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Interesting topic and responses Alex. I actually don't have an issue with restaurants where you know you are eating waaayy too many calories. What bothers me is when you think you are ordering healthy and come to find out that you may not be. People are getting smarter about asking for dressing and sauces on the side as they know many are calorie laden but I recall early on in my weight loss journey and thinking if I ordered crab legs at Red Lobster, I'd be fine. When I went online to check the menu, I saw to my surprise that the sodium count for that meal was in excess of 1800 grams. I've no idea why it's so high but had I eaten those crab legs, I'd have gained Water weight for sure and would have presumed a weight gain for some unknown reason which would have been very frustrating. I know a great number of people rely on chain restaurants and they are the worst offenders as the above poster noted about the meal at Cheesecake Factory. Am glad that I live in a city where there are so many restaurant options that don't include the chains. One of my go to type of foods is Greek/Mediterranean/Middle Eastern. The fish especially is usually very fresh and simply grilled. Plus they have an awful lot of non-meat items to choose from. Ever have the lemon artichokes? Yum.

I never watched it because I just felt bad for them, but I know Jillian Michaels left the show because she thought that those people losing that much weight in such a short period of time (without WLS) was very unhealthy and obviously one of the reasons for their rebound weight gain. She spoke out against the show later on.

I have had friends report both - one that her tattoo on her stomach didn't change size at all during pregnancy, and another who said hers was a distorted mess. Mine are in places that aren't really affected by weight gain or loss, so hopefully I won't have to worry about fixing any of them! : )

Hmmmm....ouroborous--let me know how that goes. I might need a LOT of tattoos! I have giant nasty stretch marks on my upper arms from my latest weight gain, UGH! I realize for a guy this probably doesn't scan but I am stuck in sleeves to the elbow for life! AND I live in Southern Arizona! Did I mention UGH!!!!

@par1959 I was going to say the same thing... How much is the true question... I have heard of the small weight gain once you have hit your goal & are year or more out... between 10-20lbs... Thats what my Doc & Nut told me... I just cant see how someone would gain all the weight back when your not eating like you use to....

I asked the question when I had my first NUT appointment. I was told 80% of the wls patients will gain "some" weight back. About 20lbs. He said he sees about 50 patients a week and probably sees about 4 a year who put a significant amount of weight back on.....and its always because they choose to eat foods they know full well are not on their new diet plan. You will eventually be able to eat normal foods...just less of it. So you can choose to eat candy and icecream or you can eat healthy foods. Weight gain after surgery is choice of food, not failure of the procedure. And, if you read something about insurance companies saying that wls doesn't work or is a failure, keep in mind that most insurance companies consider a 20lb gain a wls "failure". Really? A failure? In my opinion, that is insane. A severely obese patient.....say 300lbs, who reaches goal weight of 150lbs, then 2 yrs later puts 20lbs back on... how in the world is that a failure?! I guarantee you that once 300lb person would be a happy little camper to be 170lbs when its all said and done! Honestly....do not dwell on the comment/opinion of one person even if its from a doctor or nutritionist. Do your own research. Read the studies and form your own opinion. No one on this site has a doctor or nutritionist who is all knowing. I absolutely mean all of this in the kindest way possible....typing seems to come across so harsh. I just hope that you, and anyone else on the fence, doesn't take this "failure" talk as an excuse to back out of something that can be a kick start to an amazing change in their lives.

I am hoping to be ready to start maintianing my weight by fall and would like to hear if any of you have a maintenance plan and if so what it is. I discussed this with my Dr. at my last appointment and we decided that we would start removing small amounts of fill until I was maintaining. This is what I wanted to do but I am having second thoughts. I don't think this will happen for a few more months. Even though I am close historically it has taken me a while to loose the last 20-25 pounds so it is not like it is going to happen tomorrow. I am just trying to think ahead because I have gone to my goal weight twice before in the last 12 years and managed to gain it back. The first time I maintained well for one year and then gained about 12 lbs. per year for the next three and then gained 25 lbs. the fifth year. Lost 61 pounds, but managed to gain back that 61 + another 25 before I stated looking into the lapband. The second time I started gaining it back as soon as I stopped "dieting." I am determined not to do this again so maintenance is on my mind these days. The thing is I don't diet at all with the band. I eat whatever I want; I do Protein first so I get full and don't ever want much else. I don't count calories and I don't use fat-free or low-fat, etc. Two things that were likely big issues to my weight gain in the past were 1) alcohol and 2) Dr. Pepper. I haven't had a Dr. Pepper or any soda for that matter since I was banded on 8-11-2005. The alcohol is another story, right now all I can say is that it is much better.

I am another person that started wearing brighter clothing once the weight started coming off. I always did like dark clothing, but with such extreme weight gain over the years, I pretty much HID behind it all as a way to hopefully not be noticed as much. It is funny though in that through the years, I didn't really consider that aspect of it until the weight loss started. I HATED pink in my old life, I had a cousin joke that she would be having me wearing pink in no time and I told her NO NO WAY. Guess who now wears pink in addition to every other color out there now? lol... Times sure do change. I care about my makeup now as well, didn't really care to even bother with it much in the past. Now I make sure I at least throw on some base makeup and powder if I am going out of the house, more makeup if I am headed out to eat or to visit someone or to Doctors, etc. And I always make sure to keep up with keeping my hair dyed now too, I hate when my greys start coming in and never really worried about it much before. I also have been picking up some newer, prettier jewelry, plus I inherited a whole armoire completely full of pretty pieces from an Aunt that sadly passed last year and I have been wearing her things as well. Not that I am particularly vain now, at least I hope I haven't become overly vain. But I do care about looking like a vibrant woman again, and that feels wonderful. Add to this the fact that I feel more assertive than I have in YEARS, I gained a backbone.

Thank you all for your very kind and helpful words of absolute wisdom. I know what you to say to be true and sound. I had some of the Pintos and cheese from Taco Bell last nite, and tonight I had some green Beans in cream of mushroom Soup. I had vegtable soup (Broth) for lunch. I am walking. I can not do the protien drinks. YUCK I am drinking as much Water as I can, with is 1 16oz bottle a day. I am not a coffee drinker, and had a 6oz cup of decaf this morning to settle my stomach. I know I need to work on more, and wise choices. I know I am going to have to deal with the hit of weight gain too. Every reward is worth the journey and lessons learned to earn it. Thank you again for being there for me. I am honestly greatful for your replies.

MelAnne...tsk tsk tsk!!! You are having way too much time on your hands!! When do you go back to work!! LOL First of all....grrrrr....count your blessings....after my first week of clear fluids, I have to do TWO weeks of "full fluids" followed by TWO Weekies of mushies before I can even consider solids. But, I think in the long run that will be too my advantage!! You are doing fine....I agree with Janet, we'll have to take the weight gain hit at some point...knowing that it is just a step in the long journey of when it WILL come off and STAY off!!! )

Thanks! I think making new habits that include big crunchy salads will help us stay on track! I personally like having a big bowl in front of me... I can't always eat it all, but it makes me feel normal. The stomach will relax and stretch a little over time, but filling it in with lots of veggies is a great way to stay on track... I think my stomach stopped getting bigger at around a year out. I had trouble with weight gain after that time... but filling it up with veggies, raw and cooked, helped me feel full without the calories.

I tell everyone as well! I figure if they see you losing weight and keeping it off then they are gonna talk anyhow because everyone knows that 99% of people who lose weight gain it right back with out some kind of help. Don't want to be another Star Jones that was a no brainer watching a fat all of your life woman go down to nothing and lie about it on national TV.

Thank you both for your replies. So sad to see so many veterans, myself included have left these forums. Everything is dated from so long ago. The weird thing is throughout my 2 year weight gain I regularly e exercised which proves to me that diet is much more important than exercise. The points of not keeping bad foods in the house is a good one for me. I researched macro nutritional goals (which I had forgotten) and set up my fitness pal again. Went to the grocery store and only bought ice cream flavor and snacks I don't like for the rest of my family. Carried my water around all day and sipped all day. Thank you for the advice. Love to hear more if any other veterans want to participate.

Hello, I guess this is my introduction to the forum. I'm a 46 Y/O guy, about to go in for a revision to my RNY that was done a while back (exact date when I remember...) My new date is this coming Tuesday, May 30th, 2017. My first surgery was somewhat successful, but I guess I got tired of the restrictions and requirements after a while, and I started cheating more and more in my diet. I dropped down to around 300 lbs after starting at 618, my heaviest. A few years ago I had an accident, where I was left in a lot of pain, and since I didn't have insurance I left it go untreated, and that was the beginning of my weight gain, to where I'm now, 504 lbs as of last Monday. Well, here I am, not as excited as the first time, and not scared either, more of a feeling of "whatever". Now, don't get me wrong, I will make it work, it's not as fun being fat and 46, like it was being fat and 30. Anyway, I'm an open book, ask away if you have any Q's, and I'm looking fwd to learning from ya'lls successes and mistakes, especially now that I found a forum dedicated to guy's issues, because my first time around, it was mostly ladies, with very few guys, and most of those guys were young. Best Regards.

Tina, Congratulations to you! It's a tough decision, and it takes courage to decide to change. Change is the most frightening thing we go through in life. Many people stay fat and unhealthy because of this fear. I was afraid that the Band, or any WLS surgery for that matter, would change everything about my life. And so far it has. But the changes have been good. I no longer fear change, I welcome it. People in our lives have no idea how to be supportive, I'm convinced of that. I'm also convinced that many of the people who seem so unsupportive think they are being just the opposite. But remember, change is a frightening for them as it is for you. They too are afraid. After all, any change in you could result in a change in your relationships. They are afraid, and their fear has no reason behind it. They forget that you will still be YOU whether you band or not. They forget that your quality will shine through. You are afraid, and it's normal. Change is scary. Everyone you talk to knows someone who's best friend's aunt, had an acquaintance whose youngest daughter had the surgery and she only lost the weight on one side then her left leg blew up like a zeppelin and they went in and found the band broken into seventeen pieces and lodged near a perfectly preserved donut in her uterus. (preceding ludicrous story for illustration purposes only). So, if that kind of thing bothers you, by all means, keep it all on the down low. It's your life, and your business. But fear not. The beauty of the band is it's safety. Low complication rate. Non invasiveness, and ease of reversibility. Of all the courses out there it is the logical choice. I had to decide. I picked this, and now I'm one month out, it was easy, fast, and nearly painless. Well, a lot less painful than my overactive imagination had drawn it for me. Diet and exercise do not work. Lose the weight, gain it back, plus a little bonus. Will power is good for the next meal, and maybe for months, but sooner or later the will power fades, and we fall into our old ways. If the will power worked there would be no fat people, no alchoholics, no addicts of any kind. The way I saw it the only way to go was to choose between a short life and a longer one. Keeping my messed up relationship with food was the short life, the band was the longer one. Follow your own star. Make your own decision based on who you are. One thing about these people here, they know how to be supportive, visit often, read the old threads. Contemplate. But move yourself to action. As Red says in "Shawshank Redemption" it's time to get busy living, or get busy dying. I suggest living with the band, you'll smile more than you do now, you'll laugh daily. Good luck, and glad to see you here.

I have been a bad bandster I am two yrs post op and havent lost weight since last january. Lately I have been eating unhealthy and not very motivated to better myself. I think alot of it is being complacent in life...new boyfriend..bought a house...and just happy in general. Now my problem is keeping food down. If I dont eat throughout the day then I cant eat without vomiting. I need to start with lots of liquids and almost stretch out my stomach. Once I do that I have a good chance of eating more than just soup. I havent had a fill in a year and a half and dont know if its too tight or just my fault for not following the rules. I dont have pain unless I need to throw up...no heartburn or nausea. But I am hungry....alot. I only eat one good meal every three or four days. Other than that its just snacks or ice cream to get me through. I feel like I am failing myself and the band...please help!

We dont do thanksgiving in Australia, but Christmas is just around the corner. I've actually never had a problem with celebratory eating, I was a little and often overeater not a massive humungous intake all at once eater and i've never ever liked the sensation of scarfing down Christmas dinner, followed by plum pudding, washed down with four or five wines till you need to undo your pants type eating. I hate it. So I've not really dont it. Likewise in any other situation where weight gain was a threat - holidays and pregnancy mainly - I have an Iron will, I plan ahead of time not to overeat and I dont. its the day to day routine eating where I tend to go off track, just not planning, thinking about it or shopping properly.

I am 13 months out from surgery (at goal weight) and frequent the BP boards for the exact reasons you stated. I agree that it is way too easy to become relaxed once you are at maintenance and let old habits creep in. I find "checking in" daily helps me with accountability and even though reading the same posts over and over again from the newbies about hair loss, Protein intake, incision care, the best Protein drinks to buy, Vitamins making them sick, etc. gets really boring after awhile, I'm also reminded of the rules over and over again that I should be following that I sometimes have become relaxed on! Reading these posts and sharing my experience helps keep me on track! I help them to help me! Sadly, it becomes all too common for those of us farther out from surgery to abandon the support of these boards. I think that is a BIG MISTAKE. The reality is there IS truth to a honeymoon phase. There will come a time were you will stop losing weight. There will come a time where you can eat whatever you want. I chuckle every time I read a post from someone who just had surgery worried that they can hardly eat anything. Now with that being said, I can now sit in a restaurant and eat like a "normal" person but my new normal is far from where I was pre-surgery. I know how big my new tummy is and I don't try and eat beyond it's capability. I still get a full feeling after eating 3/4-1 cup of food. Certain foods now make me feel sick (sandwiches) so I avoid them. I didn't come into this process with food addiction issues (PCOS contributed to my weight gain) so I had one less thing to make the process difficult. With that being said, I even find old habits starting to creep in. My tendency not to plan meals ahead of time and eat on the go was a biggie for me. I was finding myself eating out more than a few times this past week. These extra calories will add up over time. I'm being extra vigilant planning meals ahead of time this week. We all need to take a look at what contributed to our weight gain. Especially those dealing with food addiction issues. It is common to substitute one addiction for another. What I can say, is losing weight has been the easy part in this process for me. I was able to get to my goal weight without issue. What I wasn't prepared for was the process I would go through in accepting my new body. I still view my body with a fat lens at times and its only when I see myself in photographs that I realize how much weight I've lost! Anyway.... Welcome back! There's no judging here. The fact that you came back and made your post shows how committed you are. I applaud you for sharing your experience with others. Let the newbies learn from our mistakes. We will continue to pick ourselves up and carry on. This is a ongoing journey that never ends. We are all here to support you. ????

Well--I'll give you my first account experience of this...so far. I was banded on April 18, 2006--have been doing VERY well--had lost 25lbs. A week ago, I discovered I was pregnant (fourth child). You have no idea the shock and frustration and yet at the same time, the joy. I've been nauseated a lot lately--but I haven't vomitted. I never received a fill, so I won't until 6 weeks after the baby's born. I have slight restriction but am able to eat a fair amount of food. My doctor said he'd be pleased if I eat about 1800 calories (of healthy foods)/day. He said that the baby would be fine--even if I lose weight in pregnancy because I'm overweight--he said that the baby would get what he/she needed first and then I would get the rest (calories/nutrition,etc.). So--another adventure--another chapter in my book of life....I just PRAY for no or minimal weight gain. I've been exercising a lot, so I know this will help. One thing I know--I don't want my tubes tied after this baby, I want them cut out, burned, and thrown into the dead sea. Bless you all--

Yup sounds very normal. Most docs will say not to really count weight loss until you are off the liquids and onto regular food. My doctor said to count that as bonus weight. And the longer post op you will probably find yourself hungrier. It's the hardest part for most as you havent had a fill yet. As for the BM, your not eating anything solid so you will probably have much less in the way of BM's. I will sometimes, even six months out, go two weeks withough a BM and will have to do something to help things along :thumbup: The sodium in soups can defanitely be an explenation for weight gain. I will carry up to three pounds just in water retention if I have too much sodium. Up to five pounds during my period. Try some mom to move the bowels and lower your sodium and drink lots of water and see what happens.

