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Hi I am going to copy some of my story here for you. Hope it helps. I am in the process of insurance approval to have a revision from Band to RNY. I have had my band for seven years. I have been very lucky to have not had any complications, no slips ect. My band is unfilled now, because i never did get the 'sweet' spot, either to tight and things would come back up or I would revert to soft high carb foods, or too loose and I can pretty much eat anything. I had my surgery for the band in Cincinnati Ohio, (I live in Indianapolis) The surgeon Dr, Trace Curry was excellent, I do think traveling back and forth for fills ect did hinder me getting where I needed to be for my fill to be right. But no matter what the band was not going to help most of my medical issues. Since the band I have lost and gained the same 30 to 40 pounds. Now at my heaviest. And the band did not help any of my medical problems. I am hoping the RNY both with the smaller stomach and mal absorption and the actual surgery itself will help with my uncontrolled type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance. I am so sensitive to insulin that I swell and ache all over but I have to take large amounts to keep my blood sugar down. It is like I am on a merry go round, hurt, can't exercise, can't exercise, gain weight, blood sugars out of control, more insulin, can't breath because of severe asthma and copd, need steriods about once a year, higher blood sugars, more weight gain, can't exercise, and around and around we go My hope and prayer is that this surgery will add years to my life that I can spend with my children and grandchildren. I need to GET a life, because what I am doing right now is not living seven years ago I thought the Bypass was too drastic. I didn't realize then the benefits besides weight loss that the Bypass can do. I think if you have a lot of weight to lose the Bypass would serve you better. I see so many revising from lap band to either the Sleeve or the Bypass. But even see some revise from the Sleeve to the Bypass. Read a lot here, ask questions and listen to your Doc's advice. Then make up your mind. I don't regret getting the band, but I do wish I had went all the way and had the Bypass seven years ago. Best Wishes to you.

Did you ever hear anything about your approval? I'm just wondering because I had United Healthcare try to pull the "one surgery per lifetime" card with me for my revision. It turns out that was not in my husband's company's policy at all and they were trying to deny saying it was something like - obesity surgery standards--blah blah blah. They said they would remove or replace my band only. They denied my case, I immediately appealed and just heard back last week that they are overturning the denial and will be paying for the revision. My advice is if it's truly what you want then don't give up! I'm not going to say it's an easy thing. It's extremely stressful both physically (putting up with the band and weight gain for longer) and especially mentally! You just have to decide if it is something you want to fight for.

I hope you do get some answers as it sounds awful. Cushings is something that causes lots or weight gain so if this is the issue it’s a pity they didn’t test and rule it out prior to surgery as then you may not have required the WLS as well. Are you still bleeding or has that resolved?

@@bguarneri sorry about your "temporary" screw up on weight gain you did great before you know what to do to back on track follow all the rules you learned start over with Protein drinks, liquids, large Water intake etc eat as much protein as you can little as possible with deviled carbs i know you can become the success you used to be i have my eye on you!! give OP on the board for help!! take care now back to work!! good luck kathy

So sorry you are experiencing this. Your PCOS is the likely suspect or at least a contributing factor to your struggles. Also check your medications. Many common meds are renown for resulting in weight gain. There is not one diet/way of eating that works for everyone. So your nutritionist saying you eat healthily & gave you no other help is pretty poor. Like @Sunnyway, I made changes to what I eat. I did lots of reading. And as I was slowly introducing foods back into my diet, there were some I didn’t start eating again, some I started & dropped again. I really listened to my body & what it needed. There are foods/food types I avoid, others I restrict or reduce my intake. Much like @Sunnyway, I cut out a lot of added sugar, artificial sweeteners & sugar alternatives (so no desserts, cakes, biscuits, sweets, etc.), little starch (no potatoes, bread, rice or pasta). General keep to fairly low processed foods prepping most of what I eat myself which allows me to control the ingredients & how it’s cooked. I eat some carbs - about 2 serves a day but whole or multi grains. But I found this is what works for me. I feel better: no bloating, less gas, more even energy levels, etc. Don’t really miss anything. Eating this way works for me. It may not work for you. Question the nutritionist further - they are there to help you. You may benefit from a eating plan that incorporates aspects of anti inflammation diet, or to reduce foods naturally high in hormones (soy products, lot fed beef & chicken, etc.) There may be additives in more processed foods that are fighting your ability to lose weight too.* Again the nutritionalist should be able to advise you. *- Watched a great documentary earlier this year which showed that a high processed food diet actually increases the hunger hormone in your body & decreases the hormone that tells you you’ve had enough. Gracious knows what they do to your other hormones.

