Search the Community

I was on Depo for three years and gained 80 pounds. Nothing I did was able to stop it. And I didn't attribute the weight gain to it at the time otherwise I would have stopped sooner. Had I known then what I do now I never would have gotten that shot, I am not completely blaming it for my 318lb self but it certainly did not help. My nurse ended up telling me that people who have a tendency to gain weight, will gain weight with Depo. It just seems so counter productive if you are having this procedure.

I had my band put in feb 9 th, 2009 and have gone from 325 pounds to 200 pounds ...Recently I gained 20 pounds back and have found myself to get sick 4 outta 5 times I eat now....Been trying to identify suspect foods....Pretty much the only kind of meat I eat is fish, no beef or chicken.....I haven't drank any milk for over a year now...just use almond milk... I worked out the first 3 years of my band being put in...Last 2 years I've limited my exercise. I'm wondering because of my weight gain if I have tightened the band too much ? Anyways, by not being able to keep anything down , I believe I may fix the problem soon . Has anyone else experienced the inability to not keep anything down? I would like to be able to eat again and am grateful when I can.

It's a reminder that the body retains more water in the summer time especially if you're not drinking enough water (and you're sun burned), which means less weight loss and possibly weight gain! Don't get discouraged!! Keep thinking about the non-scale victories, and check the scale less!!!

Thank you guys! I'm just upset because going onto my 4th year, I just wanted to live like a normal person and not always just watch what I eat. . . guess not. I'm back on the wagon. I've been following the Atkins plan for nearly 1 year. It works well and when I went off and added some carbs which i wasn't supposed to yet, i guess my body retaliated and i did feel badly. Nausea, bloaty, swelling, weight gain. . etc. But I'm back on it now and won't be coming off it. Protein good, carbs bad. . . water good, soda bad! lol. . . . thanks again, i really feel better knowing that you all understood. . . blessings and pleasant journey (it's a damn long one)

You've done pretty well considering. Dig in your heels and really try to keep on top of the weight gain and hopefully this will be fixed for you in no time. I've got everythign crossed for you that its your port rather than the band so that it can be easily accessed and fixed.

Dear Fellow bandits has any one but me gained weight over the holidays? I was banded 11 21 o6 and have never felt any restriction at all to this date. I feel like I never had surgery and never went into the pureed form of foods and never felt any ill effects from this. I see my surgeon today and I am scared he is going to say I am a failure. I am scared to be weighed but I have to face the music for failing myself, could anyone relate to me on this? I feel so alone in this matter and defeated. Thanks for having this site so I could vent my frustrations and anxieties.

Weight gain can cause you to put up new walls due to shame and embarrassment. Both the gain of weight and the loss of weight carry huge psychological issues that often get completely ignored in the process. I look at the walls you are putting up as a way of you avoiding dealing with the problem. Just like with any other disorder, you can't fix it until you admit there is a problem. So yes, you gained some weight. Now you are taking control and you are going to fix the problem. Yes you had to buy bigger clothes, but now you are changing and focusing on the new. Find your motivator and stop putting up the walls. You will need these friends to help hold you accountable when you do start losing and you will absolutely cherish their support and compliments when they see your changes.

Hello everyone so my surgery was June 12th and I was losing weight pretty steady and as of this week I've gained 9 pounds and I don't understand why cause all I have each day is my protein shake and some meat like turkey or chicken and I can't eat that much when I do so I'm getting really discouraged and depressed is this normal or is there something wrong please help

I will be banded 3 weeks from today, 11/8. I have always prepared healthy meals, but my 18 y/o daughter has gained a lot of weight in the past year from eating junk that she gets at school, stopping at McD's and DQ for ice cream and eating snacks that are really a meal. It started happening when her dad and I separated. She has asked me for help and I have shown her how to weigh, measure, keep a food diary, etc. It's getting her to continue that is difficult. She's angry with me because, in her words, now she'll be the only fat one in the house. Has anyone had the experience that others in the family are more motivated to lose weight after someone in the household has been banded? She has refused counseling to talk about her anger, which I know plays a huge part in her weight gain. I am so afraid that she'll end up as large and unhappy as I have been.

I too have PCOS, but stopped getting my period. If you haven't already, you should "google" PCOS and read all about it. There is a wide spectrum of symptoms that go along with it. I have all the aweful ones- darkening of the skin, skin tags, weight gain etc... I take the same meds as you've been prescribed. Expect to feel a bit on the nauseated side. I felt like I was car sick for about 3 weeks- YUK! I think I've had it for a long time, but was just diagnosed last summer and that was when I made my final decision for WLS. I am extremely frightened of getting diabetes and heart disease. I wish you the best of luck with your journey. Keep us posted!

Hi Lovemylapband I don't know anything about lupus, other than it's one of those diseases that they have to use steroids to treat you with. And that's the problem, the steorids. I know how awfull it is to be on prednisone and just watch your body swell, semingly of it's own accord. The rapid weight gain, the 'roid rage, the round red moon face, the acne, I could go on, but anyone who's takine steroids knows all too well. I think with steroids you are looking at a double edged sword. The increased steroids in your body make you hold onto the just about evey calorie you take in. The calories in/out thing doesn't work if you have a high level of steroids in your system. The other edge is that for many people, the steroids make them hungry. I'm not sure what mechanism get flipped on here, but this is what happens. I don't know if this makes you feel better or not, but since they have you weaned down to a lower dose, your weight gain should really slow down. Once you are completely weaned off the prednisone, you should be able to lose weight again. I'm so sorry about the lupis, from what I understand it's a difficult row to hoe. (((((hugs)))))

Hi Just joining site. I am attending an informational meeting on LapBand on Friday. I am 38 year old, 5 ft 1 in. 215 pounds. I have tried Diet Workshop, Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig. I had a hysterectomy five years ago and it has been a struggle to lose weight. I gained 50 pounds just since surgery. I have struggled with my weight which seems like forever. I have always had a bad body image even when I was in my teens without a weight problem. Since having children (5) I have struggled with my weight. Two of my children were born stillborn so pregnancy was not a good time in my life. All of my weight settles into my stomach area and I must get asked a few times a month if I am expecting. Very embarrassing and emotional especially where that wasn't a great time in my life. I am active. My children are 14, 11, and 7. I think I am fighting genetics with this also. I don't have significant health issues. I do have fibromyalgia which is very painful and complicated by weight gain. I did have gestational diabetes with one of my pregnancies. Unfortunately not a great deal of this weight is from my pregnancies. A few pounds here and there from pregnancies. I am over 80 pounds over weight. My question is the safety of surgery? Is this surgery available to someone who is not 100 pounds overweight? What are the health risk? How is the recovery? I would like to hear positive and negative experiences. Thanks

Hello everyone. My name is Eric, and I'm a 29 year old Wildland Firefighter from San Bernardino. I have struggled with my weight for as long as I can remember. Despite my physical job, I just haven’t been able to lose weight. I'm 5' 10" 280 Lbs. BMI of 40 with the following lovely conditions: Hypertension, Sleep Apnea, T2 DM, Enlarged Fatty Liver, and kidneys that like to pee protein. I mentioned the Lap Band to my Dr. about 2 months ago. I got a letter saying that my referral to the Center for Health Promotion was approved for pre-bariatric counseling. I met with the dietician yesterday, and asked if I had already been approved for this surgery. She said she believed so. I am on the 3 month diet program and meet with the dietician and Dr. 2 times each before surgery. As far as the diet goes, what are they looking for? Will extreme weight gain or loss change the approval status of a surgery? Also, what can I look forward to when meeting the doctor during the 3 month supervised diet program? Just looking for some insight into the pre-surgery 3 month program. Thanks everyone! PS…does everyone receive an approval letter from their insurance? I have Pacificare HMO, and they do cover bariatric surgery…

I completely understand what your going through. Two months before lap band I gained 62 pounds. I ate so much junk food, fast food preparing for this new life style. My family kept telling me I was sabatogizing myself and they were completely right. My advice is: each pound you gain before lap band surgery is only making you further from your ultimate goal. I am so incredibly mad at myself for gaining so much weight right before surgery. Start now!! They say with lap band we can expect one-two pounds per week of Weightloss. Each pound you gain preparing for surgery is adding a week to loose...I know my body can gain one pound per day and it did. If I only didn't do what I did I'd be almost 200 pounds today but instead I'm 275. Also, my surgeon explained to me that the weight we gain before surgery is belly fat that can cause complications during surgery. He said the fat all stays in belly first and makes the surgery harder to perform. That scared me, and I wish I knew this before gaining 62 pounds right before surgery. Also, be careful about weight gain because you can get denied if they weigh you, and a month later you've gained more. It shows insurance and surgeon unreadiness for life style change. Also, try going on a shake morning and lunch..and eat sensible dinner..I lost twelve pounds week before surgery drinking the two shakes and having dinner. Three weeks of liquids is a lot....and mentally if you know you don't have too, it makes it very difficult. Try one day of replacing breakfast and lunch with shake and see if you can manage that before going straight to all liquids.....

Hi dreamers! First of all, take a deep breath. I had a lot of worries going into this too, knowing I wanted to make the change but not believing that I could after so many years of unhealthy habits. Congratulations for quitting smoking -- you have just added YEARS to your life! Many of us went into panic mode that week before starting the pre op diet. I hit all of my favorite restaurants and drive thru's. You know that you are only sabotaging yourself, so it is essential to reach out for help. What does your doctor say about the 30lb weight gain? Are you required to see a nutritionist or therapist? Please set up an appointment ASAP so they can help you get to the root of this. As far as practical suggestions -- how is your exercise? You have not been banded yet but the earlier you start, the better. Even just 15 minutes. Have you considered a personal trainer for motivation and accountability? If hubby is willing to work out with you, even better. Figure out your trigger foods because frankly those will have to go for the next few months. DO NOT have any unhealthy foods in your house, period. Pack your lunches for work. It is not worth damaging your chances of having the surgery, and later damaging your band. How would you feel knowing you threw away this life changing opportunity just for the temporary satisfaction of junk food? You deserve better.

My surgery is scheduled for next Tues (4-6) and my surgeon does not require a pre-op diet; only that there is no weight gain between initial consult and surgery day. I didn't think too much about it until I realized the purpose of the diet is to shrink the liver. My doctor has been very thorough about everything. During pre-op testing I had to have an ultrasound in which they did check my gallbladder, liver, pancreas, and kidney. I've read that they can check for a fatty liver by ultrasound. I'm thinking that if my liver looked large during the ultrasound then they would have recommended a change in diet pre-op. I have modified my diet and am doing my own high protein/low fat and low carb diet for this last week. I'm somewhat of a worrier by nature, and after reading about all the pre-op diets, I'm so paranoid! I've lost about 3-4lbs in the last two weeks by just watching what I'm eating and I'm sure this last week I can lose a couple more. I was so thankful I didn't have a pre-op diet before and now I wish I would have (to put my mind at ease)! Anybody else not have a pre-op diet?

Thank you for both of your responses, I'll address them both separately here: Grace: The pain clinic is one of the very few that take medicaid in my area. I tried getting in with another one a couple of years (YEARS) ago and they took my paperwork then never called or returned calls. This one has their own review process for referrals and another pain clinic in town recently closed so they've received a lot of referrals recently. So it'll be (at least) 2 weeks until they call me to put me on the schedule, so who knows how long until my appointment. It's very frustrating. I have gotten myself one of those full back heating pads that goes from my neck to my hips and it helps (you can do wet heat with it too) but I've noticed that all of it doesn't seem to heat up at once unfortunately. My (new) GP is a naturopath, which I'm not into but I really like the clinic and she's both very on the ball and easy to get same or next day appointments with if it's urgent. She will not prescribe pain meds at all. I don't think my therapist is a pain specific specialist, but we vibe pretty well and she helps me. Mental health professionals are hard to come by in my area so when you get a good one, you stick with it. Being touched like that (massage) by strangers has always triggered anxiety in me, it's just too intimate. My bathroom with a tub has no doorknob/ lock right now, so that's not good either. I appreciate your advice and kind words. NovaLuna: Thank you for sharing your story with me; I can never remember the name of your condition, just that it's "the suicide pain." I'm so sorry you've had to and may again go through that, but I'm glad that there's at least some form of treatment. Chronic pain is so very isolating and limiting. That's why I'm getting bypass so that hopefully some of it will alleviate but if its fibro (which, the more I learn about it, that seems likely) it will be a lifelong thing regardless. You're young, so you get what a scary barrel to look down that is. I'm 41, so another 40ish years of this? Oof. My new GP is the first one to really acknowledge my issues and put a name on it. Everyone else just wrote it off. Hell, my last gp wrote in the notes that I had pain because I'm fat when the reverse is true: my loss of mobility and the extra depression caused my weight gain. (It was fun hearing the judge at my disability hearing read that out loud. I lost, go fig.) Reading and Netflix are my current go-to's, so I guess I'll be sticking with that. ❤️

My mother always blamed herself for my weight gain, even though I was out of the house & married off before it became an issue. She wasn't thrilled with the idea of my surgery because she was sad that it had "come down to that". She wished I could have found another way. She & dad drove down to the hospital to be with DH and I when I had my surgery. I didn't know this at the time, but she cried for hours the night before my surgery. Mostly tears of misplaced guilt, I believe. A few of fear. We both know sisters who were banded several years ago, and one has had some sognificant issues with her band that have lead to other problems including extreme (from size 36 to a loose 0) weightloss. And a few tears because she was afraid that it was a pure desperation move on my behalf. She never vocalized it, but she wished I wouldn't do it. Now that she sees I'm getting myself back, sees the changes in my personality, and my body... sees that I can get down & up again from the floor without any effort, and that I can rup up and down the stairs & still breathe... and most importantly that I'm still healthy, able to eat wholesome foods, and not having (yet) complications, she's thinking about the band herself. At the same time she has a lot of the issues you share about your mom. She is overweight, though I was by far the largest. She told me once, "If you do this and lose weight I'm going to be jealous." It always gave her a measure of comfort to not be the fattest one in the room, I'm sure, even if it caused her horrible guilt at the same time. We visited my parents last weekend and mom brought out all the food she had bought for me - Cookies, ice cream, chips. She meant well, but I told her I don't eat that stuff any more, and even when I do it's 1 cookie, not a box. She keeps insisting that, "With no more than what you eat, a few cookies isn't going to hurt you" or "You can use real butter, you need some more fat in your diet." She means well, but she too struggles with her proverbial demons. As does your mother. Have you tried a real heart-to-heart with her?

my steri-strips caused a horrible rash... had to get a steriod shot today and start a round of steriod pills.... side effect is weight gain - oh no! but i'll do anything to stop the itching! i thought about posting pics, but it was so disgusting. After reading all the posts, it sounds like a reaction is not that abnormal. Keep up the good work... i keep thinking what fun this fall will be!

Hello everyone My surgery was scheduled for tomarrow and I just got a call from my surgeon's office that my HCG levels were 25000 and there's a chance Iam pregnant. So I went and did the test and to my surprise it is positive! Although I am happy but I am so worried about the weight gain during pregnancy as I already am 221# and 5'2. Plus I have to do all the pre-req for the surgeries all over again next year after the baby and iam worried if the insurance will approve me then or not. Just wanted to see if anyone here ever went through this or something similar.? Oh and I was on the preop clear liquid diet for 5 days already. happy and nervous <-- thats me right now Alisha Sent from my S Galaxy using VST

Dear Diary, It's been awhile, I haven't been on site lately. I'm trying to get back to a routine. So much has happened. I am sorry to say at my last Dr. appointment I had actually gained 8 lbs.. My Dr. was very upset with me. He said you're such a nice person don't you care about yourself? You have diabetes and you're eating sweets. You need to see the psychiatrist immediately at least 2 times. He is a bariatric specialized psychiatrist that uses a cognitive approach. I know it would be helpful but he isn't covered by my insurance and pre-op visit alone (mandatory) was 220.00 He then proceeded to give me my first fill and said no matter how many fills I get if I continue to eat sweets I won't lose weight. He had some trouble finding the right part of my port and had to keep sticking me then manuevering syringe. He finally came in at a steep angle and filled my band. He said jokingly that this was my penance for eating poorly. As soon as I left the office--without making my next appointment ( I left quickly) and cried as soon as I got into the hall. My brother who had come with me was very worried. He asked if the doctor hurt me, I said no it was my own fault then went home and cried more. Even though I knew I had lost control and was eating way too many sweets. Sweets are my weakness. I was still disappointed about my weight gain. I now know I should have called the office and insisted on getting a fill after 6 weeks post op. I was hungry and could eat whatever I wanted so I did.I felt like such a failure. Here I went through surgery and I'm sabatoging my efforts. My doctor believes you should postpone doing fills until you have lost as much as possible on your own, without restriction. I assume full responsibility for my hand to mouth disease. I felt like the poster girl for What Not To Do With Lapband. Now on the bright side-- here it is almost 4 weeks later and I have lost the 8 plus 2 more pounds. I still need to call and set up an appointment but I am not letting the doc anywhere near my port. I have enough fill for now. I'm still getting used to eating post band fill. I've even vomited a few times. Soft bread and vegatables are a problem. I really have to chew carefully and limit bite size. At home I use a crab fork and take small bites. It really helps. I also use a jam spoon and that helps as well for yogurt etc. I really have to plan ahead because I need to concentrate on getting in enough protein. Sometimes at the end of the day I will have a protein shake to up calories and protein. I am finding that after my fill that I have really cut back on portions as well as my appetite. I am finally seeing the light and starting to believe I made the right decision by having the Lapband.:whoo: Much to my relief. I was eating grapes this morning, 3 grapes to be exact and that was enough. I chuckled because the quantities I am eating are so small. Yet I am satisfied so I am happy. I find I am more cheerful and upbeat. I even have more of a lap for my nephews to sit on while I read to them. I have also had to buy new pants in a smaller size. We're going to Claim Jumper for Thanksgiving and they serve huge portions, so I am taking a small cooler to store my leftovers. Leftovers from restaraunts are another thing I'm getting used to. Before I seldom had leftovers. Well good night all. Take care and keep your chin up.:confused:

Why would we think you are crazy. Stretch marks can be caused by rapid weight gain or rapid weight loss.

@@Valentina is right. If you didn't have some doubts, you wouldn't be normal. @@HanSolo1977 Mine started one I started the pre-op diet. I kept thinking about the fact that I could never go to a party and get a 'regular' plate of food. That I won't be able to finish a hamburger. That I couldn't ever be a real foodie like I've been and wanted to be. I grew up poor, and we barely had food on the table. My weight gain was thanks to me wanting to eat things I couldn't afford before + my PCOS. So all this swirled around in my head, and I really doubted that having an irreversible surgery was the right choice. I was terrified. But then I bit it all back, I took a deep breath, and I reminded myself WHY I was doing this. To ensure and hold myself responsible, so I could by the cute clothes without paying nearly twice as much. So I wouldn't cringe whenever someone wanted to take a picture of me, and so I could actually have the opportunity to have kids and be there for them as they grow up. Leading up to surgery, you're going to doubt it, second guess it, everything. What it comes down to is whether you can hold yourself to your current diet and keep it going and keep it off (I never could). Or if you need that insurance.

Good morning.... So happy I found this site and have the opportunity to share my weight loss journey. I had surgury last August and have lost close to 70 pounds. My story is not typical although I have struggled with weight all my life. At 20 I lost over 100 pounds and kept it off for 10 years. At 30 illness entered my life and I gained it all back plus. I am so very grateful to have the opportunity to lose weight once again. But I have a fear of the success.... since I know nothing in life is guarenteed. I suffered for 8 years with my weight and my illness and now have the freedom to make the best of my health and I'm scared. For many reasons... but most of all, deep inside, I am indignant. Meaning that I know that the outside is only a shell for what's inside. I was forced to recognize this and accept that no matter how thin one is... it does not solve everything. So this morning I faced this fear that I face everyday.... but today I am chosing to throw caution to the wind and begin to maximize my weight loss potential... taking on an exercise ROUTINE and hoping for the best. My motivations for weight loss are difficult to manage. I am not a vain person but appreciate physical beauty. Somewhere along the line in my struggles I gave up on my own.... as if I was not worthy to enjoy that. I have an emotional and psychological illness that forced me to focus on my mental, emotional and spiritual health. I had to let the physical go... the medications played a huge role in the weight gain and my depression and anxiety kept me from trying to exercise to conteract what was happening to my body. I had to find self worth inside and let go of the rest. As I am losing weight, these issues are surfacing and my fear of success and having it taken away again is huge. Also, having experienced this medical/spirtual transformation... I know in my heart that people will be drawn to me for vain reasons and that upsets me. The advice I try to give myself is to stay in the moment and just do my best which is great... because I am maximum capacity person. I was wondering if anyone out there has a similar challenge/fear going on. I would love to here from you. I don't want to waste anymore time on waiting for the right motivation to come along.... This fire needs to be walked through and I welcome your support. Peace, love and understanding, Robin Marie Coley