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Hello everyone this is my first post,I was banded8-10-09 I lost almost 20lbs on the 2 week post-op diet but have gained about 6lbs back after starting soft diet but will get my first fill this week 9-17 Dr. says don't get excited anybody else have the same problem? Steve

I feel bad for everyone who wants to get rid of their band. I had problems with acid reflux and the band slipped - when they tried to fix it, I ended up having a reaction and they had to remove it. I miss my band. I liked having control over my eating. I liked the fact that food did not control my life. I am 50 days out of surgery and have gained 25 pounds. I really don't think I am eating more than when I had the band but the weight keeps coming on. I continue to exercise 60-90 minutes a day. I measure my food. I track my diet and exercise. But it just doesn't seem to work. And this weight gain is real. I can hardly sit in pants that I could take off without unzipping 2 months ago. Sorry to complain but I am hoping someone who has lost their band will have some tips for me. And living in Baghdad doesn't give me alot of people to whine to...

Hi everyone, I was catching up on reading posts and you guys are crazy funny! I watched myself on tv last night - the show was taped right before surgery. It was good to see the change, and I could see it, although my hair is long now so that was also different. I weigh myself when I feel good or know I have been really bad so I can keep it under control. I saw Hoffman last Tuesday. I gained weight but he didn't make me feel bad. He really emphasized how much he wanted me to eat Breakfast and even said I could have sips of coffee with it if that would get me to eat. I get up have coffee and 2 gummy Vitamins, 4 benefiber chewys and my medications and I am full! I understand I have to get my metabolism moving. He also said he would like to see me loose 10 more lbs. Hey now that I said it out loud that is not to hard. I can do that.......... I think the first year is hard. You are trying to get in a routine and learning how the band reacts and works. I am looking at my 1 year anniversary next month and I think it is finally clicking. I do see a food therapist once a month and last week she used props, a heavy chain which we used as a kind of tug of war, and I think I am finally getting it. Dr. Hoffman was very happy that I wasn't blaming the band on my weight gain. I know the band works. It is the head that is still a little off balance. I don't have time to get on this site often but I do enjoy all of your insights. HOpe to see everyone at the support meeting Wednesday the 16th at 6pm in the cafeteria at Buffalo General.

Now is your healing time. You have been on a liquid diet and it is normal to gain some weight when you start on solids, but it's water weight because you do not lose or gain a pound of fat in a day. My dr told me to expect a weight gain between that post op app. and my first fill. Don't stress about it and stay off the scales. The weight WILL come off!!

All this talk of PBing, weight gain, getting stuck, is making me nervous. Less than 2 weeks for me now. I started my liquid diet and have lost about 4 lbs, which is good, cuz I have my preop appt. on Monday and it will bring me back to my last weight check..10lbs down, hoping to lose another 5 before surgery. Can someone answer this question for me? Do we have to pay for fills or are they covered by insurance, at least say the first couple? I have Blue Cross. I can see how all the filling and unfilling can get expensive if we pay out of pocket. TIA Sandy :wink:)

Oh honey, I'm drinking a Pyriamid Apricot Ale right now and it's soooooooooo good. No guilt here so you shouldn't have any either. My doc told me that the no carbonation rule was just to keep people from drinking soda and beer and after you're healed it won't cause any damage except weight gain. Enjoy life!

Both Lapbands have websites that will tell her what to eat. It appears as though the Nutrionist is exaggerating quite a bit. She will be able to have those things in moderation of course. However, I have read posts on here where there were people who could not tolerate bread and certain other kinds of foods with their bands. I haven't had any problem with nuts but I have chosen not to eat bread because I want to get to my goal more quickly. Just a personal choice. I am not sure where she got the burping information but I actually burp now more than I ever did. Carbonated beverages are considered a no no and I just don't drink them ever now because they will swell your pouch and could cause slippage. I just don't want to take the chance and honestly I don't miss them. They do cause weight gain even the diet ones. I just personally choose not to drink them. There are a lot of good alternatives out there. My choice is Crystal Light. So many flavors. I don't miss it. With the Allergan, I received a full packet of information about what to eat and I received four videos to watch called "Emmi" about my band. They were very helpful. She really needs to talk to her doc.

No weight gain...no weight loss. I wish this wasn't my story. Posted by AngieB, Jun 11 2009, 02:34 PM Admin/Owner Options Make This Entry A Draft

No weight gain...no weight loss. I wish this wasn't my story. Posted by AngieB, Jun 11 2009, 02:34 PM Admin/Owner Options Make This Entry A Draft

Got this from Calorie Count - Eat Well - thought some might like it... Drive by post - will catch up later :0) Staying in control of what we eat can be challenging in our world, where tempting foods seem to loom at every turn. "In the past, we’d teach people how to handle predictable food situations, like what to do in a restaurant and how to navigate the supermarket," says Cynthia Bulik, Ph.D., director of the Eating Disorders Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and co-author of Runaway Eating: The 8-Point Plan to Conquer Adult Food and Weight Obsessions (Rodale, 2005). "But what do you do when you bump into a candy display by the checkout counter at the shoe store? We need a bigger set of skills." Here, Bulik and others offer advice for beating the tendency to binge and improving your relationship with food. Keep a food diary. Recording everything—the ice cream binge as well as the carrots and celery—"makes everything you eat part of the plan," says Elena Ramirez, Ph.D., co-founder of the Vermont Center for Cognitive Behavior Therapy in South Burlington, Vermont. "It’s no longer a sneaky bad thing." Keeping track of your calories can help you lose weight, too, as it helps tip you off to behaviors that lead to weight gain. A daily food diary, in fact, is an integral part of The EatingWell Diet (Countryman, 2007). Plan for the occasional piece of cheesecake. Studies suggest that feeling deprived—even if you are consuming plenty of calories—can actually trigger overeating. Making any food off-limits "just increases its allure," confirms Ramirez. If pizza is your downfall, it might be too tempting to keep in your house—but you can learn to enjoy it in a "safe" environment, she notes. "Make a trip to a pizza place, order a slice and enjoy it out in the open. The more you practice this, the more it becomes ingrained behavior." She adds, "You can’t avoid a trigger food your whole life, but you can learn how to eat the foods you binge on in moderation." Give up grazing. While eating regularly helps prevent feeling deprived and hungry, "[grazing] can easily supply a binge’s worth of calories, a little at a time," says Ramirez. Plan four "eating episodes" each day spaced at regular intervals to avoid going long stretches without eating (which can also trigger binging). Eat Breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus a 250-calorie midafternoon snack. At each, include a little Protein for additional staying power. Eat with intention. Have all your meals in a designated place without distractions (i.e., not in front of the TV). That way your eating episode has a beginning and an end. Eat slowly, stopping to put your fork down between bites, feeling yourself becoming fuller. Making an effort to be mindful no matter what you’re eating can help break the tendency to binge, experts say. Expect the unexpected. Tempting foods are more likely to trigger overeating when we come across them unexpectedly. Since surprise food confrontations are a given these days, it’s helpful to "be armed with a script when you’re confronted by tasty food," says Bulik. "If you’re handed a sample of Cookies at the supermarket, the line might be, ‘No, thanks. I’ve just eaten.’" Find healthy outlets for emotions. Turning to food to "numb out" emotions like anxiety works temporarily, but after the food is gone the stressful stimulus still remains—along with a hefty dose of guilt. Find ways to experience negative emotions with a response other than eating. Try deep breathing or meditation, calling a friend or going for a brisk walk. "The more you practice these alternative behaviors, the more automatic they become," notes Ramirez. Eventually, reaching for a bag of chips can stop being the default reaction to stress. Hide tempting foods. When office workers were given candies in clear dishes to place on their desktops, they helped themselves to candy 71 percent more often than a similar group that was given the same candy in opaque dishes so that the candy wasn’t visible, according to research by Brian Wansink, Ph.D., director of the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab in Ithaca, New York, and an EatingWell advisory board member. "We’re all on the ‘see-food’ diet," he says, "so don’t let yourself see what you don’t want to eat." If you’re going to keep Snacks at home, stash them inside a cupboard; keep the apples out on the counter. Make overeating a hassle. The more stops you introduce in getting a food—such as needing to open a package or having to thaw something frozen—the more opportunities you have to ask, "Am I really hungry?" explains Wansink. Repackage cookies in single-portion bags (or pay more for individually portioned snacks); wrap leftover slices of lasagna individually in foil and freeze. No choice but to serve yourself from a large (shared) portion? Dish your portion onto a small plate. Studies by Wansink and others have shown that when served food in bigger containers, people eat more. Your thoughts.... Do you have a tip for winning the "food fight"? More from EatingWell.com: Quick Pasta recipes Quick Low Calorie Recipes Mexican Food for $3 per Serving

I was banded a week before you and have not lost nearly as much weight - you are doing a great job. Weight gain might just be fluid retention - a few extra carbs over the weekend or maybe some annoying hormones? Perhaps give it another week and see if things go back to normal - you might get a nice surprise and a sudden big drop next time.