Okay, so I got pregnant with my oldest, and what did I weigh? 208 I had her, lost some weight, gained some weight, then lost, and settled at 208. I got pregnant with my youngest and weighed 208. Had him, lost weight, gained wieght, and never saw 208 again. I weighed 223 when I got banded, and quickly lost some weight. Guess how much? 15 pounds. And that put me at 208. And I have stayed there since day 12 after surgery almost 8 weeks ago. My body LOVES 208. I HATE it!! So today on the scale I weighed 206.4 I'm still not convinced I'll never see 208 again but at some point I'll get below it enough to know I will never look back. It has taken me weeks to convince my body that 208 is BAD. Our bodies tend to get stuck sometimes. Keep pressing forward. 8 weeks is a drop in the bucket compared to a year from now. And you can be pretty well guaranteed that you will NOT be in the 200's in a year. I know you are frustrated. I'm really sorry, but we can do this!!! With the Band, it's not that you just eat whatever just less of it and lose IF you DON'T have good restriction. For me, it simply makes the diet possible day after day after day. And THAT is what speaks to my 208.

Hi everyone, I'm a 21 year old considering the sleeve. I've struggled with weight loss since I got my period. I went from being quite slim to gaining weight rapidly in a year, and haven't been able to lose any since, gradually gaining. I am currently at 76kg (168 lb), 159cm tall. I did find out I had PCOS when I was around 17, which explained my sudden weight gain after getting my period. I have had high cholesterol since I was 19, and have been on simvastatin 20mg since. Recently I started noticing my fasting glucose was getting a bit higher each time, up to 6.8 (122) fasting one morning, although mostly around 5-6 (90-110). I am also on metformin for my PCOS. Diabetes runs in my family, my mum, dad, uncle, grandma etc. all have it, with my mum recently becoming completely insulin dependent (previously T2). Although my BMI is low, around 30-31, as I am of asian descent, the BMI cut-off is lower too. I'm really considering doing this early, so I can prevent all these co-morbidities occurring later in my life. It's frustrating, I am technically "not heavy enough" but those who are are probably healthier than me. Has anyone my age/bmi had this surgery?

One of the office I go to will not touch you if you have not lost weight. You will be sent away. The place where I ultimately ended up having surgery (had nothing to do with weight gain or loss, I left for other reasons) puts you on a strict preop diet and they do expect you to lose weight. I don't know if they would turn you away or not but you are only putting yourself at risk.

I was "normal" sized when we met (around 125 lbs, if I remember correctly). I started my steady weight gaining after I popped out The Kid 8 years later. I've read alot about spouses/partners of those who have lost weight say similar things (i.e., not liking skinny women/men). Which to me is kinda douchey. I mean, if Mr. told me he doesn't like fat women when I gained my 100+ lbs, I'd be doing some serious re-evaluating. Though I suppose until you guys have a real conversation about it, maybe just give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that yes, while he gets turned on abstractly by a relatively bigger physique, in no way does it affect how he feels and is attracted to YOU. P.S. your pic reminds me of Julianna Margulies (the ER actress)!

OMG! You are going through EXACTLY what I did! Initially I tried to brush it off. Eventually I was falling asleep every time I sat down to watch TV or got in a semi-comfortable position. My end-symptoms included tongue-swelling and EXTREME weight gain! FINALLY I woke up and sought out a pulmonologist. Due to my travel schedule for work I was unable to undergo an overnight sleep study. Instead, she sent me home with a machine to record my breathing status while sleeping and asked me to sleep for 4 hours with it. When I returned the machine and they did the analysis I found that I was waking up around 58 times per hour! My average oxygen concentration which should have been around 98% was less than 67%! I tried a normal CPAP but eventually ended up with an Autoset (adjusts automatically to what my body needs). My CPAP has been a GODSEND! I now sleep MUCH MUCH better and can be up for 16 or 18 hours if I need to be without falling asleep. In fact, I took my machine with me to my surgery (at my surgeon's orders) and used it throughout my hospital stay. PLEASE don't walk, but RUN to your doctor and get a sleep test! If I (or you) were to fall asleep while driving a car we could kill someone! Sleep Apnea is a VERY VERY serious condition and needs to be treated as soon as you experience symptoms (as you are and I was). Don't be afraid... just get tested as soon as possible! There is light at the end of the sleepless tunnel!

I would love for someone to explain to me how to do a food log. I know the purpose, but I have no idea how to do it. I haven't met with the Nut yet, so this is still a learning process for me. I also use My Fitness Pal but others on the forum give Spark People very good reviews as well. The first thing you'll do with any of the apps is your settings. You'll enter height, weight, gender, age, etc. etc. and then you'll enter your goal weight and (at least with MFP) how much weight you want to lose per week. From that data the app will calculate a recommended daily calorie intake. Remember that number is just a "one size fits all" calculation based on the info you've entered. Every one of us is different and there are a lot of variables like exercise, calories burned in your job, raising a family, duties around the house, etc. Do not hesitate to experiment a little. Make adjustments to your calorie goal until you find "your" number - the one that works best for you and your lifestyle. So let's say that MFP "recommends" 1200 calories a day based on your settings. That's a good starting point but what you want to do is follow the recommendation for a week or so and see what happens. If your weight loss goal is a pound a week and you lose a pound, great. If you don't lose or even gain, then adjust the calorie goal down by say 100 calories and try it for another week. The point is that with a little experimentation you can fine tune the app for the calorie count that produces the results you're looking for. You're just a few weeks post-op. Perfect time to start logging! The longer you use it, the more you learn. But you're unlikely to be able to consume the number of calories that your app will recommend. That's fine - just adjust your calorie goal to either the number of calories your doctor recommends or if he or she hasn't made a recommendation, adjust the goal to whatever number you think you can achieve based on where you're at in your journey. Perhaps the most important thing to understand is what I call "The Law of Average". It is crucially important to understand and treat your calorie goal as an "average". Regardless of what your calorie goal is, you are not going to meet that goal every day for the rest of your life. Ridiculous. Unrealistic. And unsustainable. More importantly, you don't need to! When (not if) you exceed your calorie goal for a given day, all you need to do is reduce your goal by 100-200 calories for a day or two and you're right back on track with your - AVERAGE. It's easy, it's fast and it works like a charm. I've done it not once or twice but many times. And you don't have to do it too many times before your confidence soars. For what may be the first time in your life, you're managing your weight (and your diet) instead of your weight managing you. Food logs also make you accountable to the only person that matters - YOU. Logs educate you regarding the effects various foods are likely to have on your weight loss or weight gain. Logs "train" you to recognize what meals will lead to weight loss and which ones will lead to gain - and how much. They also allow you to track the macronutrients (Protein, fat and carbs) and see what effects (good or bad) increases or decreases have on your weight. They also allow you to track your exercise as well as many of the micronutrients aka Vitamins. That's a LOT of information all in one place and the app doesn't cost a dime. Finally, it has been proven again and again by countless studies that folks who maintain a food log lose more weight, lose it faster, and are more successful at maintaining their goal weight than those who don't log. Versatility, confidence, education, accountability and greater success in less time - all pretty compelling reasons to use food logs. You're gonna love the new you!!

First time poster, long time lurker A bit about myself, I was sleeved in 2014 at 136kg and manged to get down to 96kg before finally falling pregnant [yay!]. Now I am 1 year postpartum and my weight is rapidly spiraling out of control again The head hunger and being home all day with bubs is my biggest problem, I graze ALL day on sugary quick grab foods. Having a little one I find myself tired and am seriously lacking motivation with jumping on the weight loss band wagon as my son is my first priority. I've always had a larger sleeve than most and was able to eat half a sandwich, now after being pregnant I can eat a whole sandwich no worries. Being pregnant was my downfall when it came to the weight gain as I was hypoglycemic and had to eat every hour, plus bubs was draining me of everything which is why I was constantly hungry and I simply cannot break that habit now. I don't believe I have stretched my stomach but I like to hear from other sleevers that have a similar story to myself and that can reassure me that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Google says: How can I avoid gaining weight on Zoloft? Maintain your normal eating habits. Sertraline may affect your appetite, causing you to feel less satisfied by food than normal. To minimize weight gain, try to maintain your previous eating habits, such as food choices, portion sizes and meal timing.

So what and how much are you eating compared to when you were losing weight? That's what you really need to look at. steroids don't magically make you gain weight on their own. I've been on both prednisone and methylprednisolone for cervical stenosis and pinched nerves since my VSG 2 1/2 years ago and did not gain any weight because I still made myself eat on plan. Basically steroids cause weight gain because of 1) Fluid retention, which can partially be controlled with a low sodium/high potassium diet; 2) increased appetite, which you need to still keep in check with mindful eating. Track and measure every bite if you have to. and 3) decreased activity due to pain or doctor ordered restrictions. But in the end, weight loss and gain has to do what you put in your mouth, not necessarily how much you excercise. Go back to basics. Lots of Water and Protein. Watch your carb and sodium intake very carefully. Try resetting yourself with a week or two of Protein shakes only or try the 5 day pouch test.

Well I guarantee your weight gain is from Coke and wine and whatever other empty calories you are consuming, not from the steroids. Once I was maintaining below goal I have stopped any regains immediately if I pop even 1 pound above my bounce range. 2 things have worked for me.... 1) full on preop liquid protein "preop" diet. Three protein shakes/day and unlimited leafy green veggies. At least 80g protein and 100oz water. Usually only takes a few days of this to drop several pounds and to curb any carb cravings that have taken hold. Or 2) go back to just protein and veggies. Still the same protein/water goals but my overall calories are higher and it may take a couple weeks to drop a few pounds. If you cut out all refined carbs (including Coke, alcohol, pasta, bread, rice, etc) and just go back to the same basics that helped you lose during those first 6-12 months you WILL lose those 40 pounds. It may take several months, but isnt that why we had surgery? To lose weight and keep it off? And remember You've got your sleeve forever. Let your sleeve do what it does (portion control) and you do what you need to do (make smart choices) and it will work.

Grace, I'm right with you on losing weight on an "ordinary" diet - including ALL foods in moderation. I believe junk foods form a part of a healthy diet when they're treated as "sometimes" foods. Its OK to go out to dinner and enjoy it, its OK to sometimes enjoy a cooked Breakfast on Sundays with your family, its even OK to have a small bit of chocolate every day. But when you take the path of including too many of those foods on too regular a basis (which by your descriptions you appear to have done) and you rely on a tight band to get you through you can still lose weight with a band. Doesnt mean its the best way to go. The trouble is then if you ever lose your fill you've not learned a darn thing about choosing foods wisely. If you ever begin to eat in the quantities that unbanded people do again (like if you have an unfill) you're going to be very prone to weight gain because your choices arent great. Its right to fear an unfill in those circumstances. So the sensible path is not to allow yourself to become malnourished, its to start to eat PROPERLY. Have a bit of an unfill and eat some real food and cut the sodas etc. out. Grace, if you really are suffering issues like lack of potassium, you've got more to worry about than whether your collarbones are showing and you probably do need to halt your weight loss. In ordinary circumstances, there's plenty of people around who just have to accept that they're not curvy, they're thin just the same way that some of us have to accept that we will NEVER have the very thin figure we desire. All of a sudden, I"m devastated by the fact that I appear to have misplaced my boobs. I have none. I've always had a great pair! I dont know where they went, but THIS is where my body took me, I did not starve to get here, this is just me, its how I'm meant to be - and I can fix it with PS if I wanted to. Let your body tell you where it wants to be. It is going to be very difficult to maintain a weight that's too high for YOU just as it is difficult to maintain a weight that's too low for you. Truly, without going back into the whole skinny is ugly thing, I really think you've got some head issues that need sorting. What on earth are you so afraid of?. You might stop losing in 5 more pounds anyway, there's nothing to say you're going to fade away. You're not underweight, you're a healthy weight. Enjoy it! And eat something decent. Seriously, the band does NOTHING for our heads. We still have to work on those ourselves. Its very uncomplicated. If you're losing and you dont want to, have an unfill and eat more.

I had the sleeve at 19, I was terrified of the bypass because I was nervous about them touching my intestines, but now at 22 after weight gain and awful heartburn that led to stomach ulcers, I will be converting in July. Just looking for anyone who may have converted, what was different post op with the bypass than post op with the sleeve?

I go in for my preop next week and I am scheduled for surgery 3rd week of June. I have been planning on the lapband but I have heard some horror stories that now have me second guessing myself. Bad infections being one and "weight gain" being another. How the heck can weight gain be a problem? I'm also worried about health problems that may occur as a result of the banding and my new eating habits. Are there side effects? I've heard with a bypass, gallbladder removal usually comes after a year due to it failing from lack of protien. Anything like that with banding?

"Eat less, move more" is the simple way to stay slim, but some scientists now suspect body weight is much more complex. One area of research is "obesogens" which are chemicals absorbed from the environment and food that are thought to disrupt the way hormones operate, potentially leading to weight gain. Research by Harvard University found that women (men less so) struggled to maintain weight loss after higher levels of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were found in their blood. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/pfass-chemicals-environment-body-weight/ http://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1002502 https://coach.nine.com.au/2018/07/26/11/10/obesogenics-chemicals-weight-gain

Thank and please keep us posted on your recovery. ..I'm just barely getting started...and I'm excited for you....did you ever sought about getting the surgery Sent from my SM-G386T1 using the BariatricPal App I actually had second thought many times throughout my 2 wk preop liquid phase. I wondered if I could really do it or not. I pushed through and jumped in with both feet and did it. I can't honestly say that I made the right decision yet as it is too early to tell. Last night I ran a 102.4 temp and have gained 5 lbs in 24 hours. I believe the fever was a result of a virus lurking around instead of it connecting to my surgery. As far as the weight gain, I have no idea....I look 8 months pregnant....and feel it too. I'll post more updates on my experience. We will get through this together! Sent from my SM-N900V using the BariatricPal App

I would say "Don't worry, you'll be able to eat all those things," but I don't want it to sound like encouragement! No but truly, you will probably be able to eat most foods you loved pre-op once you have recovered from surgery and your stomach heals. The decision to NOT eat those foods is when the real work begins, because eating around the surgery is self-sabotage and will probably lead to weight gain. Post op, I really miss 3 things: pizza, diet soda, and cake. I mean, really. LOL, sometimes I obsess about those things but I make a choice not to eat them - otherwise, why did I have this huge surgery? My desire for cake, etc, hasn't disappeared, but I'm more motivated to lose weight than I am to buy and eat that piece of cake from the bakery. Post-op, I spend a lot of time thinking about food -- food I should eat and food I shouldn't eat. It's a battle every single day to make the right choices. Thank god I had the surgery to help me along - otherwise, what's the point?

All contraception affects people in different ways. The pill is widely know for DVT risk etc which is why most dr's have their patients stop it prior to surgery. I'm 33 and wasn't required to stop my depo shot. I think there are side effects to every form of contraception and obviously people who are on one form will advocate for that. For me personally, I hate the pill, I didn't actually want periods, and I wanted no foreign object implanted in me.. Which left be the option of condoms or the shot. Condoms are just not reliable for me. I have happily been on the shot for 17 years. I have lost 111lbs in 7 months so it has not affected my weightloss, I don't worry about falling pregnant (which I absolutely don't want), I don't have to remember to take it everyday and I don't have anything implanted.. So for me its perfect. I said earlier that I was fat when I started the depo so how can I blame my weight gain on the shot? I just ate too much food. I take calcium supplements - well it's a small price to pay for my peace of mind! Each and every person will tell you why their contraception is the best choice. I think it's up to the individual to decide what fits well into their lifestyle. Good Luck in finding something that works well for you.

