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slight weight gains when you're in or near maintenance are very common, but I'd try to get ahead of that because it could start getting out of control if you're not careful. It's way easier to lose 5 or 10 lbs than it is to lose 50. I've been in maintenance for about five years now, and I allow myself a few lbs of fluctuation, but when my weight gets up to my "oh crap" number, I spring into action. It's all hands on deck until I'm safely back in range. If 172 is comfortable for you, maybe have 180 as your "oh crap" rate? (just a suggestion - you could make it anything). To get back down, just really buckle down and make sure you're following all the rules until you're safely back down to where you want to be. note that a 10% gain (10-20 lbs for most of us) is VERY common after you hit your lowest weight. It usually happens during year 3, but then, you lost your weight very quickly, so you're likely already in maintenance even though it's only been a year (and congrats, by the way!! That's an impressive loss!!). That 10-20 lb gain is not inevitable, but it seems to happen to the vast majority of us without much "effort" on our part. I think it's just your body settling in at a weight it wants to be (not saying that you're doomed to stay there - with effort, you can get lower - but our bodies do seem to want to settle in at some "set point" - unfortunately, my "set point" is about six lbs more than I want to be, so it's a constant struggle!!)

If you have GERD and take a PPI. I dont know of other reasons. I do know some people are able to get a revision for weight gain, but you even have to be more diligent if you are doing it for weight loss. It is not like your original surgery where you had lots of restriction and the weight came off. Personally I liked the sleeve better I had way more restriction with it. I rarely feel anything with this bypass.

HRT! (That’s likely what your mum was on too @ShoppGirl.) I was menopausal before my surgery. It was the reason of the sudden 15kg weight gain I had that pushed me to the surgery. The hormonal flush from the oestrogen released from my fat as I was losing was fantastic. No menopausal symptoms at all. Once my weight loss slowed they came back though. ☹️ I’ve had symptoms since about 2016 & still do. Still have breakthrough hot flushes even on HRT though they’re not as bad as when I’m not on it. And I’m not as ‘feisty’ on HRT. My 82yr old mother is still on HRT - if she goes off it all her symptoms return & you don’t want her feisty! I wonder sometimes if I might end up being the same. Lots of benefits. Good for supporting calcium absorption & therefore your bone density. Can reduce the risk of heart disease & strokes too if you start before you’re 60. Certainly worth a conversation with your GP &/or gynaecologist.

Hang in there, Vickie! I can imagine how frightened I would be at this point if my doc made me remove all of the water from my band. Its not just a weight gain/loss thing at this point. . .its more about finally having a sense of control over your own life. Every one of us with a band had to first hit that low point where we were convinced that we couldn't control our own eating no matter how hard we tried. For most of us, having the band is the first real ray of confidence that we've had for years. Don't lose hope. You know that the band does work for you, and that you just need a short period to heal from your complication. You are still in control. Just try to do what you can to hold the line until your band can be filled. A few gained pounds is much less of a big deal than giving in to the old fears. Try some sugar free popsicles - they take a long time to eat. I was going to complain that I've gained 2 pounds and need another fill, but your story helped put things in perspective. Thanks.

Hi Fellow Springers! My name is Summer, and I am having surgery on April 5th, which I am both terrified and excited about. A little about me... I am 31 years old, a NICU RN, wife and a mother to wonderful children ages 10 and almost 2. I used to be thin. Athletic. Healthy. Then I wasn't. My fault. I take full responsibility for my weight. After the bedrest and weight gain of my first child I never lost the weight. I tried... sort of. I had never had to diet before, and wasn't prepared to do it. Then the weight kept on adding on. Eventually I got serious about it and lost 60 lbs. To which I celebrated by gaining 80. Ooops. I have been contemplating lap band for a few years now and done ample research and waited until I was mentally and physically ready to do so. Mainly mentally. It helps to have a supportive husband. He has been great. Attending meetings, classes, and doing his own research. I can't wait to have surgery. I can't wait to buy cute clothes. I can't wait to put up a full size mirror in my house. I can't wait to sit in a booth at a restaurant and not squeeze in. I can't wait to cross my legs at the knees. I can't wait to not be embarrassed by my weight when I catch sight of myself in a picture. I am also terrified I will fail the band. More pressing right now is the morbidity rate of the surgery. THAT scares me. Being a NICU RN I see how things go wrong, which does not help my anxiety. I have found such helpful information out on this site, and am so glad this group was made to support each other through it. Yay for us! Summer

Hello, just wanted to share my recent success. Yesterday was my 3 month anniversary and total weight loss is 57.4 lbs!!! YAY!!! I am so excited. I don't know about the rest of you but I am counting my weight loss from what I weighed before the pre-op diet. If I count from date of surgery (10/17/11) I am down 48.4 lbs. Last week I experience my first weight gain of 1.3 lbs and I was a little upset....but between last week and this week/yesterday, I was down 4.9 lbs. Someone told me it is just my body adjusting itself, which does make sense. I am doing fantastic, tons of energy and working out. Is there anyone else 3 months out? How are you doing? Any Chicago sleevers?

Well, you're right. There are people living this way. Their opinion is just not as popular so some of us prefer to rather not comment. If it's possible not to worry about weight in the future? I can only speak for myself and I notice the lingering fear in regards to weight gain in the back of my brain so for me it doesn't seem to be possible but that doesn't mean that there are people who have a more relaxed relationship with this. It's definitely not mandatory. That's BS. I'm saying it again: it's not mandatory. Low carb, high protein is just the trend nowadays. Or keto. Some years ago it was low fat. Times simply have changed and they will most likely change again, bringing on the next dietary trend.

I have one on my lower back right above my rear. It is fared really well with my weight loss so far. But when I got it, I was careful to have it positioned in a place that wouldnt change too drastically with weight gain or loss.

Holy freaking cow, I gained like 3 pounds in 2 days! Makes me so mad. Yes, I had WAAAAY too much junk yesterday. This is really not fair, I tell you. I haven't exercised in about 3 days because I've been too busy (no, really). Can't my body give me a freaking break? Well I guess this is the first rough spot I've hit, really, so I'll try not to obsess about it. I'm just stressed because I got a little unfill (to 1.6) for my conference in Florida because I was afraid I'd retain water. I just know this means more weight gain. I just REALLY wanted to lose like 30 more pounds before May 22 when I go on my cruise. Now I've got to lose like 33 more pounds and after this weekend probably like 35 more pounds. Okay, yesterday's meals: B: Carnation instant BF S: Like 2 sugar cookies L: Stuffed pepper w/ tomatoes S: Like 2 more sugar cookies D: South Beach frozen dinner because no one loves me :cry S: Like probably 3 more sugar cookies and a mint brownie!!!!!!! I just can't have this junk around me. I have NO self control. This is why I have to plan my meals. Not to mention it was yet another Valentine's day alone and I was emotionally eating. Actually, I was babysitting my brothers while my PARENTS went out for Valentine's day. I just absolutely hate that holiday. Okay, sorry to bitch and moan. Back on the bandwagon!

first off i want to say i know this is similiar to the thread "the "voice" is back". i didnt know if i should post this there or start my own, so i started my own just in case. i have another fill scheduled, but its not for a couple weeks. i am just out of control. i cant stop snacking. i tell myself stop! no more. and i throw whatever it is away. but then, shortly after i find something else in my hand on its way to my mouth! it is driving me nuts. i feel hungry all the time, even though i know i am not. i had a hysterectomy in october. i am now on replacement hormones. would/could these be having an effect? i am also on an antidepressant. it used to be if i forgot to take it i could tell because i would want to eat everything in sight. maybe it needs adjusted now too? this is all so frustrating and upsetting. i was a slow loser, but at least i was a loser. now i am a fast gainer. and its making me more upset and frustrated which in turn makes me want to eat more...its a bad cycle i have fallen back into. and on top of that my back is killing me again. is that from the regain too? i dont know! but i know by the time i get home from work i can barely move some nights. and then its take care of the kids-dinner, boxing practice, baths-i just have no energy. i collapse on the couch when i get the baby into bed! my house is a mess, i am not cleaning like i should. i barely exercise anymore. and i know all this is part of if not the problem with my weight gain. but what do i do? instead of getting up and doing something i sit and whine. i have an appt for the regular doctor this thursday to see about adjusting my meds. i hope that will help. anyone with any advice please please respond. even if its a kick in the butt, i need that too!

Donna - I think you should definitely take a look. 90 pounds ago, I met an athletic man that we jokingly call a health-freak. We are still together, he never once said a word about my weight gain other than when I brought it up. At those times he says if you want to lose weight then do it. He just wants me to be happy. He has been supportive through all my false starts at this and in between. I am fortunate to have him and if I had been afraid, I would have missed him.

FINALLY!! A posting I can relate to..I was banded 7/11/07 and will be filing for a divorce this week. When I met my husband in 2003, I was a size 12; 5'9-exercised faithfully 3-4 weeks and ran the track. Through the course of the marriage I went up to a size 24-26 and hated myself because I've always been physically fit. This is our second marriage for both of us and I admit I married for all the wrong reasons, hence the weight gain. We tried marriage counselling and I even have individual counselling with a therapist who specialize in treating WLS patients. If I had the chance to do it all over again I would in a heartbeat due to the health issues/medications I was slowly accumulating. My DH is not happy about this but I can't afford to be in a marriage that is stressful on so many levels.

Sue, that's GREAT news!!! I'm so happy for you. Don't be embarrassed about the weight gain. If we could control our weight on our own, I'm just sure none of us would be having surgery. I know I wouldn't have spent $13,500 out of pocket either.

Ditto here. Wish I had done it sooner. I fooled around with a lot of research for a long time. Not a bad thing because I found a wonderful surgeon and staff in the process which for me was essential in my weight loss efforts. I look in the mirror and think about what I looked like and how unhealthy and inactive I had become and it makes me so sad that I let it happen. There are so many emotional issues and physical issues associated with weight gain that shorten our life span. What a gift I found with the band. It is still a lot of hard work and there is a boatload of eating temptation and people trying to sabotage your efforts but it is worth every defiant "No thanks. I don't need that piece of pie today." I am still adjusting to shopping for normal clothes but I am thrilled about it just the same.

Sandworms is correct. He has to make the effort. Nothing you say or do will motivate him but everything you say about the old 50 lbs lighter him and his current eating habits will encourage him to rebel. It may seem childish but it's what we all do. Instead of longing for who he was becoming accept what has happened and start to make changes for both of you. Try a new recipe. Grow a small garden to get fresher food. Ask him to go for a walk with you. No agenda, just a walk. Do not talk about his weight gain. He knows he gained weight. He knows he's eating crap food. And he knows it makes him depressed and upset. If it is still bothering you, then you should go see a counselor and learn how to live with this situation. When your husband asks why you're doing it tell him the truth. You want to be supportive but don't know how and the changes he's making affect both of you and you need to learn how to cope. All of which is true. Once he sees you making an effort to better yourself to help the two of you, he will either do the same or your relationship will get worse. Be prepared for the worst. That way you can be pleasantly surprised when things work out.

I am 34, I had my surgery a week ago on 4/16/13. I am an RN and I work in Neonatal ICU. I have been happily married for 13 years, but we've not been able to have children. My husband actually had gastric bypass in 2009 and lost 150 lbs. Our pets are our "children" for now - we have a yellow lab and 3 kitties, all of whom are very spoiled! I have 2 little nephews (also spoiled by me!) and adult neice who is about to graduate from grad school and an adult nephew who just graduated college. Also I have 2 sisters and 2 brothers, and my best friend who I consider a sister as well. I was a thin child, underweight actually until puberty. My weight gain was gradual starting around age 17. I married at 20 and was diagnosed a couple years later with PCOS while we were still in college. We were told we could not conceive without medical intervention, which turned out to be true. When we graduated college and were ready to start a family, we went on fertility treatments right away. 3 pregnancies in about 6 years of active fertility treatments (everything but IVF) all ending in early first trimester miscarriages. After extensive testing, no reason was found for the miscarriages except for my PCOS and insulin resistance. We are very hopeful that reaching my goal weight after surgery will help with conceiving and carrying a child.

My name is Alex and I'm a 39 year old male living in Tennessee. I am divorced with three children. My highest weight was 323 and I became more and more concerned with my overall health condition. In 2007 I was diagnosed with sleep apnea, and just two years ago, atrial fibrillation. When it was suggested that all of these problems could be related to my obesity, I started looking for more extreme ways to try to lose weight. I have struggled with weight gain my entire life, trying all kinds of diets, losing 60 pounds when I was 16 but gaining it back by the time I was 22. My ex-wife had Roux en Y surgery in 2007, and had a dramatic weight loss. Unfortunately, she did not heed the advice of the doctors and dieticians and never took her supplements, so the weight came right back within two years. This has turned me away from having the surgery until a mutual friend of hers, a lap bander, had me speak to another friend who had recently had the gastric sleeve surgery, which I had not heard of until earlier this summer. I got very excited after researching the surgery and called my insurance company for physicians in network who perform it. I signed up for a consultation with the Vanderbilt Center for Surgical Weight Loss in Nashville in July and that is when I was sure this was the right time and the right thing to do. When the surgeon, Dr. Brandon Williams came in during the presentation I realized I went to high school with him and felt another sense of ease since we already knew one another. I had complete encouragement from my parents, my fiancée, and my personal physician, who wrote the letter of recommendation for me to have the surgery. And my insurance company was very easy to deal with, and only required a few standard prerequisites prior to having the surgery. (Psych eval, attendance of support group, evidence of trying other diets, etc). Four months later my surgery took place 11/21/2013. My only complication during the surgery was during post op; my heart went into atrial fibrillation while I was in the recovery room. I was moved to the cardiology floor at Vanderbilt for monitoring. The first night in the hospital was spent seeing many cardiologist trying to figure out how to get my heart rate below 130 where it stayed for hours. By morning, it was down to the 80s, since I was able to take my beta blockers crushed (yuck!). I was discharged the next day since my heart rate was back in the 60s. It has almost been 2 weeks since I had the surgery, and the only pain I feel is in my right side around the ribs, which is close to where they removed most of my stomach. I am now past the soft foods stage and can drink and eat ok, long as I resist the temptation to eat too big of a bite of food. I still crave the old foods I am no longer allowed to eat, but am putting in the toughest battle to stay with this diet by the book. I am 27 pounds down and hope to lose more and when I return to work I hope I can keep in control of my daily diet. That's enough about me... Good luck to everyone out there. I feel good about what I have done, no regrets.

Great Idea My name is Lee Ann, I 41 years young. I have been married for 26 wonderful years to my soul mate. I have a son who is 23 and two beautiful daughters twins who are 22. I also have 2 dogs oscar and pookie. I am a Texas native, I have llived hear most of my life. I am also a stay at home wife. I only ever worked if I wanted to. What started as my weight gain was when I was 21 and my mother passed away at 56. She died from brain and lung cancer, so I started soothing my pain with food and kept on for years. I finally work up one day and said that it was enough. I love animals all kinds. I have a dream of doing so many different things before time runs out, like horse back riding, skydiving, wearing Victoria Secret, flying in an airplane. I always put others first in my and I still do. My family are the ones who finally encouraged me to do this, they always tell me that its my time. I guess I can really say that I am one of the luckiest people in the world because of the way my family appreciates and LOVES me. God Bless Everyone may your destination be your dream come true!!!

Hi, my name is Nikki. I'm 39 yrs old and I'm from Mississippi. I have 4 children ages 22,15,14,and 13. I'm recently divorced and very happy. I'm a massage therapist that works for a chiropractor for the past 9 years. I've been overweight probably for the past 4 years. I started to seriously gain weight when my oldest son fell ill with complications from sickle cell disease. I had to stop working out and give him all of my attention and support. Emotional eating played a big role in my weight gain too! I've researched WLS for the past year and just decided that enough is enough in this weight gain/loss roller coaster. My surgery is set for October 21, 2014 and I'm very excited and nervous all at the same time. I can't wait to be happy with my self image again!

Hi and thanks for the replies. Not sure if I am placing this in the right spot... Hunger is not my issue. Not enough exercise from a seriously herniated dis has really impacted my weight gain.I have done a food log and am staying in the 800-1500 most days - and sometimes as low as 600 if I only have three shakes. I think my body is sick of shakes... I think there is something off in my gut and am taking a lot of probiotics now - funny - thing - have not gained in a week on them... so not sure what that means... I keep hoping that by cutting out part of the stomach you do change your gut hormoes which are linked directly to your hypothalamus... there is research being done on the brain gut connection and then how certain bacteria in your belly can cause weight gain or loss... I keep reading and trying to sort this out... I do knwo that I started gaining weight after a two week course of intravenous antibiotics back in the 90s... I have never been the same since then... so maybe my gut bacterial population is the issue... I think Metabolism is impacted by thyroid as well as gut bacteria. I am talking to my endocrinologist who is a very responsive doctor at Tufts but research is so new it is not main stream... I really appreciate all your input and thank you all.

Awe hunny I'm so sorry for your endometriosis struggles!! Be glad you have time on your side though and please heed my advice, when you can... start your fertility journey!!! Do not wait!!!!! It can take some intending parents 6 months to get pregnant and it can take 5 years or even more!! If you try and try and decide on adoption that can take another 1-3 years to get a baby. I sort of always assumed "they have a pill for that" type thing and here we are encroaching on the dangerous stage of 35 plus and still struggling to have a child. Not to mention the Financials. Just for perspective IVF starts at 15K in Michigan here and only goes up. It's also not a guarantee you will invest and end up with a baby! Not trying to discourage you I just wish hubby and I would have started our journey a few years prior. I wish someone would have warned me. I thought I could lose weight on my own and save money for IVF but life got in the way and we achieved neither. It will be at least another year before we can even safely do an egg retrieval due to the sleeve so I'll be 35 at the youngest having a baby which starts becoming high risk and high chance of mental defects for the baby. So please stay strong, be positive but start talking! It never hurts to get a game plan with a fertility specialist even if it's for the future! There are great options too like gestational surrogates!! It's pricey but sometimes best for women who have serious conditions such as yours! We can chat here or you can PM me if you would like to speak more fertility related. We had been trying for an altruistic gestational surrogate but due to finances and other complications we still can't swing it so all things baby are on hold while I do the sleeve and we save $$. I also need the mental break. We may decide to adopt but I was adopted so it was not what I was hoping for... Sent from my SM-N910P using the BariatricPal App Thank you! I'm 7 weeks post op so we will see what the next year brings - hopefully good things for both of us! I have put off treatment like lupron because of the devastating effects on fertility. It's me constantly wondering what the right thing to do is. Fortunately, I am young but know I have to make a serious decision by 30. I wish you all the best with your WLS and fertility - adoption may not be your first choice but you'd still be a great Mom. Congrats on being 7 weeks!!! How did everything go for you?? Also what is Lepran? I've not heard of that. It sounds like you at least know your time frame. My husband is so sweet and supportive. Says he would love to have a child or adopt or would be perfectly happy with us and our pets!! Me? Not so much... I want my baby girl!! Thank you so much for your sweetness!! I lean more towards adoption every day but I just worry so bad of them emotional turmoil for our child but at least I could empathize having been through it too. We shall see!! What state do you live in? Michigan here. Just curious Sent from my SM-N910P using the BariatricPal App Everything went the sleeve went well. 45 pounds down in 7 weeks the downside for me was the d&c surgery I had to have once my hormones went psycho. Being put under twice in one month is a huge strain on your body. I live in Lake Norman, NC and the center for endometriosis care is in Atlanta so not too far from me. Lupron is the devil - horrible side effects including infertility (1/5 becomes infertile permanently) along with weight gain and worsening depression. It's a nasty drug. If they offer it, of course do your resesrch but I recommend running the other way!

HW 267 SW 245 CW 213 I had a weight gain of 7lbs but I attributed it to several factors. So, I'm one pound away from my lowest weight, post-op!

I'm still here (guess I need to get a life). I've stabilized and been in the same 5 pound bounce range for 8 months. What I found was I have to nip any weight gain in the very beginning, because I know if I start creeping up my moral will deflate and I'll say f...k it, I might as well just eat anything. For example, if I get even 1 pound above my bounce range, I immediately go back to basics of Protein and veggies until I'm back to the bottom of the range. I usually only weigh 1-2 times a month, but if I notice I'm up I'll monitor a little closer till I'm back down. I pigged out over Christmas and it took 2 weeks to get back down. There are plenty of weekends that I may indulge on crap but then I'm right back on plan on Monday. I don't count calories or carbs or anything, but I know what's going in my mouth. I can actually feel the difference in my cravings by going cold turkey on carbs at those times. The best thing is to not buy the stuff you shouldn't eat in the first place. It's easier to resist once in the store than it is to resist 20 times/day once it's in the house. Unfortunately I'm facing my first real test right now. My best friend killed himself on Sunday. My method of coping in the past has been food and alcohol. I gained almost 50 pounds after my brother died and I can feel myself going to that "dark place" again. My PCP brought me some anti anxiety meds as soon as he heard the news. I finally took some last night instead of reaching for the bottle of whiskey, which for me is no small victory. And have you ever noticed people never bring food containing protein after a death. It's all about baked goods and Pasta salads. Hang in there, try and find the motivation you had in the beginning. Look at old photos. Compare your new clothes to old ones, if you kept any. You've come this far, so you do have it in you to succeed.

Like anything, it's a combination of things as to why I'm fat. I know this always sounds like a copout, but some of it is genetic. My aunts are heavy; my female cousins are heavy. No one is super-obese, but over 200 is the norm. Usually after having kids. I can lose weight, of course I can, and I have, but have found that I have to go to such extremes (strict dieting and strict amounts of exercise (1-2) hrs a day) to get a steady weight loss or maintain the loss that I can't or don't keep it up long-term. I know some people down an egg-white omelette and then hit the gym before a salad for lunch, but I can't maintain that and my sanity at the same time. The foods I like are not diet foods. They are savory - cheese, milk, protein, rice, pasta. I don't eat huge amounts, for example I almost always eat only half a restaurant portion and take the rest home, but I eat just enough of the "wrong" foods to result in a long-term slow weight gain. I am also notorious for not being able to sleep on an empty stomach, and late night eating is not the greatest idea. I don't like "diet foods" I can be an emotional eater - don't taste the food, just eat. So ... the usual ... too many calories, don't exercise enough to keep the calories off. Not the best eating habits. And probably some metabolic stuff that makes for it being more difficult for me to keep the weight off without more effort than I am comfortable putting out long term. Basically, I don't mind eating less or exercising regularly. Sometimes I think I could go without eating at all .... if I could just do it without the hunger. But, I'd rather eat small portions of the foods I like, and be satisfied with that.

Hi all. Thanks for sharing so much of yourselves in your posts. I am humbled to read your stories. Why am I fat? I have never been fat or struggled with it. My mom used to tell me I ate like a bird. That was until the age of 31 when a switch on the back of my neck flipped and I started to eat like a Hoover vaccum cleaner. I packed on 80 pounds in 2 years with no change in diet. I exercise and still gain...23 doctors and 5 years later...I am 36 and almost 100 pounds overweight. I was diagnosed with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) and IR (insulin resistance) both of which are being put in 'remission' with WLS. I will be self pay, have done all the tests, and have my first mtg with the surgeon next week. I am very excited. I have to share that the weight gain while painful in different ways...has also been a blessing. I am very empathetic and literally being in someone else's shoes...who is overweight is interesting. How things change for us that once were taken for granted...has been a helpless feeling. I WILL PREVAIL. I will run a 5k this fall. I will run a half marathon in the spring. :smile2: PCOS/IR SUCK!! We can do this!!!