Hi Sheree, I live in Glandore, that is great, you are close to me! Yes, I have started walking, and went to the gym once. I normally am a good exerciser but have had knee problems (torn meniscus and kneecap popped in and out) this past year (part of the reason for weight gain--this time!) so I have to take it easy which is hard for me. We should get together and walk!! I will send you a private message with my phone number on it (if I can figure out how to do it:unsure:) Cheers, CallieOzgirl

I was wondering if gaining back a couple pounds is an indication that I may need an adjustment. My last adjustment was in July, I went in August but the doctor didn't give me a fill. I am scheduled for another fill on the 25th of this month. Over this Labor Day weekend I did eat differently than I normally eat. Aside from my normal Breakfast and lunch the following is what I had for supper. For example; I went to a friends house on Saturday for dinner. She served Vietmanese food. Spicy shrimp with rice and Pho (a Soup mainly made out of chicken broth, bean sprouts, and rice noodles) a bite of eggplant and literally a bite of an ice cream pie. (I might mention non of it was measured except for the dessert) Sunday my step daughter was over for her birthday, I prepared bbq baby back ribs, shells and cheese, corn on the cob, biscuits and of course birthday cake. I however, had 3 baby back ribs, 1/2 ear of corn with butter spray, and 1/2 of a biscuit, with again literally one bite of cake. Monday I was back on track eating what I normally eat and measuring portions exact. I did exercise this weekend once, 70 minutes of uphill walking (I live in the mountains). Anyhow with what I have eaten over the weekend do you think maybe that is why I had gained some weight back?

amazing. I came here after a hiatus to say almost the same thing except I haven't been able to get on track. I was divorced in January, have been battling for custody of my children and have alot of new stress at work. I have regained about 50 lbs I had worked soooo hard to lose. I need an adjustment but am so ashamed of myself I can't make the appointment. I met a wonderful, supportive woman and she has watched me fail. she hasn't said anything but I fear she's not happy with my weight gain wich adds more stress that the relationship could falter. I am unsure what to do. I am sick of being like this and every day tell myself I am going to get back on track only to fail. I am very depressed and the only thing holding me together right now is the love of my kids. I am hoping that coming here and reading the success stories will motivate me to call my doc and get the band adjusted and get myself out of this rut.

They are right... you probably have no restriction in your band.. i know i dont... I also know the scale can easily show five pounds weight gain around period time. Once it passes and its over.. the scale will go back down.. I just went through it. Right now i am hungry like i was prior to surgery.. I feel like i am on a diet and strictly on will power. i have no restriction in my band...and honestly i cant wait to get some :mad:

Heather, that's horrible. Your price is more realistic, but still I know how hard it is to come up with that money last minute. I'm in your boat. Luckily, I don't think mine's an emergency. Occasionally I lay in bed and panic that the tube is loose and digging into an organ, which is why I am getting the contrast this week to check the status. Once I find out what's going on, I'm sitting on it till I can get the sleeve. I'm on the other end of the spectrum, I'm just gaining weight. I'm sad and weepy all the time too, but I can't pin point the problem. Weight gain, money, failure in general, and I think maybe too late PPD. I am going to my PCP this week and getting some anti-dep. for the time being. I am glad you're ok now, it's all behind you.. and you didn't plan on having any more kids right? If I wasn't planning to have a baby #2, I would be more willing to just fix my band. But, I'm not real confident about band & pregnancy, and the prospect of going through this again. Or any more revisions for that matter. Wicked was awesome of course.. Carson did good at his g'parents, except when we went to pick him up apparently their dog had just barked right behind him and scared the daylight out of him. I was rocking and soothing him for 30m and he still would burst back into tears. Brought him home, bathed him and re-packed and he stayed at my parents last night. I am getting in the shower, then heading to their house for our cook out. Hope everyone's enjoying the day off!

Holy Cow, I am just now realizing that for once in my life, I am close to actually acheiving a goal I have set for myself. I sat down and thought about all the unkept promises I made to myself, lose 10lbs by Disney, lose 20lbs before dating again, lose 30lbs for family cruise...all never to be realized until now. I am starting to let myself believe that I WILL get to goal this time, that this is the miracle I hoped for all those years. This is not a magic bullet, but a vehicle to get you to your dream. I have worked very hard for my band (not the other way around) I have not taken my commitment to this surgery lightly. I have worked out a minimum of 1 hr, 6 days a week and have behaved myself at functions that in the past would have put me on the road to weight gain yet again. I am so thankful I was able to do this. I am looking forward to losing the next 58 pounds to my ultimate goal of 116lbs weight loss and have not one doubt in my mind that I will get there! Realize Band 7cc's in a 13cc band.. Loving my DOC right now!!:thumbup:

Greetings. This has not been a wonderful week for me. I started a new job and have made some really crappy food/eating choices and as a result have gained 1 lb. My first non weight loss week since starting this journey. A combination of lack of protien rich foods and eating more than three times a day is *not* good! Also, I pb'd last night for the first time since getting the band. It was weird, the milk I'd just sipped to get it to go down was still cold. Gross. So I'm about to get up and start my exercise regimine, which up until now has been ignored. My dog will be so excited. It's a beautiful time of year here in Richmond and absolutely zero reason why I should not go walk/jog around. I'm extremely optimistic that next week will be a loss and Monday after the holiday I have an appointment for my second fill! Warm wishes to you all.

Thanks Melinda:smile2: I don't have high blood pressure...but I'm sure it's in my future because both my parents and older brother take medicine for it. I do have anxiety/depression and I'm currently seeing a psychiatrist and psychologist. I think most of the anxiety/depression is related to the weight issues. I just feel so discouraged. My PCP doctors office is staffed by morons they're always losing things and messing things up. I've been in the room with my doctor more than once when she was reading my chart and she finds papers that don't belong to me in my chart..there is a patient with a similar name to mine. They also mess up my dad and brothers charts up because they are a jr. and sr. I don't think my PCP will be supportive of this- she has known for years the weight has bothered me and she always pushes the South Beach Diet and exercise on me or pills. She's put me on numerous ADD medications because their side effect is weight loss. Antidepressants are what caused this stupid weight gain in the first place. :smile2: I'm gonna call and see what the PCP can do for me. They also gave me a prescription to have blood tests and xrays done but they said wait until we know if I get approved. I just read you self paid and it was $12,000....We did discuss self pay but the coordinator said the hospital alone would be at least 10,000 and that doesn't even take into account the other fees like anesthesiologist and other costs. I'm collecting unemployment right now so thought it would be a good time to get it done but the unemployment runs out in a few more weeks. I wish I had thought of this earlier when I was first laid off last Oct.

Hi, I just went to the doctor today and he said we could try to get insurance approval but he didn't seem optimistic. I'm 5'3" and 210 lbs and my BMI was 37. I have United Health Care for insurance and the coordinator said they're a tough company. She told me go to my doctor/s and get a 5 year documentation or the weight gain. From what I read on many websites the comorbidities that I had were depression and high cholesterol but I guess they're not that serious because the doctor told me if I had high blood pressure or diabetes I'd get approved with that BMI. This is very frustrating.

Haydee, I hope you dont have that gene too... you are next to be mom???? Laura... I love my wellbutrin but they are all different for different people... Lexapro and many others cause weight gain... wellbutrin can cause insomia but i have lots of energy, and sometimes decreases appetites... just an fyi... just make sure you ask! my 20lb gain made me more depressed!

Remember LapBand is a tool NOT a magic wand. I have to remind myself of this as well. Follow the rules and you will lose weight, it is that simple. Making the proper choices is the challenge we all face and the challenge we faced before WLS but before WLS we made poor food choices which lead us down the weight gain path. Everyone loses at a different pace and please be careful not to compare your success with others. Just be mindful that every bite counts. I wish you much success and be kind to yourself.

SLG, I'm glad you've gotten good news about your insurance. Keep us posted on your progress. I'm doing really well! I am down to 193 (192, actually after exercising and bathrooming) again. That's a 5-6 pound drop from where I was at the beginning of the week. I had just had a couple of really bad eating days, so I don't know how permanent the weight gain would have been. I do know, though, that it would have stayed high and continued to go up if I hadn't made some big changes. Now to just continue on down the scale! I'm ready to change my ticker back, even though I don't think it will stay long. Have a great day, Ladies.

I've been on a variety of antidepressants/anti-anxiety meds for 20 years and if I go off one for some reason or another I have terrible withdrawal symptoms unless I'm switching to another drug at the same time. I don't really feel dizzy but feel like there are weird "brain sparks" going on in my head which is very uncomfortable and hard to describe to someone whose never had them before. I'm still trying to get my drugs straight since my conversion to RNY and now take my Cymbalta at a lower dose but twice a day and that seems to be working. I belive it's considered one of the drugs that would cause the least amount of weight gain but that didn't help me when I was on the band. Wish everyone luck with their situations as it's not always easy to deal with, take care Nancy.

yes, I get dizzy if I miss just one dose of any SSRI, and prozac made me horribly agitated and I would guess you could call it psychotic. I have taken paxil, luvox, and most currently cymbalta and all have caused weight gain(increased appetite).