Did anyone get approved even with weight gain? Sent from my SM-G920R4 using the BariatricPal App

Thanks for responding Corize. Part of the policy for approval is that YOU MUST ADHERE TO BEHAVIORAL MODIFICATIONS AND ADHERE TO THE DOCTORS DIETARY PROGRAM. SO THEY WON'T ACCEPT MY DOCTORS RESPONSE. THE ONLY WAY THEY WILL ACCEPT THIS IS IF HE CLARIFIES WHAT HE WROTE AND HE WRITES THAT HE DID NOT MEAN TO SAY I DIDN'T ADHERE TO THE WHOLE DIETARY PROGRAM AND BEHAVIORAL MODIFICATION PROGRAM. At least...this is what it seems...that the only way they will cover it now. I am getting my doctor records from 2005-2009 from my other doctor to show my weight then and how I was stressed ect...and my foot doctor records to show how this increase in weight gain even now effects the arches in my foot which causes even more pain and stress.

Found an encouraging article online: https://www.sages.org/meetings/annual-meeting/abstracts-archive/band-over-sleeve-a-safe-alternative-to-achieve-further-weight-loss-and-reduction-of-co-morbidities/ BAND OVER SLEEVE: A Safe Alternative to Achieve Further Weight Loss and Reduction of Co-Morbidities Amy Banks, MD, R Harrell, MD, J Foote, MD. Grand Rapids Medical Education Partners, Michigan State University and Grand Health Partners. Introduction: The vertical sleeve gastrectomy was traditionally performed as part one of a staged bypass procedure in the super obese patient population. The weight loss achieved from this surgery alone is often substantial and frequently patients do not require or desire the second stage malabsorbtive procedure. The vertical sleeve gastrectomy is one of the most common weight loss surgeries performed today. Over time, however, weight gain often occurs and we present a new technique of using a laparoscopic placed adjustable gastric band (LAGB) over a vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) to aid in further weight loss and reduction of co-morbidities. Methods: A retrospective review was performed of five patients who underwent LAGB placement following a VSG. BMI, weight loss from VSG alone and weight loss from LAGB plus VSG were reviewed. Percent excess body weight loss (%EWL) for LAGB alone and for LAGB plus VSG was calculated. Co-morbidities and their resolution as well as any postoperative complications were evaluated. Results: All five patients achieved further weight loss after placement of the adjustable gastric band over the vertical sleeve gastrectomy with an average of 40.4 lb (range 31-64 lb) and an added %EWL of 32.2% (range 12.7% – 44.1%). Total %EWL following VSG plus LAGB placement was 57% (range 43% – 67.5%). The average BMI decreased from 56.6 pre-operatively to 43.9 post VSG and down to 37.6 after VSG plus LAGB. No major complications occurred during the 31-month average follow up (range 15-46 mo). An average of 3.6 adjustments to the gastric band were needed post operatively. Several co-morbidities resolved after VSG, and there was even further resolution of co-morbidities after LAGB plus VSG. One patient was intolerant of the band and required eventual removal. Conclusion: This case series introduces a novel approach to add to the repertoire of bariatric procedures following a vertical sleeve gastrectomy. There are advantages to placing an adjustable gastric band over a sleeve gastrectomy in lieu of converting patients to a malabsorptive procedure such as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or a biliopancreatric diversion with duodenal switch. We demonstrate that certain patients can achieve further weight loss from laparoscopic placement of a gastric band over a vertical sleeve gastrectomy without complications. Further studies still need be done to determine the efficacy of this procedure to provide long-term weight loss in this patient population.