be because of this pesty cycle? I need to know before I go workout and pull a muscle LOL. This is driving me crazy in more ways than one. And it doesnt help that I am snowed in with cabin fever. Everything I see I want. I need to get out of this house. HELP!!!!!!!!:thumbup: