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We all are very different. We lose at different rates & our experiences of stalls can be different - longer or shorter duration, more of less frequently. I’m sorry you are experiencing this frustrating plateau. As @ms.sss asked, what are your stats? What is your caloric intake? Do you track your food & does your nutritionalist review it with you. There is a lot of variation in food portion size & calorie recommendations. Personally, I only got to around a cup of food at 6 months when I reached goal. Those first 3 months I was only eating 1/4 to 1/3 solid food so my calorie intake was lower than others. Are you on any prescribed medications? Some can slow or affect your weight loss rate too. I can track my biggest weight gains to changes in my hormones - puberty & menopause were the biggest - so there could be something in what you said about the article. (Could you include a link to the article please as I couldn’t find it in their site - looking in the wrong place most likely 😉.) I noticed that Sage offer a resting metabolic rate assessment. Did you do one before surgery? If so it may be interesting to see if there has or hasn’t been a change.

I have read that one of the signs of band eroision is weight gain. Stupid question but I'm going to ask it anyways. Is the weight gain caused because you lose restriction and you can eat whatever you want or...............is there something else that makes us gain the weight? I might have band erosion, having an endoscopy tomorrow, and I cannot stop gaining weight. Yes I am probably eating more now because I have no restrictionn, but there are days when I don't eat that much and I have gained about 8 pounds in 2 weeks. I am freaking out. Thanks for your input.

So I had the sleeve done 3/14 and so far I have no issues. My stomach tolerates everything I introduce. I can intake liquids with ease and i have restriction with food. The day I arrived my weight was 311. Day of surgery I asked to weigh again I was 306. After surgery I weighed myself (I know I wasn’t supposed to I was 295). Today I’m 299.8 and I’m scared to be back over 300 lbs but why am I gaining weight? I’m not even eating enough food to be gaining anything. Is this normal? I’m so afraid of messing this up or failing but seeing the scale go up is sending my anxiety through the roof.

If you're eating bigger portions and you can eat solid meals, so that you're not relying of soft foods, you most probably need a fill. Try to fit in a brisk walk at lunch, and other times during the day. Take the steps rather than the elevator. Park at the end of the lot. Try to work in more cardio on your days off. Add a little weight training if possible. When your work slows up a bit, hopefully you'll be able to fit in more exercise. Try to start fresh, and not lament the weight gain. With the band, you can always have a new day one. Good luck!!!

I was always a B. Weight gain got me to a 38C. Now that I have lost weight, I'm back into a 34B. The girls snapped back pretty well. I went to a PS consult to see if I would benefit from a lift, but was told that I wasn't so much drooping as that I was experiencing middle age deflation and would benefit more from augmentation to re fill the upper part of my breast. Good luck to you and your breast. Susan

I'm a 46 year-old mother/wife with four children. The youngest turning 7 this year. I suffered from gestational diabetes during that pregnancy, but none of the others. Maybe being 39 at the time had something to do with it. I've been struggling with weight gain since 2011. Although, I haven't really done anything about it. Mostly complain and avoid my reflection. Over time with everyday stresses from work and home, I have been taking Zoloft. I had been considered pre-diabetic for several years, but about a year ago was finally put on diabetic medication: Metformin. Only taking one per day. Taking it didn't make me feel any different and being in denial, I guess, I felt like I didn't need it. Along with the weight gain, diabetes diagnosis, I've also been dealing with pre-menopausal stuff (maybe?) and my vision seems to be deteriorating. I've gone from occasionally using reading glasses to actually needing them to read more and more. I was also recently diagnosed with IBS, which has become more of a consistent issue that I have to deal with on an almost daily basis. With the increased stress of declining health, Wellbutrin is now part of my medicinal arsenal. I started looking into and considering bariatric surgery in October 2017 and have finally decided the surgery is needed as part of my determination to get healthy again.

Hi my name is Bonnie I'm 23 years old and I've been struggling with my weight all my life. I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was held back in the first grade, from there they put me on Adderall and I was gaining 10 pounds every month, I didn't understand because I wouldn't eat breakfast or lunch at school because the medication it would make me nauseous. By the time I would get home it would be dinner time and I would be hungry. This continued through my high school years where I couldn't even stand to be in the lunch room I would just go to the library and hang out til' lunch was over. I was still active and try to keep up the best I could with all my friends that were three times smaller than me. Finally when I was 17 years old the doctor told me it was rare but a side effect of weight gain on adderall. I stopped taking my medication and I lost 30 pounds right after that. I still suffer with the same eating habits and I've gained more weight over the years. Oh I'm ready to take this next step and better my life I can't wait and I'm so excited.

Hi Jackie, I really don't know how it eroded and never even heard of a lap band erosion. I lived in California and moved to Knoxville, Tn. I didn't realize that if a doctor did not do your procedure, he will not give you any fills. So no doctor in this area would even consider me. After a couple of years and 25lbs weight gain later I found a doctor in New Orleans which is actually from TJ that flies in every three months to give fills to their patients. I drove all the way to New Orleans all excited to get a fill and on my way of losing some weight! I have the 10cc Inamed band. He said okay you are going to feel some pressure as he is filling my band to the full 10cc and got no restriction and that is when I found out it was eroded. Went locally and had an Endoscopy to confirm it. I would use my credit card if it was not maxed out! I had a great job. It was only a 2 year temporarily project and after the 2 years was up it was the worst time to get a job during recession. Which forced me to start my own business that is doing great but I have everything invested into it. I will be able to have the band removed in a year but I was hoping sooner than later! I do have some good days when I say I can live with this a bit longer but on my bad days when I have a lot of pain I want it removed yesterday! I guess i gave tmi but that is my story and it feels good to let it all out! I'm glad to see you are doing good with your lap band and I wish you lots of luck and will power to make it to your goal weight!

I had RNY in 2015. I had great results - i started at 254 and had been holding steady at around 128 . I was very pleased where I was. Last fall, I became very ill, not holding anything down. I dropped to 117 and was in and out of hospital and they couldn’t find anything wrong with me. I called my RNY surgeon and asked her to look through my recent test results to see if she could find something other doctors were missing. She said all test looked good, but, suggested i see a digestive disorder specialist who they share a clinic with. I saw the digestive disorder dr and through some test, found that I had a bought with gastroparesis. Finally, a diagnosis and because of diagnosis, they were able to begin treatment. They have some meds that worked and i was, finally, able to start holding food down. As I started holding food down, I started rapidly gaining weight. So, the 10- 12 pounds I lost from being sick was gained back in less than a week. A little startling, but, figure it must’ve been water weight and I’m right back to the weight I started at. But, I continued to gain and gain. In 2 months, I gained atleast 30 pounds. I’m afraid to get on scale to see exactly how much I gained. But, I did stop gaining and have been holding steady for about 2 months. But, I am very unhappy at the weight I’ve gained. I hardly have any clothes that fit me now and I don’t want to buy new ones because I don’t wasn’t to be this weight. So, my question pertains to gastroparesis AFTER RNY. I know Rny is recommended to treat gastroparesis, but, has anyone heard of it after Rny - I never had any symptoms of gastroparesis in my life. Then with the rapid weight gain. Do you think it’s possible that all the vomiting I did, stretched my stomach or the food sitting in my stomach stretched it or some other side affects? I just don’t know what to think. I do know that I can eat a lot more than I had before the gastroparesis. I can’t make an appointment with my surgeon until all this coronavirus stuff passes since this is not life sustaining, at this point. Any feedback would be appreciated. I am afraid I’m falling into depression over this weight gain. I’m very unhappy and embarrassed.

Besides my husband and my kids. I have decided not to tell anyone in my family. I have been really upset that they have badgered me about my weight gain and have made it very difficult for my to even want to be around them. What I find so insulting is that they are all extremely overweight but because my parents were both thin they assumed I should be as well. I hate also when people say that getting wls is the "easy" way out. How is it easy? I have give up almost everything and learn to re-eat and get treatment for learning how to stop overeating and go through the pain and struggle of doing without any support. If that is easy, what is hard?

A lot has to do with economics... What can you afford to do?! I found I skipped sizes..like I went from 18-12 boom. Not much in between. I managed to live in the 18's for a while, but since exercise was my main focus, I did spend money on yoga pants and jogging pants that fit regularly. I also purchased some really cute skirts -not cheap- with fabric that had some stretch-- and would go down with me. It was certainly worth it to have 4 or 5 skirts to wear that were pretty, flattering, and fit well. I'm not a second hand clothing shopper, but others are and have done well. I would suggest purchasing some cute tops you can pair with a couple pairs of different pants, and don't be afraid to try a size or two lower than you think fits. How you shed weight now may be different than in the past. For me, weight gain was always in my legs when I was younger if I put on 10 pounds or so and always the last to go. This time, it was really pretty evenly spread, but the legs went faster. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I have a screwed up thyroid and my endo suggested the surgery as well as I was just not able to get on top of the weight gain. Both the endo and my surgeon said mine won't be the type that will go away after surgery but I would go down in dosages and so far they are right. Surgeon did say a lot of people are able to come off the meds. I was on 3 thyroid pills a day (T4 and T3 in the am and another T3 in the afternoon). After close to 4 months, they re-tested me and my levels have gone up so they just took away my afternoon pill. I'm hoping it doesn't slow down my weight loss because I felt absolutely fine on the dosages I was on...guess we'll see this week. Good luck to those still waiting for surgery.

Heather, the last time I got mine renewed I had been on a downward trend and lost a bunch. The lady at the DMV noticed the number went down from the previous weight significantly and commented on it. She was very encouraging. Unfortunately, the weight didn't stay off and I lost my license so I had to go back to get a new one. Even though she deals with a gazillion people a day, I was CONVINCED she would remember me and chastise me for not keeping the weight off. Of course she didn't remember me from Eve, and she also didn't comment this time. I guess weight gain isn't something you get an 'atta girl' for...go figure. I was honest about the new number though and having to stick that damn license in my purse made me even more determined to do something positive for myself. Funny, the little things that motivate us, or make us ashamed.

Hi! It's been almost 1 year out (sleeved Dec 6th 2011) and I think I'm just gaining weight back. My lowest was 205 in the summer but now I weigh 235!! I had a rough summer with getting laid off so gained back some weight because of it and could not afford my vitamins. I got a new job now so am trying to lose weight again and taking the vitamins. My hair is falling out so is now very thin. I'm used to having a thick head of hair. Right now I put myself on a liquid diet for awhile so I can lose the 30 lbs and get back on track. I feel I should have lost way more by now so feel like a failure. My weight before surgery was 300+ and highest I been was 400. I'm still glad that I had the sleeve because there is no way I could have lost 70 lbs on my own. Does anyone have any advice on how I can get back on track?

Moon, sorry to hear about your troubles. The one thing that I have heard is that if you are not getting enough protein then one of the side effects is hair loss. The other is weight gain. If you are not eating enough protein, then you must be eating too many carbs which leads to the weight gain. The pre-op diet with very high protein and very low carbs along with getting plenty of exercise should kick everything back in. Get back on your vitamins too, the B12, calcium and iron are very important. The B12 does help in the weight loss. Don't forget the 64oz of liquids a day. Good Luck and keep us posted.

So, I live with PTSD. Prior to my surgery, I was taking antidepressants. My doctor took me off them when I got my surgery. For the first couple months post-op, I was doing pretty well and didn't feel I needed them. However, recently, my PTSD symptoms have been getting in the way of me having a good life. I think I need to go back on them. But I'm scared! So many antidepressants cause weight gain. What do I do? Has anyone been able to take antidepressants and still keep their weight off? How about alternative treatments like CBD oil? Any help is appreciated. Thank you!

I'm so nervous I gained 2 pounds in between my 2 required NUT appointments. I was also on 2 steroids for bronchitis surfing this time. The NUT said it could be from that, but I am extremely nervous that my insurance will now deny due to the gain. Ugh. Anyone else have this happen? Wht was your outcome? I have BCBS of SC.

I'm in no position to give advice because I am currently losing and I'm also a newly sleeve patient. I can tell you that I've spent a good amount of time on this forum and I've learned a few things from the vets: Food logging is vital! I've noticed that the ones who maintain years out are still logging their food. They're able to see what they are doing wrong if there's a gain and catch it quick. Basically they have more control of their weight. I've already accepted the fact that Ill most likely be tracking for many, many, many, years lol. Keeping up with your appointments is just as important. I've read that a lot of maintainers see their surgeon once or twice a year just to check in. What @FluffyChix and @catwoman7 said! I see a lot of maintainers weigh their food still and eat as if they are still losing (protein, veggies, fruit/good carbs in that order) Lots of maintainers weigh themselves on the same day every week. I've also read that some even weigh themselves everyday so that they can control any spikes in weight gain. Maintainers are doing some kind of physical activity every week or more. Once again I am in NO POSITION to give you advice so please don't take it that way. These are just my observations from reading this forum. I'm hoping to observe and learn more so that I can be just as successful as them at keeping the weight off. Obesity is a disease and it should be treated as such, constant thought and action for the rest of our lives.

While I’m not completely off the rails I see the writing on the wall, some old habits coming back and I’m trying to avoid weight gain and trying to lose the last bit of weight I have to lose. Thinking about seeing a therapist? Isogenix? No not weight watchers again. I can’t. Really. Haha. What have all you successful people done to keep the weight off? What have you done to lose the final 20 once the honeymoon period is over? Please help me figure this out!! So afraid I will never get there and go back to the old me. Le Band to sleeve revision surgery 1/16/17 HW: 283 CW: 177 GW: 160

Haha.... just noticed this forum and the requirements to post here... I hit 18 months March 4th, I guess that makes me a vet lol! Current stats: 5'4.5" and between 126-129 pounds depending on the day. Hit my goal at 7 months and was well under my goal by a year. Overall I have been maintaining for a year now.... did have some challenges recently and weight was beginning to creep up... but I managed to quickly ditch those few extra pounds and am back at my happy maintenance weight. I get thrilled every time my husband or daughter comment at how skinny I am. My daughter says she never realized I was really overweight or "fat" until I lost it all. Now when we look at photos from just 2 years ago it is obvious. Now I am a size 4 and i look healthy. I can't go any lower than 124 though... 124 seems to be right where I am on the verge of looking too skinny. Health is great. Sleep apnea is being treated. Heart condition resolved. High cholesterol and tachycardia resolved. The medical consensus is that severe undiagnosed sleep apnea is what triggered my sudden weight gain... and my heart health was what prevented me from losing weight. Now I feel better than ever and feel that as long as I continue to control diet and exercise regularly I will have no problem maintaining. Of course... controlling diet is key. I was never a big calorie consumer.... but I wasn't always eating good foods and then I did drink calories in the form of Pepsi. Most of the time I don't have an issue controlling diet... but when life is excessively stressful... that is when I can get into trouble. That is when I am most likely to not eat right and consuming the wrong foods. I have taken steps to increase access to healthy food at work, which is also important for me. Exercise.... still trying to get back in a regular routine after a horrible few months at work. Doing much better... but still have a ways to go. So... 2020 I had planned to walk the Camino De Santiago (You walk all the way across northern Spain). It was going to be my reward for losing weight and a way to improve my physical fitness. Had to cancel. Then I had to cancel the trip I rescheduled for this summer. Boo! Instead... I am gearing up to do an 8 week hike on either the Pacific Crest Trail or the Appalachian Trail. I will probably do the Appalachian Trail this summer and wait for the PCT. I am excited and nervous at the same time. I really wanted to do the Camino first, because that is more of a spiritual/cultural walk and you don't have to carry your tent/food/extra water. With either of these I will have to carry all of those items. I know I can do it... but it would have been so much better to do the other walk before either of these hikes. My challenge now? Trying to make sure I eat properly on the trail! Just bought a dehydrator and am assembling/dehydrating meals that I can eat so I don't have to rely on crap food available along the way. I need to be able to eat enough calories to sustain me, but not so many that I develop bad habits. Most people load up on carbs... I need to avoid that and only load up on healthy carbs. Anyhow... that's me! New WLS "VET"

Later this week It will be three years since my sleeve surgery and this is what I've learned. The surgery gave me hope and a jump start to rapid weight loss and better health. That's it. Nothing magical to it, you lose a good portion of your stomach therefore you eat less and you lose weight. I learned that without any work on my part the weight came off rapidly and in eight months I was at my goal weight. Now, here is the most important lesson out of this whole process, ( need to capitalize this) THE HARD WORK IS MAINTAINING THE WEIGHT LOSS. Since April of 2018 I have been struggling daily to maintain that weight loss and to stay at my goal weight. For those of you who have had long term success you are truly the best and you should be proud of your accomplishment. Early July I saw that I had a weight gain of eight pounds. I redoubled my efforts and was able to lose 4 1/2 pounds in three weeks. I am still struggling to lose the other 4 1/2 lbs. So, to date I am 4 1/2 lbs above my goal weight. I don't consider that a good thing. For the first time since my surgery three years ago I am forced to work twice as hard to lose weight rather and to maintain my goal weight . I'm still ahead of the game being so much healthier. To those who have recently experienced the euphoria of weight loss and better health after surgery. Enjoy it, embrace it and most of all keep in mind that it can be lost if you are not vigilant in your maintenance. I wish everyone the best of health and the best of success in your weight loss journey.

