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I am in the same boat. I had been taking Belviq and phentermine which stopped working after 6 months. In that time I had lost 38 pounds. When I went for my very first appointment about six months ago, I weighed 207. Today I weigh 225. I feel my weight gain is the result of having to stop the Belviq/phentermine combo so I am now ravenously hungry all the time. Surgery can’t come soon enough. Scheduled for 1/2/18. Good luck to you!

After waiting for what seemed like forever, more weight gain, and health scared due to my weight, I finally officially have my initial consults with my Bariatric surgeon team on Monday!!!!

I had a band twice and agree with others that I should have chosen the RNY. I was worried about the malabsorption, but have since learned that the is minimal malabsorption depending on your surgeons technique. I have a good friend that had the sleeve done she did well 6 months out and now I only see weight gain on her. you can stretch out your sleeve just as easy and your RNY stomach in time. The biggest difference the way the food is routed and digested with the RNY. I was offered the sleeve but told that the only difference between my band and sleeve is a foreign object (band). The gold standard for successful weight loss is the RNY you have to t ready to change the way you look at food and if you are a sugar addict you will suffer the consequences and I doubt you will every want sugar again if you have a dumping syndrome moment. I have a sister in-law with RNY same time I banded and she lost 90 lbs in the first 6 months, but now has gained back half. He surgeon won't even see her after a year post op! If you have a good surgeon/bariatric group you will be a lifer with followups which is the way it should be. Anyway sorry I ran on and on. I will be band to bypass on Feb 6 and I am excited and nervous at the same time. I have a lot of scar tissue and adhesions that my surgeon has to contend with but I have the utmost faith in him as he has repaired many botched bariatric cases. This blog is great I have had many good conversations with people and hope to have more and learn more as my journey progresses. I am sure you will make a well informed decision and it will be right for you:-)

I know the feeling, it truly makes you wanna skip the whole process, but when you think about light at the end of the tunnel you're reminded why you started this journey in the first place. I can go on and on about water weight, muscle vs. fat to explain the weight gain and as logical as it is it doesn't make you or any of us feel any better when the numbers on the scale go UP. A week and a half go, I got on the scale, log my weight, had my band adjusted ate properly, exercised 3 days out of 7, got back on the scale the following week and had gained 10 freaking pounds. So trust me when I say, I feel your pain. I encourage you to hang in there, keep your head up and keep doing the right thing and it'll all pay off in the end.

I gave up carbonated drinks many years ago because of the gas (terrible hiccups & aggregated my reflux) & the calories. I only drank soda, tonic or mineral water (& wine, gin & scotch 😁). I didn’t miss other carbonated drinks. Now, I only have tonic or soda, which I let flatten a bit, the rare times I have gin. I agree with the studies about artificial sweeteners @s@ssen@ch mentioned. Artificial sweeteners don’t do anything to stop your desire for sweet things because they provide you with the same sweet hit just with much fewer calories. Sugar has addictive qualities as does the caffeine in many carbonated drinks. That’s what you’re likely missing @Heather13 not the Diet Coke itself. For me, this process has been perfect to cut out, reduce or limit my intake of things like sugar, carbs, alcohol, etc. All the things that contributed to my weight gain & inability to lose & maintain loss in the past. You’ll notice for every person that says they can eat or drink something or can or can’t do something after their surgery, you’ll find someone who doesn’t or can’t. Remember, we’re all different & have different experiences on this program. One of the big learnings is discovering what works for you & brings you success. I’ve very much appreciated the suggestions, advice & stories people posted on these threads & through trial & error I’m working out my what helps me & brings me success. Good luck.

So, should all surgeries be covered? There have to be some guidelines. And, I am with those who think it it stupid to intentionally gain weight. So sue me. OP, that said, are you off the meds that caused the initial weight gain? And what does your doc say about that link, the potential for loss, and your illness? If you can't lose while on the meds how will that change if you continue to take them? I know that if I was on meds that caused weight gain, as I have been, that I could not quit eating even with a surgery, kwim? I'd have found a way to cheat the system.

Do you take any medicines that cause weight gain. I was taking a couple that made me bloated, etc. If you do take meds check them, some may cause you to gain weight, and then take to your Dr.

Thank you Tomo for your response. I also had lap band in 2008 and had it removed in August 2022 following horrible reflux and weight gain. I understand your experience about the lap band restriction, it was quite unbearable at times and maybe I have to go back and think how I managed to overcome that! I think I need to stop overanalysing this and stop reading the horror stories and what can go wrong. thank you

GINGER3151, You said you are using low fat foods. Most products labeled Low Fat are very bad for you. They have artifical sweetners which in some people have shown to cause weight gain or difficulty losing weight. They are also filled with chemicals which may also hinder weight loss. Try staying away from anything labeled Low Fat of Fat Free or that has the work Diet.

You know, I've been really worried about that. I'm almost at a point of being afraid to gain weight. I guess because I worked so hard to lose it. I don't think I had the time to psych myself about the weight gain since this wasn't a planned pregnancy. I'm on the scale every morning just checking to see if I've gained anything yet. I only gained 22 pounds with my first child...of course I was 300 pounds at the time and probably didn't NEED to gain anything.

Hi all! I was sleeved on March 29th after my band was removed. I was banded 16 years..had some issues last few years and ended last week with removal. I am now a week post op. I know it's still early..but I have gained 5lbs. I know I shouldn't weigh myself, but of course I see others here who have dropped weight the first week. I know newbies are different than previously banded..but my weight has just stuck at 206.2. It has not budged down even an ounce. Yesterday while getting a pedicure, I finally noticed that my feet, ankles and legs looked a little swollen. Wondered why the flip flops felt a little tighter..but subtly..so I figure I am retaining fluids..wondering if anyone else has? Probably the newbies dropping weight right away may not have noticed this..but is already discouraging to see nothing happening. I had band completely unfilled 2 years ago after a routine check after many years showed my esophagus had expanded. I had quickly gained 30 lbs in a month and added another 20. So been 50lbs up since..even after being refilled. At least i didn't gain back 130lb I lost with band..but really would like to see this 50lbs go. Hoping that this turns around. I realized I had this tea by Traditional Medicinals in the house called Weightless for temporary water weight gain..so herbal diaruretic tea..see if that helps. Anyone else have this??

Diet is an ugly word but yes, you do need to watch what you put in. After a while I learned how to "trick" my tummy and get more in than needed by doing all the things I shouldn't. Yes, I am above my lowest weight and would like to lose 5 to 10 pounds but I am comfortable where I am still below surgeons goal for me. So, what was suggested to me was having a single day of liquids protien shakes once a week. This allows me to have fun food every once in a while and now worry about weight gain. Luckily my sleeve prevents overeating. Snacking is a killer of any sleeve post op plan. You know what you need to do. Easy? No, my surgeon did not do brain surgery only stomach surgery. So just continue to do the right thing. Follow the 3 meals a day plan, 60 gm min of Protein, suppliments, 64oz of Water, stay away from sugar, limit my carbs and excercise. Good luck! I love my sleeve and have no regrets.

Weight gain is always a worry. It's so easy for me to gain weight now. In the beginning, I was always so full, just looking at food made me feel sick. Now, I am not as full, and everything looks good. I have to be really careful. It's so easy to snack now too, because i am not so stuffed all the time anymore. It's a life long battle I am afraid, but it should be an easier battle with the sleeve. I can definitely eat more. Yesterday, there weren't a lot of choices where I was. I ate a whole McDonalds cheeseburger bread and all. I know I could have chosen a salad but it really sounded good and I haven't had one since about 2 years out. At that time, I could only barely finish it with a couple bites of bread. This time, I ate the whole thing, bread and all.

I posted her under this topic awhile back as not having had any problems. Since then had a little bump in the road, but not sure if it's the band or the surgeon... I think I may have been overfilled and not sure if this is the surgeon not being as accurate as possible on how much he takes out before adding more. I ended up in ER after throwing up for five days. Initially had all fill removed (or so we thought). Was scheduled for revision becuase they thought the band had slipped. Surgeon had a scheduling conflict so surgery was postponed but I've been dealing with PA lately. We decided to go ahead and refill partially. As it turns out I still had over a cc still left in the band, which if you include the 8 ccs they took out in the emergency room and then 1 cc I had taken out the month before, would bring me up to at least 10. so I'm really wondering if the throwing up was just because I was overfilled. So I've had 4ccs in for about 3 weeks with no problems (no restriction either thank you very much...agghh...I've gained 10 lbs ...but it's been a great summer...lots of pina coladas...so I've had my summer sojourn...lol) I go Monday for another fill. I'm sure they won't do more than maybe 2. But the PA seems to be better at getting more out of the band than my surgeon was. So we'll see how it goes. I personally think it will all be okay but if it's not, it probably won't rear its ugly head until there's some real restriction on the band. But I'm am so not discouraged. What being unfilled has done has made me get up off my lazy butt and join the gym and also to get out more often to the pool in my housing development and swim as much as I can. So even with my weight gain, I'm not discouraged. I know that as soon as I start getting restriction the bread will be back out of my diet. sorry to ramble...but I don't fault the band. My surgeon is very very inexperienced when it comes to the band, like under 20 total. My daughter had the Lap-Band, no problems, but her surgeon had done over 4k and had told her that the biggest issue with the bands is port placement and stitch placement for the flap that holds it in place. So worse case scenario, I've been approved in case I need it for the revision. Good luck all. Trisha pennreporter

I am not banded yet however I just got off of Depo and was on it for 6 years. And a lot of people complain of weight gain when you first start it but it is supposed to pretty much stabilize after the second shot. I know I gained like 15 lbs between the first and second shot and lost all of it between the second and third. And at the time I wasn't really doing anything to try to loose weight. Lots of my friends who are on it had similar weight changes when they first started.

I was also on Depo about 8 yrs ago. My doc advises against going back on depo because of the weight gain and recommended an IUD. I've convinced my husband to get a vasectomy instead. :thumbup:

Have you ever taken it? I was put on that in my teens, when I was barely 6kg overweight! It is awful stuff, I was climbing the walls, vacuuming my bedroom at 3 am, I was aggressive, had insomnia and yes, no interest in food whatsoever, lost weight easily and regained it in a matter of 2 or 3 weeks when I stopped. It is dangerous stuff that can cause heart problems. However, when you feel desperate enough, you do what you have to do, and if you're under medical supervision, its your choise. It will probably make it very easy for you to eat hardly anything, but even with a lapband, if yours isnt providing the restriction you need, then rebound weight gain is going to be a problem when you stop taking it - and you cant take it forever, its too dangerous. No doctor will let you do that. What sort of exercise are you doing - really an hour of cardio a day is going to be necessary when you've already lost a lot of weight - it gets harder and harder and harder to lose it. My weight now, my daily intake needs to be about 1800 calories (WITH an hour of exercise a day) to maintain it, so I wouldnt lose much on 1200 either - you cant eat nothing sot he answer is you've got to burn more. And the exercise may need to be really vigorous - running or interval training etc. Otherwise weight loss does just peter out and may stop at a point you're unhappy with. But duromine is not a long term answer for you, although it will most likely work short term. Good luck and I agree, if it gives you a renewed control and gets you motivated again, then short term it may be worthwhile.

Thank you for your very nice, and concerned response! I have been seeing a therapist, but not for the weight gain. I was seeing one for the OCD and anxiety, and they prescribed me with Lexapro. Ever sense I started taking it, I hardly ever have anxiety or panic attacks. It really has helped. But I heard it makes people eat - go figure, lol. The Lexapro has given me my spirited, outgoing self back. But I still have low self-esteem issues with my appearance. I know I'm attractive, but my weight is making me feel like I'm not myself. I am not at all in the process, besides making the decision to do it. If the Bypass were the only surgery available, I probably wouldn't have weight loss surgery at all. I heard the Sleeve is a bit safer. At this point, I'm going to have severe health issues in the future if I don't get the weight off. I have found a surgeon. His ratings are 4.8 stars out of 5, which is great! I called and left a voicemail at his office, but no one has returned my call. So, I think I'm going to give them a call in a few minutes. I am not being treated for sleep apnea. I haven't had a diagnosis yet, but I am almost certain that's what I have. The only thing is, I've heard you don't remember your dreams when you have sleep apnea; but I almost always remember mine, and have them frequently. WOW!! 200 pounds in a year?! Congratulations! That is so nice to hear. I am so happy for you. That is like 16 pounds per month! Have you had to continuously replace your clothes? Lol! As much as that would probably cost a lot of money to replace that many wardrobes, I'm actually looking forward to it. I still have a ton of clothes saved from high school that I hope to be able to wear again, since I haven't grown a single inch since I was 15. A few things that I am wondering about are my gastritis and PCOS. I found out I have gastritis, which is when the lining of the stomach is inflamed. I'm wondering if this will be a problem. I know you're not a doctor. I'm just hoping the surgery will maybe even improve my stomach problems. I also have PCOS which can cause women to gain weight. Do you have that? I don't have PCOS but your surgeon should take everything into account when recommending a procedure. I have never heard that people with sleep apnea can't remember their dreams. I never noticed that. Other than WLS, being treated for sleep apnea has been the best thing I have done for my health. Getting good, restful sleep is critical. Your surgeon and/or insurance will most likely require a sleep study and treatment. I don't spend a lot of money on clothes. I am not working so I am still wearing old clothes (I have a lot of basic dresses). I do make sure I have a bathing suit that fits: I started with a size 32 and my current suit is a tankini with a top size 20 and a bottom sized 24. I have buy a couple of new skirts and tops periodically so I have something to wear in public. Not long after surgery I bought underwear in three sizes so I always have underwear that fits. I just bought a packet of the next size down. I bought a couple of new bras a while back. I am due to get a new bra. I know a lot of people buy clothes at thrift and consignment shops while they are transitioning. One other thing, I recommend you make sure you use a surgeon who is at a Bariatric Center of Excellence.