Need some major support as nobody in my life will understand. I was banded in 2006 and everything went smooth -- lost 120 lbs and went down to 140. Life was AMAZING, I had an amazing social life and I even worked as a promotional model for Heineken for several years (OH, the irony...) Around 2009ish, I started getting TERRIBLE acid reflux which progressed into frequent vomiting and eventually severe chest/abdominal pain. This progressed into bad complications - at some points, I couldn't even keep my own saliva down and I was vomiting several times per day. I visited my doctor and discovered that my lap band was essentially strangling my stomach and had my band unfilled. Even after the unfill, I still had terrible attacks of pain -- I would get a warning pain in my right jaw, then almost immediately afterwards would have a pain so bad in my chest that it would cause me to double over. After this experience I was TERRIFIED of the band -- I regretted ever getting it, I wanted it OUT of my body, and I became seriously depressed and had bad anxiety, mainly because I was (still am) uninsured and no doctor would do the full level of tests I needed to pinpoint the problem. Because I had gone from full-on starvation mode (barely being able to keep down liquids), I gained weight IMMEDIATELY. One thing led to another, my depression got worse from the weight gain, and I'm now back up to 230lbs. I'm frustrated with myself and I want my old life back -- I'm 28 years old and while I have a great job, I rarely go out anymore and I'm hesitant to date because of my weight gain. I really just want to feel "normal" again.... I'm terrified that I'm wasting what should be the best years of my life. That being said, I'm ready to tackle the lap band again -- I plan on calling my doctor tomorrow to get filled again --- and I'm TERRIFIED of going through the pain and complications again. Has anybody ever been through this?? I think I really just needed to vent this out to people who would understand... thank you for any support or encouragement you can share :-)

this is a long article, so here is an excerpt: "If you offer your body something that tastes like a lot of calories, but it isn't there, your body is alerted to the possibility that there is something there and it will search for the calories promised but not delivered," Fowler says. _____________________________________________ Drink More Diet Soda, Gain More Weight? Overweight Risk Soars 41% With Each Daily Can of Diet Soft Drink By Daniel J. DeNoon WebMD Medical News Reviewed by Charlotte Grayson Mathis, MD June 13, 2005 -- People who drink diet soft drinks don't lose weight. In fact, they gain weight, a new study shows. The findings come from eight years of data collected by Sharon P. Fowler, MPH, and colleagues at the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio. Fowler reported the data at the annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association in San Diego. "What didn't surprise us was that total soft drink use was linked to overweight and obesity," Fowler tells WebMD. "What was surprising was when we looked at people only drinking diet soft drinks, their risk of obesity was even higher." In fact, when the researchers took a closer look at their data, they found that nearly all the obesity risk from soft drinks came from diet sodas. "There was a 41% increase in risk of being overweight for every can or bottle of diet soft drink a person consumes each day," Fowler says. More Diet Drinks, More Weight Gain Fowler's team looked at seven to eight years of data on 1,550 Mexican-American and non-Hispanic white Americans aged 25 to 64. Of the 622 study participants who were of normal weight at the beginning of the study, about a third became overweight or obese. For regular soft-drink drinkers, the risk of becoming overweight or obese was: 26% for up to 1/2 can each day 30.4% for 1/2 to one can each day 32.8% for 1 to 2 cans each day 47.2% for more than 2 cans each day. For diet soft-drink drinkers, the risk of becoming overweight or obese was: 36.5% for up to 1/2 can each day 37.5% for 1/2 to one can each day 54.5% for 1 to 2 cans each day 57.1% for more than 2 cans each day. For each can of diet soft drink consumed each day, a person's risk of obesity went up 41%. Diet Soda No Smoking Gun Fowler is quick to note that a study of this kind does not prove that diet soda causes obesity. More likely, she says, it shows that something linked to diet soda drinking is also linked to obesity. "One possible part of the explanation is that people who see they are beginning to gain weight may be more likely to switch from regular to diet soda," Fowler suggests. "But despite their switching, their weight may continue to grow for other reasons. So diet soft-drink use is a marker for overweight and obesity." Why? Nutrition expert Leslie Bonci, MPH, RD, puts it in a nutshell. "You have to look at what's on your plate, not just what's in your glass," Bonci tells WebMD. People often mistake diet drinks for diets, says Bonci, director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and nutrition consultant to college and professional sports teams and to the Pittsburgh Ballet. "A lot of people say, 'I am drinking a diet soft drink because that is better for me. But soft drinks by themselves are not the root of America's obesity problem," she says. "You can't go into a fast-food restaurant and say, 'Oh, it's OK because I had diet soda.' If you don't do anything else but switch to a diet soft drink, you are not going to lose weight." The Mad Hatter Theory "Take some more tea," the March Hare said to Alice, very earnestly. "I've had nothing yet," Alice replied in an offended tone, "so I can't take more." "You mean you can't take less," said the Hatter: "It's very easy to take more than nothing." Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland There is actually a way that diet drinks could contribute to weight gain, Fowler suggests. She remembers being struck by the scene in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland in which Alice is offended because she is offered tea but is given none -- even though she hadn't asked for tea in the first place. So she helps herself to tea and bread and butter. That may be just what happens when we offer our bodies the sweet taste of diet drinks, but give them no calories. Fowler points to a recent study in which feeding artificial sweeteners to rat pups made them crave more calories than animals fed real sugar. "If you offer your body something that tastes like a lot of calories, but it isn't there, your body is alerted to the possibility that there is something there and it will search for the calories promised but not delivered," Fowler says. Perhaps, Bonci says, our bodies are smarter than we think. "People think they can just fool the body. But maybe the body isn't fooled," she says. "If you are not giving your body those calories you promised it, maybe your body will retaliate by wanting more calories. Some soft drink studies do suggest that diet drinks stimulate appetite." SOURCES: Fowler, S.P. 65th Annual Scientific Sessions, American Diabetes Association, San Diego, June 10-14, 2005; Abstract 1058-P. Sharon P. Fowler, MPH, University of Texas Health Science Center School of Medicine, San Antonio. Leslie Bonci, MPH, RD, director, sports nutrition, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. WebMD News: "Artificial Sweeteners May Damage Diet Efforts.""Artificial Sweeteners May Damage Diet Efforts." Davidson, T.L. International Journal of Obesity, July 2004; vol 28: pp 933-955.

This should be setting off alarm bells. You say you already have restriction but you are having a fill every 3 weeks. WHY? You have admitted that your mind is not in the right place and you are deliberately setting yourself up for failure by not following the rules by drinking with food. What do you think more fills will do? How do you think they will help? If you continue to push the food through then the band will not work the way it should. But what will happen if you continue the way you are is that you will end up too tight, you won't be able to eat proper food, you will exist on sliders which will not fill you up and will contribute to weight gain and you risk a slip, erosion and serious reflux. Does your Dr know what you are doing? If not then it is time to be honest. The band won't work if you refuse to work with it.

Only you can decide what's best for you. It's Unethical for a doctor to recommend one surgery over the other am Not fully disclose why they feel it's a better choice. But I wanted the sleeve day one! My lapband surgeon doesn't perform the sleeve or bypass. He told me often folks who have the sleeve gain it all back with in 2 yrs and it fails. My response... Only I can be the judge of my weight gain in the future. None the less My surgeon shouldn't have spoken ill of the Sleeve simply because was not his specialty. bottom line I never gained with the band but I never lost.. I sat steady at a 28 lb weight loss.. Even though I couldn't even swallow my own saliva. I regurgitated Water and vomited 3-4 times per week.

Hey, if the steroids work, at least I can start walking again. The orthopedic guy has me on a five-day steroid burst; with luck, I can stop ASAP. Anyone else have weight-gain issues this week?