I've actually done some studying on this. Regardless of gastric surgery or not soda's even diet soda can lead to weight gain indirectly. The super sweet taste awakens the desire for sweets. And MAY lead to other indulgences. The sweet taste can over power your taste buds and make otherwise perfectly normal sweet tasting things to be less sweet, which MAY lead to adding sweetener and may loop around and make cause #1 more plausible. CAFFEINE can be a diuretic and cause you to dump more Water than you take in, which MAY lead to further soda intake - etc. If you're not getting enough water anyhow it may actually cause dehydration. While a can once in a while may be a treat the fact may be that since you already have needed surgical help to loose weight you may not be strong willed enough and allow something as "innocent" as a sweet diet soda to put you back into the bad eating habits that caused your obesity in the first place. WATER is the best liquid. Personally, I still have a tough time choking down tap water but I force myself to stay hydrated. Personally I don't want a (former) favorite treat to lead me back down a wrong path. WARNING: IANAD - the opinions and theories expressed here are my own.

Yes....walk! It's really really important; even small steps up and down the hall, but you must get up and walk. This is a really important step in your recovery. The weight gain is normal; in a week or two you will start losing regularly. If things don't improve in a few days call your doctor.

Even though I'm banded Tessa, I'm responding because I can understand your concerns. Let me assure you that after introducing food after what I presume has so far been a liquid diet will absolutely cause a weight gain. Please remember that this is a lifetime change and gains and stalls are just part of it. You didn't gain the weight overnight and you won't lose it that way either. You should pay attention to sodium and sugar as too much can cause weight gain. But some salt and sugar won't derail you. The only thing that will derail you is worrying about every loss and gain. Do yourself a favor and stay away from the scale. Just pay attention to what you are eating. Choose wisely...protein first and watch the carbs, sugar, and sodium. Exercise. Move around. It will make you feel like you accomplished something and will improve your mood. Pay attention to how your clothes fit and those non scale victories. Before you know it, you will notice that you are looking and feeling better. Take it from me...you'll get there. I was banded 2 1/2 years ago and my journey was also not linear. Yet, I still managed to lose an amazing amount of weight and have a normal life as well. Good luck and keep us posted on your status.

I started my weight loss journey in Sept 2008. Had absolutely NO complications or problems and lost over half my weight in 3-4 months. I weighed 247 on the day of my surgery and quickly plummeted to a sexy 125!! Felt amazing and looked it too! However, 5 years later I had picked up a brand new habit!! I started going out...like to bars...which I had never done in my life ( I was married w/ kids so this wasn't acceptable) anyway, Now, I was divorced and had alot of free time on the weekends. Had a wonderful job, gaining new friends, hobbies etc. However, I also started drinking. Would never have more than 3-4 Captain and Cokes but my god they were delicious to me!! I had never drank before nor did I drink much soda. I quickly found myself drinking on the weekends while out with friends. Long story short, 2 years later I got a DUI !!! The first and ONLY person in my family that drank much less, get arrested. This killed my spirits, and I felt I had let my family down so I swore off alcohol. Fast forward 2 years...no job, new relationship that required a move 3 hrs away from everything I had ever known, only to find he was an alcoholic who was also physically abusive when drunk (strangled me on numerous occasions)...I started drinking again (along with him and only at home) just to get my mind off the fact that I was so far away from my family and other miseries. I am now on my own, doing very well, great job, my own place but have now started drinking wine (a whole bottle of Pink Moscato) a few nights a week. This didn't really start until this past April when I had a full hysterectomy....Thankfully, I have never had a hangover, never get sick and am actually really productive around the house..(which isn't a bad thing) I guess my question is, I have gained about 13 lbs since this time last year ( my job is sitting for 12 hrs 4 days a week) when I am home ( I live alone) I am just sedentary and don't really have any energy to do much of anything ( severely anemic and get iron infusions every week ) so do you think it is the Wine that is causing the weight gain, the Full hysterectomy, the desk job or just a combination.??? I would really like to stop any further weight gain and any answers would be appreciated.