My husband & I went to Mexico last week on vacation and I just wanted to share with everyone that it IS possible to have a fun vacation and not worry about food, even though we are on specific eating programs. I am 4.5 months post-op and pretty much adhered to my proper diet with a few exceptions. I took my vitamins, ate a lot of lean/grilled protein and tried to get my water in. If we were off-site on an excursion, I made sure to have a protein bar and extra water on hand. Breakfast was usually an omelet with veggies or a yogurt & fruit and lunch/dinner was grilled or poached fish, shrimp, chicken or lean beef and veggies. We stayed at our favorite inclusive resort and I pretty much ate dessert every night, only had pasta once (two spinach raviolis) and only ate rice once (a couple bites of sofrito & rice). I did have crusty bread at dinner most nights (usually with olive oil & balsamic) and I did drank alcohol most nights at dinner and at the swim-up bars at the pools. Before everyone gasps, I only gained two pounds. We walked a lot and went on several off-site excursions, along with swimming almost every day. I got back home Saturday night and went back on program Sunday. I weighed myself this morning and not only did I lose the two pounds I gained on vacation, but I also lost an additional pound. We took this same trip at the same resort two years ago and we both ate and drank like no tomorrow and I gained 14 pounds. I did have to say “no” to a lot of things that looked delicious and I couldn’t finish a lot of the yummy food on my plate, but it is possible to go on vacation and enjoy your meals with minimal weight gain.

Weight was 231 day of surgery came home and now 237 . Do you loose that fluid weight pretty fast?

Need Advice! I was banded 3 weeks ago. Prior to that I went on the liquid diet for 2 weeks and up until a week ago I had lost 27 lbs. I have started eating real foods now and sometimes get 1000 cals in and sometimes less. I have gained back 8 lbs in the last week. I feel discouraged and don't know why I am gaining. When I drink I can gulp water and even know I eat less than before the band I am not lossing weight. I have never vomited my food back up, but I find chicken can get stuck at times. I haven't had a fill yet and am eating about 3/4 cup to 1 cup of food at meal time. Why am I not lossing weight is my body thinking it is starving? Right now I am not super active as I am on vacation and not at work. Help me with some advice.............please?

Perhaps put the situation in a letter to the surgeon. Lay out what your weight was before starting your low carb diet, your carb, protein, fat, and caloric consumption. Then describe the nut's plan. Explain you are willing to try the new plan, but are concerned about potential weight gain on that plan, and the willingness of the surgeon to perform the surgery if you have gained weight.

I felt like I had a few minor stalls, but looking back at my charts it was really a pretty steady decline. I weighed myself every day & only added it to my tracker if it went down. A few Lbs up or down is not usually weight gain, its usually just normal fluctuations based on the time of day, fluids, etc. I would keep tracking, focus on whole foods & add walking to your routine- that always helped me.

All these threads about the scale, and what we are eating and I'm seeing the words 'good' and 'bad' throughout them. I'm as guilty as anyone else about this but I want to put it out there that eating is not bad. Weighing is not bad. WE are not bad. We might make poor decisions about our food, or we might see weight gain on the scale, but it's not good or bad. It just is. Why is what we weigh and what we eat seen as good or bad. Why do we see ourselves as worthy or unworthy based on our physical appearance. Why am I worthy of the attentions of a man now that I'm thin and didn't feel worthy when I was heavy? Why did I punish myself by wearing horrible clothing and not caring how I looked? I know for me it was like putting lipstick on a pig...but why did I think of myself as a pig? Or a slob? Or a loser? Or lazy? Everytime I think I may not need more therapy, I know I need lots more therapy. I hate how much I despised myself before and I'm scared of how much people admire what I've done in the last two and a half years. I am constantly looking to others to determine my own worth because I still cannot do it on my own. I am moving forward in very unfamiliar territory. I have no fat to hide behind. I can't blame failure on my size anymore. I can't blame rejection on my size, I have to own my life and not look to anything negative to avoid what I do. We have to stop with the good/bad thing. If I eat pizza, it's not good or bad. it just is and doesn't make me good or bad. I want to enjoy food without fearing it. I want to enjoy my life without fearing it. I want to be physically and mentally healthy. I'm working on it, but it's still ahead of me.

This is really interesting. I'm three weeks away from my bypass and was chatting to my nutritionist about my expectations and hopes for weight loss. In all honesty I couldn't say. A number feels terribly arbitrary and not very helpful. A big motivation for me is to be able to play and run about more with my five year old as he grows up. My weight gain really curtailed my physical activity and now I'm so keen to live more of my life outdoors that, for me, success will feel like being able to cycle and climb hills without wheezing and sweating (actually walking up stairs without wheezing and sweating would be a good start). Beyond that my self image is important, but I have no idea what weight corresponds to when I look great again. Watching the numbers is clearly invaluable in terms of what you eat and how much exercise you do - but when you use numbers as your sole measure of success I imagine there's a danger you disappoint yourself even when your achievements are immense.